Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 221

Deal Me In: One coin is fine on a multicoin/multiline

Dear Mark: On a multi-line/multi-coin video slot machine, how many coins do you recommend per line? Also, on a slot machine where you can push a button to stop the reels when I do decide to stop them, does it make any difference as to my chances of winning? Susan L.On multi-line/multi-coin slots, I would recommend playing one coin per line...read more

Don't do what this "don't" player did

Craps is the most social game in the casinos. For the most part, players win and lose together.That’s part of the fun. There’s nothing quite like the elation and camaraderie of a busy craps table with a shooter on the roll.Still, there are those who prefer the so-called dark side, betting the shooter won’t make his points...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Using casino credit

Question: My wife and I enjoy playing Banana King slots by Aristocrat. As you no doubt know, occasionally the player gets a bonus game called Match Card, in which you may win the Major, Minor or a consolation prize. The Major often runs in excess of $1000...read more

Mission impossible

Except for some banking slots, which I wrote about a little over a year ago, slot players are fully aware that they face a bleak future. The casino will have edges over them of between 17 and 2%. Those edges ranging in the 17% category will usually be the giant progressives with monster jackpots...read more

Better blackjack players

QUESTION: You mentioned that casinos are saying players are better and they have a smaller house edge in blackjack than they did years ago. What does that mean to players? Why should I really care about this?ANSWER: The main effect for players is a tightening of comps as casinos see less value in blackjack players.A couple of decades ago, I was told in casino-sponsored seminar that the casino assumed a house edge of 2 to 2.5% against an average player...read more

How to play those hard 8-11 hands

Most of the time, when you play blackjack, you are in a losing situation, meaning the dealer has a better chance of winning the hand than you do and, therefore, that’s not the moment to bet aggressively.However, when your initial two-card hand totals 8, 9, 10 or 11, some of the time you will be in the driver’s seat, meaning you have the best of it and should play more aggressively by doubling down (and in a few cases splitting) to put more money on the felt.Even though most players understand the value of doubling down on the above hard hands (especially 10 and 11), what they don’t understand is that the optimal strategy for doubling (and pair splitting) depends on several factors: the dealer’s upcard, the number of decks, and the playing rules...read more

Deal Me In: Fast play can make your day

Dear Mark: Over the years I have been playing slots less and less. Now I just play in an occasional slot tournament that our local casino offers. I do find these enjoyable. Do you have any suggestions on how I can improve my chances of winning in these tournaments? Mary L...read more

Automated games

A few weeks ago I wrote about automated and semi-automated table games, zeroing in on the Shaq Jack blackjack game that recently made its Atlantic City debut.That brought several questions from readers about automated formats in other games, with one specifically mentioning Aruze Gaming’s Shoot to Win Craps.Shoot to Win has been around for about five years...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Does Pennsylvania have VLTs?

Comment: I just read your recent column that began with this statement: "I know there is no such thing as the RNG from all my research and reviews from slot machine programmers...." In Pennsylvania that man is 100 percent correct...read more

Some like it hot

It’s August. In parts of the country, temperatures are soaring. It’s hot and in New York, where I live, it can be hot and humid and, at times, just awful. You sweat just thinking of the outdoors. That is why God created air conditioning. It is as close as we will ever get to the Garden of Eden.The only people who really like the temperature to be blazing hot are casino players, but their thinking has nothing to do with the weather outside the casino as it does with the weather inside the casino, at the tables and slot machines...read more