Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 767

Moving up the Corporate Ladder

I'd been working as a shill at the Pioneer Club in Vegas for almost a week, and now I had two beautiful days off staring me in the face. I should've been walking on air, but I wasn't. For one thing, I was only making $11 a day and didn't even get free meals like casino employees everywhere else...read more

Ask Frank: Playing the Dark Side at Craps

I liked to play on the dark side, but the 7 is killing me on the come out roll. Would I have a better chance laying the 4 or the 10 and making a don't come bet after the come out roll? Louis Dear Louis, The bad numbers for you on the comeout -- the 7 and 11 -- will appear eight times every 36 rolls...read more

Loose Double Diamonds Feedback

John, Is this Double Diamond post from April 1, 2004 a Fool's Day goof? It seems to ignore your oft-stated theory that each spin is produced from an RNG and therefore an independent event. Given the amount of money played on a machine in a day, 1000 spins seems like an inadequate amount of plays to determine trends. Also, I've heard some rumors about the racetracks in West Virginia, from different players at two parks...read more

Heard it on the River

SLOTS RULE! That is obvious as these machines are shrinking the pool of table games and it's a trend that will continue. Take for example, Atlantic City, where in 1984 the state Casino Control Commission said there were 1,165 table games and 16,183 slots in 11 casinos...read more

Livingston's Stat Book, "Baseball Prospectus," "Cigar City Mafia" Top New Arrivals

Bob Livingston, known for his Sports Weekly Newsletter, has produced his "Book of Major League Pitching Statistics" (71 pages, 8x11 format, $35) for the first time in many years. "Baseball Prospectus 2004" (602 pages, paperbound, $17.95) should prepare bettors and fans on who's projected to do well, who'll decline and how ballparks affect performance...read more

Four Card Poker – Part One

I first found out about Four Card Poker by Shuffle Master a few months ago. I was actually reading their quarterly report and it made mention of their latest game. Being the 'new kid on the block', I was eager to find out about this new game and be the first or at least amongst the first analysts to take a close look at it...read more

Wrapping up the Northwest Indiana Blackjack Scene

Let's swing back into "blackjack mode" today and wrap up our grand tour of the games available at Chicago-area casinos by analyzing the situations at the Trump Casino & Hotel and Majestic Star Casino in Gary, Indiana, and the Blue Chip Casino & Hotel in Michigan City, Indiana. Since blackjack requires a degree of skill to play successfully, deciding where to bet your money does make a difference...read more

Video Poker: America's National Game of Chance - Part One

Note from Elliot Frome: "This article was originally published around 1992. It was adapted from the theme feature article of Lenny's new (at the time!) 200 page book, AMERICA'S NATIONAL GAME OF CHANCE: VIDEO POKER. The concluding part will be published next week." With gambling gaining acceptance from border to border and coast to coast, from wigwams to riverboats to cruise ships to volcanic mega-resorts, isn't it about time America chose a national game of chance? With such legitimization, our national game of chance could serve to raise huge sums of money in every state, much the same as toll bridges, pari-mutuel betting and state lotteries. I'm certain everyone has a favorite game to nominate, but my vote goes to Video Poker...read more

Illinois Casinos Warm up to New Promotions

It's been a long, cold winter - and fall and summer - for Illinois casinos and players alike, a deep freeze that set in during the heat of August. That's when a chilling hike in the gaming tax led operators to start charging admission, laying off employees and putting construction projects, equipment purchases and promotions on ice. With the start of the new year, all casinos are at the bottom of the sliding scale for the gaming tax, and we're starting to see a little warming around the edges...read more

Surfin' the Slots with Frankie and Annette

One of these statements is true: In the 1960s, I was too young to watch the Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello Beach Party movies. In the 1960s, I was too uninterested to watch Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello movies. I won't say which statement is the correct one, but the bottom line is I have never seen a Beach Party movie and don't feel like I'm missing a lot...read more