Harry wrote:
[Double-up is] a play that should be avoided.
... for most players. However, it can be very useful under some
circumstances.
Many games played at the $5 and up level generate a lot of $1250 payouts.
$5 10-7 DB triple-play was common a few years back and had that property;
more recently, the 10-coin $5 NSUD 10-play does, and so does the $25
single-play NSUD.
During the time it takes a casino to process the payout, including the W2G,
you could have played dozens of hands, hundreds at some Atlantic City
casinos. And, when that's all done, the slot attendant and various
assistants expect a tip.
By doubling up on the $1250 payouts, you avoid half that waiting time and a
little less than half the tip expense (because the appropriate tip goes up a
bit, but not linearly). You get more hands per hour, and more expected
return assuming the game is positive when all the play benefits are
included.
Or, consider a high progressive that allows the progressive jackpot to be
doubled, and it doesn't reset if the double loses (I've met exactly one such
situation, so it's possible but not common). If the jackpot is unlinked, or
if the players trust each other enough to follow a jointly optimal strategy,
it's right to double such a jackpot, and redouble it until the limit is
reached (typically $16,000 limit, so usually only one double will be allowed
for a good dollar progressive). The effect isn't to raise the ER of the
game, but to lengthen the expected amount of play available on that good
progressive.
Doubling is a tool that can be used in ways that help a good player. And,
by slowing the effective rate of play, it tends to help bad players as well.
But if you're playing a game that's positive including bennies, double-up
should be avoided unless you are using it with purpose.
ยทยทยท
--
Randy Hudson
