Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 176

Laws of gambling

There is an endless amount of laws out there that effect our everyday living. For example, there is the Law of Gravity, the Law of Motion and many other phenomenal laws of nature. Closer to home are federal laws, state and local ones, and even walking laws — you don’t want to get a ticket for jaywalking.There seems to be some type of laws for almost everything we do today...read more

Doubling soft 17 hands

QQUESTION: I read something you wrote about doubling down on soft 17 vs. the dealer’s 3, 4, 5 or 6, and something about it just seems off kilter to me.In every case, you said the average profit per dollar of your original wager when you double was very nearly twice the profit when you hit...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Betting advice for Dragon Link games

A few odds and ends to close out the year. Question: I just got back from a short trip to Vegas where I played bubble craps at several locations. Coincidentally, I read your column both before I left and after I returned. Several observations about malfunctions: In the past the machines seemed to automatically re-roll after one of the dice was tilted against the wall of the pit...read more

Buried treasure

She sits at the machine figuring this is why she came to the casino. She works in an insurance company and, while her job makes her a good living, it is kind of dull. She has about 10 years before she can retire and take as many cruises as she likes...read more

Those other machines

Most of the slot machines I write about come from a few large companies – International Game Technology, Aristocrat Technologies and Scientific Games (which now holds both Bally and WMS) command the most attention, with Incredible Technologies, Konami Gaming, Everi and international giant Novomatic claiming pieces of the pie.In the midst of all that, American Gaming Systems has grown into real player in the slot market...read more

The Royal Flushes on old versus new

[The Royal Flushes, Abby and Cindy, are sisters who have been going to casinos regularly for over 35 years – often weekly. They have opinions about the games and the casino environment. See what you think.]ABBY: The question we ask today is this: Are casinos better now that they are run by big companies, or were the old days of individual ownership better? I’ll let Cindy go first.CINDY: There is no doubt that today’s casinos are far better than those of the past...read more

Drawing to a flush at video poker

QUESTION: I had a night where the straights and flushes just weren’t coming in 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker. I know sometimes they do. A few times ago, I made the flush the first five times I had one-card draws.This last time got me thinking, though...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: There must be something wrong with this video poker machine

I like playing this one bartop machine at a casino I visit once or twice a week. I only play this machine when the bar is not open. I don't want to take up a position when the bar is open because I order only the occasional water or Coke, though sometimes some rum does sneak into my soft drink. The chairs at this bar are normal height, not tall...read more

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

FROM ROBINSON: I need a Christmas gift. Do all bets and all games have a house edge? If so, that means no game can be beaten. So why are casinos so serious as games are being played? Are they that worried players or dealers will cheat if given the chance? I have seen so many floor people frowning as the games are being played that at times it makes me uncomfortable...read more

Doubles and soft hands at blackjack

I’ve often mentioned Bob, my blackjack-playing friend and a retired high school math teacher. A little over a year ago, I also wrote about Mike, Bob’s son, a middle-school science teacher who was drilling himself on strategy for soft doubling.Mike got in touch with me recently to say he’d mastered soft doubling, but was having a run of bad luck on the hands when playing for money.“Drilling on the computer worked like a charm,” Mike said...read more