Several years ago, I gave a blackjack seminar in front of an audience of about 100. At the start of my seminar, I posed this question to them. “How does the casino get its edge in blackjack?” 

• Download Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart

A few folks attributed the casino edge to “the poor play of most blackjack players” but that's not what gives them their initial edge. Simply put, the house gets its edge in blackjack due to the “double bust” rule. After I stated this, I could see glary eyes and raised eyebrows from attendees. “Say what?” yelled one attendee.

First, it rather floored me that not one person knew how the casino creates its edge. Nevertheless, I forged on and explained the double bust rule to the attendees as follows.

If a player's hand exceeds 21, he automatically losses even if the dealer's hand exceeds 21 in the same round. This is known as the “double bust rule,” and it is what creates the casino’s initial advantage over blackjack players.

To explain the double bust a different way, I asked the audience what happens if you get 17 and the blackjack dealer gets 17? About everyone yelled, “it's a push.” Then I asked them what happens if a player gets 22 and the dealer gets 22? Is it still a push? The answer of course is no, you lose. I could see a smile on faces of the attendees, as they finally really understood how the double bust works against players.

You might be wondering how much the double bust is roughly worth for the casino. This is easy to determine. The dealer busts on average about 28% of the time. Consider a player who plays his hand exactly like the dealer (always hit 16 or less and stand on 17 or more).  He will also bust 28% of the time; therefore, a double bust in the same round will occur roughly 8% of the time (28% x 28%). Voilà, the casino’s initial advantage over players would be 8% assuming all else were equal. However, all else is not equal and for good reason. 

Historically, when blackjack was first introduced into the casinos in the 1930s and 1940s, casino owners mistakenly believed the game could not be beaten. They understood the basis of their advantage (double bust) but realized their edge was too strong, and reasoned that if players consistently lost, they would stop playing. Therefore, they decided to give players a casino bonus payout for an untied blackjack hand. They also implemented additional player benefits in the way of playing options available only to players (not the dealer), which could reduce the house edge to a level that players would tolerate. The result was a game of uneven rules between player and dealer.

The following table summarizes the differences in the rules between the player and the dealer, and who has the advantage (from Blackjack Bluebook II by Fred Renzey).

If you peruse the table, you'll see that except for acting first, all the other rules favor the player over the dealer. This means a smart player who knows how to take advantage of these rules can significantly reduce that initial 8% disadvantage to less than one percent. Here's how this is done.

The first player perk — paying all player blackjacks at 3 to 2 while the dealer wins only even money with a blackjack — is a gimme and is worth 2.25% in a 6-deck game. Learning when to draw and when not to (as opposed to the dealer who has no playing options) gives the player roughly a 3.25% gain. Likewise, by maximizing your options to double down and split pairs you’ll gain about an additional 1.50% and 0.5% respectively. Surrender, if allowed, gives the player an additional 0.07% gain (assumes surrender after dealer checks for blackjack). Therefore, if you add up all the player gains and subtract them from the initial 8% player disadvantage, you'll arrive at a player disadvantage (or house advantage) of about half a percent without surrender, and approximately four tenths of a percent with surrender. (The previous percentages differ slightly based on the number of decks of cards and mix of playing rules.)  That, my dear readers, is about the lowest house edge you'll find in any game on the casino floor.

The key to whittling down the initial disadvantage is to take maximum advantage of the playing options. You can do this by learning the basic blackjack strategy, which is a set of decision rules that a player should always follow to know when to hit, stand, double down, pair split, and surrender. The basic playing strategy is not based on opinion, common sense, hunches, or intuition; rather it's the computer derived, mathematically correct way to play your hand when the only information available is the cards that comprise your hand and the dealer’s upcard (it does not depend on other player’s cards or previously played cards).  There is only one right play in blackjack and it’s the basic strategy play. Period.

Note: If you want to learn the basic playing strategy for any set of blackjack rules, see Chapter 3 in my Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.
 

I once conceived a method of playing roulette and baccarat in such a way that I thought it would be an enjoyable process for players. First, it would save the player money, always a good thing, because it required some scouting without any play involved, but it would also be interesting and perhaps an exciting betting opportunity.

Most betting systems at casino games are for fun because they cannot get you an edge over the house. But such systems do structure a player’s play over time and are ways to tame the Rodan of randomness. Most people like the sense of order that a system can produce even if the system cannot change the true nature of a casino game.

[Please note: Rodan is a giant monster who appeared in Japanese science fiction movies.It was a really nasty bird.]

Little did I know that this “luck” technique would become the main playing method of a group of players who call themselves the roulette rebels, which is a pretty interesting name.They also use this method, though less often, at mini-baccarat.

I fortuitously bumped into one such rebel on a trip to Atlantic City and he told me about his fellow rebels and also those rebels who were using the same method in Las Vegas. His group of players consisted of three men and two women, the wives of two of the men. 

I had no idea such a group existed. Perhaps they have been writing about how they play on the Internet but I had never read anything from them or about them. It was sheer coincidence that I bumped into one at the tables. I recognized his method of play relatively quickly. That wasn’t hard to do.

I wish I had named it after me (okay, that’s my ego speaking) but what the heck; it is a good way to play, whatever name you call it. I originally called it the Lucky Player technique and that was exactly what it is. You look for a lucky player, make sure that player is winning at roulette and then bet with this player for as long as your series of bets continue to come out winners overall. 

[Please note: You don’t have to win every decision – that is a rare occurrence indeed – but you do want a series of wagers to be successful. Can you lose a sequence? Absolutely. This is not an advantage-play technique but it is a fun exercise in challenging chance.]

SAY HELLO TO MR. WILLIAM DEWITT

William DeWitt was the leader of the group and he was the man I met first. When I saw how he played, I asked him if he was betting with the woman at the end of the table who seemed to be consistently nailing one of her three numbers (I think they were 5, 8, and 30). He affirmed that.

“You know the method?” he asked me. 

“Yes, yes, it seems to be a fun way to play,” I said.

“I recognize you,” he said. “I’ve seen you on television. I didn’t know you actually played in the casinos. Many of the casino writers don’t really play.”

“I play all the time,” I said.

“Well, I read about this method so I told a few friends and we decided to form a team. We would go around the tables scouting out winners and then we would bet on them. It was really simple to do and fun all the way.”

“How much do you bet at roulette?” I asked.

“Inside numbers we bet 10 dollars per number but no more than five numbers, so that comes to no more than $50 per spin. Outside propositions we bet $25 maximum,” he said.

“What if the player is betting more than five numbers?” I asked.

“We either just do five of them or, if we can, we reduce the bet to five dollars per number so we can cover more than five numbers.”

“What about someone playing two propositions? Do you go to $50 on them?”

“Yes, but no more than two bets unless, again, we can reduce our bet to lower than $25 per proposition,” he said. “You don’t really see too many players betting more than two propositions at once who are actually ahead of the house.”

We talked some more and then I inquired whether I could meet the other four members of his team. We made a date to meet for breakfast the following morning at the café. 

This was a Saturday evening and the casino was packed. I usually don’t play on heavy nights. I prefer early weekday mornings and late afternoons when the bus people head home. I am not a lover of the weekend crowds since the tables are usually packed.

Early Sunday morning we met at the café and he introduced the members of the Roulette Rebels: Marilyn DeWitt, William’s wife, an elementary school teacher in New Jersey. By the way, William is a real estate agent, also in New Jersey. David Meyer, a retired salesman, and his wife Brenda Meyer, also a former high school teacher in New Jersey The other member is Kevin McCarthy, recently retired from the airline industry and, as he says, “Ready to fly at the tables!”.

My first question was how long had they been playing in the casinos and then how long have they actually been playing this “Rebel” way.

“I think basically all of us have been regular casino goers for decades,” said Kevin McCarthy. “I’ve played a lot in Vegas but now I tend to stick to Atlantic City which is closer to home.”

“We have been friends for years and one day, maybe three years ago, William came up with the idea of playing this rebel strategy,” said Marilyn DeWitt. “I have been a roulette player all of my gambling life so it was an interesting idea to try.”

