Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 756

Steele's College Football Annual; Gold Sheet Magazine Both Info-Packed

Two of the most valuable preseason football magazines have arrived at Gambler's Book Shop, along with a book which offers a controversial look at Las Vegas' sex industry. The two magazines, Phil Steele's College Football Preview (328 pages, $7.95) and The Gold Sheet College & Pro Football Annual (220 pages, $6.99) should help prepare handicappers for the forthcoming 2004 season with analysis of teams, listing of returnees and pointspread histories. The book, Skin City by Las Vegan Jack Sheehan (276 pages, hardbound, $24.95) is a trip involving big money, fantasies and the seamy side of the fastest growing city in the nation. Steele's football magazine, the hottest seller of its kind in the store's 40-year history...read more

Paybacks in California

Hi, I am looking for the machine that allows you to pick diamonds as they are falling out of the sky. It say on the touch screen, "It's raining diamonds." It has a lady and an umbrella on the touch screen. They use to have it at Caesars in Las Vegas...read more

Casino Gaming Entertainment Continues Its Growth in Popularity

Two million more Americans visited a casino in 2003 than in 2002, according to the 2004 State of the States: The AGA Survey of Casino Entertainment, recently released by the American Gaming Association (AGA). The survey, which includes 2003 economic data for the commercial casino industry as well as the results of 2004 public opinion polling, reports that 53.4 million adult Americans went to casinos last year, according to data compiled by Harrah's Entertainment, Inc./NFO WorldGroup...read more

Pennies from Heaven

What's a guy to do? I was in Kansas City for the Memorial Day weekend, and I decided to check out the casinos. On the way, my wife asked me if we were going to stay and play if they didn't have 'Full Pay' machines. After writing column after column telling my readers to look for Full Pay machines, how could I settle for anything less...read more

Horseshoe Sweetens Up Its Jackpots

Every once in a while a casino comes up with a promotion that's worthy of special mention. Recently it was the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin for its ongoing "Craps for Cash" program whereby shooters at the dice tables can collect a bonus of $4,000 cash for making all six points on the same hand. Now, Jack Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Hammond has come up with a similar no-strings-attached cash bonus for slot players...read more

Blackjack Basic Strategy - Part 2

It's been decades since I learned the basic rules of blackjack. I was about 11 or 12 when I was taught that Aces count as 1 or 11, faces count as 10, numbered cards count as their face value, if your total is more than 21 you lose, otherwise the hand closest to 21 wins. I can pinpoint the day and place, if not the year...read more

Life Among the Slots: Picture Yourself A Winner With Pictionary

I'm not a group-participation type of person. Maybe that explains why I like to play slot machines and work crossword puzzles. They're solitary pleasures. I've been coerced into playing Pictionary a few times, and I liked the word-game aspect of it, though not the group action...read more

Tic-tac-dough, for the casino, that is

Dear Mark, I'm not sure if my uncle is pulling my leg, but he said that there is a casino that offers you the opportunity to play tic-tac-toe against a chicken. I thought a chicken dinner bet was sufficient enough to prove him wrong. Do you mind dispelling his preposterous claim? Mary H...read more

When Higher Edge Is a Small Price to Pay for Lower Limits

A variation on blackjack is appearing at casinos across this great nation of ours, with rules that players find mostly quite favorable. Mostly. The niceties include things such as fewer than eight -- sometimes only one or two -- decks, resplitting of pairs, and relatively low limits...read more

The Five Count

The 5-count is a Craps betting system that was first introduced in 1980 by a gambler identified only as "The Captain." Since then it has been touted by Frank Scoblete and a complete explanation of it can be found in his book Forever Craps, The Five Step Advantage Play Method (Bonus Books, 2000)...read more