We all need to get away. And if you’re like me, you want to go to one of the world’s top gambling cities, a place where legal gaming tops the menu. Casinos make great bases out of which to vacation. Of course, there is the clang of slot machines, the tumble of dice and the divvying of cards at the blackjack table. 

Just as importantly, though, when you are in a great casino there is so much to do. The world’s best casinos function as self-contained hotspots. 

They come complete with top-notch restaurants, luxurious spas, round-the-clock room service, usually a fabulous swimming pool and some iteration of top-flight entertainment. Then, of course, there is the gambling and the fact that casinos tend to be located in cool cities.

Wishing you pleasant travels, here is a list of the five greatest gambling cities in the world and why you should visit them. 

LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas, situated on the edge of America’s Mojave Desert, has long reigned as the king of gambling locales. 

Taking into account the number of casinos there, it ranks as the biggest casino city in the world. Las Vegas has more than 170 casinos and over 90 casino hotels – that is, places to stay where gambling is on offer. It’s also a place with different gambling neighborhoods to accommodate the budgets and lifestyles of visitors. 

Everywhere features non-stop games and great sports betting. The sports books all have giant TVs and comfy seats that make it a pleasure to hang out and watch the basketball or football or whatever-kind-of-ball unfold with wagers that make it all the more exciting.

Most famously, there is the Vegas Strip, with the fanciest hotels, highest stakes gambling and best-known restaurants. Top places to stay at on the Strip include Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas, Cosmopolitan and Fontainebleau.  

Fontainebleau is the newest, it boasts terrific restaurants such as Mother Wolf and Papi Steak, a private club on the top floor and a cool nightclub called Liv. 

Bellagio has the famous fountains, its own clutch of great dining spots and a poker room where pros like to play. Cosmopolitan skews a little younger and splashier with the semi-private Talon Club for high rollers. 

Created by taste-maker Steve Wynn, Wynn Las Vegas is known for posh accommodations, mega high limits, a poker room of its own and great entertainment with resident performers like the magician David Blaine. 

A more suburban experience is to be had in the neighborhood known as Summerlin, where Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa rules the roost. It’s a Strip-quality casino with easy access to hiking and more rural explorations. 

Downtown Vegas is an older precinct where the best place, for my money, is Circa. A great feature there is Stadium Swim, a pool that never closes, which essentially functions as an outdoor sports book with games being shown on a giant screen. Barry’s Downtown Prime is a phenomenal, subterranean steakhouse and Saginaw’s Delicatessen serves the best pastrami in town.

If you love gambling, Las Vegas is a place that you must visit.

 MACAU

A ferry ride away from Hong Kong, Macau is often referred to as Las Vegas of the East. The name is justified, considering that Macau is the biggest gambling city in Asia.

In fact, in terms of gambling revenue, it often outshines Las Vegas. There are 24 casinos on Macau Peninsula, which is the original gambling hub there, and 17 in a second gambling ‘hood, referred to as the Cotai Strip. 

Visitors to Vegas will recognize familiar names in Macau. The city boasts outposts of Wynn, MGM Grand and Venetian. 

Similar to what is found in Las Vegas, Macau’s joints offer 24/7 action on the casino floor and all the sports betting you can desire. 

Native casinos include the old school Lisboa, Macau Palace (on the water, it  is often described as a “floating casino”) and City of Dreams with its Michelin-starred restaurants, four hotels and high-energy vibe.

One thing unique to Macau is the overriding love of playing baccarat. That game rules in the casinos. It’s not unusual for baccarat tables to roll out for as far as the eye can see.

When visiting Macau, make like a local, sip from a glass of milky tea and buy into a game of baccarat. From there, your only decision will be whether you should wager on the banker or player.

MONTE CARLO

If you’ve seen the James Bond movies “Never Say Never Again” and “Golden Eye,” you would naturally be thirsting for a visit to Monte Carlo. 

Besides being a top gambling destination, it ranks as one of the world’s most luxurious destinations (regardless of the gaming). Yachts crowd the waterfront, Michelin-starred restaurants warrant a visit and the casino gambling experience is as opulent as it gets. The must-play spot there is Casino de Monte Carlo. 

The elite gambling den opened in 1856 and still retains a sense of old-world elegance with high-stakes blackjack, baccarat, craps and roulette among the games of choice. 

One thing unlikely to repeat from the old days: in 1913, the ball in a roulette game is said to have landed on black 26 times in a row. Millions of francs were blown, as bettors wagered on the streak being broken. It finally was, of course, but, by then, the casino had loaded up on winnings. 

If you gamble high enough, angle for a comped room at Hotel de Paris, in close proximity to Casino de Monte Carlo and dripping one-of-a-kind elegance.

SINGAPORE

Everyone knows that Singapore is a great food city, but it is also one of the top gambling cities in the world. 

Marina Bay Sands there is fantastic for more than gambling, and clearly appeals to players who believe that bigger is better. The largest gambling resort in the world, Marina Bay Sands houses 2,500 rooms, enough swimming pools that you will never get bored of paddling around and an outpost of Universal Studios for the kid in all of us. 

But of course, we are there for the gambling and there is no shortage of that. 

The gaming floor boasts more than 600 table games – including craps, blackjack and baccarat, with every variation and side-bet that you may desire – plus 2,300 slot machines. And when you get hungry from all the action, check out eateries from celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Gordon Ramsey and Daniel Bolud. 

LONDON

With all there is to do in the capital city of England, you might not think of casino gambling as being a key attraction. But, in fact, London counts itself among the world’s greatest gambling cities and the place is completely poker crazy. 

There are more than 20 casinos, with the Hippodrome and the Empire, both in Leister Square, ranking among great places for a punt. 

On the other end of things, there are private casinos such as Crockfords (where Kelly Sun and Phil Ivey attempted to pull off their high-flying baccarat play via edge sorting before it all unraveled) and Crown London Aspinalls. They are designed for high rollers and operate on intimate scales.

Whatever you go for, though, you will surely have a blast in one of the world’s hottest casino destinations.

In this "Roulette Strategy Guide: Searching for Biased Wheels," you’ll learn about a well-known method that has been used to beat the game of roulette. 

Taking advantage of biased roulette wheels was a real prospect before casinos began using technology to track roulette outcomes. Searching for roulette wheels with biases, in land-based and online casinos, isn’t easy and finding one is a big challenge. But how do you go about finding a biased roulette wheel? 

And how do you bet on a roulette table that has a bias roulette wheel? Keep reading because as we unlock the mysteries of those elusive biased roulette wheels, the most important questions will be answered. 

Roulette is an Old, But Still Exciting Gambling Game

Casino goers have been fascinated with the game of roulette for centuries. The roulette wheel evolved from a simple spinning top developed in France in the late 1600s. By 1843 the first single green zero French wheel was in use.

Roulette gamblers and spectators watch the drama of pending bets unfold — all those casino chips placed on numbers on the roulette betting layout. 

All eyes are drawn to the little white ball spinning around the live roulette wheel. And then everyone seems to hold their breath and skip a heartbeat as the ball drops onto the roulette wheel and lands in a numbered pocket. 

Live roulette outcomes conclude by randomosity. The interrelating factors include the relationship between speed and momentum, obstacles, and conditions. 

Casino House Edge in Roulette vs. Biased Roulette Wheels

Everything about roulette is random right? And so, the game cannot be beaten because of the casino house edge which is 2.7% on a single zero roulette wheel.

Think again. When a roulette wheel has a bias, part of the random nature of roulette outcomes branches off into their own dominating ecosystem, and thus a statistical abnormality is flowered.

When a roulette wheel really has a bias, a player’s edge can be established—but only when the player wins. The percentage advantage for a player can vary depending on how bad the bias is for the casino. 

And any such edge cannot be pinned down since there’s no guarantee a bias will demonstrate itself when money is being staked at a roulette table. 

A roulette gambler trying to take advantage of a bias roulette wheel only needs to bet big on the right winning outcomes to profit from the bias. The numbers on a wheel he identifies as forming the bias will be the key to him beating roulette.

What are Biased Roulette Wheels?

One or more errors can contribute to forming a bias roulette wheel. Such as physical defects, wear and tear, chips, indentations, scratches and unlevel surfaces. 

When a roulette wheel has a bias, game outcomes tend to favor certain numbers — I believe no more than seven numbers. A bias only needs to be slight for a roulette player to gain a substantial winning advantage.

There’re two main ways a roulette wheel is damaged enough to cause bias. Before I get into that, it’s important to understand the journey a roulette ball makes before landing on a number.

The Process of Live Roulette Games: How Games are Decided?

Live dealer started roulette games are decided randomly. The following five factors go into determining how a roulette game will conclude:

1. The area on the ball track on the bowl of the wheel, in relation to the numbered pockets, at the moment the dealer releases the ball.
2. The speed of the spinning ball.
3. The speed of the wheel (that turns in the opposite direction to the ball).
4. The most random factor is the moment the ball leaves the track – possibly colliding into one or more deflectors then falling onto the wheelhead and possibly changing direction if rolling up and off from the rotor cone, bouncing and hitting one or more of the pocket dividers.
5. And so, a roulette game will conclude with the ball finally settling in one numbered pocket.