“I mean,” said Brenda Meyer, “What the heck? It was as good as any other way to play and so we pooled our money to have a joint bank account and worked out the plan of how to play the game with five people.”

Each one of them expressed a positive attitude towards being a Roulette Rebel. Brenda said, “We had thought of having t-shirts made but then we thought maybe we shouldn’t draw too much attention to ourselves.”

I asked them how they played. Did they all play at one table or did they spread out? How exactly did they figure out on whom to bet?

William DeWitt answered: “We tend to have one or at rare times two players at the same table. But we usually have three of us going from table to table to see if anyone has gotten hot. So we could have all of us playing at different tables. That doesn’t happen a whole lot but having multiple tables happens a lot.”

“We want to make sure,” said Brenda, “that the person has been winning and is ahead at that moment. Just a few wins here and there is not a great thing if the person is losing for their session. Anyone can win a couple of decisions. We want a player who is winning for the session, preferably a decent sized win.”

“Overall winning is the key variable,” said Marilyn. 

“It isn’t really hard to figure out who is ahead for their session,” said Kevin. “You can just ask them like ‘How are you doing?’ ‘Has the dealer been kind to you?’ ‘Would you recommend playing at this table? ’You know, that kind of thing. Players will usually tell you straight out if they have been winning. That’s bragging after all, right?”

“We can also just stand there and watch the game if the casino isn’t too crowded,” said Marilyn. “Crowded tables make it hard for you to get onto them so you want a space or two to be open.”

“Seemingly contradictory to that, the weekends are the best times because the most roulette games are in play,” stated William. “So you want a casino that is somewhat crowded but you also want to be able to get onto the tables where a hot player is playing. It’s a balancing act. There has to be some room but you also want a casino with a lot of players so all the tables are open and available.”

“It’s a bit of a balancing act as Bill said,” stated Kevin. “But it isn’t overwhelming or anything. There aren’t many times we are shut out of a table. Sometimes you can even stand and make bets.”

I asked them if they colored in their chips for roulette chips when they played.

“No,” said David. “We usually use the green chips for outside bets and red chips for inside bets. Sometimes the dealers want us to color the regular chips and that’s no big deal if they want that.”

I then asked about mini-baccarat. It is not their favored game but they do play it occasionally. 

[Please note, if you have never played baccarat or mini-baccarat, there is one thing you should know – many of the players are highly superstitious. If you check out the layout you might find that the place setting for the number four leaves the number four out and skips to the number five. That is because the number four in Chinese is considered unlucky and sounds like the word for death. Superstitious players don’t want to sit in the seat that sounds like death so the casino drops the number four. Also players will sometimes get it into their heads that you are causing them to lose. It is an interesting experience.]

I asked them if they ever had any trouble with superstitious players at mini-baccarat. I related one of my experiences with an intense – okay, a somewhat nutty – player who was cursing me out for playing at her table. This was a game of regular big table baccarat. I’m glad I couldn’t understand what she was saying but she was saying it fiercely.

“On rare occasions,” said David. “Some baccarat players are very antsy I guess you could say. If they are winning and you sit down and match their bets they can get uptight if they should lose a couple of decisions in a row and they then think you might be stealing their good luck. I’m not kidding. If they lose, they aren’t happy and they can blame you. That does happen at times.”

“We tread carefully around these folks,” said Brenda. “We aren’t there to cause a ruckus with other players. We just want to play and have some fun.”

“We tend not to ask certain players how they are doing,” said Kevin. “If we think they will get upset we just watch the game from some feet away to see if any one of them is winning overall. Brenda is right that we tread carefully with some players. This covers all ethnic groups. Some people are just really superstitious.”

I then asked them about their Las Vegas cohorts.

“There are eight players in Las Vegas, two teams of four each,” said Kevin. “When I was travelling with my airline job, I told some friends in Las Vegas about the Roulette Rebels and how we play. A couple of them thought it was interesting and each formed his own team. They even play more than we do as the casinos are right in their backyards. One guy can just roll out of bed and into the casino!”

None of them knew if there were other teams or individual players using this system of play. Interestingly enough, you don’t really see very much team play in casino games of any kind; after all, there is no way to get an edge at most games.

Keep this in mind: while the Roulette Rebels are having fun, they aren’t changing the nature of the game in any way.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Download Blackjack Strategy Chart for Double Deck Game
• Double-Deck Rules & Playing Strategy
• Double-Deck Card Counting
• Summary

One of the questions I often get from blackjack players is this:  My favorite live casino just installed a double-deck blackjack game. What changes do I need to make to my playing and betting strategy compared to a six- or eight-deck game?

I’ve had a lot of experience playing all of the above games, but my favorites were the single- and double-deck games. Toward the end of my playing career, I stopped playing single-deck games when the casinos began shorting the payoff on blackjack hands (from 3-2 to 6-5). My main focus, thereafter, was double-deck games, and I’ll explain below what changes you need to make when switching from a six- or eight-deck game to a double-deck game (both for a basic blackjack strategy player and card counter).

DOUBLE-DECK RULES & PLAYING STRATEGY

I’ll assume that the six- or eight-deck game allows doubling after pair splitting (DAS) and surrender is not offered. I’ll cover the strategy changes for two scenarios: when the dealer must stand on soft 17 (S17) or hit soft 17 (H17).

If Playing Rules are S17 and DAS 
The playing strategy changes that you should make when switching from a six- or eight-deck game to a double-deck game with the above rules are as follows.

•    Double down hard 9 against a dealer deuce
•    Double down hard 11 against a dealer ace.
•    Split 6-6 against a dealer 7.
•    Split 7-7 against a dealer 8.

If Double Deck Playing Rules are H17 and DAS
If the double-deck rules specify that the dealer must hit soft 17 (H17) rather than stand (S17), then you should include these three additional changes to the above S17 strategy.

•    Double down A-3 (soft 14) against a dealer 4.
•    Double down A-7 (soft 18) against a dealer deuce
•    Double down A-8  (soft 19) against a dealer 6

You’ll be facing the lowest house edge by incorporating the above in your playing decisions and playing all your other hands accurately. (House edge is –0.18% for S17/DAS and –0.38% for H17/DAS.)

Tip: Before you jump in and start playing any double-deck game, make sure you check the blackjack rules and the payoff for a blackjack. For example, some casinos are paying only 6-5 for a blackjack (instead of 3-2). Others don’t allow doubling down after pair splitting. (These are horrible games that should be avoided.) Play only double-deck games where a blackjack is paid at 3-2, you can double down after pair splitting (DAS), and ideally, with S17. (If the playing rules specify H17, that’s acceptable, even though it is not as favorable as an S17 game.)

Note: For the complete basic playing strategy charts for a double-deck game with S17 and H17, see Chapter 3 of my free Ultimate Guide to Blackjack.  

Card counting in a double-deck game requires several changes to your betting strategy. The reason is there are two primary differences in counting a double-deck vs. a six-deck game:

•    the true count tends to rise and fall more frequently, and
•    you’ll be playing more hands where you have the edge.

Card counters have to be patient when they play, say, a six-deck game because it often takes several rounds after the shuffle before the count goes sufficiently positive, meaning the edge swings in their favor (and the counter will increase his bets). Sometimes the count will never get positive during the entire six-deck shoe. However, on the bright side, once the count goes positive it tends to stay positive for several rounds allowing the counter to fire away with big bets.

When you play a double-deck game, the true count is more volatile. It can quickly go positive after a round or two but just as quickly fall into negative territory. You’ll also be playing more hands where you have the edge so you don’t need as big a bet spread as you would for a six-deck game. (This is why card counters need a bigger bet spread in a  six- or eight-deck game; they need to bet a lot more when they have the edge to compensate for the more frequent hands they play where they don’t have the edge.) For example, you’ll need a 1‒10 or 1‒12 bet spread to get a respectable edge in a six-deck game; however, for a double-deck game, a 1‒6 or 1‒8 spread often will suffice.

