Legendary brand 888casino celebrated 25 years in grand style at the EGR Operator Awards. Congratulations & celebrations filled the air as 888casino scooped up the evening's most illustrious honour: EGR Operator of the Year 2022.

On Thursday, October 27, 2022, the e-Gaming industry held its equivalent of the Oscars for online gaming operators. The EGR Operator Awards 2022 took place in London, England. The shortlist featured headline categories, including the following:

•    Rising Star
•    Poker Operator
•    Bingo Operator
•    Casino Operator
•    Affiliate of the Year
•    Operator of the Year
•    Sports Betting Operator
•    Safer Gambling Operator of the Year

Each of these respected categories shortlisted a top-notch group of gaming companies. 888 were featured in multiple headline categories, notably Casino Operator, Operator of The Year, And Poker Operator. With scores of world-class operators competing for the highest accolades in the industry, it was a tremendous honour for 888 to be shortlisted in almost 40% of the headline categories.

EGR Awards Rolls Out Red Carpet for Online Gaming Operators 

Every year, the EGR Operator Awards celebrate excellence and distinction among the world's best online gaming companies. Trailblazing Business to Customer (B2C) operators are honoured for their hard work, safety & security, innovation, creativity, and player-centric focus. Indeed, all verticals are considered in the annual EGR Awards.

 

 

The judges' panel comprises a team of experts from the online gaming arena with a keen eye on details. The intensive judicial process evaluates each Operator on its merits, with comparative metrics used to evaluate operators. Beyond awards, the red carpet ceremony presents the perfect opportunity for industry leaders, operators, and gaming aficionados to meet and greet face-to-face.

The 2022 EGR Awards gala was once again held at Grosvenor House in Mayfair, London. Hundreds of industry-leading executives were in attendance, commemorating another year of online gaming excellence on the world stage. The perfect opportunity to showcase individual brands, the EGR Awards serves as the premier ceremony for the e-Gaming industry.
 

888 Shortlisted Across Multiple Awards Categories

Established in 1997, 888casino is an industry titan. But such an honour comes with tremendous responsibility. 888casino featured prominently across three headline categories in 2022, notably:
Casino Operator

Indeed, in 2021, 888casino was the Casino Operator of the Year, with the panel adjudicating 888casino as follows:

'Content-wise, they are nailing everything and constantly evolving" "The number of live tables is mind-blowing, the personalisation aspect, their performance, in general, is very, very strong.'

888 lived up to expectations, with back-to-back awards in this category and making the grade for the third time in four years. Beyond the coveted EGR Operator of The Year Award, 888 also racked up accolades in other categories, notably Poker Operator of the Year 2022.

 

What Does the Operator of the Year Award Mean for 888casino?

 

 

888casino is no stranger to winning at the highest levels. 888casino won the EGR Operator of the Year Award in 2021. Its in-house sportsbook was also recognised as the In-House Product of the Year for 2020. In addition, the company was honoured as the Casino Operator at the 2020 Gaming Intelligence Awards in the capacity of Winner of the category Best Beginner Software. Two prestigious awards were presented to 888 in 2020 by the 2020 Poker Listings Operator Awards. They were for Best Beginner Software and Most Improved Software.

The 2022 EGR Operator of the Year Award is a tribute to 888casino's hard work, innovation, and pursuit of excellence. With a strong focus on strategy, superior content, and product leadership, 888casino continues to trailblaze across regulated markets worldwide. In addition, the company has recently been involved in major acquisitions, mergers, and divestitures, culminating in focused and forward-oriented operations.

Commenting on the EGR Award, 888casino said,

This is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of teams across the Group. It showcases the strength of our content and product leadership strategy, which continues to create truly unique betting and gaming experiences for players across all our brands. Now, as we look to 2023, we can't wait to show you what's in store – exciting times ahead! We are Bigger, Stronger, and Better Together.

About the EGR Awards 

The EGR Operator Awards recognise gaming excellence. Online gaming operators can be rising stars or top operators. As the veritable Oscars of e-Gaming, the EGR Awards recognise top-tier operators for their sterling achievements. The EGR Awards features 31 categories, allowing brands to raise the bar across the industry. Each award evaluates operators over the previous 12 months. A panel of reviewers evaluates individual operators on their merits, with the best of the best selected by an expert panel of judges.

About 888casino 

888casino is a leading operator with decades of experience in the industry. Established in 1997, 888casino leads from the front as a world-class innovator. Always raising the bar, 888 has racked up scores of awards over the years, most recently the EGR Casino Operator of the Year 2022 (B2B), and the third time in the last four years. In addition, 888poker - the poker vertical of the 888 Group won the Poker Operator of the Year 2022 at the EGR Award Ceremony last week in a double-triumph for the iconic 888 brands. 
 

Bright lights, gambling, an energetic vibe, and plenty of big money. That scene at a casino can make for a great setting for a film, and Hollywood has taken advantage of this gambling scenario for decades. From gambling-based films to heists and capers to those simply using Sin City or another exotic location such as Monte Carlo as a backdrop, casinos have played a major role in numerous movies mixing in some gambling and casino action.

Those who enjoy hitting a casino for some gambling probably love checking out some casino-related films as well. Hollywood has delivered plenty and here are a few that stand out and run a wide spectrum.

➔    For further reading, check out 888poker’s complete look at poker films every player should see.

Table of Contents

1 – CASINO

Synopsis: Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci star in this ode to old Vegas. The story is based on real-life mobsters Frank Rosenthal and Tony “The Ant” Spilotro, who managed the Stardust, Fremont, Marina, and Hacienda casinos from the ‘70s through 1981. In the film version, the two head up a Las Vegas casino run by the Chicago Outfit and the film shines a light on what Vegas was like when the Mafia was in charge. Mobsters love cash businesses and casinos offer a great source of cash.
 
Sam (De Niro) ensures the money keeps flowing to the mob. However, Nicky (Pesci) is getting out of control – break-ins, violence, and murders are par for the course and the FBI begins taking notice. It’s a great ride for fans of both gambling films and mobster movies with De Niro and Pesci at their best.

Setting: Las Vegas
Release date: 1995
Box office: $116 million
Major quotes: “I was a hell of a handicapper, I’ll tell you that. I had it so good that I ran paradise on Earth. I had one of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas to run – the Tangiers.”

2 – CALIFORNIA SPLIT

Synopsis: This has become a bit of a casino classic and was one of the first to take a look at the life of real gamblers. Fans of the “buddy film” will enjoy this one. Bill and Charlie (George Segal and Elliot Gould) meet and team up after being falsely accused of collusion at a poker table. Their adventures involve plenty of casinos, gambling, and drinking.

From a gambling perspective, this film has a little of everything – nice scores, big losses, bookies, and more. Legendary poker player Amarillo Slim even makes an appearance. Apparently quite the gambler himself, Gould later said his character offered a bit of a glimpse into his life at the gaming tables. It’s become a favorite among gamblers.

Setting: California; Las Vegas
Release date: 1974
Box office: $5 million
Major quotes: Elliot Gould, playing the character Charlie, tells a bartender as a juicy poker game plays out nearby: “My partner here’s a player, and I guess I’m a drinker.”

3 – MISSISSIPPI GRIND

Synopsis: This is a more modern look at the gambling lifestyle with two down on their luck buddies embarking on a road trip. They’re hoping to turn their luck around as they make their way to casinos throughout the southern United States with a big poker tournament in New Orleans as their ultimate destination.

There is plenty of gambling as part of the trip with loan sharks, hustlers, criminals, and more. Can they win it big at a poker tournament in the Big Easy? The film may not have scored well at the box office, but received nice reviews. It’s worth streaming on the couch for sure.

Setting: American South
Release date: 2015
Box office: $422,746
Major quotes: Curtis (Ryan Reynolds), sitting down at a new poker game, says “Aces are good, right?”

4 – BUGSY

Synopsis: This film chronicles the life of legendary mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel. Warren Beatty plays the role of Bugsy with his real-life wife Annette Bening playing his love interest. Siegel was a Vegas visionary, who was the first to bring a luxury hotel and casino to Las Vegas in the 1940s.

The city was mostly desert back then, but Bugsy saw the potential of what the area could be and eventually set about to build the Flamingo hotel and casino. Funding those plans came courtesy of the mob, but bosses grew unhappy when the project ran way over budget. Ultimately, the Flamingo became a huge success and paved the way for the growth in Las Vegas in the decades to come. For Bugsy, things didn’t end as well however. The film received multiple Oscar nominations, winning two.

