Author: T

I was a big golf fan during the game’s golden age, when Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer ruled the links. Yet, despite the presence of those two titans, I idolized Gary Player, a South African whose diminutive size made for a less-than-intimidating physical presence in the tee box. But Player’s welter-weight appearance belied a heavy-weight swing. I was always amazed that someone so small could hit the ball so far.

Believe it or not, casino gambling and in some ways no deposit bingo is a lot like golf. And, no, not because both games are about going for the green. Golf is all about technique, skill, and knowledge. And masters of the game are inspiring to watch. With swings as graceful and elegant as a ballet dancer’s leap, they make each challenging stroke look effortless. The pros seem to play as smoothly as those on the PGA tour. But, as in golf, the successful player has gathered important knowledge and studied effective strategies to finesse the outcome in his or her favor.

In other words, casino pros aren’t winners just because they’re lucky, any more than Tiger Woods is a golf god because the angels of the green have smiled upon him. Trust me, the greats of the poker tournament circuit may look like they could take the table in their sleep – but they’re skilled, savvy, and have studied the game diligently.

I’m guessing, though, that you’re not planning to become the Tiger Woods of blackjack … or keno … or the slots. Your gambling aspirations are probably similar to my golf ambitions: to play better, win more often, and increase
enjoyment of the experience. And you have every reason to believe that you can attain your goal. But success requires knowledge, strategy, and some skill. You’ve come to the right place. This article can provide the preparation you need to help you find your swing in the casino.

Entering the Casino: What You’re Up Against
The first secret to gambling success is to understand the inner workings of the casino world before you’re seduced by the flash and dazzle. Casinos are sophisticated and highly successful enterprises – and they don’t get that way by giving away money. Your best bet, then, is to be aware of basic casino operations so you can manipulate the experience to your advantage.

Marketing their way to your wallet
They see you coming from miles away. They know exactly who you are, how much money you make, what you like and dislike, and whether you’re married, single, or divorced. Who are these omniscient watchers who track your
secrets? The IRS? CIA? Al-Qaeda?

None of the above. I’m talking about the marketing gurus at modern casinos. They’re constantly studying reams of data on millions of gamblers to develop profiles of guests who most willingly spend their discretionary income on a
couple hours of distraction.

Nothing is left to chance in a modern casino. Every possible element, from the design of the wallpaper to the thickness of the carpet, is there to draw you in and keep you gambling as long as possible. All the colors, sights,
sounds, and sensations serve one purpose: to make you happy – even when you lose.

Accepting the odds: The house rules
The casino’s first commandment is “The house shall always win.” A couple of games permit sharp players to break even or eke out a small edge occasionally. But casinos are in business to make money, so for most players, winning is a losing proposition.

Why? Three good reasons:
– The house charges a vigorish (commission) in some games, such as sports betting.
– In many games, the casino doesn’t payout true odds.
In roulette, for example, there are 37-to-l odds of guessing the right number. But if you win, the payout is only 35 to 1. This difference may seem small, but that discrepancy actually gives the house one of the biggest edges in the casino.
– The casino has a house edge – a mathematical advantage over the player in any game. Throughout the casino, players must overcome odds that aren’t favorable to winning.

Your goal is to find games where the casino has the lowest edge. Craps is a great example. This fun, exciting game offers great odds – if you stay away from the bad bets.

Protecting Your money with a plan
For most people, developing a strategy for doling out their gambling bankroll can keep them out of serious trouble. Set a budget and stick to it. Consider contingencies (such as losing your bankroll in the first few minutes of your
visit) and know how to respond when your wallet gets whacked.

Your strategy, however, is only as good as your willpower. Nothing jacks up casino profits faster than indisciplined gamblers. If you’re an impulsive type, then gambling may leave your bank account looking like it just went 15 rounds with a heavyweight boxing champion.

Now, it’s certainly true that most people can save their money by avoiding casinos altogether. So, the best advice I can give to folks who don’t want to lose money is simple: Don’t gamble! But the conservative and prudent path in life isn’t the only choice (and that would make for a very short book). Gambling can be a great way to spice up a vacation and break out of a boring routine. Gambling is all about taking a risk – exposing yourself to a chance of loss.

However, don’t overdo it. Government studies show that as many as 1 in every 25 adults has a problem with compulsive gambling. Think about that the next time you sit down at a blackjack table. Several people in the pit probably shouldn’t be there. Could you be one of them? Gambling addiction is a serious matter.

