Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 619

Why Gamblers Score before the Law of Averages Says they Should

You occasionally hear about a lucky duck with a few minutes and a coupla bucks to spare, who drops a token or two into a slot machine and bags a biggie right off the bat. You've been playing for years and never came close. Doesn't the law of averages say this shouldn't be? Or, shouldn't be expected? Doesn't it say that, if a probability is something like one out of a million, it should take about a million tries before the event happens? Alternately, do the statistics mean that after a million or so attempts by solid citizens in general, the right person will be in the right place at the right time? None of the above is strictly true...read more

Extra Money, Indeed

Chances are you've heard about the great slot mistake at Caesars Indiana, where the credit meter on an Extra Money slot machine was ringing up credits to the tune of 10 times the amount of cash actually slid into the bill validator. The casino lost $487,000 on the machine in two days, and was contemplating how to recover at least some of the money from players who took advantage. The incident was widely reported, so I won't delve too deeply into the details here, but will offer a couple of comments...read more

Quitting while you're ahead

Dear Mr. Robison, I frequently play Wild Haywire Deluxe dollar slots at Thunder Valley casino in Roseville, Ca. My question is about the virtual layout or reel in these machines. Is it possible for the layout to vary significantly from one machine to another yet still have the same payback percentage? Can one machine be programmed with lots of small hits but no substantial ones or vice versa? Thanks, Mike Dear Mike, It's definitely possible for two machines with the same payback percentage to have different hit frequencies. You see proof of this every day in the casino...read more

Lose Those Dumb Blackjack Myths

Don't take the dealer's bust card. Never change the order of the cards. Always take even money – it's a sure thing. Figure the dealer for a 10 in the hole. It's a shame to say it, but these false beliefs are cornerstones upon which losing blackjack strategy is built...read more

World Craps Championship

Please don't anyone pinch me. I want to keep having this dream for at least the next two years. Okay, I'll cut to the chase and tell you up front what this is all about. On Sunday, July 23, I won the Captain's Trophy at the World Craps Championship tournament. You see, I belong to the Golden Touch Craps Club (www.goldentouchcraps.com), which is sponsored by Frank Scoblete Enterprises...read more

One oldie, one newbie — it's a great world

Dear Mark, Even though I left Detroit in 1994, I still go online to read the Detroit News and your column. One thing I do not understand is what the fascination with slot machines is. You insert coin, pull lever, insert coin, pull lever, insert coins, etc...read more

Why the Buy Bet Can Be One of the Best at the Craps Table

Last week, you learned that buying a 4 or a 10 at the craps table was a much better bet than placing either of those numbers. If your casino of choice charges the 5 percent commission only on winning bets and will allow you to buy a $35 bet for the same $1 vig as a $20 bet, then you've whittled the house edge down to .95 percent...read more

Dice Control: Fact or Fiction?

The big thing in gambling these days is the discussion about whether it is possible to exercise some influence or control over the dice when shooting. Internet discussion groups have heated arguments about this controversy, and various gaming authors have taken one side or the other on the topic...read more

Global Gaming Expo Shifts to November

This year, the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) will be held from Nov. 13-16 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The G2E, organized by the American Gaming Association (AGA) and Reed Exhibitions, is the world's largest trade show for the gaming-entertainment industry...read more

A Quick Quiz-Review of Football Betting Books and What They've Got

Okay, you're used to the regular review format, I know. But curve balls exist and this week I'm throwing a change up. Let's see if it works. I think it'll tip you to the book that suits you best in a unique way. Let's say you're looking for a book that focuses on totals, the over/under wager, specifically for college totals...read more