Penetration, or the percentage of cards dealt until the shuffle, is very important in double-deck games. Many casinos instruct their live dealers to place the cut card at 50%, meaning that, after one deck is played, the decks are shuffled. A double-deck game with 50% penetration is less profitable for a card counter then a similar game with 60% to 75% penetration (1.2 to 1.5 decks played).  Therefore, if you are a card counter, you need to be sure the penetration is greater than 50%. 

Here’s another tip I used that can come in handy when you are counting a double-deck game. Because there are only 104 cards in a double-deck game, just a few extra cards that are put into play before the cards are shuffled can significantly increase your advantage. Therefore, if the count is positive and you know that the next round will be the last one before the shuffle, spread and play two (or three) spots. You’ll be playing more hands where you have the edge in the game while consuming more of the undealt cards, which results in deeper penetration (advantageous for the play of the additional hand or hands). (However, don’t use this ploy at the end of every positive deal, because it will attract too much attention from pit supervisors.) 

I played mostly double-deck games with good rules and deep penetration during my playing career. They were profitable for me but you must be discreet with your card counting and betting. (For details on camouflaging your card counting skills, see Chapter 10 in my Ultimate Guide to Blackjack.)

Roulette is a game of numbers with three colors thrown in; red, black and green (sometimes the color blue substitutes for green). Players can bet on one number and on as many as 37 numbers in the European game and 38 numbers in the American game. They can also bet on the propositions of red or black, high or low, odd or even.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• ROULETTE HOUSE EDGE
• OUTSIDE PROPOSITION BETS
  • COLUMN BET
  • DOZENS BET
  • ODD OR EVEN BET
  • RED OR BLACK BET
  • HIGH OR LOW BET
• EXCEPTIONS
• SURRENDER
• PRISON
• SUMMARY

The European game of roulette, called the single zero (0) game, has the numbers 1-36 with every other number colored as red or black and with one single number, the 0, colored green or blue. The American game of roulette, which is the most popular roulette game in the world, has the numbers 1-36 in either red or black, and a zero (0) and double-zero (00) in green or blue.   

[Please note: Strangely enough, the American double-zero game (0, 00), which is the most popular in the world, is not as good a game as the European single-zero game (0). The American game is almost twice as tough to beat.]

While the game of roulette is somewhat leisurely in the average number of decisions played each hour, the house edges are somewhat challenging.  The American game has a house edge of 5.26 percent, while the European game has an edge of 2.7 percent. Translated into money, the American game costs the player an average of $5.26 per $100 wagered, while the European game comes in with an average loss of $2.70 per $100 wagered. Given a choice, the roulette player should play the European game.

Saying something has an average loss of “x” amount for $100 wagered does not mean that for every $100 wagered the player is out “x” amount. It means that over time the losses will average as “x” amount for every $100 wagered. Players can win; they can lose, and they can break even on any given session.

[Please note: In 1958, the “Jones Boys” won $32,000 at roulette in Las Vegas. Many players have won more than that because a large win can also mean the player might be betting a large amount.]

First let me give you how the edges at the game are determined and then I’ll take most of the bets and we’ll see how these fit right in with the overall house advantage. 

Interestingly enough, there is one option at the game that can give players only half the house edge at roulette at some casinos at some bets. I’ll get to these later in this article.

The American double-zero wheels have a 38 number game for the players. On average each number should appear once every 38 spins. In a fair game, meaning a game where the casino has no edge whatsoever, a win for the player should return $37 for every $1 wagered. The player will, however, lose $37 and thus the game is an even contest. 

An even contest cannot be a long-term win for the casino, so the payback for the game is altered to give the casino a 5.26 percent edge. How is the payback altered? For every one-dollar wagered, the casino will only award a win of $35 on a number instead of $37. That $2 difference gives the casino its edge. Just divide 38 numbers into 2 and you get 5.26 percent.

[Please note: The Pierre Basieux Team won $153,000 in Bad Wiessee. Germany in 1981]

Some players consider that 5.26 percent edge as a tax the casino charges the player to play. Calling it a tax is fine with me. Whatever a player wishes to call it simply means the casino actually takes away money from a player’s payout in order to pay its bills. I guess even casinos have bills.

The European wheel operates the exact same way with one major difference. It has only 37 numbers. So instead of paying the player $36 for a winning bet of $1 in a fair game; it pays $35 and keeps $1, making the edge 2.7 percent. Just divide 37 into 1 and it equals 2.7 percent; an average loss of $2.70 per $100 wagered. Those darn taxes!

When a player bets directly on an individual number or directly on more than one number, such a bet is called an inside bet or a straight bet or a straight up bet. The more money bet this way means all that money is subject to the house edge. It doesn’t matter if you are betting $50 on one number or $50 spread out on five numbers, the house edge relentlessly grinds away at that $50.

[Please note: In 1873, Joseph Jaggers won $325,000 in Monte Carlo. Imagine what the inflation rate of that amount would be!]

You can also bet inside by putting a single chip on a line that incorporates two or more numbers. In this way you do not have to bet more money to cover more numbers. The house edge remains the same for these bets. Here are some inside bets of this type:

The Split Bet: If you want to bet two numbers just put your chip(s) on the line between those numbers. A win pays 17 to 1. 

The Street Bet (also called the side bet, the trio, or the 3-number bet): Yes, this bet has a lot of names but they all mean the same thing; you are betting three numbers. You put the bet on the outside line that contains the three numbers on which you wish to wager. A win pays 11 to 1.

The Corner Bet (also called the square or the 4-number bet): Bet is placed on the square where all four numbers meet. A win pays 8 to 1.

The Beast Bet (also called every dirty name in the book!): Here you are betting that the first five numbers will hit. This bet (hold your breath!) has a 7.89 percent house edge and can only be found at the American game. A win pays 6 to 1 and perhaps proves you’ve lost your mind. Do not bet this monster.

The Line Bet (or the sixline bet or 6-number bet): You’d think this bet would be called the half-dozen bet. The roulette payout is 5 to 1.

[Please note: In 1951, the Helmut Berlin team won $420,000 in Mar del Plato in Argentina.]

These bets can be found along the outside of the main layout. You are betting on a proposition that contains many numbers. The house edge remains 5.26 percent for the American game and 2.70 percent for the European game. There is one (beautiful) exception which I will get to in the end. This exception gives the players a big, big break at the game of roulette.

You are wagering that one of the columns of numbers on the layout will have the winning number. You place your bet at the bottom of the column that you think will win. A winning bet is paid 2 to 1. Each roulette column has 12 numbers. The 0 or 00 are not a part of either column so if either one of these two show the wager is lost. 

The bet is whether one of a roulette dozen numbers on the layout will hit. These are not a dozen consecutive numbers on the wheel; they are strictly layout numbers. You place this bet on First Dozen, Second Dozen or Third Dozen. You can bet two of the dozens. The payout is 2 to 1. Again the 0 or 00 will cause your bet to lose.

[Please note: The roulette wheel and the roulette layout are two totally different things. The numbers on the wheel are not in order, in fact most of the numbers are directly across from each other, as in 2 is across from 1, but the layout has the numbers in numerical order. Strange as this seems, some roulette players are not aware that the wheel and the layout handle the numbers differently.]

This is another even-money bet that you can pick the color of the number that will hit. There are 18 black numbers and 18 red numbers. Again, if the 0 or 00 hits, the bet is lost and this factor maintains the house edge.

On all the even-money bets the player has 18 ways to win and 20 ways to lose in the American game and 18 ways to win and 19 ways to lose in the European game.

[Please note: In 1971 Richard Jarecki won 1,280,000 in Monte Carlo and San Remo.]

We saw that the beast bet of five numbers at the American game (0, 00, 1, 2, and 3) came in with a ridiculously large 7.89 percent house edge – an average $7.89 loss per $100 wagered. Otherwise all the house edges on all the bets at the American game and the European game remain the same. But there is a good “however” to this fact. Some casinos offer you a better game on the even-money bets, a far better game than normal. In fact, a game that allows the percent of the house edge to be reduced in half.

