I don't play much video poker, but I play a lot of blackjack. People get so upset when another player makes a bad play that turned out bad for them, or they make really stupid plays because they "have a hunch" or it worked once in their lives. I'm particularly amused by people who make the right play, then curse themselves when they see that the stupid play would have worked. And the people who always want to see the next card, like that would have made any difference. It's called 20-20 hindsight, and I am truly blessed with this gift as well . But you make the best play given what you know at the time and live with the results. Unless you are truly clairvoyant, and then I think there are much better games to use your "special gift" on. My basic philosophy is that if the dealer would show me the hole card and the next two cards coming off the deck I could play better blackjack!

But since my name has been used in vain in this thread (more than once), I might as well spill my guts. I don't know about any other platform or manufacturer, but I do happen to know the secret of IGT Game King video poker. Not like it's going to do any of us any good. The RNG cycles continuously in the background all the time. At the instant you press the deal button, 10 cards are randomly drawn from the deck (same thing as shuffling all 52 cards and then taking to top 10 cards, but less work). The RNG is not used again until the next game. These 10 cards are then used in sequence. That means if you hold four cards and draw one, you will get the sixth card, regardless of which cards you held. Like I said, if you can find some way to use this information to your advantage, more power to you.

There are many fascinating "theories" about how gaming machines work. I'm always amazed by the people who are convinced a slot machine is "due," or that once they've hit a big win the machine tightens up. That's called "reflexive" and it's patently illegal in every major jurisdiction. A friend from Portland comes to Reno about once a year and stays at Harrah's. He plays the 3-reel dollar machines. One time I was with him when he got up from a machine he was doing badly on and moved down about three machines. Someone else sat down at that machine and in about 12 spins hit the big jackpot. My friend was SO pissed at himself. That was HIS jackpot and he was absolutely convinced that if he'd played 12 more spins he'd have hit that same win. Sorry, but simply not true. The RNG runs continuously at a very high rate of speed. When you hit the button (or pull the handle) your numbers are locked in. If you hesitate a fraction of a second you'll get different results. Of course you'll never know if that hesitation cost you a big win, or if you'd hesitated a fraction more you'd have gotten that big win. Like I said earlier, if you can figure out how to use any of this to your advantage, more power to you. I know exactly how it works, and that doesn't do me a bit of good at the casino.