High-fves and plenty of noise – the craps table just seems to be the place to be when visiting a casino and the game can be just as fun when playing online.

However, this can be a complex casino game and can be confusing to new players. There are just so many wagers that a player can make and the table may appear overwhelming. This guide offers a look at craps explained for “dummies," focusing on more of the favorable wagers players can make.

Craps Rules for Dummies

When glancing at the craps table, players will find that there are numerous bets available, but the basics of craps are pretty simple. The game features a player (the shooter) rolling a pair of dice with bettors wagering on the outcome of those rolls.

Players have the option to bet with or against the shooter. It’s generally advised to look for wagers that have the best house edges and here’s quick look at various bets.

The Come-Out Roll & the Pass Line

To get the action started, the shooter will roll what is called the “come-out” roll. Any craps rules for dummies guide would certainly want to include the Pass Line, one of the most popular bets because of the low house edge and because many enjoy betting with the shooter.

Simply place some chips on the Pass Line area in front of you before the come-out roll to make this bet. You’ll then win even money if the shooter rolls 7 or 11 and lose on 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll.

If the shooter rolls 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the dealer places a puck on that number at the top of the table to signify this as the “point number.” The goal is to see the shooter then roll that number before rolling a 7.

For example, if the point number is 8 and that number is rolled again before the shooter rolls a 7, then you win even money on the Pass Line bet. The house edge on the Pass Line is just 1.41%. Once the number is rolled, the shooter will commence with another come-out roll.

Pass Line Free Odds Bets

That house edge gets even smaller when you back up your bets with “free odds” bets. These bets pay out at the true odds of rolling those numbers – meaning there is no house edge. That’s one of the best wagers in a casino.

Casinos often allow players to bet double, triple, or even more on the free odds bet. Here’s a look at how these pay out for each point number.

Taking advantage of odds bets can thin the overall house edge and should be part of any craps strategy. Here’s a look at Pass Line house edges.

• Pass Line – 1.41%
• Pass Line + 1x odds – 0.85%
• Pass Line + 2x odds – 0.61%
• Pass Line + 3x odds – 0.47%
• Pass Line + 10x odds – 0.10%

Come Bets

Another nice option is found on the Come Bar, located in the center of either end of the table. This area functions like a Pass Line wager, but these bets can be made at any time – not just before a come-out roll.

For example, a player may put $10 on the come bar. If a 7 or 11 is rolled, you win even money, while 2, 3, or 12 means you lose that bet. If 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled, then your chips will be placed above that corresponding number. You can also drop the dealer some chips for free odds on that bet also.

Don’t Pass & Don’t Come

While most players prefer betting with the shooter, you also have the option to go the other route – betting against the shooter (sometimes referred to as the “dark side). This bet also has a low house edge of 1.36%.

With Don’t Pass or Don’t Come, bettors lose on the come-out roll with 7 or 11, win on 2 or 3, and push on 12. Don’t Pass bettors also win if the shooter rolls a 7 before rolling the point number. Players also can take odds (known as “laying the odds”) and here is a look at how those pay out:

• 4 or 10 – 1 to 2
• 5 or 9 – 2 to 3
• 6 or 8 – 5 to 6

*** If this article interests you, keep reading. Alternatively, explore other topics like blackjack strategy and roulette strategy. ***

Place Bets

This is another great betting option that is simple to make. After a point number is made, players simply ask to place these bets for them. You place the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 and earn some solid payouts as the shooter rolls that number before sevening out.

Notice that the 4 and 10 have much higher edges. Sticking with placing the 6 and 8 might be best, but some players also enjoy placing the 5 and 9 at times as well.

Craps Rules for Dummies – Other Bets

There are numerous other bets available to players, but those listed above are the most advantageous. That means they are easy to make but also carry lower house edges. There are some other bets available and here is a look at a couple of those.

Field Bets

Between the Come Bar and the Pass Line, players will find the Field. These are single-roll wagers on some numbers that are rolled less frequently because there are fewer dice combinations to make them.

The Field bet includes 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. These bets pay even money when the shooter rolls one of those on the very next roll and can be made at any time. As a bonus, the 2 and 12 often pay double (and sometimes triple on either of them), depending on the casino’s rules. The house edge varies depending on the payouts and here’s a look at the house edges.

• Double on 2 and 12 – 5.56%
• Double on 2 and triple on 12 – 2.78%
• Triple on 2 and double on 12 – 2.78%

Many players love the Field, but other craps bets offer better odds. 

Proposition bets

These are generally the worst bets on the craps table and are located in the very center of the table. The stickman handles these bets, but it’s better to keep your chips away from the prop bets. Some of these are multi-roll bets and some are single roll bets and include wagers like the hardways, doubles like 4-4 (hard 8) and 3-3 (hard six).

Many payers like these bets because they offer premium payouts. But the prop bets generally come with high house advantages as 15% or more. Making too many of these bets can really give the casino a major advantage and sap your bankroll.

Craps for Dummies – Conclusion

There are some really great bets for new players to keep an eye on without giving the casino too much of an edge. Some of those include Pass Line, Come Bar, Don’t Pass, Don’t Come, and Place bets.

Additionally, adding or laying odds on Pass/Don’t Pass and Come/Don’t Come can greatly reduce the house edge. Craps “dummies” will find these bets easy to make and should not be intimidated with these solid bets.

Whether playing in a live casino or online, making these bets outlined above and avoiding the Field and prop bets is a great strategy. Seeing those dice roll your way can mean winning some money as well.