There are some casinos offering the American 0 and 00 game that will take only half of your losing even-money bets should the 0 or 00 be the decision. That means a $10 bettor will only lose $5 on the even-money bet.

Is this a good thing? It sure is. The house edge is reduced from 5.26 percent down to 2.63 percent! 

You might have to ask the dealer if this bonus is available at their casino. Most of the time you will not see a sign indicating the casino offers surrender. So ask! Playing roulette on the even-money bets with surrender is the only way to go at the game when this option is available.

The European single 0 game has its own version of surrender titled en prison which also cuts the house edge in half. If the 0 comes up and the player’s bet loses, the bet stays in the box for the next decision. This bonus cuts that 2.7 percent house edge down to 1.35 percent. Now the even-money bets at the game become some of the best roulette bets in the casino.

Just as with the surrender option at the American roulette game, it would be foolish not to wager exclusively on the even-money bets at the European game. Again, you’d have to ask if the casino allows this bonus.

[Please note: If you are a high roller, it is possible that the casino might allow you to play those even-money bets with either surrender or en prison. Casinos will sometimes make special exceptions for the high rollers. Indeed, some casinos will offer to give back half of a high-rolling player’s losses.]

Roulette is certainly a numbers game and the biggest numbers are how much money you have as a bankroll and how much money your betting levels are. You must stay on top of your wins and losses and never bet over your head when the enthusiasm and thrills get to you.

[Please note: From 1986 through 1989, the Billy Walters Team won $4,810,000 in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.] 

All the best in and out of the casinos!

If you like to go to casinos then you know it can be a lot of fun, especially when you get on a hot winning streak.

And, while it's always more fun to walk away as a winner, unfortunately, that doesn't always happen. Of course, many people will just chalk up their losing sessions to the old adage "the casino always wins," but smarter casino players know that phrase isn't necessarily true and that there actually are ways to get more value for your gambling dollar and also to increase your chances of winning.

Let's take a quick look at eight ways you can accomplish this with your casino play:

TIP 1: PLAY THE RIGHT GAME

Most casino games require luck for you to be a winner. Examples of these would be: slot machines, keno, roulette, craps, baccarat and most novelty table games, such as let it ride. However, there are some casino games that have an element of skill. Examples of these would be blackjack and video poker.  Players who know how to play their hands properly, will achieve a better return on these games, in the long run, than players who guess how to play their hands.

TIP 2: USE THE CORRECT STRATEGY

You can get a better return by playing a game of skill such as blackjack or video poker but, as mentioned above, you can only achieve that higher overall payback percentage (in the long run), if you use the proper strategies.

For blackjack players you need to know basic strategy. Computer simulations of millions of blackjack hands have been made and it turns out that there is only one mathematically correct way to play your hand in any given situation. All of these possible situations have been combined into a basic strategy chart for blackjack and you should memorize this chart so you know how to play your hands properly. The chart will tell you exactly what you should do with your hand based on the total of your first two cards and whatever up card the dealer is showing. These basic strategy charts are widely available for free on the Internet. Just do a Google search for "blackjack strategy chart" and you will find numerous sites where you can download them for free.

 

 

The strategy chart may change slightly, depending on the number of decks used, and the particular rules of the game, so make sure that you use the correct chart for the game you want to play. By following the correct basic strategy, you can lower the casino advantage from as high as two percent to less than one-half one percent.  And, this strategy would also apply to blackjack games played at Internet casinos.

Video poker players are in a similar situation because, once again, there is always only one mathematically correct way to play your hand in any given situation. And, naturally, there is a strategy chart that will show you how to properly play your hands. For instance, if you are dealt 2-3-4-5-5, should you keep the four card open-ended straight (2-3-4-5)? Or, should you keep the pair of 5's (5-5)? Well, the strategy chart will tell you which choice will give you the highest expected return and that is how you should play your hand. No guessing on your part, just follow the chart!

Keep in mind that the video poker strategy can have major changes, depending on the game you are playing, such as jacks or better, double double bonus, deuces wild, etc.  However, once again, these video poker strategy charts are widely available for free on the Internet. Just do a Google search for "video poker strategy chart" and you will find numerous sites where you can download them for free.

Just make sure that you use the correct strategy chart for the particular video poker game you want to play. And, these strategy charts would also apply to video poker games played at Internet casinos.

TIP 3: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CASINO COMPS

"Comp" is short for complimentary and it means anything that the casino will give you for free in return for your play at that particular casino. You've probably heard stories of "high rollers" in casinos who bet thousands of dollars per hand and get treated to a huge assortment of lavish freebies, such as: luxury hotel suites with butler service, delicious gourmet meals prepared by private chefs, an endless supply of the finest champagnes, private jet transportation, and more! Not many of us will be gambling at that level of play, but it turns out that even low-limit players can also earn lots of great comps from casinos.

Be sure to sign up for a player's club card upon your first visit to any casino so that you will eligible to earn those great casino comps. Your card can then be used to track your play on both table games as well on electronic gaming machines, such as slots and video poker.  The casino will then track how much you have played and they will give you comps based on your level of play. Comps are a great way to, essentially, lessen the casino advantage over you and you should always use your player's club card whenever you play in a casino.

An important final note on comps, however, is that you never want to bet extra money in order to earn extra comps. So, if you're a quarter slots player, don't start playing dollar machines to get more comps. The vest idea is get comps for gambling that you were going to do anyway.

TIP 4: PLAY DURING CASINO PROMOTIONS

Many casinos run special promotions where they give bonus points for earning player's club points. Most will offer double or triple point bonuses as a casino promotion, but some casinos will even go as high as 10 times points on select days. If you can play on these special days you can really rack up points very fast.

Also, sometimes casinos will have gift days where you can get a free gift once you earn a certain number of points on your card. These are also good days to play in the casino, but make sure that the gift you will receive is something that you really want because some might just be totally useless to you. Actually, the best things  to play for are gift cards for gas stations, super markets, or drug store chains. Those are great to get because they will save you money that you would normally have to spend anyway.

Be sure to keep all four of these gambling tips in mind when planning your next visit to the casinos. They will all make you a smarter gambler and help you to have more fun!

It takes multiple manufacturers working year-around to keep up with player demands for new slot games. Regardless of whether you’re playing online slots, or offline, once you’ve seen everything a game has to offer, you’re ready for something new to pique your interest.

Two of the game makers whose creative approaches have enabled them to claim growing shares of the slot business are Incredible Technologies and American Gaming systems.

They came to the casino industry from different directions. Incredible started by making non-wagering video games that proved extremely popular in bars, restaurants and online. Its Golden Tee Golf is the most popular arcade-type game in history.

AGS, meanwhile, was launched in 2005 with an initial goal of serving the Native American casinos in Oklahoma. That required Class II games, which have slot machine graphics and gameplay, but where the internal game is electronic bingo with results determined by a central server.

Today, AGS has grown into a full-service game provider with international scope for its Class III slots, where each game has a random number generator, as well as Class II slots, table games and casino management systems.

Both have intriguing, creative new games on the market, sure to attract the attention of dedicated slot players.

INCREDIBLE TECHNOLOGIES

Clinko: King of Bling and Clinko: Winning Wall both feature the Clinko bonus trigger. A Clinko ball falls from the top of the screen on random spins, drops peg to peg, and if it lands on an icon for a game feature, it could bring pumped up symbols, extra wild symbols or multipliers – all good news for your credit meter.

The first is the latest version of King of Bling, a longtime Incredible Technologies favorite with a nod toward hip-hop. The base game in the really gets hopping in the Pump Up da Club bonus, where players and a DJ can scratch the record for bigger wins. With three progressive-levels, it’s a thrill-packed game.

Winning Wall also has three progressive levels. It adds to the intrigue by enabling you to win on the wall. Here, the Clinko pegs include jackpot icons. It takes only one Minor peg to win that pot, while you win the Major by accumulating two and the Grand by accumulating three pegs.

Fireworks Festival is a 50-line game that makes explosive use of Incredible’s Stack 2 Stack game dynamic. When two stacks of fireworks symbols touch, they pop, bang and sizzle to reveal instant credit awards. Players may also could up to 20 free spins.

