Bet Gamble Matrix

It can be tough trying to figure out a way to win when betting on Roulette. Game after game you watch as the Dolly Marker is placed in different areas of the betting layout. But knowing where it will be placed over subsequent games is what baffles most Roulette players.

So, what are your options. Well you could try to spot a pattern studying the areas visited by the Dolly Marker on the betting layout; will the next winning number be across to the left or right, up or down or in one of the four diagonal directions or maybe even it will land on the last outcome; a direct repeat number.

Because of the random nature of Roulette, the task of predicting future outcomes will challenge your intellect probably more than any other casino game.

A case can be made for sticking to a certain area of the Roulette betting layout or betting around the area of the last outcome or moving as far away from it as possible, or somewhere in between. Whatever you try, the randomness of the game is probably going to get you scratching your head as your predicting juices begin to flow. It’s this challenge what makes the game so alluring.

But assuming you’re not going to bet on just one number, the game can be less stressful and so more enjoyable if you outlay approximately half the number of chips of a straight up win pay-out. In this respect, I have thought up a system; a Dolly Marker Predicting System, and I’m going to explain how it works and explore its pros and cons.

There are two main predicting methods people partake in when playing live Roulette.

1. One way is to Place bets on a betting layout in relation to where players believe the ball will land next on the wheel. For example, if a player believes the ball will land close to the right side of the zero i.e. #32, #15, #19, #4, #21… (European Roulette Wheel) those numbers will be covered by chips on the betting layout. Players might also decide to bet on several areas of the wheel and so whatever numbers they choose in their mind by considering where the ball might land on the Roulette wheel this is reflected in the bets they place on the betting layout.
2. Another Roulette predicting method sees players place their bets in relation to where they believe the Dolly Marker will land next. If you consider the same set of results, for example; #1, #17, #35, #36, #9, #28, patterns formed on the wheel from outcome to outcome are different to those that are formed on the betting layout.

Look at the following two illustrations to see how the moves that form those patterns are different on the wheel and betting layout though based on the same set of results.

You don’t want to be considering too many previous outcomes otherwise the crisscrossing that forms these patterns will begin to confuse you and too much information will render the aim of predicting too complicated. It’s important to keep things simple as possible when dealing with a random casino game such as Roulette. Working from the latest outcomes should ensure keeping up with the order of where future outcomes are likely to occur.

HOW THE ROULETTE DOLLY MARKER PREDICTING SYSTEM WORKS

In action:

If you consider a large sample of Roulette outcomes and apply each one to a betting layout and join the dots, from the last outcome to the next outcome, you can see that patterns don’t last. Though some will last longer than others. But they really don’t need to last because to try and profit from these short-lived patterns you only need to jump on betting them as they are playing-out in forming those patterns.
Using x18 same value chips which is half of a 35-1 pay-out plus 1 chip stake returned, we’re going to concentrate on the last two moves seen on a Roulette layout.

Let’s consider the first three outcomes that are: #1 followed by #17 then #35 the information we have thus far tells us that the first move from #1 to #17 is a right direction up diagonal by x5 numbers (counting in a straight line which is easier to workout). And the second move is right across by x6 numbers. So, what we’re going to do is take the last two moves into consideration and apply them to the betting layout.

Let’s start with the first Dolly Marker move and apply it. The first move #1 to #17 is right direction up diagonal by x5 numbers. We want to replicate the move in the most logical order possible. It’s possible to move the same up diagonal by x5 numbers move and we would arrive at #33. We’re going to divide our x18 chips placing half in that area. I would cover from numbers #27 to #36 found on the 3rd column, (27, 30, 33, 36) that’s x4 straight up chips staked. And then I’d place #4 chips to cover numbers #26 to #35 of the 2nd column (#26, #29, #32, #35). Total chips staked so far = x8.

Moving on to the second Dolly Marker move which was #17 to #35 is a right across by x6 numbers. Now we can’t logically replicate this move because there are no numbers to the right side of #35. And we need to count x6 boxes across to the right so even if say we were at #29 because we can’t make six moves to the right, we need to place the next most logical bets. In my view these would be to stick to heading right but begin from the last #35 imagining that the betting layout has no edges, as if the #34, #35 and #36 met up with the #1, #2 and #3 like the continuation of a wheel. So, we’d count six numbered boxes to the right from #35 and so we’d arrive at #17. I’d cover #14, #17, #20 which is one number each side of #17.

We still have x7 chips left. It makes sense to cover numbers #23 and #24 since these are in our target areas. With the five remaining chips I’d cover numbers, #11, #12, #15, #18, #21.

I’ve highlighted the betting selections below.

If you don’t want to get too technical about where you place you chips once you’ve ascertained where your target areas are, you could sporadically bet around the two most important numbers you’ve pinpointed; the two target areas. For example, numbers #17 and #35 are the key numbers though #35 causes you to come in counting from number #2. You could bet all around #35 and #17 with straight up, splits and corner bets as in the illustration below.

Sometimes sporadic betting pays off since you might get paid on one or more straight ups, splits, corners. This style of betting is more suited to when a game doesn’t allow enough time to place your bets before the next spin. And if you’re the kind of player that likes to be a bit loose in how you bet.

This is the core of the Dolly Marker Predicting System, it’s about replicating the last two moves and trying to replicate them as close to possible on the betting layout using no more than x18 chips.

You’re only ever going to be challenged by eight possibilities as seen in the illustration below aside from a repeat. These are:

1. Right Direction Up Diagonal
2. Left Direction Up Diagonal
3. Right Direction Down Diagonal
4. Left Direction Down Diagonal
5. Up
6. Down
7. Across left
8. Across right

But using the last two outcomes I see as moves, this will give you a fair roulette odds of tapping into a forming pattern. It’s more prudent to stick to keeping up with the last two moves rather than trying to decide what random area the Dolly Marker might be heading for next. You’ll not always be correct, of course that’s determined by the future of the outcomes which is intrinsic to the randomness nature of Roulette games, however in sticking to a logical format as I’ve explained, even randomness must visit this structure sometimes.

The only other possibility aside from the eight moves I’ve stated above is that an outcome becomes a direct repeat of the last outcome. So that if #17 was the last outcome, #17 could repeat. In this instance your betting section would be to stake a chip on #17 and around it thereby making up one of your two moves.

Though on average over many games a direct repeat is unlikely to occur more than 1 in every 36 games. But sometimes repeat numbers show up more often. Just for the sake of it you could cover the last number so that the ‘what if it repeats’ thought doesn’t linger in your mind.

If the last two moves are the same, then your two betting options can be the same as the last two moves, since if this trend should repeat, you’ll get paid out more given that you’d be concentrating your chips to the area on the Roulette betting layout that is proving to be sticky for the Dolly Marker to revisit.

SUMMARY

The advantages of this Roulette System are that while logical it also has that random element of not being too precise in that areas covered differ slightly and this is because of the limited area of the betting layout. This is important because since Roulette is a random game of chance, having randomness within the logical reasoning ensures that the Dolly Marker doesn’t have a free run of the betting layout on uncovered areas. At least not all of the time.

*Credits for main photo in this article belongs to Eran Alergant

Have you ever wondered why blackjack has been the most popular table game in casinos for the past 50 or so years? Its popularity arises for these four reasons.

