I should preface this by saying there is no guaranteed way to win at slots. It’s a game of luck, but there are some simple strategies to help your chances. Some slots offer better odds than others. You can find this on the side of the machine in land-based casinos and online casinos are legally bound to advertise their payouts. Here you can learn about the right type of slot to play and how much to bet.
The most popular slots currently have five reels and multiple lines, along with a bonus feature. You can play the entire position of the reel rather than fixed lines like the old classic 3-reel slots. It’s more than just spinning a reel and hoping for the best. A 1-reel slot has 243 ways to play. Video slots are popular online because they have great graphics and a good story to the game. Realtime Gaming (RTG) has this with the Real Series and Rival Gaming has this with i-Slots.
Find slots with scatter features, because those have more ways to win. A double up bonus also helps because it’s the only bet in slots without a house edge. You are usually allowed for up to five bonus spins in a row. Always play the maximum bet on a slot so you can get the full jackpot, instead of just a percentage. If you can’t afford it, find a less expensive slot. Progressive jackpots are linked slots, sometimes from multiple affiliate online casinos, with up to millions of dollars up for grabs.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Winning at Roulette
No matter what anyone tells you, roulette requires more luck than strategy. It’s sort of like craps where you need to know what bets have better odds. The strategy is in the betting. That’s it.
The casino game originated in the French Riviera and Monte Carlo for the wealthy but you can play it anywhere today. The goal is to guess the numbered pocket the ball will land in once the roulette wheel stops spinning. The wheel is shaped like a bowl and is three feet in diameter. The two most common types are American Roulette and European Roulette. American Roulette has 38 pockets (1-36, 0 and 00) and a 5.26% house advantage. European Roulette has 37 pockets (1-36 and 0) and a lower house advantage of 2.7%. You won’t find European Roulette in many land-based U.S. casinos, but you can find it online.
In both types of roulette, half the 1-36 numbers are red and half are black. The 0 and 00 are green. Each number has a box on the roulette layout, where you bet your chips. The dealer, also called the croupier, spins the wheel and offers the payouts after the spin. Your bet must be in before the dealer spins the wheel and calls out “no more bets.” Bets are still accepted shortly after the wheel begins spinning. Each player has their own colored chips and each table has minimum bets and limits.
The roulette layout has 48 boxes for red, black or green bets known as inside bets. There are 11 boxes on the outside for special bets such as red/black, high/low and even/odd. These are called outside bets.
The casino game originated in the French Riviera and Monte Carlo for the wealthy but you can play it anywhere today. The goal is to guess the numbered pocket the ball will land in once the roulette wheel stops spinning. The wheel is shaped like a bowl and is three feet in diameter. The two most common types are American Roulette and European Roulette. American Roulette has 38 pockets (1-36, 0 and 00) and a 5.26% house advantage. European Roulette has 37 pockets (1-36 and 0) and a lower house advantage of 2.7%. You won’t find European Roulette in many land-based U.S. casinos, but you can find it online.
In both types of roulette, half the 1-36 numbers are red and half are black. The 0 and 00 are green. Each number has a box on the roulette layout, where you bet your chips. The dealer, also called the croupier, spins the wheel and offers the payouts after the spin. Your bet must be in before the dealer spins the wheel and calls out “no more bets.” Bets are still accepted shortly after the wheel begins spinning. Each player has their own colored chips and each table has minimum bets and limits.
The roulette layout has 48 boxes for red, black or green bets known as inside bets. There are 11 boxes on the outside for special bets such as red/black, high/low and even/odd. These are called outside bets.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Winning at Blackjack
Blackjack is a casino game that requires a bit of strategy. It’s the fastest table game you can find, so you must learn to control your bankroll with the runs of good and bad luck.
You play the dealer just like other players at the blackjack table. Your goal is to get up to 21 without going over. Cards 2 through 10 are face value and face cards are worth 10. An Ace can be worth 1 or 11. Therefore, a hand with an Ace is called a soft hand. A hand without an Ace is a hard hand because the value doesn’t change. A casino will use anywhere from six to eight decks to aid the house edge and discourage card counters. Online casinos use an RNG but your odds are still better online.