Setting: Las Vegas, Los Angeles
Release date: 1991
Box office: $49 million
Major quotes: “I’m talking about a hotel. I’m talking about a place where gambling is allowed.”

5 – THE GAMBLER

Synopsis: James Caan plays Axel Freed, New York City English professor with a major gambling problem. He owes tens of thousands of dollars to his bookie and heads to Las Vegas in hopes of running up a nice win and paying back what he owes. Freed isn't always on the up and up however, even paying a student basketball player to shave points so that he can win at the books.

The gambler seems to thrive on the action and the headaches that come with his unique lifestyle along the way. The film was well-received and Caan earned some nice praise for his performance. Critic Roger Ebert loved the film and noted The Gambler “begins as a portrait of Axel Freed's personality, develops into the story of his world, and then pays off as a thriller. We become so absolutely contained by Axel's problems and dangers that they seem like our own.” The film also inspired a 2014 remake starring Mark Wahlberg.

6 – OCEAN’S ELEVEN

Synopsis: This offers quite an entry into the casino heist film genre and is a true favorite for many gamblers. The film featured a deep roster of Hollywood stars including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Julia Roberts. The movie sees ex-con Danny Ocean (Clooney) plot to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from the Bellagio, Mirage, and MGM Grand casinos.

Ocean’s Eleven is actually a remake of a 1960 film starring Rat Packers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Angie Dickinson. Like the Clooney film, the original version was also filmed at classic Las Vegas casinos such as the Flamingo, Sands, Riviera, and Sahara. Both films received mixed reviews but were both major box office hits. It seems movie goers can’t resist a good Las Vegas crime caper and the ‘01 version inspired several sequels.

Setting: Las Vegas casinos
Release date: 2001
Box office: $451 million
Major quotes: “The house takes you unless, when that perfect hand comes along and you bet big, and then you take the house.”

7 – 21

Synopsis: Being able to count cards for thousands and thousands of dollars is a romantic notion for many blackjack players. Dreaming of doing that and actually making it happen are two different things. This story is based on a real blackjack card counting team based out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the early 1990s.

A savvy professor teaches some of the school’s whiz kids the tricks of the counting trade. It’s college classes all week then jetting off to Las Vegas for some card counting on the weekend.  The film is based on real events spelled out in Ben Mezrich’s best-selling book Bringing Down the House. Winning tons of money from the casinos isn’t easy and the team faces obstacles such as  getting banned from playing, group infighting, major losing nights, and the pitfalls that can come with being young and having access to the high life and easy money. 21 is a fun ride with a great cast including Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, and Kate Bosworth.

Setting: Las Vegas, Massachusetts, various casinos
Release date: 2008
Box office: $160 million
Major quotes: “This is a real-world, first-class money-making business.”

8 – CROUPIER

Synopsis: Many of the films on this list offer a real look inside the world of casinos and Croupier (French for the person who collects and pays out bets at a gaming table) offers a look from the house’s point of view. In this case, an inside look at the life of a dealer and his experiences on a day-to-day basis. Jack Manfred (played by Clive Owen) longs for a writing career and his day job pitching cards at a casino helps pay the bills. He meets numerous interesting people and regular players as part of the gig.

This all makes for great inspiration for the book he’s working on, but his life begins to unravel. The casino begins taking over his life and his relationships with others become frayed. As with some casino flicks, a robbery is also part of the plot. This is a great movie from the other side of the blackjack table. When the film made its way to the U.S., Croupier generally received positive reviews and is worth checking out.

Setting: South Africa
Release date: 1998
Box office: $7 million
Major quotes: “You have to make the choice in life, be a gambler or croupier, and live with your decision come what may.”

9 – VEGAS VACATION

Synopsis: This obviously doesn’t live up to the standards of the other popular Vacation films, but brings plenty of Sin City to the screen. It also offers a comedy centering around Las Vegas and gambling as a key part of the story. This time seeing Clark (Chevy Chase) heads to Las Vegas with the family, and of course finds a way to foul things up.

The Griswolds bring some laughs along the way and Cousin Eddie even makes an appearance. Wallace Shawn may steal the show, however, playing feisty dealer Marty. This card-dealing dynamo can’t seem to lose, no matter how hard Clark tries to beat him. Clark eventually loses all of the Griswolds’ and faces some tough odds at salvaging the family’s Sin City getaway. Vegas icons Wayne Newton and Siegfried and Roy also make appearances as part of the fun.

Setting: Las Vegas
Release date: 1997
Box office: $36 million
Major quotes: “Eddie this place is great. They don't have any of these games at the Mirage.”

 

Video poker games are unlike slot machines because players are able to determine the games return by using information on the pay table.

The pay tables detail how much is paid for each winning hand. By knowing the odds for each winning hand and the amount paid for that winning hand, returns can be calculated.

This article explores the odds of hitting winning hands on some of the more popular video poker games.

Table of Contents

3. Odds change based on the pay table

Since the strategy is based on highest return, pay tables affect strategy. For example, a pay table that pays more for a flush will have a strategy that tends to favor drawing for a flush. Because of this, flushes will have better odds of appearing with this pay table.

 

4. Sample games and odds 

Let’s look at some different games first. The odds shown are based on playing the strategy that produces the highest average return.

Note that higher odds numbers mean lower odds of happening. For example, in the above game of Jacks or Better, there is a 1 in 40,390 chance of getting a royal flush – on average.

In this Double Bonus Poker game, the odds of getting a royal flush drop to one in 48,048 hands.

A couple of highlights from the above tables:

• Odds for hitting a royal flush vary from 1-in-40,390 to 1-in-48,048.
• Odds for hitting a straight flush vary from 1-in-8,841 to 1-in-9,148.

The game can, indeed, make a difference in the odds.

5. Odds for the same game and different pay tables 

Now let’s look at how different pay tables can change the odds. The full-pay (10/7) and the short-pay (9/6) Double Bonus poker odds are shown below. 

 

The major differences between the 10/7 and 9/6 tables are:

Summary

• The odds for hitting video poker hands are determined by both the originally dealt hand and the cards held and discarded from that hand.
• Odds are calculated based on playing strategy.
• Since playing strategy changes based on game and pay table, pay tables affect the odds.
• The odds of hitting paying hands for any video poker game and pay table can be found using video poker strategy software or apps that can be found on the internet
   

 When you hear screams of glee coming off of a casino floor, it usually means one thing: There is another gambler who’s winning slots. Often the excited sounds are punctuated by ringing bells and flashing lights. A casino attendant rushes over and facilitates payment.

When the charmed gamblers win really big, they get to pose for pictures while holding giant checks. Considering the random nature of it all, few casino windfalls are as satisfying, or as unexpected, as a gargantuan slot machine jackpot. Here are tales from the frontlines of fortune, documenting some of our favorite slot machine winners.

 

1. Online Hero

Sometimes it pays to be distracted. In 2015, Jon Heywood, a soldier with the British military, was watching a TV documentary about World War II tanks when an online gambling site caught his eye. What the heck, he must have figured, as he augmented the viewing experience by throwing a bit of money up on the site.

A slot machine spin was just 25-pence, the equivalent of less than $1. He took his small-stakes chance and was in for a gigantic surprise: the play paid out £13.2 million, the equivalent of around $17.3 million.

At first he thought it was just £10,000, which already seemed pretty sweet. But even upon realizing how much his jackpot really was, it might have taken a few minutes for Heywood to realize that it was a record-setting win.

Guinness Book of World Records, in fact, confirmed Heywood’s score to be the largest online slot machine victory at the time. A good soldier in every possible way, Heywood was asked by the BBC what he would do with all that money. He replied that he will arrange to get “the best possible medical treatment” for his dad, who was waiting on heart and lung transplants.

While he also vowed to upgrade his automobile, from a supermini Fiat Punto to a far more elegant Bentley Continental convertible GT, the real reward of the win came from what he could do for his father.

“Family comes first,” he told the BBC. “I’d give all this money back for him to be healthy again.”

 

2. Anonymous Luckbox

Some people like to brag about their big slot machine wins, pose for photos, celebrate with friends, order bottles of champagne and do TV interviews. Then there is the 25-year-old man who won the largest slots payout at the time. He lays low and nobody, to this day, really knows who he is.

Back in 2003, the software engineer traveled from Los Angeles to Las Vegas so he could watch and gamble on the NCAA basketball finals, a series of hoops games known as March Madness. They bring out the gambler in all of us and are going on as this story is being posted. 

Apparently taking a break from the sports book, he wandered over to a bank of slot machines and placed three $1 coins into a progressive Megabucks Jackpot machine. Because these are hooked up with other machines in different casinos, the payoffs can be extremely large.

