VP variance - Single hand vs 100 hands

**slafs** · 8th February 2008, 02:44 AM

Hello everybody and Gung Hei Fat Choy!

Like many other slot players I got tired of the enormous downswings and significant house edge. So I took a break from online casinos for a few months.

But since I'm a junky for the "buzz" of a big win, I decided to come back, only this time I'm going for the much sainer VP variants. I've been playing mostly low wagers on 52-hands and 100-hands, thinking that this would minimize my variance, but is that really true?

Anyone know the maths involved when playing single hand vs 100 hands VP? Since variance is the real killer here, what should you play to minimize it?

I tried searching the forums for a previous thread about this, but couldn't find anything, so if anyone have a clue it would be very much appreciated!

**SlotsWizard** · 8th February 2008, 03:00 AM

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**lancia** · 8th February 2008, 05:35 AM

The relationship between variance and number of hands is a little bit confusing at first glance. It is true that for the same bet size per hand, say 1 hand at $2.50 per hand vs. 10 hands at $2.50 per hand, variance increases as number of hands increases. However, for the same total bet size per deal, say 1 hand at $2.50 per hand and thus $2.50 per deal vs. 10 hands at $0.25 per hand and thus $2.50 per deal, variance decreases as number of hands increases. So, to minimize variance, play the greatest number of hands (probably 100) at the smallest possible bet size per deal (probably $5.00).