Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 256

Video poker design

Video poker games aren’t designed to reflect the odds of poker. They’re designed to attract players and keep them in their seats, and to make a profit for the house.In the case of big four-ace payoffs, that’s well-known. Games such as Bonus Poker and Double Bonus Poker pay more on four aces than on the rarer straight flushes because chasing the aces brings in players...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: I've never had a hand pay on a slot machine

Question: A few years ago I went to Vegas for a vacation. Before my trip I practiced playing video poker using a program that told you when you played a hand incorrectly. I played about 80,000 hands at 99% correct. I played mostly Double Bonus Poker in Vegas...read more

Watch out!

There are so many things to watch out for when you go to the casinos for overnight stays. For example, did you bring your blood pressure medication? Because you very well might need it as the games can get quite exciting and your blood pressure can skyrocket...read more

Those deadly days

QUESTION: In one of your articles you wrote about "deadly days." You're so right, there are days, no matter what we play, we don't win a quarter. And the more we lose, the more we put into those machines until every dollar is gone. We're just unable to stop playing on those days! Why and how does that happen? How do you avoid those "deadly days"?You also talked about "standalone” machines...read more

Why Henry Tamburin takes insurance

A friend of mine was watching me play blackjack in a casino. I was playing heads-up against the dealer in a double-deck game. He didn’t say much to me while I was playing other than to give me an “attaboy” when I beat the dealer, or offer condolences when the dealer pulled a miracle draw to beat me.After about 45 minutes of playing, we broke for lunch...read more

Deal Me In: Anatomy of a beatdown

Dear Mark: Terrific column last week, Breaking the Bank, especially the portion on Don Johnson’s take down of three Atlantic City casinos at blackjack. I was, to a certain extent, involved with the circumstance. At the time, I was a dealer at the Caesars and actually dealt to Mr...read more

Those "other" players

Casino entertainment can take many different forms. There are the games, of course, where winning is the best entertainment. Losing, not so much. There are the showrooms, lounges, dealertainers at casinos that have party pits, and much more to keep us amused.And then there are other players...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Can the RNG be programmed to pay out frequently or infrequently?

Question: I live in the United States and I play slots online for real money (Shhhhh...don't tell anyone!) I've noticed that the online site I play at has an "auto play" feature that lets me spin 20 times or more automatically...read more

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Many gambling writers say that emotions do not count in gambling. You cannot change the nature of a casino game because of your feelings. The RNG in a slot machine works as it was programmed to work, whether you are happy, sad, cheering, crying, clapping or moaning.This is quite true...read more

Cruise ship blackjack

QUESTION: You answered a question a few weeks ago about shipboard casinos, and I had to laugh. The player mentioned blackjack table limits being raised from $5 to $6. That’s something I’ve only seen on cruise ships, and not even often there...read more