Such was the case for the engineer. His prize totaled $38.7 million. And we don’t have to worry about him having put it all on red, hoping to double up via a spin of the roulette wheel. The money gets paid out over the course of 25 years, landing him more than $1 million per annum.
One thing he did not spend his money on: a press agent. Publicity is the last thing that this lucky gambler would want.

 

 

3. Twice Blessed

Most of us feel fortunate if we experience one major casino payout. Elmer Sherwin, a veteran of World War II, landed $4.6 million back in 1989 when he got lucky on a Megabucks machine during opening weekend at the Mirage in Las Vegas.

Shockingly, he had exhausted his gambling budget of $100 before asking his wife to front him $20 for another round of spins. The one that hit would be worth some $10.5-million in today’s dollars. 

No doubt, it was life-changing money for the man. But he knew better than to quit when he was ahead. In 2005, while plunging money into a different Megabucks machine at the Cannery Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas, he did unimaginable: hit the jackpot again, this time for a whopping $21.1 million.

Apparently set from his big win in ’89, Sherwin donated a good portion of that payout to help those who survived the devastating Hurricane Katrina, which slammed New Orleans in 2005. 

Unsatisfied with just two scores, he vowed to for a hat trick: “I’m gonna try for a third win on Megabucks but I may go for the Wheel of Fortune slot too.” Alas he died two years later, at age 93, just short of making his casino dream come true.
 

 

4. Lost and Found

Robert Taylor came nowhere close to spinning his way to the world’s largest slot machine win. But he did benefit the most from casino technology and provides proof that the gambling dens are not as greedy as some people like to think.

Taylor, who lives in Arizona, was visiting Vegas with his family and began playing The Mask slot machine at Treasure Island. After what he figured would be his final spin, the machine seemed to get stuck. The message on its screen: “Resolving progressive prize. Please wait.”

He waited. But, after a few minutes, Taylor figured that the malfunction hid the fact that he had lost his money, which is what happens to most of us. He and his family went to dinner and he gave no thought to the incident.

It turns out that he should have followed up. The malfunctioning machine was trying to figure out his prize, which totaled $229,368. Even though he had split the scene, casino employees were adamant about making things right after fixing the busted one-armed bandit. They analyzed credit card receipts, surveillance footage and even ride hailing data to identify the winner and track him down.

On January 28, 2022, 20 days after the win, Taylor got handed his six-figure score. Along with the money, he received a giant check and posed with it in front of the lucky machine.

Speaking to the Washington Post, a Gaming Control Board sleuth said, “There’s never been anything like this before, and that’s why it’s so exciting to have a great conclusion to this story.

I get emails and texts and sometimes I’m stopped in the casinos by people who want to pick my brain about what they are doing at the tables and machines. I’m happy I have a rather large readership; after all, that’s what every writer wants. Also, I have some good videos on the Internet.

I never shoo away people who want a few friendly tips. 

I don’t give tips at the tables because I do not want to take away the game from the dealer and the other players, But if someone asks me a question when I am not playing then I am happy to give my opinion. I keep these conversations short.

I am nice with just about everyone but I don't really want to give extended gambling lessons while I am in the casino to have some fun. Most players know this and are polite and cordial.

Yet, sadly, some are the opposite. 

 

Challenging Situation

Not all the players I run into are gentlemen and ladies. In fact, some few are downright obnoxious. Many seem to be living inside an ongoing argument in their heads and when they talk to you, they suddenly put you on the other side of their internal argument. 

Their first question isn’t a question as such, instead it’s a challenge. 

One guy just walked right up to me and said closely into my face: “Yeah, yeah, you think blackjack is the best game but it isn’t! You can’t just go by the house edge because you can’t do that. There’s more to playing than just the house edge. You should know that!”

At that moment I was just standing alone near the roulette pit waiting for my friend, James Peak, to come down from his room. 

“What do you have to say for yourself?” asked the man. “You are wrong to just look at the house edge at the games. You don’t seem to have a comment and you are supposed to be so brilliant! What do you have to say? Don’t you have any owreds of ointelligence?” 

In my mind I thought the following: If I answer him, I could get into a long, dull conversation with – let me be frank here – an idiotic player. Do I really want that?

“Well, well, Mr. Scobleet, you got nothing to say?”

“It’s Scoblete,” I said. At that moment I knew I should have walked away and ignored this guy. But I answered, correcting him about my darn name. Mistake! Oh, that was a mistake.

“What about this garbage about the house edge? Huh? Huh?” he asked.

“House edge is one element in judging games. But you do have other elements –“ 

“Ah, ha! Now, you admit you are wrong! You admit it!” he said.

 

House Edge ‘Discussion’

I answered him calmly while kicking myself inside that I was entering this conversation. “One of those other elements can be the speed of the game. I mean a house edge of 1.06 percent at the bank bet in mini-baccarat is really, really low. But give that bet almost 200 decisions in an hour and the number of decisions makes that bet more dangerous than the house edge makes it appear.”

“Ah, yes, yes, you now admit that you are wrong!” he exclaimed.

I continued, being careful and controlled. A younger me might have told this bloated blob of blubber-ness to go to … well, to go somewhere and do something to himself which I will refrain from referring to now.

“A game’s speed is an important element. But the strategy that a player uses will dictate, over time, how that player will fare at a game,” I said.

“Strategies? Ha! Ha!”

“You have many bets at craps, some tiny few are good, the rest are not good and those go from bad to awful. Keep betting the awful bets and…”

“Blah, blah, blah. It doesn’t matter what bets you make; if they hit, they hit. If they don’t, they don’t,” he scoffed.

“Now, that isn’t so. Here the house edge along with the speed of the game will give you a very good idea where that player will be over time,” I said. I could see in his puffy, red face and beady eyes that he was only half listening.
 

 

Continuing the Confusion

“Long run? Long run? There is no long run,” he said. “Everything is the short run. The long run has nothing to do with anything. Nothing to do with anything at all. That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard; the long run. It doesn’t exist. It is nonsense all the way. 

“How do you sell so many books and you seem to know nothing at all about gambling or playing in the casinos? The short run should be played differently than you want us to play. The long run, poo!”

“I’ve been playing for over three decades; I’ve studied the games and the casinos and I’ve written books and articles about just about every game,” I defended myself. “I’ve spent as many as 130 days a year in casinos.” 

Why was I defending myself? This was nonsense. I was in the midst of a conversation (Conversation? No, an argument!) with someone who didn’t care what I had to say to his questions and ideas. Why was I bothering? I felt almost as if I were in fourth grade defending myself against the typical elementary-school blobby bully.

[Please note: I have a section in one of my books, The Virgin Kiss, where I tell the story of what I did to a bully when I was a young kid. I wished I had the guts to do that with this bully. I didn’t. Perhaps, that’s the problem with growing up. You become cautious and understand the consequences of your actions.]

“There is a long run, statistically, but it only gives us an idea of what will probably happen over some length of time,” I said. “You can be sure the bad bets and the house edge on those bets and the speed of the decisions and time will –“

“What are you talking about?” he said strongly. “You make no sense at all. How do you dare to tell us how to play? This long run thing is absolute –“

“I just offer my ideas based on some criteria, math and the like, and my personal experiences in the casinos throughout the –“

“Yeah, yeah, throughout what? The world? Ha! Ha! You still don’t know anything; you don’t know what you are talking about. You big-brain guys aren’t as smart as you think.”

 

Lesson Learned & Supernatural Powers

I was ready to stop. I said, “Well, I guess…” But then I felt a tug on my shoulder. I thought it was Peak, but no. It was a skinny, sallow-faced woman, definitely a big smoker. You could smell the smoke on her.

“He got you, didn’t he?” she said. “I knew he would.”

“Ah,” I responded. Ah is a word I use when I have no idea what word I should use.

“He’s been coming to this casino for a while now to teach you a lesson about casino gambling. He heard this is one of the casinos where you like to play. Has he bent your ear, Mr. Scobleet?” (Scoblete, Scoblete for crying out loud.) “My husband has strong and wrong ideas about gambling. You talk to him and you find out about that.”

“Ah, I said.

“I didn’t bend nobody’s ear,” he said. “I’m not a nut like you,”

“I play the slots,” she said, ignoring her husband. “I have a method.”

“Oh, here we go!” he said. “The lady with the method, ha! ha!”

“I use my psychic powers to pick the proper machines to play,” she said. 

(Oh, no, I thought. Please no!)