1. You can reduce the house edge to less than 1%
2. You can reduce your monetary loss by taking advantage of comps
3. Learn when to bet more, and when to bet less
4. You can get the edge in blackjack tournaments by playing better than your opponents play

BOTTOM LINE

So there you have it, four reasons for blackjack’s popularity. Moreover, it is also an easy game to learn, and fun to play. Give it a try the next time you head to your favorite casino. (If you are a novice, I suggest you glance at the blackjack basics in my Guide.)

• Blackjack side bets are additional bets that you can make while playing a traditional blackjack game either in a land-based or online casino.
• These side bets usually require a rather small wager and they generally have payoffs that are greater than the customary even-money blackjack payoffs.
• The majority of side bets do not involve any skill, which is one of the reasons for their popularity.
• The most player-friendly side bets have a relatively modest house edge (less than 5%).

There are new side bets being invented all the time in an effort to attract new blackjack players. Many of these side bets, however, never make it to the casino floor; however, some do, and the objective of this article is to explain the best side bets.

Many blackjack players like to make side bets for three main reasons:

1. The cost to make a side bet is low (usually only one dollar).
2. There is no skill involved.
3. The payouts are greater than the customary even-money blackjack payouts.

MAKING A SIDE BET

There is usually signage on a blackjack layout, or on a placard that sits on the blackjack table, which specifies what side bet is being offered. You don’t have to make a side bet; it is an optional bet in addition to the bet that you would make on your hand in the main game.

Let’s assume you want to make a wager on the side bet. If so, after you make a bet on your hand, you would place your chip(s) in a betting spot on the layout designated for the side bet (see diagram).

Most casinos require that players must make a wager on their hand in the main blackjack game in order to make a wager on the side bet. Additionally, there is a minimum and maximum betting limit for the side bet. (The latter is usually posted on signage somewhere on the blackjack table; if not, simply ask the dealer what the betting limits are for the side bet.)

In general, blackjack side bets have a relatively high house edge, certainly higher than the main game, which can be less than 1% by using the basic playing strategy. However, if you want to try your luck at a larger payout, I would recommend you wager on the side bets that have the lowest house edge.

What follows is a list of the best side bets, specifically the ones with the lowest house edge.

21+3

This side bet is a combination of blackjack and three-card poker. It involves the player’s initial two cards and the dealer’s upcard, which combined, make a three-card poker hand.

In the original version of this side bet, if the three cards form a flush, straight, three-of-a-kind, or straight flush, the player wins and the payout is 9-1, yielding a modest 3.24% house edge. (Note: The latter is for a six-deck game; if it’s an eight-deck game, the house edge is only 2.74%, and with four-decks, it’s 4.24%.)

Nowadays, there are versions of 21+3 in land-based and online casinos that have a varied pay table such as the one below.

(Note: Unlike a five-card poker hand, with a three-card poker hand a straight pays more than a flush.)

With the above pay schedule in a six-deck game, the house edge is 4.14% (Note: If fewer decks are used, the house edge increases to 7.76% for three-deck game. If the game uses eight decks, the house edge is only 3.18%).

There are other pay tables in land-based and online casinos and the house edge varies depending upon the payouts for each of the above hands. I don’t have the space to list them all but one source to check is the 21+3 page on wizardofodds.com.

(Note: I would also recommend the article written by Eliot Jacobson on counting systems for 21+3 that target flushes.)

PERFECT PAIRS

This side bet only involves the player’s initial two cards and it wins if the two cards are a pair (it automatically loses if the initial two cards are not a pair). There are three types of pairs that have a payout.

• Mixed Pair (Two cards of the same rank but different color: for example, queen of clubs and queen of diamonds).
• Colored Pair (Two cards of the same rank and color; for example, queen of hearts and queen of diamonds).
• Perfect Pair (Two identical cards; for example, two queens of spades).

The payouts vary from one casino to another but the most common are as follows (for an eight-deck game):

As shown in the table, the house edge varies from 2.17% to 4.09%.

ROYAL MATCH

This side bet is based on the player’s initial two cards’ being suited. There are different payout schedules and number of decks of cards. The two most common in land-based and online casinos are as follows.

Another version uses six-decks of cards with a 25 to 1 payout for Royal Match, 5 to 1 for Suited Blackjack, and 5 to 2 for all other matches. The house edge is a respectable 3.70%.

Note: There is a card counting system for the Royal Match in these two books: Beyond Counting by James Grosjean, and The Big Book of Blackjack by Arnold Snyder.

SUMMARY

The above three blackjack side bets — 21+3, Perfect Pairs, and Royal Match — are the best side bets because of their lower house edge compared to other side bets. However, there are published counting systems for some of the latter side bets (with higher house edge) that could significantly lower the house edge or give the player the advantage (specifically for Over/Under 13, Super Sevens, and Lucky Ladies). For more details, consult Chapter 13 in the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.

• The popularity of video and online slots was set up by invention and inspiration in the days of three-reel games with mechanical wheels.
• Cash handling solutions and touch screens are among the behind the scenes developments that are important in today’s slots.
• On the games themselves, pick-a-prize bonuses, wheel spins and mystery jackpots played big roles in the rise of slots online and on video.

The booming popularity of online slots and the rise of video slots as the most-played games in live casinos go hand in hand.

They work in much the same way, with random number generators, multiple paylines, animation, video and audio effects and bonus games within the game.

Getting to the point that video and online slots could command so much player attention required innovation, invention and ingenuity. Players today focus on how to win at the slots, but the games wouldn’t be there if not for inventions that date back to the days when three-reel slots with mechanical reels ruled the floors.

CASH HANDLING SOLUTIONS

including electronic funds transfers for online casinos and bill validators and ticket pays for live casinos.

In the earliest days of online casinos, players had to start the process of setting up an account at least several days before starting to play. There was an especially difficult period in the 1990s when it was illegal in the United States for credit card companies to handle transactions to online casinos.

That left mailing paper checks and allowing them to clear before playing as the primary means for Americans to fund accounts. Likewise, the payouts were primarily made by mailing paper checks back to players.

Today, most transfers are electronic. In some jurisdictions, such as New Jersey, players can deposit cash at a live casino to find accounts at their partner online casinos, but much of today’s online casino business is done via bank transfers, cash-handling intermediaries such as PayPal and Neteller and, yes, via credit cards.

In live casinos, video slots, especially at the popular penny denomination, would not be possible without today’s bill validators and ticket printers.

For decades, slot machines paid off in coins or tokens, which then had to be taken to the cashier’s cage or change booth and be run through a counter before a player could be paid in currency.

That was manageable when dollars and quarters were the most played slots, but multiline video slots at smaller coin values brought new challenges. Instead of 100 dollar tokens or 400 quarters making up a $100 payoff, it took 2,000 nickels and would have taken 10,000 pennies without a technology change.

Payoffs of thousands of coins meant coin hoppers were emptied more often, and players had to wait for attendant to refill hoppers before resuming play.

Not only that. Pennies are such small coins that using them would have led to frequent hopper jams. That would have led to more down time, waiting for attendants to clear hoppers. Down time means no money is being wagered, and casinos could not stand for that.

So multiline penny video slots were not added to the mix until ticket printers were common. Then players could be paid in bar-coded tickets they could exchange for cash. Voila! Hoppers could be bypassed altogether. With no more fills, no more jams, greatly reduced down time, the way was clear for video slots to displace most mechanical games.

