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John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 104  Exciting new casino table games29 November 2012
When game developers create new table games, the first look usually is at poker. Poker-based games usually are easy to learn and easy to deal, and have proven to attract players with success such as three-card poker, Caribbean Stud and Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. So it was no surprise at October’s Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas that new table games had a heavy poker lean. ... (read more)
Will cruise ship video poker sink you?26 November 2012
QUESTION: On a recent Mediterranean cruise, along with the usual bad pay schedules for video poker, I encountered a variant of bonus poker new to me. Two pairs paid only 1, but a flush paid 8 and a full house paid 10 (40 and 50 with full coin). Other pays were at the usual 8/5 level. Initially I did OK, but later on results were poor. ... (read more)
Great new bonus slot machines22 November 2012
Each year at Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, I get to see the best of what slot machine manufacturers have to offer: the bonus events. Games are set up so potential buyers and inquiring columnists can see the most entertaining bits without spending time spinning the reels. It doesn’t exactly mirror the everyday slot experience, but it’s a fun way to preview a whole lot of games in a short time. ... (read more)
Pick your hit frequency on slots and five-card Charlies19 November 2012
QUESTION: Please explain something to me about choose your volatility slot machines. You’ve written about them before, and from what I understand you can choose how often you win. What does that actually mean as far as the overall payback? Are you better off choosing high or low volatility? ANSWER: Choosing ... (read more)
Hot new slots!15 November 2012
Each year at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, I roam from booth to booth to look at the major slot machine manufacturers and the coming attractions that will draw us to their games over the next year. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of new games when all the “game-makers” are taken into account. ... (read more)
Those great new video slots12 November 2012
The video age has been liberating for slot machine designers, and not just in ability to use animation and special effects to create entertaining bonus events. They can play with the configuration of the reels, and even change the number of reels from spin to spin. Take The Munsters Family Portrait, one of ... (read more)
Do casinos change payouts on the same slot machine?8 November 2012
QUESTION: In Illinois or Las Vegas, is it legal for slot machine programmers to vary the odds that a machine will allow a player to reach the bonus round depending on how many credits per line they play? Let's say I play a penny machine (or any denomination really) where I can play up to 40 lines at once, and 1 to 5 credits per line. ... (read more)
What to do if the casino raises the blackjack table minimums5 November 2012
If you play much low-limit blackjack, no doubt something like this has happened to you. I’d arrived at a casino about 9 a.m., figuring I could take advantage of early-day sparse crowds and low table minimums. I found a $10 table and bought in for $200, with four $25 chips, 19 $5 chips and five $1 chips, so I had a little starting change to tip dealers and waitresses. ... (read more)
Those horrible 6-5 blackjack games1 November 2012
QUESTION: I can understand your warnings to blackjack players not to play when blackjacks pay 6-5 instead of 3-2. You don’t want to settle for less than the usual payoff. But what about a single-deck game? I'd always heard single-deck was the best game. If blackjacks pay 6-5 but you’re playing with one deck, isn’t that a good tradeoff for players? ANSWER: No, it’s not a good tradeoff. ... (read more)
My jackpot was stolen29 October 2012
Walking the aisles at a busy casino, I saw the lights flash and heard the music change to celebration mode -- surefire signs that someone had just hit the jackpot. I walked toward the winner to see what was going on, and it turned out that a woman who appeared to be in her 40s had just lined up the three doubler symbols on a Double Diamond reel-spinning game. ... (read more)
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