Previous
Gambling
WTDNJul09_Feature_GamblingCasinos
Turningthe tables
Tips for casino players
To the addicted, gambling is a drug; to the devout a vice; and to the deluded a way of getting rich. But to the well-adjusted gambler it’s just another form of entertainment, just as exciting and satisfying as a rock concert or a Grand Prix race, say, and usually no more expensive.
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 money wisely and choose smart betting strategies, you can minimize that advantage until it becomes an acceptable price to pay for that adrenaline rush.
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 if you do guess correctly, the house pays only 35 to one. What this means is that, when you average your wins and losses over a long enough period of play, you can expect to lose $5.26 for 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, a five per cent fee may be a good value for the fun.
Baccarat has the same sort of glamour. It’s 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, known as the bank.
Help for the wary
Other casino games require more savvy. The Atlantis and Crystal Palace casinos have a school for would-be gamblers, and croupiers and dealers are always happy to explain how to play a game.
The same is true of slot machines, whose array of games and payouts can make them the most intimidating things in the casino to anyone who’s even mildly technophobic. But you can always ask a floor assistant for help. Knowledgeable gamblers recommend playing the dollar machines, not the smaller denominations, because the payback is better.
To turn the tables on the casino, however, you need to play a game where skill is involved as well as luck. In blackjack, the object is to get cards that total as close as possible to 21 without going over. After receiving your first two cards, you can choose a hit (take another card) or stand on any number. The dealer has no such choice. He must take a hit on less than 17 and stand on 17 or over, so you can use this to your advantage.
Books have been written and complicated charts devised to explain optimum blackjack strategies, 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 10s than any other number, because that’s also the value of jacks, queens and kings. So assume that any card you can’t see, including the next card to be dealt, is likely to be a 10. This means that when the dealer is showing anything from a deuce to a six, you can expect him to bust (go over 21 and lose), so you can, surprisingly, stand on a total as low as 12.
Aggressive plays can be more profitable, too. For instance, if you have a pair, you can split them and play them as two hands, doubling your bet in the process. This is known as “doubling down.” Do this with all pairs except fours, fives and 10s when you already have a good total or can reasonably expect to get one. If your count is nine, 10 or 11, you should double down, after which you get only one more card, which you hope will be a 10.
Be more careful playing against the dealer’s best cards—a 10 or an ace, which can count as either one or 11. Never double down against a dealer’s ace—only against a 10 if you hold an ace yourself. Against either of these cards, split only your aces.
When the dealer shows seven, eight or nine, simple arithmetic will tell you what to do. So always double down 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 have already beaten. There are mathematical refinements to this strategy, such as taking a hit with a 12 against a dealer’s deuce or three and doubling down with fours against a five or six, but by learning the basics you’re already well on your way to reducing the house’s edge to one per cent.
Maximum excitement
The best-value bets in the casino, though, are at the craps table. Unfortunately, it’s the most intimidating game to newcomers. It looks chaotic, it’s noisy and the table layout looks complicated, but this is where the action is—and the most excitement.
A good tip is to concentrate only on your bet rather than trying to follow everything that’s happening at the table. When there’s a new shooter (somebody rolling the dice), tell the dealer in a clear voice that you’re making a “pass line bet,” and he’ll put the money down for you.
Then, if the shooter rolls a seven or 11, you win. If it’s two, three or 12, you lose. And if he rolls any other number, he has to roll that number again (you win) before he rolls a seven (you lose). In this case tell the dealer clearly, “I want to take maximum odds.” That way you are effectively increasing the value of your pass bet, with the plus that the casino pays the correct odds on the additional stake. In other words, it has no edge at all.
You can also make a “come bet,” which is a pass line bet on the shooter’s second roll. Then, if the shooter rolls another neutral number, take maximum odds on that, too. By using this low-risk strategy, you’ll soon get into the swing of the most thrilling game in the casino. Whatever stakes you play for, it’s all the action you could ever want.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-Mail: Click here
Internet: https://
Disclaimer:
Information in editorial and listings is subject to change at any time.