Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 358

A shuffle through the gaming mailbag

Q. I saw a craps game with cards. It used two cards instead of a dice roll. You played just like at a craps table with 10 times odds. It had the same craps layout. What do you think of this game? What are the odds? A. The came is called Card Craps, and it's primarily used in markets such as California where dice games are illegal. The only cards used are aces through 6s, mirroring the 1 through 6 spots on the faces of a standard die...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: VLT video poker tips

Any tips for VLT video poker machines? Mike Dear Mike, Yes, one tip. Treat them like slot machines. Unlike the Class III video poker machines you find in Las Vegas, Tunica, Atlantic City and other places, VLT video poker machines do not determine the results of hands played on them...read more

Roulette: when double-zero beats single-zero

Nearly all bets at double-zero roulette wheels give the house a 5.26% edge, the exception being the five-number-bet on 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3. That one bucks a house edge of 7.89%. All bets at single-zero roulette wheels have a house edge of 2.7%...read more

She is and she isn't

My wife, the beautiful AP, was a great card counter at blackjack. We played together as a team from 1989 to June of 2001 when our youngest son, Michael, graduated from college. The moment we finished the graduation ceremony she said to me, "I am now officially retired from playing blackjack." I had a strong feeling this was coming...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: How do casinos figure slot comps?

My wife and I got to Hollywood Casino in Indiana to hopefully win and naturally along the way pay our dues for the beautiful casino. We both have Celebrity Comp cards and use them religiously. I probably spend a little more than my wife, but when the comps come through, she always has $5 or $10 more than me. How do they figure? Is it figured by time spent on a machine or total bucks fed into the slots during the visit? Does a win of, let's say, $100 reduce the comp credit you receive? Hope you can supply some info to me...read more

Can I bet pass and don't pass at the same time?

Hello Frank: I ran into a guy who said the way he played craps was to bet the pass line and don't pass line at the same time. This seems very wrong to me as first it gains you nothing and second it might get you thrown out of some casinos as trying to scam comps. Do you think most casinos would allow pass and don't pass at same time? Interested in your opinion. Thanks, Alan Dear Alan: Since the casino has the edge on both the pass and the don't pass, it is really rare to find a casino that will not allow betting this way...read more

Deal Me In: To assure a win, hold your breath and count to 13

Dear Mark: Why is it that when a player jumps in while I’m playing blackjack, it seems to screw up the order of the cards in the shoe for the worse? Brian M.Many players’ superstitions lead to strong, dubious, beliefs, such as: a new player enters the game in the middle of a shoe, changing the order of the cards and causing the innocent believer-in-magic to lose.Yes, Brian, I will agree with you that the order of cards will alter when someone enters the game, but there is no way that you, the dealer, Nostradamus, or I can predict whether the new sequence of cards will help or hurt you...read more

Video Poker Tips

With the myriad choices of video games available in today's casino, many people are looking for the best game to play. Depending on the individual, "best" is as varied as the games available. If "best" is defined by low house edge, then Video Poker is for you -- at least some of the Video Poker available today is for you...read more

A shuffle through the gaming mailbag

Q. I've been playing the slots for 40 years and have played in 96 casinos, by my count. I have a question that I've never been able to get a response to, even from IGT. We're told to check the payout schedule on the back glass on every machine...read more

Ask the Slot Expert: Where can I find a PAR sheet for a slot machine?

I would like to know where I can find the PAR sheet of a slot machine? Do you want the PAR sheet for a particular slot machine? That will be almost impossible to get. First, you have to find out which payback program a casino specified for the machine...read more