The Red Envelope feature offers the chance to win credit awards. When Red Envelopes scatter on the e reels, players may pick all but one, with a prize behind each. So if there are five envelopes on the screen, you have four picks to boost your bankroll.

Sky Dragons starts with a typical grid of five reels, each three symbols deep, but when dragons appear in the sky, they can expand the reels, with 5-by-7 as the maximum. All those extra symbols create extra opportunities to win on a game with three progressives and up to 20 free spins.

Lady of the Tower starts as a 30-line game with four progressive levels, but it can be so much more. As you look up a tower, there are four additional sets of reels. When two Tower Spin scatter on the main reels, they unlock a random number of reel sets – you could get one extra set, all four, or something in between. When all sets are unlocked, you could have 150 paylines working.

That gives you extra chances to win at slots, and in a hot streak sets you up for some incredible boosts to your credit meter.

AMERICAN GAMING SYSTEMS

Capital Gains, a new game in AGS’ Money Charge Jackpot series, is a penny video slot in the 243-ways-to-win format. There are five reels, each three symbols deep, and as long as there are matching symbols on each reel across the screen starting from the left, they can form a winning combination without falling on a set payline.

Players trigger the pick bonus with three or more Bonus symbols, and six or more trigger credit symbols land on the screen, you enter the Money Charge Bonus. 

During the Money Charge Bonus, players win credits and progressive awards. Locked symbols reset the spin counter to three and award all locked prizes, including the chance to win the Major, Minor, and Mini jackpots multiple times during the bonus feature. 

During the pick bonus, players touch to choose and potentially win the Money Charge Bonus or a Free Games Bonus. During the Free Games Bonus, players win up to 15 free spins, and they can win even more free games during the feature for maximum win potential.

Diamond Rush, the latest in the Diamond District game family, is a five reel penny video slot in the PowerXStream configuration. Starting from the left, reels are three, three, four, three and three symbols deep – one extra symbol in the middle reel.

This game takes you on a trip through the dazzling Diamond District, where you’ll anticipate the chance for luck and fortune. Anticipation is high with the Cash-On-Reels concept with credit and progressive prizes on the third reel. The Diamond District Bonus awards credit prizes or one of the three progressive jackpots on reel three with a five-of-a-kind diamond win. 

Three bonus symbols award eight free games. A multi-level linked progressive engages and awards potentially massive prizes. Progressive jackpots can be won during any base-game spin, adding to the excitement.

Fai Cai Shu is a family of Asian-themed games that has launched with four initial titles: Emerald Princess, Eastern Dragon, Spring Lion and Tiger Magic. All are high-volatility, Money Tree games linked through the Jackpot Pick progressive. Throughout gameplay on all four, coin symbols accumulate into a Money Tree, creating anticipation and excitement.

The Money Tree is a symbol of affluence and nobility. It accumulates coins whenever a wild spark animation reaches the tree.

The games all are five-reel video slots, with each reel being four symbols deep. Games have 50 paylines and are targeted for penny play.

Here are a few features in each:

Eastern Dragon: The first game in the Fai Cai Shu family has quickly become a player favorite.  In a free games bonus, three or more bonus symbols award 10 free games. Free games can be re-triggered for extra-win potential. 

Multiplier wilds add to the excitement when they are randomly triggered during base-game play, causing all wilds to turn into full wild stacks.  A three-level linked progressive jackpot creates big win possibilities.

The Jackpot Bonus may be triggered randomly on any base-game spin in which one or more wilds appears. If the bonus is launched, you pick among 12 gold coins until three matching icons have been selected. The match can bring one of the three linked progressive jackpots plus free spins, or simply free spins without the jackpot.

Emerald Princess: Like Eastern Dragon, Emerald Princess features a three-level progressive. You can win eight free spins when three or more Bonus symbols appear. And the Jackpot Bonus, with progressives as prizes, may be triggered randomly on any base game-spin in which one or more wilds appear.

Tiger Magic: Also Asian-themed, Tiger Magic  has three primary features – a Multiplier feature, Free Games Bonus, and Jackpot Bonus, as well as having the Money Tree found on all four games.

The Multiplier feature may be triggered randomly on any base game spin in which one or more Wild Tiger symbols appear. The Multiplier feature will upgrade all Tiger symbols on the screen into 2x, 3x, or 5x Wild Multiplier symbols at random.

Three or more Bonus symbols awards 10 free spins. During the Free Spins, the Wild symbols on the reels will appear as Wild Multiplier symbols. The Wild Multiplier values are randomly assigned for each free spin.

Spring Lion: The mighty Lion is the highest-paying symbol, along with other symbols associated with Chinese festivals and celebrations such as drums, red packets, lanterns, and oranges. 

During base-game play, three or more Spring Lion symbols award 10 Free Games, and the Jackpot Bonus may be triggered randomly on any base-game spin in which one or more Wild Spring Lion symbols appear.

Spring Lion also has the Multiplier feature as seen in Wild Tiger, Free Games Bonus, and Jackpot Bonus as well as the Money Tree.

It can be tough trying to figure out a way to win when betting on Roulette. Game after game you watch as the Dolly Marker is placed in different areas of the betting layout. But knowing where it will be placed over subsequent games is what baffles most Roulette players.

So, what are your options. Well you could try to spot a pattern studying the areas visited by the Dolly Marker on the betting layout; will the next winning number be across to the left or right, up or down or in one of the four diagonal directions or maybe even it will land on the last outcome; a direct repeat number. 

Because of the random nature of Roulette, the task of predicting future outcomes will challenge your intellect probably more than any other casino game. 

A case can be made for sticking to a certain area of the Roulette betting layout or betting around the area of the last outcome or moving as far away from it as possible, or somewhere in between. Whatever you try, the randomness of the game is probably going to get you scratching your head as your predicting juices begin to flow. It’s this challenge what makes the game so alluring. 

But assuming you’re not going to bet on just one number, the game can be less stressful and so more enjoyable if you outlay approximately half the number of chips of a straight up win pay-out. In this respect, I have thought up a system; a Dolly Marker Predicting System, and I’m going to explain how it works and explore its pros and cons.

There are two main predicting methods people partake in when playing live Roulette. 

1. One way is to Place bets on a betting layout in relation to where players believe the ball will land next on the wheel. For example, if a player believes the ball will land close to the right side of the zero i.e. #32, #15, #19, #4, #21… (European Roulette Wheel) those numbers will be covered by chips on the betting layout. Players might also decide to bet on several areas of the wheel and so whatever numbers they choose in their mind by considering where the ball might land on the Roulette wheel this is reflected in the bets they place on the betting layout.   
2. Another Roulette predicting method sees players place their bets in relation to where they believe the Dolly Marker will land next. If you consider the same set of results, for example; #1, #17, #35, #36, #9, #28, patterns formed on the wheel from outcome to outcome are different to those that are formed on the betting layout.

Look at the following two illustrations to see how the moves that form those patterns are different on the wheel and betting layout though based on the same set of results.

 

You don’t want to be considering too many previous outcomes otherwise the crisscrossing that forms these patterns will begin to confuse you and too much information will render the aim of predicting too complicated. It’s important to keep things simple as possible when dealing with a random casino game such as Roulette. Working from the latest outcomes should ensure keeping up with the order of where future outcomes are likely to occur.  

HOW THE ROULETTE DOLLY MARKER PREDICTING SYSTEM WORKS

In action:

If you consider a large sample of Roulette outcomes and apply each one to a betting layout and join the dots, from the last outcome to the next outcome, you can see that patterns don’t last. Though some will last longer than others. But they really don’t need to last because to try and profit from these short-lived patterns you only need to jump on betting them as they are playing-out in forming those patterns.
Using x18 same value chips which is half of a 35-1 pay-out plus 1 chip stake returned, we’re going to concentrate on the last two moves seen on a Roulette layout. 

Let’s consider the first three outcomes that are: #1 followed by #17 then #35 the information we have thus far tells us that the first move from #1 to #17 is a right direction up diagonal by x5 numbers (counting in a straight line which is easier to workout). And the second move is right across by x6 numbers. So, what we’re going to do is take the last two moves into consideration and apply them to the betting layout.

