Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 258

More of gambling's fads and facts

I am covering some of the many (as in many, many, many) gambling systems that players use to win money – even if the systems actually lose money, which almost all of them do. The “fad” is what players think the system does and why they play it; the “fact” is what the system actually accomplishes...read more

Four aces and 10 10s

QUESTION: Please explain about the video poker games with the bonuses on aces. You get 400 coins on the aces in Bonus Poker, 800 in Double Bonus, 2,000 in Double Double Bonus and 4,000 in Triple Double Bonus.The aces have to come up a lot less with the bigger payoffs, right? If they come up the same, why would anybody play for the 400 instead of the 4,000?ANSWER: First, a couple of points of clarification: The payoffs you list assume a five-coin bet...read more

Your video poker quiz

Remember the pop quiz back in high school? Try this True or False pop quiz for video poker.1. You should always play the maximum number of coins when you play video poker.2. If your initial five-card hand has a four of diamonds and you discard it, it’s possible for you to get a four of diamonds on the draw.3...read more

Deal Me In: Lady Luck smiles over the short run

Dear Mark: I love your column and look forward to it every Thursday. I am a dedicated blackjack player and follow basic strategy. For years, I have preferred playing one- and two-deck games (on Fremont St.), but lately, I find I do better with the six- and eight-deck shoes...read more

Real live poker

I don’t write a lot about live poker — the Texas Hold’em, seven-card stud and Omaha that you see in casino card rooms. Most of my poker playing has been done in home games, with rules that have little to do with anything you’ll find at casinos...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Is slot cash back gambling income?

Question: Many casinos offer cashback programs. If you cash in your points for cash when you leave the casino, is this taxable income? Does the casino include this cashback as 1099-Misc income as they do for prizes and awards not included as a W-2G win? I know that comps are not being reported or taxed (so far), but what do the tax experts say about how one handles the cashback or merchandise you get from the cashback programs? Answer: My go-to reference for gambling-related tax matters is Tax Help for Gamblers by Jean Scott and Marissa Chien...read more

Gambling's fads and facts

An optimistic pessimist might conclude that there are as many gambling systems as there are gamblers in America. Some of these systems might actually give the player the edge, if that player has the discipline to learn and execute the system...read more

A big law case and tipping

QUESTION: Is there anything you can tell us about the court case over Mississippi Stud Poker? Two men in Illinois were charged with felonies when one could see the flop card and signaled it to the other.ANSWER: On Dec. 9, a judge in Joliet, Illinois, gave a directed verdict of acquittal after the prosecution rested in a felony case where two Michigan men were accused of signaling face-down common cards in Mississippi Stud Poker at Joliet’s Hollywood Casino...read more

Those slot club promotions

The first slot clubs were introduced to generate loyalty for the casino from its patrons. The popularity of slot clubs grew exponentially. Now, virtually every casino in the U.S. has some form of slot club. Most of them are affiliated with other casinos within the same casino conglomerate, so benefits earned in one casino can be enjoyed at another casino within the same group.Just having a slot club is no longer a differentiator...read more

Deal Me In: Math trumps kitchen table consensus

Dear Mark: This is not a question, but an observation about people. I was invited to play with a group of old-timers, mostly retired or soon-to, professors. Some of us play three-card games. The first time I had a winning three-card hand (straight) a player with a flush pulled in the chips...read more