vpFREE2 Forums

Woodbine Trip Report (August 27, 2007)

#1

On Monday, August 27, 2007 Woodbine reached their maximum weekly
distribution of "Cash Your Stash" scratch cards. Yet another example
of a "promotion gone bad". I wasn't able to get a free meal or even
a "free small gift". Therefore, my trip was rather pointless. One of
the old cashier window centres has been closed and replaced with
about 8 slot machines.

One thing I noticed: a group of about 12 $1 Game King machines with
6/5 JOB and 10/8 Bonus (2 pair pays even money). The payoff on the
6/5 JOB is 95% and the 10/8 bonus is about 94.5% WITH PERFECT PLAY.
At 8:00 in the evening, all of the machines were unoccupied! I
understand if Woodbine doesn't want to offer full pay Pick'em
anymore. I even understand if Woodbine doesn't want to offer 9/6 JOB.
But, come on! Does Woodbine intentionally try to have crappy video
poker? What's the point of having 6/5 JOB if nobody plays it? Would
it kill them to offer 8/5, for instance? A Tai Pan bus to Casino Rama
costs $5. If I go to Rama, wager $5 on a $1 7/6 JOB machine and get
ONE full house or ONE flush, my trip is paid for!

The Game King machines are starting to get old. Hopefully, Woodbine
will get a clue and replace them with something half decent.

I hope this has been informative. Replies appreciated.

#2

Hi djmcosmo,

I'm at Woodbine often and I agree with what you're saying. I've
collected a lot of these "Cash Your Stash" tickets but have not
redeemed any simply because I could not be bothered to wait an hour or
more in a line-up that runs from here to the moon. I'm not that
desperate for a few dollars and some "small" or "large" gift. With the
popularity of such a promotion you'd think they'd set up a few areas
in the casino where people could redeem their tickets.

The 6/5 Jacks or Better is a complete rip-off. There is a $5.00 7/5
Game King Jacks or Better that returns 96.1% but this, too, is a
rip-off and should be avoided. The $0.25 Jacks or Better are the only
machines I see people consistently playing. And that's because these
folks obviously don't know any better. They don't know anything about
pay tables, return percentages, perfect play strategy, etc. And thus I
suppose the casino continues to make money off these people.

Really, the only video poker worth playing (and the only one I play at
Woodbine) is the $5.00 Pick'em Poker, which is the only full pay
Pick'em left, I believe. It returns 99.9% and when combined with your
slot card comes close, or is slightly over 100%. But Pick'em is a
highly volatile game and can quickly eat your bankroll--especially the
$5.00 denomination.

···

--- In vpFREE_Canada@yahoogroups.com, "djmcosmo" <djmcosmo@...> wrote:

On Monday, August 27, 2007 Woodbine reached their maximum weekly
distribution of "Cash Your Stash" scratch cards. Yet another example
of a "promotion gone bad". I wasn't able to get a free meal or even
a "free small gift". Therefore, my trip was rather pointless. One of
the old cashier window centres has been closed and replaced with
about 8 slot machines.

One thing I noticed: a group of about 12 $1 Game King machines with
6/5 JOB and 10/8 Bonus (2 pair pays even money). The payoff on the
6/5 JOB is 95% and the 10/8 bonus is about 94.5% WITH PERFECT PLAY.
At 8:00 in the evening, all of the machines were unoccupied! I
understand if Woodbine doesn't want to offer full pay Pick'em
anymore. I even understand if Woodbine doesn't want to offer 9/6 JOB.
But, come on! Does Woodbine intentionally try to have crappy video
poker? What's the point of having 6/5 JOB if nobody plays it? Would
it kill them to offer 8/5, for instance? A Tai Pan bus to Casino Rama
costs $5. If I go to Rama, wager $5 on a $1 7/6 JOB machine and get
ONE full house or ONE flush, my trip is paid for!

The Game King machines are starting to get old. Hopefully, Woodbine
will get a clue and replace them with something half decent.

I hope this has been informative. Replies appreciated.

#3

If you are going to play $5 Pick-em go to Niagara Fallsview. Lots better cash back and bounce back
.

Regards
A.P.

···

--- Neil <urban_tale@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Really, the only video poker worth playing (and the only one I play at
Woodbine) is the $5.00 Pick'em Poker, which is the only full pay
Pick'em left, I believe. It returns 99.9% and when combined with your
slot card comes close, or is slightly over 100%. But Pick'em is a
highly volatile game and can quickly eat your bankroll--especially the
$5.00 denomination.

#4

If you are going to play $5 Pick-em go to Niagara Fallsview. Lots

better cash back and bounce back

.

Regards
A.P.
--- Neil <urban_tale@...> wrote:

> Really, the only video poker worth playing (and the only one I play at
> Woodbine) is the $5.00 Pick'em Poker, which is the only full pay
> Pick'em left, I believe. It returns 99.9% and when combined with your
> slot card comes close, or is slightly over 100%. But Pick'em is a
> highly volatile game and can quickly eat your bankroll--especially the
> $5.00 denomination.

Hi Albert,

Funny you should mention Fallsview; I was just there last week-end
while I was on vacation. I had a really good session, too. I was
playing one of the $5 slant tops and happened to hit 4ofakind three
times in about an hour of play. I was surprised, that's never happened
to me before--highly unusual.

