 Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter! Mark Pilarski Archives
More Strategy Experts
|
Gaming Guru  Deal Me In: Naval names for table games5 February 2010
By Mark Pilarski Dear Mark: I play a little craps and have noticed recently that in some casinos the tables have different sizes. Is there some house edge being worked here or is it just to allow more players around a table? Jack M. Casinos offer various dimensions of crap tables, Jack, but no specific size will affect the casino's built-in advantage on any particular bet. Since most crap tables are built to order, the casino will choose a certain size based on the games manager's personal preference, labor costs and available floor space. Most of the tables you encounter in the casinos will be 12 or 14 feet in length, but as slot machines consume more real estate, you're starting to see smaller tables like 10 footers, or possibly just one large one. A telling factor is that manning a larger table is labor-intensive, up to four employees on a 16 footer – usually referred to as an aircraft carrier -- so scaling back both size and number of tables reduces employee expenses. You might even start to see what I broke in on as a craps dealer, the tub game, which is a small crap table that is 6-1/2 feet long, three feet wide, and twenty-eight inches high. The mini-layout offers all the wagers of its big brother, and it's manned by just one dealer and can accommodate up to eight players. One noticeable distinction on a few of these "tub-style" crap tables is the use of mini-dice. These dice are of the 5/8th inch size, which means they are 1/8th inch smaller than conventional 3/4-inch dice. Another alternative during off-hours is to install a bumper-board mid-table to reduce the regular-sized table by half. During graveyard, it's cost effective for the casino to make it a one or two dealer operation. With all casino crap table sizes uniformly displaying the same layout, you can learn the game anywhere and transfer that knowledge to any venue or table size of your choosing. What all crap tables also have in common is same house edge working against you. Take for instance these crappy wagers: Big 6 & 8 (9.1%)
Oh, and those deceptive offerings like hopping-hardways, world bets, horn bets and insurance type wagers will get you free membership, courtesy of casino management, to the tootsie-pop (suckers') club. Stick with the tried and true, Jack, no matter what sized table you're playing on. A Pass Line bet with Odds, or Placing the 6 and/or 8. Dear Mark: What is your preferred betting when winning on blackjack when you are on a hot streak? Al C. I favor a 50% winning progression when on a hot streak. The progression would work like this for an initial $5 wager: $5, then $7, $10, $15, $22, 30 etc. Or, being slightly more conservative, after winning your first bet, pocket the winning, and then start the winning progression formula. Example: $5, $5 again, then $7, $10, $15, $22, 30 etc. Keep increasing your bet until you lose, then begin again with a flat bet (table minimum) of $5. Although a natural progression to a higher amount with each wager is my preferred way to go, only you can know what your comfort level is. Betting more means winning more, and you may think it's the house's money, check that, it's your money, but if you don't have that warm, fuzzy feeling as a $5 bettor with $45 on the layout, then don't bet so much. Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "You tried your best and failed miserably. The lesson is, never try." --Homer Simpson Deal Me In: Hone strategy to a razor's edge3 February 2010
Dear Mark: The casino where I play once had a dozen 9/6 Jacks-or-better machines. Now they have just two. My first question is why do they take out the good paying machines? Is it because skilled players take advantage of them. As for these reduced value machines, how much am I now giving up from a 9/6 Jack-or-better to let's say an 8/5 machine? Eric H. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Cinco dos, adios22 January 2010
Dear Mark: I've been reading your column recently on craps betting and I agree with you regarding keeping the house advantage below two percent. However, since my recent retirement I've had the opportunity to play 3-4 times per week, and what I have noticed is that it seems like the most consistent winners are the Don't side players laying odds. ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Should you split tens in blackjack?15 January 2010
Dear Mark: When my ex-girlfriend and I used to go to Vegas, every once in a while we would have someone at our blackjack table split tens. This used to drive my ex absolutely crazy and there were times when I thought that I actually saw steam come out of her ears when someone did that. So my question is, ... (read more)
Deal Me In: Course of action can differ between casinosDear Mark: If you place a bet at a table game that is more than the permitted maximum, and neither you or the dealer notice, should they either A) pay you at the correct odds on the full (higher) amount, B) pay you on the permitted maximum and refund the rest, or C) pay you nothing and just refund ... (read more)Deal Me In: Start off 2010 by making smart bets exclusivelyDear Mark: I'm new to casino gambling but like everyone else, I'd like to increase my chances of winning. What are the best games and strategies for me. Tami L. Essential to every newbie's success is understanding two fundamentals that increase their chances of winning: They are 1) Sticking to ... (read more)Deal Me In: Power outage shouldn't cause concernDear Mark: When the power goes out in the casino, which has happened a few times when I have played, does this have any effect on the random number generator? How about when a casino employee opens the slot machine door? Gil L. The casino all-of-a-sudden going dark will not have an ... (read more)Deal Me In: Warranty service with a smileDear Mark: As a way of stretching your bankroll, you have stated that on some machines you don't need to play the full coin amount. For that reason, to save money, my wife will only play one coin on progressives like Megabucks. Did she misunderstand what you said? Cliff W. Yes, Cliff, she ... (read more)Deal Me In: Thomas D. 1 — Mark P. 0Dear Mark: In your answer to Jason S. about Don't Pass players being allowed to take down bets, you state correctly that a Don't Pass bettor has 3 ways of winning on the come out, but incorrectly show the winning numbers to be 2, 3, 12. As you know, 12's are neutral for a Don't Pass bettor on the come out, contributing to the house edge. ... (read more) |
Mark Pilarski |
