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WRONG BETTING: A CRAPS PLAYER’S  GUIDE TO THE ‘DARK SIDE’

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC says:

The focus of this article is betting the don’t side in craps, but the coverage also explains how the pass side works. The main takeaway is that betting the don’t side, even though most crap players bet the other way with the shooter, is usually the way to play with the lowest house edge. The chart clearly makes that point and is a good reference for finding the house edges on those bets. The article doesn’t cover prop bets, which have much higher house edges. Note that there are a couple of editing mistakes. In the fourth paragraph under “Don’t Pass,” it should state that pass bettors lose if the comeout roll is a 12. And in the third paragraph under “Don’t Place or Lay Bets,” the sentence should be completed with … $20 to win $10 against 4 or 10.

This article was written by John Grochowski in association with 888Casino.

WRONG BETTING: A CRAPS PLAYER’S  GUIDE TO THE ‘DARK SIDE’

For many players, the prospect of winning together is part of the fun in playing craps and most players bet with the shooter. But some players simply want the best odds for their money and in craps, that comes with betting opposite the shooter.

Wager including don’t pass, don’t come, lay bets, and don’t place bets are collectively known as the “Dark Side,” and those who make them sometimes are called “wrong” bettors as opposed to “right” bettors who bet with the shooter.

If anything, playing the Dark Side is easier for online casino players than for those who play craps at live casinos. Online craps players don’t have to endure taunts or glares from those betting the other way.

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THE FACTS ON HITTING A ROYAL FLUSH AT VIDEO POKER

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC says:

Video poker players will like this article. Many players know the commonly cited statistic that a royal flush occurs about once in 40,000 hands on average. But beyond that, the related numbers are less known. This article by Henry Tamburin puts these numbers all in one place, both the frequency of being dealt X number of cards to the royal flush and the odds of hitting it. One interesting fact within is that it’s almost twice as likely to get a royal on a 5-card redraw than on the initial deal (the redraw comes from a pack of 47 cards that are minus five that won’t complete a royal). There’s also some bonus info at the top of the article regarding how video poker games select and deal the cards that appear on the screen.

This article was written by Henry Tamburin in association with 888Casino.

THE FACTS ON HITTING A ROYAL FLUSH AT VIDEO POKER

Let’s face it. What all video poker players hope (and pray) for is that the next hand will give them a royal flush because that results in an immediate 4,000 coin payoff. But did you ever wonder what the chance that this will happen when you hold, say, four cards to a royal flush? How about holding three cards to a royal? And what is the chance of being dealt a royal flush on the initial deal? I’ve summarized the answers to these questions below and they may surprise you.

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BE CAREFUL THAT 9/6 VIDEO POKER IS WHAT YOU THINK IT IS

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC says:

The information in this article is something all beginners need to know. Many start with the knowledge that 9/6 Jacks or Better is the gold standard (it is to some degree, but there are higher-returning schedules) and understand that the 9 for a full house and 6 for a flush are the key numbers. But then they assume that all 9/6 games are good. As pointed out in the article, the 9/6 on a Double Bonus game drops the return to 97.8%, about 1.75% below the JoB return, and other 9/6 variations drop similarly. You have to be sure you’re playing 9/6 JoB (or 9/6 Bonus Poker Deluxe returning 99.64%, which can be found), or the expected return is likely lower than you think it is. More good advice comes in the warning to look at the entire schedule, even on games labeled “Jacks or Better.” Some, especially on denoms below 25¢, have short-pay royal flushes, e.g., 2,500 coins instead of 4,000. No bueno!

This article was written by Jerry Stich in association with 888Casino.

BE CAREFUL THAT 9/6 VIDEO POKER IS WHAT YOU THINK IT IS

Many video poker players are aware that pay tables vary based on the type of game. Many video poker players know that the pay table for a specific game can also vary. They also know that most pay tables can be identified based on two lines in the pay table. These two lines are the pays for a full house and a flush. They represent the x-for-1 pay amount. For example, if a full house pays 8-for-1 and a flush pays 5-for-1, the pay table is commonly referred to as 8/5.

At one time – years ago – there were very few different video poker games. Jacks or Better was among the earliest video poker games available. Pay tables in the early video poker era tended to be quite generous. Almost all Jacks or Better games paid nine coins (yes, coins. Early games only took coins or tokens) for each coin bet for a full house and six coins for each coin bet for a flush.

