Read the fine print

12 January 2013

By John Marchel

On a recent trip across the country I had a stop in Las Vegas for a plane change. I don’t know why, but when you have to make a plane change you always seem to land at one concourse and are required to go to another one on the other side of the airport. That’s what happened to me on this trip.

As I was traveling through the terminals I noticed eight video poker machines along a sparse wall and there were four people playing at the machines. A closer look told me they all were Jacks or Better games and two were 6/5, four were 7/5 and two were 9/6 machines. What was interesting was that none of the players were playing the 9/6 machines.

A 9/6 Jacks or Better has a return of 99.5 percent, the 7/5 returns only 96 percent and the 6/5 only returns 94.9 percent. Here were identical poker games, but the house was making more than they should because players didn’t see or know the difference in the machines.

The same is true for blackjack, craps and even roulette. They might all “look” the same, but some blackjack games will have different rules and craps different odds in different casinos, which can be a big factor when it comes to winning or losing.

It pays to read the fine print. Read the placard at the table; look over the felt for information, and look to see if it might be a single zero roulette wheel or one with a double zero (the single is better for the player). If you don’t like what you “read,” move on. When playing in a casino you want to have the best game as you can. Yes, you are gambling, but you want to have the best chance you can of winning. It only takes an extra minute or two to “read” the rules of the game you plan on playing at.


Bet – You Didn’t Know

When it comes to bingo cards, both hard cards and paper cards have a series number printed on them. For example, card number 1252 will always have the same numbers in the same spaces.

In 1805, English card maker Richard Harding was found guilty of forging the ace of spades, which had the tax stamp, printed on it. He was sentenced to be executed.

Casino dice have 3 different items printed on them: the casino logo, the casino name and a code number. Before each shift, the boxman will note each code number to help insure only casino-supplied dice are introduced to the game.

Actor Warren Beatty stared in a 1966 movie called "Kaleidoscope." In the film, Beatty altered the printer engraving plates at a playing card company. The marked cards were unknowingly supplied to casinos in Monte Carlo. In April 1999 an employee in a playing card company in South Africa was caught doing the same thing.

Harold’s Club in Reno was the first to offer free lessons on how to play most of the casino games.

The current average price for one acre of land on the Las Vegas Strip is $23 million.