Category: English

Blackjack, the most popular casino game, offers the best chance at winning. Players with varying levels of expertise in card counting can gain an edge over the house, and even casual players can play close to even.

There was a time when craps was the most popular casino game in America. Two world wars and “police action” developed craps players who crowded the tables of Reno and Las Vegas, as well as the many illegal casinos across the country in the middle of the 20th century.

In the mid-Fifties, a group of mathematicians discovered that a basic strategy could be employed to reduce the house advantage at blackjack, or “21”, to virtually nothing. Casinos suddenly realized that the game could be beaten, and have predictably taken various precautions to protect it ever slllce.

The American publication of Beat the Dealer by Ed Thorp, in 1962, began a rush to discover systems and methods that would indeed beat the dealer. Card counting, the method first described by Thorp, has been refined over the years, and today casinos employ various methods from shuffling after every hand to actually barring players accused of card counting from playing in casinos.

The casinos like to call blackjack a game of chance, but it is as much a game of skill as anything. But you won’t hear the casinos denying very strongly that blackjack can be beaten. After all, casinos make most of the money they take at the table games via blackjack. It’s great advertising when someone reports a big win at the blackjack tables. Players have been encouraged for many years to believe that blackjack can be beaten, and the casinos don’t want to do anything to disrupt that message.

But becoming an effective card counter is difficult and time consuming. And unless you’re planning to make blackjack your occupation, it’s unnecessary.

Blackjack can be played successfully by using variations on the basic strategy developed by that group of mathematicians in the Fifties.

Most people carry cash to the casino. Since cash is the fuel of the gambling business, it is the essential tool of the games. But carrying cash can be dangerous, particularly when you’re on holiday.

There are other options to bringing a pocketful of cash with vou to the casino.

Travellers cheques are a good choice. As they are with any other business, travellers cheques are as good as cash in the casino. They offer security and peace of mind to the player, but sometimes are difficult to handle. Exchanging travellers cheques is easy enough. Simply take them to the casino cage and you will receive cash. Losing travellers cheques means you must track down a representative of the company that issued them, but that is generally not very hard in a casino where most companies maintain offices.
 
Another option is to bring your credit or debit card to the casino. You’ll usually be able to find a machine but, eventually, you will still have to walk around with cash, albeit not as much as you would normally bring at one time.

Cash advances from your credit card are very convenient, but not recommended. Most casinos have cash machines on their casino floor. These are very profitable for their owners as well as for the casinos where they are located.
Most serious gamblers and frequent casino guests have established credit with the casino. Casino credit enables them to travel with the minimum amount of cash, and to deal with a casino on the same level as a bank. You make withdrawals and deposits.

Yes, casino credit can be dangerous. Like everything involved with gambling, casino credit requires discipline. But if you plan to frequent a particular casino on a regular basis and want to travel without the fear of losing your cash, it makes the most sense of any of the “cashless” options. Think about it.

Establishing credit is easy. Simply head to the casino cashier and explain that you would like to get credit. They will send you to the appropriate person. You will be asked to complete a form very similar to one you’d use to apply for a credit card. You’ll be asked for bank account numbers, the status of your home ownership, and several credit references – credit cards and so on.

Most casinos use credit agencies. They will examine your finances and then recommend whether to accept or reject your application. If you’re accepted, you will be given a credit limit, similar to the limit issued for a traditional credit card. This is called your “line”.

Once you’re approved, you can draw on that line at any gambling table or slot machine. When you approach a gambling table you tell the dealer you’d like a “marker”. A marker is simply a cheque like you’d find in a bank. You then give the supervisor your name and the amount you’d like to withdraw. He will put it in the system, and within five minutes, the marker will be ready. You sign it, and the dealer counts out chips in the amount of your marker.
Besides not having to carry a large amount of cash, the advantage of using casino credit is that you have a clear record of your gambling funds. That doesn’t help much if you lose it all, but if you employ money management techniques, casino credit can be a valuable tool. You are also automatically rated when you take a marker, so you never have to Worry if a supervisor is watching your action.

The casino wants to encourage you to use casino credit so, in most cases, they don’t charge interest on the money they loan you for at least 30 days. If you are disciplined with the use of casino credit and you payoff the balance quickly upon returning home, casino credit can be a bonus for the knowledgeable player.

But remember, it pays to be sensible. Don’t panic and run up huge debts, always hoping you’ll get that lucky win which will suddenly alleviate all your problems. If you haven’t had any major wins before, why should one happen right now? Life isn’t like that.

And if you do run up massive debts, you’ll be a two-way loser. Not only will you be blackballed by the casino but also, eventually, you will be taken to court.

Gambling is exciting, but don’t let it go to your head.

