Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 319

Deal Me In: The weighty power of the pit boss

Dear Mark: Recently, I was playing third base on a blackjack table at one of Detroit's casinos. The player playing first base, for some reason, had neglected to place a bet on a particular hand, but the dealer did not notice and gave her a card...read more

The casino slot Sybil

My casino play has a bit of a split personality. Multiple personalities, to be more accurate. When I’m playing for recreation, I want games that give me the best shot to win. So you’ll find me playing blackjack, video poker when I can find good pay tables, and occasionally craps.When I put on my writer’s hat, I play a little of everything...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Do casinos mark money with a pen?

You responded to "Do Casinos Mark Their Money" with a resounding "no." However, I was in AC last week and the craps table dealers were putting a stroke on the incoming bills (probably $100) with a pen leaving an invisible mark. This was the first time I saw this so maybe there have been some changes...read more

Our craps mentors

Thank you for all the info you share in your books, especially the heartwarming and inspiring story of the Captain's 147 numbers roll in your book “The Virgin Kiss.” You were indeed lucky and blessed to have known him.I had a great friend that is gone now too...read more

Blackjack machines and live dealers

QUESTION: I was playing at one of those blackjack tables that you touch the screen to bet, but there’s a dealer with real cards. Even though the cards were real, the screen lit up with a total for the hand. How do they do that? I was talking with the dealer, and he thought they were a halfway station to fully automated games, and that one day he’d be out of a job...read more

Changing video poker machines

One of the most controversial topics among video poker players is changing machines. I’m going to throw my two cents into this issue and share with you a slightly different perspective from Frank Kneeland, who is the author of the book “The Secret World of Video Poker Progressives.” (Kneeland also writes a video poker column for my Blackjack Insider newsletter.)Many video poker players will change machines when they are losing...read more

Deal Me In: A truly timely question

Dear Mark: I enjoyed your question last week regarding gambling wins and taxes. I have another question regarding my tax liability on a win. I am a slot payer who occasionally hits jackpots above $1,200. I have always declared my wins, but never deducted my losses, mostly because I fail to document them...read more

The odds at craps is a great bet

Craps players have long known that the combination of a pass line bet backed by free odds is one of the best bets in the casino. The pass line alone is no slouch, with a 1.41% house edge. But the free odds themselves have no house edge, so the overall edge on the pass-odds combo drops to 0.8% with single odds, 0.6% with double odds, 0.3% at 5x odds, 0.2% at 10x odds and 0.02% at 100x odds.The entire edge on the combo is attributable to the line bet, and that edge can never disappear entirely...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Do casinos mark their money with a scent?

I believe I have a big, serious question that maybe you can help me figure out.... My question about the casino is when you win and you cash out your ticket and change it for cash, does the casino money have a certain mark or scent that when you use it again to play their machine it stays at the casino? What I am trying to say is, is it different from the money you bring from home to play? Ladies and gentlemen, we he have our first entry for strangest question of the year. The casinos do not mark the money in any way...read more

The RNG and your ratings for wins and losses

Dear Frank:I enjoy reading Casino City Times and use your advice often. I have some questions on the technical side of slots and video poker. I understand how the RNG works and usually play Deuces Wild Video Poker.When you draw cards are they always placed left to right or random? I use this to determine what could have been and if I made the better play.The casino keeps track of my wins/losses correct?Now, if I remove my player’s card before cashing out will this effect the total or is the win/loss calculated when the spin stops? If I get a large win and remove the card before cashing out will it be recorded to my account?Yours truly,ArthurDear Arthur:Great question and the answer in video poker is probably both; sometimes the cards are dealt out exactly the way they would be in a real game -- from left to right -- and sometimes the remaining cards are “shuffled” and then one is put up, shuffled, then another is put up and so on.Companies can decide how they want to do this...read more