Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 108

Try Pai Gow Poker

I am an aficionado of Pai Gow Poker, the seven-card game that unfortunately has not swept the nation. Luckily there are enough players to keep Pai Gow Poker tables available in most medium to large casinos. This game has replaced craps as my favorite game.I don’t know why the game hasn’t caught on like gangbusters...read more

The Reverse Martingale

Roulette-playing readers often have asked about the Martingale system, which involves doubling bets after losses.My early July email brought a question about the Reverse Martingale, and that's relatively novel among players who contact me.We'll reverse course in a minute, but first, understand that I always warn against the Martingale, which typically is used on bets with even-money payoffs...read more

Covid Laughlin

The Covid-19 pandemic hit the world hard. Virtually no individual or business has been immune to its impact. Now that the country is starting to open up a bit, I thought I would take a tour of some casino destinations and report my observations.This is the third in a series of articles on the current state of casinos...read more

Back to Back Baby

QUESTION: I have a back-to-back jackpots story for you, and it's kind of a weird one.I was with a group of friends, 10 in all, and we scattered to different games. I'll play slots with others, but I really like video poker.I didn't bring a ton of money with me, and I like the multi-game machines, so I started on nickel Super Times Pay, with Triple Play Double Double Bonus Poker...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Covid restrictions coming back to Las Vegas?

Last week I wrote that the script of the nightly Covid update on the local news has changed. Before reopening on June 1, the reporters introduced the update by saying that the statistics (7-day average of new cases, positivity rate) were declining and were the lowest numbers seen all year...read more

Make a Killing: Slots or Table Games?

The greatest fantasy of casino players (and lottery players) is to make a killing. To tear to shreds the casino’s house edge and come home with wheelbarrows of money. “Look everyone, I killed ‘em. All that money is now mine!”Most players never get to say that...read more

Play This Machine, Not That Machine

In more than 30 years as a player, I've received a lot of advice, some good, some bad, some indifferent.It was the bad advice that had my wife and I laughing a few weeks ago when the conversation turned to slot tips. The tips may not have been good, but they were memorable.PLAY THIS MACHINE! On a 1980s trip to Las Vegas, Marcy and I were walking the slot aisles in a casino near the north end of the Strip when a couple toting plastic buckets filled with quarters came rushing up to us. Big grins were on their enthusiastic faces and the woman pointed and shouted, "You have to play that machine!" Joining in the moment, the man said, "We have to go to the airport now, but we've been playing for three days...read more

Doing It Right: Slots, Video Poker and Mini-Baccarat

ABBY: In a past article, we discussed the fantasy of letting it all hang out when playing. Neither of us can do that because we feel doing so is a waste of money.CINDY: But how do we go about playing the games we like? We are traditional players so we only put a few dollars here and there in slot machines and video poker...read more

Slot Payback Percentages

QUESTION: I don't get slot machine payback percentages. When a casino says its games pay 90 percent, why don't I actually get 90 percent. I put $20 in a penny slot, I'm not cashing out $18. More often than not, I'm cashing out zero. Isn't that zero percent?ANSWER: Did you bet your entire $20 without a single payoff? That would be a zero percent payback.But that's not what happens...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Predetermination and slot machines

Question: I don't get it. You are very knowledgeable when it comes to gambling and that's why your "page" is so successful and so many, like me, look forward to receiving your weekly newsletter. However, you seem to spend a lot -- I mean a lot -- of time addressing how the slot machines work. This is a waste of time...read more