“You see machines have a kind of intelligence, well, more like a kind of consciousness,” she continued. “They send out signals if they are willing to pay off. Almost no one knows this and that is why I am so successful at the slots.”

“You haven’t won anything,” he said. “You go broke almost every trip we make.”

“You haven’t won nothing either,” she countered. “All your stupid ideas and you haven’t won nothing! You go ahead and brag about nothing. You are so full of it. My method is solid.”

“Yeah, okay, know it all, but I don’t pretend to have psychic abilities where I can talk to the machines. Don’t you think that is stupid Mr. Scobleet?”

(Mr. Scobleet is not being drawn into this conversation.)

“Ah,” I said.

“I can do this at times with roulette, a game you write about a lot, and that’s because the wheel is a computer in some ways. It speaks to me at times. What do you think of that?”

“Ah,” I said.

“Don’t bother answering her,” he said. “You can’t talk to a woman like this. I found that out in thirty-five years of marriage. You can’t talk to her about anything. She always thinks she’s right. Mrs. Right! The roulette wheel talking to her? You got to be kidding me. This is so stupid. Why even talk about such stupid things?” 

“Why don’t you,” she replied to her husband in a dignified way, “just shut up your big mouth and stop talking about things you know nothing about. Have you done the necessary mental conditioning to understand the desires of machines? No, you haven’t Mister-Smarter-than- Anyone-Else. You know nothing. The real world that I live in is not the same silly world you live in.”

“Well, I’ve got to go,” I said.

“But you haven’t addressed my question,” she said.

 

More Questions Than Answers

“Oh man, oh man, oh man,” he said. “I’m talking to him about serious stuff and you’re going to waste his time with dopey things. Why don’t you go to a haunted house. You know on vacations she wants to visit what she calls haunted houses. Can you believe that?””

“Can a person understand the desires of a machine? Especially a machine that talks to you? A computer? Do you think that is possible?” she asked me again. 

“Well, I ah, don’t think any studies have been done on such a thing,” I said trying to wiggle my way out of this conversation.

“Ha!” laughed the man. “Are those studies like the studies that give you your ideas of how to play the table games? The serious games in the casino? Huh?”

Then I saw a head behind and above these two. It was James Peak’s head. He’s 6-foot, 5-inches tall and he towered over these two.

“Hey, hey, Peak!” I said, about as happy as I’d been that whole day in the casino. “At last!”

“I’m early,” he said. He and I share the idea that people should be on time for their appointments. Yes, sometimes, something might happen to make you late but those are exceptions.

“Let’s go get a drink,” I said.

He looked over the roulette table and saw that the even-money bets I like to make had a free seat right in front of their area of the table. He pointed. I shook my head and took his arm and headed him to the lounge.

“Whoa! Whoa! Hey! Hey!” said the man. “Can the two of us join you?”

“Ah, ah,” I said. Then I recovered. “We have some serious business to discuss. Sorry. But it was” (here I lied!) “a good conversation we all had.”

In the lounge I told Peak about the conversation of the man and his insistence that the short run was not the long run and his implication that different rules apply. How could that be? I also mentioned how obnoxious it was to talk to this guy.

“Why didn’t you just be nice, say hello, and leave the guy?” he asked. 

“Then the wife came over and discussed that she can talk to the machines; that they tell her when they are going to pay off,” I said.

“I saved you!” he said.

“Yes, you did!”

All the best in and out of the casinos!

When you think about how to play deuces wild video poker, changes in pay tables mean players must adjust strategies to get the most out of the game. Using the right deuces wild video poker strategy can give you a good advantage. 

The key to success is learning optimal video poker deuces wild strategy within the pay table. With the right deuces wild strategy, you can quite literally turn the table to your advantage.

How to Play Deuces Wild Video Poker: Introduction 

Deuces wild is loved by video poker fans for the exciting gameplay created by having all 2s function as wild cards. This opens opportunities for more winning hands, but it also requires adjusting your strategy to fit the game's pay table.

With expert play, the house edge can be extremely low in deuces wild video poker. Some pay tables offer returns over 100% with perfect strategy. But to capitalize on these generous odds, players need to know which starting hands are worth holding or folding in different situations.

In this article, we’ll be exploring the strategic nuances of deuces wild video poker using one of the best pay tables widely available today – the, "Not So Ugly" version commonly found in live and online casinos. 

Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy: Pay Table 

The pay table has changes that make the deuces wild game special. Because there are changes all over the pay table, it’s important to use a deuces wild video poker strategy since the impact on outcomes can vary. 

For instance, common changes aren't confined to payoffs on full houses and flushes, as on many games without wild cards. 

Knowing how to play deuces wild video poker using video poker deuces wild strategy is the key to standing the best chances of winning. Read on because this article:

1. Breaks down the problems of knowing how to play video poker deuces wild.
2. Provides a realistic video poker deuces wild strategy you can start learning today. 

Finding the Best Deuces Wild Video Poker Game to Play

You need to make sure that video poker deuces wild games are widely available. Then you can learn the best deuces wild video poker strategy and adjust if necessary. 

In online casinos and in live casinos throughout much of the United States, "Not So Ugly" Deuces Wild is the game of choice.

You won't find it in every casino. In many live casinos, you'll find their best Deuces version has a reduced pay table. But for those who love Deuces, the NSU game is worth a search, online as well as in land-based casinos. The game graphics don't display the words, "Not So Ugly." You’ll see, "Deuces Wild." 

The NSU tag is a nickname devised by players to signify a game that isn't quite as lucrative as the original full-pay Deuces game, but gives you a much better shot at winning, than the first reduced pay games. It’s important to remember:

• Look for the best-paying version of Deuces Wild video poker you can find. Often, that's "Not So Ugly" Deuces Wild.
• A deuces wild video poker strategy chart helps you determine, the best play to make after your first five cards are dealt.
• If you must play a game with a different pay table, there’re video poker deuces wild strategy adjustments to make.

Video Poker Deuces Wild: Pay Table

Full-pay Deuces seems restricted to a handful of Nevada casinos nowadays. Not even online casinos have picked up the game with its 100.8% theoretical payback with expert play.

Instead, players flock to NSU Deuces, which returns 99.7 percent with expert play. Here is the full pay table:

"NOT SO UGLY" DEUCES WILD

As is normal in Deuces Wild games:

• There’s a big secondary jackpot on four 2s, with a 1,000-coin payoff.
• The big payoff of 4,000 coins for a five-coin wager is on a natural royal flush i.e. Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of the same suit with no wild cards.

With expert play, four 2s occur about eight times as often as natural royals at once per 5,356 hands vs. once per 43,456 on the royal. What are the expert deuces wild video poker strategy rules? Try this chart:

NSU DEUCES STRATEGY CHART (Note: Hold all 2s)

HOLD THOSE DEUCES

Bear in mind the following:

• The deuces wild video poker strategy chart is broken into segments depending on how many 2s are in your starting hand.
• Holding deuces always improves your average return. On this note;
• There’s never a correct time to discard a 2. So, the chart is arranged with the assumption your holds will start with however many 2s you are dealt.

The idea is to compare your hand to the deuces wild video poker strategy chart, then choose the highest-ranking combination in your hand to hold.

If your starting hand is a 2 of any suit along with 6-7-8 of hearts and a 9 of clubs:

1. You can read the hand as a straight, with the 2 substituting for a 5 or 10.
2. Or you could read it as a four-card open-ended straight flush, with the 2 standing in for a 5 or 9 of hearts.

A look at one-deuce hands, on the deuces wild video poker strategy chart finds the four-card open-ended straight flush listed higher than the straight. So, your best play is to keep the 2 and the three consecutive hearts, while discarding the 9 of clubs.

Video Poker Deuces Wild: Strategy Examples

Below are several, deuces wild video poker strategy card combinations. Let's try a few sample hands just to give you an idea of the kinds of things to look for on the chart.

THREE-DEUCE HANDS: Strategy Examples:

TWO-DEUCE HANDS: Strategy Examples:

ONE-DEUCE HANDS: Strategy Example:

NO-DEUCE HANDS: Strategy Example:

I hope the above gave you a better understanding of how to play video poker deuces wild. Practicing with the deuces wild video poker chart will build the pattern recognition you need to spot optimal holds quickly.

A WORD ABOUT OTHER 4-4-3 GAMES

There’re several Deuces Wild variations that have the same 4-for-1 pays on quads and full houses and 3-for-1 on flushes. Especially important is a version players call by the nicknames "Illinois" or "Airport" Deuces.

