Gaming Gurus: Strategy Expert Article Archive - Page 817

The "10s Follow 10s" Theory

A fellow who purchased my new Blackjack Bluebook II wrote me a letter. He wanted to know why the book didn't mention anything about "card clumping" and how to play such clumps. This fellow is nearly 80 years old and said he's been seeing the cards come out in clumps for decades...read more

Ask Frank (Tipping the Dealer)

Dear Frank, I am new to your newsletter, so please forgive me if you have already covered this topic. I am a dealer, in San Diego, and would like to have you discuss tipping (tokes). We as dealers survive, like waiters, on our tips...read more

Ask The Slot Expert

John, I am writing my doctoral dissertation on gaming in New Jersey. What book or other type of empirical literature can you suggest that would academically describe the concept of RNG for slots and the concept of casino comps? I subscribe to your newsletter and enjoy its academic touch...read more

Comps - The Basics

A colleague of mine likes to refer to casino comps as "free stuff." And for those who know their basic strategy in blackjack, optimal strategies for certain video poker games and who know how comping systems work, the "stuff" really is free--the value of the comps and cash back equals or exceeds losses on the games. For most players, comps aren't free...read more

Side Action Usually Means Sucker Bets, Unless You Win

Longshots offer big returns for small bets, with odds often so steep that gamblers know their chances are remote and don't worry about how much. Statistically, they're usually sucker bets. But the high payoffs draw lots of folks to the slots and the lotteries...read more

New Slots, Events, and Even a Couple of Coupons!

I'm happy to say that maybe things are on the way up for the Reno Gaming Guide. I have a couple of print 'n' clip coupons for you for Boomtown Hotel and Casino in Reno so if you want to check them out, they are ready for printing! Now if I can just get all the casinos in Reno to put together some coupons for everyone, it'll be just terrific for everybody! I'd like to put together a whole book of coupons that I can offer people for only the cost of shipping and handling that will give all Reno visitors a whole fistful of fun! New slots are appearing throughout Reno, and people are smiling as they collect their winnings, and sometimes laughing at the new bonus features on some of the games...read more

Ask The Slot Expert

How can they loosen or tighten the slots? Also, I have heard that the Argosy in Indiana is the best place to play slots. Is this true? Shirley Dear Shirley, The only way a casino can loosen or tighten a slot machine is by replacing one or more of the chips in the machine...read more

Barney Vinson's World

I grew up in Texas, and the nice thing about it was that everything was so... orderly. Working hours, for example. Everyone was off on Saturdays and Sundays. The rest of the week people went to work at 8 o'clock or so, took an hour off for lunch, went back to work until 5 o'clock, then went home. The only exception I can remember was my uncle...read more

Ask Frank (Single-deck Video Blackjack)

In your book Victory at Video Poker, you give the strategy for single-deck video blackjack games. How can one tell when the machine is starting to deal from the top of the deck as opposed to being in the middle of the deck? If when I put my coin in and the cards are being dealt from the middle after many high cards have been played, my count will be in error...read more

Ask The Slot Expert

In Oklahoma the "real casinos" are illegal. We do have "bingo" slot machines. Do these machines have a Random Number Generator? I know certain machines can be "hot" or "cold" in real casinos, but I can't figure out these bingo machines...read more