Video Poker Ultimate X Scavengers

What do you think about these people, who go around checking Ultimate X machines for unused multipliers? I am ambivalent. On the one hand, I find it kind of creepy and low-life. On the other hand, if people leave unused multipliers, then why not try to take advantage?

 

It's an advantage play, why wouldn't you.
I'll be checking them as I go along, but I won't be combing the casinos just to look for them.

 

I understand why they do it but they're like bottomfeeders. You're in Vegas on vacation and your tapping through various screens looking for a multiplier? Sad. Same goes for locals. They probably used to check every pay phone for a quarter back in the day.

 

I don't have a problem with it. Do what you can to find an advantage play as long as it's not blatantly rude or scummy.

Those fools that "show people how to play" and have them switch games to poach the multipliers when they leave? That shit is foul.

 

These are part of the same group of folks who walk through casinos looking for credits left in machines. Like I said in another thread, there are people in Vegas that live solely by walking around finding credits in machines, playing off ultimate x multipliers and finding other things left around machines by tourists.

 

I have to admit here, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by an Ultimate X multiplier. Is it something a previous player was entitled to and "forgot" or "left" or is it something that triggers on a machine after so much play? Also, is it something you see while casually walking by or something you have to go into a menu to find? I think those are both variables that I would consider in rendering judgment. The way I look at these things, if the actions of these people is actually affecting another player's experience in the casino (either by theft, deception or harassment) than the behavior is absolutely abysmal. If their behavior on the other hand is simply seeking an advantage that is not detracting from another player in the Casino, then it may be pathetic, or something for which they deserve pity, but not sure its anything "wrong".

I remember there used to be an old Alice in Wonderland game where the bonuses were designed like "stepping stones" which were displayed on a large display above the slot machine itself (and visible from quite a distance away). As you played the game, whenever you completed a "path" it would trigger that bonus. These paths would not reset between players, so it was possible to advance a bonus path to near completion but then a future player would be the one to actually "get" the bonus. My wife and I would casually look at that game from time to time and if it was close to a bonus go play it with the intent of getting the bonus. We didn't go out of our way to do so and wouldn't hover over someone playing the game to see if they left, but we'd occasionally look. That's about as opportunistic as I would get.

Behavior that absolutely drives me crazy are people that will hover around you when you're playing a machine hoping to either take your place when you're done or hoping you run out of money before triggering a bonus. This recently happened to us at our local casino. We have the old Stargate game where you collect Chevrons, and after collecting X you trigger the "super bonus" or whatever it is called. This guy sat behind my wife from the time she had 2 chevrons until she finally triggered the bonus. It really weirded her out and made her uncomfortable and prevented her from enjoying the game. At one point, with 1 chevron to go until the bonus, she was out of money. She was ready to stop rather than lose any more, but I told her we were not letting this guy have the machine and I plugged it so she could keep playing. The prowler audibly cursed and waved his arms in frustration - as if we just robbed him of something to which he is entitled. It was really quite aggressive and shocking behavior which was borderline disruptive. She proceeded to hit a terrible bonus, and combined we lost a ton of money, but it was worth it to prevent that guy from getting it. I consider those people the true bottom-dwellers of the Casino (well, those and the ones committing actual acts of thievery and deception)

 

Fuzzy,
It is a multiplier that you earn from the previous hand but some people run out of money at that point or quit playing and there are multipliers left on it for the next played hand.
You would then bet upto the max without activating the Ultimate X feature and just play the one hand at an advantage due to the multipliers.

 

If i didn't do this in the casinos, i would be down for the year. And it's the only time where i will wager $50 on a hand on a dollar machine with no reservations, so that's a bit of extra excitement. Lol I don't do it much in Vegas though. Way too many people look for them.

Dude in Tunica hit this last night. 12x royal on nickels. First time I've ever seen that.



As for the misleading people by telling them to switch games, that will get you kicked out or worse. The only time I ever saw it, security was already on it before I could report it. That's definitely scummy. When people ask me what I'm doing (not often), I tell the truth.

 

They do that on the Green Stamps machines as well, yes, there are a few of them left.

Years ago they did it on the Piggy Bankin Bucks machines.

 

A few weeks ago I saw someone doing this at the local casino. I made sure to the gf about it and if they tried to "snow her how to make money" to decline and ignore them. But if they're checking unoccupied machines I don't see a problem.

 

I can't believe I've never noticed one of these machines before - I learn something here everyday!!!
I'm a slot player, but I'm not familiar with these multipliers. Are these VP machines? Or if they are slots, how does one identify them?
Do all of the casinos have them?

I have been approached by scammers trying to get me to move to a machine "that is about to hit" and when I have seen them approach others, I have reported to security if they happen to be nearby, but these guys tend to rush in, try several marks, then rapidly leave. Kinda scary when you see them in action. Not much security can do unless someone complains while it is occurring..

 

They are VP machines. I'm not sure if every casino has them but they probably do somewhere. Just remember, it's a one and done play as you don't activate the multipliers for you play to avoid either playing more or leaving them behind too.

 

There are definitely different types of scavengers.

If you notice an abandoned multiplier while walking by a machine and decide to play it, you just have common sense.

If you go from machine to machine scrolling through games hoping to come across a multiplier, it's a bit sad but there's certainly nothing wrong with it.

If you hang out behind people playing Ultimate X, you're creepy and I will always warn the player you're stalking what is going on.

If you try to convince a player to play an Ultimate X machine in the hope that he doesn't know what he's doing and will leave multipliers on the machine, you are scum of the earth. I will (and always do) warn your intended victim and get security involved and you'd be missing several teeth if I didn't know there were cameras everywhere.

 

I played "rock around the clock" with the clock sitting at 730 last night. Didn't win. Lol

 

Hey now, we low rollers gotta do what we gotta do...
On that note...when we were in Tahoe for the 4th of July, there was a guy at Hard Rock, jumping from machine to machine; I obviously knew what he was doing (UltX hunting)...funny story, is he sat at a machine next to my wife and I, found some small multipliers (2x and 3x) and played it (nickles, mind you) and I guess lost? Cuz he started HITTING the machine, cursing at it and cursing at the casino...Wife and I just kinda held our laughs...no reason to get angry like that when you brick on a UltX play...

 

Perhaps "a bit sad" is somewhat harsh. I'll clarify:

If you sit down to play your machine and notice that the two machines next to you have an Ultimate X option so you decide to check if there are multipliers left on the machines, more power to you. Not sad...frugal.

If every time you enter the casino, you take a lap around the entire place checking every single Ultimate X machine for orphaned multipliers, then my original sentiment applies and perhaps you might be better served by taking an extra month or two to save up for your Vegas trip.

 

In St. Louis, it's mostly the same people. Last time I went to Ameristar, it was this German looking guy. I hate seeing him because he's definitely faster than me. [emoji35]

 

Alright...now my interest has been piqued. Do these searches actually bear fruit often enough to spend all that time and energy searching the whole casino? I can't imagine people don't know better than to leave money on the table. But the fact that many of you do this as a matter of course has me thinking I've once again made the mistake of not taking 99% of the population for morons...

 

Depends on how many are looking for them and how many people are playing the machines. Since this is a multihand game, many people don't wait until they lose every hand to move machines. Someone leaving a 2 or 3X behind on 5/10 plays (even 3 play) is fairly common. The only time that people tend not to is when they are running out of money and can no longer max bet. If you have no competition on a busy weekend, it's definitely going to be better than flipping burgers on average. On the strip though, it seems like a waste of time, so many are looking slash I want to have more fun in Vegas.

 

Huh?