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There is a saying – if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. While that statement may hold true for ducks, it is not necessarily true when referring to video poker games.

Not all video poker games are created alike, Even the same video poker game with the exact same pay table could be different.

This article highlights what to look for when choosing a video poker game.

1. Check the video poker game and denomination

In 1970 there was only one video poker machine – the Poker-matic. This machine had one game, one denomination and one pay table.

In 2022, over a half century later, times have certainly changed. Dozens of different video poker games are available. Some of them include:

• Jacks or Better
• Bonus
• Double Bonus
• Double-Double Bonus
• Super Double Bonus
• Super Double-Double Bonus
• Triple Bonus
• Triple Double Bonus
• Royal Aces Bonus
• Super Aces Bonus
• USA Poker
• White Hot Aces
• Aces and Faces
• Double Aces and Faces
• Deuces Wild
• Deuces Wild Bonus
• Super Bonus Deuces Wild
• Joker Poker
• Pick ‘em / Pick a Pair

These games (and several others not listed) have different sets of winning hands. To further complicate matters, each of these games has a different playing strategy to maximize the player’s return.

Several decades ago, each video poker machine offered a single game in a single denomination. Today, most video poker machines allow the player to choose from several different games. Even though machines display a single game (such as Jacks or Better) on the front panel several games are actually available.

Newbie video poker players (and even several players who are more experienced) might sit at a machine and believe they are playing the game displayed on the front panel. In reality, it is more likely they are playing a different game entirely.

Serious players take the time and effort to practice the correct playing strategy for their game of choice. To make the most of this practice time and effort they must make sure that the strategy that was practiced matches the game actually played. 

It is a simple task to check this. Just a quick look at the name of the game displayed on the playing screen (not the front panel) will verify that it is the desired game. 

Contemporary video poker games also allow the player to choose from several different denominations. Select the denomination before selecting the game as the selection of games at different denominations can (and often do) change. 

Check that the desired denomination is selected. Your bankroll could be quickly depleted on a dollar game if you expected to play at the quarter level. On the other hand, it would be totally disheartening to get a royal flush on a nickel-level game when you normally play at the dollar level.

Pay tables tend to be different for the same game at different denominations. Higher denominations tend to have pay tables with higher returns.

2. Check the game’s pay table

Okay, you have selected the proper denomination. You have verified that you are playing the video poker game that you have practiced at home. You are now ready to play – correct?

Not really.

Sadly, in today’s casinos, there can be several different iterations of the same game. Each of them has a slightly different pay table. The playing strategy can be different for each different version of a pay table even if it is the same game.

Pay tables for many games are usually identified by two numbers such as 9/6 or 8/5. These numbers refer to the pays for full house and flush hands. Many video poker players simply check the pay table for these two hands to determine whether or not it is the correct pay table. 

However, many casinos change the payouts for other hands, such as straights, straight flushes, and/or royal flushes as well. In order to make sure the proper strategy for both the game and pay table is used, every line of the pay table should be checked.

For more information about video poker strategy, go here:
Video Poker Strategy (with Charts & the Basics) (888casino.com)

3. Check the player’s club points earned

After checking to make sure the proper game is selected, and double checking every line of the game’s pay table, most players assume the game selected will produce the exact same return as every other version of the same game and pay table in the casino.

Sadly, even though that should be the case, some casinos set certain games to generate different player’s club points. Sometimes different denominations generate different points per dollar. 

I suspect that the vast majority of casinos offer the exact same player’s club points for the same games of the same denomination and pay table – but not all.

I like to keep track of a wide variety of statistics from video poker play. One of the easiest ways to track the number of hands played is to see how many hands it takes to generate one player’s club point. At the end of a session, simply divide the number of points earned by the points per hand to get hands played.

4. Summary

• The days of one video poker game, denomination and pay table per machine are long gone.
• One machine can have many different games, multiple denominations, and different pay tables based on the denomination.
• Different machines having the same game with the same denomination can have different pay tables.
• Different games have different playing strategies for maximum return.
• The same game with different pay tables can also have different strategies for maximum return.
• Check the game and complete pay table in order to make sure the right strategy is used.
• In some rare instances, machines with the same game, denomination, and pay table earn different player’s club points.
• Check player’s club points earned to get maximum return.
   

Bond, James Bond. It’s a name synonymous with everything cool – from cocktails and cars to beautiful women and exotic hotspots around the world. And don’t forget the trips to the casino.

Bond has played cards at some of the most luxurious casinos and locations imaginable and competed against a rogue’s gallery of villains and bad guys. Unlike regular players, those gambling trips rarely turn out to be losers for Mr. Bond. He just has a knack for hitting the perfect card and walking away a winner. That’s part of the fun of being a Bond fan and here’s a quick look at Bond’s life at the casinos.

Secret Agent and Big Winner

A bit of casino gaming has become a major part of author Ian Fleming’s famous secret agent. But 007 isn’t out for some fun at the slots followed by hitting the buffet and a show. Bond is playing a bigger game, using his prowess at the tables to gain information about criminals and enemies or to run some surveillance on a target.

It only seems fitting that Fleming’s first Bond novel was named Casino Royale, which was released in 1953. Gambling plays a major role in the film as Bond squares off against the criminal Le Chiffre in a casino in the fictional town of Royale-les-Eaux, France. Bond aims to bankrupt the villain and member of the Russian secret service.

Fleming used his time as a member of British naval intelligence as inspiration for some of his writing in the Bond books. That apparently goes for a trip to the casino as well. While heading to the U.S. during his naval days, Fleming and a British admiral took in some gambling in Portugal’s Casino Estoril, located on the coast and still operating today.

Because Portugal was neutral during World War II, spies and undercover agents converged on the country. Fleming took in some chemin de fer, a French card game similar to baccarat, and claimed he lost big while playing with a “chief German agent.” Contemporaries believe Fleming may have taken some liberties with the truth regarding those gaming foes, but the experience served as some inspiration.

Casino Royale was a hit with readers and with critics. The American television network CBS released a version of the book in 1954 and a parody film was released in 1967. A 2006 version starred Daniel Craig and was produced right in the middle of the 2000s poker boom. Producers in this case changed Bond’s game of choice to Texas Hold’em and the final battle sees Bond best Le Chiffre and of course eventually save the day.

Baccarat, Blackjack, & Booze

Like Fleming’s own trip to that Portuguese casino, Bond’s game of choice for most novels and books tends to be baccarat (or similar games like chemin de fer or punto banco). The game is one of the oldest in the casino and has the reputation of appealing to an upper-crust level of player.

With his good looks and stylish tuxedos, Bond fits right in in that regard. However, baccarat is a fairly easy game and can now be found at lower stakes as well. Game play is fairly simple, with one player against a player known as “the banker.” The goal is to get as close to 9 as possible. Those at the table can wager on the player or the banker.

As a gambler, Bond inevitably always seems to draw just the right card. The game plays a major role in numerous books and films with Bond visiting luxury casinos around the world. And with a visit to any casino, a cocktail always seems in order and that goes for 007 as well. His beverage of choice? A martini – shaken not stirred – which was first mention in Dr. No in 1962.

The film adaption of that book also features a great example of Bond, played by Sean Connery, at the baccarat table. The scene is a luxury casino and this isn’t a property many gamblers might experience on the Las Vegas Strip. The men are in tuxedos and the women in glamorous gowns – and Bond can't seem to lose at the table. As he often does, the spy also makes quite an impression on a beautiful woman at the table as well.

More gambling would come in future Bond films as well. Timothy Dalton played Bond in 1989’s License to Kill. However, this time 007 took a seat at the blackjack table. He buys in for $250,000 and immediately raises the minimum stakes to $5,000 per hand.

After losing the quarter-million, he gets in for another $500,000 as he works to crush the casino run by the crime boss he’s after. Bond doubles his bets and then can’t seem to lose. This scene also includes Bond ordering his favorite martini. Gambling fans may also like the appearance of Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton in the casino scene.

With Pierce Brosnan taking up the role of Bond in 1995’s GoldenEye, the secret agent heads back to the glamorous Casino de Monte Carlo. In this game, Bond once again chats up a beautiful lady but just can’t seem to win initially. However, the final hand sees Bond dealt a King and Queen (face cards are worth zero) and a six.

His opponent has only a 5 and Bond takes a huge win. The hand also shows some hidden meaning as well with his hands equating to 0-0-6. In the film that’s the spy code for his lost friend, aka 006. Bond once again orders his favorite martini and seems to win over his female foe as well.

Always a Winning Session

Casino gambling can be seen in numerous Bond films. Australian actor George Lazenby played the role in one film, 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. He may have had the shortest run as Bond, but also made a trip to the casino as part of saving the world. The spy once again hit the baccarat table, again meeting a beautiful woman in the process.

