Video Poker Nickel DDB at Palms and Palace Station?

[PSM]

Hi! I know a lot can change in two months before my trip but I saw the following on vpFREE2 and was wondering if anyone could confirm that these still exist:

At Palms - 10/6 full pay DDB

- "5¢, 10¢, 25¢ 1 Play MG just inside entrance to the right of sportsbook Palms 4 Uprights"

- "25¢, 50¢ 1 Play near hotel registration ($4 per pt. and excluded from promotions and multipliers per stickers on machines) Palms 3 Slant-tops"

At Palace Station - 10/6 full pay DDB

- "5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, $1 1 Play MG just inside entrance facing Rancho Dr. in far northeast corner of casino Palace Station Hotel & Casino 10 Uprights"

I also see that there are 25¢ 9/6 DDB machines at Bellagio, Hard Rock, Hooters, SLS, and Slots A Fun. Still accurate on any of those?

Thanks for any input!

 

[Camp Rusty]

Whoa.....that would be fun at 10/6 !

Hope it's for real, have fun !

 

[tringlomane]

Considering the Palms data was just updated an hour ago on VPFree2, and Palace Station was 12 days ago. I would assume that will be there for at least awhile. Stations casinos (which Palms now is) is known to offer low denomination 100%+ VP for very little comp points and has for years. But if you are planning to play nickels anyway, that's one of the better choices out there because single line nickel VP won't really get you any sizable comps anyway.

I am going to update the bartop sticky now to make sure I have all the bars they list on the sticky...haha

 

[Yokel]

Hi! I know a lot can change in two months before my trip but I saw the following on vpFREE2 and was wondering if anyone could confirm that these still exist:

At Palms - 10/6 full pay DDB

- "5¢, 10¢, 25¢ 1 Play MG just inside entrance to the right of sportsbook Palms 4 Uprights"

- "25¢, 50¢ 1 Play near hotel registration ($4 per pt. and excluded from promotions and multipliers per stickers on machines) Palms 3 Slant-tops"

At Palace Station - 10/6 full pay DDB

- "5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, $1 1 Play MG just inside entrance facing Rancho Dr. in far northeast corner of casino Palace Station Hotel & Casino 10 Uprights"

I also see that there are 25¢ 9/6 DDB machines at Bellagio, Hard Rock, Hooters, SLS, and Slots A Fun. Still accurate on any of those?

Thanks for any input!

I recently saw the DDB you mentioned at the Palms, Palace Station, Bellagio, Hooters and SLS. But casinos are downgrading paytables at a rapid pace, so the machines you are seeking may not be there for your trip.

 

[tringlomane]

I dunno if I would say rapid...but definitely "consistent". I can't recall offhand the last upgrade I've personally seen. The only few in Vegas I can think of in the last 2 years are the Cromwell 99%+ bank (5x less points), Mardi Gras bar revamp at Orleans, Plaza bartops, and Ellis Island as cheap as nickels with up to NSUD. I'm sure there are more around the entire city, but they are hard to think offhand vs. the downgrades...

 

[PSM]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. Full pay DDB at the nickel and dime levels just seemed way too good to be true, especially within walking or very short cab ride distance from our hotel (Mirage). More responses below.

Whoa.....that would be fun at 10/6 !

Hope it's for real, have fun !

Thanks! I hope so, too! It would definitely let us stretch our gambling budget for the trip. My wife and I both love DDB but, as very low rollers, it's too volatile of a game to be able to play much even at the $0.25 level. Nickels or even dimes would allow us to play for hours at a time even if we weren't hitting much. I know the payouts are comparably small compared to quarters but I really do play because I love the game, not so much because I only want that big win. Big wins are a bonus while sitting there playing the game for a while with a drink is the real draw for me, personally. Maybe I'm just a little screwed up in the head haha.

Considering the Palms data was just updated an hour ago on VPFree2, and Palace Station was 12 days ago. I would assume that will be there for at least awhile. Stations casinos (which Palms now is) is known to offer low denomination 100%+ VP for very little comp points and has for years. But if you are planning to play nickels anyway, that's one of the better choices out there because single line nickel VP won't really get you any sizable comps anyway.