The only differences between the NSU and Illinois pay tables is that Illinois reduces payoffs on five of a kind from 16-for-1 to 15-for-1 and on straight flushes from 10-for-1 to 9-for-1. It returns 98.9 percent with expert play. If you can't find NSU Deuces, this often is the best Deuces version available.

A few deuces wild video poker strategy nuances to consider:

• The reduced payoff on straight flushes means that in one-deuce hands, three of a kind is a stronger start than a four-card straight flush with two gaps between the non-deuce cards.
• Holding three of a kind moves up on the strategy table ahead of the two-gap, four-card inside straight flushes 2-3-4-5, 2-3-5-6, and all from 2-3-4-5 through 2-9-Queen-King.
• Two-card King-high royal flush draws also move ahead of three-card, Ace-low straight flush draws.

Other video poker deuces wild versions:

There are dozens of Deuces Wild pay tables. Some casino games don’t have 4-4-3 games such as NSU and Illinois/Airport. You might face a situation, especially in live casinos, where the best Deuces games pay 4-for-1 on four of a kind, but only 3-for-1 on full houses and 2-for-1 on flushes.

Those are games best avoided – easier to do online where you can shop around with a few finger taps but try to avoid low-paying games if possible.

Four top video poker deuces wild tips:

1. Learn that pay table inside and out: Memorize the pay table and familiarize yourself with the rules. Different deuces wild video poker games have different payout schemes, so you’ve got to adjust your strategy based on what hands pay out the most.
2. Focus on the important cards: Aim at hitting premium hands like Royal Flushes and Five of a Kinds to maximize long-term returns.
3. Don't forget about hand rankings too: Know whether it's worth holding cards to a Flush or Straight over one high card. Make smart decisions based on potential.
4. Practice and patience: There’s no way around this, you must be willing to put in the work and the hours that come with it.

Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy: Conclusion

Using the optimal deuces wild video poker strategy and learning the strategic nuances should bring you better returns. Video poker deuces wild and other video poker variants can be beaten using perfect strategy. And the payoff can be huge for players who put in the effort. 

It’s all about mastering the deuces wild video poker strategy chart and knowing when to adjust your gameplay in special situations. 

Q&A: Deuces Wild Video Poker Strategy

What makes deuces wild video poker different?

For starters, it’s because of the unique wild cards. It’s one of the only poker games with a negative house edge, meaning using the right deuces wild video poker strategy has the potential to offer the player a positive expected return.

Do deuces wild video poker games give the player an advantage?

No, while the house edge is nearly beaten in using a perfect video poker deuces wild strategy, games with a profitable home run player advantage are non-existent in a fair game.

Can you beat the house edge in deuces wild video poker?

Absolutely, by using optimal deuces wild video poker strategy based on the game’s pay table is the key to success since some pay tables offer returns of over 100%. 

What is the highest paying hand in deuces wild video poker?

The royal flush hand in deuces wild video poker offers a whopping payout of 4,000 to 1 on a 5-coin bet.

What are the best tips to use in deuces wild video poker?

Learn the pay table and adjust your gameplay accordingly. Target high paying cards that can form the best hands. Learn how cards rank to form high paying hands. Keep practicing and be patient as you improve your skills.

Methods of play at roulette vary from individual to individual. We all have our favorite ways to wager at the game and that’s just fine. After all, we are wagering our hard-earned money and we can do it any way we choose. It is a way to have fun for many of us.

What follows are some interesting betting methods that some of our readers may be using right now as you read this article. These are relatively aggressive roulette betting methods that will appeal to those of you who have that aggressive nature.

The Polar Opposites

On the American double-zero wheel (0, 00) you can consider those zeroes to represent the north and south poles of our planet. You are going to bet each side of this polar landscape. You can decide how many chips and how much money to wager as long as you keep your wagering reasonable in terms of your total bankroll.

We are being aggressive here but we don’t want to be crazy. 

At one end, you have the zero (0). That number is surrounded by 14, 2 and 28, 9. You are betting those four numbers plus the 0. That makes five numbers that favor you.

At the opposite end of the wheel, you have the double-zero (00). That is surrounded by 13, 1 and 27, 10. Betting those five numbers will now give you a total of ten favorable numbers at play in the game. Thus, you have ten chances to win and 28 chances to lose.

You will note that the numbers actually relate to each other. You are wagering on the 0, 00, / 1, 2, / 9, 10, / 13, 14, / 27, 28.

Can you bet more than five numbers? Yes, but that is putting a lot of money at risk. Give that a double-think before you do it.

[Please note: I am calling these numbers “polar” numbers but that doesn’t mean they are automatically cold. Whatever heat or cold exists at a roulette game has nothing to do with the actual temperature of the room. If it did, we’d all play in a sauna!]

The Monopole Method

On the single-zero European roulette wheel (0), we don’t have two distinct poles; instead let’s say we have a “monopole” to play which is, of course, that single zero.

Let us wager on nine numbers at this game. Then we go with 0 and on one side the numbers we have are 12, 35, 3, 26 and on the other side are the numbers 32, 15, 19, 4. You will have nine chances to win and 28 chances to lose because you are betting that zero.

The Red Sky at Morning Method

Sit at the head of the table, all the way down from the wheel. You will notice three columns of twelve numbers each going down the layout. The top of each column begins with these numbers: 1, 2, 3 and they go down to 34, 35, and 36.

[Please note: These proposition bets are called the “columns.” There are three of these columns, each containing 12 numbers. None has the 0 or 00. You can win two-to-one if a given column hits but those zeroes are losing bets. So, on the American game you have 12 ways to win one of these bets and 26 ways to lose it.]

The first column is headed by 1; the second column is headed by 2 and the third column is headed by 3. 

The third column are the following numbers and their colors: 

3 (red)
6 (black)
9 (red)
12 (red)
15 (black)
18 (red)
21 (red)
24 (black)
27 (red)
30 (red)
33 (black)
36 (red)  

You will notice that there are eight red numbers and only four black numbers in this column. This is often called the “red sky” column from the phrase “red sky at morning, sailors take warning.” In literature, such an occurrence was usually not a good thing for sailors. 

Now, many players like to jump on red here. They bet the column and they also bet the even-money “red” wager. The column gives them 12 chances to win at 2-to-1 and the red wager gives them 18 ways to win at 1-to-1.

 

 

Always Bet on Black

The second column is the reverse of the third one; the dominant color is black. There are eight black numbers and four red numbers in that middle column. 

2 (black)
5 (red)
8 (black)
11 (black)
14 (red)
17 (black)
20 (black)
23 (red)
26 (black)
29 (black)
32 (red)
35 (black)

If you recall Wesley Snipes’ character in Passenger 57, he had a simple philosophy and that was “Always bet on black!” It seemed to work for him, at least in the movie. 

The second column is therefore the “Always bet on black” column in honor of Wesley. As with the third column’s strategy with red, you can also bet the black on the even-money wager as well. 

You will win 12 decisions if your column hits and lose 26 decisions. You will win 18 decisions of your black even-money bet and lose 20 decisions.

The single-zero European game is the better game as you only lose if that lone zero shows, so a win on the column is 12 and the loss is 25. The black even-money bet wins 18 and loses 19. 

The Even Steven

The very first column has an even number of red and black numbers at six of each. 

1 (red)
4 (black)
7 (red)
10 (black)
13 (black)
16 (red)
19 (red)
22 (black)
25 (red)
28 (black)
31 (black)
34 (red)

If you decide to bet the first column, you are playing a seemingly even game – at least it seems that way since you will lose as many as you will win in terms of the colors in that column. However, you will still lose the number of times needed to keep that house edge at 5.26 percent on the American game and at 2.7 percent on the European game.

Yes, you can still stretch out your betting style and add an even-money bet – you choose which one! Nothing changes the house edges. Sorry. This is a sad but true reality of the great game of roulette.

Four Corners of the Earth: The World Tour

We are now going to take a trip around the roulette world; that is, using the wheel as the Earth to see what we can see in terms of ways to wager it. Some roulette players probably see the roulette wheel as the world when they are playing. They are that focused.

[Please note: The American double-zero wheel and the European single-zero wheel are laid out differently so techniques on one might not be applicable to the other. We therefore must take each wheel separately. To repeat, the European wheel, all things considered, is the better wheel.]

The American Wheel

We have the North Pole (0) and the South Pole (00). We’ll put the (0) at the top and the (00) at the bottom. Now, here is what you are to do. Moving down the right side of the wheel, you will bet every number one-at-a-time until you get to 00. If you are ahead when you get to (00), you will go back to (0) and go down again. You keep doing this until you lose one effort or until you get tired. 

