GameMaster Rating: 80 points (of 100)

General Comments: I really wanted to like this place, because the idea of an Internet casino that offers a lot of different Video Poker games is such a good idea. Unfortunately, there's a not a lot to like, though it does have some redeeming qualities. In my first two reviews of this casino, I found their statement that "Video Poker Palace offers the same or better odds than those in Las Vegas" to be misleading, if not a downright lie. I'm happy to report that this language has been changed. VPP now states that their odds are "similar" to the payouts in Las Vegas and offer "up to 98% payback." From a disclosure point of view, that's an improvement, but it's still a shame that they don't offer better games.

Recommendations: You guys have a nice operation here; why not give the player a break? Even if you don't want to offer games with 100+% pay backs, you could add a progressive Royal to the Jacks or Better, and why not lower your minimums to quarters, instead of half-dollar play?

Games Analysis (All this information was correct on the date listed above.)

* The theoretical return is the long-term payback a player who is using the correct playing strategy may expect. The return is lower for 1-coin play is lower because the Royal Flush pays proportionately less than when 5 coins are played.

Some Comments: The 'Lucky Nugget' game is essentially the 'All American' pay schedule with a 175-coin 4K and no pay on a pair of Jacks or better! I played it a lot to see if some sort of 'wild' card or bonus showed up, but it never did. Now where in Las Vegas can this game be found? Also, where in Las Vegas is a 7/5/4 format Double Bonus game? Sure, there are a lot of 9/7/5 Double Bonus games and I've even seen 9/6/5 formats, but never one as low as this. I must admit, though, that the games are attractive and I like the graphics better than most. Also, it's very easy to switch from one game to another via the pulldown-type menus in there. All these games are now available in the "Triple-Play" format which is, I believe, unique for the Internet.

Video Poker Playing Tips: All the games at Video Poker Palace have an auto-hold which I recommend you use. In that way, any 'made' hand like a pair of Jacks in the Jacks or Better game, or trips in the Deuces Wild game will be automatically held. Bear in mind, though, that such a hand may not be the correct one to play.

Summary and Rating of The Video Poker Palace Internet Casino: I applaude Video Poker Palace for correcting the misleading information about how their payouts stack up against the games typically found in Las Vegas and, since I had marked them down for that, it's only fair to give back some points. Also, by virtue of the fact that they're one of the few, if not the only Internet casino to offer triple-play games, I've added in a point or two for that. But, the games here are average at best, so I've revised their rating to just that. Video Poker Palace is average: 80 points.