As readers well know, I am a huge fan of video poker. Many years have been invested in learning every possible way to extract all that is possible from these popular casino games.

In the glory days many years ago, video poker games had very high returns. Most of them approached 100 percent. Several even returned more than 100 percent with proper play. Those days are gone. 

Could casinos eliminate video poker entirely in the future? Let’s explore the possibility

Contents

1. Current conditions
2. Possible futures
3. Probable future (for a time anyway)
4. Summary

Current conditions

Video poker is still very popular. It may not have the returns it once enjoyed, but in general it still has a lower house edge than other machine-based games.

Aficionados of video poker appreciate several aspects of the game:

• Lower house edge.
• Having a say in the outcome.
• Engaging the mind by determining the best hold for each hand, rather than the mind-numbing routine of bet then spin, bet then spin, etc. of trying to win at slot machines.
• Ability to determine the house edge of any video poker game based on its pay table.

Popularity is not the only thing that causes casino management to keep games on the casino floor. Today’s casinos are run by publicly traded corporations. 

Gone are the days where those who ran casinos understood what keeps gamblers coming back for more. They welcomed the occasional big winner. They saw it as great publicity. Even though someone won big, management knew they would be back time and again chasing other big wins. They also knew that family and friends came along with that winner. They played games with a higher casino edge.

Overall, the casino benefitted from the low house edge games that required players with knowledge and skill to get the lowest house edge. Video poker was a loss leader – though in virtually all cases the casino still had an edge. They made the real profits off the gamblers who came with the skilled players.

With public corporation ownership of casinos comes shareholders who demand increased profit numbers on a quarterly basis. Intangibles such as who might accompany video poker players are not generally taken into consideration. All that matters is profit – increased profit.

The mix of machines on the casino floor is to a large degree determined by the profit contribution to the bottom line. Consequently, pay tables are tightened on underperforming games. If play on these machines drops off, the downgraded games may be decommissioned in favor of more profitable slot machines.

The Las Vegas Strip casinos, specifically, has dramatically downgraded and reduced their floor presence of video poker. Many of the removed machines are being replaced by very large and visually stimulating slot machines. Some video poker is replaced by “skill-based” slot machines to attract the younger crowd and their meatier discretionary funds.

Keep in mind, video poker is not the only area that is being scrutinized. All aspects of the casino floor are. Table games that underperform are also tweaked. The rules may change or other changes made to improve profit. Many casinos have eliminated some table games. These games have been replaced by some other game, or simply eliminated.

Possible futures

As noted, corporate control of casinos has meant a diminished desire from management to cater to repeat business. They lean toward getting everything from their customers as soon as they can, and then attract new customers to take the old customers’ places.

To some degree, all casinos have downgraded video poker pay tables. The hope is to maintain the same level of play at a higher profit level. If play drops off, some casinos improve the pay tables somewhat to see if that brings back lost players. Some casinos may even restore video poker to the previous good levels. 

Some casino management is savvy enough to know that video poker players do not come alone to play. They know that many who join video poker players love to play the much more profitable slot machines. They continue to keep things on the gaming floor pretty much status quo. If this type of management is in charge, video poker with a decent return will be available.

Other casino management may opt to eliminate underperforming video poker games – whether it is from too generous (in the casino’s opinion) pay tables, or from diminished play due to downgraded pay tables.

The open space left by the eliminated video poker machines could be filled with slot machines, or other games that have a higher house edge. Some casinos have already replaced video poker space with skill-based slot machines mentioned previously.

The space might also be left open. This has already happened at a few casinos.

*** If this article interests you, keep reading. Alternatively, explore other topics like how to win at slots, blackjack strategy, and roulette strategy. ***

Probable future (for a time anyway)

Most casinos do realize that video poker players help the casinos bottom line in other ways. They know that, many times, others accompany video poker players and play games that are more profitable to their casinos. 

Video poker players and those who accompany them also go to the casino’s restaurants. They buy things in the gift shop. They may stay at the casino hotel. All of this helps the bottom line. 

Over the next several years, casinos will continue to tweak pay tables of their gaming machines and the rules and payoffs of some table games to improve the bottom line.

There is still a very healthy demand for video poker. Even with less favorable pay tables, there is a willing throng of diehard fans to play them. 

Many video poker players have no idea of the actual return of any game they play. These players simply know that it is more interesting to play a game where they can pick the cards to hold rather than mindlessly push slot machine buttons and hope.

If there are enough players willing to play whatever video poker is available, video poker will live. Serious players may not care to play those games, however.

Summary 

Over the last several years, video poker game presence on casino floors has diminished. Casino management wants to increase profits and traditional video poker games and pay tables may not be meeting their goals.

Pay tables are being downgraded and some machines are being eliminated. There is a concern that video poker may someday be completely eliminated.

It is possible, but if there are players willing to play the games that are available, video poker will survive in casinos.
 

Every video poker player dreams of finding a hot machine. Is it possible to know when video poker machines are hot – or when they are about to get hot?

This article explores the topic. 

Contents

1. The claims
2. How video poker games work – the RNG
3. What “random” means
4. What “Hot” and “Due” mean
5. The missing factor
6. Summary

The claims

It is not just video poker players  who yearn to find hot games. Indeed, every casino player is searching for the same thing. 

Slot machine executives do whatever they can to sell the idea that the games at their casino are winners. Here is a brilliant way to accomplish that goal.