Roger Moore is a frequent casino visitor when playing the British spy. In For Your Eyes Only from 1981, he once again chalks up a nice win at the baccarat table. When an acquaintance tells him that the odds favor standing pat, Bond replies: “If you play the odds.” Instead he takes another card and hits it just right, much to the chagrin of his opponent.

The man just never seems to lose. Moore was back as Bond again in Octopussy in 1983. This time the game was backgammon. In this case, Bond detects a cheater – via some loaded dice used by his foe. Bond takes on some big stakes and rolls doubles sixes just when he needs them – turning the tables and using his opponent’s loaded dice for his winning roll. The loser orders his henchman to hand him a checkbook, but responds: “I prefer cash.”

Diamonds Are Forever from 1971 sees Bond, again played by Connery, in a game that might seem a bit out of the norm for the world’s greatest spy. The film has Bond actually heading to Las Vegas and finding a spot at the craps table. Despite the change in scenery, Bond is still decked out in a tuxedo.

His female companion, Plenty O’Toole, can’t seem to win but Bond takes the dice and immediately rolls a 10. He then bets big on himself with full odds on the 10 with an additional $200 on the hard way 10 along with even more action on the table. This gambler and spy walks away with a $50,000 win, minus a nice tip for the dealers and of course, $5,000 for Plenty. Here’s a look at every Bond gambling and casino scene.

007 is the Name – and the Game

When it comes to casino gambling, 007 is quite the winner and his secret code number almost seems designed by Fleming to harken to some time at the gambling table. Seven is of course a huge number when it comes to playing craps. Roll a 7 on the comeout roll and everyone with a bet on the Pass Line is a winner. Roll a 7 after a point number has been established and everyone is a loser.

Perhaps this is a bit like the spy himself. He’s an affable, gentlemanly British cad when undercover, but when needed Bond can be a ruthless cutthroat killer in defense of the crown and the western world. Players win with the 7 at times but can lose big with 007 as well.

In Bond’s favorite game, baccarat, a 7 is a solid hand that doesn’t receive an extra card. A natural is an 8 or 9 for an almost guaranteed win. However a 7 is nice as well. Players can feel good but may face some tough times with that hand along the way. Bond faces some similar ups and downs along the way facing global criminal enterprises, Russian operatives, and crazy uber-bad guys like Goldfinger, Blofeld, and Le Chiffre.

The Bond books will celebrate 70 years in 2023 after Fleming’s first was released in 1953. The author penned 12 novels and several short stories, but  other authors have taken up the mantle of telling Bond’s stories since Fleming’s death in 1964. There have been numerous other books and they continue to be published. A new trilogy was to begin in the fall of 2023.

In 2022, James Bond films also celebrated 60 years on the silver screen and the franchise has produced more than $7 billion in box office receipts during that time. The next film will bring a new actor to the role after Daniel Craig bowed out after No Time to Die and five turns as the superspy.

The next actor will have some big shoes to fill. Nothing has been announced as of mid-2022, but Bond fans are anxious to see who might fill the role next. Whoever picks up the pistol and puts on the tuxedo next, it’s a good bet Bond will again find some time for some casino gaming on that next mission. With 007’s track record of winning, who could blame him?

Credits for main photo in this article belongs to AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
 

There is some debate as to which casino game has the longest pedigree. If we take playing a specific game in a strictly casino-like environment, then roulette certainly has the goods to put forth its claim to casino fame based on its longevity.

It also has the pedigree for so many methods and systems of play being developed to beat it, all except a few of these methods being losers. That’s a sad but true fact that roulette players can’t escape. Come up with a playing design and it just won’t hold any water. It will be a bucket with holes in it.

[Please note: The real methods for beating roulette have more to do with the wheel than the game itself. If there is something off about the wheel, there is probably a way to beat it. If there isn’t something off about the wheel, there is probably no way to beat it. Today’s wheels are rarely, if ever, off.]

Still, scratch most roulette players and they have their methods of play, many of these trusted despite the fact that they can’t beat the game. 

Roulette players also have strong opinions about all aspects of playing the game and about their fellow players. So let me introduce you to a few players who have a lot to say about the game and their experiences with it. Here we go:

The Good

ROULETTE LADY: Yeah, I have been playing the game for two decades. I may have been born in a roulette pit if you ask me. My mother and father used to play roulette too. It’s in my genes. Thankfully, my kids don’t seem to want to gamble and that is fine. Of course, they are just 13 and 11. So we’ll see.

My normal way to play has changed a lot over the years. You have to try different ways to play and I have used many of the old systems of play. You might as well do so as they have stood the test of time, haven’t they?

Isn’t that silly? I used to think that they must work because they have been around a long, long time. More fool me, right? I actually don’t think we are fools if we look into older methods of play. Everything is a learning experience.

The real answer to the “test of time” is – I guess – a “yes” and a “no” as they do not actually beat the game but they can be fun systems of play. But you can get bored with any method that doesn’t actually work, right? I don’t want to make anyone upset but those methods are losers and that is that. I am not saying not to use them but a fair warning is needed when you play casino games.

Today I am doing my mini-Martingale method.  We all know that the traditional Martingale system of doubling up on your losing bets will ultimately end with the player’s bankroll being skimmed and shriveled. That is inevitable. You can only double up maybe seven times and then the hammer falls and you lose a bundle; you lose bigger than a bundle. It is wicked.

But my mini-Martingale is different. It has to be used on the even-money bets of red/black, odd/even, or high/low. All of these have payouts of one-to-one. You bet $10 and win, that means you win $10. You lose and that means you lose $10.

[Please note: The house has an edge on these even-money bets as a player betting red, let us say, will lose on the blacks and on the green 0 or 00. That means 18 wins and 20 losses on the American double-zero wheel and 18 wins and 19 losses on the European single-zero wheel.]

My mini-Martingale is a three-stepper. I bet $10, lose, then bet another $10 and if I lose that I am now $20 in the hole. I take my shot right now. I bet $30 which will recover my losses and give me a win of $10. If I lose, I am down $50. 

And that’s it for my mini-Martingale. I take the $50 loss and go back down to $10 bets. And I try again. If I keep winning my $10 bets that’s fine too. I do not increase my bets after my wins. I just plod along.

Why is this a good method for me? Well, I used to bet $25 on those even-money bets and three losses in a row meant I would lose $75. Now I am betting less! I will lose less by that means! A loss of $50 is better than a loss of $75, right? That’s how I see it.

I have to say that this is a good method for me. I am saving money but I am getting a thrill as I increase my bet. It works for me.

The Bad

JERRY DONALD: Do I have to lose every time I play roulette? But it seems so. Even if I get ahead, I seem to just bet myself under the table. That’s what it feels like when I play. It’s like quicksand. I want steady wins, not what I get all the time.

Okay, I have won some nights but I never win as much as I want and I keep pressing until things go wrong. Most of the time they do go wrong. I have a winning night and then down I go. Why?

Now, I don’t go in for any of what I call the stupid bets on the outside that only pay 1-to-1 or double. Why do I want to do that? I am looking for a substantial win or why bother playing? I want to destroy the casino but I never seem to have a chance. 

Before I started playing roulette I tried slots – no good; and I tried blackjack and there always was some so-called big-mouth who told me things like don’t split two 10s or two 5s. Just shut up, okay Mr. Big Mouth? Let me play my game. It’s my money, not yours. I stopped playing blackjack after a few of those sessions. I don’t want to be told things about gambling.

It gets to me when I see someone else mashing up the board and taking in the money. I will even start to bet with them and then they start to lose or they leave the roulette table. What the heck? Can’t they just hang in there a little longer? It’s almost as if the world is against me.

But I won’t quit. My big time is coming. It has to come. Right?

The Brilliant

MARCY MARTINO: I have had some winning nights at the game but only once did I take it to the casino and hit it directly between the eyes. This was just before the pandemic hit. It was almost like a reward for a future annoyance since I haven’t been to a casino until today. Can you imagine that? That was some dry spell.

It was a night out of heaven. Let me set the stage. I have never won a regular lottery of more than something like $50. Scratch offs? Nothing over maybe a hundred dollars. I have stopped playing anything that takes too much luck to win.

I know roulette takes luck but the game is so much fun. It’s the only game I play.

Now to my big story. I play two numbers on every spin, 14 and 33. These numbers have a significance for me that I prefer to keep to myself. I think a lot of people have a favorite number or color or place and I am no different. 

I had a bit of a headache from a grueling week at work. I was teaching third grade at the time and the kids were really hyper that week. It was just before Christmas. If Santa really existed, most of those kids would not have gotten a toy or anything.

Getting away to the casino was a relief; I looked forward to it the way those crazy kids looked forward to Christmas or whatever holiday they celebrated.

