What Denomination Do You Play?

23 June 2024

By Jerry Stickman

Over the years, there have been different versions of “man on the street” interviews. Typically, someone would ask a random person on the street a general question. This was done to get a feeling for what the general public felt about a topic.

I tried this in a few local casinos. Curious about what the average casino gambler felt about different aspects of casino gambling, I took the questions directly to them. I asked each of the gamblers several questions. This article covers the third question I asked them while on the casino floor.

The question this time was “How much do you bring to the casino and what game and denominations do you play?”

Here are the most typical responses.

Will from Tennessee:

“I normally bring between $200 and $300 with me to the casino. I like to play quarter video poker. That amounts to $1.25 per hand. The house edge on some of the better games is very low. The problem is being able to find one of those low house-edge games. It is getting harder all the time. Soon I may have to either bring more money with me or quit playing altogether.”

Linda from Missouri:

“I bring $250 each time I come to the casino. I play 25-cent slots. This usually works out pretty good for me. I can usually play for three to four hours which is about all I really care to play anyway.”

Bob from Arkansas:

“I bring $200 each time. I will play a little quarter video poker or quarter slots. I am not a hard-core video-poker player like some people. They can sit for hours playing hundreds of hands per hours. I like to dabble on many different games – a few hands here, a few hands there and grab a drink whenever the cocktail waitress comes around. It is not about hard-core gambling; it is about having fun.”

Carrie from Arkansas:

“I usually bring at least a couple of hundred dollars and I play four-card nickel keno most of the time. I start at one time and depending on how well I am doing I will go up to the maximum bet ($.80). I try not to ever go to the ATM – but some trips are better than others.”

Brian from Arkansas:

“I bring about $200 and play multi-card keno at nickel and dime denominations to start and if I am winning, I bump up to quarters.”

Randy from Mississippi:

“I bring $500 and play five-dollar minimum craps if it is available. If not, I play $10 craps. If I cannot find any games at that level, I putter around slot machines at the quarter level. I really prefer playing craps to any other casino game. Hopefully a lower minimum table will open while I am puttering.”

There you have it – straight from the mouths of the men and women in the casino.

What about you? How much do you bring to the casino and what game denominations do you play?

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines and 888casino.com. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com