Remember that you must be ahead at the end of the world tour of the numbers so that means a minimum of two hits out of 19 numbers.

Here are the numbers:

_____(0) The North Pole    
_____28
_____9
_____26
_____30
_____11
_____7
_____20
_____32
_____17
_____5
_____22
_____34
_____15
_____3
_____24
_____36
_____13
_____1

__________Total won or lost

_____(00) The South Pole
_____21
_____10
_____25
_____29
_____12
_____8
_____19
_____31
_____18
_____6
_____21
_____33
_____16
_____4
_____23
_____35
_____14
_____2

__________Total won or lost

The European Wheel

Here we are going to split the numbers in half and dangle the zero (the monopole) at the end. You must go through the first 18 numbers and be ahead before going to the second 18 numbers. Once you finish those 18 numbers, you will bet the zero (0).

The First 18 Numbers

_____32
_____15
_____19
_____4
_____21
_____2
_____25
_____17
_____34
_____6
_____27
_____13
_____36
_____11
_____30
_____8
_____23
_____10

________________Total Won or Lost

The Second 18 Numbers plus (0)

_____5
_____24
_____16
_____33
_____1
_____20
_____14
_____31
_____9
_____22
_____18
_____29
_____7
_____28
_____12
_____35
_____3
_____26

_____(0) Monopole

________________Total Won or Lost

When Is It Time to Quit the World Tours?

Okay, a simple question for you: When should you quit playing the World Tour? You have to determine if you wish to continue playing once you get tired (many players do not take fatigue as a sign to take a break, I definitely do believe that fatigue is a bad thing for players), or if you lose “X” amount of money, or if you win “XX” amount of money. Placing a bet on each of the 37 or 38 numbers one-at-a-time will take time so you will get a full roulette playing experience going through the world once or a few times.

Please keep in mind that this playing method might see long streaks of losses. How could it not? You must get a hit in 37 or 38 numbers; the house wins almost all spins against you. So, you are going to take it on the chin on many occasions. But remember, one hit pays 35-to-one so you can come roaring back with just two such hits.

You must develop a slot-player mentality; get used to the losing streaks because better times are ahead. (Is this true? Maybe. Maybe not.) Most slot players seem very patient with long losing streaks in the hope a “big baby” is coming their way.

Playing Aggressive Even-Money Wagers

Those of you who have read my books or articles about roulette know that I favor betting the even-money bets of red/black, or high/low, or odd/even. I prefer to avoid long losing streaks even if those streaks can be broken (if not shattered) by some big hits on straight-up, inside wagers. 

I just don’t have much of a taste for losses.

My play on the even-money bets is simple. I make one bet, often on the red or black, but I will occasionally make one bet on the other propositions of high/low or odd/even instead of on the red/black.

One bet. Period. That’s what my digestion can take. You can say that I am indeed not an “action player.”

But this article is looking at more aggressive measures of betting. The even-money bets just don’t seem all too aggressive for the aggressive type of players. Okay, so let’s stretch out those even money bets, shall we? Maybe we can make them somewhat more aggressive.

Bet all of them at once! Yes, bet all of them at once.

Correct. Bet a red or a black, and a high or a low, and an odd or an even. You have a decent chance to win one of those bets, maybe two and maybe, yes, all three.

You can keep a running list of how you are doing and this list can be used to give you a clue as to what propositions to wager on the next decision.

[Please note: Okay, okay, you caught me. I am saying maybe some kind of trend betting system can be used here. Will this change the house edge against you? No. Will this change the nature of the game? No. So what will it do? The answer is simple: it will engage you. Actually, I think that’s why we play; we want to be engaged.]

There you have it; my aggressive plays at roulette. I think they make a certain amount of sense for players looking for the thrill of a major pursuit.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Life is a roulette game with the house having the ultimate edge. We can see this – and prove this – through personal history and throughout the history of human events over time. Roulette imposes a random distribution of numbers to determine a future (or current) situation of individual players.

Life does that to all of us.

Genetic Roulette

The very first roulette experience each individual has in life is the race to land his or her full existence on earth. We all start off as a single male sperm and a single female egg. We aren’t necessarily guaranteed existence as a whole being

That sperm must outdistance millions of other sperm swimming towards the egg. The first one to arrive there gets the win. The woman’s egg accepts the sperm and pregnancy occurs. If an average male’s ejaculation is 100,000,000 sperm the odds of you getting to exist are 99,999,999 to one.

The winning of that race is as great or greater than the odds of most lotteries existing in the world.

Genetic roulette is a truly real phenomena but it did create you.

[Please note: When a baby is forming it has “choices” among hundreds of thousands of genetic traits. While mommy and daddy are giving equal shares of genes to their baby, those genes have a lineage that goes back to the dawn of humanity – and even before that! That nutty Uncle Louis from the 15th Century could be coming out in baby Louis of the 21st century – and Uncle Louis was not a very nice guy.]

And here is the mind-boggling thing about it – it took all of history; all of the events of the universe before your existence for your existence to come into being.  

Here Comes Uncle Louis

Let me tell you a story from my teaching days: I taught three girls, separated by two years, in my advanced placement English classes. These young ladies were a delight; charming and intelligent. One after another. 

Mommy and Daddy were proud of these young ladies. Then they had a son.

He was trouble from the get-go; angry, particularly ill-disposed to women, a kid who gave all his women teachers from kindergarten through high school sheer unadulterated hell. Indeed, he was hospitalized quite often for threatening his sisters with violence. 

Mommy and Daddy had to reinforce the girls’ bedroom doors so he couldn’t break in. They also put bars on the girls’ windows for fear he would again climb up the side of the house to get into their rooms.

Strangely enough, he did not suffer from any of the popular causes of being a horror such as schizophrenia or other mood-altering mental illnesses. Was he “off”? Yes. And dangerous. Obviously. But where did this come from? No one seemed to know.

Indeed, I didn’t know any of this history until his parents told me on back-to-school night. I got along with him, no problem. He liked me and I liked him. It was a stunner to find out he only had male teachers and was little or no problem for any of them.

My guess is that somewhere in this kid’s self was probably some distant relative now emerging into the modern era. The parents said that no one in their families showed such behavior patterns. The child, even as an infant, was hostile toward his mother and his sisters. Whose genes were it from the past that came out in this kid? 

If this were roulette this lad would be a biased wheel that through the years garnered imperfections that other wheels created by the same company did not have. Those “off-wheels” were dangerous for the casinos because smart players could hurt the casinos by discovering their “off-ness.”

Imperfections exist. In genetics. In roulette.

School Daze: Don’t Get the Numbers Wrong

It’s first grade. Ms. Albertson is teaching an arithmetic lesson. Little Timmy is tapping his foot and turning his head toward the windows. Now, he’s looking out the window. It is hard to guess what he’s thinking, if anything, but his face seems slack. He is obviously distracted; at least internally distracted. He’s away somewhere, far away.

He has a tendency to mentally disappear when Ms. Albertson teaches arithmetic.  That’s just the way it is with Little Timmy. I mean it is only first grade, right? How can this be all that important in the scheme of things?

Little does Little Timmy know that he is now, at this very tender age, making the understanding of arithmetic and ultimately math and any science that uses math an almost impossible task for him.

Through elementary school, high school, and into adult life, Little Timmy, who is now Big Timmy, will hit a solid brick wall when it comes to numbers. Little does he know that his deficiency started all the way back in first grade when he daydreamed instead of listened to his teachers’ arithmetic lessons.

Day after day, week after week, month after month, Little Timmy went away when math was the topic. “I hate math,” he’d tell his friends, many of whom also hated math. “When will I ever need it?” “Yeah, yeah,” agreed his friends. “It’s a waste of our time.”

He chose not to choose numbers to study and over time this decision affected his life in a negative way. Much of life might be random but how you maneuver in that randomness, meaning the decisions that you make at every age and every stage, have consequences on future events in one’s life. There is no escaping that fact. The past in many ways creates the future. 

Except you don’t really know this fact in first grade. Some people never realize this fact at all. The guy sitting at the end of the bar pontificating about this, that and the other thing might have no idea why he is so garrulous.

Ignorance about numbers is not a good situation. Even just knowing about numbers in an elementary way is a good situation.

[Please note: Roulette players who do not understand the meaning of the numbers in the game are not in a good situation. How does the casino get its edge? Why are bets on many inside numbers not the best idea? How can one lower the overall hit on one’s bankroll and still bet more than one number? Big Timmy will probably not understand any of this when he puts his money on the table and faces a mathematical universe of which he understands little. All that started in first grade.]