Identifing the colors of the rainbow

Knowledge is power and is your only ally against the formidable forces that threaten to separate you from your hard-earned cash. One piece of knowledge you definitely need, particularly if you’re going to wade into the shark-
infested waters of table games, is the varying colors and matching denominations of standard casino chips.

The casinos make this bit easy for you because the chips also have a denomination printed on them so that you know the red chip, for instance, is worth $5 and the green chip is worth $25. The following is a comprehensive list of
common casino-chip colors, as well as their corresponding values:

– White: $1
– Red: $5
– Green: $25
– Black: $100
– Purple: $500
– Burgundy: $1,000
– Brown: $5,000

Individuals who find the greatest pleasure in gambling do so with

– Realistic intentions
– An understanding of the odds
– An informed strategy
– Some skill, depending on the game

To paraphrase the character Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, it’s no great shame to lose at gambling – but it’s no great honour, either. I emphasize that gambling can be a fun experience whether you win or lose … but it’s a lot more fun when you win.

In that spirit, I hope to arm you with the understanding and knowledge you need to maximize your enjoyment and success at casino gambling. Before you take a step into a casino, I suggest you answer the following ten questions to measure your grasp of gambling and the world of casinos. If you answer them all correctly, congratulations! And if not? Not to worry; you’ll soon pick it up by reading hte articles on this site.

The questions

1.    To come out ahead overall at sports betting, you need to win approximately

A.    50 percent of the time.
B.    53 percent of the time.
C.    20 percent of the time.

2.    You’re playing Annie Duke at the final table of the World Series of Poker. She makes a big bet         and then starts blinking her eyes rapidly. Is she
A.    Flirting with you?
B.    Having contact problems?
C.    Bluffing?
 
3.    At which game would you lose more per hour (on average)?
A.    Playing a 25c: Double Diamond slot machine
B.    Playing $1 video poker
C.    Playing single-deck blackjack for $100 a hand
 
4.    You’re at the roulette table and a black number has come up five times in a row. What are the     odds that the next number will be red?
A.    47.3 percent
B.    75 percent
C.    50 percent

5.    How many US states have legalized gambling?
A.    48
B.    52
C.    2
 
6.    Players who bet on the pass line in craps are hoping the first roll is a
A.     12
B.     Yahtzee
C.     7
 
7.    Video poker is adapted from what poker game?
A.    Texas Hold’em
B.    Strip poker
C.    Five-Card Draw

8.    Which of these games can you play while in the bathroom?
A.    Keno
B.    Bingo
C.    Slots

9.    Where is the biggest casino in the world currently located?
A.    Monte Carlo
B.    Connecticut
C.    Las Vegas

The Answers

1.    B. In sports betting, a gambler needs to win approximately 52.4 percent of his bets to break even because the house charges a commission (or vigorish) on every bet.

2.    C. This could be a trick question because Annie Duke has bluffed and flirted on the same hand. However, rapid eye blinking is often an indicator of bluffing.

3.    C. Surprisingly, playing high-stakes blackjack can be easier on your wallet than low-limit slot machines. Assuming you know basic strategy, your loss in a good single-deck game should be less than $14 an hour. Likewise, video poker (Jacks or Better 9/6) is a good bet and also will only set you back about $14 an hour. Neither one of those is very bad, considering that three quarters going into the slot machine every spin adds up to over $15 an hour.

4.    A. No matter how many times one color or number comes up, the odds for the next spin aren’t related to past spins. And the answer isn’t 50 percent because there are also two green numbers (0 and 00) on the roulette wheel (in addition to the 18 red and 18 black numbers).

5.    A. Currently 48 states offer some form of legal gambling, but just 20 years ago, there were casinos in only two states, so C was a reasonable answer. However, if you picked B, you may want to retake that high school geography class.

6.    C. Seven is an automatic winner for pass line bettors on the come-out roll (first roll). B is incorrect because prowess at Yahtzee rarely translates into winning at the craps table – the pit boss is never happy when you try to throw all five dice.

7.    C. Video poker has many versions, but all are based on Five-Card Draw. So you never need to worry about losing your shirt (or your socks) at this game.

8.    A. Keno is one of the few games in which you don’t have to be present to win. It’s even possible to play from your room or the buffet line.