TOUCH SCREENS

When you’re playing online on your phone or pad, you start the reels spinning by tapping the bet button on your screen. It senses your touch.

If you’re playing on a laptop computer, most newer models also enable you to play by touching the screen, though you have the option of mouse clicks or taps on a mouse pad instead.

Even in live casinos, video slots enable play by touching the screen, though many players choose to click buttons on a panel below the screen instead. When it comes time for a pick-a-prize bonus, though, everyone is touching the screen to choose a gift box, make the alien disappear, pet the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” cat or whatever creative touch is the task at hand.

That’s not how things were for most of slot history. For generations, players pulled a handle to start reels spinning — the arm of the “one-armed bandits.” Later, buttons were offered as options to pulling the handle.

Touch screens didn’t reach video slot players until the early 2000s, though early versions had been invented by 1965. Development reached the point touch screens could be offered to the public on an Atari personal computer in 1985. Today, their use is common and they’ve become an essential part of the way we play the slots.

PICK-A-PRIZE BONUSES

For the public to accept video slots and pave the way for online slots, games needed something to set them apart from mechanical-reel slots.

The most successful early solution and the one that gave video slots their breakthrough to popularity was the pick-a-prize bonus.

The game that made players and competing manufacturers take notice was WMS Gaming’s Reel ‘Em In, released in 1997. When players landed three fishing lures on the screen, the image of reels faded out and was replaced by fishermen on a pond.

It was the player’s task to pick a fisherman. Your choice then reeled in a fish — the bigger the better, with more credits for bigger fish.

It was simple in concept and execution, but it gave the games a “wow” factor. Earlier video slots that mimicked mechanical-reel play had failed.

The pick-a-prize bonus had roots in mechanical slots. WMS, which grew out of the old Williams pinball company, was trying to break into the slot market with a series of three-reel games with a difference. They featured “Dotmation” screens above the reels, with orange dots forming images.

The original Jackpot Party slot was a Dotmation game. In one of the first bonus events, the Dotmation screen would start with rows of rectangles made of dots. Players would use the button panels to choose rectangles, which would then reform into bonus credit amounts.

As a three-reel slot, Jackpot Party had a following, but it really took off a year later as a video slot. Innovation and invention in the reel version helped set the stage for the video and online slots we love today.

PRIZE WHEELS

Another bonus favorite that had its roots in the mechanical-reel era is the prize wheel.

We know it today on Wheel of Fortune in three-reel, video and online versions, and countless games by multiple game makers. A wheel is divided into wedges, and where it lands determines bonus credits and sometimes progressive jackpots or extra bonus events.

The prize wheel was first used on Wheel of Gold in 1996, devised by Anchor Gaming. A tower was affixed to the back of Bally slant-top three-reel slots, and the wheel sat atop the tower. When a symbol awarding a wheel spin landed on the reels, a tone would sound and the player would push a button to start it spinning.

It was an immediate attention grabber. In the initial months, whenever the tone sounded, surrounding players would stop to watch the wheel.

Today, wheel spins are a standard part of the toolkit designers use for video and online slots, but the inspiration came back in the days of mechanical reels.

MYSTERY JACKPOTS

Online and video slots enable players to bet different amounts at the same game. One player might bet five pennies per pay line while another covers all the lines but bets only 1 cent per line.

Three-reel mechanical slots are different. The most common configuration has been a single payline with bets of one, two or three coins. On progressives, players had to bet three coins to be eligible for the top jackpot.

Early after video slots’ breakthrough, developers found that although bet sizes varied widely, few wagered maximum coins.

That left a conundrum: How do you offer the same jackpots to players who are betting different amounts and make it fair for everyone?

The solution has been mystery jackpot. There are several mystery systems, but one that’s widely used, developed by Acres Gaming, allows operators to set jackpot parameters. For example, a mini jackpot on today’s multi-level progressives might bet at least $5, with a maximum of $25.

A random number generator selects a total between the minimum and maximum. A portion of wagers is added to the pot until it hits the number selected by the RNG. Then the jackpot is awarded to the player whose wager pushed the pot to the winning total.

In that way, a player making minimum bets has a chance to win, but someone betting more as added chances with each coin wagered to push the jackpot over the top. All can play for the same pots, but those who bet more have more chances at winning at slots.

That’s a solution that eased the paths for the progressives that are such as popular portion of the video and online slot mix. And like cash handling solutions, touch screens, pick-a-prize bonuses and wheel spins, inspiration and invention were needed to set up today’s success for online and video slots.

• Video poker multiplier games increase chances at a big payoff and raise average payback percentages.
• The new Super Times Pay Super Streaks brings extra hands as well as multipliers on winners.
• Another new game, Ultimate X Gold, keeps multipliers in place until you win.

Developments in online slotshave made bonus events the main course. It’s the bonuses that attract players and keep them coming back, and if a bonus isn’t to a player’s taste, there’s always a different serving elsewhere.

Video poker is different. The main courses in online casinos as well as live casinos are the same as they’ve been for decades — Jacks or Better, Double Double Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild and other popular favorites. Bonuses are there to add some spice.

Two of the spiciest new video poker games around, Super Times Pay Stacks and Ultimate X Gold, are variations on popular favorites Super Times Pay and Ultimate X Video Poker.

Both are multiple-hand games requiring an extra wager to activate bonus features. The features are friendly to those who ponder how to win at video poker.

On games from International Game Technology, which produces all the most popular video poker favorites, making the extra bet to activate the feature raises the overall payback percentage. The games are more volatile because you’re betting more and relying on bonus multipliers for a large share of the payback, but the average return increases.

IGT and its Action Gaming partner busily go about creating new video poker recipes every year. One of the most enduring games to grow out of that partnership is Super Times Pay, in which you bet a sixth-coin per hand.

At random times one of the card spaces will show a multiplier before turning up your card. When the multiplier occurs on a winning hand, your return soars. The maximum multiplier is 10x, which could turn an ordinary five-coin return on a pair of Jacks into a nice 50-coin pay, and could turn a 4,000-coin royal flush into a 40,000-coin bonanza.

The latest take on Super Times Pay is Super Times Pay Super Stacks.

Like Super Times Pay, Super Stacks is available in Triple Play, Five Play and Ten Play versions, meaning you’re playing three, five or 10 hands. You get a starting hand, decide which cards to hold, and then your hand and the remaining deck are cloned so you get three, five or 10 different draws from the same start.

In Super Stacks, the bonus potential is bigger because not only are bonus multipliers available, but so are bonus hands. The Super Stacks in question are stacks of extra hands.

This one requires an extra bet of five coins per hand to activate. On Triple Play without the bonus feature, the maximum bet is 15 coins. With Super Stacks, you’re betting 30. Similarly, on Five Play you’d bet 50 instead of 25 coins and on Ten Play 100 instead of 50.

There’s a powerful incentive to make the extra wager. At random times with an average of once per 11 hands, you will receive stacks of extra hands with a multiplier.

The average multiplier is 4.06, with a maximum of 10. Sometimes winnings will be multiplied by 2, sometimes by 10 and sometimes numbers in between, but the average is about 4.