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CELEBRITY GAMBLERS: HITTING THE CASINOS WHILE OFF SCREEN

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC says:

This is a light read discussing the gambling proclivities of five celebrities. We’ve written about all five in the Las Vegas Advisor and these portraits ring true. The word is that Ben Affleck is a good blackjack and poker player, though his described blackjack betting style could use some subtlety. The “syndicate” Ashton Kutcher refers to is most likely the Billy Walters group; Kutcher’s involvement (using aliases) is chronicled in the book The Smart Money. Barkley is pretty much considered a hot mess when it comes to his casino escapades, but he’s always been up-front about it. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. likes to Tweet out his winning tickets, but you never see the losers. Tiger Woods has been labeled as a somewhat notoriously bad tipper. With regard to Affleck’s over-tipping, we wrote the following in 2003: “The gossip rags love it, but the pairing of actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez hasn’t been well-received by Las Vegas dealers. It seems that Lopez, who is commonly referred to as ‘J.Lo,’ has put the clamps on Affleck’s legendary toking largesse. Ms. Lopez is now referred to in the dealing community as ‘Pay-Lo.’”

This article was written by Michael Kaplan in association with 888Casino.

CELEBRITY GAMBLERS: HITTING THE CASINOS WHILE OFF SCREEN

Gambling is a great leveler. Whether rich or poor, famous or anonymous, we all like to have a little something riding on the turn of a card or the outcome of a sporting event. In that regard, celebrities are just like the rest of us – albeit, to a degree. They like to gamble, they deal with ups and downs, they do everything in their power to win. 

That said, things get different when you factor in sums on the line and notoriety attached to their wins or losses. Wagers are eye widening and reports of money on the line make headlines. Here then are some of the world’s most famous people who like to gamble big, what they play and how they handle outcomes.

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THE INCREDIBLY WRONG ADVICE IN BLACKJACK STRATEGY

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC Says:

There’s no shortage of bad gambling advice out there, as well as misinformation and faulty assumptions. Perhaps at the front of the list for blackjack is the notion that the skill level of the other players at the table affects your results. Or specifically, that a bad player, especially one who’s last to act before the dealer, will negatively affect the overall outcome of good players. You’ve heard it a thousand times, but it’s not true. Anyone who’s ever felt this needs to read this article in which Henry Tamburin presents evidence that settles the matter. It’s your skill level that determines your results, not the play of others. Pay attention also to the list of things that do matter. I’ll take slight issue with the last bullet point that observing a lot of small cards having been dealt in previous rounds signals a good time to raise your bet. That’s certainly the essence of card counting, but simply “observing” isn’t likely to yield solid information. You need to become proficient at counting to detect favorable situations.

This article was written by Henry Tamburin in association with 888Casino.

THE INCREDIBLY WRONG ADVICE IN BLACKJACK STRATEGY

Several years ago, I wrote an article that contained misinformation about blackjack that originated from players, dealers, movies, and the Internet. I thought I had heard and read all the nonsensical misconceptions about blackjack that have been spoken or written over the past 50 years; however, I was wrong, dead wrong.

That’s because I recently received a print magazine published in the USA for casino players that contained an article on blackjack strategy, which floored me…

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TOO OUT OF IT TO PLAY? CASINO GAMBLING TRIPS GONE WRONG

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC Says:

Gambling and drinking. These two activities have gone hand in hand forever and the consensus is it’s not a good mix for the gambler. If it were, the casinos wouldn’t be offering it. The four examples in this article pretty much constitute the worst-case scenario, but the lesson that drinking can undermine responsibility should be heeded by all players. An interesting twist on this theme is that drinking can be used against the casinos by some clever advantage players who drink to some level as a form of “camouflage” when playing with an edge, e.g., counting cards in blackjack. A player who’s steadily consuming alcohol tends to look less suspicious to casino personnel on the lookout for threats. Of course, the player has to be able to maintain his game while drinking. While he didn’t bring this up in the article, author Michael Kaplan is certainly aware of the ploy. His book, The Advantage Players, is being published by Huntington Press and is expected to be out this summer.

This article was written by Michael Kaplan in association with 888Casino.

TOO OUT OF IT TO PLAY? CASINO GAMBLING TRIPS GONE WRONG

Everybody loves to get casino freebies. Gamble for high enough stakes and you wind up with a hotel suite and dinner at the joint’s fanciest restaurant. Really fire it up, and the casino covers your airfare and may even send a private jet.

