Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 356

Deal Me In: Boosting the payoff

Dear Mark: On multi-denomination slot and video poker machines, does the payback percent increase when I play higher denominations on the same machine? Betty B.The potential for the long-term payback does go up, Betty, as you increase the denomination on a multi-denominational machine.Most, but not all, multi-denominational machines actually have better long-term paybacks as you increase the denomination on them...read more

Time For A Safety Checkup

For as long as I can remember Daylight Saving Time meant it was also the time for our home safety check. We always check the batteries in our smoke detectors and flashlight and check the gauges on our fire extinguishers when we move the clocks...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: How does number of coins played affect long-term payback?

I have decided that I much prefer playing the Deuces Wild Bonus Video Poker. I especially like the ones that pay a progressive for the Royal Flush, 5 Aces and 4 Deuces. Some of them also have a progressive for other 4 of a kinds...read more

Slot bonuses and secondary hits

QUESTION: Don’t the paybacks on bonus rounds have to be set in advance? If your choices made a difference, they wouldn’t know how much to count the bonus in programming the payback percentage.ANSWER: Your choices do count on most manufacturers’ bonus events...read more

Should you ever place the 5 or 9?

This was posted by Frank Scoblete on the Golden Touch Craps private members-only website.There’s been a lot of debate about the placing of the 5 and 9, some of it quite intense on our message boards.Well I am now going to settle this thing once and for all – or at least for the next few minutes while you read this...read more

Will Hot Numbers Stay Hot?

When a number is “hot” it will continue to be hot? The purveyors of systems using this premise have silly but catchy sayings such as “see a horn, bet a horn.” The horn bet includes the craps bet numbers (2, 3, and 12) and the “yo” (11). An interesting side note is why the 11 is called a “yo.” You will never hear the stickman at a craps table call the 11 simply eleven – it is always called “yo-eleven.” The reason for this – eleven sounds very close to seven and nobody wants to mistake an 11 for a 7...read more

Some new slot machine myths

Some slot machine myths have faded into obscurity because of technology and players getting used to technology.Nobody worries about whether a machine will go cold if it senses hot coins fresh from the hopper, since hardly any games use coins anymore...read more

Do you need luck in dice control?

This was posted by Frank Scoblete on the Golden Touch Craps private members-only website.In our dice control classes, Dominator and I mention that in any long or money-making controlled dice rolls, you do need some “luck.” What the heck does that mean? Does it mean you don’t have an edge without luck?No, it doesn’t mean that.Just recall any winning roll you had and remember that every so often those dice slipped out of your fingers and you knew the darn shot was awful...read more

The "Mean" Priest and Dice Control Teams

My dad is the only person I know who told a priest to go to hell. Years later after I was born, he shared, “Vera, the priest said the devil was inside of me because I was left handed, so I told him if that was the case, than the devil is inside this church.” Ralphie disclosed the above while reaching into the left pocket of his Capri shorts...read more

Deal Me In: Twilight play doesn't mean looser machines

Dear Mark: Do slots pay more when the casino is crowded? It sure seems like there are more winners when I play in the evening, as opposed to when I play during the day. Kay S.Besides it being illegal, Kay, no manufacturer would program a machine to hit at a specific time...read more