The average number of extra hands depends on the number of hands at the start. If you’re playing Super Stacks Triple Play, you’ll average six extra hands with a maximum of nine; on Five Play that grows to a 10-hand average with a 16-hand max; and on Ten Play the extra-hand average is 20 with a max of 30.

With that many hands and with a multiplier, the potential is there for enormous wins. The tradeoff is that losing hands cost twice as much money as usual, and the extra bet turns some winners into overall losers. In Double Double Bonus Triple Play, for example, a straight plus two losing hands brings 20 coins in return — a winner if you’re betting 15 coins but a loser if you’re betting 30.

At wizardofodds.com, Michael Shackelford has calculated payback percentages for games on the Super Stacks format. If you can find 9-6 Double Double Bonus Poker, the average return without the feature is 98.98 percent, but with Super Stacks it grows to 99.79 percent.

Top-line pay tables often aren’t available in multiplier games, but even lower-paying games are helped by Super Stacks. If you play 7-5 Bonus Poker, it’s usually a 98.01-percent return game, but that rises to 98.82 percent with Super Stacks.

Always keep in mind the extra volatility. Don’t play if you can’t afford the larger bets. But if you can, the Super Stacks format adds intrigue and big-win potential to the Super Times Pay recipe.

Another new game, Ultimate X Gold, has its roots in the Ultimate X original that captured players imaginations and attention to rank with the most popular multiplier games.

In the original Ultimate X, available in Triple Play, Five Play and Ten Play versions, multipliers are associated with different winning hands. In Ultimate X Triple Play Jacks or Better, for example. if you get three of a kind on the middle hand, then a big “4X” appears next to that space for the following hand. If the next hand brings a winner in the middle, then the payoff is quadrupled.

If a hand brings different winners top, bottom and middle, then each space will have a different multiplier for the next hand. Losing hands bring no multipliers. Multipliers range from 2 to 12 times the usual payoffs.

Ultimate X Gold is similar in concept. Like Ultimate X, it takes an extra five-coin bet per hand to activate the bonus feature. Like Ultimate X, different hands bring different multipliers.

Unlike Ultimate X, the multiplier doesn’t disappear on a losing hand. Instead, the multiplier is a target hand and it stays in place until the associated winning hand is achieved.

At the start of play, every hand is at the usual 1x payoff. Any dealt winner increases the multiplier on that hand and any eligible hand above it. If you were dealt three of a kind, multipliers would increase on three of a kind and all hands above it through four of a kind. On Jacks or Better-based games, there are no multipliers on high pairs, two pairs, straight flushes or royals.

More dealt winners increase the multipliers again, up to a maximum of 9x.

If you have a 9x multiplier on a straight in Double Double Bonus, for example, you’d receive 180 coins instead of 20. That multiplier would reset to 1x to start building again, but all other multipliers would remain in place.

If there’s a 9x multiplier next to four 5s through Kings, it stays there until you get four of a kind. Your next qualifying quads will pay 2,250 coins instead of 250 even if it takes 200 hands to get there. That gives you a strong incentive to keep playing video poker.

Remember: Don’t over-bet your bankroll and don’t betmoney you can’t afford to lose, but as long as you play safely and sanely, Ultimate X Gold is a fun game to add to your menu.

If you’re serious about winning more when you play blackjack, I encourage you to utilize the best blackjack strategiesI’llshare with you. From basic strategies to expert advice, these blackjack tips are designed to help you make smarter decisions at the table.

Note:Unless stated otherwise, the following strategies can be used in all games. The strategies discussed below also assume you are a recreational playerand do not count cards in blackjack.

Abbreviations used in this article are:
S17 = Dealer must stand on soft 17
H17 = Dealer must hit soft 17
DAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is allowed
NDAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is not allowed

The Best Blackjack Strategies

BLACKJACK STRATEGY #1: ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN ON A HARD 11

You’ll always win more money if you double down on hard 11 against any dealer’s upcard vs. hitting in all games, with one exception. If you are playing an S17 multi-deck game, you are slightly better off hitting against a dealer Ace rather than doubling down.

BLACKJACK STRATEGY #2: ALWAYS SPLIT A PAIR OF 8s AND ACES

Always split a pair of 8s and Aces, no matter the dealer’s upcard. Many players avoid splitting 8s against a 9, 10, or Ace, thinking it’s better to avoid risking more money as a big underdog.

However, splitting reduces your disadvantage by creating two hands starting with 8, rather than playing a weak 16 and hitting. Over time, splitting eights minimizes losses in tough spots, while splitting Aces maximizes gains. Bottom line: always split 8s and Aces to improve your overall results.

[Note: If surrender is offered and you are playing in an H17 multi-deck game, or an H17 double-deck game with NDAS, your best strategy is to surrender the pair of eights vs. the dealer’s Ace rather than splitting them.]

BLACKJACK STRATEGY #3: NEVER SPLIT A PAIR OF 5s OR TENS

A pair of 5s is also a hard 10, and you are always better off taking a one-or-more-card draw to a 10 than splitting the 5s and playing two hands, each starting with a 5. Even though splitting 10s is much more often than not a winning play, keeping them together as 20 is an even greater winning play in all circumstances.

[Note:There is one exception to the above strategy. In the case of a single-deck game with S17, you are slightly better off standing on A-7 when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace.]

If you are playing an H17 game, the above are the three doubling strategy changes you should make vs. the same game with S17.

[Note: There are surrender strategy changes as well. You’ll find them in Chapter 3 of my Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.]

[Note: Depending on the number of decks of cards being used and the blackjack rules, there are other hands where surrender is the best strategy.]

[Note: The above best strategy includes a pair of 4s, with one exception. If the rules are DAS, you should split a pair of 4s instead of doubling down.]

[Note: There is one exception to the above rule: If you are playing a single-deck game, you should always split a pair of 2s when the dealer shows a 3 upcard, even if the game is NDAS.]

BLACKJACK STRATEGY #13: NEVER MAKE THE INSURANCE BET

The insurance bet is a losing proposition, so your best strategy is to never take it when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace – even with a strong hand like 19 or 20. The 2-to-1 payout for insurance is lower than the actual odds of the dealer having blackjack, making it a bad bet.

[Note: If you have blackjack and the dealer offers “even money” with an Ace upcard, remember this is just another form of the insurance bet. While it’s tempting to lock in a guaranteed win, you’ll make more money in the long run by declining it and letting the hand play out.]

Even though card counting is legal (if you only use your brain), it is frowned upon by casinos; therefore, they will use several different ways to catch suspected counters. Below is a list of some of them based on:

• What happened to me during my playing career
• The information I gleaned from people who work in casinos who shared the information with me, and
• Discussions with professional card counters who have experienced most of what you are about to read.

(Note: I will use the masculine he or him to refer to card counters to avoid the awkward use of she or her.)

