Video poker software recommendation

For whatever it is worth, I saw a lady at Sam's Town in Las Vegas hit back-to-back royals on the nickle poker machines several years ago.

It happens.

It has never happened to me. And I've never seen it happen. But it definitely has happened in the past and will happen again in the future.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

Hi, John,

Enjoy your newsletter.

My question is : We will be in Boston in October for a wedding and several guest have asked me to find a casino there where we can spend an afternoon and evening gambling. We like slots and Texas Hold'em. I've serched the internet with no results. Hope you can help.

Thanks,
Walt

Dear Walt,

Thanks for the kind words about my column.

As far as I know, Massachusetts has dog tracks but no casinos.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

Can you recommend a good video poker program? I want to learn and practice at home.

Thank you.

Stan

Dear Stan,

I recommend Jean Scott's Frugal Video Poker. It is available online from www.queenofcomps.com and other companies.

Best of luck in and out of the casinos,
John

John:

Someone asked you about an old WMS game Yukon Gold.

Though WMS doesn't market it anymore, they HAVE licensed it in Class II to Oklahoma-based Rocket Games. Hence a Class II version is available at almost any Indian casino where Rocket places games. I know they are all over Oklahoma, a few spots in California, all over Montana, a few spots in Alabama and Florida, one in Texas… their website claims 82 locations in 13 states. I would suspect that those games are in all 82 locations.

On another issue from the same column, concerning W-2Gs. This is an ongoing debate I have had at new tribal casinos especially. It even cost me my job at one. Some very paranoid casino officials believe that the $1,200 threshold is combined winnings of $1,200, meaning that if a player brought in a four $300 TITO tickets in a gaming day, they would not only refuse to pay that player until we did a W-2G, but in at least one case I know, they would file a Suspicious Activities Report on the customer. UNBELIEVABLE but true. Another casino where I worked, required the housekeeping staff to be certified in Title 31 training in case they were cleaning the toilets and overheard people in stalls discussing ways to cash in more than $1,200 at a time. (It never happened, of course, but it was truly a job requirement for the housekeeping staff.) The absurdity of these examples, while laughable on one hand, becomes a major issue messing with players' lives (at least to the point of their tax status and their banking status with W-2Gs and SARs filed. VERY scary.

As always, keep up the great work.

Kindest regards,
Gary

Dear Gary,

Thanks for the info about Yukon Gold. That would explain why almost all of the sightings of it have been in Native American casinos.

As for your W-2G story, I can't believe how many times this has happened. The IRS regulation is not that difficult to understand.

Thanks again,
John

Send your slot and video poker questions to John Robison, Slot Expert, at slotexpert@comcast.net. Because of the volume of mail I receive, I regret that I can't reply to every question.