Bovada: Mystery Bonus Poker

I came across this game and I couldn't find any information on it. Is this game also known by another name perhaps?

Nah, it's never appeared in a live casino, so the Wizard hasn't analyzed it. Unless they give detailed info on the slot machine probabilities in rules screens, I would just ignore this game if you are looking to maximize returns. In how the video poker play works out, it will behave similarly to "Random Rewards", a very difficult game to play optimally.

Thanks again tringlomane,

The last video poker game I have a question about from Bovada is the 7 Stud Poker. It is a very unique game and it has a bonus bet option that is not completely clear even after reading Bovada's brief description. Any insight on this game?

Don't play it seriously...haha

Strategy isn't quantified, and possibly might be difficult. This isn't a game found in land-based casinos either.

I looked at mystery bonus 6 months ago at 5dimes Grand Casino, and IF THE MYSTERY BONUS HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE TO HIT ANY BONUS, then it may have a positive edge of about 1.75% (not including any 'cash back' incentives)

in mystery bonus poker the base RTP starts off at about 96% (which sound really awful, for VP)

but i will list the 'real' base chance below, from worst RTP to best RTP, for Mystery Bonus.

~ means 'approximately' in the summaries below

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Straight Flush Bonus

RTP: ~ 96.45%

Strategy to use: see link below

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-2-d-3-d-4-d-5-d-8-d-20-d-80-d-800/

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will complete the rest later have to go out now

Quote: tringlomane

Nah, it's never appeared in a live casino, so the Wizard hasn't analyzed it. Unless they give detailed info on the slot machine probabilities in rules screens, I would just ignore this game if you are looking to maximize returns. In how the video poker play works out, it will behave similarly to "Random Rewards", a very difficult game to play optimally.

its not really difficult to play at all. Well, its a cross between all american and 10/7 most of the time you don't have a hand that should be changed when you do it seems obvious what you should play.

its kind of like 8/5 jacks or better. Without the mystery bonus the normal pay with a max bet is a 200 coin pay on a str8 flush and a 100 coin pay on the 4 oak. If it picks the 4 oak and you hit it, you get 125 coins. str8 flush gets you 400 coins, if it picks it and you hit it. the following pays are when it picks that particular hand with max bet: 3 oak pays 20, str8 25, flush 40, FH 50, 2 pair is 15. i have never seen the JOB, I would assume its 10

I have a hard time believing it is totally random on what hand it picks it seems like most of the time the mystery bonus hand lands on the 4 oak, Str8 flush and the royal flush and occasionally FH's, str8s, flushes as i said I have never seen it land on Jacks or better and very rarely 2 pair. If I had to guess with perfect play its probably the same as 9/6 JOB.

worst to best RTP continued

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Royal Flush Bonus

RTP: ~ 97.10%

Strategy to use, see link below:

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-2-d-3-d-4-d-5-d-8-d-20-d-40-d-1200/
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4 of a kind Bonus

RTP: ~ 97.19%

Strategy to use:

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-2-d-3-d-4-d-5-d-8-d-25-d-40-d-800/
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Straight Bonus

RTP: ~ 97.34%

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-2-d-3-d-5-d-5-d-8-d-20-d-40-d-800/
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Full House Bonus

RTP: ~ 98.31%

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-2-d-3-d-4-d-5-d-10-d-20-d-40-d-800/
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Flush Bonus

RTP: ~ 100.00%

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-2-d-3-d-4-d-8-d-8-d-20-d-40-d-800/
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3 of a kind Bonus

RTP: ~ 103.46%

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-2-d-4-d-4-d-5-d-8-d-20-d-40-d-800/
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2 pair Bonus

RTP: ~ 108.96%

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-1-d-3-d-3-d-4-d-5-d-8-d-20-d-40-d-800/
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Jacks or Better Bonus

RTP: ~ 118.10%

https://wizardofodds.com/games/video-poker/strategy/a-1-b-74-c-1-d-0-d-2-d-2-d-3-d-4-d-5-d-8-d-20-d-40-d-800/
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therefore the average is 101.75% (if there is an equal chance for any bonus to occur)
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I am sure the game makers would've already tested the correct basic strategy, so they probably use an unequal chance distribution, which may be like the example below (in fractions):

worst bonus: 9/45,
next worst bonus: 8/45
..........all the way to the best bonus: 1/45

in the above example there would be ~ 98.826% RTP

there is no guarantee that this game is a positive EV game, but it is still an interesting one to play
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summary of RTP's

~101.75%, If there is an even distribution of 'Bonuses' and ~ 98.826%, if the distribution in the example above, is the one they use.