Each of the numbered pockets will go through phases where they peak as outcomes above other numbers. This is normal within the allowable variance pertaining how randomness operates in live games.

The greater the number of recorded live outcomes, the more likely different numbers will take over the top ranking positions. But when a roulette wheel has a bias there will exist sticky numbers that remain in top ranking positions.

The Casino House Edge on Roulette Games 

Casinos rely on the law of large numbers – safe in the knowledge that – small winning and losing streaks even out over many thousands of roulette outcomes. So, in the long-run, the house will profit from gamblers staking money on roulette games.

A roulette wheel could have a bias, but if no roulette player knows about it, the casino won’t lose money. 

Taking Advantage of a Biased Roulette Wheel

If a roulette player is aware of a bias roulette wheel he could take advantage. Depending on how much he stakes on roulette outcomes, and how much of a bias there is, he could win lots of money from a casino.

If a gambler discovers a biased roulette wheel they should act fast to try and win as much money as they can from it before the casino fixes the errors.

Have Gamblers Profited from Biased Roulette Wheels?

Over the years various people have exploited biased roulette wheels to beat the house at its own game. They won a lot of money gambling on roulette numbers that hit significantly more times than is normally expected. 

In the late 19th Century, English engineer Joseph Jagger famously won big at the Casino de Monte-Carlo over several consecutive days. Jagger hired six people to note down roulette outcomes of six roulette wheels. 

He then analyzed the data and identified the numbers on one biased roulette wheel that provided him with an excellent opportunity. This inside knowledge gave Jagger the confidence to bet big on those numbers. 

It proved to be a powerful advantage over the house that made him rich. Jagger won about two million francs — about £8million in today’s money, allowing for inflation.

Is it Still Possible to Win on Biased Roulette Wheels?

As methods improved in roulette wheel manufacturing and tracking roulette outcomes, identifying biased wheels has become extremely difficult. 

Noticeable physical exploits are now rare especially when roulette wheels are maintained by casino engineers.

However, since Jagger’s day there are numerous accounts of gamblers who took advantage of bias roulette wheels in modern times. Some of these big roulette winners are listed below.

• In 1950, Helmut Berlin.
• In the 1960s, Dr. Richard Jarecki.
• In the 1990s, Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo.

Truth be known, there still could be roulette players who profit from biased roulette wheels in casinos. Operating under the radar, they choose not to win big in one session which is why they don’t make headlines.

Even though casinos track roulette outcomes, biases can still develop before a casino notices or has the errors repaired. The bottom line is that the stats taken from a roulette wheel should prove a bias before a casino acts. 

Though a casino may not do anything about an existing bias – they may not have noticed or acted on – until a player begins to win a lot of money. Most casinos don’t have roulette wheel engineers on site.

Spotting a Biased Roulette Wheel

Earlier I wrote there’re two main ways I believe a roulette wheel can be damaged enough to cause bias. A biased wheel should not be so obvious otherwise the casino would withdraw it from the gaming floor. This is why casinos now use technology to detect and fix errors. 

But it’s still possible for a roulette gambler to pick-up on errors before the casino makes changes.The issues leading to a bias roulette wheel are as follows:

1. Bearing related – Wear and tear and imbalance damage can be caused by over use and dealers leaning on the wheel. This kind of bias on a roulette wheel will affect a sector of the wheel.
2. Metal divider issues – Finger rings worn by dealers and the pressure applied to turning the wheel causes damage. 

This kind of bias on a roulette wheel will favour particular numbers. And these numbers are not necessarily contained in one area of a roulette wheel.

You see, the older a roulette wheel has been in use, the more likely it is prone to bias. In my view, it’s the roulette croupiers/dealers who start live roulette games who cause biases in roulette wheels. 

This is because they lean on wheels and cause damage to dividers as they speed up wheels and slow the rotation of wheels. 

I believe biased roulette wheels do exist and most of them have evolving bias. What I mean is that the bias that exist now on one roulette wheel will change over time. The imperfections of existing biases can worsen, and new sub-biases could develop. 

In the same way stone steps become worn by millions of people stepping on them over hundreds of years, the appearance of the damage changes overtime. 

In this respect, casino dealers really do leave their signatures on roulette wheels. But we can’t spot a bias roulette wheel without identifying those winning bias roulette numbers.

How to Know if the Casino has Moved a Roulette Wheel

Firstly, it’s important to make sure that you know how to identify a particular roulette wheel. Don’t try and inspect it when it’s in use. When the dealer is standing beside a roulette wheel operating games he’ll keep the wheel turning. 

It’s difficult to inspect a moving wheel. Go and inspect the wheel early morning or late at night. But whatever you do, don’t make it obvious that you’re inspecting the wheel. Most casinos don’t bother covering their roulette wheels when they are not in use. 

Stand close to the wheel and pretend to be talking on your phone. Don’t lean on the wheel or on the table — just stand beside it.

Look at the wheel then look away. Do this a few times to note three different areas of the actual wheel — not the bowl — that have certain significant marks or scratches that can’t just be dusted away. But whatever you do, don’t ever touch any part of a roulette wheel. And don’t take any pictures of a wheel using your phone. 

Casinos have more security cameras per square foot than the Bank of England. They only need a small excuse to ban you if they think you’re up to something.

Leave the area, and while still fresh in your mind, make a note on a piece of paper or on your phone where the marks/scratches are in relation to the numbers on the wheel. And make sure you’re out of sight of the casino’s cameras that can zoom in on your notes.

If the casino moves a roulette wheel you’ll know how to find it. And whatever you do, don’t tell a soul in the casino. Once you tell someone a secret it’s no longer a secret. If the word gets out you are tracking outcomes, and the casino gets wind of it, you’ll be booted out.

Anyone is allowed to note down outcomes and casinos even provide scorecards. But they don’t like people gathering too much information trying to search for bias roulette wheels. 

How to Identify Winning Biased Roulette Numbers

Identifying a biased roulette wheel: Option 1: 

It’s not enough to spend a couple of hours tracking 100 or 200 spins of a roulette wheel. A small sample like that could look biased, but that would be the result of normal variance within that limited dataset. 

Identifying a biased roulette wheel: Option 2: 

You can record many thousands of outcomes on many wheels. But this will take one person years and there’s no guarantee you’ll discover a biased roulette wheel. If roulette outcomes favored one or more numbers constantly, casinos would take measures. 

Trying to find a biased roulette wheel by analyzing many thousands of outcomes can take time. And the information isn’t dependable because in flux swings in popular numbers will render a suspected bias to be superficial or short lived. 

Identifying a biased roulette wheel: Option 3: 

An easier way would be to capture the four or five hot and cold numbers on display. If you did this for three or up to six months, certain hot numbers may emerge. This is not to say there’s any long-term bias, but the data would give you a promising idea of what is going on. 

And if you noted these results twice in a day, i.e. early evening and late evening, you’d have some useful information that could form a valuable picture overtime.

If you can show the progression of change in hot and cold numbers. Meaning if certain hot numbers stayed hot overall for longer than others then you might be onto something. 

Of course, this is assuming the casino doesn’t move wheels around the gaming floor. You would need to ensure the data relates to the same wheels you are monitoring. 

Is it Possible to Discover a Biased Roulette Wheel Online?

Assuming the roulette wheel is live, i.e. dealer started and it’s the same wheel being used then it’s still possible to discover a bias. Of course, it’s always going to be easier to discover and profit from land-based roulette wheels with biases. 

Trying to profit from online biased roulette wheels will be a challenge. Because a player’s profit and loss are monitored in real time, there’s only a small window of opportunity to win big wagering in online roulette games (read this article for even more roulette strategy advice). 

Betting on Biased Roulette Wheels

Would it be easy to win money betting on a roulette wheel that has a bias? If there truly was a bias on a roulette wheel that had not been noticed by a casino or the error rectified, then in theory a roulette player should be able to win big. 

But the roulette player seeking to take advantage would need to work out when to stake bigger bets on the bias numbers. 

A roulette player would need to know roughly when the numbers are likely to hit. It’s one thing discovering a slight bias and another thing knowing when to place bets and how much to risk on those roulette games.

Q&A Roulette Strategy Guide: Searching for Biased Roulette Wheels

Has anyone ever found a way to beat roulette consistently?

From 1843 to the present, people have been trying to beat roulette consistently. Individuals such as, Joseph Jagger, Helmut Berlin, Dr. Richard Jarecki and Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo did win big exploiting physical defects on bias roulette wheels. But the casino house edge on roulette remains.

Do biased roulette wheels still exist?

Physical roulette wheels are not perfect. Biases can develop on roulette wheels due to flaws and damage. Although biased roulette wheels exist, they are not easy to find in land-based casinos and are even harder to find in online casinos.