I placed 33 first and 14 second. That’s my order of betting those numbers. 

The roulette dealer released the ball and I felt that great twinge in my stomach in anticipation of the decision. It came. The 14! Wow! I was ahead now; ahead right off the bat. 

Three spins later, the 14 came up again. Maybe a dozen spins later the 33 showed. I couldn’t believe it. My two numbers had hit really quickly. 

I went maybe 30 spins before the 14 hit again. I decided to raise my bet by five dollars. 

I would go stretches without hitting those numbers but I never went more than probably 25 to 30 spins without one or the other hitting. I was playing double my usual bets on them too.

I gave myself a finish line now. What I did is I said to myself, “If both of them hit together on the scoreboard, which shows 20 numbers, then I will call it quits. If neither shows in 38 spins then I will also quit.” 

Either way, I was so far up I couldn’t believe it. My bets were now triple what I usually bet on them, that’s how amazing I was doing. I almost had a few back-to-back hits on a number.

It finally happened after maybe 45 minutes, I went 38 numbers without a hit and I packed it in. I was also dead tired. The excitement was overwhelming. The amount I won was overwhelming.

I went to my room and lay on the bed and thought, “Is this a dream?” And then I fell asleep. I didn’t play much the next day. I wanted to go home with the money and I did.

The Ballistic

PAULIE FRENCH: I am sick and tired of some roulette players. Roulette is a great game, that is for sure; but some players are fools and idiots. I know, I know I sound like an angry old man and in a way I am an angry old man. Well, I am not that old, just 63 but those roulette players who show no manners can drive me crazy.

What am I talking about you ask? I have a small pile of chips on a number and I have been somewhat hot during this session and then these know-nothings just push their bets out there and knock over my pile and they don’t even try to fix it. That brings bad luck! It does. Bad, bad luck. A bad stack of chips equals bad luck!

These are bad players! The game is great and they don’t deserve to be allowed to play it. 

You don’t get these idiots at every session but just a couple here and there throw me. I want to play the game the way you see it in a James Bond movie. Some people have told me that I look a little like Sean Connery, the real James Bond. I take that as a compliment.

How do I bet, you want to know? I just go with it. I’ll pick eight numbers basically at random and put like $25 on each and then we see what we see.

If I win, I will increase my bet on the winning number and choose seven different numbers for the next bet so I have a former winner with some bucks on it and seven new chances.

I like roulette. It is the only game I play and that’s why I want the game to be played as it should be played. Do you think I am just an angry old man? My wife thinks so. I want the game not to be bad at any time. What’s so wrong with that?

From Frank: Maybe many of our readers fit one of these categories at least at times. 

All the best in and out of the casinos!

The following is an excerpt from my Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.

“One warm evening in Las Vegas, a young man was walking on the famed Strip, contemplating what had just happened. He was a good card counter; he could count down a deck of cards accurately in 20 seconds flat and knew his strategy deviations cold. At his level of skill, he had nearly a 1% edge over the casinos, meaning he was capable of winning more than he would lose over his lifetime of playing blackjack. Yet, moments earlier, he had been barred from playing. An experienced professional card counter told him several days later, ‘Son, you know how to beat the game but you haven’t learned how to beat the casino.’ I know the facts of this story so well because I was that young man.”

Those sage words, “Son, you know how to beat the game but you haven’t learned how to beat the casino,” resonated in my brain for many days after my first barring. Yes, I could count down a deck of cards in 20 seconds. Yes, I could make the right bet and the right play depending on the count, even in a noisy casino atmosphere. I had invested a lot of time and practice to become a competent, successful blackjack card counter. However, the pro was right: no matter how skillful I was at card counting, if the casinos would not let me play, all my card-counting skills were for naught. 

When I started my card-counting avocation in the mid-1970s, there weren’t many places to play blackjack (only in Nevada, and then a few years later in Atlantic City). Moreover, I had two goals, namely, saving all the money I would win playing blackjack so that I could: 

• Retire early from my full-time job.
• Buy a condominium in Las Vegas.

I was in my late-20s when I set those two long-term goals. To achieve them, I would have to play a lot of blackjack over many years on a part-time basis. Being tossed out of casinos was a big roadblock to achieving those goals. I knew that there was always a risk that I could be caught and thrown out while card counting. However, I believed I could minimize this risk by playing in a manner that would keep me under the casinos’ radar. What follows are some of the techniques that I successfully employed over 25 years of card counting.

Taking a Team Approach

I was fortunate that shortly after I started my blackjack card-counting avocation in the 1970s, the first Atlantic City casino opened (Resorts International) with terrific playing rules, which included early surrender. Moreover, they were not allowed to bar blackjack card counters.

However, soon afterward, they were given the green light by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission to implement counter-measures against card counters (moving the cut card up, flat betting a suspected card counter, and more.) This is when I first decided to use a team approach to playing blackjack, which I described in my book Blackjack: Take the Money and Run.
  
The team was just my wife and me. Our ploy to stay under the casinos’ radar was straightforward and it went like this.

I would find a blackjack game that had two open seats (preferably first and third base). I entered the game and bet the table minimum on every hand. I kept the count and played the majority of hands by the basic playing strategy. My wife would enter the game about 10 to 15 minutes later and sit at third base.

We wouldn’t give any indication that we knew each other. She played the role of the happy-go-lucky gambler, who was only playing to have a good time, not to win money. She talked to her fellow players, the dealer, the pit boss, and never looked at the cards as they were dealt. She would bet the table minimum until I gave her a discreet signal to increase her bet when the count became positive.

We had different signals corresponding to different bet sizes so when the count went very high she would bet the maximum in our bet range. (I was using the hi-lo counting system during this time.) We only had a few signals for strategy deviations. To keep everything simple, we focused more on bet-size variation. We used this type of camouflage in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. This ploy kept us under the casinos’ radar because:

1. We never played together for longer than an hour in the same shift at any one casino.
2. We never entered or left a casino together.
3. We never ate together at the same casino buffet or restaurant where we just played.

This tactic of playing kept us under the casinos’ radar and allowed us to gradually increase our bankroll and our betting levels.

(Note: We implemented this type of “team play” long before professional blackjack teams began exploiting casinos by using a more sophisticated version of it. I’ll have more to say about this in a future article on team play.)

Using Some Camouflage

Linda couldn’t always accompany me to casinos to play blackjack. Therefore, I started implementing a repertoire of other camouflage techniques. Most of them were non-punitive, meaning it didn’t cost me anything to implement the camouflage. Others, which were punitive and involved some cost, mostly involved purposely making a “bad play” (i.e., deviating from basic strategy) to give the appearance that I was an unskilled player. I’ll give you some examples of both camouflage techniques that I used. 

My goal, as mentioned above, was to look and act like a typical unskilled gambler. I had to check my ego at the door to play the role of a completely clueless player, when, in fact, I was card counting with an edge over the casino. Here are a few of the ploys I used.

(Note: Some of these ploys involved doing something that was against casino procedures to give the perception that I was not a very experienced player. When I did this, the dealer would say something to me about it. Those types of camouflage plays are marked with an asterisk below.)

• Always brought a basic strategy card with me when I played. 
• Always dressed more or less like the other gamblers in a casino.
• When I bought in, I tried handing my money to the dealer.* 
• In Las Vegas casinos, I often had a slot machine ticket sticking out of my front shirt pocket.
• In a hand-held game, I held the cards with two hands.*
• Instead of making a $100 bet with one black chip, I stacked a rainbow of different colored chips in my betting spot, being sure to place a small denomination chip at the bottom of the stack.*
• In a hand-held game, I would tell the dealer “I want to stand” without using a hand signal.*
• Joined in when my fellow players congratulated the third-base player for his “smart” play that saved the table.
• Asked the floor supervisor how I should play a hand.
• When I lost a big bet, I complained loudly about my “bad luck.”
• When I won a big bet, I would talk it up about “how lucky I was.”
• When I had to double down, I would touch the initial chips in my betting spot to count them.*
• With the floor supervisor nearby, I would make a tip bet for the dealer.

(Note: For more non-punitive ploys, see Chapter 10 in the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.)

Some of the punitive plays that I sometimes implemented in a shoe-dealt game were:

• When a hand pushed, I often left the same bet out for the next hand even if the count increased.
• If I won the last hand of a shoe, I would keep the same bet out for the first hand of the next shoe.
• I would double down on 8 against a dealer’s 6 upcard.
• I would double down on 9 against a dealer’s 2 upcard

(For more punitive plays, also see Chapter 10 in the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.)

Play the ‘Clueless at Cards’ Act

Here’s another one of my favorite cover plays that often raised the eyebrows of my fellow players, the dealer, and the floor supervisor. When I was dealt a hard 12 against a dealer’s 2 upcard, no matter how much I bet, I would double down for $1.

