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Gaming Guru  Deal me in: That sweet edge and how to find it2 May 2008
Dear Mark: Is there any point when the player actually has an edge in video poker over the house? Vic D. There is, Vic, but you'll need to master this combination. Play on a full pay machine, use an optimal playing strategy against that select machine, play progressives over a certain amount, and take full advantage of the goodies casinos give away. Full pay machines are machines that pay out more for certain winning hands than do other comparable ones. For instance, a full pay jacks-or-better machine pays (per coin inserted) 9 coins for a full house and 6 coins for a flush. This payout is better than what you get from a machine that pays only 8 coins for a full house and 5 coins for a flush, and is far superior to some paytables that you'll find out there today that pay only 6 coins for a full house and 5 coins for a flush. You'll also need to learn an optimal playing strategy for the type of machine that you are playing on. What I mean by optimal playing strategy is that you must learn which cards to hold and which ones to discard. A marriage of both, Vic, playing on full pay machines and using an optimal playing strategy, will get you pretty close to you that edge that you're looking for in video poker. Then pile on the advantage you take of casino comps. For example, a video poker player playing a 9/6 machine and using optimal strategy can expect a 99.5% return. By getting cash back for your play by using your Player's Club Card, it's very possible for the overall return to exceed 100%. One other possibility is playing on a progressive machine where the jackpot exceeds a certain amount, which creates the opportunity -- that is, if you hit the jackpot -- to have a payback that is temporarily over 100%. For example, on a one-dollar jacks-or-better 8/5 progressive machine, the break-even point would be a jackpot of $8,800. When the jackpot exceeds that amount, there's your edge. On a quarter jacks-or-better 8/5 progressive machine, look for a jackpot over $2,200. Again, factored in, is your chance of hitting the royal. Dear Mark: Every time I get ahead on a crap game, I end up giving it all back. It's tough for me to walk away from a hot game. I get all caught up in the frenzy of the game, and then all of a sudden, it's all gone. Help! Kenny J. Fortunes in craps are won when the dice are hot, lost when they go cold. You just keep forgetting to leave when the dice begin to chill. Besides making the wisest bets on the layout, successful gamblers buck this memory loss by setting loss limits and win goals. You can only end your playing session a winner by walking when ahead. Sticking around when your karma is fishtailing, as you seem to do, is what gets me this e-mail. From this moment forward, Kenny, pledge to set loss limits and win goals for yourself. For example, if you bought in for $200 and your win goal is doubling your buy-in, say adieu to the table when you hit it. Or, if you bought in for $200, and the gambling gods have allowed you to win $500, set aside the $200 buy-in, plus your $200 profit, and play with the remain $100. When it's gone, Kenny's gone. Oh, one more thing. You are making the best bets (pass line, odds, placing the 6 and 8) on the layout, right? Oh … you didn't know there'd be a quiz? Gambling Wisdom of the Week: Piker (PY-kur) noun: A stingy person, a cautious gambler, or one who does things in a small way. --Wordsmith.comDeal Me In: An explanation of 'loose' and 'tight' slot machines25 April 2008
Dear Mark: How do you determine what is considered loose and tight in slot machines? Is there a way of identifying them? Do they place them where we can't find them? Karen K.
All casinos, Karen, have "loose" and "tight" machines commingled on the casino floor. "Loose" machines are defined as those ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Patience (and a big bankroll) is necessary if you're counting on a Royal18 April 2008
Dear Mark: How much money is needed for a bankroll before I can expect to hit a royal flush? Andy A.
It could be more than your net worth, Andy.
Plenty of players, my Mom for example, went years, stretch that, decades, without ever hitting one. Of course, she's a worst-case scenario, made worse by the fact that she's no longer with us. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: The double down bet outpaces the insurance bet by a mile11 April 2008
Dear Mark: Why is doubling down in blackjack so advantageous for the player? Also, why shouldn't I always take insurance? The worst that could happen is losing half my bet. Hector F.
The three main reasons why doubling down is so advantageous to you, the player, is because 1) you know the dealer's ... (read more)
Video poker is more skill than luckDear Mark,Outside of putting coins in a slot machine and pulling the handle, I am lost in a casino. Others have recommended that I try video poker. Before I try video poker, could you please share some tips and strategies? Devin F. In slots, no matter how adroitly you ... (read more)The language of crapsDear Mark,I tried playing craps for the first time on a recent trip to Las Vegas. I stuck with the bets you mention on your tapes and actually walked away from the crap table $200 ahead. And though I was up $200, I still found the game intimidating. Mostly because ... (read more)Is counting worth the hassle?Dear Mark,I've been kicking around the idea of becoming a blackjack card counter for years. I have decent math skills and am willing to spend time learning the game. I would like to hear some of your thoughts, theories, practical application of, advice and a brief explanation on how counting actually works. ... (read more)Dealers call these players ...Dear Mark,I hate gambling with my cousin. Not only is he irritating to other players on the table, he is very abusive to the dealer. You have no idea how many times the dealer has to tell him, could you please do this, don't do that. How about some written table ... (read more)Bankroll to bankrupt in three minutesDear Mark,Since I don't gamble very often and chances of losing eight in a row are very remote, don't you think it's logical to double my wager every time I lose? Albert M. I see your logic, if you call it logic, but it isn't. What you are describing is called the ... (read more) |
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