10.    B. The Foxwoods Casino just outside Hartford, Connecticut, is the biggest casino on the planet.

The following quiz may clear up some of the confusion that faces a prospective slot-machine player when deciding on where and what machines to play:

1) Can you win playing a slot machine?
Yes. Slot machines are set to pay back a certain percentage. In New Jersey, by law, slot machines must pay back 83 per cent of the money played. In Nevada, it’s 75 per cent. In the UK, the machines are required to payout between 72 per cent and 98 per cent. The more competition in a local area, the higher the payout percentage generally is. But even at 72 per cent, a player can hit a lucky streak and go home a winner. Sure, most players may not win anything, but there are plenty who do win if they
know the secret.

The key to beating the slot machines is to quit while you’re ahead. Money management is sometimes an overused term in the gamblers’ world, but it applies here. Set a reasonable win goal. If you have a budget of £100, don’t try to double your money. The chance of that happening is remote. Quit when you are £25 ahead. Go to a film. Get a meal. Or simply watch the other players. And when you get home, you can say you beat the casino.

2) How many coins should I play? Won’t my money last longer if I play one coin at a time?
Yes, your money will last longer, but by playing only one coin, you’re either giving up the chance of hitting the big jackpot, which usually pays a bonus for playing the maximum amount of coins, or you’re not activating all the lines on a multi-line machine, therefore excluding yourself from the chance to hit more frequent jackpots.

Always play maximum coin, or in the case of multi-line video, play enough to activate all the play lines. If you can’t afford the £1 machines, drop down to SOp machines. But whatever you do don’t miss out on the chance to win the big or frequent prizes.

3) How can you tell which machines payout more than the others?
Checking the payout of the casinos in the areas you plan to visit gives you a head start. These are sometimes publi hed in newspapers or gambling publications. It is unclear what the reporting requirements will be in the UK, but in the absence of such data simply choose a casino that makes you feel comfortable or part of the family.

It gets a little more difficult when you get to the casino. You can’t tell which machines pay more than others ju t by looking at them. It takes study and intuition.

First decide upon your gaming budget. To play £1 machines, you should have at least a couple of hundred pounds. If you’ve got less than £50, head for the cheaper reel-spinners or the cheaper multi-line video games.

Then take a walk around. Check out the action. Try the three-pull rule: put the maximum number of coins in the machine three times. If you hit a small jackpot, keep playing. If you don’t get anything back, move on. You’ll know when you’re comfortable and things are flowing.

Play the machines at the end of the aisles that are near other banks of slot machines. Sources say that slot executives place higher-paying slot machines in locations that are visible to other players so that they will lure players to other, lower-paying slot machines.

Avoid slot machines surrounding the table games. Table players may get up to stretch and drop a few coins in a nearby machine. Casino executives don’t want those table players to get lucky and continue to play slot machines instead of table games, so they put the tightest machines around the tables.
Likewise, avoid machines near food outlets where people wait in line. Since these players merely drop a few spare coins into the machines with no expectations of winning, there’s no reason for the casino to put loose machines in those prime locations.

If you’re still confused, ask a slot attendant which machine pays out more than the others. They work the slot floor all day long. Maybe they’ll steer you to a machine that they see payout more than others. If they help in this manner, don’t forget them. Slip them a few pounds, and you’ve found a friend for life.

4) Can the casino change the payout on a machine whenever it wants?
The answer is a qualified “yes”. When a casino buys a slot machine, it will tell the slot manufacturer to deliver it already programmed to pay back a certain percentage. Unless there is a major change in the slot marketing policy of a casino, the percentage will not change.

If a casino does decide to change the payout percentage (and when they do this, it’s usually done to increase the payout, rather than decrease it), it is done over a period of several weeks so the change will be gradual. This is not a common occurrence, because a change in percentage requires the purchase of a new game chip and a considerable number of technical alterations and rearrangements, all clearly in the presence of regulatory officials, who verify the new payout percentage.

5) Is it better to play a machine with a progressive jackpot or one that has lower payouts?
It depends upon your objective. If you want to go for the life-changing jackpot – something that will allow you to tell your boss where he can put your job – a slot machine with a big progressive jackpot will give you a thrill. The chances of hitting that jackpot are quite remote, to say the least, but it will no doubt be exciting to dream about it.