In the past, casinos rated only those customers who played table games. The customers’ play was observed by casino floor supervisors who calculated the average amount the customer played per hour. Players who exclusively frequented slot machines could rarely attain the high player category and receive the same complimentaries and extra services given to those rated as high-action players.

In recent years, however, the rating of slot machine players has become common throughout the casino industry. This change was made necessary by the increase in the casinos’ machine revenues and made possible by modern technology.
With machine revenue accounting for the large majority of gross gaming revenues, it became important to find
a way to track these players in order to encourage them to return to play again and again.

The casinos’ ability to track the activity of slot-machine players was provided by electronic systems developed
by most of the major manufacturers. Under these systems, players who apply are issued cards similar to credit cards to be inserted into specially designed slot machines. Each slot machine and video poker machine is connected to a central computer which contains information on customers’ playing histories. When the system has identified the player by his card, it flashes him a greeting on an electronic display ("Hi Bob") and tells him how many bonus points he has accumulated so far and how many coins he must play to get another point. As he drops in coins, the display counts down the number of coins remaining to be played until he gets to his next point. At one Las Yegas casino, for example, a player must drop 20 $1 coins, 40 half-dollars or 80 quarters to earn a bonus point.

Slot-machine clubs serve a dual purpose for the casinos. They are designed to attract players by offering a bonus. Players can earn points toward comps, special merchandise or even "cashback", which is essentially a cash award for patronising a particular casino. But the systems function primarily as player-tracking devices. The data fed into the central computer from each card allows the casino to determine who the high roller players are, the amount and frequency of play, which machines are most popular, how often and for what reason machines malfunction, total revenue per machine, frequency of jackpots, percentage of profits for the casino, and other accounting data that is valuable to casinos.

It simply makes sense to sign up for the slot club in any casino where you might play the machines. While you may not play to the level that would qualify you for comps or cashback, you may be included in a valuable promotional campaign. Casinos are always looking to reward loyal customers, and often go through their databases by offering free tokens, meals, entertainment or hotel rooms. You want your name on the list when these goodies are passed out. Don’t be shy.

Casinos spend millions in promoting their games. Everyone knows about how casinos bring in high players, and treat them to a room, food, drinks and entertainment in exchange for a chance to take their money.

The casinos are betting that the money they advance to host the high roller player is an investment that will be returned when the player hits the tables, or today, even the slot machines. To qualify for such a "complimentary" (or comp), a player has to demonstrate that he is indeed a high roller by giving casino executives the action they expect.

The level of betting to qualify as a high roller player varies from casino to casino. At a small casino in the provinces, a high roller gambler might be someone who bets £15 a hand at blackjack. At one of the glamorous Las Vegas Strip casino resorts, it might take a £300 a hand average bet to even attract attention.

The point is that a casino is willing to return a certain percentage of your action in complimentaries, whether you are playing slots or table games. You don’t have to be a high roller player; you don’t even have to be a regular customer. Most important, you don’t even have to lose; all you have to do is satisfy their qualifications for time played and average bet.

Table Talk
The key to being recognized as a regular player, and to therefore receive the benefits that are distributed to regular players, is to get rated.

Getting rated is simple. In most casinos, you can use the same card issued by the slot machine clubs to be rated at either the machines or the table games. So before you begin to play, stop by the promotions booth and sign up. They will ask your name, address, telephone number, and most likely specialized information, such as your game preferences, birthday, anniversary and other information that will enable them to tailor special promotions to specific audiences.

To be rated at the tables means that the supervisors track your betting style, from the amount of money you use, and the time you spend playing, to your average bet. They even note how well you play the game, because that will be evaluated, as well, when they determine the comps for which you are eligible.

Getting rated at the tables also gives you the opportunity to speak with the casino personnel, from the dealers and the supervisors to the pit manager – who oversees the action in his "pit", or collection of tables. They will be most helpful in clearing up any questions about how to play the game, the pay-outs and the procedures for obtaining comps. If you aren’t satisfied with the answers or the attitudes of the personnel assigned to that table, move on. There will be plenty of options for you, particularly if you are playing in a big city.

Just like real life, money management has more to do with how you budget your money, rather than simply the size of your bets. Most gambling experts suggest that you determine how long you plan to play in the casino, and set win goals and loss limits. Write them down and keep to them. You should therefore divide your funds into separate sessions accordingly.

For instance, if you’re travelling to a casino destination for a two-day stay with £1,000 in funds, divide that stash into two £500 sessions. Then take each £500, and slice each into four £125 sessions that will be designated for two-hour periods. Find that lucky slot machine or table, and get yourself started.

Play with discipline and knowledge, and if you win 50 per cent of your session, about £60 in this case, quit playing. Never stop in the middle of a streak, but as soon as it’s obviously over, step away. Take that £185 and put it away. Some players actually bring envelopes with them. When they reach their win goal, they slide the cash in the envelope and mail it home.