Let’s start with the first Dolly Marker move and apply it. The first move #1 to #17 is right direction up diagonal by x5 numbers. We want to replicate the move in the most logical order possible. It’s possible to move the same up diagonal by x5 numbers move and we would arrive at #33. We’re going to divide our x18 chips placing half in that area. I would cover from numbers #27 to #36 found on the 3rd column, (27, 30, 33, 36) that’s x4 straight up chips staked. And then I’d place #4 chips to cover numbers #26 to #35 of the 2nd column (#26, #29, #32, #35). Total chips staked so far = x8. 

Moving on to the second Dolly Marker move which was #17 to #35 is a right across by x6 numbers. Now we can’t logically replicate this move because there are no numbers to the right side of #35. And we need to count x6 boxes across to the right so even if say we were at #29 because we can’t make six moves to the right, we need to place the next most logical bets. In my view these would be to stick to heading right but begin from the last #35 imagining that the betting layout has no edges, as if the #34, #35 and #36 met up with the #1, #2 and #3 like the continuation of a wheel. So, we’d count six numbered boxes to the right from #35 and so we’d arrive at #17. I’d cover #14, #17, #20 which is one number each side of #17. 

We still have x7 chips left. It makes sense to cover numbers #23 and #24 since these are in our target areas. With the five remaining chips I’d cover numbers, #11, #12, #15, #18, #21.

I’ve highlighted the betting selections below. 

If you don’t want to get too technical about where you place you chips once you’ve ascertained where your target areas are, you could sporadically bet around the two most important numbers you’ve pinpointed; the two target areas. For example, numbers #17 and #35 are the key numbers though #35 causes you to come in counting from number #2. You could bet all around #35 and #17 with straight up, splits and corner bets as in the illustration below.

Sometimes sporadic betting pays off since you might get paid on one or more straight ups, splits, corners. This style of betting is more suited to when a game doesn’t allow enough time to place your bets before the next spin. And if you’re the kind of player that likes to be a bit loose in how you bet.

This is the core of the Dolly Marker Predicting System, it’s about replicating the last two moves and trying to replicate them as close to possible on the betting layout using no more than x18 chips. 

You’re only ever going to be challenged by eight possibilities as seen in the illustration below aside from a repeat. These are:

1.    Right Direction Up Diagonal
2.    Left Direction Up Diagonal
3.    Right Direction Down Diagonal
4.    Left Direction Down Diagonal
5.    Up
6.    Down
7.    Across left
8.    Across right

But using the last two outcomes I see as moves, this will give you a fair roulette odds of tapping into a forming pattern. It’s more prudent to stick to keeping up with the last two moves rather than trying to decide what random area the Dolly Marker might be heading for next. You’ll not always be correct, of course that’s determined by the future of the outcomes which is intrinsic to the randomness nature of Roulette games, however in sticking to a logical format as I’ve explained, even randomness must visit this structure sometimes.   

The only other possibility aside from the eight moves I’ve stated above is that an outcome becomes a direct repeat of the last outcome. So that if #17 was the last outcome, #17 could repeat. In this instance your betting section would be to stake a chip on #17 and around it thereby making up one of your two moves. 

Though on average over many games a direct repeat is unlikely to occur more than 1 in every 36 games. But sometimes repeat numbers show up more often. Just for the sake of it you could cover the last number so that the ‘what if it repeats’ thought doesn’t linger in your mind.    

If the last two moves are the same, then your two betting options can be the same as the last two moves, since if this trend should repeat, you’ll get paid out more given that you’d be concentrating your chips to the area on the Roulette betting layout that is proving to be sticky for the Dolly Marker to revisit.

SUMMARY

The advantages of this Roulette System are that while logical it also has that random element of not being too precise in that areas covered differ slightly and this is because of the limited area of the betting layout. This is important because since Roulette is a random game of chance, having randomness within the logical reasoning ensures that the Dolly Marker doesn’t have a free run of the betting layout on uncovered areas. At least not all of the time. 

 

*Credits for main photo in this article belongs to Eran Alergant

The old poker maxim that you have to know when to hold'em and know when to fold'em is much more than a cliché when it comes to Mississippi Stud Poker. It's what the Mississippi Stud strategy is all about.

Mississippi Stud, created by Mark Yoseloff in 2005, has become a casino favorite for its straightforward gameplay and strategic depth. Unlike traditional poker variants, you're playing against a paytable rather than other players or a dealer.

Play opens with an ante, then each player receives two cards face down and three community cards are dealt face down at the center of the table.

After that, there are three opportunities to bet from one to three times your ante. Each time you have to ask yourself, "Do I hold 'em and make the extra bet, or do I fold 'em and save my money?"

The object is to finish with a five-card hand of a pair of sixes or better. The dealer does not get a hand, and you do not have to beat the dealer or other players.

If you finish with a pair of 6s through 10s, you get your bet back. With a pair of Jacks or better, the payoff is even money - you get your bet back plus an equal amount in winnings.

Moving up the pay table, you're paid 2-1 for two pairs, 3-1 for three of a kind, 4-1 for a straight, 6-1 for a flush, 10-1 for a full house, 40-1 for four of a kind, 100-1 for a straight flush and 500-1 for a royal flush.

After you ante and the cards are dealt, you may look at your two cards and choose either to bet or fold. Next, the first community card is turned face up, you again must choose to bet or fold. Then the second community card is turned up, you have one last bet/fold choice. Finally, the third community card is turned up and the live casino dealer pays the winners.

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

Mississippi Stud Basic Strategy: The Point System

The optimal strategy for Mississippi Stud, verified by gaming mathematicians including Joseph Kisenwether's work, starts with assigning point values to cards corresponding to their value if paired up.

Deuces, 3s, 4s and 5s bring no payoff if paired up, so for strategy purposes, those are zero-point cards. One-point cards are 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s and 10s - the cards that will get your money back if paired. Pairs of Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces bring 1-1 payoffs, so faces and Aces are two-point cards.

When do you hold 'em and when do you fold 'em? Let's check out guidelines for each betting opportunity.

After You See the First Two Cards, Bet With Any of These Hands:

Bet 3x your ante if you have a pair of 6s or better. That start guarantees you will do no worse than getting your money back, your best play is to bet the maximum at every opportunity.

Example: You're dealt 9♠ 9♥. This is an automatic 3x bet. Even if no more 9s appear, you're guaranteed at least a push, with excellent chances to improve.

Bet an amount equal to your ante if you have at least two points, according the rankings above. Two middle cards, such as an 8 and a 6, are one point each and two points for the hand, so you stay in play. It's also two-point hand if you have a Jack or better along with a low card. However, two low cards, or a low card and a middle card, are not strong enough to bet. Fold those instead, with one exception listed below.

Bet an amount equal to your ante if you have two cards of the same suit, 6-5 or better. Without both cards being in the same suit, 6-5 is just a one-point hand. However, 6-5 suited opens the possibility of flushes, straight flushes or straights, so it's worth making a minimum bet to see another card.

After You See One Community Card, Bet With Any of These Hands:

Bet 3x your ante with any paying hand.

Bet 3x your ante with three parts of a royal flush. Even if the cards are not consecutive, three cards of the same suit, 10 or higher, packs a lot of value with possible high pairs, straights, flushes and in some hands, straight flushes as well as the royal.

Bet 3x your ante with three parts of a straight flush with no gaps and 5-6-7 or higher; with one gap and at least one high card; or two gaps and at least two high cards. You wouldn't want to make the 3x bet if you have 6-7-9 suited, because the gap between the 7 and 9 means one of the remaining cards must be an 8 and the other either a 5 or 10 to complete a straight or straight flush. With 5-6-7, you could complete a straight or straight flush with 3-4, 4-8 or 8-9.

Example: You have 8♦ 9♦ and the first community card is the 7♦. That's three to a straight flush with no gaps (7-8-9). Bet 3x! You have multiple ways to make a paying hand.

