Dear Mark,
This is not exactly a
casino gambling question but an inquiry regarding bar betting
strategies. Why is it that I am always buying free drinks? It does not
matter if it's trivia or a magic trick, I am always duped into paying.
Help! James S.
Every tavern I have patronized has at
least five bar-stool regulars who can spell Albuquerque. In the real
world no one can spell it.
You won't be a patsy for free drinks if
you heed this classic warning from Damon Runyon: "Son, no matter how far
you travel, or how smart you get, always remember this: someday,
somewhere, a guy is going to come up to you and show you a nice
brand-new deck of cards on which the seal has not been broken, and this
guy is going to offer to bet you that the jack of spades will jump out
of this deck and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not bet him, for
as sure as you do, you are going to get an ear full of cider."
Dear Mark,
Are not the rules better
for roulette in Atlantic City than in Las Vegas? Jay G.
Only on one wager, Jay. When you make an
even-money bet (red/black, odd/even, 1-18/9-36) in Atlantic City, you
lose only half your wager if the roulette ball lands on 0 or 00. These
outside wagers cut the house edge down from 5.26 to 2.63%.
Keep in mind, Jay, that this advantage is
only in effect for even-money bets. For even better value, Las Vegas
offers single zero roulette tables at numerous casinos. A single zero
game will give the casino only a 2.7% edge on all roulette bets.
Dear Mark,
I have only been to the
casinos three times but have come home a winner on each occasion. I
operate strictly by a "feel" for certain machines. Ever hear of
consistent winners that base their skill on "feelings"? Dusty R.
I am willing to wager dollars to donuts
that I can prove with 100% certainty that you do not possess such an
ability. I bet you want me to prove it. Well, Bob, if you answer my
question, "Yes, I go to work every Monday morning," then you don't have
such skills.
Dear Mark,
Thank you for the advice
on playing the single-zero roulette game at the Monte Carlo. My wife
broke even and I actually won $200. I do have a question regarding the
single zero game. Is the game I played at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas
an exact duplicate in rules as a roulette table at the real Monte Carlo
in Europe? Paul L.
Not quite, Paul. A true European
single-zero wheel offers a rule called "en prison." If you make an even
money bet and the ball lands on zero, the croupier doesn't rake in your
wager. Instead, your bet is "imprisoned" or held hostage, and you are
forced to let it ride until the next spin. If your bet wins, you can
remove it from the table. What is exciting about this wager is that it
cuts the house edge on even money bets in half, down to a very
respectable 1.35%. This makes it one of the better bets in European
casinos.
Dear Mark,
Is there ever a time
when you would double down for less in blackjack? Sal G.
Never is the correct answer. Because you
only double down when you are more likely to win the hand than lose, you
always want to wager the maximum amount. It is the double downs and
blackjacks that take your blackjack play from the red to the black.
Don't shortchange yourself in these situations.
