Ask the Slot Expert

My favorite casino lowered their video poker paybacks, but they raised their slot club cashback. Should I look for another casino?

The exact same situation happened to me at the Atlantic City Hilton. They replaced all of their one-dollar 9/6 Jacks or Better machines with 8/5 or lower machines. But at the same time, they increased their cashback rate.

I suggest you look at the total picture when evaluating a casino and its slot club. If you still like playing in the casino, and you like the rest of the property and the restaurants, there's no reason to go elsewhere--especially if the slot club has become more generous. But I would tell your slot host and the director of slot operations that you noticed the machines were replaced with lower-paying machines.

I try to look at the total picture when I evaluate a slot club. Although I would prefer that the casino have many 9/6 Jacks machines in all denominations, I'll play in casinos with inferior video poker if they make up for it by being more generous with cashback and comps.

Here's something else to keep in mind. You're not guaranteed to lose by playing a video poker machine with a lower payback. Your results in video poker are subject to randomness and volatility. It takes a million or so hands for a percent or two change in payback to have a greater effect on your results than randomness.

On the other hand, you're guaranteed to benefit by the increase in the cashback rate. It's not subject to either randomess or volatity. You may actually make out better in the long run by giving up a little of your video poker payback in exchange for the sure thing, the increase in the cashback rate.

John Robison

Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert, at slotexpert@home.com.

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