Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 29

Expectations

CINDY: Everybody has certain expectations when they go to the casino. What are yours?ABBY: True. I have expectations. I do not think the regular casino players such as us expect to always win but we do have a hope for that. But I consider expectations to be something different than just hoping to win...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Split Card calculations: Straight Flush - Part 1

Previously on Ask the Slot Expert: A few weeks ago I played Deuces Wild with the Split Card gimmick. Split Card sometimes gives you two cards in one position of your hand. Although it's possible to get 6 of a Kind and other six-card hands, the only bonus hand is 5 Deuces, which pays 2000. I was dealt this hand: Q♦ 2♠/2♠ 2♥ T♦ 8♥. I wasn't sure which combination was better to hold: Q♦ 2♠/2♠ 2♥ T♦ and be guaranteed the Wild Royal and maybe get 4 Deuces 2♠/2♠ 2♥ and take a chance on 5 Deuces Here is the EV of option 1. Hold: Q♦ 2♠/2♠ 2♥ T♦ HandPaysWaysTotal Pays 4 Deuces100022000 Wild Royal125455625 Total7625 EV=Total/47162.23 Here is what I have so far for the EV of option 2. Hold: 2♠/2♠ 2♥ HandPaysWaysTotal Pays 5 Deuces20004590,000 4 Deuces100019801,980,000 Wild Royal1251357169,625 5 of a Kind802457196,560 Straight Flush50 4 of a Kind20 Total EV=Total/16,215 Let's start on Straight Flush...read more

Players' Salaries

“I love the free stuff the casinos give to me. During the week I get a free room, a bunch of buffet meals, and sometimes I even get a show! All that just for playing their games. How do you like that?”My friend above is looking at comps in the wrong way...read more

What Denomination Do You Play?

Over the years, there have been different versions of “man on the street” interviews. Typically, someone would ask a random person on the street a general question. This was done to get a feeling for what the general public felt about a topic.I tried this in a few local casinos...read more

Time to Leave the Casino?

Over the years, there have been different versions of “man on the street” interviews. Typically, someone would ask a random person on the street a general question. This was done to get a feeling for what the general public felt about a topic.I tried this in a few local casinos...read more

Existing in a Slot Machine

CINDY: I have a little truth to reveal. I have no idea of what goes on in a slot machine. If I were to shrink myself and wind up inside the program that runs the machines I would be like totally lost. It just seems like a total universe that I don’t have a part of or knowledge of.ABBY: “Like totally lost” is an interesting way to put it...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Split Card calculations: 5 of a Kind

A few weeks ago I played Deuces Wild with the Split Card gimmick. Split Card sometimes gives you two cards in one position of your hand. Although it's possible to get 6 of a Kind and other six-card hands, the only bonus hand is 5 Deuces, which pays 2000. I was dealt this hand: Q♦ 2♠/2♠ 2♥ T♦ 8♥. I wasn't sure which combination was better to hold: Q♦ 2♠/2♠ 2♥ T♦ and be guaranteed the Wild Royal and maybe get 4 Deuces 2♠/2♠ 2♥ and take a chance on 5 Deuces So far, I've calculated the EV of option 1...read more

Man or Woman in the Casino

Over the years, there have been different versions of “man on the street” interviews. Typically, someone would ask a random person on the street a general question. This was done to get a feeling for what the general public felt about a topic.I tried this in a few local casinos...read more

Streaks

Random casino games all have streaks. At any given point in time a winning streak could begin – or end. At any given point in time a losing streak could begin – or end.Gamblers like to bet on streaks. Nowhere is this more evident than in craps...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Son of still stumbling over Split Card calculations

I ended last week's column with a challenge. I described a mistake I discovered in my formula for calculating the ways I could make a certain poker hand. Two of the terms were incorrect and I asked if you knew why. I gave the correct value, 43, as a hint...read more