Can Big Timmy Understand the Following? 

What is the edge the casino gets at roulette by paying out 35-to-1 instead of 37-to-1 on the American wheel?

This is relatively simple math but I think Big Timothy would have problems with this. There are 38 possible decisions at the American double-zero (0, 00) game and thus the odds of a win should be 37 to 1. Because the casino does not pay the true odds of the bet, but instead shortchanges the winning player by two, the house edge is 5.26 percent. You just divide 38 possible decisions into two and you get .0526. That indicates the percent of the house edge against the player.

Why is the edge on the European game lower than the one on the American game?

While the American game has two zeroes, the European game has only one zero (0) and thus there are 37 different decisions at the game. The casino holds back one on a winning bet. The house edge is 2.7 percent. Just divide 37 into one and you get .027. If Big Timothy had problems with the American game there is no reason to think he could handle the European game.

Why does the casino still have an edge on the even-money bets?

The even-money bets of high/low, red/black, and odd/even are called even-money because they pay out 1 to 1. You bet $10 and a winning bet pays $10. But the odds of winning are not 50/50.

The casino does not pay out if the 0 or 00 hits. It keeps two zeroes on the American game and one zero on the European game. Thus, there are 20 ways to lose on the American game and 18 ways to win and there are 19 ways to lose on the European game and 18 ways to win.

The house edge on the games remains 5.26 percent and 2.7 percent respectively. Big Timothy? Don’t know if he can figure this out.

Why aren’t the even-money bets a 50/50 proposition?

The casino can’t win money over time if the game is fair. It must keep some of the payoff money or it couldn’t stay open. Casinos have set up their games to either win more bets than the players or take a percentage of the winning bets from the players. 

In terms of bankroll preservation, is betting on half the numbers straight up or using one of the even-money bets a better situation?

Using the American game, let us say you are a $10 player and you choose to bet half the numbers; that would be a bet of $190. You’d win half the time and lose half the time. But since the win pays only 35 to 1, you’d be out that 5.26 percent on the game. 

On your losing bet, you would lose $190 but on your winning bet you would only win $350. You would, over time, win half your bets and lose half your bets but those winning bets aren’t paid off fairly.

However, if you bet one of the even-money bets, you’d still face the same house edge but you’d only be betting $10. Such a bet would take much longer for you to have the house edge seriously hurt your bankroll than playing half the numbers inside straight up. The difference between $190 and $10 is quite a lot. And Big Timothy? Don’t think he could handle the math of this.

What does a percentage edge at roulette mean in terms of how much money you will lose over time?
 
If the casino has an edge of 5.26 percent or 2.70 percent against you that translates into a loss of $5.26 or $2.70 for every $100 wagered at the game. Big Timothy? Percentages could be out of his reach.

Why does the casino have a scoreboard that usually shows the last 16 or 20 numbers?

Most casino players are trend bettors as they enjoy either betting with a streak or against a streak. A scoreboard gives the players the illusion that these numbers will repeat or not repeat, depending on how the player views them. The scoreboard adds to the excitement of the game for such players.

Why are the numbers on the wheel in a different order than the numbers on the betting layout?

The concern that casinos have for the game is the fact that some players might hit upon sequences of numbers that are together on the wheel and bet them time and again. Such a wheel could be “off,” meaning biased.

Since the layout is in numerical order groups of numbers on the layout are not the same as groups of numbers on the wheel. I think Big Timothy would understand this approach.

What does random mean in roulette?

A random roulette game favors the casino because the casino keeps part of the player’s win. The one thing the casino doesn’t want is for the wheels to be “off.”  So, the roulette wheel has bumpers that the ball can bounce off as it spins and that ball will bounce helter-skelter in the pockets as well. In a random roulette game, there can be no predictive value in where the ball will ultimately land.

Trick question: Can you answer the above questions correctly?

My guess is that most roulette players who read about casino gambling can answer the questions above. A little study goes a long way!

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Introduction

“Bounce back” is a term that means something of value that a casino will give to its valued players, such as money or free play or free meals or other rewards. Players must return or “bounce back” to the casino to use them.

The value of the bounce-back benefit is spelled out in a mailer that a casino sends loyal players. Bounce back is important to video poker players because depending on its amount, it could boost a player’s overall return to close to, or slightly over, 100%.

Therefore, it’s important that video poker players understand what they can control, and how to do it, to increase their bounce-back benefit. 

Table of Contents

2 – Most Common Bounce-Back Benefit

3 – How to Use Your Bounce-Back Free Play

In my case, I download the free play to the video poker machine and then start playing. In some casinos, you must also insert at least the minimum amount of cash to play one hand before being able to use the free play.

I play at a dollar denomination with a maximum of five coins ($5) played per hand. Most casinos have a counter on the keypad of the machine that will track the number of free-play credits that you wager on each hand.

For example, if my counter starts with $300 worth of free play and I play one hand ($5 wagered), after the hand is over, the counter will read 295 credits remaining. When a hand wins, the number of credits won will be credited to the credit meter.

4 – Theoretical Return of Bounce-Back Free Play

If you have, say, $500 in free play that you play once through a video poker machine, you won't necessarily end up with exactly $500 in cash. Theoretically, your expected return would be $500 times whatever the theoretical return of the video poker game you happen to be playing.

For example, if you are playing 8/5 Bonus Poker, which has a theoretical return of 99.17% with expert play, your expected return is $500 x 99.17% or $496. However, most of the time, you will end up with either less, or more, than $496 after playing the free credits through exactly 100 hands.

Luck plays a big part in playing 100 hands, which results in a swing (up or down) from the expected $496. Nevertheless, in the long run, you will come close to averaging a return of $496 per $500 of free play played once through.

(Note: If you are playing a video poker machine that has a poor pay schedule with an expected return of, say, less than 99%, you’ll get less than an average of $496 in cash for your $500 in free play credits.)

 

 

5 – What Determines the Amount of Your Bounce-Back Free Play?

In the “good ol’ days,” the amount of bounce-back free play would be directly related to your coin-in (i.e., the amount of money you wagered). I remember when the South Point Casino (Las Vegas) gave “x” amount of free play based on “y” amount of coin-in from previous months.

The greater the amount of coin-in, the greater would be your bounce-back free play for the following month. It was simple and easy because the only factor that determined the amount of your bounce-back free play was your coin-in.

But alas, nowadays the bounce-back programs are run by the casino’s marketing department, and their computer program that determines how much bounce back you will receive includes several factors besides coin-in. Some examples are what game you play, whether you won or lost, if you are a local player, how long you play, whether you hit a royal, and possibly more factors.

What’s most frustrating for video poker players is the marketing departments nowadays keep this information on how much bounce back you could receive a deep secret. To give you an example of what I mean, I’ve asked the staff at Players Clubs in numerous casinos the simple question, “What demines my bounce back?” I’ve received answers along these lines:

• “It’s based on how much you play.”
• “It’s a very complicated equation.”
• “We don’t know.”
• “Ask someone in marketing.”
• “They won’t tell us.”

6 – Average Daily Theoretical

There is one factor that is proportional to the amount of a player’s bounce back, and it is known as a player’s Average Daily Theoretical or ADT. You can calculate your ADT to some extent so I consider it an important factor to boost your monthly bounce back.

Most casinos will assign a “theo” for every machine (some have the capability of doing it for it every game). “Theo” is an abbreviation for theoretical and it represents the percentage of coin-in the casino expects to win from players playing the machine. When you multiply your coin-in by the theo, you will obtain your ADT.

(Note: How a casino assigns a theo for each machine is a complicated topic and worthy of an entire article. For now, just remember that your ADT is proportional to your bounce back, meaning the higher the ADT, the more you’ll get in bounce back.)

Once the casino assigns an ADT for every one of your play sessions, they will average your ADT’s over a specific number of months or days to arrive at an overall ADT. It’s the latter number that ultimately determines the amount of your bounce back. Here’s an example of how this works. 

Suppose you make six trips to your local casino every month. The casino happens to use a rolling three-month average of your ADT’s to determine the amount of your bounce back for the following month’s mailer (along with the possibility of some of the other factors mentioned above).

On every trip, the casino will compute an ADT (based on coin-in times the theo). Their computer system will sum the ADT’s for the 18 trips you made to the casino over three months and then divide the total by 18 to arrive at your three-month ADT. The latter is factored into the amount of bounce back that you will receive (although you don’t know how large a role in the final number it plays).

What follows are some tips that will help you boost your ADT and the amount of your bounce back. (I’m assuming a three-month ADT, although some casinos use a six-month ADT.)

