Deuces Wild: Brand New release - New and Improved

Galaxy Gaming finally modernized (essentially redesigned) Deuces Wild table game, formerly called "Hold 'em Fold 'em" - and did a great job.
You try to make a hand of a pair of Aces or better starting with three cards, then PLAY a unit to get the fourth, then double RAISE to get the 5th card to play out the hand for 4 units against a pay table, with deuces being wild cards. (Link to old version here.)

The previous version was really begining to show its age, being very expensive to play, and with little opportunity to bail out of a crappy hand. They (Galaxy) corrected this very, very nicely, and the new version plays like a dream by comparison. Players have noticed.

The old version of Deuces Wild required 4 units on a $5 game, essentially risking $20 a shot, or folding and giving up with $10 or $15 in action lost, with Mandatory ANTE, PLAY and (2X) RAISE.

The new version allows you to ANTE to get three cards, then either check or PLAY, then a mandatory RAISE of just 1 unit, - or two units, if you had bet on the PLAY, and also wish to go two units up. Additionally, many houses make it a $3 minimum, not $5.
The new version is really a lot smoother to play, and far more forgiving if hitting a cold streak of hands. Most players had greatly praised the changes like manna from Heaven that improve the game, although a few moaners complained about the adjusted pay tables.

The New paytable is this:
Aces pair: pays 0.5 (or 1:2) of money in action.
2 pairs or trips: 1:1
Straight: 2:1
Flush: 3:1
Full House: 3:1
Quads: 3:1
Straight Flush: 15:1
5 of a kind: 25:1
Wild Royal: 30:1
Natural Royal: 300:1

Additionally, there is a $1 "hockey puck light" progressive jackpot bet, based on getting deuces that pays:
one deuce: $1
two decues: $5
Three Decues: $25
Four deuces: $1000
Four Deuces with an Ace kicker=Jackpot (currently $96,000 at Station Properties)
There is talk about making the Jackpot trigger four deuces with a jack or better kicker.

This was an example of a very fine repair/update job on a casino game design.

Hats off to Rob S. and Dean et al at Galaxy Gaming for really improving a staple of the carnival games pit.

Has anyone done the math on the new version? I seem to recall the old version had a like a 21-22% hit rate (similar to Let It Ride). I think it is tough to have players lose/fold 4 out of 5 hands and stay interested. But then again, Let It Ride still has a lot of installs around the country after all these years.

I do think the reduced unit requirement to get to the final card is a big improvement!

Yes, math was done, but is internal to Galaxy Gaming and Nevada Gaming....
that is, until Mike publishes the poop on the new version.

The hit rate of good versus bad hands is the same, what is different is that you aren't forced to bet out and get killed on a "fishing" hand or on a bad break.
It's a lot more forgiving and reasonable to play now.

I am somewhat confused. Does the following list accurately represent the flow of the (new version of the) game? --

1. Player makes an Ante bet.
2. Player is dealt 3 cards.
3. Player may then Check or make a Play bet equal to 1X his Ante.
4. Player is dealt a 4th card.
5. Player must then make a Raise bet equal to 1X or 2X his Ante (but can only bet 2X his Ante if he made a Play bet at step 3).
6. Player is dealt a 5th card.
7. All bets the player made are settled according to the paytable.

Is that accurate?

Also, what happens to the main game's bets if the player gets Four Deuces? I'm surprised there is no payline for that. Does it simply count as a Wild Royal (if the kicker is a 10 or higher) or Five of a Kind (if the kicker is a 3 through 9) ?

Here are the stats for the side bet:

1) With the Jackpot hand being Four Deuces with an Ace, the bet returns 55.9455% plus 1.5391% for every $10,000 in the meter, and the break-even point is when the Jackpot reaches $286,240.

2) If the Jackpot hand is eased down to Four Deuces with an Ace or Face, the bet returns 55.4837% plus 6.1563% for every $10,000 in the meter, and the break-even point would be when the Jackpot reaches $72,310.

Quote: JB

I am somewhat confused. Does the following list accurately represent the flow of the (new version of the) game? --

1. Player makes an Ante bet.
2. Player is dealt 3 cards.
3. Player may then Check or make a Play bet equal to 1X his Ante.
4. Player is dealt a 4th card.
5. Player must then make a Raise bet equal to 1X or 2X his Ante (but can only bet 2X his Ante if he made a Play bet at step 3).
6. Player is dealt a 5th card.
7. All bets the player made are settled according to the paytable.

Is that accurate?

yes, exactly.

Quote: JB

Also, what happens to the main game's bets if the player gets Four Deuces? I'm surprised there is no payline for that. Does it simply count as a Wild Royal (if the kicker is a 10 or higher) or Five of a Kind (if the kicker is a 3 through 9) ?

There used to be a separate payline for that on the old version's payout table. On the new version, four Deuces is paid at the highest hand it can otherwise form (if you have an Ace through 10 with four deuces, you have a wild Royal at 30:1, else a 9 or less with four deuces you have a five-of-a-kind at 25:1.)

Quote: JB

Here are the stats for the side bet:

1) With the Jackpot hand being Four Deuces with an Ace, the bet returns 55.9455% plus 1.5391% for every $10,000 in the meter, and the break-even point is when the Jackpot reaches $286,240.

2) If the Jackpot hand is eased down to Four Deuces with an Ace or Face, the bet returns 55.4837% plus 6.1563% for every $10,000 in the meter, and the break-even point would be when the Jackpot reaches $72,310.

Thanks, JB!

Is this game live anywhere?

Not my cup of tea, Where's the x factor in this game?