Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 209

Ask the Slot Expert: Are extra bets on slots worth making?

Question: If the RNG determines at the nanosecond I spin if I win or lose, then it seems I should only play one line at a time. If I'm playing a dollar machine with five lines, then did I just waste $4 automatically? If it is either going to win or lose, wouldn't one line be sufficient? Answer: Your statements illustrate why I object to the way that some slot writers try to simplify the way slots work...read more

Seven deadly sins of craps

Craps is the most exciting game in the casinos. Craps players are an interesting and diverse lot too; from working-class men and women betting a small percentage of their incomes, all the way up to the economic elite of society betting tens of thousands of dollars on a single roll of the dice...read more

Asian Poker

Take a walk through the Asian games room at a large casino sometime, and you'll see a different mix than on the main casino floor. Baccarat is a must, and operators mix and match from a list that includes pai gow tiles, pai gow poker and sic bo — along with a little blackjack or craps.A newer game that sometimes claims a spot in these rooms is called Asian Poker, which recently added Atlantic City's Tropicana to its outlets.Asia Poker has similarities to pai gow poker, but you must divide seven cards into three hands instead of two.Here's how it works:As in pai gow poker, a 53-card deck is used...read more

More practice drills for blackjack

Just like baseball players, you need practice to maintain your skill at blackjack. Ball players do a lot of practice drills before a game, and even if they are not scheduled to play, they still come to the ballpark and warm up by doing the drills...read more

Becoming a pro slot player

QUESTION: I was wondering if you could give me some advice at becoming a professional slots player.I'm 26, working for a marketing company, and in a really good spot because of two big slots jackpots. They were both on penny progressive games, one for $25,000 and a little extra and the other for a little under $15,000.I was thinking about taking a year and using that money to play professionally...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Long-term payback, hit frequency and near misses on slot machines

Question: I read your recent column about the frequency of losing combinations with great interest. The letter mentioned a Double Diamond machine. I once was chatting with a slot manager at a casino in A/C years ago who mentioned, if I got this right, that they could order a Double Diamond machine in about 20 different “configurations”...read more

What we really feel

I am writing this article for my casino gambling colleagues who have been playing the games for a while now. This is not geared to someone thinking of going to the casinos for the first time, because your frustration level is not yet at peak...read more

Top 10 classic poker books

This book changed the game. The internet has given us access to plenty of poker materials and knowledge that took years to master in the past. However, finding the best poker book written by a professional player who knows the game from the inside can help you a lot.Finding a good book is not easy, but you will enjoy it when you do...read more

Three Card Draw Poker

My e-mail recently brought word from the Tropicana in Atlantic City that it was adding Three Card Draw Poker to its roster of table games.It's a game of some interest. I liked when I sat in for a few hands in a no-cash demonstration a year ago...read more

Bad blackjack advice

I was enjoying myself playing and winning at blackjack when a young lady took a seat next to me. It was obvious after a few hands that she didn't have a clue as to how to play the game so she boldly asked the young dealer for "advice" on how to play her hands...read more