I am going to update the bartop sticky now to make sure I have all the bars they list on the sticky...haha

Sorry, I guess I completely missed the updated time/date. I swear I looked but obviously not very hard.

My wife and I both usually play DDB quarters at 5 coins per hand, which is why we rarely have the budget (or luck) to play for as long as we want. Nickels at 5 per hand would allow us to play for much longer stretches of time even if we're not having much luck, but do nickels at 5 coins per hand get you the same payouts/jackpots as quarters at 5 coins per hand? Obviously nickels pay at 1/5 the dollar amount but I mean in terms of percentages, do 5 coins on the nickel machines pay out the same in relation to 5 coins on the quarters, which get you the good jackpots you don't receive at 1-4 coins per hand?

Sorry, that wording is horrendous.

I recently saw the DDB you mentioned at the Palms, Palace Station, Bellagio, Hooters and SLS. But casinos are downgrading paytables at a rapid pace, so the machines you are seeking may not be there for your trip.

This is my fear but at least there is some hope that they'll still be there in a couple months if they are already there. I just remember that last time I went almost four years ago, some of those pay tables listed on vpFREE2 hadn't been updated and when I got to Las Vegas the ones I was counting on for the trip had been downgraded to unplayable levels. I guess I can hold out a little extra hope that I'll have something available by the time I get there because TWO casinos not far from Mirage have these pay tables for nickels through quarters (both Palms and Palace Station).

 

[tringlomane]

My wife and I both usually play DDB quarters at 5 coins per hand, which is why we rarely have the budget (or luck) to play for as long as we want. Nickels at 5 per hand would allow us to play for much longer stretches of time even if we're not having much luck, but do nickels at 5 coins per hand get you the same payouts/jackpots as quarters at 5 coins per hand? Obviously nickels pay at 1/5 the dollar amount but I mean in terms of percentages, do 5 coins on the nickel machines pay out the same in relation to 5 coins on the quarters, which get you the good jackpots you don't receive at 1-4 coins per hand?

As long as you bet 5 nickels a hand, all the payouts are exactly 1/5 as much as quarters with the same expected probabilities with optimal strategy.

Royal $200
Aces w/kicker $100
Aces $40
2-4s w/kicker $40
2-4s $20
5-Ks $12.50
etc.

Also if you have a BConnected card, you should also consider Main Street Station Downtown. They have nickel DDB that is only 9/6 (98.98%), but they also have an ongoing promo where if you hit a natural quad or better, you get a scratch off if you're playing with your card and notify a slot attendant.

At the nickel level, this is always worth $1, with a very, very, very tiny chance of $5000.

$1 doesn't sound like much, but when you're betting only 25c a hand it sorta is. It basically adds 20 credits to any quad or better payout and will boost the game's return to 99.99% with optimal play. The only strategy change vs. standard 9/6 or 10/6 DDB is that high pairs become better than all 3 to a Royal thanks to the $1 higher quad payout. And this also gives you an excuse to visit downtown if you were possibly looking for one. Haha The SDX bus can also get you there at $8/person round trip

Also another option is to walk/cab/uber/lyft to Ellis Island as they have 9/6 DDB as cheap as nickels. Plus they have good barbecue at their BBQ joint and the steak special (not on menu, have to ask for it) at the cafe that are both reasonably priced, especially with a player's card.

 

[PSM]

As long as you bet 5 nickels a hand, all the payouts are exactly 1/5 as much as quarters with the same expected probabilities with optimal strategy.

Royal $200
Aces w/kicker $100
Aces $40
2-4s w/kicker $40
2-4s $20
5-Ks $12.50
etc.

Also if you have a BConnected card, you should also consider Main Street Station Downtown. They have nickel DDB that is only 9/6 (98.98%), but they also have an ongoing promo where if you hit a natural quad or better, you get a scratch off if you're playing with your card and notify a slot attendant.

At the nickel level, this is always worth $1, with a very, very, very tiny chance of $5000.

