Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 256

Deal Me In: Buy-er beware

Dear Mark: I have heard, although not seen, that certain casinos offer different commissions on a 4 and 10 buy bet. Of three casinos near where I live, they all offer a buy bet with a 5% commission. Was I misinformed? Nick F. Essentially, Nick, a buy bet resembles a place bet except that you pay a 5% commission on the amount of your wager...read more

I'm here to gamble

Basic strategy helps take as much of the gamble out of blackjack as possible. It’s based on the mathematical probabilities for each possible hand against each dealer face-up card.The best strategies don’t guarantee winners, but they do reduce the house edge and take a little risk out of gambling.Nonetheless, I occasionally find myself in a situation where, “I’m here to gamble” is a useful phrase...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Is there proof that slot machines are not rigged?

I was wondering about video poker machines and blackjack machines. Is there proof that they are not rigged somehow? In other words, the RNG is programmed to do its normal thing but, say, every 100 hands if it lands on a certain number that it somehow deletes the pick or changes it? A number of years ago at New York-New York Hotel & Casino, I was playing video poker and video blackjack and could not win anything...read more

Pushing it

It’s a quite familiar situation for many casino players. The session is not going well; you lose and lose and lose some more. Nothing seems to be working. You try this strategy and that strategy and even a few strategies that you know are completely ridiculous.You bet with the trends; you bet against the trends; you flip coins to figure out how to bet...read more

Why Jacks or Better?

QUESTION: It kind irritates me that you and other writers usually use Jacks or Better for examples in your articles to demonstrate a point about video poker strategy. As you are well aware, the most popular video poker game is Double Double Bonus...read more

More about craps percentages

This is a follow-up question from a previous article about the house edge at craps from Bill:Hello Stickman,I understand the percentages you mentioned in your response to my original questions, and using your reply I can rephrase my question.On the come out I have a 2-1 edge on 12 rolls which is 33.1/3% edge...read more

There's something about Carla

Carla is a regular reader of this column who likes to tell her stories. A couple of years ago, she told of a nice run with a betting progression at blackjack in which her $100 buy-in became $1,800.Her most recent e-mail came when I was collecting stories about alternatives for time away from their main games.“I probably spend 75% of my time at blackjack,” she wrote...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: How many RNGs in a multi-game machine?

I’m a keno junkie. It seems to me that my favorite Game King keno machine is easier to hit playing nickels. When I use quarters it seems to pay less often. There is only one RNG per machine, right? Or is there one RNG for each denomination? And another variation on the same theme: I play Game Kings...read more

Pressing bets

I get several e-mails a month asking me what the best pressing method is. These usually refer to the table games, mostly craps, blackjack, mini-baccarat and roulette. I usually write back the following:“Do not bother to press because the extra money you put out there is subject to the exact same house edge as the original money...read more

The odds are the same

QUESTION: I have been playing slots for the past four years and I have noticed that virtually all of my big wins of $500 or more happen within the first few spins. I have not been able to “force” a machine to win by playing long periods at the same machine...read more