1. You mustn't mistakenly trip yourself into a lower ADT. For example, suppose you go to your local casino, eat dinner in one of their restaurants, and then pay for dinner using points in your player’s club account. You then leave the casino without playing any video poker. The casino’s computer will assign you a session with zero coin-in, which results in a 0 ADT. The latter will lower your overall three-month ADT, resulting in a lower bounce back.
   
   Tip: If you use your points to pay for anything in a casino, make sure you also play some video poker to avoid tripping yourself into a 0 ADT and lower bounce back.
    
2. If you visit your local casino and download your bounce back and play it once through a machine then cash out and leave, you’ve also tripped yourself into a 0 ADT (and lower bounce back).
   
   Tip: Always play some video poker whenever you download your bounce back.
    
3. A video poker machine that also has slot and keno games on it usually has a higher theo assigned to it than a video poker machine that has only video poker games. That’s because the casino expects to win more from slot and keno games; therefore, they assign a higher theo to the machine.
   
   Tip: For a specific game (say 9/6 Jacks or Better), you’ll likely get more bounce back for a given coin-in when you play the game on a machine that also has slots and keno games vs. one that has only video poker games.
    
4. Suppose you and your spouse are planning to stay at your favorite casino over a weekend. You both are planning to play four hours of video poker each day. Instead of both of you playing on your Players Cards each day, you should play on only one Players Card the first day, and the other card the second day
   
   Tip: By doing this, you will boost both of your ADTs.
    
5. If you visit a local casino several times a week, playing, say, two hours each day, you'll boost your ADT if instead you visit the casino once per week and play a total of six hours. 
   
   TIP: Your goal is to boost your ADT, which will boost your bounce back, and you can do that by playing your coin-in in one day versus spreading out the same coin-in over several days. 
    
6. Keep a log of your session coin-in. You can always find out your coin-in from the number of points you earned playing since it requires a specific amount of coin-in to earn a point. If this is confusing, just ask at the Players Club, when you are done playing, what your coin-in was for the day. Compare the log of your average coin in over several months with the amount of bounce back you are receiving. This will give you some idea of how much action you need to give the casino for a specific amount of bounce back.

7 – What Casinos Dislike

8 – Summary

• Bounce back can be something of value (usually free play) that casinos give to their loyal players.
• Players receive the bounce back in casino mailers and they must “bounce back,” or return, to the casino to claim the reward.
• The amount of the bounce back could boost a video poker player’s overall return to close to, or even greater than, 100%.
• There are several “secret” factors that casinos employ to determine how much bounce back a player will receive. 
• One of these factors is a player’s ADT (or Average Daily Theo).
• Players can maximize their ADTs by following the above strategies. 
• The greater a player’s ADT, the more likely the player’s bounce-back reward will increase.

The first time I saw somebody playing baccarat with purpose, I was at the Palms in Las Vegas, working on a story about whales – that is, mega high-rollers, not the sea creatures. One guy I trailed was a corporate executive from Boston. He loved his baccarat, bet high and tracked all the dealt cards on scratch paper provided by the casino.

I asked him what the notations were about. At first I thought he was card-counting, which, I later found out, is worthless in this game, unless you are doing a very specific kind of counting. He was not and I’ll save details on “specific card-counting” for another time.

His response: “Baccarat’s a streaky game. I’m keeping track of the streaks that are happening.”
I’m not betting on that being a legitimate advantage play (it isn’t). But it is clear that some gamblers have enjoyed financially rewarding streaks at the game. Here are a few of our favorite baccarat runs.

The Trump Buster

A lot of people play baccarat for fun. But not many people can afford to consider multi-million-dollar swings to be fun. Back in the 1990s, Akio “The Warrior” Kashiwagi, a real estate tycoon from Japan, ranked as the Moby Dick of baccarat whales and swore that the game was his idea of pure entertainment. 

The risk-loving mogul was swinging around the world when he happened to land in Atlantic City and took on Donald Trump’s three casinos: Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza, Trump Marina. He was followed by a towel-toting bodyguard who wiped down the Warrior as he perspired through turns of cards and bet $185,000 per hand (apparently, it was always $185,000).

Though his greatest win was $15 million at the Diamond Beach Casino in Darwin, Australia, his most satisfying victory was probably in AC. He took down a relatively modest $8 million there, but he had the satisfaction of it all being witnessed by a pre-presidential Trump who provided Kashiwagi with $14,000 per night suites and whatever else he desired.

Wearing a wrinkled suit and slippers, the global gambler miffed Trump who watched his coffers being fleeced and could only say with annoyance, “I don’t know where the hell he comes from.” 

What we do know: He returned to Trump’s Taj Mahal for a $12 million freeze-out with the casino boss, but Trump called it after winning just $10 million. Kashiwagi yelled and screamed and pegged Trump as untrue to his promises.

Arguably, the Warrior got the last laugh. Soon after experiencing Trump’s dirty dealing, he was found murdered, killed by Samurai sword and still owing Trump $4 million. The crime was never solved and Trump, by all indications, never received his four large.

 

 

Raging Aussie

When Australian media mogul Kerry Packer wanted to play baccarat, he really wanted to play – and not much was going to stop him. In one instance, he made his way to a Las Vegas casino with pockets flush and plenty of time on his hands. But there was a problem: the case that held the game’s chips and accoutrements was locked.

Packer expressed his fervent desire to be in action and a resourceful casino boss took him seriously. The boss picked up a crystal ashtray and used it to smash open the baccarat setup. In no time at all, Packer was betting banker or player and having a great time. Clearly, he appreciated the effort. Once he got ahead by a couple million dollars, Packer made a $100,000 bet on behalf of the crew.

Of course, even a rich guy like Packer would not scoff at winning a couple million dollars, but that does not represent his biggest run at the tables. That began during a trip to Las Vegas in the mid-1990s. He wound up at MGM Grand and fired away at both blackjack and baccarat.

The Aussie kingpin wagered six-figures per hand at bacc. He is said to have won as much as $40 million over the course of that run, which reportedly stretched across several visits to the casino.

As illustrated above, he always tipped handsomely and surely that streak was especially remunerative for his dealers. As a former casino executive told me about Packer-infused payouts for casino employees who typically chop gratuities, “When Packer was in town you could count on splitting $1 million 20 ways.”

Apparently, though, his generosity did not reach higher-ups in the MGM organization. Legendary casino host Steve Cyr, in the book “Whale Hunt in the Desert”, tells of the big win’s aftermath, when an outgoing executive was dispatched to Packer’s polo ranch in the British countryside.

The exec jetted to London, Packer sent a helicopter to pick him up and he flew to the ranch. The executive arrived with bad news: After that massive win, the Australian billionaire was banned from MGM properties.

Packer flipped out and the exec’s departure was hasty. Told that he was barred for life, a disbelieving Packer responded, “I’m gonna make you walk back to London.” Luckily for Packer, there are plenty of casinos in the world and most of them welcomed him and his massive desire to gamble high at baccarat.

The Baccarat Machine

Cheung Yin “Kelly” Sun began her gambling life as a sucker and eventually sucked millions out of the casinos that tried to crush her. 

Born in China, the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Kelly got bit by the gambling bug early and she lost millions to casinos around the world. They treated her great, with comped flights, luxurious suites and all the champagne that she and her friends could drink. But, after a mix-up over an unpaid $100,000 marker, she got thrown into a downtown Las Vegas jail and, upon her release, sought revenge.

Kelly deployed a tricky but legal advantage playing technique called “edge sorting” to recognize whether banker or player was the side to bet on. It quickly earned her millions of dollars but also brought heat from casino employees who were unnerved by the former fish’s winning ways.

So she partnered with poker legend Phil Ivey. He served as the big player (Ivey’s reputation was such that casinos gave him a wide berth) and Kelly functioned as the operation’s brain. She looked at the cards, found advantages and told Ivey which side to bet.

Traveling the globe, flying private and living high, they ransacked more than $30 million from casino repositories in less than a year. It was a great run and a wild adventure with Kelly playing so often and so intensely that she earned a nickname from her team: Baccarat Machine.

Sadly, things ended when bosses at Crockfords in London got wise to the ways of Kelly Sun and Phil Ivey. The casino suspected the advantage play and welched on a win of more than $10 million. A court case ensued and the world found out about the ingeniousness of Kelly Sun. Needless to say, she became considerably less welcome in casinos.

But maybe Kelly is getting the last laugh. A movie about her life is in development, based on an article that I wrote about Kelly.  It has a perfect working title: “The Baccarat Machine.”