Hundred Play Wheel Poker

Introduction

Hundred Play Wheel Poker plays like conventional 100-Play Video Poker for one to five coins bet per play. If the player bets a sixth coin, he will be awarded a wheel spin for a four of a kind on the draw. This sixth coin bet per play is a fee. If the player wins more than one four of a kind on the draw, then the possible wins on the wheel will be multiplied by the number of four of a kinds won.

In games with wild cards, all cards are treated as natural for purposes of triggering the Wheel Bonus. For example, in deuces wild, 2222Q or QQQQK would trigger the bonus, but 2QQQK would not.

The following table shows the possible wins on the wheel per four of a kind and the weighting of each. The column for "jacks or better" applies to all games where the minimum win is for a pair of jacks or better.

Example

The following screenshots were taken from VideoPoker.com, with permission.

In the image above, I am playing Bonus Poker and get a three of a kind on the deal, which I held.

 

On the draw, I win five four-of-a-kinds.

 

The slices on the prize normally range from 200 to 4000. However, since I triggered the bonus five times, all slices are multiplied by 5, for a range of 1000 to 20,000. The wheel stops on 1,875.

 

In the the end, my win consisted of:

• 88 three of a kinds = 88×15 = 1320.
• 7 full houses = 7×35 = 245
• 5 four of a kinds = 5×125 = 625
• Bonus = 1875

The total win is thus 4065.

Analysis

The following table shows my analysis of the "Jacks or Better" wheel. These reel weights apply to all games with a minimum win of a pair of jacks or better. The lower right cell shows an average win of 427.801724.

The following table shows my analysis of the Deuces Wild wheel. The lower right cell shows an average win of 458.189655.

The following table shows my analysis of the Deuces Wild Bonus wheel. The lower right cell shows an average win of 449.784483.

The following table shows my analysis of the Super Bonus Deuces Wild wheel. The lower right cell shows an average win of 439.870690.

The following table shows my analysis of the Joker Poker wheel. The lower right cell shows an average win of 458.189655.

To calculate the return of the game, simply add the average wheel spin value to the pay for a four of a kind. For example, in jacks or better a four of a kind pays 125. To this value, add the average wheel win of 427.80172, for a total win per four of a kind of 552.80172. Then put that win and the standard win for all others in my video poker calculator.

In general, the probability of four of a kind on the draw is about 0.0024 in games with no wild cards. Assuming that probability exactly, the expected return per play is 0.0024 × 427.801724 = 1.026724. Thus, paying an extra coin to enable the wheel is a good value. The value gets even marginally better with strategy changes to more aggressively go after four of a kinds. The overall increase to the return for betting six coins per play compared to five ranges from 0.004% to 2.034%. The more generous the base pay table, the lesser the benefit of betting the sixth coin. Also, the more four of a kinds pay to begin with, the greater the benefit of betting the sixth coin.

Our friends at VideoPoker.com were kind enough to provide me all the available games and pay tables as well as the return for each one for 1 to 6 coins bet. Follows is that list.

I spot checked some of these returns. With six-coins bet, I sometimes agreed and sometimes was a little off. For example, with 6-5 Double Double Bonus, I get a six-coin return of 0.966385. VideoPoker.com claims it is 0.966735. My return is 0.000351 less. Following is my return table for that game.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank VideoPoker.com for sharing their list of games and returns as well as permission to use the screen shots seen above.

Written by: Michael Shackleford