The Gambler’s Guide to Dragon Warrior
by ETG
Disclaimer:
This guide is provided for the Dragon Warrior community to enhance the game playing experience of DW fans everywhere. The author of this guide does not guarantee better results in your gambling efforts.  In other words, this guide will probably just help you figure out why you are losing so much.
Chapter 3: Dragon Warrior IV
Casino Location:
In the world of Dragon Warrior IV, Enix has used the concepts from both Dragon Warrior II and Dragon Warrior III, plus added some more excitement to the gambling arena.  We have a full blown casino in Dragon Warrior IV with slot machines, poker tables, monster fight rings, special casino coins, and special prizes to be won.  The only casino is in the Castle town of Endor, downstairs inside the inn.  The Casino is available in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 (near the end only), and in Chapter 5.
Casino Coins:
You can’t play any of the casino games or buy any casino prizes with gold.  You must have casino coins.  The casino coins can be purchased at the counter in the northeast corner of the casino.  The cost is 10 gold for 1 coin in Chapter 2, 200 gold for 1 coin in Chapter 3, and 20 gold for 1 coin in Chapter 5.  Casino coins can not be refunded.  You can only gamble and buy the special casino prizes with them.
Slot Machines:
There are 5 slot machines on the north end of the casino.  Walk up to the machine and the game will ask if you want to play.  Answer yes and the slot machine screen will come up.  The screen has five main areas.  Along the left side are five lights.  Along the right are the payout combinations and amounts.  In the center is a box with three columns of symbols.  Just below there is the number of coins you possess.  The final area is the text box along the bottom of the screen.  Press UP on the control pad to wager your coins and press the A button to play.
For each round at the slot machines you may bet from 1 to 5 coins.  When you bet 1 coin, the center light along the left of the screen will light up.  The lights on the left indicate along which rows or diagonals you can win with a payout combination.  If you bet only 1 coin, you will only win if you get a combination along the center row.  Betting 2 coins will allow you to win with a combination along the top or center row.  The third coin is for the bottom row, and the fourth and fifth are for the diagonals.  Each coin inserted will light up one of the lights on the left, marking the row or diagonal along which you can win.  Here is a list of all payout combinations for the slot machines.
Combinations: Winnings:
7 7 7 1000 coins
Bar Bar Bar 500 coins
Sun Sun Sun 200 coins
Moon Moon Moon 100 coins
Star Star Star 50 coins
Water Water Water 20 coins
Cherry Cherry Cherry 10 coins
Cherry Cherry X 5 coins
In the Lottery in Dragon Warrior II, you pressed the A button to stop each column.  In Dragon Warrior IV, you can’t do this.  They stop all by themselves.  But for all of you out there who just want to know the order of the symbols in each column, they are listed below.  The columns roll down in this game though, so start at the bottom of each list and move up to determine the order.  There are 5 slot machines and they are all different so each machine is listed separately.  I’ve numbered the slot machines 1-5 from left to right.  I have also listed the probabilities of each payout combination for each machine.

Machine 1

Probabilities for 1 coin
Col 1 Col 2 Col 3 Combinations Percentage Ratio
16 7 7 7 3 7's 0.024% 1:4096
15 Water Water Star 3 Bars 0.049% 1:2048
14 Cherry Moon Water 3 Suns 0.073% 1:1365
13 Star Sun Cherry 3 Moons 0.146% 1:683
12 Moon Water Moon 3 Stars 0.391% 1:256
11 Sun Star Cherry 3 Waters 1.099% 1:91
10 Star Cherry Star 3 Cherries 1.172% 1:85
9 Cherry Sun Water 2 Cherries 4.688% 1:21
8 Water Star Cherry
7 Cherry Sun Star
6 Moon Water Cherry
5 Bar Cherry Water
4 Cherry Water Star
3 Water Cherry Moon
2 Moon Water Bar
1 Bar Bar Sun

