Winning Streak Poker

 

Introduction

Winning Streak is a video poker variant by WMS. It can be found on machines featuring this and other video poker games with signage saying MyPoker and "Multi-Game Poker." The thrust of Winning Streak is the player keeps playing as long as he keeps getting winning hands.

Rules

1. Except as noted, the game is based on conventional video poker rules.
2. The player must make a conventional "hand" bet and a "streak" bet equal to four times as much as the hand bet.
3. After making both wagers, the player will play the first hand as in conventional video poker.
4. There are two ways to continue the game, at any stage of the game, as follows:
   • Achieve any paying hand.
   • Be awarded a random Free Streak, which are indicated after a losing hand. The odds of a Free Streak depend on the specific game and pay table, but range from 0.95% to 23.7%.
5. If the first hand advances, then it will move up to level one and be paid at a 1x multiplier. Then a new hand will be dealt.
6. The player will play the new hand, as in conventional video poker.
7. If the second hand advances, then it will move up to level one and be paid at a 1x multiplier. The hand previously on level one will be pushed up to level two and be paid at a 2x multiplier. Then a new random hand will be dealt.
8. All hands are dealt from a full deck.
9. The player will play the new hand, as in conventional video poker.
10. If the third hand advances, then it will move up to level one. The hand previously on level one will be pushed up to level two. The hand previously on level two will be pushed up to level three. Then a new random hand will be dealt.
11. The player will play the new hand, as in conventional video poker.
12. If the fourth hand advances, then it will move up to level one. The hand previously on level one will be pushed up to level two. The hand previously on level two will be pushed up to level three. The hand previously on level three will be pushed up to level four. Then a new random hand will be dealt.
13. The player will play the new hand, as in conventional video poker.
14. If the fifth hand advances, then it will move up to level one. The hand previously on level one will be pushed up to level two. The hand previously on level two will be pushed up to level three. The hand previously on level three will be pushed up to level four. The hand previously on level four will be pushed off the screen and paid at a 10x multiplier. Then a new random hand will be dealt.
15. The player will keep repeating the last two steps until he gets a hand that both loses and doesn't get a Free Streak.
16. When the player eventually loses, any hand on level one will be paid at a 1x multiplier, on level two at a 2x multiplier, on level three at a 5x multiplier, and on level four at a 10x multiplier.

Example

Here is an example game I played at the Red Rock. I had to play for about half an hour to get a streak this long, taking lots of photos along the way, so please appreciate the effort. All comments refer to the picture above. As usual with all my pages, click on the images for a larger version.

In photo above, you can see I bet 1 credit on "hand bet" and 4 credits on my "streak bet." In my initial hand, I held the pair of aces.

The aces improved to a two pair. Since it was a paying hand, it moved up to level one. In my second hand, I held the four of spades.

I made the flush. Since it was a paying hand, it got pushed up to level one. The two pair got pushed up to level two. In my next hand, I held the jack and king of diamonds.

I was dealt another king to have jacks or better. Since it was a paying hand, it got pushed up to level one. The flush on level one got pushed up to level two. The two pair on level two got pushed up to level three. In my next hand, I held the king of clubs only.

I was dealt another king to have another pair of kings. Since it was a paying hand, it got pushed up to level one. The high pair on level one got pushed up to level two. The flush on level two got pushed up to level three. The two pair on level three got pushed up to level four. In my next hand, I held the king and queen of diamonds.

I was dealt another king to have a third pair of kings in a row. Since it was a paying hand, it got pushed up to level one. The high pair on level one got pushed up to level two. The high pair on level two got pushed up to level three. The flush on level three got pushed up to level four. The two pair on level four got pushed off the screen and was paid at a 10x multiplier, for a total of 10×2=20 credits.

In my next hand, I was dealt garbage and tossed everything. I got more garbage on the draw, so the game was over. At this point I was paid for:

• Level 1: The high pair pays 1 at a 1x multiplier for 1×1 = 1 credit.
• Level 2: The high pair pays 1 at a 2x multiplier for 2×1 = 2 credits.
• Level 3: The high pair pays 1 at a 5x multiplier for 5×1 = 5 credits.
• Level 4: The flush pays 5 at a 10x multiplier for 10×5 = 50 credits.

My total win at the last hand was 1+2+5+50=58 credits. However, I also won 20 credits for the two pair that dropped off the previous hand, for a total win of 20+58=78 credits.

If the above pictures aren't clear, I have a video of my own play on YouTube. Note the Free Streak at the 4:10 point.

Odds

It isn't often that I have to say this, but Winning Streak would be a very difficult game to analyze. I probably could, given enough time, but the friendly folks at WMS were kind enough to provide to me, to give to you, the table below featuring the Free Streak probability and return of all available games and pay tables. All returns are based on optimal strategy. Such a strategy, if anybody knew it, would be very complicated, depending on not just the cards, but previous hands on the upper levels. I would expect a high error rate if playing the game recreationally.

Video

It is rather boring, but I have a video of my own play on YouTube.

Acknowledgement

My thanks to WMS for providing the return table above.

Written by: Michael Shackleford