Casinos Tracking Play
May 22, 2008
It’s common practice for casinos to track your betting habits and to monitor your wagering strategies. Currently it’s done at the slot machines, but soon there will be radio frequency identification (RFID) chips at the tables. Slots have a fully automated player tracking system that starts as soon as your swipe your slot club card. The onboard software knows your name, favorite machines, denomination of play, how much you have pumped in, and how much you have won. Next there are going...
Video Poker Starting Hands - Jack - Ace
May 21, 2008
In video poker, which start-up hand is more valuable, one with an ace or one with a jack? Most people would probably instinctively say the Ace since it’s the higher card, but the Jack has more playing hands that go with it. Also, what do you think of two aces against two Jacks for a starting hand? Let’s see what casino expert Mark Pilarski has to say. Get up to 145% in Bonuses at BetUS! In Jacks-or-better video poker a lone Jack is worth more than a single Ace. True, paired up after...
Hi-Lo Card Counting in Blackjack
May 19, 2008
We’ve had plenty of questions coming in to the site concerning card counting in blackjack so wanted to address the issue. It is thought that with a little bit of research and practice a common player can improve their game to the point where the game is a break-even situation or else they may get the advantage to their side. The casinos have other plans in mind, and try to curtail this practice at all costs. They think it’s cheating, but it really seems to be a skill that only takes...
House Edge on Wheel of Fortune & Big 6
May 17, 2008
The Wheel of Fortune, or Big 6 games in the casino are played on a carnival like vertical wheel that are segmented into dollar bills of various denominations. The player steps up to the table and wagers on which domination he feels the pointer will stop at. All of the six possible wagers carry a pretty steep house edge: $1 spot: 11.1% $2 spot: 16.6% $5 spot: 22.2% $10 spot: 18.5% $20 spot: 22.2% Casino or Joker Logo: 24% (if it’s 40 to 1, if the casino pays 45 to 1 on this wager then the...
House Edge When Blackjack Pushes Go To House
March 15, 2008
Generally, charity blackjack events turn pushes into wins for the casino. Real casinos do not offer such a hard-line rule, because players would never belly up to the table when the odds are so stacked against them. There is an exception: Double Exposure blackjack. Here, as compensation for losing in pushes, all dealer’s cards are dealt face up, However, (there’s always an “however”) because you get to view both of the dealer’s up-cards, the playing rules are adjusted...
11 against an Ace in Blackjack
March 14, 2008
What to do with an 11 against an ace? Do you double down or just hit? This is a question that even most pros disagree upon, but our recommendation is to play the hand differently depending on the number of decks in play. If you are in a multi-deck game then you should just hit the 11, but if you are in a single deck game then you would double down. The reason is that you are more likely to get a decent card on a single deck game than one using multiple decks. Let’s take a look at the number....
Don’t Pass Wagers in Craps
March 14, 2008
Before a point is establish in craps, most players will typically have a pass line wager. You can also bet on the “wrong” bettor and place your wager on the don’t pass line, which may not be a popular bet since you are rooting against everyone at the table. The don’t pass bet is an-even money wager that the shooter will either roll a seven before a point number repeats itself or crap-out on the come-out roll by rolling either a two or a three. Although a two, three, and...
Split Bets in Roulette
March 14, 2008
If you are at the roulette table and distance prevents you from reaching one side of the table, then just ask the dealer to kindly place your wager there for you. If you want a 0/00 split then most of the time you will be able to put it between the 2ND and 3RD section of 12, but make sure you ask the dealer if this is ok to prevent you from getting worked over in the case you actually hit. A split bet is a two number wager that allows you to cover two numbers with one bet. If either of these two...
Banker in Pai Gow Poker
March 13, 2008
Pai Gow Poker is a casino game that is played with up to six players and the banker, each of which is dealt seven cards. There are no draws. Each player arranges cards into two poker hands, one of five and the other of two cards. To win, both your five-card hand and your two-card hand must beat the banker’s corresponding hands. Winning one and losing the other is a push. Normally it’s the dealer who is the banker, but in Pai Gow Poker any player can be the banker. A small plastic...
Wheel of Fortune Slot Machines
March 9, 2008
If you have ever seen the slot machine Wheel of Fortune at your local casino then you probably know just how popular it is. I have seen players waiting nearly an hour just to get a sit for the chance to take a few pulls and a chance to win grand prizes. Since the game is so popular we figured we would take a look at the payback percentages on these machines, the frequency of payoffs, and how often a bonus spin appears for the play. The game is produced by International Game Technologies and is...