Flush Fever - Nevada Variant

Introduction

Imagine playing video poker where every time you draw a four-card combo for a flush, you automatically receive a reward. This concept is what Flush Fever embodies. The game functions by continuously cycling through replacement cards that fail to create a winning hand until a successful card is drawn.

In Oregon, I once came across another variant of Flush Fever that featured a unique free game bonus round triggered by achieving any flush in your draw. To differentiate this version from the one being discussed, I will refer to the free game variant as the Oregon variant while the version under discussion will be regarded as the Nevada variant. To complicate matters further, I've heard rumors of a different Flush Fever variant in South Dakota, but I am not familiar with its specifics.

Rules

1. Except as noted, standard video poker rules are followed.
2. Players can engage in the game with traditional video poker mechanics, wagering one to five coins, or choose to activate the Flush Fever feature by adding an optional sixth coin.
3. This additional sixth coin not only activates the Flush Fever option but also enhances the pay table for certain payouts.
4. When a player draws four suited cards, the game will randomly sift through the 47 replacement cards until a winning hand is accomplished. Afterward, the game will highlight the card that brings about the win.
5. The royal flush prize begins at 4,000 coins for a maximum bet of five coins and increases by one coin for each unsuccessful card that is burned during the Flush Fever feature while searching for a winning combination.
6. The royal flush can escalate significantly beyond the initial 4,000 coin start, up to a maximum of $99,999.
7.  

Example

In the instance above, I was dealt four cards towards a flush. I chose to hold onto the four of diamonds while discarding the three of clubs.

Although the image does not capture it, a losing card briefly appeared in the position of the second card from the left before the game settled on the jack of diamonds, resulting in my win of a flush. The burned card is represented by a 5¢ increase in the meter shown in the second image, illustrating the effect of one discarded card.

Analysis

The subsequent tables present the probabilities and payout returns for every hand across different versions of Flush Fever. These tables are based on a maximum bet of six coins, with winnings displayed on a per-coin basis. The payout for a royal flush is calculated based on the reset amount. The return column illustrates the product of the potential win, the corresponding probability, and a factor of 5/6, indicating that players must stake six coins while winnings are tabulated for only five coins. The cumulative return can be found in the bottom-right section.

Jacks or Better

Bonus Poker Deluxe

Bonus Poker

Double Bonus

Double Double Bonus

Triple Double Bonus

Summary

The following tables encapsulate my analytical findings for each game, defined by the headers below:

• Pay Table: With the exception of the Double Bonus table, this indicates the winnings for both a straight flush and a full house. For the double bonus variant, it also specifies the rewards for achieving a flush and a straight, which were the deciding factors for distinguishing one pay table from another.
• Base Return: This represents the return immediately after a reset when the meter is at 4,000 coins.
• IGT Return: The game manufacturer, IGT, generously shared their expected returns, which I assume reflect an average across various meters. My own calculations show a slightly higher overall return by 0.11%.
• 1000-Coin Increment: This denotes the additional return added to the base figure for every increase of 1,000 coins above the starting 4,000.
• Breakeven Meter: This shows the necessary coin count in the meter required to achieve a 100% return, based on a royal flush of 4,000 coins.
• Probability Positive: This reflects the likelihood that the meter will reach a profitable state, assuming it starts at the baseline of 4,000 coins.

Jacks or Better

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank IGT I appreciate the game manufacturer for providing the games, pay tables, and return information for the various versions of Flush Fever.

Written by: Michael Shackleford