1. Pit supervisors and/or surveillance personnel will watch a player’s bet spread because they know that card counters have to vary their bets to get the edge.
2. They will watch a player’s demeanor, specifically:
   1. is he always serious?
   2. is he moving his lips?
   3. is he talking to other players and/or the dealer?
   4. does he show any emotion when he loses a big bet?
   5. does he tip the dealer?
   6. does he order an alcoholic drink?, and
   7. is he paying close attention to the other players’ blackjack hands or staring at the discard tray, to ascertain how many decks have been played?
3. They will watch how much a player bets on the first round after a shuffle. Card counters usually will bet the minimum because they do not have the edge at the start of a new round after the dealer shuffles the cards.
4. They will watch how much a player bets on subsequent rounds after the shuffle. Card counters will start increasing their bets once there is an imbalance of high- vs. low-value cards in the remaining unplayed cards, and this usually occurs after several rounds of cards have been dealt.
5. They will take note of how much a player bets after a push (or tie). Most gamblers will leave the same bet amount after a push; however, card counters often will change their bet depending on the current status of their count.
6. They will watch how a player plays his hard 16 (e.g., 10 + 6) when the dealer has a 10 upcard. If the player has a large bet and always stands, but with a small bet always hits, this is an indication that the player may be card counting. (When a counter bets large, it’s because large cards are abundant in the unplayed decks of cards. When faced with a hard 16 vs. dealer 10, he will stand to avoid busting. On the other hand, if the counter bets small, it’s because the unplayed cards are richer in small cards; thus he will hit his 16.)
7. They will watch how much a player has bet on his hand when he takes insurance. (Card counters only take insurance when they have made a big bet on a hand because the count was positive indicating a greater chance that the dealer will have a ten downcard and a blackjack.)
8. They will shuffle the cards after the player makes a large bet to observe the player’s reaction.
9. Some casinos use facial-recognition software to determine if a player is a known card counter.
10. Some casinos hire a third-party consultant who can analyze and confirm that the player is a skillful card counter with either a live feed or a video of the player playing live blackjack.
11. Most casinos have a database of known card counters. They will get a photo of the suspected card counter and compare it to their database.
12. Some casinos will dispatch a counter-catcher to observe a player. (Although this was done fairly frequently years ago, it’s not so common nowadays.)
13. Often a casino will review a video of the suspected card counter after he leaves, and if it’s determined that he was counting, he will be barred or trespassed the next time he tries to play.
14. Some casinos use counter-catcher software to input every card played after the shuffle. The software will determine if a player is card counting.

Besides being on the lookout for solo card counters, casinos will also be on the lookout for card-counting teams because well-financed teams can wreak havoc on a casino’s bottom line. Casino surveillance personnel or floor supervisors will look for players who appear to be signaling other players who then join a table making large bets and then leave. A casino will often check with another casino if the same group of players has played there together. Casinos will often check their database of known card counters to determine if any of the suspected team members match.

Some of the newer technology that is available to casinos to catch card counters includes dealing shoes that scan all the cards being dealt and special intelligent casino chips that track player bets automatically. (I haven’t heard, or read, about a card counter being caught with this available technology, yet.)

You are probably wondering what exactly a casino does if they suspect that you’re card counting. That will be the topic of my next article. Stay tuned.

Casino gambling is not some arcane system of knowledge reserved for understanding by only an elite few. If you are not Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, or Neil deGrass Tyson then you are out in the cold if that were so.

The 7 smart gambling tips are:

1. Know How the Game is Played

2. Crowded Tables Are Best

3. Know the System You Are Playing

4. What the Size of Your Bets Should Be

5. Know When to Leave a Game

6. Recommended Money Management System

7. Don’t Sweat the Comps

No, indeed, every casino gambler probably has the intellectual skills to understand how the games are played, what the probabilities are, how the casino makes its money from the games and which systems cost the players the least amount in losses over time at their favorite games.

What else do they have to know? The speed of the games is important information. A two percent edge at a game that comes in with about 40 decisions per hour is far better than a one percent game that comes in with 150 decisions based on the same dollar amounts of bets. The house edge is not the only criteria by which to judge a game’s ability to grind away at your money.

How about how crowded your preferred game’s table might be? Crowded tables make the casino more money but cost an individual player less money if such a player wagers wisely. That is certainly a consideration.

My findings in a personal non-scientific observation over three decades of playing casino games is short and not sweet; players by and large do not understand the games they are playing. Many do, but many more do not. This is particularly true of slot players. In addition, many players believe in superstitious that are obviously nonsense.

So, what should we do? The following seven gambling tips are certainly a starting point for casino players. They will set you on the right track.

[Please note: All references to roulette are based on the American double-zero wheel (0, 00). References to blackjack are based on an average six-deck game unless otherwise indicated.]

I see it all the time.

How many roulette players don’t realize (and maybe never realize) how the dealer takes the losing bets; how the dealer pays the winning bets; and when a new round of betting occurs and when no more bets can be made? Plenty. Just listen to a roulette dealer scolding players who have no idea of how the game is played. That will answer the above questions.

Ask roulette players what “even-money” bets mean. Many don’t know why they are called “even-money.” They think the payout reflects a bet with no house edge!

I have been at craps tables where “veteran” craps players argue that their winning bets haven’t been paid. Some will argue vociferously about this state of affairs and then the dealer will say (usually annoyed), “I haven’t gotten to you yet.” Such players have been playing for decades but still have no idea of the order of payouts.

Some craps players have no idea what the actual payouts of their bets are. They just throw such bets out and I guess they wish and hope they win whatever they are supposed to win when they do win. Some players consistently don’t even know what bets they have on the board!

Blackjack players do not know that the game generally breaks down to approximately 48 wins for the casino, 44 wins for the players and eight ties. Trend betting on live blackjack is not a good idea (actually it is never a “good” idea.) because the trend is always against the player except in exceptional hands such as blackjacks, double-downs, splits and double-downs on splits.

The lack of knowledge can’t make a game more fun – or can it? I have no idea.

TIP #2: CROWDED TABLES ARE BEST

“I prefer to play alone at the table,” says Joe. Nope! Joe is committing a cardinal sin of table-game play.

Slow is the way to go at all casino games. This holds true for every game and every player’s desire to play. Except for advantage players who usually want more and more decisions, the regular player wants fewer and fewer decisions. By the way, almost all casino players are regular players and they are putting themselves in jeopardy.

Why is that? Because the more money a player bets at a game, the more money the casino’s edge has to grind away at it.

Yet, the average table-game player often wants to play alone or with only a few other players at his or her table. That’s a big mistake. Why position yourself to lose more money? That makes no sense to me. Lose less and enjoy your play more would be a good motto for casino players.

This advice holds true for slot machine players as well. Play one machine, slowly. Make that machine one that is a stand-alone machine. Do not play two machines as you basically double your chances to lose.

A good system will lose you less money over time; a bad system will lose you more money over time.

Is there a handy rule of thumb to distinguish the good systems over the bad systems?

Bad systems usually call for an increase in the size of one’s bet as losses have occurred. Or they call for such increases as winning has occurred.

Players like the idea of raising their bets when they are winning because they think such winning must continue. Not so. A winning streak only happens in the past. It has nothing to do with the now or when. The future is unknown; the past is not. But the past has no influence on the future. Too many casino players don’t realize this.

Raising one’s bet is a bad idea. It just gives the casino more of your money to have its edge attack.

TIP #4: WHAT THE SIZE OF YOUR BETS SHOULD BE

If I were to bet a couple of pennies on a bet in the casino, a win or loss would be meaningless as a penny or two is not a heart-thumping wager. If, however, I were to sell my house, sell my car, empty my bank account and any other investments I had and wagered all of that on one bet in the casino I would probably…die. I don’t think my heart could take this.

Our bets, according to my mentor the late Captain of craps, should be enough to cause the blood to flow, the excitement to increase though not so much that the dread of a loss causes us to become somewhat faint, no wager should be enough to endanger our bankroll or our physical health.

