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John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 133  A shuffle through the gaming mailbag28 October 2008
Q. Are the current economic difficulties affecting the casinos at all? I still play about twice a month, and I still see good crowds when I go.
A. The news is mixed. In Las Vegas, gaming revenue declined 6.5% in the first seven months of 2008 compared to the same period last year. Decline in travel ... (read more)
The mystique of slot machines - part 221 October 2008
Last week, I started a look at the mystique of slot machines — a mystique that is mainly due to many players not understanding how the games and issues surrounding the games work.
Let's look at a few more frequently asked questions.
Q. I've read that slot machines are random, and I've read that they have programmed percentages. ... (read more)
The mystique of slot machines - part 114 October 2008
A woman once asked me to lunch to discuss a book idea she had.
"Slot machines have this aura, this mystery," she said. "I want to capture the mystique of slot machines."
What slot machines really have, I told her, are mathematics and electronics. The mystique of slot machines really comes from ... (read more)
The whys of basic strategy7 October 2008
Seth is a friend of a friend, someone I've known casually for a couple of decades. He's the kind of guy who always wants to know "why." Why does car A get more miles to the gallon than car B? Why do bats fly at night? Why don't I like beets?
His latest "why" collection came up while he was learning basic strategy in blackjack. ... (read more)
Video poker questions30 September 2008
Video poker players have always been among the most inquisitive about how to get the most out of their games. In fact, I get more questions about video poker than anything else, with slot machines and blackjack running close behind.
The e-mail box has been filling up lately with video poker questions, so let's try to take care of some of your concerns:
Q. ... (read more)
An evening in Par-A-Dice23 September 2008
Keeping an eye on the gaming industry takes me to some of the biggest, busiest casinos in the United States. I'd say in the world, but these days it's tough to beat Macau resorts for big and busy, and that's a trip I have yet to make.
Each year, though, I reserve time for an overnight stay in a place I know is relaxed and friendly — the Par-A-Dice casino in East Peoria, Ill. ... (read more)
Casino player pep talk16 September 2008
Max had been to a seminar I'd given years ago, and decided to renew old acquaintances recently via telephone.
"I remember you saying that you played everything to keep current on games, but that your main games were blackjack and video poker, right?"
Yes, I told him, I enjoy the games where skill makes the greatest difference. ... (read more)
A shuffle through the gaming mailbag9 September 2008
Q. I heard a report that slot machines are paying less than they used to, and that the casinos are making more money off them. How can they get away with that?
A. I've heard from a number of readers about tighter slot payouts ever since the Daily Herald in Chicago's northwest suburbs noted in late July ... (read more)
Should controlled shooters still favor the odds bet over the pass line bet?2 September 2008
Tom is a dice controller. At least he says he would be if he had time to practice.
"I read [Frank Scoblete's] Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution, and I understand the theory," he told me on the phone. "Putting it into practice is something else again. I tried to do it in a casino first, and I decided I ... (read more)
An even less ugly version of Not So Ugly Deuces26 August 2008
Video poker players looking for the best-paying games can use one simple rule as a starting point: The lower on the pay table a change is made, the bigger the effect it has.
So it goes with a recent wrinkle in Deuces Wild, one that was brought to mind when I did my first tour of the new Horseshoe Casino barge in Hammond. ... (read more)
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