I’ve been asked to lend money to gamblers perhaps 50 times. I almost never say ‘yes.’ Of the times I’ve said yes, it’s always been somebody I believe had an edge at gambling. Players without an edge are a bottomless pit moneywise. Even if they pay you back the first time (which they usually do), they’ll be back to ask for more later. And then more still later yet. Continue reading One of those Phone Calls
Author: Bob Dancer
A Different Sort of Tournament
I usually don’t play in low value invitational slot tournaments, unless there is something extra going on at the same time. But when I received notice of the heads up tournament at the Palms for this past weekend, I decided to enter. The “extra” that drew me in was simple curiosity. I wanted to figure out how much the tournament was worth. Continue reading A Different Sort of Tournament
When Is Thirteen Million Dollars not Thirteen Million Dollars?
The Coast Connection appears some Fridays in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It’s an advertising supplement geared towards promoting Gold Coast, Orleans, Sam’s Town, and Suncoast casinos. Some weeks there are very valuable coupons, such as point multipliers, match play coupons, and food offers. Sometimes the coupons are sparse. But the R-J only costs 75¢. The value of the coupons averages far more than the 75¢ cost of the paper — assuming you play at one or more of these casinos and are willing to clip and use the coupons. Continue reading When Is Thirteen Million Dollars not Thirteen Million Dollars?
When is $50 not $50
To figure out how to spend my gambling time, I estimate how much each promotion is worth on a dollars-per-hour basis. Let me give you a hypothetical example. Continue reading When is $50 not $50
Drawing Conclusions
Let’s say you had a good year at video poker in 2010 — and you made a lot. For some of you that means $1,000. For others, a lot more. In 2011, assume you lost a similar amount. You conclude from this that the games were tighter in 2011 than they were in 2010. Continue reading Drawing Conclusions
You Are What Your Record Says You Are — NOT
In sporting events, periodically a player or a coach tells the media that they are better than their record indicates. When they do this, a talking head on one of the sports programs tells the audience that this is just not true. A team is only as good or as bad as their record indicates. Continue reading You Are What Your Record Says You Are — NOT
Rest in Peace Bill Day
William Day passed away in late 2011. Most video poker players have never heard of him. He was, however, one of the strongest video poker theoreticians from about 1997 through 2004 and much of today’s knowledge about the game originated with him. He deserves to have a place in any legitimate Video Poker Hall of Fame. But he was a quiet, self-effacing man who shunned the spotlight. Continue reading Rest in Peace Bill Day
Fezzik Has a Losing Year
Steve Fezzik is one of the top sports handicappers anywhere. And his specialty is betting NFL football. He’s won several NFL handicapping contests. He’s the brains behind the LVASports.com site. I was a guest on his (now history) radio show a few times and once he was a guest on Gambling with an Edge. Continue reading Fezzik Has a Losing Year
Change to Gambling with an Edge
I am sorry to have to tell you that Richard Munchkin will be leaving the Gambling with an Edge radio show. His last show will be January 26. Continue reading Change to Gambling with an Edge
Video Poker Classes — What they Will and Won’t Do
My next semester of free video poker classes will be in the Showroom at South Point on Wednesdays beginning January 4 at 12 noon. The schedule of classes may be found at http://www.bobdancer.com/seminars.cfm. In previous semesters the classes have begun at 1 p.m. but this time the Showroom will be used for another event on Wednesday evenings so we need to get out of there earlier than before. Continue reading Video Poker Classes — What they Will and Won’t Do