This likely will be a one-off column. It’s not about video poker. For me it’s not even about gambling, although I did make a few bucks betting on it. For me it’s about some kid I’ve known about for 20 years, who lives only a few miles from me, competing in the Rio Olympics in […]
Posts tagged Bob Dancer
Does it Matter?
You’re at your favorite casino. You’ve played a lot all month and are now there for the big drawing. Here’s the way it works: Ten winners get called — they have a minute and a half to show up and identify themselves. If one or more spots are unclaimed after 90 seconds, more names are […]
D T B
Bonnie’s family accepts that I’m a successful gambler. They also believe that the methods and discipline I use to succeed involve far more study than they want to invest — especially since it will never be more than an occasional hobby for any of them.
Gambling with an Edge next week
We have two guests next week. Jeffrey Compton — publisher of CDCGamingReports.com — and he’ll be talking about current events in the gambling world. Also, professor David G. Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at UNLV, and we’ll be looking at his new book, Tales from the Pit. In this book, Schwartz interviews […]
You Have to Work it Out Yourself
I get dozens of video poker emails a month from people I’ve never met. Often the emails are similar to the following: “I play Double Double Bonus. From a hand like KK773, I hold the kings and a friend tells me to hold two pair. Which is right?” I typically answer that it’s correct to […]
Identifying a Pattern
I planned on playing for six hours at the Palms from shortly after midnight until about 6:00 a.m. on the early morning of Wednesday, April 27. It was a double point day— I also earned points for gift cards, a small amount of value for the weekly drawing, plus my play kept the mailers and […]
Breakeven Point Analysis Leads to Some Strange ...
A version of this article first appeared in 1999, but I haven’t written about it for a long time and many of my readers are newer to the game than that and didn’t see it the first time.
Knowing When to Quit
I read an article in a poker publication some time ago. It was about a live poker player who recently spent a half-hour run “in the zone.” Apparently there were six major pots, and that writer won five. Then the writer was beaten two hands in a row, determined his streak was over, and left […]
Quitting When I’m Ahead
You’ve heard the expression “Quit when you’re ahead,” applied to gambling. You’ve also heard, “When you’re on a hot streak, keep firing away!” These two bromides give opposite advice on what you should do when you actually hit a big jackpot. The first says go home. The second says stay and keep playing.
“Always Do Your Best” is Questionab...
How many times growing up were you told to always do your best? How many times have you told it to your own kids or grandkids? While it has a catchy ring to it, it is basically terrible, short-sighted advice that’s impossible to follow.
Never miss another post