Disclaimer: Let it be known that I have served as a consultant to Playtech. While this review was originally written before they engaged my services I do update it from time to time. This review attempts to be unbiased and mostly sticks to the game rules, odds, and strategy. While I feel comfortable there is no conflict of interest I think it is appropriate to disclose the relationship.
Playtech offers downloadable casino software. The graphics are very good and the interface is easy to understand. Both multi-player and single player are supported. Separate accounts are available for both real and play money. The multi-play feature is available in fun money mode. Following are the games available with specific rules and comments.
Baccarat
The standard rules are followed. I do not know the number of decks.
Blackjack
The blackjack rules are as follows:
6 decks
Dealer stands on soft 17
Player may double on any first two cards
Player may double after splitting
Player may only split once
Player only loses original bet if dealer has blackjack with ten showing. If dealer has ace showing and gets blackjack then the player will lose the total amount bet, including additional money bet by doubling or spliting.
No surrender
Otherwise standard rules
The house edge under these rules is 0.47%. Following is the correct basic strategy under these rules.
Caribbean Poker
The standard rules and pay table are used for a house edge of 5.22%. When I checked on May 12, 2002 at Casino Mapau, the progressive meter for the side bet was at $10,286 for a house edge of 60.75%. For the side bet to have no house edge the meter would need to reach $218,047.37. For any given meter the house edge on the side bet is 63.76% less 2.92% for each $10,000 in the meter.
Casino War
The correct rules are followed with six decks. The player should always go to war, as opposed to surrender. The house edge is 2.88%.
Craps
The player may take 3 times odds on the pass and come bets. The multiple allowed on the don’t pass and don’t come is also 3 times and relative to the amount bet, not the amount the player can win. The combined house edge is 0.47% on the pass and come and 0.46% on the don’t pass and don’t come. Buy and lay bets are allowed and the 5% commission is charged on the WildCasino.ag Review winnings. The house edge on the buy and lay bets are as follows.
House edge on buy and lay bets
Point Buy Lay
4,10 3.33% 1.67%
5,9 3.00% 2.00%
6,8 2.73% 2.27%
Keno
The following table shows the expected return and hit frequency according to the number of picks. The highest return is the pick-8 at 92.75%.
Keno
Pick Expected
Return Hit
Frequency
2 92.09% 43.99%
3 92.96% 15.26%
4 92.03% 25.89%
5 92.58% 9.67%
6 92.67% 16.16%
7 92.44% 23.66%
8 92.75% 10.23%
9 92.00% 15.31%
10 92.55% 6.47%
Pai Gow Poker
The dealer is always the banker, resulting in a house edge of 2.85%. There is a house way button but if the player clicks it the hand will immediately be scored, not giving the player the option to accept or reject the house way.
Red Dog
The conventional rules are followed. I do not know the number of decks
Roulette
The wheel is single zero for a house edge of 2.70% on all bets.
Sic Bo
Sic Bo payoffs are better than some and worse than others. See my Sic Bo online section for a comparison to other software brands. Of special note is that the single number bet pays 12-1 on a 3 of a kind, better than the usual 3-1 payoff. The following table shows the payoff and house edge for all bets.
Playtech Sic Bo
Bet Pays Prob. Win House Edge
Small, Big 1-1 48.61% 2.78%
4, 17 60-1 1.39% 15.28%
5, 16 30-1 2.78% 13.89%
6, 15 17-1 4.63% 16.67%
7, 14 12-1 6.94% 9.72%
8, 13 8-1 9.72% 12.5%
9, 12 6-1 11.57% 18.98%
10, 11 6-1 12.5% 12.5%
Triple 180-1 0.46% 16.2%
Any triple 30-1 2.78% 13.89%
Double 10-1 7.41% 18.52%
Two die combination 5-1 13.89% 16.67%
Any number (1/2/3)-1 42.13% 7.87%
The lowest house edge bets are on big and small bets at 2.78%.
Slot machines
There is a wide variety of slot machines to choose from.
