Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 159

Keno and the lottery

Keno is a game where the player gets to pick one to 10, 15 or 20 numbers from a total of 80. Many casinos will limit how many numbers a player may choose and often it peaks at 15. The house then picks 20 numbers. Wins are based on how many of the casino’s numbers the player matches.The casino gives you a small piece of paper with all 80 numbers and you color in which ones you wish to have...read more

Keno or yes?

Keno is one of the oldest casino games in existence, with roots in the Chinese lottery. Most players in the U.S. know it through video keno – the live game has never gained much of a foothold outside Nevada.It’s a niche game, and there is no strategy for choosing numbers that can reduce the house edge...read more

The best and worst bets at craps

If you expect to beat the house at casino craps, you need to know which are the best bets you can make and which ones to avoid. With over 100 different bets available, you need to have a good knowledge of which are which.Don’t forget craps is a losing game for the player in the long run...read more

Raising and hitting

QUESTION: What’s the best time to raise my bet on a penny slot?I always start out playing one coin per line, so 40 cents on a 40-line slot. What if I have a couple of nice bonuses or even a progressive, and I’m ahead $50 or $60. Would that be a good time to raise to two coins per line?My sister-in-law has had some pretty big wins, but she bets bigger, sometimes 10 coins per line...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: A warning about the Bet One button on a video poker machine

In past columns we've talked about hitting the Deal button versus hitting the Bet Max button while playing video poker. We've rarely mentioned the Bet One button, though. Players have to ensure that they know how much will be bet when they hit the Bet Max button, but surely nothing can go wrong using the Bet One button. Today I have a warning about using the Bet One button for people who don't usually use it based on an experience I had a few days ago...read more

When to quit

Many gambling writers will say that players should quit a session when they are ahead. On its face, the advice sounds profound, but when looked at logically it makes no sense. If you win your first decision, do you quit right then and there, hop on a plane or get in your car and head home? I doubt many players would do this.So how do players decide when to quit? What is their plan of play? Here are some examples of slot players and when they decide to quit playing:JANET: I give myself a set amount of money to play with...read more

Top 10 Pot Limit Omaha poker strategy tips

Pot Limit Omaha, better known as PLO for short, has been growing in popularity over the past few years. Featuring similar rules to Texas Hold’em but adding more strategic elements and more excitement, PLO is an excellent choice for players looking for something new that they don’t actually have to learn from scratch.However, many new players make a mistake of thinking that knowing how to play Hold’em will be enough to also do well in Omaha...read more

Playing carnival games

Earlier this summer, I was talking with blackjack-playing Bob, someone I’ve mentioned several times. He pointed out a full Mississippi Stud table and two full Three Card Poker tables.“It always makes me wonder if people play those as their main games,” he said...read more

Bye-bye, comps

Stickman,For the past five years I have lived within 10 miles of four different Indian casinos. Over time I have accrued a decent amount of weekly free play as well as a weekly “gift” from each of these four casinos. As you know, the amount of free play and quality of the gift is determined by the amount of money played.These past two years have seen no noticeable changes in my routine...read more

Triple zero equals a zero

QUESTION: I saw one of those new triple-zero roulette tables, and I was glad to have read about the house edge increase.I’m wondering how far casinos could take this. Could they have four zeroes? Five? More? How far could they go in adding zeroes and increasing their edge?ANSWER: The main limiting factor would be player acceptance...read more