The only thing I didn't like about their $5 Pick'em was that their
machines are too slow. I'm use to playing much faster machines, but
then again, if their machines are spitting out 4ofakinds like that,
I'll take that over a faster machine any day.

You're not kidding about the cash back and bounce back. I didn't even
know what bounce back was until I saw it mentioned on here. And then I
still didn't know what it was until I got this "Bonus Cash Reward" in
the mail for $195. Then, a day later I got this $50 "Meal Voucher" for
two. My only problem is I live in Toronto and it's a bit of a hike to
drive down to Niagara on a regular basis.

···

--- In vpFREE_Canada@yahoogroups.com, Albert Pearson <ehpee@...> wrote:

#5

Thank you for your reply.

I went on Tuesday. To make up for not giving any cards on Monday, the
people in line were given a free CD with music from the 1970's.
Unfortunately, the first song "Maggy May" by Rod Stewart had the "All I
needed...." verse edited out! I don't know if this was due to time
or "offensive content". It bugs me because it is one of my favorite
songs and the MOST IMPORTANT verse was missing!

In other news: The "small gift" was a water bottle. The "large gift"
was a coffee container.

On VP: Woodbine no longer even has 5c video poker! From what I've heard
Casino Rama now has 5c VP. When I'm feeling cheap, I'll pony up $5 now
so that I can wager 20c less per hand at Rama.

Please Woodbine, get a clue! If you want to offer crummy VP, then at
least offer it for a 5c wager!

#6

I live in Toronto also. I find it is worth the effort for me to zip out to Niagara a couple of
times a month. When you get to their platinum level (5000 points in a 6 month period) i.e. 2 days
of play on $5 machines . You then get free rooms and free shows and comps on your slot card
monthly. I play mostly at the old casino Niagara $1 Pick-em, and the giveaways there can be truly
impressive. One couple that I am on talking terms with (they are locals) won over $2000 in free
gas in the last 2 months along with scads of other goodies in other drawings. I won $100 worth of
gas on a total of 3 trips myself.

Regards
A.P.

···

--- Neil <urban_tale@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Hi Albert,

Funny you should mention Fallsview; I was just there last week-end
while I was on vacation. I had a really good session, too. I was
playing one of the $5 slant tops and happened to hit 4ofakind three
times in about an hour of play. I was surprised, that's never happened
to me before--highly unusual.

The only thing I didn't like about their $5 Pick'em was that their
machines are too slow. I'm use to playing much faster machines, but
then again, if their machines are spitting out 4ofakinds like that,
I'll take that over a faster machine any day.

You're not kidding about the cash back and bounce back. I didn't even
know what bounce back was until I saw it mentioned on here. And then I
still didn't know what it was until I got this "Bonus Cash Reward" in
the mail for $195. Then, a day later I got this $50 "Meal Voucher" for
two. My only problem is I live in Toronto and it's a bit of a hike to
drive down to Niagara on a regular basis.

#7

Wow, I did not know about all this. Thanks very much
for the info, Albert. Maybe I will make the effort to
go there a couple times a month if I can. I'm not
having much luck at Woodbine lately.

Best of luck.

···

--- Albert Pearson <ehpee@rogers.com> wrote:

I live in Toronto also. I find it is worth the
effort for me to zip out to Niagara a couple of
times a month. When you get to their platinum level
(5000 points in a 6 month period) i.e. 2 days
of play on $5 machines . You then get free rooms and
free shows and comps on your slot card
monthly. I play mostly at the old casino Niagara $1
Pick-em, and the giveaways there can be truly
impressive. One couple that I am on talking terms
with (they are locals) won over $2000 in free
gas in the last 2 months along with scads of other
goodies in other drawings. I won $100 worth of
gas on a total of 3 trips myself.

Regards
A.P.
--- Neil <urban_tale@yahoo.ca> wrote:

>
> Hi Albert,
>
> Funny you should mention Fallsview; I was just
there last week-end
> while I was on vacation. I had a really good
session, too. I was
> playing one of the $5 slant tops and happened to
hit 4ofakind three
> times in about an hour of play. I was surprised,
that's never happened
> to me before--highly unusual.
>
> The only thing I didn't like about their $5
Pick'em was that their
> machines are too slow. I'm use to playing much
faster machines, but
> then again, if their machines are spitting out
4ofakinds like that,
> I'll take that over a faster machine any day.
>
> You're not kidding about the cash back and bounce
back. I didn't even
> know what bounce back was until I saw it mentioned
on here. And then I
> still didn't know what it was until I got this
"Bonus Cash Reward" in
> the mail for $195. Then, a day later I got this
$50 "Meal Voucher" for
> two. My only problem is I live in Toronto and it's
a bit of a hike to
> drive down to Niagara on a regular basis.
>
>

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#8

Check out their website. It always gives a list of all their promotions.
http://casinoniagara.com/Default.aspx

Regards
A.P.

···

--- Neil Gibson <urban_tale@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Wow, I did not know about all this. Thanks very much
for the info, Albert. Maybe I will make the effort to
go there a couple times a month if I can. I'm not
having much luck at Woodbine lately.

Best of luck.