More ways to make the paying hand means the hand is more valuable with consecutive cards.

Bet 1x your ante with any other three suited cards. This is where a hand such as 6-7-9 suited falls. It's good enough to make a minimum bet, but not the max.

Bet 1x your ante with three parts of a straight and 4-5-6 or better with no gaps, and at least two middle cards or higher if one gap. That means 5-7-8 of mixed suits is playable since two cards could get your money back if paired, but 4-5-7, with only one middle card, is not.

Bet 1x your ante with at least three points. If your hand doesn't meet any of the above criteria, it's still playable with at least three points. Examples include 6-8-10 of mixed suits, with one point for each card, or Queen (two points), 9 (one point) and 3 of mixed suits.

After You See Two Community Cards, Bet With Any of These Hands:

Bet 3x your ante with any paying hand.

Bet 3x your ante with any four cards of the same suit. Regardless of whether there are any straight flush or royal flush opportunities, the 6-1 payoff on flushes makes it worth your while to see if the last community card is the same suit or at least matches one of your middle or high cards.

Bet 3x your ante with any four consecutive cards, 8 high or better. The minimum potential straight for a 3x bet would be 5-6-7-8 of mixed suits. There are eight possible cards to complete the straight - the four 4s and the four 9s - and you have a chance with the 6, 7 and 8 at a pair that would return your bet.

Bet 1x your ante with any other four-card straight. With consecutive cards that are 7 high or lower or with an inside draw such as 6-7-8-10, you don't want to fold, but you don't want to bet the max, either.

Bet 1x your ante with a low pair. If you've stayed through earlier hands and the best the fourth card brings is to pair a 2, 3, 4 or 5, it's worth a minimum bet to see if the final card brings three of a kind or two pairs.

Bet 1x your ante with at least four points. You know the drill by now. A hand such as Jack (two points), 10 (one point), 7 (one point) and 4 (zero points) gives you just enough chances to pair up for a paying hand to stay to see what the fifth card brings.

Bet 1x your ante with three middle cards and at least one previous 3x raise. Let's say you raised three times your ante with a suited 8-9 after two cards, one time the ante after a 3 of the same suit on the third card, then the fourth card brought a 7 of a different suit.

Your final hand of 3-7-8-9 of mixed suits would ordinarily be a folding hand, but your initial 3x bet means you have an extra stake in the hand. The hand isn't a good one, but over the long haul, it cuts your losses slightly to play the hand rather than fold a hand in which you have so much invested.

Essential Mississippi Stud Tips

Here are the most important Mississippi Stud poker tips to remember:

• Never bet 2x your ante - the optimal strategy calls for either 1x or 3x bets only. There's no mathematical advantage to betting 2x in any situation.
• Pairs of 6s or better are automatic 3x raises from the start, as they guarantee at least breaking even.
• Low pairs (2s through 5s) become playable after you see community cards that give you draws to two pairs or three of a kind.
• Suited connectors 6-5 or better are worth a minimum bet even with low point values, thanks to flush and straight possibilities.

Many casinos also offer an optional Three-Card Bonus side bet based on the three community cards, typically paying for a pair or better.

The House Edge

Given that strategy, Michael Shackleford calculates the house edge at 4.91% of your ante, or 1.37% of your total wagers. That makes it one of the better poker-based table games in modern online casinos, and well worth learning when to hold'em and when to fold'em.

There’s nothing difficult about playing slots. There are no complicated strategies to learn as in blackjack or video poker and no need to choose among wagers with wildly different house edges as in craps.

You don’t even need to learn where to place chips to bet on four numbers instead of six or some other total as in roulette.

Still, a little planning and preparation can help you get the most out of your time on the slot.

A good checklist will include things to do before you log onto an online casino or start a casino trip to play offline. It also will include things to do before starting to play any specific game.

Try this checklist of things to do before you play.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Check Your Bankroll
2. Choose a Slot Game that Fits Your Playing Personality
3. Check the Minimum and Maximum Bets
4. Make Sure You're Choosing the Right Bet Size
5. Scan the Help or Information Menu
6. Extra Bets for Progressives or Other Features
7. Be Sure to Insert Your Player Rewards Card (for Land-Based Casinos)

In online casino, that might mean playing off credits you already have at your chosen casino, or making a new buy-in. Offline, it means loading your wallet with cash or setting in you mind how much to withdraw at the ATM.

Either way, plan a budget for your play and stick to it. If you hit a bad streak and your losses approach your limit for the day, reduce the size of your bets and think about calling it a day.

One thing you should never do is to use credit card cash advances to fund your play. You’re already spotting the house an edge when you play the games. Paying credit card interest rates on top of that makes the winning sessions that much harder to come by.

Use money you can afford to lose and comes from your entertainment budget. Enjoy the wins when they come, but make sure the losses don’t impact the necessities of life.

Progressive jackpots, pick-a-prize bonuses and free-spin bonuses are among the most popular features online and on video slots.

And old-fashioned three-reel slots with no fancy bonuses are still around for players who like all their wins to come on a spin of the reels.

Not every game suits every player’s personality.

• Three-reel slots with no bonuses are the most volatile, giving you the best chance at a big win while carrying the highest risk of burning through your bankroll fast.
• Those who play progressive slots should understand that they get lower returns on the base game than on non-progressives. Part of each bet goes to funding the progressive jackpots, so there is less for wins on the reels.
• Pick’em bonus events usually offer frequent moderate-sized wins. They’re fun to play and emphasize entertainment rather than volatile wins and losses.
• Free spin bonuses bring higher volatility than pick’em bonuses. There is an opportunity for bigger wins, but it’s also possible to win nothing at all on a free spin bonus.

There are other wrinkles such as wheel-spin bonuses, and some games have multiple bonuses of different types. But you can get a head start on the fun if you identify your favorite way to play and look for games that match your preferences.

There’s a huge difference in your wager size if you’re betting a penny at a time vs. a dollar.

But that is just the beginning. You need to know how many paylines there are, how many coins you can wager per line, and whether you have the option of playing fewer than the maximum paylines.

There are single-payline three-reel slots in play in some locations, but online and video slots generally have multiple paylines.

Among the common configurations on slots today are 20, 30 and 40 lines, but if you look around you’ll find 50 and even 100-line games. That doesn’t even touch on 243 ways to win at slots, in which any matching symbols on consecutive reels from left to right can form a winning combination.

Most allow you to bet more than one coin per line. If a 40-line game at 1-cent denomination allows you to bet one, two, three, four or five cents per line, then activating all paylines could mean bets or 40 cents, 80 cents, $1.20 cents, $1.60 or $2.

Also at issue is whether you’re allowed to bet on fewer than the maximum paylines. On older video slots, you can choose to bet on a single payline if you choose. You can play for a penny on some one-cent slots, betting 1 cent on one line.

But an increasing number of games are known as “forced bet” slots in which playing requires you to bet on all paylines. On a 40-line 1-cent force bet slot, you minimum wager isn’t 1 cent, it’s 40 cents. You can bet multiple coins per 40 lines if you wish, but you must play all the lines.

Check all that you before you make your first bet. What is the coin denomination? How many paylines are there? How many coins may you bet per line? Must you bet on all paylines?

One you have all that information, you can choose a bet size that makes sense within your bankroll.

If you put your money in the machine and hit the spin reels or repeat bet button without choosing your own bet size, you might find yourself betting more than you’d like. You might also bet less than you want, and on some machines you might leave paylines uncovered.

Jackpots have been missed because a winning combination came up on a payline the previous player didn’t activate. Make sure you’re getting the conditions you want.

At least half the fun in online and video slots comes through the bonus event, and part of the fun is the anticipation of a bonus to come.

You can’t share in the anticipation if you don’t know how the bonus is launched?

Do you go to a bonus event if three matching bonus symbols land on the same payline?

Or do you get a bonus even if the bonus symbols aren’t on the same line?

And there’s a wild card: You could get a bonus event with a mystery trigger, with the machine surprising you without any bonus symbols as a trigger.

