I've played PGP a couple times where the fortune was not available, and did not enjoy the game nearly as much, so I tend to play something else unless the fortune is available. Also, playing 2 hands, I see both the Joker and the fortune bet twice as often, so they're that much more fun with more frequent hits. I do get a charge from the side bet potential before looking at the hands, no question. However, if the fortune is hitting, my BR goes up quickly. Doing that, one hand tends to pay for the other, and if the bonus is not hitting, I lose very slowly.
My ideal PGP game is one that lets me play 2 hands, bet the fortune on both, and bet the main game at least 4:1 with the fortune bet, raising my main bet a bit with each win. I've had great wins with it, but have also experienced the slow drain on the BR that others mention.
