Cash put into a machine is not necessarily the same as total money wagered, because credits can be replayed repeatedly. This archived discussion of payback highlights the importance of the denominator when comparing a player's recorded result with a published return figure.
The wider question
A useful hand comparison starts with the exact variant and its complete payout schedule. A familiar game name is not enough to identify every rule. When reading a historical strategy discussion, keep its assumptions attached to the example; a different schedule or extra feature may call for a different comparison.
This is an original editorial reading note on the topic of a John Robison column, not a reproduction of the full article. The date above belongs to the original publication. Read the linked column for the author’s complete account and conclusions.
Ask the Slot Expert: Calculating your payback on a slot or video poker machine
John Robison · Jul 12, 2023
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