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Vulturing Ultimate X Bonus Streak
Introduction
This article presumes the reader already understands the rules for Ultimate X Bonus Streak. Briefly, this is a video poker variant where a winning hand not only pays immediately, but in many cases awards multipliers on up to the next five hands. If the previous player left a game with enough multipliers on future hands, then it is positive play for the vulture* to play off those multipliers and leave.
*: A "vulture" is a player who plays "variable state" or "accumulator" games left in a state with over a 100% return to player by the previous player. The vulture trolls around the casino, looking for such games. When he finds one, he plays it a short time, leaving it in a negative state. This is much like a vulture swooping down on a dead carcass with some meat on it, quickly eating it, and flying off.
It is obvious that Ultimate X Bonus Streak is such a game, but I have never seen anything published on when to play it. So, I stepped in to provide such numbers (shut up, Wiz!).
Double Double Bonus
In all my advice, remember that a hand with no indicated multiplier still has a multiplier of 1x.
3 Play
For 3-play Double Double Bonus, I assumed the 6/5 pay table, with streaks of 2-4, 2-4-8, and 2-4-8-10-12. The base game, with no feature, has an RTP of 94.66%. With the feature, the RTP is 95.05%. You should play if any of the following are true:
- Total multiplier on the next hand equal 7 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next two hands equal 10 or more.
5 Play
For 5-play Double Double Bonus, I assumed the 6/5 pay table, with streaks of 2-4, 2-4-8, and 2-4-8-10-12. The base game, with no feature, has an RTP of 94.66%. With the feature, the RTP is 94.95%. You should play if any of the following are true:
- Total multiplier on the next hand equal 11 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next two hands equal 18 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next three hands equal 26 or more.
10 Play
For 10-play Double Double Bonus, I assumed the 8/5 pay table, with streaks of 2-3-4 and 2-4-8-10-12. The base game, with no feature, has an RTP of 96.79%. With the feature, the RTP is 97.24%. You should play if any of the following are true:
- Total multiplier on the next hand equal 21 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next two hands equal 34 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next three hands equal 43 or more.
Deuces Wild
In all my advice, remember that a hand with no indicated multiplier still has a multiplier of 1x.
3 Play
For 3-play Deuces Wild, I assumed the 25-15-10-4-3-2-2 pay table, with streaks of 2-2-4 and 2-2-3-4-10-15-25. The base game, with no feature, has an RTP of 94.82%. With the feature, the RTP is 95.08%. You should play if any of the following are true:
- Total multiplier on the next hand equal 7 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next two hands equal 10 or more.
5 Play
For 3-play Deuces Wild, I assumed the 25-15-10-4-3-2-2 pay table, with streaks of 2-2-4 and 2-2-3-4-10-15-25. The base game, with no feature, has an RTP of 94.82%. With the feature, the RTP is 94.93%. You should play if any of the following are true:
- Total multiplier on the next hand equal 11 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next two hands equal 15 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next three hands equal 25 or more.
10 Play
For 3-play Deuces Wild, I assumed the 25-16-13-4-3-2-2 pay table, with streaks of 2-2-4 and 2-2-3-4-10-15-25. The base game, with no feature, has an RTP of 96.77%. With the feature, the RTP is 96.99%. You should play if any of the following are true:
- Total multiplier on the next hand equal 21 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next two hands equal 32 or more.
- Total multiplier on the next three hands equal 44 or more.
Other Games and Pay Tables
I know that there are many other games and pay table tables available for this game. Find the play points above was very time consuming and tedious, so please forgive me that I ran through only two games. I think it is safe to use the Double Double Bonus strategy on any game with no wild cards. Likewise, I think it is safe to use the deuces wild strategy on Bonus Deuces .
Methodology
The analysis in this page was done by random simulation and assuming the player uses optimal strategy for the base game with no feature. It was a very difficult and time-consuming project. I consider it one of my proudest works, which, as usual, will mean nobody will ever read it.
External Links
Discussion about vulturing Ultimate X Bonus Streak in my forum at Wizard of Vegas.