GAMING GURUS: LATEST FROM OUR STRATEGY EXPERTS

Top 10 facts and scenes from the movie ‘Casino’

You’re sitting on the couch, TV remote in hand, moments before packing it in after a long day and heading to bed. But just as you hit that power button, you stumble upon a favorite movie.Suddenly, time stands still.Fast forward an hour later and you’re still in the exact same spot, enjoying the show as if it’s the first time you’ve seen it, even though you can pretty much recite all of the words before they come out of the actors’ mouths and you know exactly how all of the different plot twists and turns will play out.It’s the ultimate litmus test for an all-time great movie...read more

A New Roulette Bet

QUESTION: Have you heard of a roulette bet called 2G'$? I saw it in Las Vegas. If you get 0 or 00 two spins in a row, you're paid at 350-1 odds.I know most side bets are terrible deals, especially those with big payoffs. What do you think of this one?ANSWER: I've not seen 2G'$, but I saw it mentioned in Anthony Curtis' monthly Las Vegas Advisor...read more

Blackjack Basic Strategy

It was a little crowded that day but I found a first base seat at the blackjack table at my local casino. I started playing low stakes, concentrating on how the dealer was performing.The dealer was also concentrating, but on the old man sitting at third base...read more

Casino City’s Friday Five: Poker, casinos, sportsbooks and acquisitions edition

Due to COVID-19, we didn’t get to experience the usual World Series of Poker in Las Vegas that we have become accustomed to over the years. However, that doesn’t mean we will be without the biggest poker event of the year. It will just look very different.Before we dive into that, we have some other top stories to cover this week...read more

Are More Hands a Good Thing?

More chances to win in casino games do not necessarily translate into a better deal for the player with a lower house edge.You can bet a single number at roulette or bet multiple numbers, but the house edge remains intact. Making a combination of bets at craps can never reduce the house edge to less than that of the bet individual bet.The same principle applies when making multiple wagers on a side bet...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: A reader's recent trip to Las Vegas

Question: We were in Las Vegas the first week of November as planned. Here is what we observed to hopefully help others who are thinking about a visit. We (2 couples) stayed at separate locations; I stayed at the California downtown, the other couple stayed near the Silverton...read more

Take It Easy

Most casino players want “action,” as defined by the constant anticipation of the upcoming decision and then by the actual decision. Then repeat and repeat and repeat again. This is true for table games players and for slot machine players.As time wears on, and perhaps some drinks kick in, the speed of this approach increases – more decisions, less anticipation; way more decisions, even less anticipation...read more

Top 10 tips for live poker rookies

With all of the restrictions happening worldwide, many people are and will be looking to try something new and have some fun as soon as it is safe to do so. I am quite sure this will also mean more players trying out live poker for the first time.If you have never played in a live poker game before, it can be quite different than online poker...read more

Casino comps are not free

ABBY: Getting comps is a big deal for many players. People think the casino is giving them free stuff.CINDY: I think players actually believe that comps are free and they do not have to be paid for. I have heard folks brag about the comps they get as if the casino just likes them enough to give them a free room, a free meal, a show or whatever...read more

Casino City’s Friday Five: Jackpots and poker edition

Another Las Vegas resort and casino announced plans to reopen to the public. Rio-All-Suite Hotel & Casino, located right off the Las Vegas Strip and home to the World Series of Poker, will resume operations later this month. Speaking of the WSOP, the world’s most prestigious poker tournament is back in our headlines this week with the return of the Main Event, with live final tables...read more