Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 137

Slots Dominate

Slot machines, both the traditional reel variety and the new multi-line video versions, dominate the gaming inventory all across the United States. All of the casino marketing energy, direct mail advertising, and product research and development today revolve around slot machines.Since state-sanctioned and Native American casino gambling came to states across the country, table games have dwindled considerably while the number of slots continues to grow year by year.In 2019 there were about 897,000 slot machines operating in casinos around the USA...read more

Unsolicited Advice

Some casino players are content to focus on their own play. Others are quick to offer advice.The advice may be well-meant, but it isn’t always correct. Let’s listen to some experienced players who have tales of unsolicited advice they’ve received.MARTIN: I read your column about the blackjack bullies a few weeks ago, and the one about hitting soft 18 and being labeled “the guy who hits 18s” really hit home with me.Just like Kendall in that column, I was dealt Ace-7 and the dealer had a 10...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: What happened to Red Rock's big electronic craps game?

Question: When I left Red Rock a couple weeks ago, they were removing the big craps machine, which had been getting a lot of action during our three-day visit (even though they had made changes to the programming so that you could only bet $1 on the pass line). Do you know if they were just moving it to another area, or did they remove it permanently? Answer: I'm surprised I never noticed that the machine was gone...read more

Video Slots Come and Go

QUESTION: Two friends and I leave our husbands alone for a while once every couple of weeks and go play slots together. This last time got to talking about how long some of those games have been there and how short the stays have been for others.Something like Double Diamond or the three-reel Wheel of Fortune, we’ve been playing those for a good 20 years...read more

Ace-High-High Hands in Jacks or Better and Bonus Poker

[Most video poker players in today’s casinos use a playing strategy that I call the hunch strategy. They examine the cards that are initially dealt and decide which cards to hold and which to discard based on what they feel is the right move...read more

Basic Strategy on Doubling

Whenever blackjack basic strategy charts list doubling down as the best available play, it means you’re in a profitable situation.It doesn’t mean you’re going to win every time, of course. But on balance you’ll win money overall if you double on hard 11 every time the dealer has a 6 up, or double on soft 18 every time the dealer has a 5 up.The situation is different with hit, stand and pair splitting decisions...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Bingo, blackjack and video poker - Part 2

Last week I told you about the first part of my bingo, blackjack and video poker weekend last Labor Day. It started Saturday afternoon with registration for the blackjack and video poker tournament at Red Rock, continued with a session of bingo at Palms, and ended with a rush back to Red Rock for a cash drawing for those who had registered earlier in the day...read more

Best Bets at Craps

FROM GARY: I am a long time craps player who bets the Pass Line with maximum odds and then three numbers using the Come, also taking maximum odds.On a recent Las Vegas trip, a stickman suggested I place the numbers after they are rolled, with the same dollar amount as I would have used taking maximum odds which means on a $15 table, place $75 on 5 and 9 which is the $15 Come and four times odds.He said my money payoff is same on 5, 6, 8 and 9 and actually higher on 4 and 10, even after vig...read more

Blackjack Shuffle Talk

QUESTION: I started playing blackjack when Atlantic City opened at the end of the 1970s. I guess that dates me, huh? Since then, I’ve played a lot in Las Vegas, too, and later on in some of the newer places.You know what I really miss? Hand-shuffled games...read more

Playing with Winners

Playing with winners -- what does that mean? When sitting at a blackjack table, you will notice that some players know how to play the game correctly, while others seem to make the same bad mistakes hand after hand.Most of the readers of Casino City Times know that to win at blackjack you must know “Basic Strategy.” That is the foundation to be a winner at that game...read more