At rock bottom, though, anyone in action gets offered free alcoholic beverages. Sit at a casino bar, drop $20 into a video poker machine mounted on the bar’s surface and the drinks will flow your way as long as you keep playing.

High rollers may get bottles of Louis XIV cognac and tumblers of fine single-malt scotch while the rest of us content ourselves with well drinks of vodka and tonic. And if we get drunk with $20 at risk in a game of chance that we’re unlikely to win anyway, who cares?

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BIG DEBUT: A LOOK AT NEW SLOTS FOR 2024

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC Says:

            In this article, John Grochowski takes a look at four new slots and one video poker game he saw (and liked) during the G2E industry conference in November, including one of the NFL-branded games that everyone’s been clamoring about. The article was written fresh off the conference, so these games are just now making their way to casino floors. The descriptions provide insight into the experience that each game offers and give prospective players a head start on understanding what they’re rooting for while playing (the learning curve on the more complicated slots can be steep). In one description, Grochowski touches on the manufacturers’ tactic of using “persistence bonuses” to stimulate increased play. It’s a cursory discussion, but it shines some light on the psychology of slot machine design. Also of interest is the video poker variant that incorporates free-game bonuses, a staple of the new slot games, but that I haven’t seen before in video poker.

This article was written by John Grochowski in association with 888Casino.

BIG DEBUT: A LOOK AT NEW SLOTS FOR 2024

Every autumn, game manufacturers and other casino suppliers show off their wares at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas.

Included are hundreds of slot machines and other electronic games that will vie for space on casino floors in the coming years. You’ll see the new slots first in live casinos, still a larger market than online casinos in the United States. But many will be adapted as online slots, so keep your eyes open a little down the road.

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DECK PENETRATION IN BLACKJACK: THE UNTOLD FACTOR IN GAINING AN EDGE

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC Says:

This article puts forth the accurate premise that deck penetration in a blackjack game (how far into the pack the cards are dealt before a shuffle) is an important consideration for skilled players, specifically card counters, but then loses its direction somewhat. The article suggests that better penetration in and of itself will improve results, even stating that it affects basic strategy, which isn’t true. The reality is, deck penetration is a very important consideration, but only if you’re employing a count system. Additionally, I’m not familiar with the games dealt on the online 888casino platform and it looks like they may include live games where penetration does come into play. However, penetration is a non-issue in online games that shuffle after every hand. The article references our book, Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger, which is an excellent recommendation for thorough coverage of the effects of good and bad penetration. While all good blackjack books discuss it, Schlesinger’s is among the most complete. Another valuable treatment can be found in Burning the Tables in Las Vegas by Ian Andersen.

This article was written by 888 in association with 888Casino.

Welcome to 888casino UK, where the thrill of blackjack takes center stage, and understanding its nuances becomes your key to success. Today, we delve into an often-overlooked aspect of this classic game: Deck Penetration in Blackjack.

Whether you’re a seasoned card shark or new to the world of 21, this online casino guide will enhance your strategic approach and deepen your appreciation for the game.

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INSIDE TRIPLE DOUBLE BONUS POKER

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC Says:

This is a timely article, given that it’s germane to the last two YouTube videos we’ve done in which the “Jackpot of the Week” in both was hit on Triple Double Bonus video poker. Triple Double Bonus is a game that attracts players for its big jackpot potential, but the tradeoff is sky-high variance that results in lots of losing sessions and rapid depletion of funds between the big hits. I like that this article points that out. It also provides the playing strategy, including the important point that this is one of the few games where it’s proper to hold kickers.

This article was written by Jerry Stich in association with 888Casino.

Inside Triple Double Bonus Poker

Long gone are the days of only one type of video poker game on casino floors. Gaming manufacturing companies are answering the call of players demanding more exciting video poker games.

This article explores one of the more exciting video poker games – Triple Double Bonus Poker.

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2023 BLACKJACK BALL: THE INSIDE SCOOP – PART 2 BY HENRY TAMBURIN

This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.

AC Says: As promised, at the end of this article you’ll find the questions with answers to the challenging 21-question test given to the elite. In Part 2 of Henry Tamburin’s summary of the 26th Blackjack Ball, he provides a play-by-play of the skills contest, which was won by Frank B. Frank is best known as one of the world’s foremost sports betting experts and works with me to engineer the multi-million-dollar furniture-sales hedges made by Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale. However, he’s skilled in all areas of gambling, including blackjack. The remainder of the article focuses on the quiz that qualifies players to compete on the final table. It’s difficult. Give it a try.

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