What game should I play my freeplay on?

I have a $525 freeplay offer, and want to play video poker. The best games at this casino are "Ugly Ducks" Deuces Wild at 98.91% at $.50 and above, and 9/6 Double Double Bonus at 98.98% at $.25 and above.

What game would you recommend? The DDB has higher volatility, but a higher return. Also, the denomination is lower. I know the strategy for DW better. DDB seems like an interesting game but I've never played it.

I think it depends on your goal. If you need some amount of certainty of getting an amount of cash back out of the game, then the DW is better. If you would rather go for a big win, then the DDB is better. If it were me, I'd play the DDB. You'll get a couple hundred out of it after the free play unless you hit something big, and I think it's worth that chance.

The difference in the returns of the games is so small that it is not a consideration. I would, first of all, tend to the Deuces game because that game has a higher hit frequency. Also, the "middle" jackpot of four deuces is easier to hit than the DDB middle jackpot of AAAA+kicker. However, the .25 DDB game will enable you to play twice as many hands as the .50 DW game.

If you know the strategy for the Ugly Ducks pretty well, then that would be the game of choice; that said, it isn't very difficult to learn DDB. There are only a few counterintuitive plays, and the few strategy variations that are important, like breaking Aces-up or Aces full, are easy to learn. (You also go for inside straights in this game rather than drawing five.)

If the denominations available were the same, I would definitely play DW. But since you can play the DDB at .25, that would be my choice. You will get 420 hands, which is just about enough to get one four of a kind. If that's Aces or 2/3/4s with a kicker, you should recover most or all of the free play.

The above presumes that you want to walk away with as much money as possible. If, conversely, you want the best chance for a big score, and don't care if you bust out doing it, play the DW, and hope to hit four deuces for $500. You'll have about a one in 24 chance of doing so.

Thanks for the replies. I think I will play the DDB game. One, because I never play it and like the variety, and like you said, it is a pretty easy strategy to learn. And two, because if I hit a quad I have a great chance of coming back with a +100% return. I ran some sims, and it seems I will either get a 75% (no quads) return or a +100% (quads) return on the DDB, while the DW hovers around a 90% return. I am willing to take that gamble, since I am playing with house's money. The 4 ducks hand is so rare that I don't even factor it into my return, although I did hit the ducks for $1000 playing dollars recently. Any quad in DDB will put me over the top.

Quote: teddys

Thanks for the replies. I think I will play the DDB game. One, because I never play it and like the variety, and like you said, it is a pretty easy strategy to learn. And two, because if I hit a quad I have a great chance of coming back with a +100% return. I ran some sims, and it seems I will either get a 75% (no quads) return or a +100% (quads) return on the DDB, while the DW hovers around a 90% return. I am willing to take that gamble, since I am playing with house's money. The 4 ducks hand is so rare that I don't even factor it into my return, although I did hit the ducks for $1000 playing dollars recently. Any quad in DDB will put me over the top.

Wait a minute Teddy. If you want a good answer on video poker freeplay then you should only listen to what current vp players have to say, not blasts from the past.

The advice you've read so far is either incomplete, made up, or useless. You asked what game you should play in order to get the most cash from your $525 freeplay. That answer is simple, and as a vp addict I can help. First, you have to discipline yourself that you are only gonna run the freeplay through the machine once and then do a cash out. If you go over that then all you're asking for is for the machine to take it back.

Next you have to select a denomination. Assuming you're like me and believe playing pennies or nickels is only for low lifes, I'd play quarters, because the lower the denom. the more hands you'll get, and that means the closer to the game expected return you'll probably get. Someone mentioned percentages like 99% or 98.1% or some such nonsense. Those tiny differences have nothing to do with the quick hit style you'll be playing so ignore it. Then you have to select a game. As a freplay maniac like myself, you NEVER count on hitting quads with freeplay if you're only going to play it through one time. So your best game is one in which you get 2:1 for 2pr. JoB is good, but bonus poker is best. Why? Because you don't count on getting many FH's or Flushes, and if you DO hit for quad Aces or 2's through 4's you'll be a lot happier.