And there’s a wild card: You could get a bonus event with a mystery trigger, with the machine surprising you without any bonus symbols as a trigger.

You don’t want to play a progressive slot without being eligible for the progressive jackpots. Check out the help menu, or at least read all the information on the screen, to see what it takes.

On three-reel slots with a single progressive, it’s easy. You usually have to make the maximum bet to be eligible for the progressive. Since the most common max on three-reel slots is three coins, the progressive formula works well.

On video slots, with many more paylines and max bets in hundreds of coins, casinos and game makers quickly learned that most players wouldn’t be the max, not even for a jackpot chance.

Different ways to award progressives evolved. Mystery jackpots are common. One way to program this is to have a random number generator set a jackpot amount. The player whose bet pushes the jackpot to that amount wins it. Players with different bet sizes can compete for the same jackpot.

Another method is to award jackpots through matching symbols, but to require a separate bet to fund the jackpots. Then players can bet different amounts on the base game, but the same amounts on the jackpot.

Read the help menu before you play to see if a separate jackpot bet is required. Then either make the jackpot bet and give yourself a chance to win big, or choose a different game. Don’t play progressives without being jackpot eligible.

Don’t bet extra for the sake of player rewards, but do take advantage of what the casino offers. Use the card.

When I first started playing video poker some 25 years ago, I knew about the importance of playing with an edge. At the start of my video poker playing career, it was fairly common to find video poker games that had a theoretical return over 100%, especially in the local’s casinos in Las Vegas (and in one casino in Mississippi). Most of the time, my wife and I played a deuces wild game called Full Pay Deuces Wild (or FPDW), which returned 5 coins per coin played for 4-of-a-kind and 15 coins for 5-of-a-kind. By playing every hand accurately, the game had a theoretical return of 100.76% (meaning you had an edge of 0.76% over the casino).

You had to play every hand perfectly so my wife and I learned the video poker strategy for FPDW using a video poker software training program on our home PC until our playing accuracy was virtually 100%, and to be sure we played every hand accurately, we also brought along a strategy card when we played in case we weren’t absolutely sure of how to play a specific hand. I also played another game in Las Vegas that had a theoretical return of 100.17% (known as 10/7 Double Bonus; although this game had a higher variance than FPDW, meaning the ups and downs in your bankroll were steeper and thus required more bankroll). But it wasn’t long before the casinos started downgrading the pay schedules of both games so that the theoretical returns were below 100%. This made us change our focus to not only playing video poker games with the highest theoretical return that were offered in casinos but also with the best Player’s Club benefits to boost our overall return to greater than 100%.

Then along came THE game in a Mississippi casino (circa 2012) that blew me away. This particular casino offered a bank of progressive video poker machines that included 9/6 Jacks or Better (JOB) at a dollar denomination.

A traditional 9/6 JOB game (where the royal flush payout is 4,000 coins) has a theoretical return of 99.54%, which allows you to get over a 100% return if the casino’s benefits exceed 0.5%. But this particular casino had a progressive meter for the royal flush on its machines. If I recollect, it was a 1% meter, meaning the amount of the progressive jackpot for a royal flush increased 10 cents per $10 played. (This means the amount of the royal flush jackpot when playing five coins at a dollar denomination was often in the $4,200 to $4,500 range before it was hit. The latter depends, of course, on how much play the machine gets. I started playing weekly, and on each visit, most of the time the jackpot was in the above range.)

As a rule of thumb when playing progressive video poker games, the theoretical return of a game will increase by 0.5% for every 1,000 coins above the 4,000 coin base for the royal flush payout. For example, if the payout for the royal flush was at, say, $4,200 (dollar denomination), the theoretical return of the game would increase from 99.54% to 100.54% (99.54% + 1.0% = 100.54%.) Bottom Line: Most of the time I played, my theoretical return on the game exceeded 100%. But wait, there’s more to this story.

This casino, like most, had a Player’s Club. On Monday’s, they would have a 24-hour casino promotion where you played a silly game on a kiosk, and if you were lucky you could get up to 7-times points on all of your play for that day. However, if you were in the top tier of their Player’s Club (which I was), you would automatically get a guaranteed 7-times points multiplier every time you played the kiosk game. The result: With a base rate of 0.13%, I was getting another 0.91% return on my play. (The other perk was this: there was no limit to the number of points you could earn on Monday that would be multiplied by 7.)

The points you earned after the 7-times multiplication could not be cashed out; however, they could be downloaded as free play on the same 9/6 JOB progressive machines. This was yet another perk, since some Mississippi casinos during this time started implementing a new procedure where your earned slot points could only be used as free play in slots (i.e., video poker machines were excluded).

Lastly, as I began playing every Monday, I was racking up a lot of base points on my Player’s Club account and was receiving hefty amounts of weekly free play in my monthly mailers. I don’t recollect the exact amounts, but it added roughly another half a percent to my overall return.

There was a limited number of video poker machines that had the juicy 9/6 JOB progressives. (I believe there were a total of eight bar-top machines.) With a potential theoretical return that easily could be 100.2% or greater (depending on the amount of the jackpot for the royal flush and the number of hours you played on Monday to take advantage of the promotion), I knew that other local astute video poker players would be flocking to play these machines. I had to get a seat before they tied up all the machines, so this is what I did.

Fortunately, I had a great host at this particular casino who told me when the casino’s Player’s Club “clock” would start each day. You would assume it would be midnight, but at this casino it was 3:00 a.m. Therefore, for the next several months, every Sunday evening I drove from my primary residence in Alabama to this casino, slept for a few hours in a comped suite, woke up at about 1:30 a.m., checked out, and took a seat at the progressive machines. By around 2:30 a.m., the bank of the machines was filled with astute players. None of us played, we just sat there waiting for 3 a.m. when the 7-times multiplier would be activated. (Some read the newspaper; others ate their breakfast at the machines, but nobody played; we just patiently waited.) When the clock finally struck 3 a.m. on Monday, the automatic 7-times promotion began and all of us started shoving hundreds of dollars into the machines and playing for hours on end. (On most of my visits, I generally played 5–8 hours; sometimes more.)

You may find it strange that I would do something like this every week but when it came to being an advantage video poker player, you often had to take advantage of a juicy game or promotion before it ended. Fortunately, I also hit an inordinate number of royal flushes during the time I played this promotion. (A total of eight royal flushes over a two- month period that began one of the most memorable royal flush streaks I ever experienced playing video poker. I’ll describe this streak in a future article.)

Between the bonus payouts on the royal flushes, and the large amounts of free play I was earning with the 7-times promotion (I often had $500 to $800 in free play each week), I was earning quite an impressive amount of money from this juicy game and promotion. But alas, it all came to a screeching halt when I got a call from my casino host one day.

Up till then, I had been invited to comped golf outings by my host that were held for “high rollers” while I had been playing at this casino. They owned a golf course and these golf outings were something else; free transportation; free breakfast, free lunch; and just about everyone received a cash prize, oodles of free play, or a $100 or greater gift at the end of the tournament. Anyway, my host basically told me one day he couldn’t invite me to any more video poker tournaments, and that I would be contacted by the casino manager for the reasons why.

I knew exactly what was about to go down and it eventually did. The casino zeroed out my player’s club account, meaning I wouldn’t earn any points when I played and I wouldn’t be receiving any more monthly mailings. But what really annoyed me was they also deleted nearly $2,000 of comps I had earned from my account. (I could have filed a complaint to the Mississippi Gaming Commission for this, and based on prior cases that I knew of, they would have had to give me back my comps. But I decided not to pursue this since if I did, I would have been persona non grata in all the casinos in Mississippi.)

I didn’t tell this story to brag of my good fortune for finding and playing this juicy game but rather to let you know that being an advantage video poker player has its risks, and sometimes you will experience what I experienced. If something like this happens, you do what I did: just forget about it and move on to another casino that offers a (juicy) playable game.

What was ironic about the above experience is that a few weeks later, this casino went and severely downgraded all their video poker pay tables (including the former 9/6 JOB progressives) that basically made all the video poker machines in this casino unplayable for smart players.