Remember your goal is to give the perception that you are one, or more, of the following:

• A typical gambler out for a good time, not to win money
• A clueless player
• A stupid player

As I mentioned earlier, you have to leave your ego at the door if you want to have longevity as a card counter. Never mention the word “skill” when you are playing, only mention “good and bad luck.” 

Nowadays, there is a new breed of younger card counters that have a “damn the torpedo, full speed ahead” approach to card counting that does not involve camouflage. Soon I’ll explain how this works. 

(Note: Do you remember my two long-term goals from the money I was optimistically going to win by card counting? I eventually achieved them: I was able to retire early from my full-time job, at age 57, and I purchased a house, rather than a condominium.)
 

Whether you’re a blackjack player, enjoying throwing some dice, or just like taking a seat at the poker table, there are numerous options for some gambling fun either at a live “real money” or online casinos. From Las Vegas to Monte Carlo, there are casinos of every type and for every style of player.

However, some properties stand out for their uniqueness and location. These aren’t exactly what someone might think of when heading to the Las Vegas Strip or another gambling location. These casinos feature some of the strangest locations one might find in the gambling world.

Table of Contents

1 – Nevada State Prision

A casino available to murders, thieves, and other criminals serving time may not seem likely, but that was the reality for prisoners at the Nevada State Prison. Obviously the state has a long history in the casino and gaming industry, but allowing craps and blackjack in a prison? That just seems too unlikely.

It’s not. The facility became the state’s first full-time prison in 1962 and housed some of the state’s worst criminals. The prison began carrying out death sentences starting in 1903, first with hangings and later with firing squads beginning in 1910. The facility then became the first to execute a prisoner using lethal gas in 1925. Lethal injection became the preferred method in 1985.

Prison officials stressed work and community service for inmates to pass their long hours of boredom and to help rehabilitate themselves. Work opportunities were plentiful including the prison farm, constructing roads, or in the auto shop.

But there was one other unique work opportunity – the prison casino. Gambling became legal in Nevada in 1931 and prison officials apparently believed learning the trade might serve the incarcerated men as well. Prisoners could also stay busy with something other than plotting crimes, fighting, antagonizing guards, and other acts that might take up their day.

The casino ran from 1932 until 1967 and was originally held in a solid rock room carved from the sandstone surrounding the property. Known as the “Bull Pen,” the gambling den certainly became a unique feature.

An average day was similar to one might find in a modern casino, except for the gamblers. A night in the casino saw players of every age, race, and criminal record. Players gathered around the craps, blackjack, or poker tables. There was even a sports book. The operation was run by and for inmates, but local businessmen and other  guests from outside the prison even came to play on occasion. 

Prisoners engaging in some gambling could actually win real money, this wasn’t a free-to-play learning experience.

“To facilitate the games, prison officials authorized the use of Nevada State Prison-issued tokens that came to be known as ‘brass,’” the book Images of America: Nevada State Prison notes. “Brass was issued in denominations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents as well as $1 and $5.

“In the 1930s, prison brass could be used to buy items in the prison store, or it could be deposited in the prison office, where it could be backed ‘dollar for dollar.’ A checking system on par with the banking industry was in place, whereby the inmates would get a statement each month showing deposits and withdrawals.”

Unfortunately for the prison’s gamblers, a riot in 1967 led to the closure of the Bull Pen. A new warden brought some changes to the property. Prison gambling was soon replaced by braiding, painting, and beadwork – quite a change from rolling dice, playing cards, and making a parlay bet.

 

2 – The Desert Cave

The town of Coober Pedy is located about 500 miles from Adelaide, Australia. The mining town is known for its underground dwellings because of constant wind and dry, hot weather. One of the town's citizens, Umberto Coro, hoped to bring a little news and economic benefit to his town by opening the Desert Cave Hotel.

Coro passed away in 1986 but his son completed the project two years later. As the name implies, much of the hotel is located underground (although above-ground rooms are also available). The hotel even features a casino carved out of the rocky terrain, where players can play slot machines (known as pokies in Australia) or some blackjack in this man-made cave.

And while this gambling hall may be “underground,” it’s certainly not illegal. Players will find a unique experience when heading down for some gaming.

“People fond of playing casino games can enjoy an altogether different type of casino gaming experience here,” one visitor notes. “It’s not without reason that this hotel is known to offer one of the most exotic gambling experiences to the world.”

 

3 – Cadbury Court

Like the Desert Cave, this unique property offers the chance for some “underground” gambling, albeit in a completely different atmosphere. Many travelers may dream of a trip to the British countryside and the North Cadbury Court offers visitors a chance to do just that – with some casino gambling also part of the trip.

This amazing 16th-century country home features 1,500 acres for weddings, corporate events, family getaways, special celebrations, and many other events. The estate features 25 bedrooms, a large dining hall, ballroom, lawn tennis courts, roof-top golf tee, indoor swimming pool and spa, and a lake on the grounds. This is a once-of-a-kind vacation with brilliant views of the surrounding rural setting just a two-hour drive from London in the Somerset countryside. The area also includes Cadbury Hill Fort, believed to be the home of King Arthur's Camelot.

On-site activities include swimming, golf, fishing, tennis, croquet, archery, and much more. Gamblers looking for blackjack, roulette, and poker may be more interested in the casino. The owners of the house completely renovated the basement, which now houses one of the smallest casinos in the world. The venue can host only about 30 people at a time, but players will find a cool, stylish experience.

This isn’t the Las Vegas Strip, and players will find a subdued and sophisticated gambling experience – thin more high-end than T-shirt and shorts. North Cadbury Court offers a great opportunity to connect with nature mixed with a boutique casino experience.

4 – Casino di Venezia

This casino’s inclusion may have more to do with when it was founded than where it’s located, although the location is pretty unique as well. When many gamblers think of old casinos, downtown Las Vegas and some of the city’s classic casinos may come to mind.

But those properties don’t even come close to the longevity of Casino di Venezia. This is the oldest gambling house in the world and dates all the way back to 1638. The famed property is located on Venice's Grand Canal and offers quite a trip back in European history.

The venue originally functioned as a theater when it was built in the 15th century, but 138 years later also opened a wing for gambling during intermissions of theater productions. Casino di Venezia now offers a complete casino experience in an amazing European atmosphere.

The decor features rich and ornate details with much of the same look one would have found hundreds of years ago including large wooden doors. Getting to the place also comes with quite a unique transportation option. Jump in a gondola and enjoy a relaxing casino trip down a canal as this unique gambling experience awaits.

 

5 – Saloon No. 10

Dead Man’s Hand is one of poker’s most well-known hands – as well as the events that preceded this infamous combination of cards. On Aug. 2, 1876, famed lawman, gunslinger, and gambler “Wild Bill” Hickok played in a Five Card Stud game at Nuttal and Mann’s Saloon in the Dakota Territory.

The mining town offered plenty of gambling and other endeavors that might please a young worker with some cash to spend. Hickok only recently moved to town and found some card games to hopefully win some money.

That night, a gambler named Jack McCall entered the saloon and later positioned himself behind Hickok, then raised his pistol and fired. The lawman died instantly at only age 39. Players claimed he held two black Aces and two black 8s at the time. The hand, since known as Dead Man’s Hand, and the story remain a huge part of poker history.

Like Hickok, poker fans and casino gamblers who appreciate a bit of the Old West can still head to Deadwood, located in South Dakota’s picturesque Black Hills National Forest. A stop at Saloon No. 10 is a must. It’s a  recreation of the original saloon where Hickok was struck down.

The venue is part museum, part saloon, and part casino. Visitors will find thousands of artifacts, antiques, and historical photographs of Deadwood’s wild west past. The property hosts historical re-enactments (including the shooting of Wild Bill), live music, a steakhouse, and of course, plenty of whiskey.

And just like Wild Bill, saloon goers can also take in a little gambling. The property features blackjack, poker, and slot machines. At just 3,000 square feet Saloon No. 10 won’t be confused with a Las Vegas MGA resort, but that’s part of the fun.

Gambling houses in the Old West were located in bars and cantinas. A cowboy, miner, or someone passing through could pop in and gamble a few hours while sipping a whiskey or beer. Those heading to Deadwood can still do the same at this property, only without the gunplay one might have found in the old days.

 

6 – The X-Train

Las Vegas has numerous casinos all over town. From the world-famous Strip to more vintage properties downtown to more “locals” casinos around town, there is a property for every type of player taste and bankroll. One company is planning not only to bring more gamblers to town, but also allow them to bet on casino games while they make the trip.

The X-Train, officially known as the Las Vegas Railway Express, would create a high-end train line running from Southern California to Las Vegas. Developers envision 16 passenger cars, 12 of which will be first-class service. The train would include televisions, a bar area, and even a casino. Owners were expecting to refurbish and update several carriages at a price of $1 million per carriage.