How do you know whether a roulette wheel has a bias?

You won’t be able to tell if a roulette wheel has a bias just by looking at a wheel. But there can be signs that it might. If the roulette wheel is old and well-used there may be signs of damage. 

However, the real test if a roulette wheel has a bias is achieved by gathering many thousands of roulette game outcomes. When certain numbers (no more than seven) “consistently” rank at the top of the outcome chart, then those numbers probably form a roulette wheel bias.

Players know the feeling, regardless of whether they're playing online blackjack or in live casinos. From the first hand, they're engaged, interested, thinking strategy on every card. It's a fun game, especially, when winning streaks are coming often enough to keep bankrolls full.

But when players start to make mistakes, it's time to watch out. The "Fatigue Factor" can undermine even the best players.

Know When to Quit

When you're tired, it's easy to let your guard down. Maybe you hit a losing streak and reach for your wallet when you really should be taking a break. Maybe you start misreading your cards. Maybe you start making strategy mistakes or making reckless plays.

If you recognize any of that behavior setting in, it's time to step away from the table or screen. 

Even if a little recklessness or misjudgments haven't started, think about putting a time limit on sessions. Card counters, who work hard to get an edge on the house, often play no more than an hour at once. For them, playing short sessions is in part an effort to keep casino operators from catching on to their methods, but it also avoids fatigue and keeps players fresh.

Mistakes lead to losses, and sometimes to much bigger losses than your normal limits if you're reaching for extra cash or credits without thinking about it.

Take a walk. Get a snack. Maybe even take a nap. If you want to play more, come back when you've refreshed.  I'll admit to having played marathon blackjack sessions in my younger days before it dawned on me that fatigue was not my friend.

The incident that led me to reconsider came at the end of a long day when I was dealt a 9 and a 7, and the dealer had a 6 face up.

I misread the dealer 6 as an 8, so I signaled to hit. The dealer gave me a second look, so I signaled again. The card was a 4, so I had 20. 

It was then I realized the dealer had an 8 face up. One player muttered about the luck of fools. 

The muttering grew more widespread when the dealer turned up a 5 for 11, then drew a 10 for a 21 that beat the entire table. If I'd stood on my 16, the dealer would have drawn my 4 for 15 before drawing the 10 to bust. The whole table would have won. 

One player picked up his chips and stormed away in disgust. He wasn't about to have his game ruined by the likes of me.

Bad plays help other players as often as they hurt them. When someone makes a bad play at my table and I lose a hand, I try to take it in stride, knowing there's nothing magical about card order and that at some other time, a bad play will bring about a dealer bust or give me a good card. 

Still, in the moment, it was embarrassing. I obviously was not sharp or at the top of my game, and I started to think more seriously about playing when tired.

Other Players Offer Insight

I surveyed other good blackjack players among friends and acquaintances for their thoughts, and they shared stories of mistakes where the Fatigue Factor came into play. Names have been changed to protect the guilty.

KARL: I was at a business conference, in meetings all day but with plenty of time to play at night.

I was burning the candle at both ends, and I guess it was affecting me more than I thought. I had a hand with a 10, a 7 and a 4, but in what order is in some dispute.

I thought I had 10-4 against a dealer's 9, so I hit and drew the 7. After the hand was over, a player to my right asked, "Did you just hit 17?" I said, "No, I hit 14." He seemed satisfied, but another player started shaking his head.

Honestly, I couldn't be sure. If I couldn't be sure, I knew I had no business at the table. I cut the blackjack short that night.

LOU: Some of my tired mistakes have been doozies. Here’s one that really sticks out. I had a pair of 4s, the dealer showed a Queen. A sane person hits and hopes for the best. He certainly doesn’t split and risk twice as much money on bad hands.

So much for sanity. I was in such a daze that I read the 4s as Aces. If all you can see is the card corners, it’s not that hard to misread 4s as A’s. But these were face up on the table. You could see all of both cards. The four spots should have been a giveaway, but uh-uh.

It shocked the dealer. He called to the supervisor, “Splitting 4s vs. 10,” and the supervisor came over to watch.

I should have said, wait, I don’t want to do that, but I didn’t. I took my double loss as a sign it was break time.

BARRY: I lost $500 one night when maybe it should have been $100.  It was after dinner after a long day, and I planned to play a little bit before a little TV and bed.

I was most of the way through a $100 buy-in at a $10 table, when I got an 8 and a 3 against a dealer's 6. You have to double down in that situation, but I was out of chips. So I reached for more money, and only had $100 bills. 

I bought in again and made my double down bet. It didn't work. I drew a 4 for 15 and the dealer didn't bust. I should have just left as planned, but I started to play the other $90 in chips, and when I lost that I bought in again and again.

What is it they call it? Going on tilt? That's what I did. After that, I vowed never again to keep playing when tired. Your judgment gets too cloudy and you make poor decisions. At least, I did.

BOB: Oh, yeah. Of course. Fatigue and mistakes go hand in hand. You know me. Basic strategy is automatic. Still, once in a blue moon, I’ll find myself spacing out on a soft hand and hitting instead of doubling or doubling instead of hitting. When that happens, it’s time to take a walk.

If I’m in one of the local casinos and I’m not ready to leave or one of my friends aren’t ready to leave, I’ll take a walk to a snack bar, get a drink and sit down away from the games. When I’m refreshed and ready, I’ll go back to a table.

On trip to a casino hotel, I’ll go to my room for a bit. Maybe I’m not ready for a nap, but I’ll put the TV on or read and have a drink, maybe check email and texts.

I don’t actually have to make a mistake to take myself out of action. If I even have to think about a play, it means I’m getting tired and my judgment isn’t sharp.

A Final Word

Everyone has their own tolerance level for session duration before fatigue sets in. I do best when I limit sessions to about an hour before I take some kind of break, even if it's only 10 minutes for a beverage.

Find your own limits, but be careful. If you find yourself making mistakes, or if you're reaching for money you hadn't planned to gamble, step away. Relax. Refresh your mind and your body before you play again. Don't give in to the Fatigue Factor.

Video poker is a very popular casino game. There are literally dozens of variations. Many of the later variations were developed and produced to add more excitement to the game. 

Certain four-of-a-kinds are paid at a higher rate. The highest pays for a specific four of a kind hand is the same as a royal flush at 4,000-for-5.

That number pales in comparison to the pay for sequential royals. Many sequential royals pay 10,000-for-1 for a sequential royal. Most sequential royals are taken from low to high, that is 10-J-Q-K-A, though some are taken as high to low (A-K-Q-J-10). There are also games called reversible royals that pay for sequential royals in either low-to-high or high-to-low directions.

As you might imagine, there are both pros and cons for playing these games. This article explores these pros and cons.

Contents

1. Overview of sequential royals and reversible royals
2. Sequential royal pros
3. Sequential royal cons
4. Summary

1 – Overview of sequential royals and reversible royals

Sequential and reversible royals are available in many different base video poker games. The sequential royal is simply another (the highest) winning hand added to the pay table. Sequential royals can be found on jacks or better, bonus poker, double bonus poker, plus many other jacks or better based games. They can also be found on deuces wild and other wild card games.

A standard pay for a sequential royal flush is 10,000-for-1 or 50,000-for-5. Normally, a progressive sequential royals game has the same 10,000-for-1 as the base value. The value increases from there as the game is played.

As mentioned earlier, sequential royals are generally considered in the low-to-high sequence only. Reversible royals are valid in both low-to-high and high-to-low sequence. Players have to be careful as some reversible royals games are labeled simply “Sequential Royals.” Make sure to look carefully at the entire game for the word “reversible.” It may not be readily obvious, but if that word is there, this game pays for sequential royals in either direction. 

2 – Sequential royal pros

The sequential royals feature comes on many common video poker games. Players can play a casino game that they are familiar with. The only difference is certain royal flushes pay an enormous amount.  

The sequential royals feature adds about an additional 0.26 percent (for one-way sequential royals) to 0.52 percent (for reversible sequential royals) to the return of the base game. These return percentages are based on playing perfect strategy – play that considers saving parts of a sequential royal when that average return outweighs standard playing strategy. 

If playing a progressive game, the return will increase roughly 0.26 percent (one-way) to 0.52 percent (reversible) for every 100,000 credits increase in the progressive jackpot. 

The biggest pro by far, however, is the size of the payout for hitting a sequential royal flush. Imagine – 50,000 credits on a quarter game amounts to $12,500 rather than the usual $1,000 for a standard royal flush. 

That is why most players play sequential royals. It may not come very often, but when it does, it is epic!

