Shhh... don't tell anyone that Harrah's Rincon has this video poker game.... shhhh.

[Alan Mendelson]

Shhh... don't tell anyone that Harrah's Rincon has this video poker game... with a payback of slightly better than 99.9% according to the analysis I found on Wizardofodds.com here: http://wizardofodds.com/games/video-...s-bonus-poker/

The game is Super Aces Bonus Poker and it is available on one Game King machine in the high limit area. It might be elsewhere in the casino, but I only saw it in the high limit area. It's the 8-5-4 version. The pay table is available at the $2 and $5 denomination. And darn it, I forgot to look at the $1 denomination.

This might be a dream game for the APs when you add in Rincon's cash back and free play plus Total Rewards comp points. Someone needs to run the numbers.

But don't tell management at Rincon or they'll take it out faster than you can say "they only have 8/5 Jacks or Better."

[bigfoot66]

I spoke with John, the head of Casino Operations there after I had just blown at my bankroll at the baccarat table. I politely told him that I had become loyal this year because of Total Rewards and that I was excited about being a breath away from diamond, but that I was very disapointed that they had taken out the 9/6 JoB games. I said, "It's not news to you that I have to drive past three other casinos to get here, and its becoming hard to drive past Pala, which is beautiful, and they have 9/6 JoB with a progressive, to a place that has 8/5 JoB." He said that he is a VP player and he looks for 9/6 as well, but that the decision was from the corporate level, and he thought that Harrah's was more generous than the competitors with mailers and promotions (probably true to a small degree). I admitted to him that most players probably don't care, and the ones who do are likely less profitable anyway.

[Alan Mendelson]

bigfoot66, the "corporate level" does not mean Caesars Entertainment. Caesar's manages the casino for the Rincon Band of Indians, and they wanted more profits from video poker. I was told that the full pay $100 machines were getting hit too many times for royals and they were actually losing money. When I asked if that just might be "variance" they said it didn't matter. They were under pressure to deliver more profits.

[bigfoot66]

I don't remember the exact phrase he used, but he left me believing that they wanted every Harrah's to have a 8/5 JoB. He may have been lying or using clever language to decieve though. Your story makes more sense to me than his...

[Alan Mendelson]

I was discussing Super Aces Bonus tonight with a friend whose only comment was: "yeah, the paytable has a high return but you can go broke getting there." He explained that the paytable is top heavy and the more common hands, namely two pair are only even money and the chance of busting is about as high as with various double double bonus games.

[Alan Mendelson]

I snapped a photo of the pay table on the only Super Aces Bonus game at Rincon. This is on a Game King in the high limit room and the pay table shown is available at the $1, $2 and $5 levels. According to wizardofodds.com the payback is 99.93%. If you add in comps plus cash back is there actually a positive return video poker game at Rincon? If you click on the thumbnail, the photo expands.

[arcimede$]

At 63 the variance is quite high. However, the cycle time for quad aces (4200 hands) is much less that it is for AWAK. I would think this would be a fairly good game for regular players. Yes, you would lose a lot between those quad aces but they should average out when you get into a few hundred thousand hands.

Now, I don't know the value of the player's club so I don't know if I would play this game or not.

Hey, you could even play a progression at 1/2/5 and invent some special plays. Robki might be driving over there as we speak.

[Alan Mendelson]

Now, I don't know the value of the player's club so I don't know if I would play this game or not.

Rincon has a combination of player's club benefits that include:

1. cash back which is now paid as free-play. It used to be actual cash back that you could cash out of a machine after entering the code to load the free play onto the machine. But now, when you load the "cash back" it must be played through once like other free play money. So it is not worth what it used to be. I am not sure what the "cash back" formula is, but I suspect its around one-tenth of one percent of coin-in.

2. you do get total rewards points and comps. $10 of coin in gets you 1 total reward comp point, and each comp point has a $1 value for things such as meals, show tickets, rooms. But comp points can also be used in gift shops. And comp points can be exchanged for things such as gas cards and gift cards usually at a rate of $200 comp dollars for $100 in actual gas card or gift card dollars.

3. the play also contributes to your tier score, and there are some extra benefits for a higher tier score but they are minimal.

[bigfoot66]

2. you do get total rewards points and comps. $10 of coin in gets you 1 total reward comp point, and each comp point has a $1 value for things such as meals, show tickets, rooms. But comp points can also be used in gift shops. And comp points can be exchanged for things such as gas cards and gift cards usually at a rate of $200 comp dollars for $100 in actual gas card or gift card dollars.

Whoah, each 100 comp points has a $1 value.

BTW The paytable is also available at the 25 cent to $5 level at the Fiore's bar.

[Alan Mendelson]

Whoah, each 100 comp points has a $1 value.

BTW The paytable is also available at the 25 cent to $5 level at the Fiore's bar.

I'm probably mixed up on the conversion of "points" to dollar buying power. So please clarify.

And what games are there at the Fiore's bar? There are games at the bar in that restaurant??

[bigfoot66]

The 8/5 Super Aces Bonus poker game in your original post is available for quarters and higher at the bar between the Cafe and the Buffet. There is a round bar that is half in Fiore's and half facing the gaming floor. While there are not machines in the steakhouse, the machines are on the portion of the bar that is outside the steakhouse, facing the casino.

In your post, you suggest that $10 coin in earns a point and that point is worth $1. I am trying to clarify that while $10 coin in earns one point, that point is worth $0.01

[Alan Mendelson]

I am trying to clarify that while $10 coin in earns one point, that point is worth $0.01

Here's the way I understand it: $10 of coin-in earns one point, one thousand "reward points" equals one dollars of cash value. Yep, that makes each "reward point" worth one-cent.