When slot operations unlinked the flush attacks at the Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall in late 1999 there was a hard core bunch of mini-pros who hammered the game religiously. These Sigma machines were 8/5 flush attack with a theoretical of 101.83% playing straight through. The card was .3333% comp, .16666% cashback. There was a promotion every day, either quad of the day, double cashback, or double comp. And sometimes there was a promotion on top of the regular promotions. We were all using Tom Ski strategy.
This play went on for about 2 1/2 years. It wasn't all pro action. Tourists and ploppies played the game too. The total action was probably about 75% pro, 25% recreational (just my guesstimate). Recreational players undervalue flush cards at this game....and they short coin alot.
By 2001 we were all concerned about how much longer the play was gonna last, because at one time or another we were all getting a look at the actual payback screens when mechanics worked on the machines. These screens were not listing the theoretical payback. Rather they recorded the actual coin-in/coin-out. And showed in big characters what the actual payback on each machine was according to the coin-in/coin-out.
Seven of the machines showed right around 101%, one machine showed 99.9%. Which to me accounts for the recreational action on the bank. Slot operations changed the game out in May 2002.
