Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 475

Deuces Wild variations

Deuces Wild has been with us for more than a quarter century, firmly entrenched as one of the most popular video poker games. But though it's long been a casino standard, Deuces Wild is not at all a static game. It's continually evolving, with changing pay tables that transform high payers to low payers and back again, and demand changes in strategy if you're going to keep up. All this is done without ever changing the name of the game...read more

Was this hand-pay procedure correct?

Recently at Harrah's New Orleans, I witnessed a $10,000 payout on a dollar video poker machine and the protocol for the payout was strange in my estimation. A husband and wife were playing one dollar, max bet 10 play video poker. The 4 deuces were dealt on the first line and held for $10,000 pay...read more

Does completing the 5-Count reduce the house edge?

Dear Frank, I play craps using the 5-Count. I bet the pass line with odds and then make come bets with odds after the 5-Count has been established. If the shooter continues past the 5-Count and then I make my come bets, does this reduce the overall house edge over me? What is the house edge on me at this point? I figure it's about 0.35...read more

Is gambling on the Internet still illegal in the US?

Have the gaming laws on the Internet have been relaxed? Recently I received a brochure from SBG Global Gaming and I was able to put funds in my account even though I am in the USA. I thought it was illegal to gamble on the Internet. Are these guys breaking the law — and me with them? I don't want to find out next year that the FBI is looking for me for cybercrimes...read more

Frank Scoblete Presents: What's there to do in Atlantic City? by The Goddess

Frank Scoblete presents an article by The Goddess. Several times I have been told by someone that their spouse or friend won't come to Atlantic City (AC) because there is nothing to do if they don't gamble. There is so much to do in Atlantic City and its environs that I decided to write an article to spell it all out. Atlantic City has 11 casino resorts, with eight on the Boardwalk and three in the Marina District...read more

Umpires, ballparks, streaks featured in Murray's 'Betting Baseball'

Baseball bettors seeking data, angles and ideas for the 2009 baseball season can do no better than Betting Baseball by Hank Myers and Michael Murray (216 pages, paperbound, $24.95). Even if you've bought the book in the past, you still need the 2009 edition, since a major portion of the work has been updated...read more

Gambling myths exploded!

There are so many crazy ideas in casino gambling that I find I have to wade through about 20 crazy e-mails sent to me before I come to one that makes sense. I am going to sift through them to give you the truth about silly myths that might just help you get the best bang for your bucks when you go to the palaces of Lady Luck, palace that have been mostly built from casino players' false assumptions. Myth: There are an equal number of good and bad slot streaks. Truth: There are more bad streaks than good streaks at the slot machines because slot machine hit frequencies are usually between 10% and 20%...read more

Two Rules to Follow Lead the Way to Smart Gambling

Have you ever fallen into the trap of playing a slot machine longer than you had intended? In all likelihood, it happened because you were waiting for "just one more bonus round" on one of the video games that have taken over casino floors nationwide. There's no doubt about it; interactive bonus and free spin rounds are the new carrot-on-a-stick for slot players...read more

How virtual reels on a slot machine work

It was a Monday morning — prime time for me when it comes to touring the casinos — and I was wandering down an aisle of three-reelers when I heard my name. "You're John, right?" I turned to acknowledge a woman, perhaps in her 50s, about 5-foot-2 with a touch of gray in her hair. "I'm Ellie," she said...read more

Is the outcome of a spin determined before the player starts the spin?

I'm a beginner at understanding slot machines. Is it true that the outcome of a slot bet is already determined before the player activates the machine? Or is each outcome randomly determined after the bet is placed and the player activates the machine? Tom Dear Tom, Your second statement is the more correct one...read more