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John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 21  VP Strategy and Hand Frequency26 November 2020
Nearly all video poker games -- and all of the most popular ones -- start with five-card draw. And even though the base game is the same, the frequency of hands differs. That's something I've explained often to players who wonder why royal flushes come up more often on one game than another. Given optimal ... (read more)
A New Roulette Bet22 November 2020
QUESTION: Have you heard of a roulette bet called 2G'$? I saw it in Las Vegas. If you get 0 or 00 two spins in a row, you're paid at 350-1 odds. I know most side bets are terrible deals, especially those with big payoffs. What do you think of this one? ANSWER: I've not seen 2G'$, but I saw it mentioned in Anthony Curtis' monthly Las Vegas Advisor. ... (read more)
Are More Hands a Good Thing?19 November 2020
More chances to win in casino games do not necessarily translate into a better deal for the player with a lower house edge. You can bet a single number at roulette or bet multiple numbers, but the house edge remains intact. Making a combination of bets at craps can never reduce the house edge to less than that of the bet individual bet. ... (read more)
Varieties of Blackjack12 November 2020
Blackjack basic strategy is not a one-size-fits-all mandate. Casinos offer differing sets of rules and playing conditions, so there are basic strategies adapted to fit the major rules variations of number of decks and whether the dealer hits soft 17. In the last decade or so, it's become common for dealers to hit soft 17 even in six-deck games. ... (read more)
Changing Zeroes at Roulette8 November 2020
QUESTION: I was reading your article that showed the questioner that changing the zeroes to numbers 37 and 38 wouldn't change the odds. However, that would make the odds disappear on the even money bets of even/odd and red/black, assuming that one of the numbers would be red and the other black. Then, in ... (read more)
Many Faces of Jokers Wild5 November 2020
A Joker's Wild video poker comes in many varieties, each with its own optimal strategy. A regular reader emailed recently to ask about a couple of Joker's Wild strategy points, and specified Kings or Better. A pay table was not specified, so I used these payoffs for a five-coin bet as a starting point: ... (read more)
The Big 6 and Big 81 November 2020
QUESTION: I have a craps question about betting on Big 6 or Big 8 vs. placing 6 or 8. I know the house edge is higher on the "Bigs," but to get the better odds on the place bets you have to bet in multiples of $6. What if I'm really short-bankrolled and betting $5 on Big 6 is going to make a difference to me vs. ... (read more)
Blackjack Strategies29 October 2020
Blackjack basic strategy is not a one-size-fits-all mandate. Casinos offer differing sets of rules and playing conditions, so there are basic strategies adapted to fit the major rules variations of number of decks and whether the dealer hits soft 17. In the last decade or so, it's become common for dealers to hit soft 17 even in six-deck games. ... (read more)
Are the Odds the Same?25 October 2020
QUESTION: You wrote recently that electronic games that use depictions of playing cards must offer fair odds. The odds of being dealt cards on electronic blackjack are the same as in table blackjack. Does the same thing apply to dice? I'm thinking specifically of the Hot Roll games on both slots and video poker. ... (read more)
Reopening Remarks22 October 2020
After a long lull, readers have resumed sharing tales of back-to-back jackpots. Since casinos have re-opened, and reader experiences that have hit my email box include a couple of table stories that may not strictly fit definitions of "jackpot," but they're rare fun nonetheless. Merri: My favorite game is ... (read more)
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