vpFREE2 Forums

Question about VP VLTs

#1

This is an interesting question that I have wondered about myself.
I recently visited Monticello Raceway in upstate NY that became a Racino this
summer. Since my visit early in the summer, when they had no VP they had
installed 48 VP machines. They were all full when I got there.
The .25 took 1-20 coins and paid 5K for the Royal with full coin. They also
had a match card. If the last card in your hand matched the match card you won
a bonus. The $1 were 8/5 with $4000 for the royal.

After playing full coin for a while (with what I thought were strange
results, I went to 1 coin for .25
I got a flush, threw it away and was redealt a flush
I got a high pair 3X, through it away and got a match on the bonus card equal
to a high pair
I got 3K, through it away and got 3K
The results of my small sample are very strange and would seem to indicate
that wins are predetermined and not based on strategy and RNG.
I'm interested on other comments and experiences.
Joel

In a message dated 9/26/2004 12:04:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
pelotari1672@yahoo.com writes:

I am aware that video lottery terminals (VLTs) are linked to a
central lottery computer, rather than each machine containing its own
random number generator. In the case of video poker VLTs, though,
does that central computer utilize a random shuffle, or is it
programmed to present each type of winning hand (or at least the
chance to obtain such winning hand by holding the proper cards) with
a certain frequency?

If it's the former, then we can determine the payback percentage from
the posted pay table. If it's the latter, then the pay table doesn't
give us a clue as to the payback percentage. Anyone know the scoop?

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

Congrats, Joel ... you catch on faster than most (myself included).

VLT vp machines, by definition, don't function off an RNG. Instead, a
central server pre-determines a win/lose result for each play, and the
amount of the win if appropriate. It can be thought of as the
equivalent of a video scratch card. Whatever win comes up, the
machine deals a hand that produces a result paying that win.

The "Match Card" on these bonus poker machines functions as insurance
that the machine will award the predetermined win. As you saw, toss a
sure winner and, lo and behold, you'll see a comparable hand or hit
the match card bonus that will "coincidentally" pay out just as much.

(These observations were gleaned while Bev and I were on vacation in
WA state in 2001, taking a convenient roost at an Indian casino bar to
watch the pre-season Michigan-Washington game ... convenient for the
drowning of our growing sorrows ... Go Blue!)

- Harry

joel0457 wrote:

···

After playing full coin for a while (with what I thought were
strange results, I went to 1 coin for .25
I got a flush, threw it away and was redealt a flush
I got a high pair 3X, through it away and got a match on the bonus
card equal to a high pair I got 3K, through it away and got 3K
The results of my small sample are very strange and would seem to
indicate that wins are predetermined and not based on strategy and
RNG.
I'm interested on other comments and experiences.
Joel

pelotari1672 writes:

> In the case of video poker VLTs, though, does that central
> computer utilize a random shuffle, or is it programmed to present
> each type of winning hand (or at least the chance to obtain such
> winning hand by holding the proper cards) with a certain
> frequency?

#3

Thanks for the replies, guys. That tells me what I wanted to know,
which is basically that you can't tell anything about the payback
percentage by looking at the pay table....and that means I'll stay
away.

Regards,
Perry

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, "Harry Porter" <harry.porter@v...>
wrote:

Congrats, Joel ... you catch on faster than most (myself included).

VLT vp machines, by definition, don't function off an RNG.

Instead, a

central server pre-determines a win/lose result for each play, and

the

amount of the win if appropriate. It can be thought of as the
equivalent of a video scratch card. Whatever win comes up, the
machine deals a hand that produces a result paying that win.

The "Match Card" on these bonus poker machines functions as

insurance

that the machine will award the predetermined win. As you saw,

toss a

sure winner and, lo and behold, you'll see a comparable hand or hit
the match card bonus that will "coincidentally" pay out just as

much.

(These observations were gleaned while Bev and I were on vacation in
WA state in 2001, taking a convenient roost at an Indian casino bar

to

watch the pre-season Michigan-Washington game ... convenient for the
drowning of our growing sorrows ... Go Blue!)

- Harry

joel0457 wrote:
> After playing full coin for a while (with what I thought were
> strange results, I went to 1 coin for .25
> I got a flush, threw it away and was redealt a flush
> I got a high pair 3X, through it away and got a match on the

bonus

> card equal to a high pair I got 3K, through it away and got 3K
> The results of my small sample are very strange and would seem to
> indicate that wins are predetermined and not based on strategy

and

> RNG.
> I'm interested on other comments and experiences.
> Joel

> pelotari1672 writes:

> > In the case of video poker VLTs, though, does that central
> > computer utilize a random shuffle, or is it programmed to

present

> > each type of winning hand (or at least the chance to obtain

such

···

> > winning hand by holding the proper cards) with a certain
> > frequency?