Put signs on certain machines, maybe 10 or 15 percent of the machines on the casino floor saying: “Hot machine!” if the machine has hit jackpots – or had several large payouts in the last several days to a week. 

However, a machine that was cold the previous few days to a week, gets a sign that reads: “This machine is due!” 

This strategy appeals to both types of gamblers – those who believe trends continue and those who believe trends flip-flop. The former type of gambler will play the “hot” machine believing he or she will cash in on the hot streak. The latter will play the “due” machine believing the streak is about to change.

How video poker games work – the RNG

Video poker games – along with virtually every machine-based casino game – is driven by a programmed routine called a random number generator or RNG. This routine rapidly generates a series of numbers which are then translated into the cards in the hand.

These numbers (and therefore cards that are dealt based on them) are not truly random since they are program generated. They are close enough, however, to pass gaming commission standards for randomness.

What “random” means

According to Wikipedia, “randomness is the apparent or actual lack of definite pattern or predictability in information.” 

Random means there is no pattern. Random means no predictability.

What “Hot” and “Due” mean

It is apparent that there are streaks in video poker. There are hot streaks and there are cold streaks. There are also what I call mixed streaks – those times when hands generally alternate between winners and losers. These streaks are all observable.

Yes, video poker – and gambling in general – has streaks. Hot streaks are when players are winning most of the hands they play. 

After a player has a prolonged losing streak on a machine, they feel the machine is due since there has been a dearth of winners. They know that streaks are a fact. They also know that streaks tend to even each other out – to a certain degree.

*** If this article interests you, keep reading. Alternatively, explore other topics like how to win at slots, blackjack strategy, and roulette strategy. ***

The missing factor

Gamblers know when they are having a “hot” streak. They know when they are having cold streaks. They also know that at some point in time, a cold streak is “due” to change.

They know this both by experience and by the fact that things must balance out to the mathematical return of the game.

Eventually, a hot streak will end and a different streak – either cold or mixed – will start. Eventually a cold streak will end and a hot or mixed streak will start – therefore it is due.

The missing factor is knowing when this will happen.

I had a friend who claimed to have a sure-fire way to beat the craps tables. It was based on streaks. Many of you reading this have also known such people. You may have even been one such person. I was one when I first started playing in a casino.

My friend’s scheme was simple. Since streaks are a part of random games, use that knowledge to improve the odds. Rather than put a hop bet (a one roll bet) on the 12 (for example) every roll, wait until the 12 has not occurred for 36 rolls. The 12 appears once every 36 rolls, on average. The bet pays 30-to-1. 

He reasoned that the 12 was due to appear after those 36 rolls. He would continue to place a hop bet, increasing it by one unit each roll until a 12 appeared. For a while the scheme worked. Then it did not in a spectacular fashion – he lost his entire buy-in.

The point he failed to consider is the frequency of appearance is an average over a very large number of rolls. At times the 12 would not appear for 75 or more rolls.

It is easy to see a hot game. It is easy to know when a game should be due. What is not known – and necessarily cannot be known – is when streaks end and begin and for how long they will  last.

The very definition of randomness states that it is unpredictable. A cold streak that has lasted for 20 hands might change to a hot streak – or it might not. It might change after 50 hands, or 100 hands – or it might not.

The statement that a machine is hot is untrue – it was hot. It may or may not continue being hot. 

The statement that a machine is due, and one could argue that point, does not mean much. The streak may continue for some time. Even when it does change, a mixed streak might follow.

Players never know. It is random. It is unpredictable.

Summary 

Hot machines only exist in the past and present. There is no way to predict how long the streak will continue. 

A due machine is and has been cold. There is no way to tell when it will switch (or even if it will switch) to a hot machine. It might just as easily alternate between losing and mixed streaks for a while.

While streaks do exist on random casino games, they can only be seen in the past. They cannot be predicted. Do not fall into the "hot/due trap."

In this article, I write about what I call, “Blackjack Decision Overload” (BDO) and present my blackjack strategy tips so players can think about ways to adjust their gameplay so the stressful effects of BDO are reduced. 

Blackjack is often portrayed as a straightforward card game, but there’s a complex interweave of decisions and psychological tension going on that can lead to high levels of player stress.

This is a multi-layered topic where much could be said about why blackjack is stressful i.e. decisions that need to be made and how a number of factors play a role in this. Because this is a short blog post, I’ve had to decide what information you should find the most helpful which includes:

• Understanding why BDO manifests and recognizing the effects of it;
• I present my strategy tips for reducing the stressful effects of decision making when playing blackjack hands; and; 
• I invite you to think about ways you might amend my blackjack strategy or form one of your own to offset the effects of BDO.

The importance of each decision you or other players make in trying to better your blackjack hands to win money or protect your bankroll is at the heart of the game.

ACKNOWLEDGING BLACKJACK DECISION OVERLOAD

Every blackjack hand involves a number of decisions, but with all the decisions being considered by players in multiple hands, blackjack can be a stressful game. Situations of hands, on the table are in a constant state of flux and uncertainty lingers in the air.

Being required to make rapid decisions in blackjack casino games lays the groundwork for mental overload. Analysis paralysis due to possible options and outcomes and the fear of making wrong decisions are key triggers. Understanding the decisions that cause stressors is crucial for players who wish to design personalized strategies that enhance performance but at no cost to mental well-being.

