Showing posts with label casino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casino. Show all posts

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.

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.

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%.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Best Casino Bonuses

You probably won’t get any comped hotel rooms, but online casinos offer some pretty fantastic bonuses to new and loyal players. Most online casinos offer a free cash bonus after joining. All you have to do is sign up for a free account. But be careful, because sometimes it isn’t as free as it first appears. There are strings attached with almost every bonus, so always read the terms and conditions before joining an online casino. The terms and conditions should be linked to the homepage. Usually, you must deposit money into an account and play through to a certain amount before receiving your bonus. These are the different types you should be aware of.

The match bonus is the most widespread online casino bonuses, especially for an initial deposit(s). The casino matches a percentage of the deposit. The matches could be 50% or 100%, for example. Find an online casino with a 100% match on your first deposit. It will only be worth up to a given amount and may only apply to certain casino games, but they are pretty widespread online. The amount will fluctuate with the current promotion they’re running. Look for a casino that is offering a similar match on your next few deposits in addition to the first deposit. Those are the kind of welcome bonuses you should take advantage of.

A cashable bonus is one where you must hit a given wager requirement before you can withdraw the bonus money from your account. The restrictions involved might be up to a certain amount of money or only playing on certain games. On the plus side, the bonus money is additional to your winnings upon withdrawal. A sticky bonus is similar but tricky. The bonus may not be withdrawn but any winnings from playing the sticky is. Got it? The last bonus is hard to find but it’s one of the best. It’s the cash back bonus. They are given following a loss, as in a portion of the stake is returned to your account. Depending on the promotion, you could get 20% cash back each week. That means you would get 20% of your losses back from that week. Obviously, a winning week would not qualify.