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John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 46  Multi-line video poker and legal sports betting21 June 2018
QUESTION: There's been a big change in video slots that really bothers me. You don't get to choose the number of paylines you play anymore. At least you can't on a lot of the games. They're set up so you have to play all the lines. I like it when I can choose the number of lines, and I like to play just one line. ... (read more)
Is Jacks or Better better?17 June 2018
When I walk through video poker areas in casinos, the game I see played most is Double Double Bonus Poker. Typically, there will be a few Deuces Wild players, a few on the extremely volatile Triple Double Bonus Poker and some on Bonus Poker Deluxe or Double Bonus Poker. It's almost become a surprise to ... (read more)
That winning combination14 June 2018
QUESTION: You recently wrote that on lottery scratch-off games, the odds change as tickets are sold. If all the big winners are gone, later players have no chance at the jackpot. You further said that slot machines are different, and that the awarding of a jackpot doesn't eliminate it as a possibility. ... (read more)
Stay or stop?10 June 2018
I never volunteer advice on strategy while playing in casinos, but the temptation was strong in early May when I found myself at a Mississippi Stud table where a new player — let's call him Bill — was being coached by a friend. Bill anted $5 and made an equal bet after seeing his two cards. After the first community card was turned up, Bill hemmed and hawed. ... (read more)
Win goals and loss limits7 June 2018
QUESTION: I'm interested in the idea of win goals and loss limits to decide when to leave a game. You set a win goal, and if you reach it, you leave. You also set a limit on losses, and if you lose that much, you leave. Is that how you manage your money? Does it change if you have an edge, like a blackjack ... (read more)
Players' stories3 June 2018
Whenever I relay readers' tales of their experiences in casinos, it seems to inspire other readers to share their own stories. That seemed to go double for craps players several weeks back, after three players told of their first-time experiences and overcoming the game's learning curve. Eleven more players contacted me to tell of their first times playing craps. ... (read more)
A personal superstition31 May 2018
QUESTION: Your column on superstitions got me thinking. I don't know if it's superstition or not, but in general, I will not consciously go back to a machine that I played no matter the result on the same day. If I win a significant amount (for me that's $50 or more on slots, and it varies on video poker ... (read more)
The cost of standing at blackjack27 May 2018
A long time ago, I attended seminar in which Peter Griffin, the late mathematician and author of "The Theory of Blackjack," told the imaginary tale of Mr. Fourteen. It was Griffin's way of illustrating why the best play on many hands depends on the dealer's up card. His Mr. Fourteen always started with 14 — the casino even painted a 14 hand on his spot at the table. ... (read more)
Math rules for video poker and craps24 May 2018
QUESTION: I have a question about a multi-hand game that I play at times. (I usually play nickels Triple Play.) The cost is the typical five per hand plus five more coins for the wheel feature. If in the first five cards you are dealt a hand that includes three of a kind — including four of a kind or full houses — a wheel at the top of the game spins. ... (read more)
The push20 May 2018
Several weeks ago, I answered a reader who questioned whether high pair payoffs are really wins since they get you your money back, but no more. They're the equivalent of pushes in blackjack and other games, I told him. Changing the pay table so every payoff was bigger than the wager would create a much more volatile game, and players often would find themselves running out of credits fast. ... (read more)
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