Machine 2

 Probabilities for 1 coin
Col 1 Col 2 Col 3 Combinations Percentage Ratio
16 7 7 7 3 7's 0.024% 1:4096
15 Sun Sun Sun 3 Bars 0.049% 1:2048
14 Water Water Water 3 Suns 0.073% 1:1365
13 Moon Sun Moon 3 Moons 0.293% 1:341
12 Star Water Star 3 Stars 0.391% 1:256
11 Cherry Cherry Cherry 3 Waters 1.099% 1:91
10 Water Water Star 3 Cherries 0.781% 1:128
9 Moon Moon Cherry 2 Cherries 3.125% 1:32
8 Star Water Cherry
7 Bar Star Water
6 Cherry Cherry Star
5 Cherry Sun Water
4 Water Water Star
3 Moon Moon Moon
2 Cherry Star Cherry
1 Bar Bar Bar

Machine 3

 Probabilities for 1 coin
Col 1 Col 2 Col 3 Combinations Percentage Ratio
16 7 7 7 3 7's 0.024% 1:4096
15 Water Water Water 3 Bars 0.024% 1:4096
14 Cherry Moon Star 3 Suns 0.024% 1:4096
13 Water Water Cherry 3 Moons 0.024% 1:4096
12 Cherry Cherry Star 3 Stars 0.488% 1:205
11 Sun Star Cherry 3 Waters 1.465% 1:68
10 Water Water Star 3 Cherries 2.441% 1:41
9 Star Cherry Cherry 2 Cherries 7.813% 1:13
8 Water Water Water
7 Cherry Sun Star
6 Water Cherry Cherry
5 Star Water Star
4 Water Cherry Cherry
3 Cherry Star Moon
2 Moon Cherry Bar
1 Bar Bar Sun

Machine 4

 Probabilities for 1 coin
Col 1 Col 2 Col 3 Combinations Percentage Ratio
16 7 7 7 3 7's 0.024% 1:4096
15 Water Water Star 3 Bars 0.024% 1:4096
14 Moon Cherry Sun 3 Suns 0.171% 1:585
13 Water Star Cherry 3 Moons 0.488% 1:205
12 Moon Moon Sun 3 Stars 0.439% 1:228
11 Sun Star Moon 3 Waters 0.146% 1:683
10 Water Moon Sun 3 Cherries 0.098% 1:1024
9 Moon Star Water 2 Cherries 0.781% 1:128
8 Water Cherry Star
7 Cherry Star Sun
6 Moon Sun Sun
5 Water Moon Cherry
4 Star Star Sun
3 Moon Moon Star
2 Water Star Bar
1 Bar Bar Sun

Machine 5

 Probabilities for 1 coin
Col 1 Col 2 Col 3 Combinations Percentage Ratio
32 7 7 7 3 7's 0.082% 1:1214
31 7 7 7 3 Bars 0.003% 1:32768
30 7 7 7 3 Suns 0.003% 1:32768
29 Cherry Star Cherry 3 Moons 0.049% 1:2048
28 Cherry Star Cherry 3 Stars 0.046% 1:2185
27 Cherry Star Cherry 3 Waters 0.049% 1:2048
26 Moon Bar Water 3 Cherries 2.472% 1:40
25 Moon Cherry Water 2 Cherries 8.789% 1:11
24 Star Cherry Water
23 Moon Cherry Cherry
22 Moon Star Cherry
21 Water Star Cherry
20 Moon Star Water
19 Moon Cherry Water
18 Moon Cherry Star
17 Sun Cherry Water
16 Moon Cherry Water
15 Cherry Star Sun
14 Cherry Moon Water
13 Cherry Star Water
12 Moon Star Cherry
11 Moon Star Cherry
10 Moon Cherry Cherry
9 Cherry Cherry Water
8 Cherry Cherry Water
7 Cherry Star Water
6 Moon Water Moon
5 Moon Star Water
4 Bar Star Water
3 Moon Sun Bar
2 Moon Star Water
1 Moon Star Water
The best machine to win with 3 7's is Machine 5.  The best machines to win with 3 Bars are Machines 1 and 2.  The best machine to win with 3 Suns is Machine 3.  The best machine to win with 3 Moons is Machine 4.  The best machine to win with 3 Stars is Machine 3.  The best machine to win with 3 Waters is Machine 3.  The best machine to win with 2 or 3 Cherries is Machine 5.
Poker Table:
The Poker Table is just west from the casino entrance.  Walk up to the desk and the man will ask you if you want to play.  Answer yes and the poker screen will come up.  The screen has five main parts.  In the upper left corner is a box with the total number of coins you possess.  The bottom number is the number of coins you are going to wager.  The payout combinations are along the top of the screen.  In the middle are the five cards that make up your hand.  Just below each card in your hand is the word draw and below this is the word deal.  The final part is the text box along the bottom of the screen.  Press the A button to begin play.
You may bet from 1 to 100 coins at the Poker Table.  Press UP on the control pad to wager your coins and press the A button to deal.  There are 54 cards in the deck, 2 jokers and 13 cards in each of four suits.  The suits are Swords, Slimes, Castles, and Shields.  Each suit had 1 of each card numbered 2 through 10, a Jack, a Queen, a King, and an Ace.  There are nine payout combinations listed below with descriptions, along with their respective payout ratios and probabilities.  Multiply the number of coins wagered by the Payout Ratio to get the actual payout.  (This is automatically calculated on the screen for you.)