If you can’t afford £1,000 in funds, use a similar formula for the money you can afford.

Remember, when you win, you are not playing with the "casino’s money". The only money the casino has is sitting in the dealer’s chip rack. When it arrives on your side of the table it’s your money, not the casino’s.lf you refer to it as the casino’s money, there’s a good chance it will be in a very Short time.

If you lose the £125, take a walk. There’s no point in setting loss limits unless you’re the discipline to stick to them. Sit in the lounge. Do a crossword. Or even go to your room and read a book. Whatever you do, it’s got to be better than losing. Resist the desire to grab the next session’s funds. You can wait for luck to find you. She’s never where you look, especially after she’s been so elusive.

Time is your enemy. Remember, the longer you gamble, the more exposure you give to the casino’s inescapable mathematical advantage.

There are some games in the casino that should be avoided at all costs. Barring a lucky streak akin to being struck by lightning, these games are weighted so much in the casino’s favour it is foolish to even consider playing them. Try to avoid the temptation at all costs.

THE CASINO’S BEST AND WORST BETS
GAME         BET                 HOUSE ADVANTAGE

Baccarat     Banker                 1.17%
Baccarat     Player                 1.63%
Craps         Pass Line             1.46%
Craps         Pass Line with double odds     0.61%
Craps         Pass Line with 5x odds         0.32%
Craps         Pass Line with lOx odds     0.18%
Roulette     Single "0"             2.7%
Roulette     Double "00"             5.6%
Blackjack     Single Pack*             0.0%
Blackjack     Double Packs*             0.35%
Blackjack     Four Packs*             0.52%
Blackjack     Eight Packs*             0.61%
Big Six Wheel     $5 Spot             11.1%,
Keno         One Spot, 2-1 payoff         25.0%
Big Six Wheel     Joker                 14.8%
Sic Bo         Small or Big             2.8%
Sic Bo         Two of a Kind            37.5%
        

Linked Progressive Slot Machines
The "life-changing" prizes of the million-dollar-plus jackpots carry even greater odds than being struck by lightning. These machines are joined with others in many other casinos, giving you the chance to compete against billions of other combinations conjured up by the random number generator. Unless you believe a higher force is looking to provide you with a trouble-free life – and there must be plenty of people who do, judging from the receipts from state lotteries – avoid the multi-casino linked progressive slot machines. Unless you win the big prize, you’re just making a donation because the chance you will even break even is almost nil.

In-house progressive slot machines with payouts in the hundreds of thousands are a little better, but not much.

BIG SIX WHEEL AND SIC BO
With a casino advantage between 11 per cent and 22 per cent, the Big Six Wheel, money wheel or wheel of fortune ranks as one of the worst bets in the house. Sure, you’ve seen the game on piers and in amusement arcades lined up in great rows, but the casino version isn’t any better. And you can’t even win a fluffy stuffed animal.

Sic Bo is the Oriental version of the Big Six Wheel. Instead of a wheel, however, it uses dice in a cage. On most bets, the house advantage ranges between 8 and 48 per cent. The only saving graces are the "big" and "small" bets which offer a much more reasonable 2.8 per cent house advantage. If you play, don’t be tempted to place any other bets.
 

KENO
This relative to bingo is actually more like a lottery. From a pool of 80 numbers, you can pick anywhere between one and 20 numbers. The odds are determined by each house, but the house advantage is generally greater than 20 per cent.

The one good thing about keno is that it offers you the least amount of losses per hour if you’re betting £1 for each game. Since there are rarely more than six games an hour, you can relax in the keno lounge and keep guzzling those free drinks without worrying that you’re going to mess up your keno strategy. In fact, there is no valid keno strategy!

That said, anyone can be a winner at any casino game over the short term. The deviations from the long-tenn advantage for the casino can sometimes swing wildly. Everyone has heard of players who have been "struck by lightning" and won the multi-million pound progressive jackpots, or those who win the lottery.

There are inveterate keno players who swear that they can overcome the hefty disadvantage they face when playing their favourite game. But beware.

Roulette, craps, baccarat blackjack and every other casino game has the same stories of gamblers struck by "dumb luck". Sure, it’s all possible, but to make it anywhere close to probable, you’re got to play the games that give you the most chances to win, and you’re got to use all your resources to give yourself an advantage.

Take a look at Las Vegas today. Las Vegas Boulevard, the famous Strip, added new hotels at a rate of two per year during the Nineties, and the pace of additions seems to be continuing in this century both on and off the Strip. Excalibur, MGM Grand, Treasure Island, Luxor, New York-New York, Paris, Monte Carlo, Rio, Bellagio, Venetian, The Palms and others will soon be joined by Wynn Las Vegas, mognl Steve Wynn’s first fabulous creation of the new century on the site of the old Desert Inn. Atlantic City’s 12 casinos are jammed for every hour of the 24 hours they’re open. Even in sleepy Biloxi, Mississippi, casino action is non-stop, with more dock-side casinos being added year after year.

