Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 384

Dealing with Deuces Wild pay tables

It's a basic principle of video poker that changes low on the pay table make a bigger impact than changes on bigger-paying hand. That's because smaller-paying hands come up a LOT more often than the big poppers. That doesn't mean the smart video poker player ignores the payoffs on big hands and focuses on choosing games with the right small pays...read more

Streaks of joy, streaks of pain

Life runs in streaks. For the past three days I have been getting streaks of bad luck: my outside lights all went out due to a faulty circuit (now repaired $$$), my washing machine went on strike due to a faulty something or other (now repaired $$$), my dishwasher's undercarriage broke due to a faulty screw (now repaired $$$), my television cable went kablooey due to a faulty outside cable connection (now repaired $$$), and my parrot's head got stuck in a small opening (I saved the little fellow but was not paid anything for that act of rescue). I have also had three-day periods where good things happened...read more

Hopping the 7 in Craps

Morning Stickman, I was reading through one of your articles and I wanted to enquire the following: The hopping 7s naturally seem to be a large investment should the shooter throw out 15 numbers and up. What if the person betting played the hopping 7s every roll and in addition, played the place bets...read more

Jest for Fun

A man who played poker with Siamese twins was asked, "Did you win?" "Yes and no," the man replied. * * * * * A slot player down to her last dollar took a shot at Megabucks. Missed it. * * * * * A deceased debt collector knocked on the gates of hell and asked Satan for permission to enter. "Why do you wish to come in here?" asked Satan. Collector: "I just want to collect some gambling debts from welshers who died before I could collect." Satan: "How do you know they're down here?" Collector: "Well, every time I tried to collect, this is the place everyone told me to go." * * * * * A woman patient to doctor: "Every time I play slot machines for an hour I become dizzy...read more

Raising the table minimum

Dear Frank, With your long experience in craps I thought you could explain this: I was playing at Harrah's in AC at about 1 a.m. on a $10 table. The table was full and we were all winning all night. The shooter had five numbers for the fire bet and while he was trying for the sixth number (he never made it) the boss said the table would go up to $15 with the next shooter. Can you give a guess why this would happen? It seemed crazy to bump the table at 1 a.m.! My guess is that either the table was winning too much or they wanted to thin the crowd so they could go home! What's your guess, O mighty craps guru? Thanks, Fred Dear Fred: As the "mighty craps guru" I can tell you this .....read more

A shuffle through the gaming mailbag

Q. I don't believe that the odds are really the same after a big win on a slot machine. I've been playing slots for 30 years, and I've had my share of jackpots. Not once have I ever had another jackpot on the next spin. Almost every spin after a jackpot has been a loser. No matter what you say, I think slot machines adjust and change the odds after they pay a jackpot. A...read more

How does the RNG in a keno machine work?

Read every letter you send out and feel more informed after each read. Thanks! My question is on RNGs and trying to picture in my mind. I know, I understand the idea but just how it works is hard to get straight in my mind. I know random means just that, but should I picture a keno ball dispenser on a huge scale and after one number drops, will it take a bit to get back in the system or is that number always in the RNG ready to come out as I assume is true? The other thing is does the cycle always run even though nobody is playing the machine? Dave Dear Dave, Thanks for the kind words about my column. The RNG in a keno machine works in exactly the same way as the blowers you see on a nightly lottery draw...read more

Hanging with The Hangover slot

I've never seen The Hangover. You might think anything with an iconic "Vegas, baby!" trek would be automatic for me, but life fills up, and this is one movie I missed. The Hangover slot machine is another matter. I make it my business to check out as many new casino games as I can...read more

The booze cruise

Dear Frank: I enjoy drinking when I am in a casino. I know, I know, you shouldn't get drunk because then you throw your money away. It's just that booze makes playing so much more fun for me. What say you? Steve Dear Steve: I enjoy having some drinks too...read more

Pass Versus Place

I recently received the following letter from one of my readers named Dave. Mt. Airy casino in Mt. Pocono, Penna. has the 3-4-5 free odds at the craps table. During the course of the game I realized that my pass line ($10) and max free odds always worked out to a $70 win...read more