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Reason #1 why the Wizard likes Bovada:
Excellent customer support
The thing that separates Bovada from the rest is its customer support. Many other online gaming companies outsource their support. It can be difficult getting a response from them, and if you do it is often slow and handled by somebody with little understanding of gambling or even of English. But Bovada’s support is handled by Bovada, and their support staff is actually knowledgeable and helpful.
I’m so confident that you’ll have a good experience with Bovada that if you have a problem getting paid and you can’t resolve it with them on your own, I’ll talk to them myself. I personally have known the Bovada management for about three years and always found them to be professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. I have also personally visited one of their call centers so I could see first-hand how they handle customer issues. (More on my mediation service.)
If you have a problem with any other casino besides Bovada, I can’t help you. I get complaints from players of other online casinos every day who have difficulty getting paid. However that isn’t my job nor my problem. If you play at Bovada after clicking through my site I’ll stand behind you 100%. Any place else and you’re on your own.
San Diego Video Poker Survey
Last Update: Dec 12, 2008
IntroductionBetween November 30 and December 1, 2008, I visited the eleven casinos in the San Diego area. The purpose of this visit was to survey the rules in blackjack, craps, roulette, video keno, and video poker. This page shows the results of my video poker findings. After I returned, on December 10, Barona made some game changes, which are reflected in the tables below.
The following tables show the optimal strategy return for the best games I could find. A blank indicates that I could not find the game. The casinos are listed in order of average return. Casinos not listed in the $5 table did not have any video poker in that denomination, that I could find.
| 25-Cent Video Poker Returns | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino | Jacks or Better | Bonus Poker | Double Bonus | Double Double Bonus | Deuces Wild | Bonus Deuces | Joker Poker | Average |
| Barona | 99.54% | 99.17% | 99.11% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 99.45% | 99.92% | 99.41% |
| Viejas | 97.30% | 98.01% | 97.81% | 98.98% | 98.91% | 96.74% | 97.96% | |
| Pechanga | 99.54% | 98.98% | 96.01% | 96.74% | 97.82% | |||
| Pauma | 96.87% | 97.81% | 98.98% | 97.58% | 97.36% | 97.72% | ||
| Pala | 97.30% | 96.87% | 97.81% | 96.79% | 99.73% | 97.70% | ||
| Valley View | 98.01% | 97.81% | 96.74% | 98.91% | 97.36% | 96.74% | 97.60% | |
| Golden Acorn | 98.45% | 96.87% | 97.81% | 95.96% | 97.27% | |||
| La Posta | 97.30% | 98.01% | 96.74% | 98.91% | 93.78% | 96.95% | ||
| Harrah's | 96.15% | 96.87% | 97.81% | 96.79% | 96.77% | 96.22% | 96.77% | |
| Santa Ysabel | 96.15% | 96.87% | 97.81% | 96.77% | 96.22% | 96.74% | 96.76% | |
| Sycuan | 96.15% | 96.87% | 95.71% | 96.77% | 96.37% | |||
| One-Dollar Video Poker Returns | ||||||||
| Casino | Jacks or Better | Bonus Poker | Double Bonus | Double Double Bonus | Deuces Wild | Bonus Deuces | Joker Poker | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barona | 99.54% | 99.17% | 99.79% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 99.45% | 99.92% | 99.51% |
| Valley View | 99.17% | 99.79% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 99.45% | 99.42% | ||
| Pechanga | 99.54% | 99.17% | 99.11% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 99.31% | ||
| Pala | 99.54% | 99.17% | 99.11% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 99.31% | ||
| La Posta | 99.54% | 99.17% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 94.27% | 98.34% | ||
| Santa Ysabel | 98.63% | 98.01% | 96.74% | 97.58% | 98.8% | 98.44% | 98.04% | |
| Viejas | 97.30% | 98.01% | 97.81% | 98.98% | 98.91% | 96.74% | 97.96% | |
| Golden Acorn | 98.45% | 98.01% | 97.81% | 96.77% | 97.76% | |||
| Pauma | 96.87% | 97.81% | 98.98% | 97.58% | 97.36% | 97.72% | ||
| Harrah's | 97.30% | 98.01% | 97.81% | 96.74% | 97.58% | 97.36% | 97.47% | |
| Sycuan | 97.30% | 98.01% | 96.79% | 97.58% | 97.42% | |||
| Five-Dollar Video Poker Returns | ||||||||
| Casino | Jacks or Better | Bonus Poker | Double Bonus | Double Double Bonus | Deuces Wild | Bonus Deuces | Joker Poker | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barona | 99.54% | 99.17% | 99.79% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 99.45% | 99.92% | 99.51% |
| Viejas | 99.54% | 99.17% | 99.11% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 99.45% | 99.92% | 99.41% |
| Pala | 99.54% | 99.17% | 97.81% | 98.98% | 99.73% | 98.8% | 99.92% | 99.14% |
| Harrah's | 98.45% | 98.01% | 97.81% | 97.58% | 97.96% | |||
| Pechanga | 97.81% | 96.74% | 97.58% | 97.38% | ||||
Methodology
My methodology is admittedly simple. With each property I noted the best pay table I could find inJacks or Better, Bonus Poker,Double Bonus,Double Double Bonus,Deuces Wild,Bonus Deuces, and Joker Poker, at the 25-cent, $1, and $5 denominations. I know there are other games, but in the interests of time, I limited the survey to just these major games. When I do this survey again, likely in June 2009, I intend to add more games. It is possible that I didn't find some games that should have been included. Some of the San Diego casinos are on par with large Strip casinos in terms of size, and I didn't have the inclination to check every single machine.
Links
VP Free California survey of video poker.
Acknowledgements
Bob Dancer for reviewing my survey results, and correcting some omissions and errors.
Disclaimer
The Barona Casino hired me to perform surveys of the San Diego casinos for blackjack, roulette, and craps. Research on other games, including video poker, I did at my own initiative.
Other Games Surveyed in San Diego
| My Video Poker Offerings | |
|---|---|
Basic Video Poker Info
Practice / Play Video Poker for Free
Video Poker Calculator
Other Stuff
|
StrategiesFull-Pay Jacks or Better:
Full-Pay Deuces Wild:
Quick Quads:Other Strategies: |
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