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.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
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.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Five Strategies to Win at Poker
There are five common strategies every poker player should know if they want to be successful at community games like Five Card Draw and Texas Hold’em. Some are fairly self-explanatory and others require some practice, but all of them will help you gain a leg up on the competition.
Aggressive play: putting down an opening wager or raising someone else’s bet. This is ideally done with a strong hand. If you overuse, it can hurt you in the long run because your competition will label you as a loose player and use it against you.
Bluff: fooling others by betting with a bad hand. It’s a risky move but you’re trying to get others out of the hand by wagering big. With less players left in the hand, the odds of high cards left is lower.
Check-raise: another risky move that can pay off big when used correctly. This is when you check (pass to the next player) with a strong hand, hoping that someone else will start the wagering. When the betting comes back to you, you raise to try to confuse your competition. It’s like a bluff or a slow play.
Protection play: the complete opposite of a check-raise. This is done with a strong but vulnerable hand to scare off your competition. Let’s say you have a pair of 10s when a flush or straight is possible on the board. This is the best way to protect your hand.
Slow play: reverse bluffing. This is another way to protect your hand. With this poker strategy, you want to keep your competition in the hand by betting lower than you should. Begin with a small wager and players with vulnerable hands may stay in. Once they get pot committed, you can take them out. You are trying to be viewed as weak so they let their guard down.
Aggressive play: putting down an opening wager or raising someone else’s bet. This is ideally done with a strong hand. If you overuse, it can hurt you in the long run because your competition will label you as a loose player and use it against you.
Bluff: fooling others by betting with a bad hand. It’s a risky move but you’re trying to get others out of the hand by wagering big. With less players left in the hand, the odds of high cards left is lower.
Check-raise: another risky move that can pay off big when used correctly. This is when you check (pass to the next player) with a strong hand, hoping that someone else will start the wagering. When the betting comes back to you, you raise to try to confuse your competition. It’s like a bluff or a slow play.
Protection play: the complete opposite of a check-raise. This is done with a strong but vulnerable hand to scare off your competition. Let’s say you have a pair of 10s when a flush or straight is possible on the board. This is the best way to protect your hand.
Slow play: reverse bluffing. This is another way to protect your hand. With this poker strategy, you want to keep your competition in the hand by betting lower than you should. Begin with a small wager and players with vulnerable hands may stay in. Once they get pot committed, you can take them out. You are trying to be viewed as weak so they let their guard down.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Winning at Baccarat
If you’re looking for a different kind of card game away from all the varieties of poker, look no further than baccarat. The game was more popular in olden times after originating in France, but it is still popular at both land-based and online casinos and can bring high stakes.
The rules are simple once you get the basic math down. The goal is a total value of 9, or as close as you can to 9 without going over, in two or three cards. Cards 2 through 9 are face value and Aces are worth 1. 10’s and face cards are worth 0. If you go over 9, 10 is subtracted and basically screws you over. For example, if you have a 3 and an 8, your ending value is 1 (11-10=1), which is a losing hand.
You play against as many as 14 other players at the table. You can’t be dealt more than three cards and if the value of your first two cards is 6 or more, you can’t take a third one. A hand value of 8 or 9 in the first two cards is called a natural hand and you must stick with it.
The dealer shuffles the cards and puts them in a cardshoe for players to take turns dealing from. If the baccarat table is full, there will be three dealers. Two dealers at each end of the table determines wins/losses and who owes money to the banker. The middle dealer calls out totals and determines who is eligible to be dealt a third card.
A player has three options for betting: that their hand will win, that the banker’s hand will win, or that the two hands will tie. The table has rows for each bet. Baccarat is different type of card game far off from other styles and has an attractive house advantage of only 1.4%.
The rules are simple once you get the basic math down. The goal is a total value of 9, or as close as you can to 9 without going over, in two or three cards. Cards 2 through 9 are face value and Aces are worth 1. 10’s and face cards are worth 0. If you go over 9, 10 is subtracted and basically screws you over. For example, if you have a 3 and an 8, your ending value is 1 (11-10=1), which is a losing hand.
You play against as many as 14 other players at the table. You can’t be dealt more than three cards and if the value of your first two cards is 6 or more, you can’t take a third one. A hand value of 8 or 9 in the first two cards is called a natural hand and you must stick with it.
The dealer shuffles the cards and puts them in a cardshoe for players to take turns dealing from. If the baccarat table is full, there will be three dealers. Two dealers at each end of the table determines wins/losses and who owes money to the banker. The middle dealer calls out totals and determines who is eligible to be dealt a third card.
A player has three options for betting: that their hand will win, that the banker’s hand will win, or that the two hands will tie. The table has rows for each bet. Baccarat is different type of card game far off from other styles and has an attractive house advantage of only 1.4%.
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