If you tie the dealer in blackjack, it’s a push and you get your initial bet back. A blackjack hand of 21 generally pays out 3 to 2. A hard 17 is the point at which most dealers are required to stand. If an Ace is involved, it’s a tougher decision. With soft hands, always hit or double down with an Ace and a 2 though 6. Be careful when splitting hands. According to basic strategy, don’t split 5s or 10s. Instead, split 8s instead of deciding what to do on 16.
Blackjack has a house advantage of 5%. Using basic strategy can reduce that to 0.5%, but blackjack is a game of patience. The professionals only get a 1-2% profit long term. And, don’t bother counting cards because those make up less than 1% of all players, and most ultimately fail because of a lack of discipline.
You play the dealer just like other players at the blackjack table. Your goal is to get up to 21 without going over. Cards 2 through 10 are face value and face cards are worth 10. An Ace can be worth 1 or 11. Therefore, a hand with an Ace is called a soft hand. A hand without an Ace is a hard hand because the value doesn’t change. A casino will use anywhere from six to eight decks to aid the house edge and discourage card counters. Online casinos use an RNG but your odds are still better online.
If you tie the dealer in blackjack, it’s a push and you get your initial bet back. A blackjack hand of 21 generally pays out 3 to 2. A hard 17 is the point at which most dealers are required to stand. If an Ace is involved, it’s a tougher decision. With soft hands, always hit or double down with an Ace and a 2 though 6. Be careful when splitting hands. According to basic strategy, don’t split 5s or 10s. Instead, split 8s instead of deciding what to do on 16.
Blackjack has a house advantage of 5%. Using basic strategy can reduce that to 0.5%, but blackjack is a game of patience. The professionals only get a 1-2% profit long term. And, don’t bother counting cards because those make up less than 1% of all players, and most ultimately fail because of a lack of discipline.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Winning at Keno
Now that you know everything there is to know about bingo, it’s time to learn about keno. Keno is the big-boy version of bingo, offering bigger payouts and usually higher buy-ins. Each are lottery casino games based on luck but will take up some time at the casino without much pressure on your wallet.
Keno has more numbers to play with than bingo. It has a field of 1-90 and numbers are drawn randomly. You hope to match the numbers to those you chose on your card and the each game is called a race. Your payout will depend on how many numbers you matched, how much you wagered for that race and if you bet at a special rate. There is no guaranteed winning strategy to the game.
To play, choose between one and 15 numbers for a game. Twenty numbers a drawn. Therefore, you only have to match 15 of 20 numbers for the jackpot, which can range from thousands to millions of dollars. The average keno jackpot is $10,000 so this is no game to take lightly. If you match a number, mark the corresponding number on your ticket with an “X.”
A keno card can be played as a straight bet or way bet. For a straight bet, you pick up to 15 individual numbers. For a way bet, the numbers are grouped to give you more ways to win. If you choose six numbers, they can be put into three groups of two, giving you four ways to win (a straight bet and three groups). Keep track of way bets by circling your grouped numbers.
The lowest payout starts at six of 15 matched numbers. Since it has such large payouts, keno has one of the highest house advantages in the casino. It can range from 22-50%, depending on how many numbers you played.
Keno has more numbers to play with than bingo. It has a field of 1-90 and numbers are drawn randomly. You hope to match the numbers to those you chose on your card and the each game is called a race. Your payout will depend on how many numbers you matched, how much you wagered for that race and if you bet at a special rate. There is no guaranteed winning strategy to the game.
To play, choose between one and 15 numbers for a game. Twenty numbers a drawn. Therefore, you only have to match 15 of 20 numbers for the jackpot, which can range from thousands to millions of dollars. The average keno jackpot is $10,000 so this is no game to take lightly. If you match a number, mark the corresponding number on your ticket with an “X.”