BLACKJACK DECISION OVERLOAD AND ITS EFFECTS ON PLAYERS

Blackjack decision overload is the feeling of being overwhelmed by the many choices and possibilities players face within blackjack games. BDO can occur due to factors such as:

• Trying to remember how to play a complex blackjack strategy.
• Considering card counting or overall random order of cards being dealt.
• Perceived risk of losing higher stakes.
• The pressure of making quick decisions in blackjack games.
• How the decisions of other players at the table could impact outcomes.

The pressures of one or more of the above factors can cause players to experience indecision. Moreover, in the chart below, I’ve included other stress factors that can impact your bankroll. 

LIST OF BLACKJACK DECISIONS

Unless you’re dealt a 21 blackjack you’re faced with decisions to do or not to do one or more of the following to improve your hands or protect your wagers:

1. To stand or hit;
2. Take insurance or surrender or not
3. Double down or not
4. Split (including resplits) or not

BLACKJACK ROUTE TO SUCCESS

But determining what decisions you’re going to make is largely based on the hand your dealt vs. the dealer’s upcard. This is the key to understanding how to win at blackjack. 

All decisions should be based on, optimal pure blackjack basic strategy which gives you a mathematical advantage, because the house edge is narrowed in your favor. Yet depending on the blackjack table rules and number of decks in the game, the rules of your gameplay should alter so basic strategy can be fully effective.  

CORRECT DECISION MAKING GAMEPLAY IN BLACKJACK

The following examples demonstrate the correct blackjack gameplay:

Your first two cards:

• When your hand has been dealt 17 or higher the correct play is to “stand”.
• When your hand has been dealt 16 or lower, the correct play is to “hit”. 

And with three cards or more in one hand your choices are reduced to only hitting or standing. 

A hard 17 or 16-value hand limits your decision making and basic strategy is the default gameplay. But a soft 17 hand (where you hold an Ace [value 1 or 11] counted as = 1 plus the 6 card) generally means that the correct basic strategy gameplay is for you to hit when:

• In a single-deck shoe, hit on soft 17 when the dealer’s upcard is 7 through to an ace.
• In blackjack games using multi-decks, hit on soft 17 when the dealer’s upcard is 2 or 7 through to an ace.  

DECISIONS-DECISIONS: BLACKJACK CARD VALUE STRESS INFLICTOR 

Hard and soft 17:

Sticking to the default basic strategy gameplay, is going to test your nerves vs. risking deviating away from a seemingly safe 17. Because you could end up standing with a lower total or more likely busting trying to improve by gaining from 1 to 4 card values higher. 

Furthermore, with a soft 17, you’ve got to make another decision whether to limit your hand to only one more card, by taking the double down option. If you double, (where you can) you’re risking more money and limiting your otherwise ability to improve your hand.  

Hard and soft 12 to 16:

With hard 12 to 16 the default is hit if the dealer's up-card is 7 through to an Ace and stand if the dealer’s upcard is 2 through 6.

With a soft 12 to 16 the effect of the stressor is the risk of not improving or coming off worse by hitting, seems to be a lower level than soft 17 hand situations. 

But you’re still subject to pressure when having to decide how many cards to take without busting or whether you double down if allowed to.

STRESSFUL STATE OF THINKING ABOUT BLACKJACK POSSIBILITIES 

If you want to advance on the flow state wave of minus 1% house edge in blackjack (down to lows of around 0.5%) you’ve got to ignore your instincts and trust using perfect strategy as your default game plan. 

Problem is, even if you do, you’re probably going to stress yourself out just thinking about the what if and kicking yourself when — had you gone against basic strategy, the result would’ve been winning hands.

*** If this article interests you, keep reading. Alternatively, explore other topics like craps strategy, roulette strategy, and blackjack side bets. ***

BLACKJACK ORDER OF CARDS IS KEY TO WINNING OR LOSING 

Blackjack has similar characteristics to poker, in that, after players lose hands, they overanalyze the scenarios that resulted in those negative outcomes.

But with blackjack, the narrative of each lost hand isn’t as emotional, since hands are based on the order of the cards — without the additional element of player vs. player bluffing and aggressive raising to consider.       

MY BLACKJACK CARD COUNTING STRATEGY TIPS

Card counting can work in certain circumstances i.e. with a limited number of decks and when constant shuffle machines are not in use. But when it does succeed, card counting only has a slight effect on the house edge. With all the other decisions blackjack players need to decide on, card counting adds another level of stress to games.

I’ve noticed that cards tend to cluster in matching groups or classes. You can evaluate this for yourself with one or more decks of cards. Try to shuffle cards so they are randomly mixed. Then deal them out face up. It’s almost impossible that they don’t cluster in classes here and there.

So, my card counting blackjack strategy tip is to rank the likelihood of what the next card—if only one card is needed or allowed— (or cards) might be based on cards already out. If the majority of cards are:

• 1st Class Favorable: 10s = (10, J, Q, K) and Ace (counting as 1 or 11)
• 2nd Class Favorable: 2 through to 5 (less likely to lead to busting)
• 3rd Class Favorable: 6 through to 9

Rather than counting cards, with just a glimpse of most dealt cards in a round (including any bust hands before the dealer removes the cards) you can narrow likelihood based on two indicators:

1. Of the three classes, the dominant class could continue for a few more cards.
2. Of the last few cards that were dealt, that one or more of the next few cards could be within that class.

If the two indicators just mentioned connect then you could try this as your signal to decide the list of decisions, you need to consider as I outline earlier in this article.

