Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 451

How Brand Loyalty Impacts Where You Play

When it comes to visiting casinos in the Chicago area, how does "brand loyalty" come into play for gamblers? For the majority of average recreational players who make occasional trips, it really isn't a factor. But, for people who make casino outings a regular part of their entertainment, loyalty to a particular establishment does play a role. Encouraging loyalty is a primary marketing activity among casinos, especially in a market such as the Chicago area where destinations are limited and the competition for the gambling dollar is fierce. Do you recall when supermarkets used trading stamps as a way to encourage customer loyalty? Casinos are no different. Guests build "equity" on their play through players club tracking cards. The more visits an individual makes, the more money that is "churned" through the slot machines or at the table games, and the more hours that are spent gambling are what build the equity. On the same token, people should be careful not to become "slaves" to the system...read more

Double Double Bonus Poker

Double Double Bonus Poker is one of the most popular video poker games around. Players love the 2,000-coin jackpot for a five-coin wager when four aces are accompanied by a 2, 3 or 4 as the fifth card. On a quarter machine, that's $500 — a nice secondary jackpot below the usual $1,000 for a royal flush. As with all video poker games, Double Double Bonus Poker comes in a variety of pay tables...read more

Where can I find paybacks for slots in Arizona?

I'm in Arizona and never see anything published on which Indian casinos pay back what percentages. I remember reading on the paybacks on Vegas casinos that the North Vegas paid the highest then downtown, and last the strip casinos. Is there someplace Arizona publishes this info? Larry Dear Larry: I couldn't find any paybacks for Arizona's slots online and this excerpt from American Casino Guide (www.americancasinoguide.com) explains why: Arizona tribes aren't required to release information on their slot machine percentage paybacks, however, according to the Arizona Department of Gaming, the terms of the compact require each tribes' machines to return the following minimum and maximum paybacks: video poker and video blackjack - 83% to 100%, slot machines - 80% to 100%, keno - 75% to 100%...read more

Don't the security features on a craps table make controlled shooting impossible?

Dear Frank: I am confused. The security features on a craps table should stop all these controlled throws. The methods of the controlled throws do work with practice on the right surface but on a craps table that has been designed to stop them I don't see how they can work and the casinos share the same view as me...read more

Jest for Fun

A casino is either a great place of entertainment or a curse. One sometimes wonders which. * * * * * The author of a book on how to beat the slots sent a copy to a friend. Shortly thereafter he received this note from the friend: "Many thanks...read more

Reduce the Lines to Increase Your Time

There is no denying that, over the last several years, the new video slots have become much more entertaining than their reel-type predecessors. The graphics for the main games along with the addition of interactive bonus screen have made some of the new slot machines seem more like video games than gambling machines...read more

The ghosts of Atlantic City's Resorts Hotel

There are some psychic researchers who believe that ghosts are house specific as opposed to land specific. They maintain that a stretch of land that houses so many new buildings, a stretch such as the Atlantic City Boardwalk casino area, just doesn't have the necessary ingredients for entertaining ghosts or entertaining ghost tales. Well, behind the exterior walls of some of our beautiful casinos are buildings with real histories - and interesting ghost stories as well...read more

How do I get a win/loss statement?

I need to get a win/loss statement from Bally's Casino and Resort in Robinsonville, Ms. How can I do this? Just call the number on the back of your player's card. Tell the representative that you would like a win/loss statement sent to you...read more

6:5 blackjack

My friend Bob is a blackjack player from way back, one who knows his basic strategy even though he's not up on all the math behind it. "Explain something about 6:5 payoffs on blackjacks," he phoned to ask. "You warn against it all the time, and I know it's not as good as getting the usual 3:2...read more

Should I change my pace when a slot is cold?

First Question: Given the basic tendency of slots when they are hot, is it better to change your average time per spin? Sometimes you can get in patterns hitting spin as rapidly as the slot will allow giving a basic average time you are spending between spins...read more