Page 18 - April 2008 • Southern California Gaming Guide

By Borris Bienn
When I go to the casino, I generally go to play video poker. One reason is that I enjoy the challenge. Video poker is often referred to as “the thinking person’s slot” because players are actively involved in each hand. Sure, luck is always a
huge factor, but unlike traditional slots, video poker rewards skill and strategy. e savvy video poker player knows exactly what the return is on any game he or she plays, and always chooses games that will maximize their entertainment value.
Each time I play at a casino, I’ve always got a very good idea of how much I need to budget to allow me to play for a given length of time, because I play video poker. But I’ll be honest: as reliable and predictable as my favorite video poker games are, and as much fun as it is when I do hit that royal ush, I do sneak the occasional longing glance over at the slot banks and watch other players enjoy the bonus features and bells and whistles that make slots so much fun in the rst place.
at’s why I love these wild new video poker games coming soon to Southern California casinos. ey o er the rewards for skill and strategy that I love about video poker, but they also include new,
exciting twists that make the play more interesting and the pay more exciting. I’ve had a sneak peek at three new games: Wild Thing PokerTM, Multi-Strike Poker® DeluxeTM, and Ultimate 4-of-a-Kind Bonus PokerTM. And let me tell you, these wild things make every video poker hand groovy!
Wild Thing PokerTM
Wild Thing PokerTM is the newest, most revolutionary video poker game to hit casinos in a very long time.
You make your initial wager and are dealt a 3-card stud hand in which all 3s are wild. Winning hands are a straight, ush, 3-of-a-kind, straight ush and the top paying hand is three 3s. After the hand is dealt, you make the only choice you need to make in this game: bet or fold. If you fold, you start over with a new 3-card hand. However, if you bet, you wager your original ante again, and you’ll be dealt the next two cards, which combine with your 3-card hand to make a standard 5-card poker hand. Only in this hand, 5s are now wild—including any 5s that you had in the original 3-card hand.
e pay table for the 5-card hand is similar to the deuces wild tables: three-
of-a-kind is the lowest ranked
hand and pays
even money; four 5s pays 250, and a
royal ush with no wild cards pays 1,000 per credit bet.
After the 5-card hand, you once again have the choice to bet or fold. If you
Page 18
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
April 2008
In the initial thee-card hand in Wild Thing PokerTM all An additional bet deals two more cards into a 3s are wild. ve-card hand where all 5s are wild.