What should this expansion tell you? No, there isn’t the need for new hotel rooms in Las Vegas. No, the beaches in Atlantic City aren’t the most beautiful in the world. And no, people don’t frequent the dock-side casinos in Biloxi because they yearn for riverboat gambling of days past. This should tell you that the casinos make so much money that American casino companies are falling over themselves – and spending hundreds of millions of dollars – to build the next one. And why are they making so much money? Because the games offered in casinos don’t offer players much chance of winning. The tables have a built in house advantage, and the slot machines are simply computers programmed to win more for the casino than they payout.

Mathematics plays the most important role in the casino. The mathematicians who developed the rules of the various games that give the house its guaranteed wins are some of the casinos’ most valued consultants.
 
Slot machines are easy. They are essentially computers that can be programmed to pay back a certain amount of the money deposited in them. A little device known as the "random number generator", an essential element in many different kinds of computers, determines when jackpots are hit, how many are hit, and for how much. No one can tell when it will happen, but casino executives know one thing: when the day is over, a pre-determined amount of money will be added to the bottom line, courtesy of the "slots".

Sure, you can win at slot machines. They all hit jackpots, and if you’re lucky enough to be playing the machine when the jackpot hits, you could be a winner. But if you continue iD play ad infinitum, you will lose. It’s the law of averages, and it’s a law that has no loopholes.

Video poker is different. If you know what machines to look for and how to play those machines when you find them, you can reduce the house advantage to zero, or even less – an actual player-advantage game. But to beat that house advantage, you have to get your share of the jackpots – royal flushes, fives-of-a-kind, or whatever the top award might be. And that factor is dependent upon our old friend, the random number generator. Video poker gives you some control over the results by making your decisions matter. A skilful player will have a better idea of which cards to discard, and so on.

That’s where we draw the line in the casino. You have the best chance to win when you play games in which you have some control over the outcome.

Casinos can be imposing, overwhelming places. Other, more experienced players can often make a newcomer feel intimidated and unwelcome. These situations can easily be avoided by knowing the basics of casino etiquette.

For many new players, the slot machines are the most familiar and least threatening of all the games in a casino. It’s easy to plop in a coin, or buy a stack of coins and sit for hours in front of one machine spinning reels or playing cartoon bonus rounds. Virtually all modern slot machines now take notes, and an increasing number payout in tickets that can either be cashed at the cage or simply taken to another machine and used like cash. In many casinos, this new type of gambling has made any contact with a cashier completely obsolete.

The note machines will take any denomination from £1 upwards. After the note is inserted, the machines will most likely register credits on the machine rather than spit out the corresponding number of coins or tokens. If you prefer to play with coins, however, it’s simply a matter of hitting the cash button that will spill the coins into the pay-out tray of the slot machine. Of course, with the increasing number of ticket-printing machines in modern casinos, even this tried-and-true practice may be on its way to becoming obsolete.

Choosing which slot machine to play is generally as simple as deciding what denomination you want to use. Remember two things: the larger the denomination, the larger the payout; and slot machines are programmed to win.

Casino executives love slot machines, which is a good reason why you should not. In the past 20 years, the percentage of casino revenue taken by slot machines has changed places with that of table games. It used to be that the table games accounted for over 60 per cent of casino revenue. Slot machines were provided for their entertainment value and aimed at the wives of the table game players.

Things began to change as table game players got older, and began to disappear. Newer casino customers weren’t comfortable with table games, but responded to the more modem and recognizable slot machines. With credit- or debit-card machines, computers and televisions now ingrained in our culture, slot machines became the choice of many of the casinos’ younger customers.

Today, slot machines account for over 70 per cent of casino revenue. In some places, it’s even higher. Table games, meanwhile, have undergone a dramatic decline in interest. Players continue to disappear, and attracting new table-game players is costly for the casinos.

Because most table games offer a house edge that is significantly less than most slot machines, casino executives don’t lose any sleep over players moving from those games to slot machines.

Even slot machines that have good payout percentages (the ratio of money returned to the player to the money played) generally pay back far less than a player can achieve by playing intelligently at a craps table, blackjack or in the baccarat pit. Even American roulette tables pay back more than the average slot machine payout.

Yes, slot machines are fun and non-intimidating, but they also take your money faster than any major table game. And, by sitting in front of a slot machine the entire day, you miss out on the social interaction that can be so rewarding in the casino. Break down the barriers and give table games a try.