Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 530

If Dad plays and reads -- a book can help his game

If you know your father plays a little poker or likes to bet on a game or just enjoys reading about various games, it's a good bet that a thoughtful gift would be a book on the subject. With Father's Day approaching, here are a few suggestions and some rationale why certain titles might be right on target:Getting Started in Hold'em by Ed Miller (206 pages, paperbound, $17.95)...read more

Where can I see dice control in action?

Dear Frank, I just saw your special on Beating Vegas on the History Channel ("The Dice Dominator") and was really intrigued by it. I must admit that I am a skeptic, but at the same time curious. Craps is the game I play when I go to Vegas and I would love to look further into your methods and their effectiveness...read more

Slot Payback Percentage Based on Max Coin Play

When you sit down to gamble on a slot machine and play less than maximum coins per spin, you're not taking full advantage of that particular machine's programmed long-term payback percentage. Those are the findings of renowned slot machine expert, John Robison, author of the book The Slot Expert's Guide to Playing Slots. "I'm pretty sure that every PAR (Probability and Accounting Report) sheet for every machine I've seen has only one long-term payback percentage on it," Robison said...read more

Nongaming tips

Once every three weeks, I head into the studio at WBBM-AM in Chicago to record my next six "Beat the Odds" tips. Most deal with odds and strategies, but my producer, Jim Mulvaney, tells me his favorites are the quirky ones about casino culture, comps and the like. So let's stray from the beaten path a bit, and take a walk down the non-gaming strategy side of life in the casinos. ** Anyone who's played casino table games long enough has seen something like this happen...read more

The night of 4-card royals

It was one of those times that try video poker player's souls. I went to the Desert Inn to see old friends who were there for the last DI slot tournament and to find out where the members of my "DI family" would be working after the place closed...read more

Jest for Fun

I have discovered the elixir that turns into gold for the casino: the words BET MAX COIN. * * * * * Horse sense is what keeps horses from betting on what people do. * * * * * What makes for a happy ending of some trips to a casino is the fact that they have ended. * * * * * A racehorse is the only creature that can take thousands of people for a ride at the same time. * * * * * Saint Peter was standing at the Pearly Gates greeting new arrivals...read more

Using the 5-Count on the dark side

Frank, Just recently read Larry Edell's article "The Secrets of Hedge Systems," dated Feb. 3, 2008, on this site and was curious about your opinion of using the 5-Count when betting the dark side on a cold table after the point has been established. I am trying to glean information from many sources and incorporate it together where I think it might be appropriate. I read and enjoy your articles, and have had success using your strategies. Yours truly, Ed Hi Ed: Against random rollers the use of the 5-Count is to make you last longer so you can get on controlled shooters (those the Captain called "rhythmic rollers") who can actually give you an edge over the house; save your money so it lasts longer, and continue to get your usual array of comps...read more

Deal Me In: If I only held…

Dear Mark: My husband is critical of my video poker play, so much so that I hate sitting next to him. He keeps saying, "Well, if you held this instead of that, you would have gotten a better hand." I strictly play each hand using a printed cheat sheet based on the perfect strategy for that game, but he believes I should deviate my play...read more

Many Proper Blackjack Pair Splits Lose Money

Just because the book says to split a certain pair against a certain dealer up-card, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a winning play. All it means is that splitting in that particular situation is your best alternative. Take the infamous case of having this pair, for example: Dealer 10/? You 8/8 How do you like it? Lots of players disagree with the book on this one and swear they lose money by splitting here...read more

Studies show factors which cause teams to cover spread

For more than two decades, Andy Iskoe of Las Vegas has been studying pro and college football teams -- performance and results -- to find factors that reflect why teams cover the spread. For the pros, Iskoe has looked at more than 5,000 games...read more