Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 312

Hot and cold and shills

QUESTION: My wife and I went casino hopping, and we were on our fourth casino of the day. I play mostly blackjack and video poker, but this time the cheap blackjack tables were all full and the video poker pay tables were lousy. My wife wanted to play the slots, so I decided to play cheap, and sat down at a penny machine.I have to admit, I did OK on it and had some fun...read more

Playing two hands at blackjack

Sometimes you will see a blackjack player playing two hands instead of one. Other times, you might see a player who has been playing one hand suddenly spread to two hands in the middle of the shoe because he has the misconception that, by “changing the flow of cards,” he will change the luck of the table...read more

Great new machines

Slot machine manufacturers are never averse to adorning their games with a little Hollywood glitz. Graphics, film clips, sound effects and themed game symbols and bonus events promise extra entertainment, and that’s half the battle in getting players to give the game a try.The coming year will be no exception, with these hot new titles slotmakers touted to the casino industry in late September at Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas: Iron Man from WMS Gaming has plenty of images, sounds and clips from the movie...read more

Cruising for a bruising

FROM JACK: I have written several times and you have been gracious enough to print my comments and answer my questions.My wife and I are Platinum members of the big cruise line and enjoy cruising more than a Vegas trip because you get pampered much more, the shows are near-Vegas quality and the gourmet food can't be beat...read more

Can you patent a gambling game?

QUESTION: I was wondering if one were to invent a table game (or a variation of an existing game), could the idea be patented or protected and if so could it then be sold or leased to casinos?ANSWER: Yes, you can patent table games. In fact, if you're serious about marketing a new table games, it's essential to have your patents in order, complete with a mathematical workup on the game.I'm going to be a little downbeat here, because introducing a new table game is a tough go, no matter how good the game...read more

Seven things you should know

1. Double up to catch up – a big NO NO!Don’t try and double your bets when experiencing a losing streak. Many players hope to catch a big win and return to even while experiencing a losing streak. If things are not going well, you should reduce the size of your wager, instead of increasing it...read more

Those wild new machines

As I was walking toward the exhibit hall on the first day of the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, I was accosted by a horde of the undead. There were eight, maybe 10, staring blankly and growling. I was outflanked, with nowhere to go, but they parted slightly and let me pass through their midst.Whew.Once into the hall, who should I find patrolling a bank of new slot games but Beetlejuice, attracting ghost-free crowds.Unnatural? Not at all...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Shutting down a slot machine

We were recently at a casino in Nevada and my husband watched a slot tech go to someone to "help" them. He turned the machine off that the person was playing and the player went off to eat or to the bathroom or whatever. About 15 minutes later the player came back and the tech turned their machine back on...read more

Comps and craps bets

FROM CHUCK: Just getting into craps from blackjack, needed more excitement. But I also have an eye on comps. I understand that Odds are not counted (at least in the two local casino whose pit bosses I asked). So my question would be why do what so many people do by placing two come bets then stop...read more

Near misses and the bucket list

QUESTION: On my bucket list is some day receiving a W-2G form [required by the IRS before players can be paid jackpots of $1,200 or more].Here are some of those naive questions:I understand $1,200 and above as taxable income and must be reported...read more