3 – Sequential royal cons

There are also several cons when it comes to playing sequential royals video poker. Here's a look at a few of those:

• A sequential royal is extremely rare. A reversible sequential royal occurs only once every approximately 1.9 million hands. Put another way, playing 1,000 hands per hour (a fast rate) for 24 hours per day, it takes 78 days to play 1.9 million hands. A one-way sequential royal occurs is even worse. The average occurrence is once every 3.8 million hands. Playing the same 1,000 hands per hour for 24 hours per day, it takes 158 days on average for each occurrence. The above numbers assume a playing strategy that considers card order.
• Even though the return of the game is higher, the variance is also higher. This means a larger bankroll could be required.
• Strategy must change for full advantage. Depending on the game and assuming a 50,000 credits payout, one-way sequential royals add 0.209 percent to 0.239 percent to the return. However, if the playing strategy is not changed to hold partial sequential royals when they are more profitable than standard strategy for the game, the increase in return drops to around 0.189 percent.
• Strategy for sequential royals is not built into any of the current apps that produce strategy. Unlike playing strategy for non-sequential royals games, the current strategy generation apps do not have the capability of generating sequential royals strategy. Some help for determining what changes to the strategy are needed to factor in sequential royals can be found by searching the Internet, but the changes are only close approximations.
• Compared to standard video poker games, those that include sequential royals are somewhat rare. Many casinos do not have any of them on their casino floors.
• Many of the sequential royals games that are on casino floors have reduced pay tables compared to the same standard games. This can more than offset the bump in return that sequential royals provide. 

Summary 

• Sequential royal video poker games provide an extremely high payout for a sequential royal flush
• There are both one-way (low-to-high or high-to-low) and reversible (either way) royals games. Sometimes the “reversible” characteristic is not clearly labeled.
• Most common video poker games have sequential royal versions.
• Most sequential royal video poker games pay 10,000-for-1 for a sequential royal. Progressive versions usually start at 10,000-for-1. 
• Even though sequential royal versions have a higher return than the same standard game and pay table, it also has a higher variance. The main reason players like the game is the monster payout. 
• A sequential royal is extremely rare. They average only once every 1.9 million hands for reversible royals and once every 3.8 million hands for one-way sequential royals.
• To gain the maximum benefit from playing sequential royals, the strategy must include consideration of card order. 
• Standard video poker strategy generation apps do not have the ability to generate strategy for sequential royals.

While there may be several cons to playing sequential royals, the gigantic payout, nevertheless makes the game a popular option.

Looking for more? Check out 888poker video poker strategy tips.

Learning basic strategy at blackjack is one thing. Internalizing it so it becomes second nature can be quite another.

The problem is that some blackjack strategy plays seem to defy common sense regardless of whether you're playing online blackjack or in a live casino. As one player asked at a seminar I gave, "How can a play be so right when it feels so wrong?"

How can hitting hard 16 be the right play when there's such a large chance of busting? How can splitting 8s against a dealer's 10 be the right play when you could wind up with two 18s losing to a 20? How can doubling down on 11 when the dealer has a 10 face up be the right play when you can't hit if you draw a low card and the dealer could be sitting with 20?

It's enough to give you a queasy feeling even while you make the best play.

But they are the right plays. All casino games are grounded in math. Basic strategy takes into account all possible outcomes and calculates the play that, on average, yields the best chance to win.

That doesn't mean a basic strategy play will work every time. Losses are part of the game, and you'll lose some hands more than you win no matter what you do. When the dealer has a 10 up and you have a hard 16, you're going lose a majority of the time. But you'll lose a little less often when you hit than when you stand, so that's the play recommended by basic strategy.

When you double down on 11 and the dealer has a 10 up, there will be times you draw a low card and the dealer has that 20. But other times, you'll draw a winning card, or the dealer will have a low card face down. Sometimes you'll draw a 5 and be stuck with 16, but the dealer will bust. With all taken into account, the average outcome is that you'll make more money by risking the extra bet and doubling down.

RIGHT PLAYS BY THE NUMBERS

Let's take a close-up look at some plays that are right by blackjack basic strategy, but can feel wrong to the nervous player. 

Numbers given are for the most common situation in modern casinos: six-deck games in which dealer's hit soft 17, double downs are permitted on any first two cards, including after splitting pairs, and players may split pairs up to three times but may split Aces only once. 

Strategies can differ with fewer decks or other rules variations, including when surrender is offered.

Hitting hard 16 vs. dealer's 7 or higher

It's never a comfortable feeling when a one-card hit can lead to a bust. Starting with hard 16, eight of the 13 card denominations lead to an immediate bust, with 6, 7, 8, 9 or any of the four 10-value cards leaving you with 22 or more.

Nevertheless, 7 or higher is such a strong starting point for the dealer you're better off hitting than standing and hoping for a dealer bust. 

Given 9-7 against a dealer's 7, you'll average a 48.1-cent loss per dollar wagered if you stand, but reduce that average loss to 40.8 cents if you take the risk and hit.

It's a lose-lose situation, but reducing losses and extending your play is a worthy goal.

Basic strategy tells us to hit hard 13 through 16 anytime the dealer shows a 7 or higher, and to hit hard 12 against a 2, 3 and 7 or higher.

Hitting hard 12 vs. dealer's 2 or 3

It can go against the grain to hit when you could bust in one card AND the dealer could bust with a 10 down followed by another 10. Many players can never bring themselves to do it.

Dealers bust only about 35 percent of hands that start with 2 and 37 percent that start with 3. They make 17 or better often enough that 12 vs. 2 or 3 loses more than it wins. You reduce losses by hitting.

With 10-2 vs. 2, your average loss is 28.9 cents per dollar if you stand, but 25.2 cents if you hit. With 10-2 vs. 3, it's a closer call at 24.9 cents if you stand and 23.2 if you hit. On either hand, the stronger play is to hit.

Splitting 8-8 vs. dealer's 10 or Ace

Ten-value cards and Aces put the dealer in very strong position. The dealer busts only 17 percent of hands when showing an Ace, and only 23 percent when showing a 10, Jack, Queen or King.

If you play 8-8 as 16, you're in an extremely weak position. Stand, and you're going to lose all the times the dealer makes a standing hand. Hit, and there's an 8-in-13 chance you'll bust. 

Average losses vs. 10 are 53.7 cents per dollar if you stand and 53.5 if you hit. If the dealer starts with Ace, average losses are 59.5 cents if you stand and 53.9 if you hit.

If you split, you risk losing two bets instead of one. There will be times you make a second bet, draw a 10 on each 8 for two 18s, but the dealer beats you twice. 

Overall, though, you improve your chances with the split. Eight is a stronger starting point than 16. Split the pair and play basic strategy from there, and average losses dip to 47.6 cents per dollar of your original bet if the dealer has a 10 value up and 51.4 vs. Ace.

The "of your original bet" part is important. Imagine your basic bet is $10 and you have 8-8 vs. 10. Your average loss when hitting is $5.35. If you split, you increase your risk to $20, but the average loss decreases to $4.76. You bet twice and much and sometimes lose twice and much, but the average total loss is less than if you stayed with one bet.

Standing on 10-10 vs. dealer's 6

It's only natural that when you have an edge, you want to take full advantage. Players learning the game reach for their pile of chips in live casinos or their electronic stack online and try to drive home and edge. They'll split so they get two hands starting with 10 against 6, a weak dealer up-card.

Getting the extra bet down feels right, and passing on the opportunity feels wrong.

But 20 is so much stronger a starting point that the best play is to stand. By standing on 10-10 vs. 6, your average profit is 67.7 cents per dollar wagered. Split, and that profit decreases to 50.1 cents per dollar of your original bet.

You're still in profit territory, but make the second bet to split decreases not only your percentage but your raw profit in dollars and cents. 

Right as a split might feel, it's the wrong play.

Splitting 6-6 vs. dealer's 2 

No wonder this hand gives players an uneasy feeling. It's a true borderline play. We've already seen that dealers bust only 35 percent of the time when starting with 2. Splitting 6s gives you two weak starting cards. 

So why split?

The key is whether you're permitted to double down after splitting pairs. If you split and draw a 4 or 5 on one or both of the 6s, you want to be able to double with 10 or 11 vs. 2.

If double downs after splitting pairs is not allowed, it's better to play 6-6 as 12 and hit vs. 2. Under those rules, average losses per dollar of your original wager are 28.1 cents if you stand, 25.4 if you hit, and 26.7 if you split. Hitting is the best option.

But if doubles after splits are allowed, average losses per dollar of your original bet drop to  19 cents if you split. Starting two hands each with 6 isn't the most comfortable position, but if you can double after splits, splitting the pair is the way to go.

Hitting Ace-7 vs. dealer's 9. 10 or Ace

Until you get used to the play, hitting 18 can just feel wrong. But Ace-7 is a soft 18. You can't bust it with a one-card hit. When dealers start with 9, 10 or Ace, they're in strong position to beat your 18. So it's best to take a hit and try to improve the hand.

If you have Ace-7 and the dealer has 9 up, average losses per dollar are 18.3 cents if you stand and 9.8 cents if you hit. When the dealer has a 10, average losses are 18 cents if you stand and 14.3 if you hit, and if the dealer has Ace, you lose an average of 22.5 cents if you stand and 16 cents if you hit.

