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Mark Pilarski Gaming Guru - Page 7  Deal Me In: Most loss leaders are long gone17 July 2015
Dear Mark: I have been practicing my Deuces Wild video poker skills, looking to accomplish that perfect play. The online casino I was practicing at today has the suggested card(s) hold feature by default. You can't shut it off. Here is my problem. As you tell us, if dealt two deuces, hold them and no other cards. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: IRS proposes altering slot machine reporting requirements10 July 2015
Dear Mark: If the automatic W2-G reporting on a slot machine is for a jackpot of $1,200, does that hold true for higher-denomination machines as well? Bill W. Yes, Bill, and it may get worse. The IRS is now floating a plan for a bigger share of your jackpots: the meager ones. At present, the fortuitous ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Video blackjack paybacks are based on skill and rules6 July 2015
Dear Mark: I like playing blackjack on the video machines at the casino because I can take my time. However, I don’t like losing all the time. Are my odds better at the table? Are the blackjack video machines just a random number generator programmed for say 90% payback or can they alter payout based on how the customer plays? Raylon R. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: About those resort fees ...26 June 2015
Dear Mark: I would like to take exception to your column last week as regards to resort fees. I manage the pool at a Las Vegas casino, and I can tell you that today’s pool setting is not your Motel 6, let alone a casino hotel of 15 years ago. You should have taken into consideration that just because a ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Change only happens when customers demand it19 June 2015
Dear Mark: After reading some of your recent columns about gambling in the Detroit Free Press after a recent trip to Vegas, I thought I would share some observations of how Vegas is prying more money out of our pockets. Regarding ways to pass time at low cost, as I have done in the past, I sat down and played video poker at a bar-mounted machine, and ordered a beer. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Guaranteed jackpot not related to random number generator12 June 2015
Dear Mark: How does a casino promise that a specific jackpot will be hit within a certain time frame? For instance, say a machine starts with a jackpot of $25,000 and it is guaranteed to be won by the time it reaches $100,000. If all spins are random, how is this possible? Jim D. Guaranteeing that the ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Doing dice the easy way5 June 2015
Dear Mark: I would like to learn how to play dice. What is the best way? Dave K. Craps with confidence, Dave, commences by reading a decent book on the game. For the dice apprentice, Henry Tamburin’s Craps: Take the Money and Run or Beat the Craps Out of the Casino by Frank Scoblete are two of my favorites for the beginner player. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Player cries foul, but was it?29 May 2015
Dear Mark: I would like to know how you would have handled this blackjack scenario. I made my biggest bet of the evening ($100), and the dealer proceeded to deal two cards to each player on the table. Before the first hand was played, the player in the middle position informed the dealer that he only had one card. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Getting gripped in the grind down22 May 2015
Dear Mark: I read with interest your most recent explanation about the $0.80 payout of slot machines when I win. It made some sense; however, what happens to most of us personally? For example, I go into the casino with $100 earmarked to spend. I can play one or many machines all night, but in the end, my ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Time-killing bet causes confusion15 May 2015
Dear Mark: I enjoyed your May 1, 2015 column on "low roller" time-killing bets (keno in particular). It brought back memories. I only dabbled with keno when I exceeded my gambling budget for the day, and I'm certainly not an expert. However, it seems that you should have mentioned that keno odds vary between casinos, and expected payout will also vary according to how many numbers one chooses. ... (read more)
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