Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 262

Ask the Slot Expert: IRS proposal to lower W-2G threshold

Tuesday, June 2, was the deadline to submit comments to the IRS about its proposal to lower the W-2G threshold on slot jackpots to $600. The following is the comment I submitted. I am writing to express my objections to the proposal to lower the W-2G threshold on Electronic Gaming Devices (EGD) to $600. The current system is inherently unfair to EGD players...read more

Patterns count

Human beings are pattern-finding creatures. Indeed, understanding nature concerns picking up on patterns and projecting them into the future. Doing so often saves our lives. Daniel walks by the lions’ den and gets eaten. Paul walks by the lions’ den and gets eaten.Are you going to walk by the lions’ den? I am guessing not.Little Timmy feels the warm glow of the fire on this cold night in the frigid mountains...read more

Even-money blackjack payouts and Casino War

QUESTION: You have warned against playing blackjack when blackjacks pay only 6-5 because that increases the house edge. I assume that means you’d also warn against playing on machines where blackjack pays even money. What does that do to the house edge?I ask because I was playing on a dollar machine that had video poker, video keno, some slot games and video blackjack, but the blackjacks only paid even money.ANSWER: When blackjacks pay even money, it adds 2.3 percent to the house edge against a basic strategy player when compared with a game where blackjacks pay 3-2.That’s one of the reasons video blackjack has never achieved massive popularity...read more

Presentation Skills Are a Must

For those of you who follow my columns regularly, you may think what you are about to read is a bit of a change from my usual guest experience focus. But by the time you reach the end, I think you will see how it all ties in.I participate in a lot of casino conferences and executive meetings, and I’m often surprised at how poorly important information is communicated...read more

Deal Me In: Player cries foul, but was it?

Dear Mark: I would like to know how you would have handled this blackjack scenario. I made my biggest bet of the evening ($100), and the dealer proceeded to deal two cards to each player on the table. Before the first hand was played, the player in the middle position informed the dealer that he only had one card...read more

The hierarchy of games

My e-mail box reflects a certain hierarchy among casino games. I get more questions and comments about slot machines than anything else. Next come blackjack and video poker, because of their large elements of skill.But after that comes Three-Card Poker, which brings even more e-mail than traditional favorites craps and roulette.Within the last few weeks, I’ve received two questions about different aspects of Three-Card Poker, and another that touches on the game in a roundabout sort of way...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: The kiosk ate my slot ticket

Enjoying your articles about W2-G to be issued for $600 or over payouts. I have a novel solution to the problem: Why not have all gamers contact their congressmen and tell them that they want slots to remain at $1,200 and tell them that they want $1,200 to be the threshold as well for horse racing, dog racing, jai alai and anything else that currently has a $600 threshold? Also, it should be mandatory that a minimum of 15 percent be withheld from any W2-G payment for income taxes -- and if the player wants more than 15 percent withheld, the payer must comply with the request. Considering that one of the justifications offered for lowering the threshold to $600 is that it brings the threshold for slots in line with the threshold for other gambling activities, raising the other threshold on the other activities is certainly a valid alternative...read more

Stealing and the "Crappy Iron Cross"

FROM ERNEST: I have evolved my knowledge and love of blackjack in a significant part from over the years reading your excellent column. Truth be told, I have guided many a player to your column if they want to be a student of the game. I also enjoy craps and again feel your great articles have played a significant role in my enjoyment of that game...read more

Your chips or their chips?

FROM ERNEST: I have evolved my knowledge and love of blackjack in a significant part from over the years reading your excellent column. Truth be told, I have guided many a player to your column if they want to be a student of the game. I also enjoy craps and again feel your great articles have played a significant role in my enjoyment of that game...read more

Royals, money lines and streaks

QUESTION: I play 10-7-5 Double Bonus Video Poker. I kept track of how many hours I play before get a royal and it seems that I get them about every 100 to 110-plus hours of play. What I read before was that it should happen in 48+ hours of play.What are your thoughts on how many hours?ANSWER: It's partly dependent on how fast you play...read more