In each case, your average loss drops if you hit than if you stand on the soft 18.

It might feel wrong, but it's so right.
 

Online gaming of all types has exploded in the last several years. Virtually any machine-based or dealer-based game that could be played in a casino can now be played online. From table games such as poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, or pai gow poker to machine-based games such as slots and video poker, they are all available to play for real money online.

Playing online is dramatically different from playing in a live casino. 

• The environment in the home is different. There are none of the normal casino sights, sounds, and people to distract you (though there may be different distractions).
• The atmosphere is normal – more relaxed and familiar.
• The method of play is different. All play is from a screen – not chips on a table or coins or tickets in and out of a machine.
• The financial processes are different. Bets are placed and winnings received from and to an online account.

This article focuses on how to play video poker, but many of the insights presented here are equally valid for other online games. Let's begin.

Contents

1. Key one: Play on a reliable, safe site
2. Key two: Play the best game(s)
3. Key three: Know the proper strategy
4. Key four: Have a predetermined gambling budget
5. Key five: Play the proper denomination
6. Key six: Use bonuses and perks
7. Key seven: Discipline, discipline, discipline
8. Summary

Key one: Play on a reliable and safe site

There are dozens, even scores, of online casino sites offering video poker play. Doing business with any online site is risky. It can be an even bigger risk when gambling online.

While there are federal regulations for online casino betting, states are also allowed to have their own regulations. 

All states except for Hawaii and Utah allow social casinos. Social casinos are those sites offering free play games but no play for real money – also called sweepstakes casinos.

There are currently only seven states where online casino betting is legal. They are Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Rhode Island.

The anonymity provided by the Internet makes it easier for unsavory types to commit fraud. Make sure you protect yourself. Make sure the online casino site you choose is regulated. Check reviews of the site. Know with whom you are dealing. 

Key two: Play the best game(s)

As with playing video poker in a live casino, choosing the best game to play is a critical key to successful play.  Choose a game with high a return. A game with a high return pays more to the player. Winning is easier. Losses are less. 

Look for games with low variance. Variance is a measure of the amount bankrolls grow and shrink. Low variance games are like riding a kiddie roller coaster. High variance games are like riding Millenium Force at Cedar Point Theme Park.

The most important key is the return. Variance impacts the size of the bankroll required for play.

Key three: Play the proper strategy

Playing the proper strategy for the chosen game and pay table is critical for successful video poker play – whether playing online or in a live casino. There is a big difference between playing in a live versus online casino, however. 

Some live casinos frown on players referencing strategy charts. Virtually all live casinos outlaw using “devices,” such as smartphones, to be used while gambling in a casino. There is no such issue when playing online video poker. 

Therefore, there is no requirement to memorize the proper playing strategy when playing online. Players are free to reference anything they choose while playing online. It is much easier to play perfect strategy.

Using reference material for every hand can significantly slow down play, however, so it is a good idea (though not necessary) to have a good familiarity with the strategy and use the reference materials only as needed.

Key four: Have a predetermined gambling budget

This is a very “key” key to successful online video poker (or any online casino) play. It is much easier to stick to a gambling budget with live casino play. Simply by bringing only the cash that the player can afford to lose to the casino (and not visiting an ATM while there) sets a hard limit on what can be lost.

It is also highly recommended that a separate, dedicated account with only money that the player can afford to lose bet set up. The same cannot be said about online casino play.

• The player NEVER has physical cash in hand.
• All bets are made from the player’s account.
• All winnings are placed into the player’s account.

There is no “cash in hand” when playing online. There is no point where the players pocket becomes empty. The account can only be replenished by a credit or debit card (or similar transaction). All that changes while playing is the account balance. If or when it hits zero, another reload takes care of the problem. 

Like having a separate dedicated account for live casino gambling, a separate, dedicated account should be maintained for online gambling.

Keeping track of the gambling budget and sticking to it is much harder in online play. Even if the player has a separate dedicated account for online gambling, the entire balance in the online casino account is at risk while playing.

Be very careful that play does not consume more than the budgeted amount for each session played.

Key five: Play the proper denomination

As with live casino play, make sure to choose the proper bet size. For smaller budgets, a five-cent (25 cents for the five-credit bet for full royal flush payout) is in order. The bet for a quarter game would be $1.25 per hand. For a dollar game, the bet is $5. Make sure you do not overplay your budget. Losing streaks can gobble up your budget quickly.

Key four indicated that online play is more risky than live casino play. Thankfully, playing the proper denomination can be better when playing video poker online.

Live casinos generally have video poker in nickel, quarter, dollar, and higher denominations. Some online casino video poker sites have many more denominations available. Some allow denominations in increments of 10 cents. That means a five-credit bet to get the full royal flush payout goes up in increments of 50 cents.

Should you find a site offering these denominations, take advantage of the flexibility. Another related point: check the returns for the various denominations. Sometimes the lower denominations also have a lower return percentage.

Key six: Use bonuses and perks

Like live casinos, taking advantage of what the online video poker site has to offer will improve the player's chances of success. Take advantage of any casino bonuses, promotions or offers. Make sure, however, that you read the terms and conditions. Do not be surprised – know the rules before committing to the offer.

Key seven: Discipline, discipline, discipline

The final key is probably the most important key of all. Playing online video poker has many advantages such as fewer distractions and the ability to reference strategy while playing. The huge disadvantage is the possibility of wiping out the account balance. 

If discipline is a problem, only load the account with only what you can afford to lose in the current session. Once that is gone, the session is over. Quit playing.

Summary 

• Use a reliable and safe online site.
• Choose the games with the highest return and a low variance.
• Play the proper strategy. It is easier to play perfect strategy online because you can reference strategy information.
• Have a predetermined gambling budget for each session. When that amount is lost, stop playing. 
• Make sure to choose a denomination that your budget supports. Do not overplay that budget.
• Use any perks the casino offers.
• Always maintain your discipline while playing onine video poker.

Playing online video poker is very different from playing it in a casino. There are additional pitfalls when at home. Following these seven keys will greatly improve your chances of winning – and of being a successful online video poker player.

I am a conservative player and I play all the time. Many trips of mine to the glamorous casino cities and counties can last upwards of 130 days. I am very much aware that what I am doing is flirting with Lady Luck and that the casino has structured its games to beat me and every other player now, and then, and usually always.

This fact I must battle as best I can. And I do. All casino players must do this. That is our lot in gaming life.

I look at playing in two ways. One is to save money as best I can by approaching games in such a way as I am not spending as much of my hard-earned cash as the casino would like me to. Second is to play the best strategies the best way that I can. That means I eliminate games that I just can’t really see myself beating in any decent amount of time. In short, the long run is the casinos’ territory.

Some games just shouldn’t be played by anyone who has any hope of actually beating the house. Those games are quicksand. For example, the Big Wheel of the past was a total waste of time. It is a game that should be avoided, always and ever. Some of the bets at craps? Horrible.

With the following games, generally the most popular ones, I am going to show you the best ways to play them and what to avoid when you play in order to increase your chances to win or, at least, not get hammered.

Blackjack

Blackjack (or 21) is still the number one table game and it has been so for over half a century ever since Edward O. Thorp wrote his revolutionary book "Beat the Dealer" in 1965. That book laid out a plan called “card counting” explaining how to keep track of the cards in blackjack that could allow players to know when the game favored them or favored the casino.

Since that first book dozens of card-counting books have made their appearances, some offering methods of play that were far easier than Thorp’s. I’ve written two of them myself. To get an edge over the house is a lovely thing but very few blackjack players get to do this. Card counting is not terribly hard, but it is hard.

Blackjack is an unusual game because every decision that a player makes on how to play his or her hands decides what level of edge the casino has over that player. If you hit correctly, stand correctly, double down correctly, split pairs correctly, double-after-splits correctly and bet correctly, the game can actually favor you. 

The casinos do not particularly like card counters but you wouldn’t either if you offered a business where the customer got the edge over you.

[Please note: Card counting is not illegal. Casinos can’t tell you not to think when you are playing their games; they just hope you keep that thinking to a minimum and many players do keep thought out of their casino play just as the casinos want.]

The blackjack player must also play basic strategy and change that strategy when the “count” calls for it. Basic strategy is the computer-derived strategy for the play of every player’s hand against every dealer’s face-up card. This play will at times change with the actual count of the cards should you be counting. If not, just play the basic strategy perfectly. That keeps the house edge at its lowest for the non-counter.

With excellent card counting and proper basic strategy, the player can get a one-half to one percent edge over the house.

Tactics of Card Counting 

High cards (being 10s, jacks, queens, kings, and aces) favor the player when they remain in the decks; while low cards of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 favor the dealer. That is the general rule. Some card-counting systems will include a 9 as a high card and a 7 as a low card.

When the count favors the player then the player bets higher but when the count favors the casino then the player bets lower. Done properly, card counting is a pro-player strategy.