A keno card can be played as a straight bet or way bet. For a straight bet, you pick up to 15 individual numbers. For a way bet, the numbers are grouped to give you more ways to win. If you choose six numbers, they can be put into three groups of two, giving you four ways to win (a straight bet and three groups). Keep track of way bets by circling your grouped numbers.
The lowest payout starts at six of 15 matched numbers. Since it has such large payouts, keno has one of the highest house advantages in the casino. It can range from 22-50%, depending on how many numbers you played.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Winning at Bingo
You may be wondering if there is a guaranteed way to win at bingo. Sadly, there isn’t. Like many casino games, it is based on luck. Unlike skill games like video poker and Texas Hold'em, there isn’t much you can practice to swing the odds toward your favor. However, bingo is a game that can occupy some time without hurting your bankroll too much. Bingo is good for an hour or two of entertainment away from the hustle and bustle of the gaming floor.
The goal of bingo is simple: match randomly drawn numbers to those on your card. The numbers are called out by a designated person. If you fall behind, there is a well-lit board of recently called numbers to help you catch up. To win, the numbers must be matched to a pattern on your card like a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line. To spice up the game a little, there are other game options like four corners or a butterfly pattern.
Different varieties of bingo can be found at online casinos. You can still find it at some gaming halls of the casino but many people play electronic bingo at stations throughout the gaming floor. In the gaming halls, some still use a dabber (or highlighter) to mark the number called out with a colored circle on your card.
Bingo is pretty straightforward with a field of 1-75. The numbers 1-15 are in the “B” column, 16-30 in the “I” column, 31-45 in the “N” column, 46-60 in the “G” column, and 61-75 in the “O” column. Your card has 25 spaces with a free space in the direct center and 24 random numbers. Match the numbers in the pattern for that game and be the first to yell out “Bingo!” to win.
The goal of bingo is simple: match randomly drawn numbers to those on your card. The numbers are called out by a designated person. If you fall behind, there is a well-lit board of recently called numbers to help you catch up. To win, the numbers must be matched to a pattern on your card like a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line. To spice up the game a little, there are other game options like four corners or a butterfly pattern.
Different varieties of bingo can be found at online casinos. You can still find it at some gaming halls of the casino but many people play electronic bingo at stations throughout the gaming floor. In the gaming halls, some still use a dabber (or highlighter) to mark the number called out with a colored circle on your card.
Bingo is pretty straightforward with a field of 1-75. The numbers 1-15 are in the “B” column, 16-30 in the “I” column, 31-45 in the “N” column, 46-60 in the “G” column, and 61-75 in the “O” column. Your card has 25 spaces with a free space in the direct center and 24 random numbers. Match the numbers in the pattern for that game and be the first to yell out “Bingo!” to win.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Winning at Craps
When you first look at all the different bets on a craps table, it can be confusing. But it has basic rules as far as table games go. It just differs if you are the shooter or not.
The shooter is the person rolling the dice. It’s an automatic win if your fist roll is a 7 or 11. You crap out, or lose automatically, with a 2, 3 or 12. Any other number allows you to keep rolling until you hit that number again. The number you first roll is called the pass-line point. In this case, you want to avoid rolling a 7 on any subsequent roll, which is when you lose and the dice is passed to the next player. You win if you match the pass-line point before rolling a 7.
Other players at the table bet that you will match your pass-line point or won’t match it. It’s frowned upon to bet against a shooter that is on a hot streak. You are free to pass on a roll. You can also pass the dice after a pass-line point is decided. Your first roll is called the come-out roll and other players win even money if they bet with you and you roll a 7 or 11. If you establish a point like 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, other players bet if you will roll that again before a 7 comes up.
A craps table can have up to four staff members such as the boxman, two dealers and the stickman. The boxman monitors the game and resolves disputes. The dealers stand at either side of the table to take bets. The stickman gives the dice to the shooter and calls out the roll and betting options. If it’s a light table in terms of players, there will be less staff. A plastic disk known as the puck keeps track of the roll. The black side labeled “off” means it is a come-out roll. The white side labeled “on” means a point has been established and is placed on the numbered box on the table for that point.