$1 doesn't sound like much, but when you're betting only 25c a hand it sorta is. It basically adds 20 credits to any quad or better payout and will boost the game's return to 99.99% with optimal play. The only strategy change vs. standard 9/6 or 10/6 DDB is that high pairs become better than all 3 to a Royal thanks to the $1 higher quad payout. And this also gives you an excuse to visit downtown if you were possibly looking for one. Haha The SDX bus can also get you there at $8/person round trip

Also another option is to walk/cab/uber/lyft to Ellis Island as they have 9/6 DDB as cheap as nickels. Plus they have good barbecue at their BBQ joint and the steak special (not on menu, have to ask for it) at the cafe that are both reasonably priced, especially with a player's card.

That's great info, thanks! We'll probably start at Palms on this trip if they still have nickel 10/6 DDB just because it will be easiest/cheapest to get there from Mirage where we're staying. But depending on how the trip goes, I'm very open to trying other places, as well. It's always good to have options.

Hell, I started out booking this trip thinking there weren't even gonna be 9/6 quarter options anywhere close because I hadn't been to Las Vegas in so long and my last time out the places that I knew had 9/6 quarters within walking distance had gotten rid of them (we stayed at Mirage that time, also). 10/6 nickels, dimes, and quarters has me extremely excited for this trip. I can walk from Mirage to Palms without an issue for those paytables and denominations. I do a lot of walking on my trips anyways and often walk most of the Strip round trip multiple times each visit. 1.7 miles according to Google Maps is like Mirage to Excalibur, just not quite as fun because you're not on the Strip for most of it. A small price to pay for full pay. And if it sucks the first time, I'll just cab it back, which can't be much.

 

[tringlomane]

I did the walk from rio to Bally's once, with wheeled luggage. That was a mistake. Lol Generally speaking that walk isn't super pedestrian friendly.

Nothing wrong with walking, but if you want to save walking more for seeing the strip, you can also take advantage of the CET shuttle to help get to Palms.

CET has two shuttles. One that goes from harrah's to rio and another that goes from bally's to rio.

https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/131/~/rio-las-vegas---shuttle-to-the-strip

 

[Yokel]

This is my fear but at least there is some hope that they'll still be there in a couple months if they are already there. I just remember that last time I went almost four years ago, some of those pay tables listed on vpFREE2 hadn't been updated and when I got to Las Vegas the ones I was counting on for the trip had been downgraded to unplayable levels. I guess I can hold out a little extra hope that I'll have something available by the time I get there because TWO casinos not far from Mirage have these pay tables for nickels through quarters (both Palms and Palace Station).

I sympathize with you about the video poker listed in vpFREE2 getting out of date. That's a crowd-sourced site, so it's up to us video poker players to report changes to them, or it doesn't get updated.

Also the video poker at the Palms and Palace Station may be changed at any time since both those casinos are in the process of remodeling.

 

[Camp Rusty]

I did the walk from rio to Bally's once, with wheeled luggage. That was a mistake. Lol Generally speaking that walk isn't super pedestrian friendly.

Nothing wrong with walking, but if you want to save walking more for seeing the strip, you can also take advantage of the CET shuttle to help get to Palms.

CET has two shuttles. One that goes from harrah's to rio and another that goes from bally's to rio.

https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/131/~/rio-las-vegas---shuttle-to-the-strip

We have done the walk to and from the Palms through the Gold Coast to Rio to the Strip a few times when we stayed at Palms Place for a week. Not in the summer though ......or with wheeled luggage. That was brave, and a lot of work !

We are "walkers" so that makes a difference in perception maybe. We have stayed at the Rio several times and leave the car there and walk over. We usually drop in to the Caesars property as soon as we can back by the pool entrance off W Flamingo and get a beer, by the Octavius Tower. As often as not though we hire a ride home if it's dark or there has been a beverage involved

You can save a ton of steps by avoiding the enclosed pedestrian bridge by the freeway as you leave the Rio and just walk across the one lane road and meet up with the sidewalk. The enclosed bridge always freaked me out a little....it's like being in a cyclone fence tunnel, kind of claustrophobic.