More Blackjack Help

If you are not a card counter, and few blackjack players can be one, then there are other ways to keep the casino somewhat at bay. First, second and third – always play the proper basic strategy. Do not buy into supposed gambling gurus who disdain basic strategy. They are car mechanics who have never seen a car.

You want to play at full or almost full tables so that you play fewer hands. For the average basic-strategy player, the house will have about a one-half to one-percent edge over them.

If the table has no one but you playing, the number of hands you will play can be immense. That small house edge will leave scars in your bankroll because of the phenomenal number of hands you are dealt. Head-to-head versus the dealer is bad news for the players.

The more players at the table, the better it is for you. You will bet less, and less betting means that your long-term expected losses will be less too. Feel free to memorize that so it really sinks in. (It took me a while to learn that.)

[Please note: The more players, the better it is for the casino too. This is a case where what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. You won’t usually find this in the casinos all the time. Usually what’s good for the casino is usually not good for the players.]

If you have to go to the bathroom, do so when the game is in progress, not when the dealer is shuffling. You will probably get credit time for playing with a bathroom visit during play so go when the game is going. You can think of that as, ah, a double relief.

Craps

I’ll open this as I usually open any discussion of craps – it is the most exciting game in the casino; certainly, craps players think this is true. I certainly do.

Yes, craps is exciting but it is also a game with an outlandish cornucopia of awful bets with extremely high house edges. We’re talking house edges even in the double digits and some even reaching the 20 percent and over mark! On some of these bets the house edges are as bad as or worse than the slot machines’ house edges. For some reason many craps players don’t even bother to think of what these bets will cost them over time.

I play a radical craps policy and many of you will think I am nuts. That’s fine with me. You can adapt my advice as you wish. But this is how I play.

I play only one bet on shooters other than myself and my playing partner. On us, I will go to three bets right off the bat. Only us. No one else.

These bets will be a combination of pass-line and come bets with full odds. I might also go up on a place bet of the 6 and/or 8. I play the "5-Count" on every shooter.  The 5-Count is thoroughly covered in my latest two craps books. 

[Please note: I might also do an article for 888 on the 5-Count sometime in the future. Go to Amazon for information of my books of all types.]

I make smaller bets on all non-partner shooters. 

I don’t care if a shooter has had a great roll up to “right now” because whatever has happened in the immediate past has just been a random phenomenon and I am not going to project positive results into the future on randomness. I’ll be happy to win a bet or two on any shooter. I intend to win my money on me and my playing partner. Anyway, that is the plan.

For craps players, again, playing at a full table is good. Just bet one bet and your danger will be low. Make only pass-line bets and come bets with full odds. Keep the initial bets small so you can get the most bang for your bucks on the odds bets. Learn the 5-Count and play it religiously.

Can you do the one-bet regime? Two bets? I sometimes wonder why craps players feel compelled to make several or more bets at the game. They might find my betting weird, yes, but I find multiple bets weird.

Finally, one of the joys of craps is shooting the dice. Take your turn. Don’t pass this up.

On occasion, usually rare occasions, you might get another craps player who laments a fast seven-out on your part but so what? Everyone has rotten rolls at times and you will also have good rolls. That’s how randomness works. You take the good and the bad. Shooting the dice is one of the great joys of playing the game.

[Please note: I saved this for last. Should you play the “don’t side” of the game, otherwise known as the darksider side? In this game is you are generally rooting for the seven to cause the shooter to fall pray to the seven-out. Most players think darksiders are in league with something resembling the devil. Are they? No. But they are such a small number of players that the other players make it known by their body language and grunts or sighs that they do not want the darksiders at their table. Your choice if you wish to play this way. Even for you, just one bet suffices.]

Roulette

The game of roulette has the longest lineage in the casino. Discovered by Blaise Pascal, the great thinker, who was looking to invent a perpetual motion machine. He (and all who have tried this feat) failed – but he did discover roulette, which means the “little wheel.”

Once he had this contraption, he captured many a nobleman’s heart and purse when playing his game. This has continued right up until today as roulette is usually the second or third most-favored game in the casinos.

Most people know the game of roulette as they have seen it in many movies and television shows. It is James Bond’s favorite game too. He even has his own number, which is 17, and that seems to be the most played number in the game.

[Please note: Many people believe that James Bond’s game was baccarat. Not so. Yes, Mr. Bond loved baccarat but he loved roulette more deeply. That game was his true Moneypenny.]

Roulette has scores of possible bets players can make, from inside straight up on numbers to outside proposition bets such as the dozens, the columns, the even-money bets and much more. 

The problem with roulette wagering is the fact that if you bet one or two inside numbers straight up you can be looking at very long losing streaks. This can be depressing as each number only has a one in 37 or a one in 38 or a one in 39 chance to show up. 

Yes, there are now three roulette games for players to choose; the single-zero (0) wheel of 37 numbers; the double-zero (0, 00) wheel of 38 numbers or the three zero (0, 00, 000) wheel of 39 numbers.

The single-zero wheel, known as the European/French game, has a house edge of 2.70 percent. The double-zero wheel, known as the American game, has a 5.26 percent house edge. The triple-zero wheel, known as the "Yuck Game," has a 7.69 percent house edge. This triple-zero Yuck wheel has slithered out of the dusty basements of churches (!) throughout the world to land in the true houses of Lady Luck.

The best bets at roulette – at all roulette games – are the even-money bets. The payoffs are even money and you get to have 18 wins and 19 losses on the European/French game; 18 wins and 20 losses on the American game; and 18 wins and 21 losses on the Yuck game.

You will not have the staggering losing streaks you can have on straight up betting, though the house edges always remain the same on each game.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

When Blaise Pascal discovered roulette in the late 1600s, he was looking for something completely different. He wanted to discover the real Chalice of the Church – in fact, he wanted to be the scientist who created a perpetual-motion machine.

Pascal was a scientist, inventor, philosopher, theologian, and a man of truly great learning. And that perpetual motion machine was the equivalent of a fire-breathing dragon, a mythical beast that many smart folks over the centuries had desired to create. And they all failed miserably. 

Quickly, a perpetual motion machine was thought to be a device that would not need any energy input to run because it created its own perpetual motion – perhaps forever. Unlimited power. Unlimited energy.  What a boon to mankind that would be.

Sadly, Blaise Pascal failed in that mission.  He joined an amazingly long list in this attempt – a list of some of the smartest people who have ever lived. History has, so far, thwarted us small humans from accomplishing such a big task. In short, we’re failures in this area.

Still, Blaise Pascal discovered something that has entertained and excited people for over three-hundred years; the game of roulette, perhaps the longest-running game in casinos and a true money-maker for casino owners.

[Please note: Roulette means “little wheel” and it has been spinning for centuries in the houses of Lady Luck and Dame Fortune; that is, in casinos designed to offer games that will ultimately perpetually take the players’ money.]

In the sense that roulette has been continually played for all of these centuries, I guess you could say that in some way Blaise Pascal got an “almost” perpetual machine. In fact, it is almost the perfect money-making machine.

Casinos love the game and it has been either the number one game or the number two game or the number three game all of these centuries. Today, blackjack certainly has more players but roulette tends to be tied with craps for second place. It is the true game of James Bond and even a single-number is considered his – the number 17, perhaps the most played number in the game.

The game did devastate some of the unthinking aristocracy of Europe and other points east because many (many, many) players thought it was beatable. It wasn’t. Aristocrats had two things to do in their time periods – go to war and gamble their money; both dangerous pursuits. Peasants did not usually go to war because someone had to work the land.

The Good and the Bad

Casinos want all of their games to favor themselves. Roulette fits that description almost perfectly. 

The original roulette wheels had a certain number of numbers (today they are 1-36 and one or two zeroes 0, 00). The true payout on a single-number wager should be 36 to one or 37 to one, depending on the wheel you are playing.

The casino makes its money in a very simple way by shortchanging the payouts for winning bets. Hit a single-number and the casino pays out 35-to-1. The house edge goes up to 2.7 percent on the single-zero wheel (0) and 5.26 percent on the double-zero wheel (0, 00). Those are good edges for the casino to make a decent profit from the game.

[Please note: A new three-zero wheel (0, 00, 000) has started to become a favored game offered by the casinos and it still pays out that 35-to-1 when a single-number hits. The house edge on this game is 7.69 percent. Yikes!]

There are many other bets at roulette but all of them come in with the same house edges. Roulette is a numbers game and those numbers favor the casinos by quite a lot.

But in the olden days, the wheels had a small weakness that could be exploited by brilliant players. That’s right, certain sharp players had figured out ways to beat the games. 

Before you get too excited, realize the fact that these brilliant players were few and far (very far) between. 

Most players way back when and right now, play the game trying to beat it with good luck. On occasion they do, but those occasions are not very frequent and even with massive good luck here or there, these players’ destination will be in the losers’ column. Sad but true.