The project has been underway since 2010 with the official start of construction pushed back several times. The train is now expected to officially begin construction in 2023 with a downtown Las Vegas station and eventual service starting at five days a week. The entire project is expected to cost $8 billion and take three years to complete.

The X-Train is expected to reach 180 mph, allowing Los Angeles gamblers a high-speed rail option to get to the gaming tables and slot machines. Artist renderings depict a posh gaming carriage with several tables and a bar with slots and video poker games built into the bar as at a land-based casino.

The L.A.-to-Vegas trip is expected to take about 3.5 hours and when the train gets rolling, this railway casino offers impatient travelers a chance at some gambling before the X-Train even reaches Sin City.

 

7 – Mile High Casino Club

This unique casino brings a bit of a different meaning to the term “high roller.” The Casino Jet Lounge is actually only a design at this point from the French companies Airjet Designs and Designescence. The design is based on the interior of a Boeing 777 jet and accommodates fliers who may prefer playing some blackjack to napping or reading a book.

The goal is to provide “new social travel experiences for the long-haul traveler,” AirJet founder and creative director Jean-Pierre Alfano tells Robb Report.

The concept brings back the idea of airline flight being a social experience, complete with lounge seating and casino gaming tables. The casino concept hasn’t been incorporated yet in a jet, but some aspects of the idea have been used in other aircraft since the unveiling of the design.

 

 

8 – Genting Highlands

Developers envisioned something more than just a casino at Genting Highlands. The Resorts World Genting casino highlights the resort, but there's much more than just casino gambling in this massive property on the peak of Mount Ulu Kali in Malaysia.

The resort is a virtual city complete with amusement parks, restaurants, shops, apartments, housing areas, a sporting center, a concert hall, a Buddhist temple, and much more. The city is an all-encompassing resort destination at about 5,900 feet elevation complete with cable cars.

The destination is located just a short trip from the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The property also offers guests some brilliant views of the 150 million-year-old rainforest below. A visit to the Genting Highlands offers a one-of-a-kind gaming experience with so much more to check out beyond the casino.

*Credit for the cover photo in this article belongs to AP Photo/Michelle Rindels*
 

The game we know as blackjack has been centuries in the making, with influences  from Italian, French, Spanish and British games, along with some wrinkles added in the United States.

The result has been a collection of optional rules that are added or subtracted as the proprietor sees fit.

That goes for online blackjack just as much as live blackjack. The game you see at one online casino or live casino is not necessarily the same as the one you'll see a click away or a street away.

Some  basics remain in force. Card values remain the same. The need to beat the dealer without going over 21 remains the same, as does the starting point of two cards from which you can hit, stand, split pairs or double down.

But beyond the basics, there's a long list of optional blackjack rules. Some are good for players and reduce the house edge. Others are designed to increase the house edge. Those make blackjack tougher on players.

It's up to you to check out rules before you play and decide whether the game at hand is one you want to play. Usually, the effect of rules working together will yield a game with a house edge of less than 1% against a basic strategy player. Many games have edges of less than half a percent, and if you're lucky, you might find something very close to an even game.

Let's look at some of the most common rules variations.

Number of Decks

Six-deck games are the most common, but it's possible to find one-, two- and eight-deck games. Some live games with automatic shufflers even use four or six decks.

If all other rules are equal, a single-deck game has a house edge about half a percent lower than a six-deck game. However, a single-deck game can have a house edge higher than games with more decks (more on that below).

That aside, why does adding decks increase the house edge? Because with more decks, two-card 21s, or blackjacks, become less common. Players get a bonus payoff on blackjacks, so it helps players to have more frequent blackjacks.

Imagine your first card is an Ace. In a single-deck game, 16 of the remaining 51 cards, or 31.4%, are 10 values that would complete a blackjack. In a six-deck game, 96 of the remaining 311 cards, or 30.9% are 10 value. 

Flip that around and imagine your first card is a 10 value. With one deck, four of the other 51 cards, or 7.8%, are Aces. With six decks, 24 of 311 cards, or 7.7% are Aces.

With either start, the percentages tell us blackjacks are more common with fewer decks.

Similarly, with fewer decks, you’re more likely to draw a 10 in double-down situations. If you have 6-5 in a single-deck game, 16 of the other 50 cards, or 32%, are 10 values that will give you 21. In a six-deck game, it’s 96 of 310 cards, or 31%. You’ll get that wished-for 10 on your double downs more often with fewer decks.

The Big Bad: 6-5 Payoffs on Blackjacks

Traditionally, blackjacks pay 3-2, provided the dealer doesn't also have a blackjack. For a $10 bet, the payoff is $15.

In the last couple of decades, there has been a rise in games that pay only 6-5. For a $10 bet, your blackjack wins only $12.

That's a huge difference, one that adds 1.4% to the house edge. Given the entire edge against a basic strategy player is measured in tenths of a percent, a 1.4% edge-padder is a killer for players.

That's a deal breaker. If you see a 6-5 payoff on blackjacks and not the traditional 3-2, look for a different game or another place to play.

Other Rules

The effects of other common variations aren't as large as the number of decks or the blackjack payoffs, but they're still important. Several may or may not be in effect at the same table. Their cumulative effect can be large.

Make sure you know which of these common rules are being used.

• Dealer hits or stands on soft 17 – It's better for players if the dealer stands on soft 17.  If the dealer hits, he can't bust soft 17 in one card and he gets a chance to beat your 17 or better. Hitting soft 17 increases the house edge by about two-tenths of a percent.
• Player may double down on any first two cards versus player may double down only on specific hands – It's best for players to have more options as long as the players take their time to learn basic strategy and know how to use the options.

If the casino permits double downs only on hard totals of 9, 10 or 11, that increases the house edge by about a tenth of a percent. If it restricts doubles to hard 10 or 11 -- eliminating the 9 as well as all soft totals, it increases the house edge by two-tenths of a percent.

• Player may or may not double down after splitting pairs – After you split a pair, if the draw gives you a two-card total of 11, or sometimes 10 or 9, you want the option to double down. If the casino doesn't permit that play, the house edge increases by .14%.
• Players may split pairs, once, twice or three times – If you split a pair of 8s and then draw a third 8, creating another 8-8 hand, your best play is to split again. If the casino doesn't allow resplits, it increases  the house edge.

In the best games, you can split up to three times to make a total of four hands. If you can split only twice, it adds one-hundredth of a percent to the edge. If you can split only once, it adds a tenth of a percent, and if splits aren't allowed at all it adds six-tenths of a percent.

Cumulative Effect of Rules

It's not hard to put together a combination of rules in which a game with more decks has a lower edge. For one thing, blackjack payoffs have a bigger effect than the number of decks. If you know nothing else about the games but know a single-deck game pays 6-5 on blackjacks while a six-deck game pays 3-2, you're better off at the six-deck game.

Even with 3-2 pays on both games, the six-deck game can be better if it has better auxiliary rules. Let's say a single-deck game has the dealer hit soft 17. You can double down only on hard 10 or 11, may not double after splits, and may split pairs only once. The house edge against a basic strategy player is 0.45 percent.

What about a six-deck game in which the dealer stands on all 17s, you may double on any first two cards, including after splits, and may split pairs up to three times. The house edge is 0.40%, lower than the edge on the single-deck game. 

It's the full package of rules that matters, not just the number of decks.
 

From name alone, Four Card Poker looks like players could expect a rerun of Three Card Poker. But there are twists and turns that make Four Card Poker its own game with its own intrigue.

Devised early in the 2000s by Roger Snow at Shufflemaster – now part of Scientific Games – Four Card Poker sometimes pops up in large live casinos, but of late is finding a new niche in online casinos. That's a strength of online play: physical space isn't a constraint, so online operators can offer more varied games.

Overview of Four Card Poker

Four Card Poker has an ante-play option and an Aces Up option. That's similar to Three Card Poker's ante-play and Pair Plus options.

A key difference is that in the ante-play section, dealers don't have to make a qualifying hand for play bets to be active. In Three Card Poker and many poker-based games, the house edge comes from the qualifying hand stipulation that leads to only partial payoffs on many winning player hands.

So how does the house get an edge? By dealing more than four cards. Players each get five cards and the dealer gets six. From those cards, everyone makes their best four-card hand.

That gives the dealer more chances to make a better hand. On the average, the dealer hand will be higher than the player's, giving the house its edge.

Still, the edge is relatively small for poker-based games. According to calculations at wizardofodds.com, the house edge in the ante-play portion is 2.78% of the ante, or 1.30% of total wagers. That compares favorably with the 3.37% of the ante or 2.01% of total wagers in Three  Card Poker.

Let's look at gameplay and strategies, first for ante-play, then for Aces Up.

