Grand Buddha @ low rtp

Returning to this – I have been trying to come up with a simple rule on when to play and when to walk. The system below may be a little looser than what Ben is recommending in his last comment.

I figure that unless you are playing in a gold mine where the pigeons are leaving you plays left and right, you probably should not find very many plays in general Grand Buddha included. Mostly because a) machines can’t always be in a +EV state, and b), if you have enough competition, they should be picking off some plays before you find them

Baseline on all Grand Buddha symbols is 1X, it’s just not displayed on the screen (sort of like the spot to make a full odds bet on craps is not marked on the craps felt). So when the Buddha is at 8X, it’s really +7 over baseline. So here the point count I’ve been experimenting with:

1. Subtract 1 from each posted “X” on the screen. 8X = +7, 6X = +5, etc.
2. Add up the points on the board
3. Play when the total is 12 or higher (or pick a different total to suit your risk tolerance)

I am basing this mostly on a total that I don’t come across very often. I seem to find a lot of 11s and not very many 12s, and there is a fair amount of competition where I play. So if someone is more knowledgeable than me, and they are passing on the 11s, then I guess I will too.

I think this is mostly aligned with what Ben laid out in the previous post, though it might be a little looser. 8X-6X has a score of 12 and is good enough to play on its own (two on the left but none on the right), but 8X-5X only adds up to 11 and is a pass. 6X-5X has a point count of 9 and needs “two on the right” to get to 13. This rule would also have you playing 8X-3X-3X-3X (adds up to 13 but only has “one on the left”).

This count is helping me avoid relying on judgment calls and to evaluate the board quickly. And it eliminates the second-guessing if I whiff on five straight spins at $28.80 a rip, e.g., “what else could I do in that spot, 13 is 13, I can’t just leave it…”