Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 194

Gambling potpourri

In English, “potpourri” is often used to refer to any collection of diverse items. It’s a kind of collection of miscellaneous literary extracts.In this case we have a collection of gambling trivia that includes facts, events and oddities that do not fit into any specific category.The dictionary tells us that gambling is the wagering of money or something of value (referred to as "the stakes") on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods.Gambling thus requires three elements be present: consideration, chance and prize...read more

Cell phones and free drinks

QUESTION: I know you like a good story, and I have one from blackjack.This guy buys in and puts his cell phone on the table, right in front of him. The dealer tells him he's going to have to put that away. He grumbles a little, then puts the phone in his pocket.Guy plays a few hands, then one is dealt, and the guy's phone goes off and he darts off, a few feet away from the table, looks at his phone and comes right back...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Can a slot machine tell the difference between free play and cash?

Question: I am constantly reading online that a slot machine cannot differentiate between free play and cash. Recently, the operations of my local casino switched ownership, and we no longer accrue points when using free play. This to me indicates that the machine is indeed distinguishing between cash versus free play. Answer: I hope that I never wrote that a machine can't differentiate between free play and cash because it clearly can, as you discovered...read more

The mesmerism of slots

Next time you go to the casinos, don’t play right away. I want you to walk around the slot aisles and watch the players. That’s right. I want to propose to you an experiment that might prove a contention of mine that I am about to share with you.I think what you will find is that most players are lost in another world...read more

Two big slot questions

Slot machines are the most widely played games in American casinos. And naturally enough, the largest share of my e-mail from readers is about the slots.New players and new readers come aboard all the time, so there are common themes to reader questions...read more

Don't fear video poker

I receive many communications from slot players who want to play video poker but don’t know how and don’t even know where to start. Many think the games might be too tough for them to learn. This is not true. Video poker is fun and the games are relatively easy to learn.A big problem is that many players are indeed confused by the myriad of different video poker games in different denominations that they see on the casino floor...read more

Get the strategy right

QUESTION: I don’t understand why 9/6 Jacks or Better is supposed to pay more than 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker. You’re really playing for four of a kind, and those pay so much more on Double Double Bonus. All you can get is 125 coins on Jacks or Better no matter what the four of a kind, and on Double Double Bonus you get at least 250 and can get 2,000.ANSWER: The key is the payoff on two pairs, where Jacks or Better pays 2-for-1 and Double Double Bonus pays only 1-for-1...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: The Max Bet button on a video poker machine

Question: I would like to point out a suggestion concerning the use of the max bet button in video poker. For the majority of your article I totally agree. However, not all VP machines are the same. For example, in some jurisdictions, hitting MAX doesn't play 5 credits, it plays 20...read more

Getting the edge with comps

If you think the tricks last week were, well, tricky, now we get into some serious comp-duggery, which will allow you to actually get what I call the “monetary edge” over the casino, which means that between the comps you don’t deserve and the ratings on the game that you don’t deserve, you’ll actually be getting more back from the casino then you’re shelling out at the table-game of your choice...read more

Superstitions

I’m not a superstitious sort. I don’t carry lucky icons, wear lucky clothing or perform good-luck rituals while I play. I’ve been known to egg on my brother Jay in his jackpot dance, probably to the amusement of surveillance rooms everywhere.If others have rituals they like to follow, more power to them...read more