The odds of any number hitting in craps is 1 in 36. The odds of a 7 or 11 is 22% and the odds for a crap out is 11%. You will see plenty of people at the craps table because it is a social game at the casino and the house advantage is just 1.5%.
The shooter is the person rolling the dice. It’s an automatic win if your fist roll is a 7 or 11. You crap out, or lose automatically, with a 2, 3 or 12. Any other number allows you to keep rolling until you hit that number again. The number you first roll is called the pass-line point. In this case, you want to avoid rolling a 7 on any subsequent roll, which is when you lose and the dice is passed to the next player. You win if you match the pass-line point before rolling a 7.
Other players at the table bet that you will match your pass-line point or won’t match it. It’s frowned upon to bet against a shooter that is on a hot streak. You are free to pass on a roll. You can also pass the dice after a pass-line point is decided. Your first roll is called the come-out roll and other players win even money if they bet with you and you roll a 7 or 11. If you establish a point like 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, other players bet if you will roll that again before a 7 comes up.
A craps table can have up to four staff members such as the boxman, two dealers and the stickman. The boxman monitors the game and resolves disputes. The dealers stand at either side of the table to take bets. The stickman gives the dice to the shooter and calls out the roll and betting options. If it’s a light table in terms of players, there will be less staff. A plastic disk known as the puck keeps track of the roll. The black side labeled “off” means it is a come-out roll. The white side labeled “on” means a point has been established and is placed on the numbered box on the table for that point.
The odds of any number hitting in craps is 1 in 36. The odds of a 7 or 11 is 22% and the odds for a crap out is 11%. You will see plenty of people at the craps table because it is a social game at the casino and the house advantage is just 1.5%.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Winning at Texas Hold'em Poker
All poker is derived from Five Card Draw. That includes Let It Ride, Pai Gow and the most popular community poker game, Texas Hold’em. This version of poker has grown in popularity because of televised tournaments like the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. Online poker has been booming as well, especially among the 18-25 year old age range.
The game uses a standard 52-card deck and no Jokers. There are seven total cards and you form a five-card poker hand. Just like with other poker varieties, you bet chips into a pot and the standard hand rankings apply. You start with two hole card dealt face down and four rounds of betting. Five community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table and a round of wagers is included between each deal. There are other Hold’em options like limit, no-limit, Omaha and ones using antes, but Hold’em using blind is the most common.
The small blind is the person left of the dealer. The big blind is the person to the left of the small blind and is double the size of that. Once the blinds are in, the two hole cards are dealt. The person to the left of the big blind opens the betting with a call, raise or check (pass to the next player with no bet). No Limit Hold’em allows for any raise. Limit Hold’em allows for twice that of the big blind.
You need to learn some poker slang as well with this game. The first three community cards are called the flop. The fourth community card is known as the turn. The fifth community card is called the river, often called the “River of Dreams” since it usually determines the outcome of the hand. Remember that there is a round of betting between each of these steps. When two players are left in the hand, it’s known as going “heads-up.” It's also important to use wise poker strategy in this game.
The game uses a standard 52-card deck and no Jokers. There are seven total cards and you form a five-card poker hand. Just like with other poker varieties, you bet chips into a pot and the standard hand rankings apply. You start with two hole card dealt face down and four rounds of betting. Five community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table and a round of wagers is included between each deal. There are other Hold’em options like limit, no-limit, Omaha and ones using antes, but Hold’em using blind is the most common.
The small blind is the person left of the dealer. The big blind is the person to the left of the small blind and is double the size of that. Once the blinds are in, the two hole cards are dealt. The person to the left of the big blind opens the betting with a call, raise or check (pass to the next player with no bet). No Limit Hold’em allows for any raise. Limit Hold’em allows for twice that of the big blind.
You need to learn some poker slang as well with this game. The first three community cards are called the flop. The fourth community card is known as the turn. The fifth community card is called the river, often called the “River of Dreams” since it usually determines the outcome of the hand. Remember that there is a round of betting between each of these steps. When two players are left in the hand, it’s known as going “heads-up.” It's also important to use wise poker strategy in this game.
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