Casino Articles
Cheating roulette
Posted on May 14th, 2010
All right, for this week’s take on roulette, I’m going to take a trip down memory lane. That’s right, and while I’d never advocate for anyone to cheat (at roulette or any other game in a casino), it’s always interesting and usually amusing to break down how the cheaters try to get ahead. In the [...]
The slot tournament
Posted on May 14th, 2010
The slot tournament. If there’s anything that makes even less sense, or requires less skill, than pushing the slot button (the artist formerly known as a level) hundreds of times in a futile attempt to break the machine out of it’s randomization, it’s this thing. Let’s start with what, before we inevitably ramble on to [...]
Calling odds down on a come bet? Really?
Posted on May 7th, 2010
Have you ever tried to reduce your odds on an already placed come bet with double odds? Ever tried it after just one hit on the point? I caught on to a conversation recently asking about dealer reaction to this that I found incredibly interesting. This guy was calling out “odds down” after the point [...]
Here’s a tip for the dealer
Posted on May 7th, 2010
Casino dealers are lumped right in with waitresses as servicemen who work with small base salaries, relying on tips alone to bring in most of their daily take. We’re talking minimum wage plus tips here. I’ve heard it all my gambling life (along with the message that you have to tip even if you lose), [...]
Roulette betting
Posted on April 30th, 2010
So, even though I continue to write that roulette doesn’t have a surefire strategy for winning (nothing even comes close in my book), people continue to try to figure one out. Imagine that? All right, all joking aside, I continue to cover the different theories and approaches just to remain open-minded that roulette is a [...]
Don’t rush to the machine that just paid off
Posted on April 30th, 2010
Slots, like roulette, treats every spin independent of the one before. Or so you’d like to believe. Let’s assume for the sake of argument that this is true, that each spin resets the odds, that you’re never “due” to hit those sevens, and that your chances of winning remain the same (however small) each time [...]
Craps: Is it time to pass on the come bet?
Posted on April 23rd, 2010
Everyone who’s played craps or who is interested in the game has heard the term come bet. No doubt, if you’re a regular, at some stage in your craps career you’ve placed many a come bet yourself. It’s a common term, but does that mean it’s necessarily a smart bet for the player? Let’s take [...]
Hey, check out the video poker machines!
Posted on April 23rd, 2010
I spend a lot of time talking about poker and strategy, but of all the casino games, video poker is a different beast altogether. Let’s take a closer look starting out at some of the different video poker machines you’ll find in a casino, and whether they’re actually worth your time and money. The standard [...]
A roulette system worth trying
Posted on April 16th, 2010
You don’t need to hear me tell you again that I’m not a fan of betting systems in roulette, so I’ll throw you a curve here and offer one up that I’m actually open-minded to giving a shot myself. Albeit with a very low betting amount, but I’m willing to try it nonetheless. Don’t get [...]
Craps: The “put bet”
Posted on April 16th, 2010
Let’s talk about the “put bet” in craps, as most like to call it. We’re all familiar by now with the pass bet and the come bet, but there’s another bet out there worth just as much attention when you’re at the table. There are actually a few different ways a player can make a [...]
Roulette basics – Getting started advice
Posted on April 9th, 2010
Yup, a double dose of roulette fun this week. The topic of this article? We’re going back to basics and covering some advice for the novice out there looking for a little direction. I’m still not going to advocate even a simple betting strategy, but betting itself isn’t everything when it comes to winning at [...]
Don’t cut me off
Posted on April 9th, 2010
There’s not a whole lot in roulette to stir up controversy. The dealer spin can be a topic of discussion, especially among those who think they can spot the “soft” guy in the casino. But one thing that does continue to ruffle a few feathers is when the dealer calls “no more bets.” Have you [...]
Gotta have the brass to play roulette
Posted on April 2nd, 2010
Roulette. I’m so hard on the game. Well, actually, I’m hard on those folks who blindly press forward in search of the perfect strategy. An admirable if futile goal in the world of casino gambling. But I’ll give you folks one big thing, you’ve got balls. I mean, you’ve got to have balls to really [...]
Transporting your playing money
Posted on April 2nd, 2010
Security is a big deal if you’re a regular gambler. Your playing money, of course, being the largest concern. So how do you transport your cash to and from the casinos? What’s your method of choice? Cash? Credit cards, debit cards, travelers checks, cashiers check and, obviously, Trident Flavors gum are all options of buying [...]
Bored, bumbling boxmen
Posted on March 25th, 2010
In the casino, you’d expect (or at least hope) other players follow a certain etiquette at the tables. This includes rules, behavior and general actions around others in a fun but often professional environment. Whether it’s posted or unwritten rules, they’re there so we all can co-exist in a sometimes stressful if not always rewarding [...]
How fair are those wheels?
Posted on March 25th, 2010
Online roulette – falling into the pattern of behavior toward many online casino games – has come under scrutiny for the reliability of its random generator. Or more to the point, how random it really is. Online blackjack, poker and any other game you can think of that lives in the virtual world faces the [...]