MY BLACKJACK GAMEPLAY STRATEGY TIPS

Each player’s hand is in an independent battle against the dealer’s final total. But any player may bust; or by taking or not taking one or more cards, could cause your hand to bust (after you hit) even though your hand is also in an independent battle against what ultimately will be the dealer’s hand. 

In this respect, the one or more players before or after your seat have an impact on your hand. Unless a player allows you to decide what happens in their hand you have no control. To mitigate I would:

Take the last seat. This will give you the advantage of: 

• There not being any players after your decisions to take cards or not.
• The ability to analyze the cards already drawn, moreover if up to six additional players are at the table. 

Play on a table where it’s only you against the dealer. Although there are pros and cons:

• The good thing is you reduce the stress of not having to worry about what other players might do. 
• The downside is that you don’t get to see a large enough data selection of cards (except what you can remember from the previous round) to assess what card (or cards) you think might be drawn next.

Consider opening two boxes with the first box having a lower stake. This will give you the following advantage:

• The ability to use your first box as a sacrifice hand to potentially save your key hand if you’re not so certain of what the next card/s might be. 

MY BLACKJACK FLOW STATE STRATEGY TIPS 

The blackjack strategy tips in this article are aimed at creating a flow state approach to the game. I designed them to counter the indecisive effects of blackjack decision overload and reduce stress — so players are in a mindset to continue making sensible decisions.

As I mentioned earlier, my blackjack strategy tips are open to reflective criticism where you may structure your own to offset the effects of BDO. But remember, whether because of your decisions and or the decisions of other player’s, ultimately the outcome of blackjack hands are in the fate of the order of the cards.
 

Everyone loves to gamble. But the unfortunate fact of life is that our top casino games are meticulously designed to favor the house. 

Unless you’re the kind of hyper-focused person who deploys an advantage playing strategy that allows gamblers to turn the tables, tilt the odds and out-house the house – those people and their techniques centerpiece my new book Advantage Players – you will essentially pay to play.

Despite that – and here is the good news -- in the short run, you can get lucky and leave the casino with your wallet bulging. 

But, over time, casino-game mathematics are impossible to overcome. The house edge will catch up with you and take your hard-earned money. That said, there is a way to minimize the bleeding. You can choose to play the games that take the least as long as you approach them correctly. 

Here, then, is a plan for enjoying the high-flying risk/reward of gambling while tamping down the risk part.

Play these games, follow simple strategies, and extend your longevity at the tables.

IF YOU DON’T COUNT CARDS, DO COUNT YOUR MONEY

Card counting at blackjack provides players with a tiny edge over the house, but the volatility is serious, there is a small learning curve, and you tend to lose the most when you get unlucky during the best situations – i.e., the times when you are betting peak amounts because the count has gone through the roof. 

A simpler approach for those who aim to hit 21 – at a game that is rooted in the 17th century and blew up 400 years later when it became the most popular offering on the casino floor (the name likely stems from a bonus that was once paid to players who had a black-suited Jack and the ace of spades) – is to play perfect basic strategy and to stick with it through thick and thin. 

You can sit at the table with a basic strategy card, which will tell you to always split 8s (even against a dealer’s 10) and to double down with 11 against everything except the dealer’s ace. Follow those blackjack strategy rules as if they are law.

This system was created in the 1950s by a quartet of army officers, known as the Four Horsemen. They used military-grade calculators to figure out all of blackjack’s mathematically optimal plays. It worked then and works now. 

Stick with perfect basic strategy and the house edge will land somewhere between 0.5 and 2%, depending on the rules (most critically, find games that pay 3-2 on blackjacks). This means that for every $100 you bet, you give up something between 50 cents and $2.

TAKE THE WHEEL FOR A SPIN – BUT DO IT IN EUROPE

For casual gambling, especially after a few glasses of wine, roulette is a prime option. 

Roulette, which was the brainchild of a French physicist in the 1700s (he was trying to invent a perpetual motion machine and wound up with a game that has snagged cameos in moves such as Oceans Thirteen, Batman, and Indecent Proposal), offers opportunities to blow off gambling steam without doing a whole lot of strategizing. 

You put your money on a number (with 38 choices, including zero and double zero in the United States) or else go for black or red and hope for the best. It’s simple and fun. Bet on anything but the first five numbers as a group in the United States, and the house edge is 5.26%. If you can’t help but avoid the first five (which you should shun), you’ll be giving up 7.89%. 

Play the game in Europe, or just about anywhere in the world outside of America, and the house edge (thanks to the loss of double zero, which yields  37 possible numbers instead of 38) dips to 2.7%.

Take roulette for a spin in the U.S. and you’ll be giving up a little more than $5 for every $100 wagered. Do it in Europe or beyond, however, and each $100 spin will cost a much more palatable $2.70. Sometimes, as is the case here, the European way is the better way. Take that into account when determining your own roulette strategy.

ROLL THE DICE AND DO IT WISELY

It can be difficult to walk through a casino and not be hijacked by a craps game in full force. 

Stemming from a 12th century innovation called Hazard, craps enjoyed a stint as a favorite of back-alley gamblers who only required two cubes and a sidewalk to get things going. These days, the modern casino-version draws crowds and gives off so much energy that it can feel as if the table will levitate. 

You’ll see people shouting out all kinds of wagers – boxcars (two 6s), the field (a single-roll bet that the dice will total 2 -4 or 9 – 12), and hard-way (betting that the dice will drop as a chosen number with two matching numbers – like a pair of 3s for a total of 6) – but if you want the best bet at the table, pay those gamblers no mind. 

