Can you openly use printed copies or the wizards video poker strategies in the casinos?

Going to casinos in Tunica Mississippi this weekend. Have only been to casinos once in Vegas so Im not that versed in casio rules.

Can you openly use printed copies or the wizards video poker strategies in the casinos?

Personally, I laminate them and use them as drink coasters in my garage :) But yes, it is allowed to use any non-electronic items at a vp machine in Tunica.

I agree with Rob. I've used strategy cards at the machines lots of times.

I once had a waitress at the Plaza make fun of me for using one. I decided not to make fun of her for working at the Plaza. I wanted my drink.

I had heard once that a casino may cancel your comps if they see you using one, but I find that unlikely. Maybe they would care at the higher denominations.

Quote: dudestupid

I once had a waitress at the Plaza make fun of me for using one. I decided not to make fun of her for working at the Plaza. I wanted my drink.

I had heard once that a casino may cancel your comps if they see you using one, but I find that unlikely. Maybe they would care at the higher denominations.

I went thru this in detail with some LV casino managers for an article I did maybe 6 years ago. At the time, because Bob Dancer was teaching classes on long-term strategy methods and being paid to do so by multiple casinos, I decided to do a little research. When his classes completed, I went to each casino manager and asked them if I could now teach my short-term playing strategy in similar classes--and I'd do it free of charge.

I was denied each time and the reason was always the same: They wanted players who would sit and play for hours like Bob does, and they do not want players getting up and leaving after hitting some kind of goals. That's when I also inquired about the use of strategy cards, computers, cell phones, etc. at the machines, and once again the input was unanimous. All strategy cards and help sheets were OK, but electronics were a no-no. The denomination was never mentioned, and since cards are allowed at machines then there would be no cancellation of comps--either earned or about to be earned.

I've had no problem with strategy cards at the machines.

.....

Quote: gofaster87

Ive actually seen banks get reduced pay schedules because management (in conversation with employees) saw strategy cards being used.

I'm not sure that makes sense. If management didn't allow the practice they'd make it known instead of having pay tables changed and chancing losing other more versed players. If this was in LV recently and if you don't mind identifying where it is, I still have many slot & casino management contacts in town and I could get a current reading on the issue.

.....

Quote: gofaster87

Ive never heard of an establishment advertising anything such as "no written strategies at VP machines" much like they don't have signs at the tables saying "No Counting." If they see many people using strategy cards at a specific bank Im sure management is going to figure there is some advantage to the player cutting into the house advantage. Im not going to name casinos or employees but these things do happen. By the way it wasn't very recent. As to your quote on losing versed players, do you mind me asking why then the M resort destroyed its inventory of VP machines? They reduced the machines in the high limit as well with crap such as 7/5 BP and 9/6 DB. I know you have an "in" with management there. Im not a pro AP but I wont play at a place that lowers their high limit schedules to those of a quarter level machine. They could have just excluded or lowered the cashback on these machines.

This is what I said, and not that they'd advertise anything in writing: "If management didn't allow the practice they'd make it known". In other words, it would be similar to how no card counting is allowed. No signs, no ads, just a known policy.

Casinos like the M, the Reserve, Suncoast, Rampart, Hard Rock, and many others have eliminated 100%+ vp games and/or lowered pay tables, but the reason why is completely opposite what many people like to speculate about. And to show how doing so really doesn't keep the higher limit players away, read Bob Dancer's column about how he was reeled in to play for a $40,000 Range Rover and lost $80,000 in the process after all the +EV slot club benefits he could possibly squeeze into it were accounted for. Reduced pay tables are cause for moaning and groaning, but they only keep the most disciplined of players away.

I did a column after the Reserve cut all its pay tables a year after opening, then another when Suncoast did so and again after Casino Monte Lago followed suit, because I interviewed each of the casino managers about why. Naturally, the vp community gets enraged at this practice so it was a worthwhile story to pursue.

One constant when this occurs is that the video poker gurus who write columns or post on the vp forums immediately come out and proclaim how "the pros have been hammerring the machines to death so the casino had no choice but to lower the pay tables....or close their doors". True sensationalism at its best, and almost certain newbie-grabbing for the purpose of them buying all the vp trinkets one can sell.

However, upon interviewing each casino I always got the same response as to why. Casinos are a business and the floor managers not only must make a profit off of each machine on the floor (if ANY individual machine is not profitable then it immediately gets removed as soon as it is discovered) they have to answer to the suits upstairs, who always want more in the form of profit margin. One of the first ways for casinos to do this is to reduce pay tables, and that is why it gets done. Not because anyone's raping the machines--that's always total nonsense. Again, any machine that loses money gets removed fast. And contrary to the myth that machines will get played less if the pay tables are reduced, that has shown to be true to a point, but at the same time they make more money overall over time.

Several years ago when I convinced Wynn to install 25c/50c/$1 FPDW machines on their floor, they were removed about a month later, not because the so-called "pros" were beating the hell out of them (as they liked to proclaim for self-confidence building and business related reasons) but because teams of local players were hogging all those machines and players who came in as hotel guests from out-of-town and waited to get a seat, just couldn't so they complained to management. I tried to get mgmt. to nix their policy of holding machines for players who wanted to go eat or rest but they refused. Mgmt. also had a problem with people gobbling tuna sandwiches, sipping soups, or slurping noodles at the machines because it didn't fit their first class image. Thus they were removed or had pay tables lowered.

In a follow-up article just a month after this, I reported that more money was made from the full-pay machines than from the same machines after the pay tables were cut. Why? Because of the non-stop massive amount of play they got, which is very unusual even for full-pay machines. Remember, 1% of $10million is better than 2% of $2million.