Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 281

Triple Play and five-spot blackjack

QUESTION: I developed a new system last week. I put $200 into a Triple Play Double Double Bonus machine and played max bet at $1. I was done in about three minutes!I'm trying to figure out what to name the system.ANSWER: “Ouch!” seems like a good name, or “Off!” or “Kapow!” or any number of Batman TV on-screen expletives.Max bet on a $1 Triple Play Poker game is $15, so with $200 you were starting with enough for 13 bets, with $5 left over...read more

How Fast Should You Play Video Poker?

Video poker players each have their own comfort level when it comes to how fast to play their favorite game.Some set the speed of the machine on the slowest possible setting, hit the Deal button, study the cards that are dealt in great detail, possibly even ask the player next to them what they would do and then slowly and deliberately use one finger to select each card to be held and then hit the Draw button slowly and deliberately with the same finger...read more

Deal Me In: The machine is random; it's the payout that's fixed

Dear Mark: I believe in the theory that slot machines do not act in a random manner, but are fixed to pay out at the leisure of casino management. I just can’t believe it can be any other way. Fred C.Total agreement here, Fred. Slot machines are fixed, but not for the reason you suspect...read more

Hit that hand!

QUESTION: I disagree with the basic strategy charts, mainly on one hand. When I have 16 and the dealer has a 7, it makes no sense to me to hit the hand. If the dealer doesn’t have a 10 or an Ace down, he has to hit and has a good chance of busting...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Are new slot machines limited in how much they can pay?

I understand that some slots work as if they are lottery scratch-off tickets. Does that mean a limited number of winning tickets? It seems to me you can play for a top prize that has been awarded and never know it had already been claimed...read more

Trend betting: real-time edge?

[This is excerpted from Frank’s new book “I Am a Dice Controller: Inside the World of Advantage-Play Craps.”]The newest attempt to repackage the oldest form of betting system has arrived, brought to you by a small cadre of self-proclaimed Internet dice gurus whose gambling beliefs truly belie their expertise...read more

First-time players

Casino players aren’t born knowing every rule and procedure in the books. Sometimes we run afoul of policies, especially when we first start to play and haven’t yet learned the casino facts of life.Do you remember a time when the rules took you by surprise? These players do:Vic: This was one of the first times I ever played table games...read more

Mystery Shopping Has Eight Pitfalls

Mystery shoppers provide casinos with a snapshot of what real guests experience at the property. But there can be pitfalls if the shopping is not properly organized and utilized.Mystery shopping is a valuable service. Casino marketing departments often use mystery shoppers to gain insight into how guests feel about the property’s customer service...read more

Learning the casino landscape

When I started writing about casinos in the early 1990s, I wanted to make sure I tried everything first-hand.I got up at 6 a.m. for a week and to attend a blackjack dealer training class, practicing shuffling and chip stacking with other students who would go on to complete six weeks and deal in the sponsoring casino...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Slots and taxes

I am a loyal fan of your column. You have taught me a lot about slot machines and I really appreciate the work you do. My sisters and I really love playing slots. We are in some casino at least twice a month. We have long noticed that slot makers make games featuring every race under the sun except black...read more