Choosing the right game to play

14 December 2012

By Henry Tamburin

Which casino game should you play? It really depends on what thrills you, how much money you have, and how much effort you want to put into your gambling. In addition, a player’s personality has a lot to do with choosing the right game to play. For example, are you a relatively quiet, reserved person? Then you might feel uncomfortable at the loud and boisterous game of craps. Do you hate making quick decisions under pressure? Well then, blackjack may not be your game. Do you have an assertive personality? Then you’ll probably be bored playing roulette.

The point is that a player’s personality can often help them decide which game is best for them. As you read this I will also recommend some books to read along the way.

Shy, quiet, reserved, introverted:

Your best game may be the slot and video poker machines because you don’t have to deal with a sometimes-intimidating dealer or fellow player. Since there is no one rushing you, you can play at your own pace. If you want to try a table game, a good option is roulette. It’s a slow-paced game with easy-to-learn playing rules. Also, where and how you bet have no effect on the outcome of your fellow player’s bets. You will never feel self conscious about making a “stupid play” that may cause your fellow players to lose. Another table game to consider is mini-baccarat. You just decide on whether to bet on the bank hand or player hand. That’s all there is to play this casino game and like roulette, where and how you bet won’t affect the other players.

Your overall best bet, however, is to play video poker. If you learn the right playing strategies and are knowledgeable about which machine to play, your odds of winning are improved compared to playing the slots, roulette or mini-baccarat.

Outgoing, extroverted, assertive, bold:

Your game is definitely craps. Here you can shout, scream and let it all hang out. You can assertively toss chips to the dealer and tell him where to place them. You can tell the dealer to “press” your bets, or “take them down.” You also get to hold the instruments that will control your destiny (the dice) and can boldly toss them down the table. Yes, you have a lot of control at the dice tables and the game is definitely not for the faint of heart. Best book to read would be Frank Scoblete’s "Casino Craps: Shoot to Win!"

Risk taker, speculator, gambler:

If you are the kind of person that likes to bet the long shot at the racetrack or the underdog in football, or who buys lottery tickets hoping to win several millions, then you’ve got several options in a casino that match your personality. Certainly, the possibility of winning a big progressive slot machine jackpot for only a modest investment of a few dollars has to appeal to the risk taker. Another option is the jackpot side bet in Caribbean Stud Poker or the tournament side bet in Let It Ride. Here for only a buck you’ve got a chance to win up to several hundred thousand dollars if you get the right hand. There is also the hardways, any craps, and other long-shot proposition bets in craps that offer relatively high payouts. Finally, yet importantly, is keno. Here, for only a few bucks, you’ve got the chance to win $50,000 or more by just picking the right numbers. However, be forewarned that just like the lottery, these long-shot, high-risk casino bets have a relatively high casino edge.

Analytical, conservative, enjoys a challenge, wants to win:

Individuals with this personality don’t dive into anything without first analyzing it to death. They play to win and want to know what they need to do to improve their chances of winning. If you are this type of individual then blackjack or video poker might be just your game. The reason is that the odds of winning in blackjack and video poker are very dependent on the skill of the player. The more you know about blackjack and video poker playing strategies, the better your chance of winning. In fact, depending upon how much effort you put in, you can actually swing the odds in your favor. Skilled players who have the advantage playing video poker or blackjack are also content to grind out small but steady profits. Sure, they take their hits every once in a while, but they know that their conservative, analytical playing style will in the long run give them their best gamble in a casino.

Competitive, aggressive, ambitious:

You’ve got two choices here and they are both good ones. First, there is poker, where it’s just you against other players. Best player wins; second-best loses. It doesn’t get much more competitive than that except in gaming tournaments. This is another good option for the player who likes competition. In tournaments, it’s not you against the dealer that matters, but how you fare relative to your fellow table players. Win more then they do and you advance to the next round; win less, and you’re out. There are many good poker books on the market but if you are just getting started Bill Burton’s “Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em” is a good start.

Extravagant, flamboyant, ostentatious, flashy:

If you have a lot of money and want everyone else to know it, then baccarat, blackjack, or craps could be your game. Nothing turns heads more in a casino than the well-dressed man or woman sitting at the baccarat table and betting hundreds of dollars on each round. Except maybe reserving a blackjack table in the middle of the casino floor and playing all the spots with black or purple chips. Bet big enough and the casino may even post a few guards near the table to shush away the tourists as they gawk at your extravagant playing style. Of course, you and your money are always welcome at the craps table, where anything goes. Check out Frank Scoblete’s “Casino Conquest: How to Beat the Casinos at Their Own Games!”

Innovative, imaginative, original:

If you always like to try something new and different, you’ve got several choices in the casino. For starters, there are the poker-based table games, Let It Ride, Caribbean Stud Poker and Three-Card Poker. There are also the multi-line video poker machines. If slots are your thing, you’ve got a slew of choices as new slot machines keep hitting the casino floor almost weekly.

Tightwad, frugal, hate to part with a nickel:

Hey, you might think that being frugal and gambling in a casino is an oxymoron, but it isn’t. In fact, Jean Scott has written several best-selling books about this ("The Frugal Gambler" and "More Frugal Gambling"). Her tips include learning how to play video poker smartly (25 cents and dollar machines) and then take advantage of the comp and slot club promotions.

Emotional, quiet, readily gets upset, hates controversy:

Forget craps or blackjack. Your best bet is to play the slot machine or video poker where you can play in solitude and not have to worry about anyone or anything. Frank Scoblete’s “Slot Conquest: How to Beat the Slot Machines” is the book to read.

Always looking for an angle or way to beat the system:

Your cup of tea might be playing the comp game in a casino. That’s where you try to get as many freebies from the casino as you can to offset the mathematical advantage they have when you play. If you play the comp game correctly, you can actually enjoy a monetary edge over the casino. Check out Jean Scott’s "The Frugal Gambler" and Max Rubin’s "Comp City" for tips on how to do this.

If you are analytical besides, you’ve got another option. Learn blackjack card counting. It’s another way to beat the casinos at their own game.

Are you right-brained or left-brained?

There is a questionnaire used in the business world to profile individuals' thinking style. It’s called the Hermann Brain Dominance Profile. Based on how you answer the multiple choice questions in the survey, you are classified as either being conservative, controlled, emotional (called a “right brainer”) as opposed to someone that is more analytical, technical, logical and detailed (”left brainer”).

When it comes to casino gambling, “left brainers” do well with games like blackjack, video poker, and table poker that requires analytical, sometimes quantitative thinking. For example, I’m an educated chemist with a strong mathematical background and I scored high as a left brainer. Not surprisingly, my casino games of choice have always been blackjack and video poker. A friend of mine scored as a right brainer and not too surprisingly, he likes to play the slot machines.