Las Vegas favorites
Posted on March 19th, 2010
Here’s a fun exercise. A break from the analytical side of gambling, a breath of fresh air outside the stress of dealing with this or that. So join me here as I go through my favorites. Not Web sites, but Las Vegas-related favorites. Favorite poker casino: The only casino, ironically, where my career win/loss is [...]
Watch when you make that don’t pass bet
Posted on March 19th, 2010
I was at a casino in the region lately and decided to give a half hour to the craps tables. Not enough to do much damage or rake in a huge win, but just to keep me up to speed on the game. You know, make sure I remember how to toss the dice. While [...]
Baccarat strategy
Posted on March 12th, 2010
If you’re into bacarrat, you know exactly why you play it, and you probably have the bankroll to back up your reasons. I play bacarrat probably 20 percent of the time I’m in a casino. I’ve been somewhat successful, but ever since I learned, I was interested in improving my game and fine-tuning some strategy [...]
Roulette: Maximizing your odds
Posted on March 12th, 2010
Roulette, like slots, is a complete game of chance. Each spin, or pull, is independent of the one before and the one after. Nobody is “due” for anything. However, this doesn’t stop the gaming enthusiasts out there from searching for that silver bullet – that one strategy that breaks the bank. Whether dedication or delusion [...]
Dice control
Posted on March 5th, 2010
I knew, sooner or later if I wrote enough craps articles, I’d get around to the topic of dice control. The great myth of the craps tables. He who controls the dice can control the game. What’s your take on all this? What do you set your dice to before a throw? Does it matter? [...]
Roulette betting combinations
Posted on March 5th, 2010
Roulette, like slots, is a complete game of chance. Each spin, or pull, is independent of the one before and the one after. Nobody is “due” for anything. However, this doesn’t stop the gaming enthusiasts out there from searching for that silver bullet – that one strategy that breaks the bank. Whether dedication or delusion [...]
Silver lining in a down economy
Posted on February 26th, 2010
A depressing article (depending on how you look at it) published this week tells how Nevada casinos went into the red in 2009 for just the second time in their history. You always hear how video games and alcohol are recession proof, and I just assumed since casinos more or less include components of both [...]
Slots…uh…strategy
Posted on February 25th, 2010
I’ll be honest, for as much as I or other casino enthusiasts like to knock slots as the “little brother” of the gambling world, there’s a certain relaxation to be had from turning your brain off in-between grinds at the poker or blackjack tables. Slots isn’t a thinking man’s game, but it’s not entirely without [...]
Roulette: RNG
Posted on February 21st, 2010
It seems like all I do is dump on online gaming these days. I’m not quite that bias against the virtual world of gaming. Even if I do prefer a real casino setting for a variety of reasons, I understand the appeal of playing online. But it seems like every day there are new accusations [...]
Craps: It’s crowded around here
Posted on February 19th, 2010
Something I like when playing cards is space. At least enough where my drink isn’t dropping condensation on the next guy’s chips. I don’t want an empty table (because then there’s no money to be won, right?). Just enough room to not have to worry about brushing my teeth. Of course, craps is another beast. [...]
Why is gambling so addictive?
Posted on February 15th, 2010
There was an article published recently about why gambler’s just can’t walk away from their games, or as it was bluntly put, their addictions. And the article really makes some interesting points. It was published in the Journal of Gambling Studies. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of it, but the main researcher, named Kyle Siler, [...]
Craps terms: Final round
Posted on February 12th, 2010
All right, back to the craps terms. Who knew there were this many? All I wanted to do was roll some sevens like they do in the movies! Just kidding. We left off toward the end of the J’s, so we’re going to pick up with Juice. Juice is one of the most unpopular terms [...]
Vary your craps strategies
Posted on February 8th, 2010
Craps strategies are endless. From the very first roles around the pass line and come out bets, to different combination’s and wagers on points, you can spend years perfecting your strategy in one of the most exciting casino games on the floor. Most players don’t wade too deep into those waters, though. They stick with [...]
Introduction to Baccarat
Posted on February 5th, 2010
Ever walked into a casino such as The Wynn in Las Vegas, passed the blinking slots, the smokey poker tables, the, uh, passable waitresses…and glanced at that roped off section off in the corner? You know, the area you never have enough money to enter? That’s where they’re playing Baccarat. A game of more chance [...]
Let’s get progressive
Posted on January 29th, 2010
Last week we talked about progressive jackpots on the slots. Are they worth it, who plays them, all that good stuff. This week I’ll break down the three main kinds of progressive slot machines so you can get a better idea of what’s offered, and whether it’s really worth your hard-earned nickels and quarters to [...]
More craps terminology
Posted on January 27th, 2010
Let’s see how much further we can get in our run-through of various craps terms. As I always say, it never hurts to be as familiar with the terminology of a game as possible. When in Rome… OK, we last left off in the C’s. Come bets we’ve covered, but the Come Out Roll is [...]
