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Gaming Guru
Waving the white flag in roulette1 September 2000
Dear Mark, The croupier in Missouri would not have known what you're speaking of because only Atlantic City, by law, offers a "surrender" rule on all even-money outside bets on the roulette layout. Because there are no single-zero wheels in Jersey, all Atlantic City casinos feature double zero wheels that have both 0 and 00. If you bet black or red, 1 to 18 or 19 to 36, or odd or even, and the ball lands on 0 or 00, you only lose one half of your original wager. This is known as the "surrender" rule and it cuts the casino edge in half from 5.26% to 2.63%. The surrender rule only applies to these even-money bets. For all remaining wagers, the casino edge remains a hefty 5.26%.
Dear Mark, Bullseye, April. Most of what you see, feel and hear in a casino is methodically and deliberately arranged to separate you from your money as painlessly as possible.
Dear Mark, All slot machines, Dina, consistently pay. They pay the casino's rent, the light bills, and all the employees' salaries. They also pay millions of dollars in profits to casino owners and stockholders. The player just so happens to be on the low end of the food chain.
Dear Mark, Unfortunately, Peter, you won't encounter my favorite video poker machine in your gaming jurisdiction, Missouri. They are even difficult to find here in Nevada. But when you do, you are playing on one of the best video poker machines available. It is a Jacks or Better machine with a 10/7 pay table. With perfect basic strategy, it returns, over the long haul, 101.94% to the player. Use a slot club card that offers generous cash rebates, and the machine will yield well over 105% against the house.
Dear Mark, A kicker is a single card held with a pair. For example 7, 7, A or Q, Q, K are hands in which an extra card (the kicker) is retained. When playing kitchen table poker, it is OK to hold a kicker in certain scenarios but never in video poker. Kickers add absolutely no value to a video poker hand.
Dear Mark, Also known as Never Ever Craps, crapless craps is another example of a casino offering that could cost you dearly if you belly up to a crapless craps table. In this modified variation of a regular crap game, you can't lose on the come out roll if the shooter tosses a 2, 3 or 12. Instead, it automatically becomes the point, just like the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 on a standard game. You also don't win if the shooter throws a natural 11. It too becomes the point. With these additional funky rules, the house now holds a 5.4% edge on your pass line bet versus 1.4% on a typical craps game. Ho-hum games or wagers won't cut it here, Pete. Crapless craps rates a "no play" for Deal Me In readers. Recent Articles
Mark Pilarski |
Mark Pilarski |