Hi, Al -- A few questions about the Silver Strikes programs at Four Queens (and elsewhere)... Bear with me, as I haven't played a SS machine in over 10 years ...

1. What's the average net cost of obtaining a $10 SS out of the machine? For example, if you run $100 thru the machine, and it awards $80 in wins, plus 1 SS that's cashable for $10, that's a $10 (or 10%) machine hold. So that $10 SS costs $20 to obtain. Is that about the right ratios, or is the cost less than that, on average? (Of course, with the right win or loss combinations, it can be a lot more or less for any individual SS.)

2. For the $300 SS, that requires trading-in 30 of the $10 Strikes, does that mean it costs $600 on average to obtain it (using the ratios above)? In the secondary market, on the convention floor for example, are these large-value SS priced at/above the amount required to obtain them? That is, can SS dealers make money if they put in the effort to play the machines & obtain them?

3. At the Four Queens, how many SS machines do they have? That is, are there enough machines for collectors to play during a promotion like this, so they don't have to stand in line waiting to play only a couple of SS machines available?

Thanks for your response. Just curious, as a long-time chip collector, but not involved in SS collectibles. (I think the SS look neat, but my bankroll is stretched enough with just chips !! )