For about a year and a half, I played 8/5 Bonus Poker Multi Strike (BPMS) at the Silverton for $120,000 a month coin-in. That game returned 0.20% more than regular 8/5 Bonus Poker (BP) — which means the EV is $240 a month higher for this much play. The swings were fairly large and BPMS strategy is more difficult than regular BP strategy — which meant most other players preferred BP even though it pays less — but the swings and complexity were within my comfort zone so I went with the higher-paying game. Continue reading It’s a Gradual Process
Author: Bob Dancer
Sports Fans Learn Bad Common Sense
I’ve watched a lot of sports on television through the years. Some of the “common sense” you pick up by watching the games and listening to the media is just plain wrong if you try to apply it to gambling. Let me give you some examples. Continue reading Sports Fans Learn Bad Common Sense
But the Patient Died
You’ve heard the expression, “The operation was a success but the patient died.” What does it mean? Continue reading But the Patient Died
A Difference of Opinion
It was a drawing at the Palms. There were three of us. Friends all. “Al,” Bob, and “Charlie.” (I’m using quotation marks around two of the names to indicate I’ve changed their names. In fairness, I suppose I should make it “Bob” as well because I changed that name a while back as well.) Continue reading A Difference of Opinion
One of those Phone Calls
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
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