Strategy
Measuring a session's actual payback
Cash put into a machine is not necessarily the same as total money wagered, because credits can be replayed repeatedly.
THE DRAW JOURNAL
130 STORIESThe complete archive.
Every story, every perspective. Explore the full collection.
Casino Floor
A bug in the game—or a misunderstanding?
An unexpected outcome does not explain its own cause.
Strategy
The particular appeal of Deuces Wild
Wild deuces reshape both the hand rankings and the feel of the draw.
Strategy
The extra-wager decision in Double Down Stud
A decision to add money is different from a decision about which cards to hold.
Casino Floor
Can a casino change a video poker return?
The same game name can be offered with different payout schedules.
Player Stories
A feeling of video poker déjà vu
Repeated situations are part of a game built from the same ranks, suits and familiar decisions.
Strategy
Thinking in more than one hand
A shared deal followed by several draws is the defining experience of multi-hand video poker.
Player Stories
Six royals and the meaning of a cycle
A cycle is a statistical way of describing frequency, not a promise of evenly spaced jackpots.
Strategy
What is a progressive royal really worth?
The moving jackpot is only one component of a progressive game's return.
