Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 328

Ask the Slot Expert: Changing the odds of hitting the Megabucks jackpot

Dear Mr. Robison: I enjoy reading the Slot Expert blog on Casino City Times. I have a question about the Megabucks slot machine. Someone won the Megabucks progressive jackpot on April 10th. This win occurred only five months after the previous jackpot win...read more

The divided table, match play and cruise control

Hi Frank,I'm sending this e-mail concerning a term I heard in a Delaware casino.At a baccarat table, I heard some of the players yelling loudly for a certain card to come up from the shoe, in order for them to receive the winning hand. They kept calling out the word "Monkey,” "Monkey.”Could you tell me the origin of the term and how players started using it?Thanking you in advance,LesDear Les:The word “monkey” is a translation of the word “monarchy.” When the European playing cards made their way east to China, the Chinese did not say the word “monarchy” correctly and they accented it as “monkey.” That’s the general story of this use of the word.Therefore a “monkey” is a card with the jack, queen or king on it.I am sending you a copy of my book "The Virgin Kiss" since I published your letter.All the best in and out of the casinos!FrankDear Frank:I played craps at the Hacienda casino out near the Hoover Dam where they have $1 craps...read more

Banned in blackjack and bonus video poker

QUESTION: I’ve been playing blackjack for a long time, and recently encountered a situation I’d never seen. The first baseman hit a hard 17 against a 10. The dealer called out the play, and a supervisor game over to watch. The player drew a 6 and busted...read more

Class II vs. Class III video poker machines

Many casinos on Native American reservations offer Class II video poker games based on a bingo game that runs in the background. These machines operate differently than the Class III video poker machines that you would find in casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, etc...read more

Promotional yank can expose your pay envelope

Dear Mark: Our local casino offers free spins on a slot machine that has a $1,000 jackpot, plus other prizes like free dinners if you cash your paycheck there. Are these free-play machines less likely to hit than a machine that you put money in? Jim K.The random number generator (RNG) of any slot machine doesn’t give one iota if you are given a free yank of the handle or using your own hard-earned money.I need, however, to question an element of your inquiry when you stated, "if you cash your paycheck there." My problem, Jim, is that having a wad of cash in a casino makes for a gambling misadventure for those susceptible to that sort of temptation...read more

Good service goes a long way

On any given day, most people who play in casinos are going to lose money. Casino operators know that, and players know it too.The trick for the operators is to make the players feel good about their day out. Little customer service touches go a long way toward keeping us happy, or close...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Does stopping when you're ahead work on slots?

Last week you wrote: A group in the Midwest was able to figure out the RNG function in a video poker machine and, with that information, they were able to figure out the five cards that would be used to replace discards. Obviously, they were caught. "Caught" implies "and prosecuted for cheating" to me...read more

Great old-time stories and casino paranoia

Dear Frank:In Vegas with new girlfriend. She started on a penny machine giving .25 per play. When done after 3 hrs up $200. Next day went back to machine and it was gone. Casino says they make adjustments at night -- hard to believe they watch penny machines?SEDear SE:Coincidence...read more

Royals and sports betting

QUESTION: On your recommendation, I’ve been practicing video poker on my computer, and looking at some of the stats for the different games. The software I use says royal flushes come up once every 40,391 hands on 9/6 Jacks or Better, but a little less often at once per 40,170 on 8/5 Jacks or Better...read more

Yuck! Mouse roulette

“Pappy” Smith, the senior owner of Harold’s Club in Reno, Nevada, hired a traveler in the early 1940s that brought with him an unusual game.The crazy game, known a “Mouse Roulette,” featured a large box with 50 numbered holes in it. After the players had made their bets, a field mouse was released from a cage across the top of the box, and players waited anxiously for it to scoot down one of the numbered holes.The hole the mouse descended into was than declared the winner.As time went on, players figured out the mouse would dive into a hole when someone would clap their hands together or make a loud noise...read more