Video poker
The following table displays the expected return of each game, assuming optimal player strategy.
Playtech Video Poker – Expected Return
Game Return
Jacks or better 0.995439
Aces and faces 0.992554
Tens or better 0.979598
Joker poker 0.985987
Deuces wild 0.989130
Following are the expected return tables for Playtech video poker.
Jacks or Better
Hand Payoff Number Probability Return
Royal flush 800 493512264 0.000025 0.019807
Straight flush 50 2178883296 0.000109 0.005465
4 of a kind 25 47093167764 0.002363 0.059064
Full house 9 229475482596 0.011512 0.103610
Flush 6 219554786160 0.011015 0.066087
Straight 4 223837565784 0.011229 0.044917
3 of a kind 3 1484003070324 0.074449 0.223346
Two pair 2 2576946164148 0.129279 0.258558
Jacks or better 1 4277372890968 0.214585 0.214585
Nothing 0 10872274993896 0.545435 0.000000
Total 19933230517200 1.000000 0.995439
In addition there is a 25 cent progressive “9/6” video poker game called Megajacks. On May 12, 2002, the meter at Casino Mapau was at $592.71. The meter needs to pass $1000 for the progressive game to be a better bet than the non-progressive jacks or better game. If the meter passes $1230.30 for the odds to switch to the player’s advantage, assuming optimal 9/6 strategy with no adjustments for the higher pay on the royal flush (which video poker experts do make).
Deuces Wild
Hand Payoff Number Probability Return
Natural royal flush 800 459064368 0.000023 0.018424
4 deuces 200 3727565940 0.000187 0.037401
Wild royal flush 25 38119473696 0.001912 0.047809
5 of a kind 15 62203767960 0.003121 0.046809
Straight flush 9 98317296840 0.004932 0.044391
4 of a kind 4 1222017689652 0.061306 0.245222
Full house 4 522042221472 0.026190 0.104758
Flush 3 407440287408 0.020440 0.061321
Straight 2 1145680543080 0.057476 0.114952
3 of a kind 1 5342962086012 0.268043 0.268043
Nothing 0 11090260520772 0.556370 0.000000
Total 19933230517200 1.000000 0.989130
Tens or Better
Hand Payoff Probability Return
Royal flush 800 0.000026 0.020530
Straight flush 50 0.000104 0.005180
Four of a Kind 20 0.002357 0.047145
Full house 6 0.011493 0.068955
Flush 5 0.010670 0.053350
Straight 4 0.012386 0.049544
Three of a Kind 3 0.074218 0.222653
Two Pair 2 0.128936 0.257872
Tens or Better 1 0.254368 0.254368
Nothing 0 0.505443 0.000000
Total 1.000000 0.979598
Aces and Faces
Hand Payoff Probability Return
Royal Flush 4000 0.000025 0.019876
Straight Flush 250 0.000106 0.005300
Four aces 400 0.000196 0.015668
Four J-K 200 0.000587 0.023479
Four 2-10 125 0.001580 0.039507
Full House 40 0.011515 0.092120
Flush 25 0.010860 0.054301
Straight 20 0.011212 0.044847
3 of a Kind 15 0.074474 0.223422
Two Pair 10 0.129318 0.258636
Jacks or Better 5 0.215399 0.215399
Nothing 0 0.544728 0.000000
Total Return 1.000000 0.992554
Joker Poker
Hand Payoff Probability Return
Natural Royal Flush 1000 0.000026 0.026063
5 of a kind 200 0.000093 0.018572
Wild Royal Flush 100 0.000107 0.010733
Straight Flush 50 0.000594 0.029694
4 of a Kind 17 0.008497 0.144445
Full House 7 0.015604 0.109228
Flush 5 0.015975 0.079873
Straight 3 0.016877 0.050630
3 of a Kind 2 0.133124 0.266249
2 Pair 1 0.110483 0.110483
Kings or Better 1 0.140017 0.140017
Nothing 0 0.558604 0.000000
Total Return 1.000000 0.985987