Fire bets
Posted on January 23rd, 2010
I’m generally a fan of the money-making opportunities the game of craps affords the players. If you take the time and have the patience to really learn the game, you can make some nice money a little more consistently than trying your luck at other games of chance. However, like most casino games, there are [...]
500 days of roulette
Posted on January 20th, 2010
What’s the worst thing you can do when devising or buying into a betting strategy in a casino? Whether it’s roulette or any other game, the answer is always the same – counting on consistency. Especially when that consistency is about winning (not sure why you’d plan on consistently losing as a sound strategy, but [...]
More craps terms
Posted on January 16th, 2010
Even after going through the basic terms, you might find yourself lost at the craps table. There is so much slang going around you’d think you were in a 1970′s British mobster flick. Never you fear, though. I’m going to give you another reference sheet to keep close when you feel like the only one [...]
Progressive slots
Posted on January 14th, 2010
Why do we play slots? It’s not for the odds, those are atrocious. It’s not for the exercise, although by the looks of it some people need to keep pulling that handle to keep the skin from completely sliding off their arms. It’s not for the mental challenge – no further explanation needed there. So [...]
How’s your dice technique?
Posted on January 8th, 2010
Everyone wants to be an expert. Especially in the casino. Especially at the craps table. Nothing’s sexier than asking some 22-year-old blond to blow in your hand while you roll the seven (unless, of course, you’re not trying to roll a seven). C’mon, you’ve all seen that cliche scene in one more or another. But [...]
The Diodoro system
Posted on January 6th, 2010
I’ve said it a few times before, but I don’t believe in the long-term success of betting systems for roulette. I believe each spin is independent of the last, and like rolling a pair of dice, nothing of what’s happened in the previous one, five or 10,000 turns has any affect on what the next [...]
Hop to it
Posted on January 3rd, 2010
Ever heard of a hopping bet? It’s kinda like a blackjack side bet, only for craps. And much like the blackjack side bet, the odds are hardly worth the payoff, but some people love these options and swear by them in a US casino. I, personally, don’t get the attraction or appeal, especially in craps [...]
Pretty girl behind the wheel
Posted on January 1st, 2010
Does sex matter when spinning a roulette wheel? That might sound like a ridiculous question, but many heavily experienced roulette players either swear by men or swear by women (to deal, that is). What could possibly be going on that would lead someone to the conclusion that not only are they different from each other, [...]
Losing money the wrong way
Posted on December 27th, 2009
In a perfect world, you’d never have to worry about thieves in the casino. Or if you did, everyone would be on the same team trying to cheat the house, and not each other. Such is not the case in reality, though, especially in cities like Las Vegas or Atlantic City, where gambling and alcohol [...]
Pick your poision
Posted on December 25th, 2009
Perhaps playing the slots isn’t a dramatic as the title of this article would suggest. I often catch myself being too harsh on the game, so I’ll take a step back and choose my words carefully from this point on. However, it is generally a game of complete chance, one that leaves skill and strategy [...]
Roulette: System failure
Posted on December 20th, 2009
I don’t believe you can beat roulette with a betting system. Let’s get that out right now. It’s been proven time and again (with countless tests of up to 10,000 spins) that everything works out to be equal whether you’re using a system or making random bets on the wheel each time. There are plenty, [...]
Craps: Learn the “fundamentals”
Posted on December 18th, 2009
A game as daunting as craps is probably the least inviting to those who don’t understand it’s many betting options. For a beginner, learning the fundamental bets (or the basic betting strategy, as some would call it) is a great way to ease your way into the game – something that could easily take a [...]
Craps: Are side bets a good bet?
Posted on December 13th, 2009
Most beginners to craps are familiar only with the pass line and the call bets. And that’s for the best. You don’t want to complicate things until you have a basic knowledge of what everything means, and where things are on the field, etc… After you get the hang of that, though, the next logical [...]
Roulette: Beating the system? Try beating a dead horse
Posted on December 11th, 2009
The one thing that exhausts me about casino gaming discussion is the constant belief that you can beat the roulette wheel. What about physics? What about math? What about the law of third? What about… Save your breath, please. You can keep running circles around the obvious until you’ve got roulette balls for brains, but [...]
Roulette – No More Bets, Please!
Posted on December 7th, 2009
Recently, after learning more about the world of online roulette play (I’ve always shied away from it in the past in favor of a real ball and wheel in a casino), I’ve noticed some sites cut off the ability of the players to bet before the wheel is spun. Personally, I think this makes sense. [...]
A craps by any other name
Posted on December 4th, 2009
Craps is a fun game with one of the lowest house odds of any USA casino online, theoretically making it worth your while to play if you’re trying to make money and you know what you’re doing. Plenty of newcomers will hover around the pass line or the call bets for weeks or months until [...]
Casino Side Bets
Posted on December 3rd, 2009
There are so many side bets available at the casino online table it’s like two completely different full games offered at the same time, both with their own set of strategy, rules, odds and payoff. Talk about multi-tasking. Here’s the next in my serious of side-bet run-through. Called Royal Match, this side bet follows suited [...]