Ante-Play

Rankings of hands are slightly different from most poker games. The top hand is four of a kind, outranking straight flushes, including royals.

After four of a kind, hand ranks in order are straight flush, three of a kind, flush, straight, two pair, pair, and unpaired high card. Note that three of a kind outranks flushes and straights, and there are no full houses in four-card hands.

To start a hand, you must place an ante.  At the same time, you may make an Ace Up bet, but that is not mandatory.

You're then dealt five cards and the dealer gets one card face up and five face down. Cards are dealt from a single deck, with a fresh shuffle for every hand.

After you look at your cards, you must decide whether to fold or raise. When raising, you must bet at least as much as your ante, but may bet up to three times the ante.

If you fold, you lose and the dealer collects your ante. If you raise, you must discard one hand and make a four-card poker hand.

After your discard is made, the dealer turns his cards up and discards two to make a four-card hand.

Once four-card hands are set, hands are compared. If the dealer hand outranks yours, you lose both ante and raise. If your hand outranks the dealer's, or if you tie, you win even money on ante and raise. So if you ante $5 and make a 3X raise of $15, you win a total of $20.

The player winning on ties instead of pushing is a nice bonus.

In addition to the wins for beating or tying the dealer, there is an ante-bonus on high-ranking hands. Regardless of whether you beat the dealer, you get a bonus on three of a kind or better.

There are two available pay tables: Either you get 25-1 on four of a kind, 20-1 on a straight flush or 2-1 on three of a kind, or 30-1 on quads, 15-1 on straight flushes and 2-1 on three of a kind.

Strategy

Four Card Poker strategy involves  when to fold, when to raise and how much to raise.

There are several available strategies, with the more complex bringing the best returns. Let's look at an advanced strategy and a beginner strategy as detailed at wizardofodds.com. The house edge of 2.8% of the ante with the advanced strategy increases to 3.4 percent with the beginner strategy.

The beginner strategy, originally devised by esteemed games analyst Stanley Ko, is easy. Anyone playing Four Card Poker for a change of pace should be able to master it quickly.

It calls for a 3X raise if you have a pair of 10s or better, or a 1X raise with pairs of 2s through 9s. Fold all hands of less than a pair. Advanced strategy is more detailed with more ifs and here key concepts to remember:

• Raise 3X with a pair of Aces or better. This includes all hands with two pairs, straights, flushes, three of a kind, straight flushes, and four of a kind.
• Raise 3X on a pair of Kings, except bet 1X if the dealer face up card is an Ace and you do not have an Ace or a 4 in your hand.
• Raise 3X on a pair of Jacks or Queens, except 1X if the dealer up card is of a higher rank and you don't match the dealer card with another card in your hand.
• Raise 3X on a pair of 9s or 10s, but 1X if the dealer up card is of a higher rank. At this level, there is no longer a proviso about a card in your hand matching the dealer card.
• Raise 3X on a pair of 8s if the dealer up card is a 2, but 1X against all other up cards.
• Raise 1X on a pair of 4s through 7s.
• Raise 1X on a pair of 3s, except fold if the dealer shows a Jack if your highest rank outside the pair is 10 or lower.
• Raise 1X on a pair of 2s or Ace-King-Queen only if the dealer up card matches a card in your hand. Otherwise, fold.
• Raise 1X on Ace-King-Jack-10 if the dealer shows a Jack. Otherwise, fold.
• Fold Ace-King-Jack-9 or lower.

That's involved enough that few casual players are going to take the time to memorize for play in live casinos. For online play, you can keep a strategy sheet at your side until you get used to the plays.

Aces Up

The other wager in Four Card Poker is easy. You don't have to beat the dealer and there are no strategies to learn.

In Aces Up, you win any time you have a pair of Aces or better. That makes it just like Three Card Poker's Pair Plus, except that pairs lower than Aces don't win.

There are seven pay tables available from the manufacturer, but by the far the most common pays: 50-1 on four of a kind, 40-1 on a straight flush, 8-1 on three of a kind, 5-1 on a flush, 4-1 on a straight, 3-1 on two pairs, and 1-1 on a pair of Aces.

You'll win on only about 19% of hands, but the payoffs are large enough that the house edge is 3.89%. By comparison, the house edge on the most common version of Three Card Poker's Pairs Plus is 7.28%.

The ante-play portion is a better deal, but overall Four Card Poker gives players an intriguing option. It's easy while requiring a little more complex betting strategy than Three Card Poker.
 

A little while ago I received a letter (a real letter, not an email or text) from Mr. Thomas M., a reader who wanted to know why I always show both sides of the casino ledger. He thought sometimes I was too clinical, always showing how the casinos get their edges over the players.

He thought the analysis was too dry and dull. That’s what I took from his letter.

Thomas wanted more magic about casino games. I guessed he wanted me to write about the magic of playing. I guess he wanted less real analysis and more fantasy. That I understand. One of the biggest thrills of casino playing is the ability to fantasize about what we would do should we win some money or a lot of money or loads of money.

I get it. I sometimes have those fantasies too. I’ve played well over three decades in the temples of chance and, yes indeed, I have had plenty of fantasies of epic wins and life-changing events tied to great luck at the games. What casino player hasn’t fantasized? I would think none.

However, Mr. Thomas was right. I do not just dwell on the fantasy of epic wins (which happen rarely and rarely to us). I want to tell my readers the truth about the casino games they play. Being forewarned can help us be forearmed.

Be Ready

I do not think real knowledge of the games is destructive of a player’s psyche.

However, I wrote an article (“The Magic of Casino Games”) where the second half caters to the idea of winning it big at the casino; so big that the actual word “big” was small. I’m hoping Mr. Thomas enjoyed that. By the end of my fantasy for him, he walked away carrying a huge chunk of the casino’s money. Why not? If you are going to fantasize, why not make it BIG? 

In reality now, can a player come away a winner on a given day, or trip, or an extended period of time? Certainly. Casino players wouldn’t play if they never won anything at any time. That would be insane. We have all won now and again and sometimes we have had great sessions. Sometimes we’ve had prolonged winning streaks.

Fine, our fantasies are fueled by the fact that we can and have won in the casinos. If we never, ever, even once won a hand of blackjack or a roll of the dice or a roulette number hitting or a machine paying us some money at some time or other, would we continue to play? Probably not.

Someone Must Win

Put simply. Take the game of roulette. We’ll use the American version which has a 0 and a 00 on the wheel.

There are 38 pockets into which the ball can fall, 1-36 and 0 and 00, and one pocket will capture the ball where it will remain. That pocket number becomes the winner.

A player has a one in 38 chance of winning any bet he makes directly on any number. That winning player receives a 35-to-1 payout. A $10 winning bet pays $350. Not bad, right?

Now watch this: A player can guarantee that he or she can win every spin of the wheel. Just bet all 38 numbers. One of them is bound to come up, right? Bound? It must come up. That’s a win each and every spin of the wheel if the player decides to go this way with his or her wagering. Just keep remembering that it’s a guaranteed win! Hooray for the winning player! That player is a genius betting on all the numbers.

Oops, wait a second – it’s also a guaranteed loss; meaning each and every spin of the wheel is a bitter defeat. It is a win and a defeat. How can that be? It is heads and tails coming up at the same time.  

Yes, you win $350 on that $10 wager. Great. But you lose (prepare thyself) on all the other numbers. So, you have one win and 37 losses. You win $350 but lose $370. Yikes! 

Yes, the casino pays the winner and takes all the rest of the bets. You win some money but you lose more money.

That’s a fact. Unsettling? Maybe. But it is still a fact that you can’t simply dismiss because it ruins your fantasy of a big score. 

The game of craps will shortchange the players on their wins as well. While the pass line and come bets will pay even-money, the casino will win more of those bets. The rest? The casino will take money out of the win before it pays the player. A bet that should pay 35-to-one will only pay 30-to-one.

That’s the world of payoffs for the player.

Betting Systems are Great, But…

Some of the greatest mathematicians (and maybe your neighbors down the street) have poured over the games and they have all come to the same conclusion: casino games are not beatable in the long run. 

[Please note: Games can be beaten by changing the nature of what you do as a player. A small percentage of card counters can beat blackjack. They follow what cards have been played knowing those cards will not come up again until after the shuffle. 

There are some other games where a player can change its nature or how he or she wagers. Craps can be beaten if a shooter has some control over the dice. Are there many players who can change the nature of the games? Not really. Winnable games are not being played based solely on the randomness of the selection principle of the casino because the players have figured out a way to beat that. 

Obviously, the casinos want the games to be played as they want those games to be played without the player having any kind of edge. We can understand this. We don’t like it but we do understand this attitude.]

What can we players do to lessen the impact of the house edges on our monetary futures? Following the “lucky dozen steps” below would be a first principle in protecting our money.

