The members that I have had the pleasure to meet seem to be mostly interested in VideoPoker (with the occasionally dabbling in Caveman Keno, Daisy?) - and I have enjoyed learning the joys and frustrations of that game both in person with you guys and through the board posts.

But when I go to the local "racino" the videopoker is the type 2 - where your win is predetermined by the first spin. You play does not affect the outcome. Kinda takes the fun out of it,

So like Snow White, I Drifted.

And last Monday I was pretty glad I did.

(warning -excruciating detail about a video slot machine game coming up)

I was playing the video game Enchanted Unicorn. I was getting to the end of my bankroll on a 2c machine, maybe down to about $15; and I started alternating playing minimum a spin (20 cents) and maximum a spin ($2.00)

I hit the bonus game - fortunately on a maximum spin, because of course the bonus amounts are multiplied by the line bet.

For those who don't know the game, in the bonus you get 5 rows of tiles. You select a tile for a credit win. The first 2 or 3 rows hide a prince, princess or unicorn behind the tiles. The last rows also have an evil wizard - pick the wizard and the bonus is over. If you get through all 5 rows, you get to open a treasure chest at the top for additional credits.

If the tile you pick has the unicorn, then you get all the credits in that row.

So - I hit the bonus game on a maximun spin, and proceeded to pick the unicorn in row one. And row two, three four and five! All five unicorns!
Plus an extra 1800 credits in the treasure chest, I ended up winning $151 on that one bonus game!

I was more excited to see those darn unicorns show up than I've been over larger slot wins.

So - have any of you ever drifted? And have you played the unicorn game, with any similar results?

That's my story, and you may now return to our regular discussion of pay tables and DDB vs Super SpinVP vs Bonus pay.

Sorry, I don't even recall seeing that particular brand of machine. As long as you aren't gambling with my money and it doesn't impede my activities, I don't care what you play.

Congrats on your win. I don't want to steal your thunder, but I do have some observation/questions. You made a $2 bet, hit all unicorns which is the biggest payout available, and won $151. Is that right? And follow that with what it takes to win $151 in VP.
My other question might be speculation. You say that the VP is somewhat rigged as the result is determined at time of first pull. Do you think that there is any predetermined outcome in the unicorn game or any other slot?

Congrats on your win. Any win sounds better than any loss. Hope to see you in Vegas soon.

Congrats, Kes ... and you're going to be really happy on your next trip to Las Vegas. Now that you'll be looking for them, you will find Unicorn machines just about everywhere. I've made it through to the treasure chest in the bonus round, but I've never hit all the unicorns along the way so I'm impressed.

Thanks Daisy

JMT, the vp is "rigged" on those types of machines only in the fact that they are slot machines designed to look like videopoker. So, whatever the random number generator hits for you on the first pull, that is what you are going to win regardless of your actions in holding or discarding cards. You could be dealt a royal, throw out all the cards, and still get another royal. Because NYS is really only allowed to offer "lottery" games, not games of skill.

As far as the other slots, I believe the initial spin and its results are RNG based. There's a lot of discussion about the bonus games, though. For those NYS games, yeah even the bonus may be predetermined by the first spin.

As far as the biggest payout on Unicorn, that is the biggest payout in the bonus game. You can hit more on certain reel combinations (recently heard of someone winning 1300 with a max bet of $1 on a penny unicorn) But I agree that with regular vp machines the odds are better with vp. That is why the casinos give less points on vp than on slots - they know they are not going to keep as much of the players money.

for me, money lasts longer in regular vp, but the slots have the opportunity to either eat it really fast or pay back really big.

And there are all those cute unicorns and lions and stuff...

Kes: Congrats on the win - you are going to be in Vegas Thanksgiving, are you not?? The meeting room is alrady reserved and is awaiting our presence!!

P.S. I just got back and already, I am "antsy" for Vegas!!

Good job Kes. Glad you were on your max bet cycle when that hit.

Congrats, Kes, and I think it is AMAZING that you hit the Unicorn on all the lines AND missed the Wizard. I like that game, and have done okay on it, but never the way you did. I even LOOK at all the tiles to see if one looks white-er than the next........to find a Unicorn. Next time you're here, you'll have to try Frog Prince and Sun and Moon.........they are my favorite penny machines at the moment. Hit 83 free spins on Sun and Moon (while Toby was waiting for me, of course) and cashed out over $300. It was fun......also hit over $700 on Deal or No Deal at the Hilton. Penny machines can be profitable.

Congrats Kes
I have played the wizard game before and it was pretty good but these were 5c and had something like 20 lines x 5 credits per line. It eats up $20 pretty fast if you dont hit anything quickly.

My brother and I were on a trip to Gettysburg and stopped for the night at Seneca Casino in Salamanca. I went to the poker room and he played the 1c video games. He was betting all lines and 3 credits per line (60c I think)and somehow won $500 in a bonus round. Can you imagine winning $500 on a penny machine? I used to like playing "Winning Bid". If you hit the bonus round you pick an item to be auctioned off and then an auctioneer starts the bidding between a group of characters. It was fun but I don't see them much anymore.

Kes, congrats on the win, however, I don't play that particular machine. However, I do like some of those type of slots from time to time, and I ain't ashamed to admit it. I get a kick out of some of the different bonus rounds and the gimicks they employ.
Some days, it's better to be lucky, then good!

I think you might be suprised how many people will play those video slots here. I used to play all the new ones to see the bonus features, but they come out (new ones) at too rapid a pace anymore. So I just pick and choose the ones that catch my eye. I like "Dam Lumberjack Beavers", but the ones in Vegas, are old and either the sound or the picture always have problems, so I don't play much anymore.

Well, thanks everybody. I don't feel like its such a dirty little secret, especially if Lee plays them (lol!)

Laine, I like frog prince too! Haven't tried the sun and moon yet.

And Lee I know what you mean about old machines, if I'm playing a video slot I want to hear the ridiculous cute music. I feel that way about VP too - hate it when I get a machine where the screen is sorta greyed out, making it harder to see the cards with all the reflections from the casino lights - and I want to hear that little card flicking sound, too, when they're dealt.

I want the bells AND whistles!

I hope they get the Grand Hotel version of the Monopoly slot in Vegas. That bonus game is a hoot, all these little figures running around on the board and jumping on to your properties. So far, its been a profitable game, too!

Lee, do the S&H Green Stamps machines still get your attention?

Jmt,
I've gotten board with them. They had a catchy little jingle when I was first exposed to them, and I made a tidy profit from them too at first. But alass, I gave that back and more.
No matter how the video slots are programed with gimicks, I get tired of them all after awhile.
I always go back to Video Poker, my main stay.

Kes,
I have a hard time playing any VP machine that the color isn't right, or the screen jumps, or a button doesn't hold all the time. It becomes an effort to play , and quickly sucks the fun out of the game.

Kes,

Happened to play the unicorn machine yesterday in A.C. but did not know when selecting tiles that I was looking for unicorns. Did get to the top, but never got to open the chest as the wizard showed up. Mine was a nickel machine, but I enjoyed playing it for a change from losing at vp. Also played an American Stars .0l and ending up winning $270. Love that machine!!!

Also played in a slot tournament and still don't know whether I was in the top 25. We left and I failed to notate my score. However, we have 30 days to return and claim a prize if I did win. Just sent an e-mail to see if anyone at Harrah's will respond.

Beth

WTG, Beth!

I'll be heading up to the foothills today - the official reason is to see "Paint Your Wagon" this time, but I have a feeling I'll be spending a little time at a Unicorn machine or the Frog/Prince machine right next to it at Black Oak Casino.