Waking up in the morning asking ourselves the question, “I bet how much yesterday?” is not a good situation.

[Please note: I’ve written about the Captain in my books. He was indeed my mentor.]

Casino gambling is meant to be a fun activity which it can’t be if there is any desperation during it. Betting too much is not good. Likewise betting too little does not give us the thrill we look for in the casinos.

I guess the Greek philosopher Hesiod had it right when he wrote (I paraphrase.), “Moderation in all things.”

That saying holds particularly true for casino players and their betting choices.

TIP #5: KNOW WHEN TO LEAVE A GAME

The worst and most depressing way to start a casino session/trip is to get hammered so hard so fast that you find yourself at the bottom of a deep hole and your concept of the next day or two is to dig your way out. You aren’t even worried so much about winning as you are about not being buried.

Obviously, you feel that you must play some more to dig away and fill in that hole. Of course, the casino will not lose its house-edge over you so you might continue a precipitous slide into oblivion and crawl your way home. In a sense you could be clawing your way to the bottom.

Can you do anything about that? Yes, you can slow down the pace of your play. Figure you are going to take a loss and tell yourself sternly, “Self, don’t do anything stupid.” Don’t bet more than you normally bet; don’t go for the gusto with really high house-edge bets that have big payouts.

Play safe. Play sane. Be wise. Stay contained. There are plenty of casino playing days ahead.

Now, let us say that you are holding your own, maybe down a little, maybe up a little, when to depart is the question.

Here are the possible answers:

• Your mind says to the rest of you, “It’s time to quit now and do something else.” Then quit right there and then. Your session is over.
• I’m tired. Time to hop, skip and jump out of this game.
• I think I’ll savor this win until my next session. Bingo! Out of the game you go.
• I’m only losing a little. I’ll take a break and come back later.
• Goodness, am I tired. It’s time for a nap. Get comfy in bed for a while.
• Goodness, am I tired. Time for a good night’s sleep. Get comfy in bed for a while.

TIP #6: RECOMMENDED MONEY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Money management can’t give a player an edge over casino games. That is a solid fact that casino players must understand. They are in a negative situation and that situation will inevitably reveal itself, either now or over time. Often now and over time. I sometimes wonder how many casino players were ever ahead of the games they love to play at any time in their playing careers – be short-term or long-term?

But good money management is a solid tool for keeping one’s losses contained. That is a fundamental idea that must settle into a casino player’s brain. Money management is a way to protect one’s gambling bankroll.

So here are my recommendations for a good money management system:

• Set up a bank/checking account called a 401G for your gambling funds. Regularly deposit money into this account. By the way, the “G” stands for gambling.
• Only use money from that account to play in the casino.
• Any casino wins you have, then the money from those wins will go into the account.
• Make sure you have enough money to play at least four hours per day in the casino. It can be less but more could be a mistake.
• Divide your money up based on how many sessions you are going to play. Do not play against your entire bankroll.
• Never allow yourself to lose more than one-third of your total bankroll in one trip to the casino. Consider a trip to be two days of play.
• Do not lend any money to anyone in order for them to gamble. That is a bad investment. Remember Polonius’s advice to Laertes in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be, for loan both loses both itself and friend and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.”

TIP #7: DON’T SWEAT THE COMPS

Too many players worry about what level of comps they get from the casinos. Some casino patrons actually think of comps are freebees given by the casino because these players are liked – for some reason or other. They are of the mind that their host (if they merit a host) picked them for some ineffable reason.

Comps are based on one simple factor: How much money the casino expects you to lose over a period of time. They will return a percentage of that in terms of rooms and board and other “favors.”

Here is the simplest, smartest advice when it comes to comps: Take what they give you because you have earned that by potential losses but never play to get a comp. They will come or they won’t come.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

*Credits for main photo in this article belongs to Eran Alergant

Thinking about how to win on slotsis the key to understanding the things you should consider when you visit a casino. My 18 do’s and don’ts slot tips are designed to guide you through the things about slots you must know about. But it’s important to remember that the casino always has a house edge, so note that players can and do lose money. This article simply offers some strategy advice, but there is no guarantee of winning.

My top slot machine strategy tips – you’ll read about below – include 12 do’s and six don’ts that may assist you in answering the big ‘how to win at slot machines?’ question lots of slot players ask.

Owners and operators of land-based and online casinos are fully aware that casino goers love to play slot machines. In this blog post, I’ve written 18 do’s & don’ts slot machine tips with a focus on how to win at slot machines.

In some countries, including the United States, slot machines are the most-played casino games. In the rest, the popularity of attempting to win at slots is surging to the point slot play is rivaling table play.

As a slot player, the big question you probably want answered is: “How to win on slot machines?” It also brings up the related questions such as:

• Are there systems for beating slot machines?
• How have others beaten the machines?

I think that trying to win at slots is all a matter of chance. There are no blackjack strategy – or video poker-like strategies – that can cut into the house’s mathematical edge.The payout odds on slot games don’t change.

There’s nothing you can do legally that will change the outcome. And some scam artists have sometimes succeeded in profiting from slots until caught, arrested and imprisoned.

How to win at slots?

There are approaches that will help you get the most out of slot games.

• In-game play slot machine tips;
• systems for playing with their strengths and flaws; and;
• slot machine cheats & slot machine scams artists.

SUMMARYOF SLOT MACHINE TIPS: 12 DO’S

1. Higher denomination slots have higher payback percentages
2. Make sure you bet enough to be eligible for slot jackpots
3. Choose slot games that fit your goals and playing personality
4. Always play slots within your budget
5. Start small to win big, or “prime the pump”
6. Play machines at the ends of rows
7. Scout slot machines of those that are paying big
8. Look for near misses on slot games
9. Try online slots for extra variety
10. Take advantage of slot game bonuses and promotions
11. Search slot game demos to see how games works
12. Remain aware you’re playing slots for real money

SLOT TIP 1: HIGHER DENOMINATION SLOTS HAVE HIGHER PAYBACK PERCENTAGES

It was true when three-reel games ruled slot floors, and it’s true now when the large majority of games are video slots:

• Dollar slots yield a higher payback percentage than quarter slots, which;
• Pay more than nickel slots, which;
• Pay more than penny games.

But it doesn’t mean everyone should rush to an online casino and play dollar slots. There are factors beyond payback percentage, including entertainment value and what you want from slot games.

Even in pure dollars and cents, playing higher-denomination slot games means bigger bets and more risk. So, if you’re wondering how to win at slots machines betting more doesn’t guarantee any sizable wins.

If you’re betting $3 on a three-coin dollar slot (that pays 95 percent),your average losses will be more money than if you’re betting 40 cents on a 40-line 1-cent game that pays 86 percent.

SLOT TIP 2: IF YOU PLAY PROGRESSIVE SLOTS, MAKE SURE YOU BET ENOUGH TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE JACKPOTS

How to win at slots playing progressive slot machines.Basically, a percentage of each wager is added to the jackpot or jackpots. And jackpots drop randomly.

On three-reel slot machines usually have a single progressive jackpot on the top payoff. You must bet maximum coins to be eligible.

On three-coin dollar slot machines, you can’t win the progressive slots jackpot if you only bet only one or two coins. Instead, landing the top jackpot combination on the payline brings a reduced payoff at a fixed amount.

