Huge Progressive Jackpots for Sequential Royals

[Alan Mendelson]

A friend just visited Red Rock Casino in Summerlin and told me that there are three progressives running for sequential royals... like the one I hit recently at Caesars (see the photo) which did not have a progressive.

As of Sunday, July 5, the 25-cent sequential royal was paying about $25-thousand while "any royal" still paid $1,000. A $1 sequential royal paid about $48-thousand, and a $2 sequential royal paid either $108-thousand or $128-thousand (my friend couldn't remember exactly).

The pay tables weren't too bad either to the best of his recollection. There were six different games all eligible for the sequential royal jackpots but he just looked at the pays at two games.

He recalls that double-double-bonus had a 9/5 paytable, and Bonus poker had a 7/5 paytable. He thinks Jacks or Better had a 9/5 paytable but he doesn't remember since he just glanced at that game on the $1 bank of machines.

The sequential is paid either low to high or high to low and Red Rock calls it "reversible."

How do you figure the EV on something like this? And do you alter your strategy when royal cards appear in certain positions? For example he was playing Bonus and normally you'd hold A-K off suit but he had the A in the first position (possible sequential) and dropped the K.

[Rob.Singer]

Anyone who purposely goes to any casino trying and hoping for a sequential is better off investing in a Greek business. Those are one of those things that come very unexpectedly, and if you happen to be at a progressive or sequential "reversible royals" machine, you thank your lucky stars.

[arcimede$]

IIRC, there are 120 royal combinations in each suit of which two are sequential. Hence, a 1 in 60 chance for any royal to be sequential. If the royal frequency is around 40K hands then the sequential royal frequency is 40K*60 = 2,400,000 hands. I don't think it is enough to make much difference in strategy.

[Alan Mendelson]

Thanks Arc. Great info. What about the EV on this? A standard royal is still 4,000 coins.

[jbjb]

I'd think that with 3 to a royal and all three being in the correct positions, you'd now dump high pairs and maybe even two pair or possibly trips. Without a games calculator, I can't be certain though. At this point, it's a 1 in 2162 shot at the sequential.

[Alan Mendelson]

I'd think that with 3 to a royal and all three being in the correct positions, you'd now dump high pairs and maybe even two pair or possibly trips. Without a games calculator, I can't be certain though. At this point, it's a 1 in 2162 shot at the sequential.

With any three to the royal I would dump a high pair.

With a dealt straight and three to the royal in the right positions I would go for the royal.

[jbjb]

With any three to the royal I would dump a high pair.

With a dealt straight and three to the royal in the right positions I would go for the royal.

Another consideration is the amount the royal pays. Just like in a normal progressive game, as the JP gets higher, strategy changes. This is where having a strategy calculator where you can plug in the value of a sequential royal comes in handy.

[regnis]

I wonder (mathematicians) how that compare to the dealt Royal for 60,000 units on a double pay machine. I believe the double pay games take 7 coins per hand and are usually 3-way.

[Dan Druff]

I don't think there are any strategy adjustments for the sequential royal thing, because it's so rare. Maybe holding 3 to a sequential royal instead of a high pair.

The Double Super Times Pay dealt royal with multiplier ($200k on $17.50 bet) is 1 in 9.6 million.

I almost hit that earlier this year, came the wrong queen away.

[Alan Mendelson]

The Double Super Times Pay dealt royal with multiplier ($200k on $17.50 bet) is 1 in 9.6 million.

You might be better off playing the $2 single line machine at Red Rock. $10 per play, 1 in 2.4-million instead of 1 in 9.6-million.

And a regular royal still pays $8,000.

[jbjb]

You might be better off playing the $2 single line machine at Red Rock. $10 per play, 1 in 2.4-million instead of 1 in 9.6-million.

And a regular royal still pays $8,000.

He's talking about getting a deal multiplier on a dealt royal flush on DSTP. I come up with 1 in 9,746,100

[Alan Mendelson]

He's talking about getting a deal multiplier on a dealt royal flush on DSTP. I come up with 1 in 9,746,100

Right, and I think his odds are better for winning similar big money playing for the sequential on the $2 progressive at Red Rock.

[Rob.Singer]

I've seen the $2 sequential royal bank of four machines at Sam's Town get to over $400,000. But I can't believe any of these people who say they "only play when there's a theoretical edge" go after something like that. Most of us have hit sequential royals, but to actually call one "on this machine today" would be more than amazing. And if you made the mistake of changing normal optimal strategy for one that chases such a hand, your bankroll won't last long.

[Alan Mendelson]

Rob did I just really read that? You, the pro with the special plays advocating optimal strategy only when looking at a monstrous progressive? Something is not right with this picture.

[RS__]

APs generally don't go after such extremely high variance (ie: long-shot) plays, since it takes damn near eternity to get to N0 [where 1 SD = EV] or further.

Granted, if you're going to be playing awful games like 7/5 BP, you may as well play 7/5 BP on the reversible royal machine.

A 10K coin prize for a sequential royal [compared to 800 coin prize for regular royal] adds about 0.3% to the return of the game. I don't know what kind of deviations from regular strategy this game has, nor do I really care, but I'm sure there are several, and I'd bet a lot of them aren't common sense.

On a 25c denom machine, the sequential royal payout would have to be at $50,000 to be "break even", EV wise. With a frequency of 1.7M hands per sequential royal, that's about 7 months of play, 8 hours a day, in order to have an expectation of 1 reversible royal. Playing that amount of time, you'd expect a regular royal once every 5 days. Assuming 8-hour days, 1000 HPH.

[Rob.Singer]

Rob did I just really read that? You, the pro with the special plays advocating optimal strategy only when looking at a monstrous progressive? Something is not right with this picture.

My strategy doesn't ever depend on royals to consistently win, and I would never play for a sequential royal or on one of those machines, unless it included my games of choice along with having the best available pay table(s) for those games where I chose to play.

Playing for sequentials is like playing a dollar machine with a worthless pay table and a royal jackpot of $1million. It's a complete waste of time, regardless if it's a theoretical125% or whatever.

[Alan Mendelson]

Gee Rob how many times have you said you can still win despite the paytable?

Caesars at $1 and $2 offers only 7/5 Bonus with no sequential royal bonus. If you'd play that at Caesars might as well play it at Red Rock.

[jbjb]

APs generally don't go after such extremely high variance (ie: long-shot) plays, since it takes damn near eternity to get to N0 [where 1 SD = EV] or further.

Exactly, or every AP on earth would play Mega-Millions or Powerball when it's +EV. Naturally we don't like the huge variance through, so it's not worth it.

[Alan Mendelson]

Playing for sequentials is like playing a dollar machine with a worthless pay table and a royal jackpot of $1million. It's a complete waste of time, regardless if it's a theoretical125% or whatever.

Sorry, Rob, but the paytables at Red Rock are almost "full pay." As I said, with 7/5 Bonus at $1 and $2 at many casinos, getting the sequential royal at Red Rock is a free bonus.

[jbjb]

I can account for three sequential royals. Two came holding 3 cards and the last, which was earlier this year, was while I held a single ace of hearts in the last position. The draw fell 10h, Jh, Qh, Kh exactly in that order.