PLAYERS TALK

A QUESTION ABOUT VIDEO POKER

Do Higher Denomination Video Poker Slots Pay More Often?

My friend and I have a bet. What else would you expect from gamblers? He suggests that on poker slots, especially the $1, $5, or higher dollar slots, the payout frequency is higher. My position is that this is not true. That the dollar amount bet has little or nothing to do with the frequency of wins. The random number generator (RNG) has no concern of frequency of hitting unlike reel slots which may have a bias towards more wins at higher bets. What is the correct answer? Walt Obremski—Green Valley, AZ

The correct answer is the denomination of the game (what you refer to as the dollar amount) has no bearing on the payout frequency of any video poker win.

A RNG has no bias regardless of if it is installed in a video poker game, a slot machine, a video keno machine, or any other electronic gaming device (EGD), such as the electronic versions of blackjack, craps, roulette, etc.. Just to be clear, all RNGs used in casinos do not have any bias regardless of bet level or denomination!

While a slot machine’s game may allow a jackpot to be available at max bet, or a bonus to occur more often, rest assured that is a direct implementation of a game rule and not governed by the RNG! For example, one of the simplest ways to make a bonus occur more frequently at a higher bet is to add more bonus symbols to the reel strips of the game.

However, the RNG is still just an RNG. Changes were made only to the reel strips not the RNG. An RNG’s sole function is to deliver random numbers; the slot machine’s reel strips and game rules decide what to do with those numbers independent of bet, denomination, what day it is, if a player’s club card is inserted or not, or if the previous spin was a winner (or a loser, or a bonus, or a jackpot, or…).

Another way to convince your friend would be to point out the contradiction inherent in his argument. The only way for the frequency of large wins to change is twofold:

1. The deck of cards has changed and contains extra high cards to allow for more Royal Flushes, or even extra Aces to have more Four-Of-A-Kinds in Aces, usually a higher paying win. 2. The game’s rules and/or the RNG cheats. The problem with statement 1 is that every video poker game clearly indicates it is using a standard 52 card deck. Unless a patron chooses to play Joker Poker, then the 52 card standard deck is augmented by one card, the Joker.

If you don’t believe me, check the help screen on any video poker game in any casino. Trust me, a statement about using a standard deck of cards will be there.

Fortunately, all video poker games are recreating a real game and, as such, gaming industry regulations prevent the video poker game’s computer program from being deceptive. That is to say, making the Ace of Hearts less likely to be drawn. Rest assured that every card has an equal chance of being drawn by a video poker machine regardless of denomination or the particular type of game you choose to play!

The problem with statement 2 is that every EGD in a casino anywhere is not only subject to strict gaming industry regulations, it is also tested by an independent third party in order to establish the randomness, lack of cheating, and accuracy of the RNG and game play.

In fact, all EGDs are tested three times. Once by the quality control department within the manufacturer of the EGD, then by an independent third party testing facility, and finally by the local gaming jurisdiction’s oversight agency.

All this testing is to ensure the accuracy of the game’s play and wins after the game mathematician and programmer have implemented what the game’s designer had in mind. And, the mathematician and the programmer also ran their own accuracy tests before their quality control department ever had a chance to inspect the game!

How do we know? Because the staff here at the Arizona Gaming Guide has been there and done that!

So, unless your friend is a die hard conspiracy theorist, the idea that higher denomination video poker games have more frequently occurring wins is not true. Congratulations Walt! You Win! $