PreviousTurning the tables
WTDF Jan09
Turning the tables
Casino gambling tips
Near the end of his life Nick “The Greek” Dandalos, the highest roller who ever lived, was reduced to playing poker for $5 stakes. When someone asked him how he could bear to gamble for peanuts after so many years of winning and losing millions, Nick replied, “Hey, it’s action, ain’t it?”
To the addict, gambling is a drug; to the devout a vice; and to the deluded a way of getting rich quickly. To the well-adjusted gambler it is just another form of entertainment, as exciting, involving and satisfying as a rock concert or a night at the movies, say, and potentially no
more expensive.
At the Isle of Capri Casino the drinks are free, even if you’re only playing the 25-cent slot machines. But hostess Tonia Forbes recommends you get to know the rest of the floor staff, not just the waitresses.
“Depending on how many hours you play, and the stakes, I can arrange complimentary room, food and beverage,” she says. “If people come here to play, we want to assist them any way we can.”
Even with the perks, only cheats can realistically expect to beat the casino. The house has an edge in every game. However, if you have the right attitude, manage your bankroll and choose smart betting strategies, you can minimize that edge, until it becomes an acceptable price to pay for evening after evening of adrenaline rush and nail-biting tension.
Fast-paced sophistication
Different games have their own unique attractions—and costs. For example, the odds at roulette are very much against the player. On a standard American wheel (which has two green zeroes) the chance of betting on the right number is only one in 38, but when you do guess right the house only pays 35 to 1. What this means is that, averaging out all your wins and losses over a long enough period, you can expect to lose $5.26 out of every $100 you bet.
On the other hand roulette is a fast-paced game that has an aura of old-world sophistication, so if that’s what you want maybe a five per cent toll represents good value for money.
Baccarat has the same sort of glamour. “In any film before Casino Royale,” says casino operations manager Craig Turner with a shrug, “that’s what James Bond plays.” It is a game of pure luck—the only decision you have to make is whether to bet that cards dealt to a designated player will total more or less than cards taken by the dealer (the bank).
Other casino games need more savvy. The Isle of Capri has no school for gamblers, but Turner says that croupiers and pit bosses are always happy to explain how to play any game on the floor. The same is true of slot machines.“You can always call someone over,” says slot manager Philip Grant. His tip? “Play the dollar machines, not the smaller denominations. The payback is better.”
The best odds
To turn the tables on the casino, however, you need to play a game where skill plays a part, as well as luck. In blackjack, the object is to make a total as close as possible to 21, without going over. After being dealt your first two cards, you can choose to hit (take another card) or stand on any number. The dealer has no choice: he must hit on less than 17, stand on 17 or over, and you can use this to your advantage.
There have been books written and complicated charts drawn up describing optimum blackjack strategy, but you don’t have to memorize reams of data to play the game well. The basic principles are simple.
First remember that the deck has more tens than anything else (because that’s the value of the tens, jacks, queens and kings), so assume that any card you cannot see, including the next card to be dealt, is likely to be a ten. This means that when the dealer is showing anything from a deuce to a six, you expect him to “bust” (go over 21, and lose automatically), so you can, surprisingly, stand on a total as low as 12.
Aggressive plays become more profitable, too. If you have a pair, you can split them and play them as two hands, doubling your bet in the process. Do this with all pairs except fours, fives and tens (when you already have a good total or can reasonably expect to make one). If your count is nine, 10 or 11, you should double your bet, after which you get only one more card—once again, you’re hoping it’s a 10.
Be more careful against the dealer’s best cards, the 10 and ace (which can count as either one or 11). Never double against a dealer’s ace, and only double against a 10 if you hold an ace yourself. Against either of these cards, split aces only.
When the dealer shows seven, eight or nine, simple arithmetic will tell you what to do. So always double if you have totals of 10 or 11. Split nines, except against a dealer’s seven, because then you’re expecting him to have 17, which you already beat. There are mathematical refinements to this strategy (hit with a 12 against a dealer’s deuce or three, split fours against a five or six), but you are already well on the way to reducing the house’s edge to one per cent.
Most thrilling game
The best value bets in the casino, though, are at the craps table. Unfortunately, says Turner, “It’s the most intimidating game to newcomers. It looks chaotic, noisy, the table layout looks complicated. But this is where the action is, and the excitement.”
His tip is not to try following everything that’s happening at the table—“Just concentrate on your bet.” When there’s a new shooter (somebody rolling the dice), tell the dealer in a clear voice you’re making a “pass line bet,” and he’ll put the money down for you.
Now if the shooter rolls a seven or 11, you win. A two, three or 12 and you lose. If he rolls any other number, he has to roll that number again (you win) before he rolls a seven (which loses for you).
This is the most thrilling game in the casino. Whatever stakes you play, it’s all the action you or Nick “The Greek” could ask for.
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