Player sues Oregon Lottery, charging video poker game rigged

Comment #13

Stack47 — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 23:59:16 GMT

Agreed, it's not the lottery's responsibility to teach one how to play, but it is the lottery's responsibility to clearly disclose the limitations of the auto-hold feature, and detailing what the difference really is verses ideal, theoretical play.

Every state lottery website gives the odds against matching every prize on their jackpot games, but to my knowledge none of them give the odds of winning nothing. Where it written that state lotteries, retailers, and clerks have a responsibility t... [ More ]

Comment #12

Stack47 — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 23:29:31 GMT

The lowest payoff percentage I saw on the Oregon video poker was almost 92%, but that game has a bonus feature. The Jacks or Better games had the typical around 95% payoffs we see in casinos.

How will he prove the payouts are off?

I believe Curzi is trying to prove players will get 3% less in overall payoffs by following the auto-hold feature compared to an optimal playing strategy. The auto-hold feature is designed to give the best strategy for one hand which probably includes always ke... [ More ]

Comment #11

Ron5995 — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 20:15:01 GMT

Even if the lottery's official rules state X% is returned and that's what players are receiving, there's still the issue of the theoretical payouts is being widely touted in promotional materials, website, etc - which by extension, many players would assume the auto-hold feature would be adjusted toward that advertised value verses something less optimal.

Agreed, it's not the lottery's responsibility to teach one how to play, but it is the lottery's responsibility to clearly disclose the limi... [ More ]

Comment #10

KY Floyd — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 19:24:56 GMT

In my view, it's a legitimate lawsuit.

Among the problems with that notion is that it's not the state's responsibility to teach people how to calculate odds and play poker. Auto-hold is an automation that usually makes the best choice. It will do better, on average, than all but the small minority that are extremely good at making the decision, and those that are better are morons if they're blindly relying on auto-hold to play for them.

Then there's the fact that, under the official rule... [ More ]

Comment #9

spartan1707 — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 16:56:05 GMT

I'm thinking about sueing the Arizona Lottery as well.

Comment #8

LottoMetro — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 16:06:43 GMT

If the feature recommended the best playing strategies, then what would be the point in having players choose their hand? Seems pretty obvious IMO.

The deviation from payout also isn't significant. And if it is incorrect, all it would take is a simple machine audit from the game board to determine what the payout was set at. How will he prove the payouts are off? You would need to play and record many thousands of hands to prove a statistical deviation.

The plaintiff is a business consulta... [ More ]

Comment #7

Stack47 — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 21:48:53 GMT

Even if the auto-hold feature was the only choice, there is nothing forcing anyone to play. It's about the same as suing MUSL, a state lottery, or the store owner because your PB QP didn't win after reading that QPs win about 70% to 80% of the jackpots.

Curzi claims the State Lottery knows that video poker players believe that the auto-hold feature offers the best playing strategy, but has not informed them that it is not the case. Instead, the Lottery publicly advertises the theoretical payo... [ More ]

Comment #6

mikeintexas — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 19:02:02 GMT

Well, I don't know which came first, but the Oregon Lottery logo looks an awfully lot like the one of The National Lottery in the UK.

Comment #5

Ron5995 — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 17:52:37 GMT

In my view, it's a legitimate lawsuit. A fraction of a percent would be one thing, but 3% is a meaningful difference and definitely adds a nice chunk to the lottery's take. Many players would assume auto-hold recommendations are the best, ideal play. I've noticed at casinos that some hold recommendations, while within strategy, may not be ideal. For example, holding a mixed suit of face cards, while likely a good strategy, takes the odds of getting royal flush to zero. I've hit numerous royal fl... [ More ]

Comment #4

Gleno — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 15:21:38 GMT

Looks like someone has big bucks to spend on lawyers but doubt it is worth the effort. Just don't play the game if it's fraudulent.

Just like the Monopoly Game, people caught on real fast to the pretext of multiple millionaire winners.

The game has come and is now gone.

NJ Cash five jackpot has jumped from $431K to $626K overnight. Looks like I'm breaking my first new years resolution of buying only one ticket a week.

Good Luck to LP players for the coming new year.... [ More ]

Comment #3

HaveABall — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 04:31:25 GMT

Todd, I haven't read anything from you this evening. Are you okay? Wishing you well.

Comment #2

eddessaknight — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 01:48:03 GMT

Generally speaking the game provider self serving recommendation, would be an action that would help their bottom line thereby not offering the player an increased opportunity by overcoming the losing proposition that has been dealt

Fortes Fortuna Juvat

Eddessa_Knight

Comment #1

HaveABall — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 23:59:50 GMT

Well, I don't know if this 3% is accurate or not. Yet, I don't understand card games and odds much. So, I'll be interested to follow this story to learn what unfolds.

Player sues Oregon Lottery, charging video poker game rigged

Lottery Post — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 23:21:39 GMT

The Oregon State Lottery's rigged video poker games have cost players $134 million, a man claims in a class action lawsuit.

Lead plaintiff Justin Curzi claims the video poker machines' auto-hold feature misleads players about how to increase their odds of winning a hand.

The auto-hold feature recommends playing strategies, and allows players to automatically discard and draw new cards with a single button, according to the complaint.

Thus, relying on the auto-hold feature is the easies... [ More ]