Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 170

Player-selected wild card video poker

QUESTION: In the deep, dark recesses of my mind, I think I recall a video poker game where you could choose your own wild card.It had a pay table like Deuces Wild, with wild royals, five of a kind and so forth, but if you wanted to make a 4 or a 9 or whatever your wild card, you could choose it.Do you remember the game? Is there a best card to choose to be wild, or does it not make any difference?ANSWER: I do recall the game from the early 1990s, though it’s been many years since I’ve seen it on casino floors...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: What information is on a slot ticket?

Question: While on a cruise I found a $300 slot voucher the first night. I turned it over to the cashier and asked if they would be able to find the owner. I was told yes! Well, it took five days before the owner was found. So my question is: What information is on the voucher, and if you use a players, card is it easier to find out who a voucher belongs to? Answer: That's two questions, but who's counting? How could it take five days to find someone on a cruise ship? Was he a stowaway hiding in the bathroom? I never took a close look at all of the information that is on a cashout voucher until now...read more

Tackling dopey craps ideas

Without question, the best bets at the game of craps are the pass line with full odds and the come with full odds; also the don’t pass with full odds and the don’t come with full odds. No matter what comboobalations critics of these bets attempt to proselytize to dismiss them and advocate other “less-good” bets, these sad ploppies are actually the flat-worlders of craps, denying that earth is a sphere and math dictates proper betting.Please note: When I say “full odds” it is possible that you can’t afford to take those odds...read more

Beginner's luck

Beginner’s luck exists mainly in our imaginations. First-time players are no more likely to hit a jackpot or otherwise win big than players on their second, fourth or 55th casino visit. In skill games, first-timers are less likely to win if they haven’t mastered optimal strategies.In January, I put out a call to some frequent e-mailers to ask if they remember their first big win, and how often they’d played before their stroke of luck...read more

Hop bets at craps

Stickman,I’ve seen many articles discussing house advantages on craps and how bad hop bets are. I don’t think I’ve ever seen what the house advantage is on hopping sevens, however. I am probably wrong but it seems like it would be low. If you bet all three combos for $1 each and hit one, it pays $15...read more

The big hit

QUESTION: My sister hit one of the bigger jackpots on a video slot. It was the major on a machine with mini, minor, major and grand. It was almost $1,000, so it was a great day.She won it in the first five minutes she was playing. I don’t know how many spins, but it was quick...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Hard Rock Atlantic City stunning improvement over Taj Mahal

Question: Since the Hard Rock Casino opened in Atlantic City this past summer, it has quickly become our favorite destination. They did a fantastic job of renovating the outdated Taj Mahal. The new place is stunning and they have been very generous. The question that I have for you relates to the Hard Rock Casinos in Florida, as well as other destinations...read more

In and out of the flow

When I was an athlete there were games where near perfection seemed to exist for me. It was hard to miss a pitch or a basket. Everything just seemed to come to me. Of course, the equal but opposite was also true – disappointingly so. I could not hit the ball with a tennis racket and the basket seemed to have a lid on it...read more

Top 10 signs you're ready to go from recreational to professional poker player

You need to be a winning player over a large sample in whatever game format you prefer to play. (photo by Flickr)Playing poker for a living seems like a dream come true for many. The freedom that comes with playing poker, alongside almost unlimited financial opportunity, make poker an appealing career choice...read more

The baccarat player

Kyle is a baccarat player, or so he told me via e-mail.He’s not a big bettor, sticking mostly to low-limit mini-baccarat tables and betting $10 per hand.“I win some and I lose some, but I have fun and can usually play a long time for my money,” he wrote.Kyle tries to keep things interesting with a couple of betting systems.Let’s look at each separately.KYLE: Sometimes I try to catch a streak...read more