GAMING GURUS: LATEST FROM OUR STRATEGY EXPERTS

Reading playing card spots

When counting cards at blackjack, it’s important to see each specific card that has been played or exposed. Sometimes it can be difficult because the dealer is very quick in scooping up a bused hand or the cards are at the other end of the table and hard to see...read more

Casino City’s Friday Five: MGM Resorts edition

MGM Resorts International dominated the gaming headlines this week, as the move to regulate and legalize sports betting gained even more momentum in the U.S. this week. We also saw Caesars Entertainment and William Hill get more involved in this evolving new market...read more

Slot screw-up?

QUESTION: On a three-reel, one-payline slot machine, there are two wires that stretch above the reels resting on top a metal lip extending from one end of the slot to the other. The lip appears to have holes on each end and in the center to secure the wires with rip ties.I have seen where the wiring was only secured at each end but not in the center...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: About those "guaranteed to hit by" progressives

Question: Is there any way to tell if you’re playing a server-based machine? Answer: The term server-based gaming is like the lyrics to a Yes song — it can mean almost anything you want it to mean. Let's look at different things server-based gaming can mean and whether you can tell if you're playing that kind of server-based machine. One meaning is central determination...read more

The Quotable Captain: Gambling

(The late Captain was my mentor in gambling. I’ve written six books about him. This series contains some of his quotes, ideas and advice. This particular article concerns how the Captain views gambling.)The Captain: “I have been gambling all my lifetime, be it in business ventures, or games of chance and skill...read more

Top 10 casino openings and expansions

In the last couple months, there has been a lot of focus on the 49th World Series of Poker, the legalization of sports betting and the FIFA World Cup. But there are other areas where important stories have been coming up in, with several casino openings and expansions taking place in recent weeks.10...read more

Winning big at roulette

When my longtime Jim and I get together, talk usually centers on family, kids and a lot of baseball.Gambling rarely comes up. Jim doesn't play much, and when he does, it's Hold'em if the casino has a poker room and blackjack if it doesn't.Imagine my surprise at our June lunch outing when Jim wanted to talk roulette."I'd been reading about Charles Wells, the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo in the 1890s, and I got curious," Jim said...read more

Taking advantage of promotions

Casino promotions are a form of inducement to bring players in at a time that revenue or occupancy is expected to be lower than desired. These promotions come in many different formats, with varying expected values and durations. Some of them even provide long-term benefits...read more

Casino City’s Friday Five: Las Vegas experience edition

After covering the final table for the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event, our own Gary Trask gave us his insights on new things you should be on the lookout for while in Las Vegas. This week, we also have news on a California casino beginning a major expansion, an online casino coming out with eight new games and several jackpot winners.Let’s start with the jackpots, shall we?5...read more

Pass line wins and soft 18 at blackjack

QUESTION: How often do you actually win on the pass line? You're the underdog no matter what the point is, and when it's 4 or 10, you're a heavy underdog, right? Why does everyone insist it's such a good bet?ANSWER: The house edge on pass is 1.41%...read more