The Lucky Dozen Steps

1. Know exactly how the casino achieves its edge over you at every game you play and at every bet you make at those games. If another player gives you advice you will know exactly what that player understands and where he or she is going wrong. Casinos get their edges in one of two ways. They shortchange the payouts (as I showed in the roulette example above) or they actually win more decisions at that game. Many games, such as craps, do both.
    
2. Only make the bets at a given game that come in with low house edges. If you are betting the Fire Bet at craps and the house edge is 20-25%, then you are just handing your money over to the house. There are bets at craps where the house edge is less than 2%. Those are the better bets to make. Many new games have edges well over that 2% mark. You might want to avoid such games owing to their speed of play. Some of these new games want you to make more than one bet.
    
3. The speed of games is something to be aware of. The faster the game means the more decisions the player must wager. The more decisions, the better it is for the casino. Mini-baccarat has a low house edge on two of its bets, the bank and player (it has a third bet that is awful), but the speed of the game is overwhelming. The more decisions on even small edges can be truly cutting to a player’s bankroll. Be aware of the speed of games.
    
4. You should know when to quit playing. Taking breaks is not a sign of weakness. Indeed, playing when you are tired or somewhat high might be the biggest sign of weakness. You want your full faculties alert when you are gambling your money. You worked hard for that money. If you like to drink, do the yeoman’s amount of drinking after you finish playing the games. The drinks can wait, can’t they? Playing and drinking are not always a good combination.
    
5. Play within the context of your real money. Over-betting is a killer of bankrolls. The casino bosses are not really impressed by how much you bet. The casino wants you to bet a lot so you can lose a lot. Keep that in mind.
6. You might be a small-roller. So what? Don’t be envious of players who can bet huge amounts. Just think; those players can lose huge amounts – and they sure do. High rollers pay a pretty penny to be treated special by the casinos. Once those high-rollers stop being a pretty penny, you know what will happen to them, right?
    
7. Have a separate bank account for your playing money. Do not use household money. Think of your gambling account as a 401G (“G” stands for gambling). It might take a while to save up enough money to play without worrying about a loss. So be it. Rome might not have been built in a day and a decent bankroll often takes time to build as well.
    
8. Comps are not rewards that the casinos give you because you are a great person, a noble person no less, who is worthy of a whole bunch of stuff for free. We might think of ourselves in such a way but it is doubtful many other people in the world think this way. You have a price tag on yourself when you play casino games; it is as simple as that. That price tag has nothing to do with your character.
    
9. Comps are just givebacks based on how much the casino figures you will lose over time. It isn’t their opinion of your worth as a human being. They call your potential losses your “theoretical loss.” It’s basically a formula that goes something like this (but in real computer talk): Mr. Thomas will lose about “X” amount of money so we’ll give him a couple of bucks for his efforts. Just about anyone who gambles in a casino and gives in a player’s card will get some type of comps. Thus, never play for comps as they are meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Take whatever comps the casino hands you, fine, but never play just to get them. The casino rates your potential losses; it doesn’t rate your character.
    
10. Be careful of the friends you have who make gambling too big a part of their lives. You should have other interests. When you go to a casino, take time to see a show or a sporting event. Go for walks and workouts. Enjoy everything that you can. The whole experience is worth more than just one aspect of it. Gambling is fun, yes, but there are plenty of other things the casinos offer that are fun as well. Enjoy those things too. Don’t limit yourself.
     
11. Never describe yourself as a “gambler.” It is a negative word. It is a word that detracts from you. It adds nothing. You are a player that enjoys the casinos. Period. Everyone wants to play; at least as kids they did. So, you play. Nothing to be ashamed of. Remember, think of yourself as a player. Nothing more; nothing less.
     
12. Be aware that all games have streaks and none of these streaks will last indefinitely. You could be playing a slot machine that pays off handsomely and then it turns ice cold. It is starting to empty your wallet. Do not chase your losses. Are you having a bad session when that machine starts to whack you? Call it quits for a time and do something else. Take time off. You can play later. The older you get the earlier those later times will come.

All the best in and out of the casinos to you – and to Mr. Thomas too.
 

Just received this letter in the mail as opposed to online or in an email or text (It’s back to the refreshing old days!):

“Dear Mr. Scoblete

“May I call you Frank? I’ll assume that is okay, okay? 

“Frank, I have read many of your books, even the ones not about gambling, and I’ve seen you on television too. I enjoy your articles immensely. 

“But I have to take one thing up about your casino writing, which is overall the best! You do spend a lot of time warning the players about the house edge and how it can subtly and not-so-subtly destroy a player’s bankroll.

“Don’t we all know that? Players have to know they are playing against the tide so to speak. How could they not know this?

“As a player when I go to a casino, I know I am playing against the house and that means I am playing against the house edge on any game I choose to play. And I do play most of the games too. Each bet, I know, I know, I know, comes with that house edge. That is obvious to me but I do not let that deter me.

“Don’t you think I am just a typical player? I understand to give a full picture that you must explain how the house edge influences all the games and bets, but don’t you think that takes away the magic of playing in the casinos? Maybe we should all just try to understand some of the magic of casino play and not worry so much about the cost of it all.

“I suggest a little bit about the house edge from time to time but a lot about the joy of playing.

“Just think of the comps, not as loss potentials but as true gifts for your play. Who doesn’t want comps? I like to be called Mr. ‘T.M.’ even though I am no one especially special in the scheme of things. Am I so off base here?

“Am I wrong in this? I don’t think so.

“Keep up the good work, Frank. I do love your writing but I also enjoy some magic now and again.

“Yours in truth, Thomas M.”

Dear Thomas M.:

Thanks for your letter – a real letter! 

Yes, I do write about the house edges on every game I describe. I explain how the house achieves those edges and how fast or slow a player can expect to lose his or her money based on those edges, the amount bet, and how long a player engages in a game. 

The house edges, the speeds of the games and the amount wagered are the keys to money management. Money management can’t beat the games but it can keep your money from disappearing from truly awful decisions.

I think too many players lose the “magic” of the games because they make bad decisions which cost them much more money than they need to lose. Poor thinking is also poor money management. 

I am not so sure most players actually know much about how the casinos attain the edge over them, otherwise we would see far better betting choices at the games. One just has to peruse the craps and roulette games to see how many players make terrible bets.  

There are bets at craps with house edges in the double digits and some new “branded” wagers such as the Fire Bet that come in with edges in the 20 to 25 percent range! That’s higher than a slot machine of the hungriest variety.

You have roulette players who immediately parley their bets after a single win. Not the best idea in the world. This technique goes for blackjack players and even slot players who will immediately go to higher denomination machines. Not good.

I do believe that I give the games their credit for supplying us with a great source of pleasure. Yes, there is a sense of magic at times when you are challenging the house; I will not deny that because too many players have made it a point to tell me that. I’ve experienced such feelings too. It’s hard not to.

Comps do make many players feel special. These players will brag about what the casino “gave them,” thinking that this is something that says something great about them. I understand that fully. I don’t really buy into that feeling but I will take whatever comps the casinos offer me. It would seem foolish not to. I don’t play for comps but I do appreciate them.

Keep in mind that I am a player too and have been for well over three decades. I’ve spent as much time in casinos as some people have spent at work so I am familiar with the ins and outs of the landscape and the game space.   

Still, I hear you, I do. So, from this point on in this one article I will only deal with the magic of it all.

Get ready, Mr. T.M., here comes magic created just for you.

Frank

The Dream of Dreams

“Well, hello there sir,” said the roulette dealer.

“Hi,” said Thomas Miller, who would be called Tom M., or T.M., or Mr. M. in a very short while. “Here is my player’s card.”

Mr. T.M. cashed in his money for chips and put $25 on the number 17, which is the most played number at roulette ever since it became associated with James Bond of spy-fame.

“Well, let me see how it goes,” said Tom.

“No more bets!” said the dealer as one player deliberately put in a late bet. The dealer pushed the bet back to the player. The player grumbled.

Tom shook his head. Some people just don’t follow the rules. How hard is it to follow the rules?

The ball spun. It landed into the pockets and bounced. It stopped bouncing. “Seventeen! Black!” shouted the dealer. 

“Oh, yeah,” exclaimed Tom. The dealer passed him $875. Tom pushed $5 to the dealer as a tip. “Thank you, sir,” said the dealer.

Did Mr. T.M. win every spin of the wheel? No, of course not. Even a truly biased wheel, one totally off the random design of the wheel, will rarely keep hitting the same number over and over without other numbers appearing as well. 

So, Mr. T.M. won one and then lost a couple and then won another one and lost a few and then won another one. In a very short while Mr. T.M. won more money at roulette than he had ever won even on a great trip to the casinos. It was a dream. He was up over $10,000 in less than an hour.

