Perfect strategy III: the most fun per dollar
Choose your evening's price, then spend it on what you enjoy.
"Perfect" doesn't have to mean the lowest edge. If you enjoy the game, the question is: how much fun can I buy per dollar? Here's what each plan costs, at 30 hands an hour (exact edges; Trips 8-6-5 unless noted):
| Plan | Expected cost / hour | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| $5 Ante, basic card | $3.57 | The cheapest way to play |
| $5 Ante + $5 Trips | $6.43 | A side bet that pays about 4.6 times an hour, for less than a $10 Ante alone |
| $10 Ante, basic card | $7.14 | Twice the stakes |
| $10 Ante + $5 Trips | $10.00 | The "standard evening" |
| $10 Ante + $5 Trips at an 8-7-4 table | $12.39 | Same game, worse felt |
| $10 Ante + $1 progressive (meter $50,000) | $16.84 | A one-in-650,000 dream |
| $10 Ante + $5 Six Card Bonus | $19.99 | About twice the standard cost |
| $25 Ante, basic card | $17.86 | Big swings |
Our recipe for the most fun per dollar:
- Play the main game well. The basic card is cheap fun: every hand gives you a real decision.
- If you like a side bet, make it Trips at an 8-6-5 (or 9-7-4) table, and pay for it by lowering your Ante. $5 Ante + $5 Trips costs less per hour than $10 Ante alone ($6.43 vs $7.14 with the basic card), and you get a payout most hours.
- Skip Six Card Bonus and anything above 5%. The same $12.84 an hour buys you almost two more hours of the main game.
- Treat progressives as a lottery ticket. Only the meter tells you the price. On the example table, below ≈ $160,500 it loses money, and below ≈ $46,500 it loses a third or more of every dollar.
- Count the memorable moments. At 30 hands an hour you'll bet 4x about 11 times, make a straight or better about 3 times, and hit Trips about 4.6 times. The count is the same whatever stake you choose, so choose the stake that lets you play the hours you want.
Show the math: The hourly figures
Cost per hour = 30 × (Ante × edge per Ante + Trips × Trips edge + other side bet × its edge). Basic card 2.3814%; Trips 8-6-5 1.9040%, 8-7-4 3.4979%; Six Card 8.5614%; progressive example 32.32% at a $50,000 meter. For example, $10 + $5 Trips = 30 × ($10 × 0.023814 + $5 × 0.019040) = $10.00. Straight or better in seven cards: 13,967,280 of 133,784,560 = 10.44%.
Quiz
Which plan costs less per hour?
- $10 Ante alone (basic card)
- $5 Ante + $5 Trips at an 8-6-5 table (basic card)
Show the answer
B: $5 Ante + $5 Trips at an 8-6-5 table (basic card). $6.43 vs $7.14 an hour, at 30 hands an hour.
Quiz
You love side bets. Which is the best value?
- Six Card Bonus
- Trips at an 8-6-5 table
- Progressive with a $20,000 meter
- Trips at an 8-6-4 table
Show the answer
B: Trips at an 8-6-5 table. 1.90%, far below Six Card (8.56%+), a low-meter progressive, or an 8-6-4 Trips table (6.52%).
Quiz
You want to play twice as long on the same budget. What's the most effective change?
- Halve your Ante
- Switch from the basic card to the simple card
- Add the progressive
- Bet 3x instead of 4x
Show the answer
A: Halve your Ante. Cost per hour scales with the Ante.