Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 400

Moderation in all spins

I've seen them and you've seen them. The bleary; the buzzed; the disheveled; gambling's blanked, blinked and bonkered ones; playing too long; playing too fast; playing too much at the slot machines. Spin after spin after countless spins at a speed almost matching that of light...read more

Jumbotron's Classics. Part 1

I like to tell my friends that I am the best Monday morning quarterback in the business. I truly believe in the analytical process. No matter how bad or well you played a particular session, there are always positives and always room for improvement...read more

Hot or Cold Dealers

In Blackjack, luck can sometimes have a big impact on your game. The real question to be asked is what is the effect of the dealer's luck? A dealer who is hot, and gets nothing but good cards that day, can beat anyone no matter how skilled a player one might be...read more

Deal Me In: Some numbers – take notes – there'll be a quiz

Dear Mark: In video poker, do higher-denomination games always pay more than lower-denomination games? It seems nickel slots never pay as much as quarter slots, which pay less than dollar slot machines, so I assume that holds true with video poker...read more

Blackjack side bets: Are they worth betting?

In an effort to encourage more players to play blackjack -- and also to improve their margins -- many casinos have added side bets on their blackjack tables. These innocent-looking bets usually require a rather small wager (typically only a dollar), and they generally have payoffs that are greater than the customary even-money blackjack payoffs...read more

Can we increase the 5-Count to the 6-Count?

Dear Frank, I am from the UK and have had an interest in playing craps for the last few years. Unfortunately, I only really get the chance to play when I am on vacation as there is no real love of craps in the UK. I came across the 5-Count this evening at work whilst working the overnight shift! Dr...read more

Hitting the jackpot on a progressive bank

On a bank of progressive machines, all being the same kind, when the jackpot is hit, would it be on a certain machine of the bunch or when the money played has reached the payout pre-selected limit? In other words, could it be any machine of the bunch (so it wouldn't matter which machine you played)? Thanks for all the tips you provide to us players. Barrett Dear Barrett, Thanks for the kind words about my columns. Let's further clarify the situation...read more

A shuffle through the gaming mailbag

Q. I was surprised to find a Three Card Poker game that was hand-dealt, going around the table in order just like regular poker. At most other casinos, it is machine-dealt in groups of three cards going around the table with the dealer last...read more

Why is the 6 to 5 payout bad?

Dear Frank: I really enjoy your columns. Keep up the good work. I am brand new at blackjack and I noticed that there are two types of games. Those that pay three to two on blackjack and those that pay six to five. Is the increased casino edge that much greater on the six to five game? Nanny Dear Nanny: A simple example suffices...read more

Change In Your Craps Bankroll Is Affected by More Than Just the House Edge

All casino games writers that know what they are talking about preach making only low house edge bets. In a random game the math cannot be beaten in the long run. Bet the “Fire Bet”, which is a bet that the shooter will make four or more different point numbers before sevening out, and the house will take $2.50 for every $10 bet. Bet “Big Red” (a one roll bet that the next number thrown will be a 7, which the house pays at a rate of 4-to-1 instead of true odds of 5-to-1) and the house will take $1.67 for every $10 that you bet...read more