The sharpest craps wager you can make is a pass-line bet – wagering that a point will be reached – followed up with odds on that number. If, say, the point is 6, then take odds on the six, which means you lay down additional chips on the point being made. Miraculously, the odds bet pays at the actual odds of rolling that number – no house edge. 

Wagers don’t get any sweeter than that in a casino and taking odds should be part of any craps strategy. 

The pass-line bet gives the house a reasonable edge of 1.41%. So, with the odds bet thrown in, you are getting as fair a gamble as you can hope for in a casino. Figure that a $100 pass-line bet and 4x odds for a total of $500 will cost you a bargain basement price of $1.41. Just remember to hold onto your chips when all those longer-odds bets beckon.

BE A BACCARAT MACHINE!

Kelly Sun, who famously engineered a multi-million-dollar baccarat spree with the help of poker great Phil Ivey, employed a technique called edge sorting to beat the game big time. Along the way, she was given the nickname Baccarat Machine. 

But you don’t need to edge sort to be a baccarat machine in your own right. 

Though baccarat, which dates to 15th century Italy (its name supposedly derives from the Italian word bacca, which means zero, and that is the value of face cards in the game), comes off as one of the most elegant gambits in the casino, it is also one of the cheapest to play. 

Despite a black-tied James Bond anteing up in movies such as Dr. No, the truth of the matter is that if you bet banker the casino has a totally manageable 1.06% advantage. This makes baccarat affordable even for those of us who are not globe-trotting spies. 

Pay a little more than $1 per $100 bet to the casino and you won’t need to stint on the drying cleaning of your tuxedo.

Excited by some good fortune, a breakthrough, discovery or realization, you’ve probably heard someone say “bingo!” And you do know that bingo is a type of lotto game, right? I mean, like, come on guys, I’m writing this in the twenty-first century. 

BINGO SKILLS

But did you know that bingo games require players to use their skills to win? The skills needed to win at bingo include active listening and quick processing. But whatever age you are, you should be able to keep up with other players. 

ONLINE BINGO – ODDS AND RULES OF BINGO GAMES

Online bingo is played slightly differently because part of the game is automated. Bingo is an easy gambling game to play, and the rules are quite simple. So, what follows is a summary of how to play bingo, but further into this article, I explain bingo rules and what your odds of winning look like.  

HOW DO YOU PLAY BINGO? 

Knowing how to play bingo is a process of buying scorecards, then listening for numbers being called and marking off any of those numbers found on the cards in front of you.

Each player buys one or more scorecards. The cards have a grid layout design containing an arrangement of random printed numbers (most commonly from 1 to 75). 

So how do you play bingo when you’ve bought one or more scorecards? 

• A host known as "the caller draws" physical balls at random. 
• When players spot number matches, they mark them off.

The objective of the game is to be the first player to mark off a winning pattern that, depending on the rules, the pattern of numbers could be five in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally). Other ways of winning are explained below.

IS BINGO A POPULAR GAME?

To those who’ve heard about bingo the game, the word is probably strongly associated with people over the age of 60 (and those in their late 70s and even older) sitting in community halls, former picture houses or ex-theaters, marking off numbers on scorecards whilst nibbling on cheese sandwiches on paper plates and drinking diluted orange squash from plastic cups. I must admit this was the perceived impression I held about bingo goers for many years.

In 2010, I was invited to attend a bingo hall. At first, I was hesitant. I don’t know if it was the thought of losing concentration, looking around at others, focusing on the bingo numbers being called out, or the fear of ending up undergoing metamorphosis into an old folk, joining along — head down dabbing numbers on bingo tickets hoping to win a jackpot. But I attended a bingo event for research and had a lot of fun playing. 

And I discovered I was wrong because bingo is indeed a popular game for people in their 20s to 50s too. Since the early 2000s online bingo has been a huge home for the game and this growing market attracts new players all the time. I think it’s because of the big bingo prizes and relatively low odds of winning. 

GLOBAL BINGO DEMAND 

The UK remains the spiritual home of bingo, and according to the National Bingo Game Association, in 2025 there’re well over 3 million active players in the UK. 

I’ve created a chart showing bingo demand every 10 years since the 1900s. As you can see, since the turn of the century, the number of regular bingo players globally has increased — in part because bingo games are accessible via the internet.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO PLAY BINGO

The five points I’ve set out below on how to play bingo pertain to the bingo rules.

1. Players buy one or more scorecards. Each card has a 5x5 grid containing 25 squares with a free space in the middle. Players are provided with markers. (there might be a limit on the number of cards each player can buy so check the bingo rules of each game you enter). 
2. The caller places all the numbered bingo balls in a cradle and mixes them up. 
3. He then starts to pick balls at random and announces the letter-number combinations found on each ball. 
4. Players use their skills of observation and speed to mark off any numbers present on their scorecards. Once a player gets five in a row, (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) they call out "BINGO!" Some rules of how to play bingo to win require players to mark off four corners or mark off a full card (known as a blackout) using a dauber. 
5. The caller will then check to see if bingo ticket numbers (of the person who thinks they’ve won) match with numbers already drawn. If no one calls Bingo, the caller draws further balls until a winner is declared, and the bingo prize is given.

HOW BIG ARE PRIZES IN BINGO GAMES?

When it comes to the size of prizes the range of bingo jackpots span from modest to jaw-dropping. I can break this down into three categories.  

