Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 612

More on slot cycles and randomness

Dear John, In your recent letter explaining the hit frequency on a machine you say that the only way to change this is to change the layout of the symbols on the reels. I thought the layout of the symbols was just a visual gratification for the player...read more

Video Poker in Downtown Las Vegas

I was recently in Las Vegas to attend Frank's World Craps Championship. This was a very successful event and you can read about it in Frank's July 31st article on this web site. I'll have some observations on it in a future article. Anyway, after the event I stayed in downtown Las Vegas for a few extra days and spent some of my time poking around trying to find decent Video Poker...read more

Improve Your Character to Improve Your Blackjack Game

Want to become a better blackjack player? There are several things you need to change and many them involve becoming a better person. Here are a few helpful points. Tolerance: First on the list would be to have tolerance for how other people play their hands...read more

Dealer's batteries plugged in backwards

Dear Mark, I met a dealer who claimed that he could not only drop the ball within a certain section of the wheel, but on specific numbers. He even called out "get you bets down on the double zero because here it comes," and it actually hit, which leads to my question, do you believe that a roulette dealer can put the ball in a specific number, and should I follow his advice when he tells us where to put our chips? Russell M...read more

Comparing More House Edges

Okay, one more column on house edge, then I'll give you a short break. But today's is a no-brainer; we'll be comparing house edges of various casino games and bets, so all you have to do is scan the list, find your favorite game and see how it stacks up against other games or bets. The following list doesn't include video poker, which I talked about several months ago; craps, which we discussed last week; or blackjack, which we'll discuss later...read more

Should I Play the Supersystem or the Limited Bankroll System?

Dear Frank: First of all, I've got just about every book you have published on craps, and I love them all. I have practiced the supersystem on my computer and now plan to take it to the casinos. My question is if I am better off playing the supersystem and going up on three numbers for one times odds, or by using the limited bankroll system placing the 6/8 for either $5 and one times odds after the point is established...read more

Need Fresh Ideas on Betting the Ponies? Try These New Titles

Breeders¹ Cup time always seems to bring out the best horses, the ones that are worth betting. Annually, it also seems to generate new books for the handicappers. So it is with this year as four new titles for horseplayers are just out and each has specific strong points. The 10-Cent Superfecta Betting Guide by Paul Lambrakis (46 pages, paperbound, $14.95) is a pocket-sized little gem, more a pamphlet than a book, that fits the needs of players who love this economical bet, a takeoff on the traditional bet of $1 that buys you one single combination of four numbers, providing there are at least eight entrants in the race...read more

Post Labor Day School Start Helps Michigan Tourism Industry

Last fall, the Michigan legislature passed a law requiring Michigan's public schools to postpone school start dates to after Labor Day beginning with the 2006-07 school year. According to a survey by the Michigan Hotel, Motel & Resort Association (MHMRA), the new law has fulfilled expectations by boosting the state's tourism industry this past summer...read more

How Come You Can Win when Edge Says You'll Go Bust?

Many casino games offer players options to increase payout with a smaller chance of winning or decrease return with a better shot at success, for the same total bet. One versus several blackjack hands, fewer as opposed to more craps outcomes, even lesser rather than greater numbers of "matrix" slot machine lines. The most flexibility in balancing returns and odds is available at roulette...read more

Slot Players Not Forgotten in Poker Craze

When a slot manufacturer rolls out a new game for mass sales and distribution, it has already been run through focus groups and test-marketed in selected locations in an effort to eliminate the possibility of the new product being a "bust". Such was the case with WMS Gaming's World Series of Poker Final Table Bonus, a video poker crossover game which was branded to one of the most popular and high profile live poker tournaments in the world. The game, at least in its first generation, proved to be less of a customer attraction than was originally anticipated during its 90-day exclusive run at Harrah's Entertainment properties nationwide earlier this year. Now International Game Technology (IGT) is taking a shot with a new World Poker Tour (WPT) branded video poker game titled World Poker Tour Multi-Strike Super Video Hold'em, a game which combines the elements of IGT's popular Multi-Strike technology and the icons of WPT in a Texas Hold'em format...read more