If you want to have a chance of taking home a little more money than you arrived with, you might want to concentrate on the machines that offer lower, but more frequent, payouts. The way to determine which machines fall into this category is to read the display. Check for multiple payout combinations and you’re probably aiming in the right direction.

6) What is a random number generator?
The random number generator (RNG) is the heart of the slot machine for the player’s purposes. It is a software program written into the computer chip that constantly cycles through the numbers entered into the computer program at the factory. Each number corresponds to a reel result, and there is duplication for the lower-paying combinations; ie, more numbers will be assigned to each of the low-paying and non-paying combinations, and only a few to high-paying combinations. In this manner, programmers use the laws of probability to achieve the theoretical payout percentage desired by the casino.

7) Aren’t slot clubs just a way for the casino to make sure you don’t win too much money?
Slot clubs have very little to do with winning or losing. The card readers attached to nearly every modern slot machine allow casino management to compile data on the players. It tells them how much the customers play, what denomination, how many coins per pull they deposit and, yes, how much they win or lose. How much a player wins is not the issue here, however. Casinos know that statistically they will win a set percentage from each player over the long run … and they mean the L-o-n-g r-u-n. A player could beat a casino every day for a year, and it wouldn’t change how the casino treats that person.

A slot club determines how many freebies (rooms, meals, shows, cash back) a casino can give individual players as a reward for their loyalty. It only makes sense to register for the slot club in a casino before you play so you qualify for its rewards.

8) Why do casinos sometimes shut down a machine for a while after it has hit a big jackpot?
Today’s slot machines are electronic wonders, with safeguards built into them to prevent tampering. But slot cheats are only one step behind even the most advanced slots technology, so when large (or even smaller, hand-paid) jackpots are hit, the casino will want to examine the machine to make certain the jackpot was hit honestly, and not through some type of malfunction or player tampering. So not only do the regulatory agencies generally require it, but the casino also wants to verify the jackpot to protect itself against fraud.

9) Most progressive slot systems (Megabucks, Quartermania, Pokermania) payout their jackpots
over a 20-year period. What happens if the casino goes out of business during that time? What are the payout percentages for these systems?
In the case of Megabucks, Wheel of Fortune, MegaJackpots, Thrillions and other multi-casino linked systems, the manufacturer and supplier of the jackpot network maintains a trust system. Let’s say a player hits a £1 million jackpot. The slot manufacturer and the system’s participating casinos will deposit an amount of money in a bank annuity account that will spin off £1 million over a 20-year period. The amount of money they deposit depends on the prevailing interest rate, but the player is
guaranteed to receive the whole £1 million over the course of 20 years. Even if all the casinos, and the slot manufacturer, went bankrupt during that period (not a very likely possibility), the jackpot winner would still receive the prize.

Participating casinos in a linked-slot system get together to decide on the payout percentage. In Nevada, for instance, the payout percentage for Megabucks is typically 87-88 per cent. When the jackpot is hit, the percentage will soar to the upper 90s or more. But averaged out for the entire year, Megabucks pays less than the typical £1 machine (89.4 per cent vs 95.7 per cent). Generally, the same is true of all the progressive linked systems.

Some linked systems, by the way, pay the entire jackpot in one hit. Most of the IGT MegaJackpots quarter and nickel progressives, such as Beverly Hillbillies, and Bally’s Thrillions progressives,
such as Betty Boop, are just a couple of examples of such systems.

10) How can you tell when a machine is due to payout?
A word that should not be in any slot player’s vocabulary is “due”. No machine is ever “due”. The RNG constantly cycles and conceivably could payout two top awards in the space of two pulls, and then not pay another for years.

The only way to even get an idea about individual machines is to “scout” them over an extended period of time. Keep mental (or even written) notes about which machines you and other players seem to win on again and again. Those machines that payout consistently will be the ones on which to concentrate
your play. No, it’s not an exact science, but even a little information can go a long way

Multiple-coin machines have several definitions. On a single-line machine, the player inserts from one to five coins. There are two general categories of single-line, reel-spinning games, known in the trade as a “multiplier” and a “buy-a-pay”.

On a multiplier machine, if a winning combination occurs on the reels with three coins in, the payout will be three times as much as with one coin in. Four coins will produce a payout of four times that of one coin, and so on. In this type of game, the payout percentage and house advantage of the machine do not change whether the player deposits one coin or multiple coins.