Record-Breaking Bingo Jackpots

Large bingo jackpots run into the millions and at least £1 million can be won from a bet costing less than 50 pence. Bingo is a game for those hoping to win huge prizes and you don’t need a large bankroll to stand a chance of winning a big bingo jackpot. 

Mid-Range Bingo Jackpots

Bingo is popular in U.S. casinos these days. Some of the big casinos promote bingo jackpots ranging from $10,000 right up to $100,000. For example, the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut and the Palazzo in Las Vegas regularly host bingo events with big, guaranteed prizes.

Daily Bingo Prizes

When it comes to daily bingo games at your local bingo hall, depending on the game type and admission costs, you can expect prizes to range from around £50 to £1,000.

Online Bingo Jackpots

Waiting for players to try their luck at landing big bingo jackpots online, sites like 888casino frequently advertise a variety of bingo games, some with progressive jackpots.

Online daily bingo games tend to offer smaller prizes within the £5-£500 range but come with the advantage of convenience and frequency. To attract new players, some sites advertise free games, with real cash prizes as low as £1-£10. 

WHERE TO PLAY BINGO

The world of bingo is vast and varied, with venues ranging from glitzy to the humble, traditional to digital. Here are some of the places you can play bingo.

Traditional Bingo Venues

Today, bingo is popular in bingo halls and still popular in homes for the elderly and at community centers. And bingo for fundraising is one of the biggest crowd pullers to this much-loved game — whether in physical locations or online. Charity bingo events for good causes attract jackpot hungry players.

Online Bingo Options

Most casinos have bingo games people can play at their land-based sites and some via their online casinos. The digital bingo revolution has made bingo games accessible 24/7 and 365 from anywhere with an internet connection. Most online bingo games use random number generators, and players can use features like auto-daub to mark off numbers.

*** If this article interests you, keep reading. Alternatively, explore other topics like how to win at slots, craps strategy, and roulette odds. ***

HOW DO BINGO RULES WORK?

Visiting a bingo hall for the first time can feel like entering a foreign country where everyone knows the language but you. Below I explain the bingo rules you should be aware of:  

THE BASIC BINGO RULES

Knowing how to play bingo is knowing how the bingo rules work. Understand that the five columns with numbers, represent the letters that form the name of the game—"bingo.”

ODDS OF WINNING BINGO

A big part of knowing how to play bingo is finding out what the odds of winning are, especially when you play online bingo.    

Understanding bingo odds can help manage expectations and potentially improve your bingo playing strategy. The mathematics behind bingo probabilities reveals interesting comparisons with other games of chance.

Bingo Probability Basics

Your chances of winning bingo games depend primarily on:

• Number of cards in play (total in the game).
• The number of cards you're playing.
• Type of game and winning pattern required.

For example, in a standard 75-ball game with 100 players each holding one card, your basic probability of winning is 1 in 100 (1%). However, if you play 10 cards, your odds improve to roughly 1 in 10 (10%).

And for a standard 75-ball game requiring a five-number straight line, mathematical models suggest the average number of calls before someone wins are between 41-45 numbers.

Also, for a full-card coverall in 75-ball bingo, expect approximately 62-65 numbers to be called before someone wins.

ARE THE ODDS OF WINNING BINGO BETTER THAN LOTTERIES? 

Bingo odds are substantially better than most lotteries:

• UK National Lottery – Odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 45 million.
• US Powerball – Jackpot odds stand at a daunting 1 in 292 million.
• Standard Bingo Game – Odds might be 1 in 100 (with 100 players holding one card each)
• Progressive Jackpot Bingo – Special pattern requirements might create odds of 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000—still vastly better than lottery odds.

Even specialized bingo games with complex patterns offer better chances than scratch-off lottery tickets, which typically offer top prize odds between 1 in 175,000 to 1 in 4 million.

STRATEGIC APPROACHES WHEN TRYING TO WIN BINGO

While bingo remains predominantly a game of chance, understanding these odds suggests some strategic approaches as follows:

• Playing during off-peak hours increases winning chances due to fewer competing cards.
• Games requiring complex patterns typically offer better prizes but lower winning probability.
• Purchasing multiple cards improves odds proportionally (though managing many cards requires skill).

Players should receive a random set of numbers therefore everyone’s chances of winning are equal. Statistically, you could increase your chances of winning bingo games by buying more sets of numbers. But because games are random there’s no guarantee of gaining any advantage.  

BINGO NOW AND IN THE FUTURE

When it comes to the culture concerning games of chance, bingo occupies a unique position:

• Simple enough for anyone to play.
• Yet variable enough to maintain interest across wide age groups.
• Can attract advantage players too. 

Bingo is a community game, but it’s also a game where strategic gamblers can take advantage of the favorable odds of winning when compared to larger lotto games. The evolution of bingo from community halls to casino floors and onto digital devices demonstrates the game has remarkable adaptability and a flourishing future.

Bright lights, big money, major entertainment, and plenty of casino gambling. While many may think of Las Vegas when it comes to testing out some blackjack strategy or craps strategy, and dropping a few bucks in a slot machine, there is another huge American destination that helped move casino gaming beyond Sin City.

New Jersey legalized gambling in Atlantic City in 1976 and cemented a long history of underground gaming into a new regulated industry. For a time, “America’s Playground” even gave Las Vegas a run for its money.

The southern New Jersey city is still home to several casinos and has been in the gambling business since the first property opened in 1978. Here’s a quick look at the history of Atlantic City casinos.

