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John Grochowski Gaming Guru - Page 49  Electronic craps8 March 2018
QUESTION: I found a craps machine game with bouncing dice, and the odds look pretty enticing. Instead of 30-1 on 2 or 12, it pays 31-1 and instead of 15-1 on 3 or 11 it pays 16-1. Hardways pay 10-1 and 8-1 instead of 9-1 and 7-1. What does that do to the house edge? Does that make these viable bets, instead ... (read more)
Asian games abound4 March 2018
Asian themes have become slot machine staples, with images of Far Eastern gardens, koi fish, pagodas and more taking their places along symbols of good luck and progressive jackpots. Nearly every game manufacturer has Asian-style offerings, and there are a number of such themes on their way to casinos for 2018. ... (read more)
Those various side bets1 March 2018
QUESTION: Is there ever a time to make a side bet like 21 + 3 or Lucky Ladies at blackjack, the Dragon Bonus bet at baccarat or the Prime bet in Three Card Poker you wrote about a few weeks ago? It seems to me that when you describe these bets, they always have house edges that are higher than the regular game. ... (read more)
Great new slot machines25 February 2018
Regardless of whether casino operators are looking for inventive new slot games, video poker, electronic table games, management systems or analytics, International Game Technology is practically a one-stop shopping source. That includes a wide range in the slot department, where durable three-reel ... (read more)
Vanishing video poker22 February 2018
QUESTION: I've been playing video poker a long time, maybe even longer than you have. I remember lining up for machines, 1979, 1980 or so. There used to be a game called 7s Wild. It had the same pay table as Deuces Wild, except with wild 7s. (Make sense, right?) Why do you think the 7s version disappeared? ... (read more)
Side bets18 February 2018
Side bets at casino table games exist for a couple of reasons. For players, they open the possibility of larger jackpots than standard bets at their games of choice. For casinos, side bets enhance revenues with house edges that are higher than on standard games. Those larger payoffs aren't necessarily lifestyle-changing. ... (read more)
Are playing options good for players?15 February 2018
QUESTION: My brother-in-law told me that having options in games favors players, as long as the player know the best way to use them. What I want to know is how the option to bet on 00 in roulette favors the player. Doesn't it favor the player if the option to bet on 00 is removed and you have a single-zero ... (read more)
Do they play for fun?11 February 2018
A couple of overseas university students emailed to ask if I could help with a research project, and they sent a list of questions about how the casino industry works. Many were about individual games, but at the top of the list, they wanted to know how casinos entice customers to keep playing. That's a fair question. ... (read more)
Being harassed by another player8 February 2018
QUESTION: What do you do when you're being harrassed by another player? I was using a Hi-Lo count at blackjack, and got into a big positive count. I stood on 16 against a dealer's 10, and this other player started in on me. He asked if I ever hit 16s against 10s, and I said sometimes. He said, "When is it isn't the right play? The book says to hit that hand." I just let it go. ... (read more)
Better payouts for bets?4 February 2018
Over lunch at a casino buffet, my friend Will and I got into a discussion about roulette. It was unusual because Will is a blackjack player who doesn't play roulette, but he raised a point about bringing the high house edge on American double-zero roulette more into line with other games. At roulette, the ... (read more)
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