A host came over to him, wished him well, and told Mr. T.M. if he needed anything to get in touch with him. The host’s name was Alan Tours.

Mr. T.M. made a decision then and there; he’d increase the size of his bets and if he kept winning then after every increase by $10,000 in his win, he would then increase the size of his bets again.

He bet $100! He just chose a number at random, the 0. It hit. He won $3,500! On one spin of the wheel. He bet the 00. It hit right away!

A few spins later Mr. T.M. was betting $200. He got rid of the idea that if he won more than $10,000 he’d increase his bet. Every win now came in with over $10,000 in wins.

Hello, Mr. T.M

The pit boss introduced himself to Tom. “Hello, Mr. T.M. My name is Carl. Would you like your own table?”

“Uh, ah, sure,” said Mr.T.M.

In the snap of two fingers Mr. T.M. was ushered over to the opulent high-roller room. A roulette table was ready to go with two female dealers; yes, pretty, young, female dealers.

“Hello Mr. T.M.” they said in unison as if they knew him. Mr. T.M. smiled. Across the room was a private blackjack table with a good-looking male dealer and one fabulously-dressed woman playing all six hands for $10,000 each.

This was Mr. T.M.’ in his first time playing in the high-roller room. It was a different experience than playing in the ordinary casino; that’s for sure.

“Your maximum bet is $10,000,” said the new woman who just seemed to appear out of nowhere. “I’m Chantel, the casino manager. Anything you want, just ask. We aim to please.”

Mr. T.M. bet it up all afternoon. He was now somewhat fatigued and he was up over $300,000. He decided to color up. 

Chantel appeared at the table. We will count up your chips and put your money safely in a safe if you don’t mind.

“I’m fine; I’m fine. Thank you,” said Mr. T.M.

Alan, the host, now appeared as well. “We’ve switched you to one of our great suites. You’ll love it. A full rain shower; a jacuzzi in the living room. Two bedrooms if you have company coming over.”

“Uh, thanks,” said Mr. T.M.

“Anything we can do to make your stay a delight,” said Alan. He hands Mr. T.M.a card. “This is the private number for me. You won’t have to compete with any other callers.”

Mr. T.M. checked out the suite. It was huge with a monstrously large picture window in the living room allowing the occupant to see the entire Strip. Both bedrooms had king-sized beds.  

Mr. T.M. gave himself a jacuzzi and then took a two-hour nap. It was dinner time.  

“I might as well,” he thought. He called Alan and asked him if he could make a reservation at the steakhouse. Alan told him “No problem.” They set a time.

Mr. T.M. took the elevator from his room which was at the very top of the building. He went into the bar, had a scotch, then decided he wanted to play some craps. 

At the table he gave in his player’s card and asked for $100,000 of his money. (Remember that he had $300,000 in winnings at the casino cage.) The floor person came over and told Mr. T.M. that the private table in the high-roller room was all his if he wanted. 

Mr. T.M. wanted it.

He played craps. He bet $1,000 on the pass line. He hit a 7 on the come-out roll and then an 11 – two winners. His point was the 10. He placed $5,000 in odds on the number as the casino allowed five-times odds. He bought the 4 for $5,000, placed $5,000 on both the 5 and 9. He placed $6,000 on both the 6 and 8.

He had an epic roll.

At a certain point Mr. T.M. realized he could go the route and bet some of the high house-edge bets at the game and he did. For the heck of it, he bet the hardways and then he dared to bet the 12, a one-roll bet that paid 30 to one. Yes, he immediately hit it and was paid $30,000 for his wager.

Oh, yes, he did seven-out eventually. No one could roll forever. 

But he did make slightly over $1 million at craps. Amazing.

He went to dinner where he was served in a private alcove. The meal was delicious. Alan visited him as did the evening’s casino manager. “Anything you want,” they both said simultaneously. “Anything you want, you got!”

Mr. T.M. stayed two nights. He didn’t win every roll of the dice or every spin of the roulette wheel. He didn’t win every hand of blackjack or every hand of video poker. He just won consistently.  

He was ahead $10 million at the end of his second day. 

“Why not try the slots?” he asked himself. He wasn’t a big slot player but the Megabucks was over $50 million. He thought he’d put through about $10,000 and take his chances.

He lost $5,000 and he asked himself whether he should pack it in. He didn’t. On the very next spin, bingo! bango! bongo! Mr. T.M. hit the jackpot of $50 million.

He now had won $60 million on this two-day trip. 

He thought, “I’ll quit my job, divorce my wife wherever she is, sell my house, buy a new house in an area that was exclusive and none of my relatives can find me. That’s what I’ll do.”

On his way out Alan and the one of the casino managers (he forgot her name) asked when he would be back. 

“Oh, next weekend,” he said. “I intend to own the casino before I am through.”

They laughed. He laughed. But he meant it.

To Tom and to all of us pursuing Lady Luck’s grace: 

All the best in and out of the casinos!
 

 

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

The ultimate goal of nearly every video poker player is hitting a royal flush. This is the highest-paying hand in the game. It is also quite rare.

This article presents some facts and tips regarding this seldom seen phenomenon.

Contents

1. Typical player comments

Typical comments about that illusive royal flush are very similar to this recently received email:

2. Just how often does a royal flush appear?

The answer is … it depends.

• It depends on the game. 
  • In most jacks or better based games, the player will hit a royal flush once in about 40,000 to 50,000 hands – on average.
  • For some video poker games (such as Pick ‘em Poker or Pick a Pair Poker), the interval can be as long as about once every 325,000 hands – again, on average.

3. How long is “never?”

As the saying goes, never is a very long time. Just how long does it take to play 40,000 hands?

• The average video poker player plays somewhere between about 120 and 600 hands per hour. This is about two to 10 hands per minute.
• Assuming bathroom breaks, chatting with fellow players, stopping to sip a drink, and other distractions, let’s assume the actual rate of play is 300 hands per hour.
• At this rate, it takes about 135 hours to complete 40,000 hands.
• A player who plays four hours per day takes over a month of daily play to achieve 40,000 hands.

4. What does “on average” actually mean?

There is no guarantee that you will hit a royal flush each time you play 40,000 hands. In fact, it is a near certainty that you won’t. 

The nature of random play means you cannot predict what will happen. Some examples from my actual play:

5. Going 15 years without hitting a royal flush

The reader who sent the email at the beginning of this article does not give any information to help determine how many hands he actually played during the 15 years without a royal flush.

He doesn’t say how often he plays, how long a normal session lasts, nor does he mention his approximate rate of play.

Let’s assume he plays about 300 hands per hour. Let’s further assume he plays the same number of hands each year. 

• To play 40,000 hands (the approximate average number of hands between royals) in 15 years means he must average about 2,666 hands per year.
• If he plays four times a year, he needs to average 667 hands each time.
• An average of two to three hours of play each time would do the trick.

That does not seem like a lot of play, so he should have hit a royal, right? Not really.

It is not uncommon for players to go two, three or more times a royal flush cycle of about 40,000 hands without cashing in. 

6. Some tips to help survive the long trip to the next (or first) royal flush

Yes, it can take a very long time to hit a royal flush. Here are some tips to handle that journey.

Be patient. Most players overestimate their play. It is normal. It is human nature. To combat that, determine your actual rate of play. Here are a few methods:

• One method is counting the number of hands played in 15 or 30 minutes. Multiply that number of hands by 4 for 15 minutes or 2 for 30 minutes. That is the rate per hour. Is it probably wise to lower the rate several hands per hour since there will be pauses during the session for bathroom breaks, etc.
• Alternatively, determine the actual rate of play by using the number of player’s club points earned. Take the total points earned and multiply by number of dollars required for one point. Divide that number by the dollars bet per hand – $1.25 for a quarter game, $5 for a dollar game. This is the total hands played for the session. Divide that by the number of hours played that session to get your rate per hour.
• Divide 40,000 by the rate of hands per hour to determine the number of hours to play 40,000 hands. Divide 60,000 to determine the number of hours to play 60,000 hands, etc. This number will probably surprise you.

Other tips:

• Don’t focus on getting a royal flush. Focus instead on playing perfect strategy. This will keep you in the game longer.
• Play only with money you can afford to lose. A royal flush will be much less important if it isn’t needed for your next mortgage payment.
• Most importantly, have fun! If it isn’t fun, why play? Stop. Take a break – or head home. Chasing a royal flush is not worth the cost.

7. Summary 

• A royal flush is a rare occurrence. It happens about once in every 40,000 hands or so, on average.
• The actual timing of a particular royal flush could be as long as 200,000 and or more.
• Players generally overestimate their rate of play.
• Only play with money you can afford to lose.
• Have fun playing. Eventually that illusive royal flush will appear.