Underground Gaming

Legalized casinos in the Garden State didn’t come without some setbacks. A voter referendum in 1974 to legalize casinos in Atlantic City was initially defeated, but a second effort passed two years later.

The approval came after the state had a long history of underground casino gaming. That included a local sheriff offering some gambling and entertainment, despite it being illegal, right on the Jersey Shore.

“America’s Playground, Atlantic City, was for decades a ‘shore bet’ for illicit gambling,” David Schwartz notes ub the book Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. “Though it was promoted as a family resort, as early as the 1860s those who knew where to look could have some very adult fun gambling.

“Under the de facto rule of Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, who rose to power as the sheriff of Atlantic County in 1908, wide-open gambling was viewed as a boon to the tourist trade.”

Later, a federal investigation revealed that Johnson allowed gambling and bootlegging run by the mob in return for a 10% cut of the proceeds. The investigation found that as many as 25 underground casinos were in operation offering casino games before he was finally sent to prison in 1941. However, many casinos stayed open, but became more concealed.

The legalization of casinos in 1976 changed that and Atlantic City's first casino, Resorts International, opened on May 26, 1978.

Legalized Casinos Flourish

Atlantic City has a lot of things going for it when it comes to legalized casinos. The location on the ocean and beautiful beaches made the city a great getaway for families looking for some summer fun. The boardwalk allowed for some beautiful views and offered plenty for vacationers including shopping, dining, amusement park rides, and more.

Adding casinos allowed for parents to bring the kids – hitting the beach and boardwalk with the family by day and then allowing some time for the adults to head to the casino by night to play roulette, hit the dice tables, or take in a show.

Seeing that the voter referendum might pass, Resorts International purchased tracts of land in the city including the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall resort complex.

The company also owned a casino in the Bahamas and when the referendum passed, Resorts hit the ground running and opened a casino quickly. Caesars Boardwalk Regency (later known as Caesars Atlantic City) followed a year later with The Brighton, later renamed the Sands, opening in 1980.

Harrah’s and the Golden Nugget also opened in 1980s, followed by several more throughout the ‘80s including the Tropicana, the Claridge, the Hi-Ho, Trump Castle,  and the Showboat,

The current U.S. president and former New York City real estate developer had a major impact in Atlantic City, opening Trump Taj Mahal in 1990 and billing the property as the “eighth wonder of the world.” 

“The scale … is what brings the people,” Trump told ABC News in 1990. “The opulence, the size, the everything is really what’s going to make the Taj Mahal the most successful hotel anywhere in the world.”

Trump took over the project after Resorts couldn’t complete construction and Michael Jackson was a guest of honor at the property’s grand opening. The Taj Mahal became known as the best place to play poker for a time, The Taj was a regular home for poker legend Phi Ivey and hosted the U.S Poker Championship from 1996 to 2010. Trump’s footprint extended even further in Atlantic City and he also owned Trump Plaza for a total of three casinos at one time.

Rapid Growth & Decline

Until Atlantic City legalized casinos, the only place to legally gamble in the U.S was in the state of Nevada. Attracting gamblers from across the eastern seaboard became an economic boon for the city beginning in the 1980s.

Gaming revenue increased from $325 million in 1979 with just two casinos to almost $1.2 billion by 1981. By 1987, AC had become the most-visited city in the U.S. with over 20 million visitors annually. The town by the Jersey Shore was now on the map, and gamblers kept flock to the gaming tables and slots.

Atlantic City was a major competitor with Las Vegas, almost equaling the city’s revenue of $2.4 billion by 1987 with far fewer casinos. According to the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Atlantic City gaming saw average growth rates of an astounding 55% from 1978 to 1985.

By the 2000s, however, that rate had slowed significantly. While the industry peaked with 12 casinos, the 1990s and 2000s saw some changes as other regions began legalizing casinos. States like Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri brought in riverboat casinos in the 1990s and gamblers no longer had to book trips to Las Vegas or Atlantic City.

Other states, such as New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and others around the country now offer full-scale casino resorts. The Atlantic Club, Showboat, Trump Plaza, and even the Taj Mahal all eventually closed and the city now boasts just nine casinos.

In 2013, New Jersey officially legalized online gaming and online poker, becoming a leader in the industry in the U.S. However, in recent months online gaming has eclipsed live casino gambling.

In March, the state’s casinos produced $230.9 million in revenue, falling 3.7% from $239.8 million the same month in 2024. By contrast, online operators brought in $243.9 million, up 23.7% compared to $197.2 million for March 2024. That trend has led to some concerns among legislators and casino employee unions about what can be done to keep gamblers coming into their properties. 

“As lawmakers continue to proceed with the annual state budget process, representatives in the New Jersey Legislature must understand the perilous economic situation at hand for my members, and indeed all workers in Atlantic City,” Unite Here Local 54 President Donna DeCaprio said in 2024.

“Not only is the overall in-person revenue troubling — but the size of the declines at some of the individual properties portends some serious instability for thousands of workers. The legislators need to take this into consideration as they consider policies that could compound the downward trends.”

Where does the industry go from here? Atlantic City has an uphill climb now faced with so much competition for some of American gamblers’ bankrolls. It seems almost every state has a casino industry, with just a few exceptions. Even more are considering expanded gaming and gamblers can also now easily place sports bets on their phones from almost anywhere.

While the gambling mecca may not be what it once was, Atlantic City can be remembered as the outpost that kick-started the American casino boom. And the Atlantic City boardwalk and beautiful beaches can still be a great spot for a casino vacation getaway.