Combinations:

 Payout Ratios: Probabilities:
Royal Flush (10 through Ace in same suit)

500

 This is way too hard for me
5 of a Kind (4 of a Kind plus a Joker)

100

  to figure out.
Straight Flush (5 cards in a row in same suit)

50
4 of a Kind (4 cards with the same number) 20
Full House (3 of a Kind plus 1 Pair) 8
Flush (5 cards in the same suit)

5
Straight (5 cards in a row in different suits)

4
3 of a Kind (3 cards with the same number)

2
2 Pairs (2 cards with the same number times 2)

1
Five cards are dealt to you face up.  Use the control pad and the A button to select the cards you wish to hold and then deal again.  The cards with “Hold” under them will stay the same, the cards with “Draw” under them will be exchanged with new ones.  If you have one of the combinations after the second deal you win and qualify to play Double-or-Nothing.  In Double-or-Nothing, five cards are dealt face down and the left card is turned face up.  Choose a higher card from the four face down ones and you double your winnings.  If you choose the same number you must choose again.  If you choose a lower number you lose the coins you just won.  You can keep doing Double-or-Nothing until you win over 100,000 coins or you lose.
Monster Fight Ring:
The Monster Fight Ring is on the west side of the casino.  Speak to the man behind the counter in order to place your wager on the next Monster Fight.  You may wager from 1 to 50 coins on the Monster Fight.  The man behind the counter will list each monster fighting next with a number next to it.  This number is the payout ratio if you bet on the winning monster.  For example, the following information appears for the next match:
Giant Bantam 9.1
Flythrope 1.1
Pteranodon 5.0
I bet 36 coins on the Pteranodon and it wins.  My earnings will be 180 coins (36 x 5.0 = 180).  When you win a bet you are given the option of betting all of your earnings on the next match.  In this case I could bet all 180 coins that I just won on the next match and if I win that wager I’ll be paid that monster’s payout ratio times 180 coins.  You can keep betting your earnings until you win more than 10,000 coins, whereupon you will be forced to stop.  The probabilities are hard to figure out for the Monster Fights, since it does not correspond with the payout ratio as well as it does in Dragon Warrior III.  But the payout ratio numbers help a little.  The Flythrope has the best possibility of winning, but has the lowest payout ratio.  The Giant Bantam has the worst chance of winning, but has the highest payout ratio.
Prizes:
The prizes may be bought at the counter on the east side of the casino.  The prizes are listed below:

Magic Potion

30 coins
Wizard’s Ring 500 coins
Staff of Jubilation 1000 coins
Mirror of Ra 2500 coins
Meteorite Armband 4000 coins
Metal Babble Shield 50000 coins
Conclusion:
I hope this enhances your Dragon Warrior IV game playing experience.  If you want to cheat and win more consistently and you are playing the rom on NESticle, save state (F5) just before you play.  On the slot machines if you lose, just restore state (F7) and play again.  Keep restoring your state until you win, then save state again and keep playing.  On the monster fight rings restore state until you win then save state.  Bet all of your winnings on the next match and restore state until you win this one.  Then save state again.  Keep this up until you win over 10,000 coins and are forced to stop.  At the poker table, restore state until you win one round, then save state.  The dealer will ask you if you want to go double or nothing.  Say yes and restore state until you pick a higher card, then save state.  Keep going until you win over 100,000 coins and are forced to stop.  Well, I think that’s everything.  If there are any mistakes in this guide, please let me know. This is the final chapter of the Gambler’s Guide to Dragon Warrior until we get Dragon Warrior V, VI, and VII.