Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 740

Whale Hunter Cyr Profiled; Poker Aces; Black Book Arrive

One of the most awaited gaming books of the decade -- this one focusing on "whales" (super high rollers) -- has arrived at Gambler's Book Shop along with two solid titles, one aimed at poker players (Poker Aces by Ron Rose) and the other at football handicappers (Marc Lawrence's Black Book.) Looking at each book, in order of mention, we start off with Whale Hunt in the Desert: The Secret Las Vegas of Superhost Steve Cyr (319 pages, hardbound, $24.95), written by Deke Castleman...read more

Wisconsin's Compacts - Bad Law And Politics

The Supreme Court of Wisconsin has thrown the future of Indian gaming and the fiscal health of the state into doubt. And it was not entirely the Court's fault. In a long and carefully drafted opinion, Justice David C. Prosser, writing for a narrow 4 to 3 majority, ruled that Gov...read more

Poker Panel, State of the Industry Discussion, Chefs Competition Headline Global Gaming Expo

The world's top gaming industry leaders, poker experts and celebrity chefs will headline daily keynote events at Global Gaming Expo ("G2E") 2004, scheduled for October 5-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The events - including the Neon Chefs competition, annual State of the Industry panel moderated by Larry King and a roundtable discussion focused on the renewed popularity of poker - will highlight the issues driving the future of the gaming industry. G2E is the international gaming trade show and conference "by the industry and for the industry." Organized by the American Gaming Association ("AGA") and Reed Exhibitions, G2E made its debut in the fall 2001, defining itself as the pre-eminent show for the gaming-entertainment industry...read more

The Mint

It was my first day as a student dealer at the Mint Hotel in downtown Vegas. I never even actually worked that day, but instead got a pep talk from some woman in a red suit, then trouped through the casino with a bunch of other new hires doing something called our "indoctrination." The nice thing about it, though, was that one of the stops was the staff dining room where I got to eat anything I wanted...read more

Radical New Slot Machine Is Coming

Just when you thought innovative, interactive slot machine play had reached its technological zenith, leave it to the gambling world's most flamboyant business personality to tease us with a provocative announcement. Steve Wynn, the man single-handedly responsible for transforming the Las Vegas Strip into a mega-resort landscape, said at a meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission in Carson City last month that he and a partner are developing a "rather radical new machine that is quite a breakaway thing". As reported by Thomas J...read more

The Devil, sometimes missed, is in the details

Dear Mark, Just to update your column, when I placed the bet at the Plaza, I had agreed beforehand that if the ball landed on the double zero, it would be declared as a no bet, allowing me to go again. This was better than the Hard Rock agreement as they refused to budge on the double zero...read more

Getting Your Comps

We recently stayed at the Plaza downtown, received their "Players Cards". We played most of the time at the Plaza for two days. When I asked about points for our room, I was told we didn't have enough to pay for our room. We were not even offered a dinner, or a discount on our room...read more

Why Skew May Be More Important to Casino Gamblers than Edge

Many casino aficionados choose games based on "skewness," although they don't know what it is or even that they're doing it. Skewness puts a number on the trade-off between a good chance at a small profit and a low probability of a big score...read more

Jest for Fun

* * * * * Here's some sound advice for beginning gamblers: Find out what games you're good at, then don't play them. * * * * * The swanky restaurants in those European-themed casinos in Las Vegas are truly wonderful places. People go in them to get the charge of their lives...read more

Soap Opera Slot Offers Drama, Intrigue, and a Lot of Fun

I don't watch soap operas because I know I'd be hopelessly hooked. I put them in the same category as popcorn--one taste and I'm a goner, or rather the entire bag is. So I just leave the soaps turned off. However, on a recent tour of Kansas City casinos I found a way to indulge this potential addiction--and possibly win a few bucks...read more