On video slots, progressive jackpots usually are multi-tiered. I’ve seen anywhere from 2 to 12 progressive levels offered.

Typical is a four-tier progressive with levels labeled as follows.

On some video slots, all players are eligible for the jackpots regardless of bet size. On others, slot players must make a separate bet to be jackpot eligible.

The jackpots are the main events on progressives, and aside from those jackpots, the games usually pay less than other games.

Don’t settle for a lower paying slot game. How to win slot machines is sometimes about following the rules. Where applicable ensure you make the necessary bets to be eligible for the slot jackpots. If you can’t afford those bets, choose a non-progressive slot games.

During free spins,video slot players make no additional bets and can win anything up to the top jackpot. However, it’s also possible that players won’t win at all to win nothing on the free spins feature.

A zero-bonus balances the possibility of bigger wins than you see in pick’em bonuses.

Slot tip 3 conclusion of how to win at slots:

In summary, it’s up to you to decide what types of slot games may offer where to find the most best value and chances of winning i.e.

• in jackpot chances;
• in the player-participation opportunity of pick’em bonuses; or;
• in the hit-and-miss nature of free spins.

If you visit a land-based casino or play online casinoslots with $200, you really can’t afford to play dollar slots. But if you decide to try them anyway and end up losing $100 in no time at all, be prepared to either stop or lower your spin stakes and play on penny slots with your remaining bankroll.

Slot machines don’t give players the opportunity to place multiple bets in combinations like craps or roulette. And you can’t take advantage of ever-shifting odds as card counters do in blackjack..

Slot machine odds are unchanging, the same on every spin. The most creative slot machine betting systems and theories might be fun to try, but they can’t make you a consistent slot game winner.

SLOT TIP 5: START SMALL TO WIN BIG, OR “PRIME THE PUMP”

How to win slot machines using the prime the pump…but does it work?

Slot bettors assume that wins won’t come right away. They start with small bets and work up hoping to be betting big when the wins land. But if you ask me, how to win at slot machines? and is priming the pump the way? I say as follows:

Actually, you’re just as likely to win early as later on. And starting small will miss some winners. The payback percentage will be the same on every spin regardless of your bet size.

Chuck Flick, a slot player who tested many slot betting systems, tried priming the pump by stepping up his bets in a regular pattern. In five trials, he had four losing sessions and one winner—a normal outcome even if you’re not starting small.

SLOT TIP 6: PLAY SLOT MACHINES AT THE ENDS OF ROWS

How to win on slot machines by playing at the end of rows – does it work?

The theory is that slot machines at the ends of rows are visible to passers-by and casinos want those other customers to see and hear slot players winning.

In modern casinos, games of the same type in-a-row usually have the same payback percentage.

SLOT TIP 7: SCOUT SLOT MACHINES OF THOSE THAT ARE PAYING BIG

Some players like to play slot games that have paid out big figuring they’re hot slot machines. Others avoid those slot games, figuring they’re due to go cold.

In reality, all streaks are just blips on the radar to slot machines that yield a normal payback percentage over hundreds of thousands of plays.

How to win on slot machines using timing:

Slot machines are never “due” to go hot or cold, and recent paybacks do not offer any clue as to how a slot machine will perform for you.

SLOT TIP 8: LOOK FOR NEAR MISSES

Scouting near misses means looking for slot games with jackpot symbols on the reels or screen, but just short of a winning slots combination.

But how to win at slots using this method?

If you’re in the right frame of mind, scouting can add a little intrigue to choosing a game, but near misses aren’t really any indication. of future outcomes.

How to win slot machines using systems?

A slot machine strategy can add a little interest to games, but they can’t change outcomes or lead you to a winning machine.

SUMMARY OF SLOT TIPS: THE DON’TS

1. String theory (slot tip number 13)
2. Slug it out (slot tip number 14)
3. Magnetic force (slot tip number 15)
4. Inside job (slot tip number 16)
5. Cheat by chip (slot tip number 17)
6. Automatically bet the max (slot tip number 18)

Slots in alive casino, where cheats can interfere with the physical device, have been more vulnerable to scams than slots in online casinos.

If you’re thinking that cheating is how to win at slot machines, I think you should forget any ideas that will land you in jail.

In jurisdictions with licensed casinos, the law takes a very dim view of cheating the slots. Cheating licensed casinos is a felony and can carry stiff prison terms.

Nevertheless, the following five slot machine tips (13-17) are scams players have tried and ones you should avoid trying to replicate.

DON’T TRY SLOT TIP 13: STRING THEORY

When all slots were three-reel games with coin slots, cheaters worked a scam in which they tied affixed a string to a coin.

1. They’d drop the coin into the slot;
2. trip the mechanism that gave them credit to play, then;
3. use the string to pull the coin back out.

One woman in Nevada was caught using a coin on a brightly colored piece of yarn, easy to spot from a distance. Others were less obvious, but those who were caught were prosecuted.

Manufacturers designed more secure coin acceptance devices to make this cheat impossible. These days,most slots accept only paper currency or tickets and no longer have slot heads.

SLOT TIP 14: SLUG IT OUT

Fake coins, or slugs, were a problem for casinos for as long as slot machines accepted coins.

Some were no more than a rounded piece of metal, with no design. Others were more elaborate, and counterfeiters in the eastern U.S. stamped slot tokens that looked much like those used in New Jersey.

As long as the metal and manufacturing costs were a lot less than the value of a real slot coin, there was incentive for cheaters.

Coin recognition software grew progressively more sophisticated to combat the problem.

DON’T TRY SLOT TIP 15: MAGNETIC FORCE

Some slot machines in the 1960s and ‘70s were vulnerable to ordinary magnets.

Cheaters could use the magnets to make the reels float freely instead of stopping on a spin. The scam artists would remove the magnet only when the reels had aligned in a winning combination.

More sophisticated were top-bottom devices, used into the 1980s.

1. The top was a metal rod that was bent on one end, and the bottom a strand of wire.
2. The wire would be inserted in the coin slot to hit a metal contact, and then;
3. The top would be jammed in the coin slot.
4. The combination completed a circuit that would activate a coin dispenser and send free coins pouring into the slot tray.

Protection had to be built into the games to shield vital parts from magnets and to make it impossible to hit contacts and create an electrical circuit.

DON’T TRYSLOT TIP 16: INSIDE JOB

This scam was pulled on so-called “Big Bertha” slots in the 1990s. Big Bertha’s are bigger and wider than other slots.

A team was arrested in Nevada after they crowded around a Big Bertha.

1. The front of the machine was opened;
2. A woman climbed inside; and;
3. The machine was mostly shut.
4. She then rigged results.

With team members blocking views, everything looked normal to casual passers-by, but security was alert enough to catch the cheats in the act

DON’T TRY SLOT TIP17: CHEAT BY CHIP

A software engineer for the Nevada Gaming Commission programmed chips that functioned normally in slot machines. Except those in the know could take advantage of a cheat code.

When the cheats inserted specific numbers of coins in a specific order, the machine would pay out. The engineer was arrested, of course.

DON’T TRY SLOT TIP18: AUTOMATICALLY BET THE MAX

For generations, slot players were told that maximizing bets produced the highest payback percentages.