Like tringlomane says the shuttle from the Rio works great too......if you get a chance grab a players card at the Rio, it may help with priority on the shuttle.

Oh I know........side note.....I love love love Chronic Tacos at the Palms food court, huge plates of fresh food, like Qdoba on steriods !

 

[tringlomane]

Need diamond or better to get priority on the shuttle. As long he goes on non busy times though, there shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Yokel]

Hi! I know a lot can change in two months before my trip but I saw the following on vpFREE2 and was wondering if anyone could confirm that these still exist:

At Palms - 10/6 full pay DDB

- "5¢, 10¢, 25¢ 1 Play MG just inside entrance to the right of sportsbook Palms 4 Uprights"

- "25¢, 50¢ 1 Play near hotel registration ($4 per pt. and excluded from promotions and multipliers per stickers on machines) Palms 3 Slant-tops"

At Palace Station - 10/6 full pay DDB

- "5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, $1 1 Play MG just inside entrance facing Rancho Dr. in far northeast corner of casino Palace Station Hotel & Casino 10 Uprights"

I also see that there are 25¢ 9/6 DDB machines at Bellagio, Hard Rock, Hooters, SLS, and Slots A Fun. Still accurate on any of those?

Thanks for any input!

I looked at one of the machines with 25c 9/6 DDB at Hard Rock today - only on Ultimate X as per vpFREE2. Still OK.

 

[tringlomane]

I looked at one of the machines with 25c 9/6 DDB at Hard Rock today - only on Ultimate X as per vpFREE2. Still OK.

Which means @PSM would have to play at least 3 lines to bet at least 5 per line, so I'd rule that place out with his bankroll.

 

[PSM]

I looked at one of the machines with 25c 9/6 DDB at Hard Rock today - only on Ultimate X as per vpFREE2. Still OK.

Which means @PSM would have to play at least 3 lines to bet at least 5 per line, so I'd rule that place out with his bankroll.

Thanks for the info, Yokel. Yeah, very small bankroll means max I should be playing for DDB is $0.25 five coins per hand. But even that goes quickly if it's not hitting, which is why I was excited about those lower denominations and started this thread.

 

[PSM]

We have done the walk to and from the Palms through the Gold Coast to Rio to the Strip a few times when we stayed at Palms Place for a week. Not in the summer though ......or with wheeled luggage. That was brave, and a lot of work !

We are "walkers" so that makes a difference in perception maybe. We have stayed at the Rio several times and leave the car there and walk over. We usually drop in to the Caesars property as soon as we can back by the pool entrance off W Flamingo and get a beer, by the Octavius Tower. As often as not though we hire a ride home if it's dark or there has been a beverage involved

You can save a ton of steps by avoiding the enclosed pedestrian bridge by the freeway as you leave the Rio and just walk across the one lane road and meet up with the sidewalk. The enclosed bridge always freaked me out a little....it's like being in a cyclone fence tunnel, kind of claustrophobic.

Like tringlomane says the shuttle from the Rio works great too......if you get a chance grab a players card at the Rio, it may help with priority on the shuttle.

Oh I know........side note.....I love love love Chronic Tacos at the Palms food court, huge plates of fresh food, like Qdoba on steriods !

Also good info. Yeah, early May is one of those times when it could be great walking weather or you could be dying a quarter mile down the road. I'm torn on which I prefer because I love to do a lot of walking on the Strip but I also love to spend a lot of time by the pool every day. Warm but not hot is great for walking but there's nothing like that dry desert heat when you're by the pool. I think I've been twice in May, twice in August, and three times in September before and May has been my favorite time of year so far. August was way too hot (not that I wouldn't go again in August if it was my only option) and September was either perfect or bordering too hot. I think both May trips worked out perfectly for my combo of walking and pool time.

I'll keep the shuttle in mind if it ends up being too hot for the really long walks. I checked cab fare from Mirage to Palms and it was more than expected. Is Uber/Lyft significantly cheaper than taxis now? They were't even really a thing yet last time I went (or at least I wasn't aware of them because I usually have a rental car).