How I learned my lesson

The only one I've ever hit was on Bodog when I was playing in practice mode, dang it.

I got a hole in one while golfing in 2009; odds were 1 in 32,000. So, the odds on a royal flush are similarly 1 in 40,000???

I like to say I've gotten a hole in one twice. While it is true that I sunk my tee shots on par 3 holes, they both came after plunking the original tee shots in the water. That's a heck of a way to get a par.

I find golf is a lot like blackjack- it's always someone else's fault when things go wrong.

I have seen one Royal in my life, On Pick'Em Poker even. Still waiting for one on JoB or something

Last February (2010), on my trip to Vegas, I hit two Royals in a few days. The first was on 8-5 BP $.25 at Casino Royale, holding 2 cards. I was actually only playing to get a Four-of-a-Kind in their old bonus coin promotion. I was going to get up as soon as I hit quads, but got the Royal first and had to continue playing to hit the quads.

A couple days later, over at the Palms, on 9-6 $.25 JoB, I hit another Royal Flush, this time holding 4. I was going to get up when I was up $50, but just ordered a drink, which took FOREVER to get to me, and ended up being on my last $5 when I hit the Royal. The drink was pretty good, I recall.

I hadn't hit another Royal until October, at HSI, I finally hit one on $.50 9-6 JoB. I held 4 that time as well, and the machine locked up quickly. It wasn't 30 seconds and personnel was already over getting the hand pay ready to go. While they were getting that, I nearly got another, as I held 4 to the Royal, and hit the straight in the other suit of the same color.

I got a good sweat like that this weekend..
Hit a 5c Royal (holding JUST the Ah) on Friday night...
Sunday I was playing a $ 9/6JoB with a $4500 royal..was dealt AKQJc5c....really was painful, but I wasn't feeling that luck would be on my side TWICE in one weekend (ESPECIALLY since it was a pat $30...if it had've been only a pair or a straight, I'd of went for it)...then again, if I went for it and hit it for $4500, I would have immediately projectile vomitted

Quote: TIMSPEED

I got a good sweat like that this weekend..
Hit a 5c Royal (holding JUST the Ah) on Friday night...
Sunday I was playing a $ 9/6JoB with a $4500 royal..was dealt AKQJc5c....really was painful, but I wasn't feeling that luck would be on my side TWICE in one weekend (ESPECIALLY since it was a pat $30...if it had've been only a pair or a straight, I'd of went for it)...then again, if I went for it and hit it for $4500, I would have immediately projectile vomitted

I'm pretty sure the machine did not know you had already hit a royal on Friday, so it would have to deny you on Sunday. The proper play was to go for the royal. Especially with the "fat" progressive. There were 47 cards left in the deck. One would hit the royal. 7 would give you the same flush payout you held. 3 would give you a straight, and 12 would pay you even money for the JoB pair. That means you had a 17% chance of improving or staying the same, and ~ a 49% chance of at least getting your money back or doing better.

Quote: TIMSPEED

I got a good sweat like that this weekend..
Hit a 5c Royal (holding JUST the Ah) on Friday night...
Sunday I was playing a $ 9/6JoB with a $4500 royal..was dealt AKQJc5c....really was painful, but I wasn't feeling that luck would be on my side TWICE in one weekend (ESPECIALLY since it was a pat $30...if it had've been only a pair or a straight, I'd of went for it)...then again, if I went for it and hit it for $4500, I would have immediately projectile vomitted

You know the correct strategy is to drop the pat flush with four to a royal, right?

I hit a royal this past Saturday night, first in about 170-thousand hands. Now, I'm afraid to play again fearing I will put it all back-- and more.

Regarding playing with less than full coin in:

It makes no difference in the big scheme of things if you have full coin in or not. Royals and jackpots come when they come.

I was at Caesars a few years back when a lady was down to her last quarter playing the 25-cent wheel of fortune and got the three jackpot symbols. There was no consoling her -- she was a wreck because she won "only" 10K vs the two million. But had she taken the time to put in the extra money, she never would have hit the 10K.

that's life.

Great point Alan. A few months ago I hit a $2 Triple Star machine on a 2 credit play for $5400. Last week, same bank of machines I hit the exact same winner but only had played a single credit. Half the jackpot. I spent all of about 2 seconds in recrimination mode. Win is a win... ;-)