Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 410

Craps in California

Craps is one of the most social of all casino games. In no other game is almost the whole table cheering on the player (shooter) as he gets ready to throw. It is also the only casino game where the casino gives you the means to win. They give you the dice and it is up to you to win or lose...read more

Jest for Fun

Many casinos have a small sign near the cashier's cage that says, "If you have a gambling problem call 1-800-Gamblers." A blackjack player wrote down the number and dialed it on his return home. The phone rang, and the player heard,"Gambler's Anonymous...read more

Casino Safety

If everyone were as honest as you and me, we would never have to worry about safety. Unfortunately whenever there is money involved, you are bound to run into some dishonest people, and at the casino there are a lot of players walking around with a lot of money...read more

Why don't players place the six when six is the point?

Dear Frank: If the 6 is rolled on the come out roll, why don't players make place bets on the 6? Especially if they did not have a pass bet. Gary Dear Gary: Players are free to place the 6 after it becomes the point. In fact, you can even be on the 6 on the pass line, take full odds, and also place the 6 if you want to...read more

Do paybacks change when you change denomination?

Dear John, When playing a machine that allows the player to select the denomination of a credit (.01, .05, .10, .25), do the payback percentages change based on the denomination you select? I really appreciate your column, keep up the good work. Carla Dear Carla, Thanks for the kind words about my column. The answer to your question is a definite maybe. Long-term paybacks on video poker games on multi-denomination machines tend to increase when you increase denomination, so it's possible...read more

Short payoffs matter

It was a relatively quiet afternoon on an Internet message board, and the talk turned to blackjack. One regular weighed in about what a good time he has playing a single-deck game. "I just like single decks and playing third base where I can see the cards that have already been used," he wrote...read more

Pandora's box

In Greek mythology, the most "gifted" woman of the ancient world was Pandora. Indeed she was the first woman ever created by the gods, who were ordered by the father of the gods, Zeus, to each give her extraordinary charms and talents, the better to seduce and destroy men...read more

When do losses from edge overwhelm what you can earn from volatility?

Pretend you make a bet whose chances are 15 percent to win 5-to-1, and 85 percent to lose. The house’s edge or advantage is 10 percent. Say you bet $10 five times. You’ll finish between $50 down and $250 up. The edge would cost you $5.00, 10 percent of the $50 gross wager...read more

What's better: 10 or 20 lines?

I really enjoy reading your articles. Here's a question regarding video slots. My favorite machine is Geisha, but there are two varieties, one which has 9 lines and one which has 20 lines. For the sake of argument (and to make the math easier) lets say the 9-line machine is actually a 10-line machine...read more

What We Do Matters

I'm just returning from Sin City on a family trip, which happens about twice a year and is fun on its own accord. Funny thing about Las Vegas -- it never ceases to amaze me, teach me, and make me think to myself that everything we do matters. When we meet in Vegas, my sister and her husband always call the shots on where we stay because they travel quite a bit on cruises and places where the national chain of casinos can be found...read more