Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 406

Get Ready for a New Level of Slot Entertainment

A peek into the future of slot play was revealed during the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. International Game Technology (IGT) took the theme "It's a Whole New Game" and made it more than just a slogan by putting more than 270 products on display, including the premier of more than 70 new games. Here is just a sampling of what casino goers can expect to see in the coming months: Fans of Batman will be captivated by The Dark Knight theme, which is presented on a bigger-than-life 103-inch and 70-inch Center Stage platform...read more

A shuffle through the gaming mailbag

Q. Suppose a casino offered a game with no edge at all, such as a coin flipping game. Would the casino make money over time on it? The obvious answer of course is no, as they have no edge. My thought was that since there are a certain number of compulsive gamblers that will insist on betting until all their money is gone, the casino could make money on such a game. A...read more

Top-10 lessons from my third (and final) 24-hour poker game

Over the weekend, the players in the Casino City home game managed to get together for our third 24-hour poker marathon. Here are the top-10 things I learned about poker, myself, and why I don't think I'll ever do it again.10. Phil Laak is insane I've played poker for 24 straight hours three times in my life...read more

Slot machine malfunctions

Occasionally there are reports of casinos using the weasel clause ("machine malfunction voids play") in the subject to avoid paying a jackpot when a machine displays a winner but fails to report it to Mission Control. Have you ever heard of the reverse happening, where the machine displayed a loser (and so the player kept on playing) but reported a winner? If so, was the weasel clause invoked again, or was the player contacted and paid? I don't like the implications of your calling the disclaimer "the weasel clause." It gives the impression that casinos routinely deny players jackpots by invoking the disclaimer. The media does not help to dispel this notion...read more

Reducing the house edge using odds

Frank, The video in your new book Casino Craps: Shoot to Win! is very good. It is a little hard to see the full throwing motion, but all in all a great help for learning. Thanks for the information. My wife also had a question even after reading the book...read more

Is a Field Bet with the 12 Paying 3-to-1 a Good Bet?

One of the more popular bets at a craps table is the field bet. It is a onetime bet that wins if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 is thrown. That is the reason for its popularity -- it pays on all but four numbers. Never mind the fact that the numbers that lose are the most frequently appearing...read more

Bowling

Sometimes proposition bets rely on misleading language.  For example, a person at a bar might tear a small hole in a bar napkin and declare: "I'll bet you I can push this glass of beer through that hole."  If the sucker bites then the proposer simply sticks his finger through the hole and pushes the glass of beer.  You might be a winner with this type of bet, but it can also get you punched in the nose. A better type of proposition bet is one where the proposition is not misleading but sounds impossible.  If someone takes you up on such a bet and you deliver, they will probably shake your hand and pay up.  In this article I am going to show you just such a bet.  It involves the game of bowling. Here is the proposition.  In a bowling game it is possible to roll a triple strike, a double strike, and three single strikes, not bowl any gutter balls, and score less than 100.  Sound impossible?  No, it is possible and here is how. First off, let me point out that it is possible to get a score of 1 in a single frame.  One would have to knock out the seven or ten pin with the first ball and then roll the second ball in that same space.  Notice that no gutter ball has been rolled.  That settled, let me describe the game for you.  Here is the game frame by frame (Xs stand for strikes): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X X 1 X 1 X 1 X 1 XXX Let's add up the score...read more

Don't place, lay and put bets

The very best darkside don't strategies are the don't pass and don't come with odds. The casino's edge on the don't pass and don't come is about 1.36%. However, there are other ways to get up against various numbers – you can place against numbers. These place against bets are called don't place bets and they are the reverse of the rightside/lightside place bets because you are placing them to win on a 7 and lose on the number...read more

New slot games at G2E 2010

Slot players do not live by spinning reels alone. There must be novelty, innovation, cool new ways to play and fun bonus events to hold interest nowadays. At November's Global Gaming Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, I explored the booths of 14 slot manufacturers, looking at all their latest and greatest wares that we'll be seeing in the coming year...read more

IGT Brings Slots of Surprises to Gaming Expo

The 2010 Global Gaming Expo, which was held Nov. 16 – 18 in Las Vegas, is an opportunity for gaming manufacturing companies from around the world to showcase their new line of products before the movers and shakers of the gambling industry. International Game Technology (IGT) always has a high profile presence at the show...read more