As several are aware, CET has changed out many of their VP machines. We were just at the Horseshoe in Bossier City and they had done the same there. For those familiar with the property, there is a bank of machines on the left as you walk in on the main floor that has 3 and 5 play quarter/fifty cent with 9/6 JOB, 8/5 Bonus etc. The machines are very popular and always crowded. In the past, when a player had a minimum of 5 coins per hand, the normal Royal was paid out if hit (i.e. 4000 coins). The machine allowed more coins to be bet, up to 15 per hand, turning the max bet to $.75 per card/$3.75 per hand(for quarters) and $1.50 per card/$7.50 (for fifty cents). Once the minimum of 5 coins per hand were reached, the Royal value went up proportionately from the base of 4000 coins.
Enter the new machines. I started playing, checking the pay schedule to insure that it was still 9/6 JOB and 8/5 Bonus. Sure enough, good to go. Started playing 3 hand $.50 with 30 coins bet (essentially mimicking 3 hand dollars). Over the course of two days played and was down about 2K. Four to a Royal line up on the draw (about the sixth time I encountered that this trip), pause, ask for the missing card aloud and hit the button. Great! Got the missing card on one line and a flush on another. Machine stops, bells and whistles and then I see - Jackpot for $1750. What? Can't be. Should be $4000.
Was I PO'd. I immediately check the pay schedules on a couple of other machines. Sure enough, the Royal does not pay out fully until max coin is bet, or 15 coins per hand. Effectively, these turn out to not be $.25/$.50 VP machines. Another hard lesson learned.
A day later, I filled out a survey and specifically mentioned the issue somewhat harshly. To my surprise, I received a call from someone at the property and he indicated they were aware of the issue and were in the process of fixing it. I asked if the change was intentional or accidently overlooked in installation. Never really got a straight answer for that but he indicated they are changing them back to the mimic the schedules on the older machines. We will be there over New Years, so we will see. By the way, it is interesting to note, the new machines were empty while we were there. I never figured it out until it cost me $2250.