The original wheels and wheels right up until the 1980s, were basically mechanical devices that could go “off” at times, meaning that the basic odds of certain numbers appearing could change because the wheel was not functioning properly. If you knew what numbers were being favored by an “off” wheel, you could bet that or those numbers and make a good profit.  

Players who studied the wheels over a somewhat long period of time might discover some that were not functioning properly – certain numbers were hitting out of all proportion to their design. 

Sometimes these wheels were called biased wheels or uneven wheels or wheels with big numbers that were showing because the wheel was “off.”  Find an “off” wheel and your winnings would be “on.”

[Please note: My wife, the Beautiful AP, and I once stumbled on an “off” wheel in a non-strip casino in Las Vegas. This was in the early 1990s. The wheel was taken out of play when the house realized that we had found a golden key to the treasury.]

When a wheel is simply a mechanical device, the management has to be constantly checking it to make sure nothing is wrong with how the numbers are hitting. Some casinos in the past might have not done such a good job at this. If management was lazy or just not watching, the wheel could go “off.”  By the “past,” I am talking about all wheels that are not computerized as are today’s wheels.

The Computer Is Not a Friend

Just as computers have taken over slot machines, today’s roulette games are actually run, in a way, by computers. Yes, the dealer spins the ball around the wheel but those wheels are constantly being checked to make sure they are not faulty in any way. 

The computer has made the game strictly random; any wheel that is even slightly not perfect, is checked and fixed. 

Unless the gods and goddesses of luck are in your corner rooting for you, you aren’t going to be able to beat the game in any long-run period unless you quit once you are ahead – and few players (or no players) really do that. Casino players rarely quit the games they love to play and certainly roulette has countless players worldwide who never think of leaving the fun.

Stress Free Roulette All the Way!

Okay, finding an “off” wheel today would be almost impossible, certainly in the more successful casinos and probably in any casino. That’s bad news for those of you who are looking to put your personal seal on the game as have the greats of the past.

Now, if you are the type of player who is rolling in money and you do not care how much you spend when you play, then you actually don’t need to worry about stress-free roulette play. Why should you? You can bet it up with the best of them and never have to worry about coming home kicking yourself for playing so stupidly. There won’t be less food this month and your private plane will never run out of fuel.

You want to make a lot of single-number bets, that’s just fine. You want to make bets of every type? That’s fine too. A lot of numbers, few numbers, large-sized bets? Have at it. But you are the total exception to most of us.

(Check out 888casino's complete roulette strategy guide.)

Now What About You?

Sadly, all of us aren’t rolling in dough. Most casino players are just regular guys and girls, with a budget and a gaming consciousness. They want to have fun with as few negatives as possible. 

The negatives of roulette playing (and the negatives of all playing) are losing more money than they can afford; mostly by playing too much or too long or losing their perspective on the games they play.

With roulette that is easy to do because there are so many betting opportunities on which to gamble. After all, the next spin of that wheel can bring me some big bucks, right? Yes, right, but how often does that happen? Not enough to make you a long-term winner.

• Step One: Reduce your expectations. Do not go into a game thinking you are going to kill the casino and come home owning your own plane. In rare occasions that might happen to some ecstatic player but it is so rare there is a good chance you have never been in a casino where someone rules the roost during your visit. That is the stuff of news stories, yes, but it is also the stuff of winning the lotteries. 
• Step Two: Think about what you really want to do when you are in the house of Lady Luck (also occasionally known as Nemesis!). Do you want to have long sessions where you get lost in the game? Do you want to savor hours of competition against the casino but doing so often causes you to arrive home having kicked yourself in the butt many multiple times on your coming home trip?
• Step Three: Do you want to be able to sit down and relax as you play instead of rubbing shoulders and chips with other players?
• Step Four: Do you want to only lose “X” amount of money on a bad session or trip? In short, can you reign in the playing you with the level-headed you? That would be a great accomplishment.

What To Do

Playing too long is one of the key ingredients to having a bad finish. I am sure you have probably had such sessions. You just can’t stop playing. If you are really nutty in that session you might try to play faster and faster or make more bets per spin of the wheel than you really should. 

Look at how much money you bring to the casino. Now look at how long that money can last if the worst happens and you lose an overwhelming percentage of your wagers.

What can you do to slow the horror of the pulsating casino blob swallowing your money? 

Here is a concept to consider: Let's say that the roulette game you wish to play has a $10 minimum bet and that is your bet. You can do the following:

• Figure you are only going to make 50 bets. This will guarantee that you will not lose every dollar you brought to play with.
• Even better. Only play half the spins of the wheel. That can double your time playing – almost all the time! If you normally play for three hours, now you can play for six hours.
• You should always be looking to extend time without betting more money to do so.
• Look to bet proposition bets instead of straight-up inside numbers. Playing the even-money bets of red/black, odd/even, or high/low can really stretch your time at the table because those bets usually assure you that there will be plenty of wins in 50 spins of the wheel. Think of playing every other spin using these bets and your lasting potential is terrific.
• If the casino where you play allows surrender (or en prison) then always play the even-money wagers because a hit on a green number will only cost you half your bet. Now, you have brought the game closer and closer to you never having to worry about being blasted out after a few hours. 

The Bottom Line: I think following the above suggestions can make even losing sessions less taxing on your emotions. The less stress you experience when you play, and especially after you play, can make the casino-going experience totally worth your while even if you can’t buy a private jet after your trip.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Gamblers hope and pray for luck while playing in a casino. They love the feeling of winning. That is because it happens so seldom. The fact that every casino game is rigged to give the house the edge means every player will lose in the long run. All gamblers know this. That is another reason winning is such a momentous occasion.

It is easy to handle winning, but with the wins come losing streaks. These long (sometimes very, very long) losing streaks can be hard for the average gambler to handle. However, there are keys to surviving losing streaks. Read on to find out what they are.

Contents

1. Why there must be losing streaks
2. Key one: Bring an adequate bankroll (and don’t play above it)
3. Key two: Bankroll must be truly discretionary
4. Key three: Play the lowest house edge games or bets
5. Key four: Play the games with the lowest variance
6. Key five: Have the right attitude
7. Key six: Get everything to which you are entitled
8. Key seven: Have a firm stop limit & take a break!
9. Summary

1 – Why there must be losing streaks

This was touched upon in the introduction. In any game based on random events, there will be streaks. How long the streaks are, whether they will be winning or losing streaks cannot be predicted. Unpredictable is the definition of random.

In video poker, royal flushes occur approximately once every 40,000 hands. In double-zero roulette, each number on the wheel (1 thru 36, 0 and 00) will occur once every 38 spins. In casino craps, the number 7 will occur once every six rolls.

The math is correct. These happenings will occur as stated, on average, after hundreds of thousands or even millions of trials. The problem for players is they don’t know exactly when the NEXT occurrence will happen. It could be the next hand, spin, or roll – or it could be hundreds, thousands, even hundreds of thousands of hands/spins/rolls. This is true even if the event just occurred. Royal flushes have happened back-to-back and will continue to do so on occasion.

The random nature of casino games means there will be streaks. Players need to survive the losing streaks to enjoy the winning streaks.

2 – Key one: Bring an adequate bankroll (and don’t play above it)

The single biggest key to surviving losing streaks is to have an adequate bankroll – pure and simple. Think about it for a minute. If your bankroll for 25-cent video poker ($1.25 per hand) is $20, you will not survive an eight-hand losing streak without some initial wins. 

However, if your bankroll is $10,000 for the same game, losing streaks are simply not an issue. I am very doubtful anyone with a $10,000 bankroll plays 25-cent video poker, but you get the idea.

How can you determine what an adequate bankroll for your planned play? It is not an exact science, but there are some very good ways to zero in on it. How much do you plan to play?

• Number of sessions per day for each game
• Number of days
• Length of each session
• Number of bets per hour
• Total amount bet per hour
• Total amount bet per session/day/trip

The totals might surprise you. For example, playing a quarter video poker game at $1.25 per hand at a rate of 500 hands per hour – a little over seven hands per minute means you will wager a total of $625 per hour. Playing two three-hour sessions per day amounts to $3,750 wagered per day. It adds up fast, doesn’t it?

So how can you determine the bankroll size for your play?

Here are some rules of thumb. They do not guarantee you will not run out of money, but it should happen rarely – maybe 5 percent of the time or less. The numbers are based on a three-hour session with around 500 bets per hour for slots and video poker and 50 to 100 bets for table games. Increase the bankroll when playing more sessions.

Three-hour Session Bankrolls

Using video poker as an example, the bankroll requirement for a three-hour session of 25-cent video poker ($1.25 per hand) is 150 X $1.25 = $187.50 or roughly $60 per hour of play. For dollar video poker at $5 per hand the amount for a three-hour session is $750 or $250 per hour.

Remember, bankrolls of this size do not guarantee you will not run out of money, but it should not happen often. However, bringing a larger bankroll would not hurt.

