I have $400 free slot play. Best way to use it? Im assuming video poker...
Full pay or close to VP. Under 98%, and especially under 97% vp I'd probably play video BJ for the lower variance. Some would suggest not playing freeplay on full pay VP so that the hold on those machines doesnt look any worse compared to the short pay games than it already does.
"Everyone wants to be rich, but nobody wants to work for it." -Ryan Howard [The Office]
Do you plan on putting through a similar amount of action that generated the $400 in FP? I was under the assumption you were not going to do that. If you are, then go ahead, play it off on whatever you're going to be playing anyway. If it's the property I'm thinking of, you'll probably be OK, though.
It has happened to me and people that I know on several occasions (although relatively rare). I wasn't part of the play back then, but a select set of machines was (it's not "were", right?) taken out from a property because people were practically lining up to play their FP off on one of the 2 or 3 machines, or so that is how it was described to me. Coincidentally (perhaps that's not the right word), those machines were taken out and the casino cut back on their monthly mailers significantly (it's still playable, but nowhere near as great as it used to be).
"Everyone wants to be rich, but nobody wants to work for it." -Ryan Howard [The Office]
This is an age old question that people in "my business" ask all the time, with most people thinking VP is the best route. The answer to where you should play your FP depends largely on what you do. Are you a machine AP? If so, you'd benefit from downloading the FP at each "play" and using your FP to knock it down. That, however, carries a small risk with it that I prefer to avoid, in a quasi-relative light to not running FP through full-pay or near-full-pay VP machines, you risk losing future mailers and FP, potentially even having marketing shut you down all together.
The best route I've found in my many years of being a Machine AP and "Comp Hustler" would be to run the FP through VBJ, preferably one that will allow for double downs, splits, and surrender. The payback% is sufficient, but you don't have to go through nearly 40,000 hands to realize your payback%. It goes rather quick, the payback% is basically realized within $100 in FP depending on the type of machine you run it through and its denominations. Knowing how to play some of them is important as well.
Example: On some GK machines that offer blackjack with .25/.50/1 denoms, it requires at least 2 credits be bet to be able to surrender. Most hands should be played out at $1, but that doesn't mean bet 1 credit on the $1 denom, you won't be allowed to surrender. Instead, switch to .25, and bet 4 credits, or if you're a super stickler for getting the most possible hands, bet .25x2 and play .50/hand total, utilizing the full range of player decisions. Take special notice of specific machines that allow the "double up" option as well, in case you're feeling frisky. Also, some of these game types and actions depend on whether your $50 is downloaded as a $50 credit and used on that machine only, or if its used by the system as a type of "refund" to your bet. There's a million ways to skin a cat with FP>
The best, absolutely best way to do it is if they'll allow you to convert your FP into chips/cheques to use at the table. Its very rare that a casino will allow this, and in most places they'll convert at a rate of 1:2 so it is not advised, but in the event you can get a 1:1 conversion, use it.
FP through VBJ is about as good as money in your pocket with the low amount of variance there. Even with FP ranges between $60-$100 you should come close to seeing nearly full payback% for that machine type. The more FP, the better.
Roulette is best unless the free play is restricted to even money bets. If it is so restricted, three card poker is best. If the free play is lost on a push, then use real money on Ante, else use free play on the Ante. On any hand K87 or weaker use free play. On any hand K92 or stronger use real money.
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