The amount of profit the casino makes will increase substantially if it can get the players to deposit more than one coin every play. You should always gamble only what you can comfortably afford, so you should avoid playing the maximum coins on this style of game if you can only afford to play one,
even if the casino tries to entice you with attractive payouts. The only reason to play the full amount of coins would be if the slot machine rewards you when winning the top jackpot.

For instance, if one coin pays ten coins for a particular winning combination, two coins pay 20 for the same combination, and three coins pay 50, it would be to your advantage to play three coins. The disparity in the awards makes it worth it. But if you can’t afford to play those three coins, it’s advisable to find a machine that makes an evenly graduated payout for multiple coins, or drop down to a lower denomination.

On a buy-a-pay machine, each coin beyond the first deposited “buys”, or activates, winning combinations or bonus features that would not be available if a single coin is deposited. The
way to spot this type of machine is to look above the payout chart. It will say, “First Coin” over certain winning combinations; “Second Coin” over the next column, and so forth. In this type of game, the payout percentage to the player increases, and the house advantage decreases, as each additional coin is deposited, since winning combinations under the “Second Coin” column will not register, and will not pay any jackpot, if only one coin is deposited.

Another version of a multiple-coin machine is one with multiple pay lines. By depositing additional coins, the player activates additional lines that payout in the winning combinations hit. In traditional reel-spinning games, these pay lines will generally go up to five – three for each horizontal row of symbols and two for the two diagonal rows of symbols.

As with the buy-a-pay machines, the payout percentage on these “buy-a-line” machines increases, and the house advantage decreases, with each additional coin bet.

The newest – and increasingly prevalent – style of multiple coin slot machine is the multi-line video slot game. This style of game incorporates a video screen displaying five reels, each with three symbols. The pay lines on these machines typically go far beyond the five lines of the reel-spinning version to display nine, 15, 20 or more pay lines. The player has the option to bet from one to hundreds of coins on each pay line. In this type of slot machine, the payout percentage increases
and the house advantage decreases with each pay line activated, until all pay lines are “purchased” for a pin with at least one coin per line. After all pay lines are activated – for example, a wager of nine coins on a nine-line aame, or one coin per line – the payout percentage and hit frequencie are constant. This means that as long as all pay lines are activated, there is no inherent advantage in gambling the maximum coins possible. The machine’s glass will typically display prominent advertisements urging the player to “Play 45 Coins”, or whatever the maximum wager is, but that is only to entice you to increase your stake. As long as the pay lines are all active, you need only to bet what you can afford to garner the maximum payout percentage.

Slot machines – often called fruit machines in the UK and pokies in Australia – have been around for many years. In the UK, there are many varieties of machines. Some are located in casinos or arcades in major cities. Others are tucked away in the corners of pubs or snooker clubs. Still others are lined up along the bulkheads of the large ferries. Most are classified as AWP machines, meaning Amusements
With Prizes, with limited jackpots and infrequent payouts. Anyone who is familiar with AWPs will feel at home in a casmo.

In casinos, the slot machines can offer huge, life-changing jackpots. But let’s go back to the start to trace the slot machine’s development. Many years ago, casino executives were surprised to discover that the money they were making at the table games was beginning to decline, and the profits generated by the slot machines were growing. But the casino executives just weren’t paying attention. With computers becoming a vital part of everyday life, young people developing an attraction to video games, and instant gratification turning the modern world upside-down, it was only natural that slot machines would begin to become the casinos’ main profit earner.

By the mid-Eighties, slot machines had matched table games in popularity, and by the time the decade turned, the so-called “one-armed bandits” had clearly become the casino’s favourite game. Today, more than two-thirds of casino revenue in the US is actually derived from the slot machine. Those same casino executives didn’t try to change the trend, however. They were delighted that slot machines were
exhibiting such popularity. After all, the money derived from slot machines is preprogrammed and absolutely guaranteed, while table game revenues are subject to the ebb and flow of Lady Luck. So slot machines became their cushion, with table games generally making up the difference between a great month or simply a good month.

The casinos can count on slot-machine revenues because the machines are simply computers. The profit can be programmed into the machines by the use of a random number generator that determines just how much of the money played in that particular machine will be returned as winnings.
 
So why should casino customers play the slot machines, since the casino is guaranteed to win? The same random number generator that provides the casino with its guaranteed profit, also gives the player the opportunity to win and win big plus they are a LOT of fun.