Dear Mark, I am planning my first trip to Las Vegas. The only game I play is Video Poker. Any recommendations on where to play? Annie C.

One of the great things about playing video poker, Annie, is that the casino actually tells you which machines are better than others. How? Just by reading the paytable displayed on the machine's faceplate. So who has the best paytables in Las Vegas? Have your cabby drop you off at the Stratosphere. By offering "certified" 100+ payouts on quarter machines, the Stratosphere may very well be, according to their claim, "the best place to gamble on the planet." My personal favorites are their 10/6 and 9/7 Jacks or Better machines. With perfect play, the 10/6 machine will return 100.7 percent and the 9/7 machine 100.8 percent. Throw in some slot club card perks, Annie, and the Stratosphere is actually paying you to gamble.

Dear Mark, Because you mentioned that slots operate using the same computer chip as a video poker machine, why not stick with slots as they are easier to play? Larry L.

True, Larry, the first part of your question is correct in that most of today's video games (video poker, video blackjack and video keno) are derivatives of slot machines and actually use the same microprocessor technology and random number sequences, but, video poker, blackjack and keno machines provide players with real options and choices that require an element of skill that regular slot machines don't. With this skill, you can hack away at the high house advantage that the average slot machine holds over you.

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Absolutely Gambling

Dear Mark, In many of your answers you reference 9/6 video poker machines. How do you know if a machine has a 9/6 payback? I hoped I asked that correctly? Sandie M.

In earlier columns, Sandie, the message was perfect but the messenger wasn't. Ding-dong me, I sometimes forget my reading audience hasn't been in the gaming business for 18 years. Sorry.

A 9/6 payback is your return for a full house (9) and a flush (6) with one coin inserted. Your typical 9/6 Jacks-or-Better paytable will look like this: Royal Flush 250 Straight Flush 50 Four of a Kind 25 Full House 9 Flush 6 Straight 4 Three of a Kind 3 Two Pair 2 Jacks or Better 1

And how does the casino tighten a Jacks-or-better video poker machine? Simply by paying out less for a full house and flush. This is why on a Jacks-or-better machine I ceaselessly recommend shopping for value by finding the highest payout possible for a full house and a flush.