Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 754

Do I Have to Tip?

John, When playing games such as Texas Tea (WVA state lottery slot game), does the machine have to take in a certain amount of money before the machine is able to hit a special payouts? Is this true with Cherry Masters also? Thanks, Sheena Dear Sheena, If the Texas Tea machines work the same way they do in Las Vegas and Atlantic City--and I have no reason to believe that they don't--they do not have to take in a certain amount of money before hitting winning combinations...read more

The State of Gaming in the Chicago Area

Gamblers in the Chicago area have the rare luxury of choosing from two gaming jurisdictions to play: The market in Illinois and the market in Northwest Indiana. The two worlds are so completely different that quite often the decision is easy...read more

Bits and Pieces from Indian Country - February 2004

Minnesota and Wisconsin were among the first states to have Indian gaming, early in the 1990s. Indian gaming continues to be important in both states, important to the economy and important in politics. Minnesota like many states is using non-Indian expansion to attempt to get more money from the tribes, much like California, only with the initiatives competing for ballot position...read more

Quicktakes - The month's trends in a glance - February 2004

February isn't January normally, nor was it this year. The economy is still okay and growing, but the growth was slower. Jobs growth was not what the Administration had hoped, and the regular economic measurement reports were weaker than in January...read more

Bits and Pieces from Indian Country - April 2004

Federal recognition gets top billing again this month, Congress is holding hearings on the process, several tribes are close to receiving notice of recognition or not and the opposition is becoming even more organized and adamant. The most vocal and consistent of the opposition voices is Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal; his opposition is as spirited as allowed in polite society or a court of law...read more

Quicktakes - The month's trends in a glance - April 2004

The economy continued to improve in April, but that did not mean that the stock market went up. In fact, the Dow and S & P indexes are down about 2 ½ percent since the beginning of the year and the NADAQ is down 7 ½ percent. It is not easy to understand, the first quarter earning results were generally very strong, especially in gaming (if one ignores the Donald); the usual economic measures, such as consumer spending, consumer confidence, job growth and personal income were up; only the threat of an increase in interest rates, energy prices and the continuing international tension offer any explanation...read more

Bits and Pieces from Indian Country - March 2004

California continues to make Indian gaming news. Governor Schwarzenegger seems to be getting closer to an agreement with some of the tribes. Cache Creek has just opened a $200 million expansion and appears to be willing to share for the opportunity to get as many slots as the market will bear...read more

Quicktakes - The month's trends in a glance - March 2004

The economy in March produced the same set of mixed reports and results that have characterized at least the last year, if not the entire period since September 11, 2001. The stock market indexes, Dow, NASDAQ and S & P, were all down, but only about 2 percent...read more

Blackjack Basic Strategy - Part 3

Anytime you say "always," you run the risk of being confronted by someone who knows an exception. So it was in the mid-1990s when I wrote in this column that blackjack players always should split Aces. That brought a letter from a reader who pointed out a few situations when splitting Aces is not the best play...read more

Heard it on the River

This is somewhat hard to imagine but if it were to occur, it would it transform TUNICA COUNTY into a real hot destination. We heard, you have also, that Myriad Gold from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada not only has applied to the state gaming commission for a casino site here off Indian Mound Road but that it might also include a clear cover, yup, like in roof, over the entire complex which may include a golf course...read more