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| Pat Hand |
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A hand where all five cards fit into a winning hand. For example, if you are initially dealt 3c, 5c, 8c, 9c, Jc you have a pat hand which contains a flush. However, if you are dealt Jc, Jd, Jh, 8s, 4c you do have three of a kind but not a pat hand since the 8 and 4 are rags. You would hold the Jacks and draw two. The only exception is four of a kind in Jacks or Better. The fifth card is a rag but can't improve the hand by drawing to it
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| Pay Off |
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The number of coins or credits paid for a particular winning hand. Often expresses on a "per-coin" basis. For example, a Full House in standard full pay Jacks-or-Better with five coins bet pays 45 coins, but this is usually expressed as 9-for-1. This way, it is the same for a 4-coin, 10-coin or 100-coin machine.
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| Payback |
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The long term expected return of a game as it is being played. Usually expressed as a percent, but sometimes expressed as the Expected Value (EV) of the game. You can expect to make money on a game only if its long term payback, including any slot club cash rebate, is over 100% (EV greater than one). For your personal evaluation of a situation, you should include the value of any additional comps or promotions.
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| Payoff Schedule |
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Each video poker machine's complete payoff schedule is posted on the glass front or on the screen. This is usually in the form of a table that shows the number of coins paid for each possible final hand for each possible number of coins bet.
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| Payoff Table |
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The numbers are the number of credits that you get if you draw that hand. For example, if you are playing five coins in a quarter machine with this Payoff Table, you win 4000 quarters or $1,000.00 if you get a Royal Flush. Usually you get more credits for your money by playing the Maximum Credits.
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| Payout |
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The actual dropping of coins by a machine. Some old machines still pay out the coins immediately for every payoff, but most now accumulate credits, and the actual payout occurs only when one presses the Cash Out button. In the case of a coinless machine, it is the printing of a cash voucher. In the case of a jackpot, it is usually a hand pay.
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| Perfect Play |
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Making every play for the absolute highest Expected Value.
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| Play Maximum Credits |
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Each Video Poker Machine has a Play Maximum Credits button. This is the button you push to deal a new hand and bet the maximum. If you don't play maximum credits, you don't qualify for the big jackpots. On most 25-cent video poker machines, the maximum credits you can play is five. Always play maximum credits. If you are playing a machine with a lousy payout, then play the minimum.
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| Progressive Jackpot |
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This is a Jackpot, usually for a Royal Flush that grows as players play. Several machines are linked together so that each bet at any of them increases the jackpot. When a player gets the Jackpot the Progressive Jackpot is reset to a starting value, typically $1,000 for a 25 cent machine with five coins played. Important: You can't win the Progressive Jackpot unless you Play Maximum Credits.
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