When I play freeplay through once (and I don't always go in to do that especially if I'm in the casino to PLAY) I count on an average return of about 65%.

Quote: teddys

Thanks for the replies. I think I will play the DDB game. One, because I never play it and like the variety, and like you said, it is a pretty easy strategy to learn. And two, because if I hit a quad I have a great chance of coming back with a +100% return. I ran some sims, and it seems I will either get a 75% (no quads) return or a +100% (quads) return on the DDB, while the DW hovers around a 90% return. I am willing to take that gamble, since I am playing with house's money. The 4 ducks hand is so rare that I don't even factor it into my return, although I did hit the ducks for $1000 playing dollars recently. Any quad in DDB will put me over the top.

If you get one quad, but it's not a "bonus" quad, you will probably still show a loser for that session, but it won't be a BIG loser. You do figure to hit at least one with 420 hands played, though, and if you manage to hit two, or the one that you hit is A/2/3/4, you will definitely have a winning session.

Your simulation is accurate, in that a "quadless" session will still return about 75%. That wouldn't be the end of the world, walking away with almost $400 in your pocket. My goal re free play has always been to try to "launder" it, trying to come away with as much cash as possible; if I cash out an amount equal or close to the face value of the free play, that's a good result. Somewhat ironically, I've been extremely lucky with my free play redemptions over the years, even though I always play smash-and-grab with it.

Okay, so I guess some people might be interested in the results of this. I went to the casino yesterday, checked into my comped room, and scouted the casino for video poker. I discovered that the casino had downgraded ALL their video poker. I have no respect for this particular Indian group/management company anymore. Anyway, I found an 8/5 Jacks or Better game with a pretty high progessive ($1,400) and played my freeplay on that. I must have done pretty well, because I hit two quads and got a return of $572.50 -- 109%.

Then I lost all but $12 of it playing table games for a few hours -- $250-$300 on $25 blackjack, $255 in $5 craps ($5+$10 line plus one $5+$10 come), and the balance in WPT all-in hold 'em. In retrospect this was a mistake psychologically, but I knew what I was getting into. I just cannot seem to win on table games lately, and the bankroll looks headed for another bustout :(

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Quote: teddys

Okay, so I guess some people might be interested in the results of this. I went to the casino yesterday, checked into my comped room, and scouted the casino for video poker. I discovered that the casino had downgraded ALL their video poker. I have no respect for this particular Indian group/management company anymore. Anyway, I found an 8/5 Jacks or Better game with a pretty high progessive ($1,400) and played my freeplay on that. I must have done pretty well, because I hit two quads and got a return of $572.50 -- 109%.

Then I lost all but $12 of it playing table games for a few hours -- $250-$300 on $25 blackjack, $255 in $5 craps ($5+$10 line plus one $5+$10 come), and the balance in WPT all-in hold 'em. In retrospect this was a mistake psychologically, but I knew what I was getting into. I just cannot seem to win on table games lately, and the bankroll looks headed for another bustout :(

That's the reason why I always had a smash-and-grab mentality re substantial free play. I would feel like such a sucker if I did what they wanted me to--keep playing, and lose back all of the money I had won.

The silver lining is that you will probably get another similar offer in the near future. How about this time, you resolve to put half of the face value of the free play in your pocket, and gamble with the rest? So if you get, say, $500 in free play, and you run it through the machines, and cash out $450, then you stick $250 in your pocket, and play table games with the rest. That way, you come home with something no matter what.

The reason why free play works so well for the casinos is its psychological effect. A Stations casinos slot manager once told me that they recovered 95% of all free play sent to customers. The reason is, the players consider the money they cash out to be "free money", and treat it differently from the money that was already in their wallets. In your case, you played $25/hand blackjack, which was WAY too high for a $572 bankroll---it was VERY likely that you would bust out. Ask yourself: if I had just walked into the casino, without any free play or other bonuses involved, would I have sat down and started playing $25/hand?