That was true on most old three-reel slots, but it usually isn’t on video slots or online slots.

The reasons max bets brought the highest payback percentages were incentives built into pay tables.

There usually was a disproportionate jump in the top jackpot if you bet maximum coins.
For nearly all online slots and video slots, that’s not true. Pay table returns are proportionate, meaning the average payback percentage is the same regardless of whether you’re betting one coin per line or the max.

Cover all the paylines online and on video slots, but bet at your comfort level and don’t worry about trying to bet the max.

Conclusion how to win at slot machines – Summary of my 18 Do’s & Don’ts Slot Machine Tips

To conclude with a more general tip, it is of utmost importance to thoroughly familiarize yourself with how slot machines work. You’ll learn what to expect and how to adjust your playing style to the features of a particular slot machine game.

If this article interests you, please check out our articles on roulette strategy or craps strategy.

When most people walk out of a casino they usually ask “Why did I lose?” This is because most casino games by nature have a negative expectation for the player. This means that for every wager that is made on a game, slot machine or table game, it gives back less than the wagered amount.

For example, when 1 million players wager $1 each and one player wins $500,000, the casino makes a profit of $500,000 and the average loss per player is 50 cents. In slot machines the advertised pay back is often in the neighborhood of 97-99%.

This is over the entire life of the machine, where a machine may collect 100s of millions of dollars in action over its lifetime. Table games are slightly different because some include a skill component and the percentage advantage of the casino varies from player to player.

Understanding the math involved in casino gaming is essential in evaluating the results. The knowledge presented here is required to determine whether the results, good or bad, are statistically acceptable.

Inside the Mathematics

Here I will introduce the mathematics of casino gaming. I will apply the analysis to the game of Blackjack. Blackjack is a game of shifting percentages. And even though the percentages are constantly changing, the cumulative percentage of the overall advantage remains constant. This is achieved by taking the sum of the advantages over all possibilities.

For example, if one hand total has an advantage of positive 5% and another hand has an advantage of -4%, then the total advantage for the two hands is +1%. When the reader understands this approach, it’s easy to translate the concepts to any other casino game with a constant advantage over the player (like slots or roulette).

Law of Independent Trials

Most games of chance reflect the mathematical concept known as “the law of independent trials.” This states that past events have no relevance on future events. For example, when a coin is flipped there is a 50% chance that the outcome would be heads and a 50% chance that the outcome would be tails.

If the coin comes up 10 heads in a row the next flip would again have a 50% chance of coming up heads. In blackjack what happens in the past directly affects what happens in the future. Blackjack has memory, and the law of independent trials is not valid.

In Blackjack, each card has a specific value that it adds to, or subtracts from the initial advantage that the casino has over the player. The initial advantage is derived from the rules of the game. When the cards are dealt, the advantage is either increasing or decreasing. In blackjack when an Ace or 10-value card is dealt the casino advantage over the player increases. When lower value cards are put in play (2-7) the casino advantage decreases.

To determine the amount that one expects to win or lose over a given time (either the casino or player), three key pieces of information are required. They are:

1. Bet Size
2. Number of Hands or Spins
3. Percent Advantage

In equation form, the statement reads:

Expected $ win=$bet*% advantage *# hands played

Equation 1

When we apply the expected value scenario to a flip of a coin, we know that there are two sides to a coin, so there is a 50% chance of landing on heads and a 50% chance of landing on tails. When we bet $1 per flip, the equation for how much we expect to win over 100 flips is:

$50=$1 (bet)*0.5% (% advantage)*100(# hands played)

Equation 2

In this example we wagered $100 and won $1 on 50 of those bets. We were also able to keep the original bet of $1 on 50 of those 100 bets. Also we lost $1 on 50 of the bets. This leads to a zero sum game.

Considering Variance

When a coin is flipped 100 times the outcome is rarely exactly 50 heads and 50 tails. Therefore we must introduce the concept of variance per number of events. Variance is a measure of statistical dispersion. In layman’s terms, it deals with how far away from the expected value the result of a trial or experiment might be.

Sticking with the coin flip example, variance helps answer the question of whether or not it would be surprising if we observed 45 heads out of 100 trials, or if we observed only 5 heads in 100 coin flips. The answers are no and yes. Getting only 5 heads in 100 coin flips would certainly prove you were flipping a weighted coin. Understanding this concept is crucial for evaluating casino gaming results, since proper statistical analysis determines whether or not a player or casino is being cheated.

Variance is usually discussed in terms of standard deviations, and that will be the case going forward in this discussion. Standard deviation is equal to the square root of the variance. The standard deviation for a series of trials is represented by the Greek letter σ (sigma) and is equal to the standard deviation of each event multiplied by the square root of the number of events. The mathematical statement reads as:

σ (total)=〖σ( event)*√(Number of Events)〗^

Equation 3

The following figure shows how likely results are to fall within one, two and three standard deviations of the expected result. In the graphical representation the expected value is indicated by the Greek letter µ and the Standard Deviation is represented by the Greek letter σ.

According to the Gaussian distribution curve, there is just over a 68% chance that the result will be within one standard deviation, plus or minus of the expected value. There is a just over a 95% chance that the results will be within two standard deviations, plus or minus of the expected value. There is approximately a 99.9% chance that the results will be within three standard deviations at any given time.

Applying this to the scenario of 100 flips of a coin we conclude that the standard deviation for 100 trials is 10 times (square root of 100) the standard deviation for a single trial (which is 0.5), which yields a standard deviation of 5 for the 100 trial experiment.

In the coin flip scenario we expect the 50 of the 100 flips to land on heads and 50 of the 100 to land on tails. Including the standard deviation concept of plus or minus 5, there is a 68% chance that for a 100 flips of a coin the heads side will come up between 45 and 55 times. There is a 95% probability that the number of heads will be between 40 and 60 (2*σ) and a 99.9% chance that the number of heads will fall between 35 and 65 (3*σ).

Expected Value and Standard Deviation

Applying the expected value and standard deviation equations to the betting unit of 100 dollars for a casino game with a 1% (player or house) advantage the following results are computed.

Graphically it is represented as follows.

As the number of events increases, the standard deviation gets smaller and smaller relative to the expected value. At some point along the curve the expected value and standard deviations intersect.

At this point there is an 84% chance that the standard deviation will be less than the expected value. This means there is an 84% chance that a profit will be made from that point forward and that your funds will never be reduced to the point where the bankroll is lower than initial starting funds. This intersection point for a 1% advantage game is shown in the following graph.

FOR SIMPLICITY THE STANDARD DEVIATION VALUE IS ABSOLUTE

The intersection point between the expected value and standard deviation is just below 12,000 events. At 12,000 events there is an 84% chance that the expected value will surpass the negative standard deviation, indicating the player will not zero out their bankroll 84% of the time.

Equivalence Point

When the overall advantage is increased the “equivalence” point, or the number of events at which the expected value equals the standard deviation, is reached in fewer events. Computing the same graph with 2% advantage the graph shows an equivalence point that is substantially lower, approximately 5000 events.

FOR SIMPLICITY THE STANDARD DEVIATION VALUE IS ABSOLUTE

In the final analysis casinos are able to get to the “equivalence” point extremely fast. This makes sense because casinos are playing the game 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And because almost all players play to a disadvantage, the casinos make more and more money with less and less variance relative to their expected value.