3 – Key two: Bankroll must be truly discretionary

Just because you bring a large enough bankroll to the casino does not guarantee you will survive losing streaks. If your bankroll consists of money that you need for house or car payments or even life-saving surgeries, panic will very likely set in as the bankroll dwindles.

Having a large enough bankroll is very important. Making sure that the money contained in that bankroll will not cause hardship should it disappear is critical! You must be able to lose the bankroll and not have it concern you. 

The bankroll must consist of money that is truly discretionary. Start a savings account that is totally separate from any other accounts. Only when the gambling account is large enough should you consider bringing it to the casino.

4 – Key three: Play the lowest house edge games or bets

The casino has the edge is virtually every game on the floor. Certain video poker games or slots might at times have a slight player edge, but not often. 

The player’s ability to survive losing streaks is directly related to the house edge of the game being played. The lower the house edge of the game (or sometimes the bet) the less players will lose, on average. Here are some typical house edges for various games.

1. The mega-jackpot slot machines can have house edges above 5 percent. 
2. Standard slot machines usually have lower house edges – maybe 3-5 percent.
3. Video poker house edges run from about 0.5 percent up to about 5 percent.
4. Roulette has about a 5.26 percent house edge depending on the rules and bet.
5. Some of the bets on a craps table can have a 25 percent house edge. Others can be well under 1 percent.
6. The house edge on blackjack runs from about 0.5 percent to around 3 percent depending on the rules and number of decks.

Playing the lowest house edge game reduces the amount lost. It is therefore easier to survive losing streaks.

5 – Key four: Play the games with the lowest variance

Another factor that impacts losing streaks is variance. Variance is the fluctuation in bankrolls experienced while gambling. Low variance means the bankroll grows and shrinks in a gentle fashion. High variance means the bankroll grows and shrinks more abruptly.

Think of it as the difference between the kiddie roller coaster and Millenium Force at Cedar Point. Obviously, the kiddie roller coaster ride is easier to take than Millenium Force.

6 – Key five: Have the right attitude

Attitude can have a huge influence over negative happenings. If you enter the casino expecting to win, you will be disappointed – sometimes seriously disappointed. However, if you approach the game anticipating that you will most likely lose (which is the case), losing streaks will be expected – and survivable.

Approach the game with the proper attitude. It can work wonders.

7 – Key six: Get everything to which you are entitled

There is more to the casino experience than just playing the games on the floor. Make sure you sign up for the player’s club and use the card for all your play. This can pad your winnings (or reduce your losses) by awarding points that are good for free play, food, or other goodies. Your registered play could also earn entry into contests and tournaments, as well as free play on future visits to the casino. Free rooms, drinks and dinners are also possible.

Don’t leave these things “on the table.” Take every thing to which you are entitled. You earned them.

8 – Key seven: Have a firm stop limit & take a break!

Make sure you have a firm stop limit. Generally, this is the session bankroll that you brought with you for the current session. Split the trip bankroll into several session bankrolls that match the number of sessions you are planning to play. Take only the current session bankroll with you. When that is gone, you are done for that session. 

Do not dip into the next session’s bankroll. Do not under any circumstances go to the ATM to supplement your bankroll. This will do wonders for surviving losing streaks.

Finally, as a last resort, if things are going so bad that they become intolerable – take a break. Get out of the casino. Walk around for a while. Let the stress drain from you before you try your luck one more time. 

If need be, cancel the rest of the trip. Go home. Do not provide the opportunity to make a bad situation worse.

9 – Summary 

• Losing streaks will happen. They must happen in games based on random events. Some losing streaks will be short – others could be very long.
• The best way to survive losing streaks is with an adequate (and completely discretionary) bankroll.
• Games with a low house edge make losing streaks less costly and more survivable.
• Low variance games reduce the severity of losses.
• Have the proper attitude – you will probably lose. Expect that. Celebrate the wins.
• Don’t leave anything on the table. Get all the comps to which you are entitled.
• Have a strict stop loss. Take a break if things get too bad for you.
• Strictly following all the keys presented in this article will not eliminate losing streaks. Some may be very long. Following these keys will, however, make weathering them much more bearable.

Most of us don’t need excuses to visit Las Vegas, hang out in casinos, watch sports and gamble. But, for anyone who does, March Madness is a perfect time in which to touch down in Sin City and blissfully splash around chips.

Vegas gets so packed with gamblers, that the craps tables seem to be infused with more energy than usual, playing blackjack is extra fun and a night at the casino poker table invariably comes with players offering rolling commentary on the games that went down earlier in the day and matches that are poised to tip off tomorrow.

Vegas Madness

The first time I went to Las Vegas for March Madness, I was shocked by the all-day/all-night frenzy of action and the enthusiasm with which folks in the city put money on the line. In the process, decked out in team colors and the like, they don’t worry too much about their livers or cholesterol counts. 

My first go at it was in the Mirage. I remember buckets of beer being brought to the sportsbook’s tables, cigars getting sparked up (you were able to do that then) before breakfast, guys huddled together and strategizing for all forms of basketball betting. And, of course, the bar food – chili dogs, chicken fingers, burgers – flowed nonstop.

Parlays, money-line wagers, spread bets, over/under gambits, bets on who will be first to hit a hoop, they were all fair game. And when guys weren’t doping out strategies for that first round of NCAA finals, they were nipping out to the casino floor and throwing down at the gambling tables. March Madness brings out the crazy bettor in all of us.

However, the serious gamblers do anything but go crazy. Usually, they are quietly focusing on underdogs, aware that recreational folk love the favorites and pay a slight tax for betting on them. At the same time, pros look for good deals on future bets and seek soft spots in the props – like wagering on total number of three pointers and over/unders that possess good value. 

They may laugh at people who pony up for long shot parlays. But at least one such bettor recently laughed all the way to the bank. He bet on six teams to win, got them all right and turned $50 into $135,000. Right there is a Madness in Las Vegas experience that he and his pals will never forget.

Basketball Joy

The joy of March Madness was expressed to me succinctly by a handicapper who works on the casino side of the business: "On Thursday and Friday, it's nonstop for the fans, beginning when they eat breakfast and go to the sports book," the guy told me. "You're betting halftime, the start of the next game and then the game after that one. It's like being at a horse race where you are placing a new wager every 20 or 30 minutes. 

“It is college sports all day, teams giving 100 percent, more than the usual number of buzzer beaters. And you have a chance to wager on this as well. You know it's got to be heart-pounding. Then, at the end of the night, you have 100 tickets in your pockets. You just keep cashing and playing."

That conversation took place quite a few years ago. But, honestly, things have barely  changed – maybe except for the fact that cigars are verboten and plenty of betting is done online via sites like 888sports.

Remaining consistent is that nothing beats the real thing in Sin City. And the numbers bear this out: the first weekend of March Madness routinely eclipses the Super Bowl for money wagered in Las Vegas.

“March Madness basketball is in the DNA of Las Vegas,” Nancy Lough, co-director of UNLV Sports Innovation, told the Las Vegas Sun this year. “Everyone has known for decades that this is a major destination during the month of March for fans of college basketball.”

Plus, there is the fact that this year Vegas is going bigger than ever, totally rolling out the red carpet and pulling out the stops on behalf of March Madness and the gamblers who embrace it. The only question, for those visiting between March 17 through April 8, is where to watch the games, what experience to chase down and who to bet on.

Big-Time Betting

At the newly launched Fontainebleau, for example, inside the casino/resort’s BleauLive Theater (where Justin Timberlake played on opening night), there is an event called Bleau Buckets. It allows for viewing on a 70-foot-wide LED screen, open bar and food from a spread of Fontainebleau’s excellent restaurants. 

A couple casinos to the south, the Venetian has reinvented what was once a sports bar under the purview Emeril Lagasse. During March Madness, it converts into a venue called Brackets at the Stadium. It’s a 24,000-square-foot space with more than 100 TVs for viewing. Though it’s not exactly Lagasse level fare, food on offer includes brisket, wings and pizza. 

In both instances, at Venetian’s and Fontainebleau’s pop ups, satellite sports books make betting possible.

No reconfiguration is required downtown at Circa, where Stadium Swim is a 24/7 sports betting and viewing operation, built around a giant outdoor swimming pool. The big screen is designed with special glass to reduce glare from the desert sun. Among serious sports bettors, Circa rules as the place that is most eager to take big action from sharp gamblers, and, under the operation of owner and craps lover Derick Stevens, the place prides itself on embracing sports bettors of every stripe – whether they are casino bosses or the gamblers themselves. 

Wherever you land, however, the sense of action is ratcheted up. As it was once put to me – and as I witnessed from being in the Las Vegas thick of it all – fans in the sports book may be betting on different teams and, hence, cheering for varying outcomes, but everybody in the place is a fan of March Madness and rooting for great games. 

Never mind that the Final Four will not actually be played in Las Vegas until 2028, for sports bettors who embrace the city, watching it all go down on a big screen in a jammed sportsbook alongside others who love the big games, well, that is more than fine.