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John Robison Gaming Guru - Page 2  Ask the Slot Expert: These are a few of my favorite video poker gimmicks16 September 2026
Last week I wrote about a few video poker gimmicks and described why gimmicks are so popular. They add more excitement to video poker by creating bigger swings in your bankroll and they give players something that can't be quantified, namely an unexpected win, which players perceive to be worth more than an expected win of the same amount.
... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: The psychology of video poker gimmicks9 September 2026
Let's face it.
Playing single-hand video poker can be boring.
Hitting a royal is always exciting, but they are few and far between. What other events can happen on a machine to keep us engaged?
Back in my 9/6 Jacks days, hitting 4-of-a-kind or a straight flush was a cause for a mini-celebration. Now that ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: More slot machine help screen revelations2 September 2026
I found a new (to me, at least) video poker gimmick on a multi-hand machine a few months ago.
It's called 5 Card Plus 2. When you bet 10 coins per hand (Why do these gimmicks almost universally require a double bet?), your hands will sometimes get dealt two extra cards. You get paid on both your 5-card ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: Slot machine help screens tell all26 August 2026
Everything you need to know about how a slot machine works -- the winning cominations and how much they pay, how to trigger bonus features, how you win in the bonus features -- is in the machine's help screens. Manufacturers are allowed to guard payback percentages like KFC guards the Colonel's blend of 11 ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: Smoking in casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas19 August 2026
Sometimes procrastination pays off.
At the end of a column a few weeks ago, I said that I would address a reader's comments about my efforts to get more non-smoking areas in Las Vegas casinos.
I appreciate your efforts to establish more non-smoking areas in Nevada casinos. I recently have ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: Perchance to dream of a big slot mistake12 August 2026
I recently wrote about a dream I had about winning big on a slot machine. I had another dream involving a slot machine a few days ago.
There were two identical machines, side by side. I was playing the machine on the left. Another man was playing the machine on the right.
We were doing fairly well. ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: This slot is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma5 August 2026
I found a new Egyptian-themed slot to play, King Khufu. You know how much I like Egyptian-themed slots, so I had to give this one a try.
Like many slot games today, Khufu has three BS meters (piles of coins, in this case) not showing you how close you are to triggering a bonus event. In this case, the piles are for the three flavors of the Lock & Respin bonus: Grow, Boost, and Roll. ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: Perchance to dream of big slot wins29 July 2026
On the Faceless Man episode of House of the Dragon, viewers of the show found out that Princess Helaena has "dragon dreams" -- prophetic dreams. Her dreams reveal the location of her brother-husband, which her mother/mother-in-law tells to her childhood friend and current frenemy, Queen Rhaenyra.
I wish my ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: Keno cacophony22 July 2026
Question: I want to thank you for covering the casino life in your weekly columns.
With that said, pertaining to your recent column of casino noise, I find one of the most annoying sounds is sitting at a video poker machine and then someone sits down next to you and sets their machine to play Keno. ... (read more)
Ask the Slot Expert: You're just too darn loud. Why are slots turned up to 11?15 July 2026
Question: I have enjoyed reading your columns for almost as long as you have been writing them, and I appreciate your efforts to establish more non-smoking areas in Nevada casinos. I recently have dramatically decreased the number and duration of my trips to Las Vegas, and the reeking of smoke in most of its casinos is foremost among the many reasons for the reduction in my visits. ... (read more)
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