Going loco over casino

Casino games are called as such because they are mostly played in casinos as permitted by law. However, they can also be played outside of the casinos for entertainment purposes, some on machines that simulate gambling. The latest craze is playing online casino games which can be done right in the privacy of the home or office.

While playing casino games provide endless hours of fun and excitement to gamblers and to beginners, a player should realize that he can only get as much from his winnings. Winning in the casino is usually short-lived because a player always has to contend with the casino or house advantage or edge.

There are three basic categories of playing casino games.

1. The Gaming machines (slot machines and pachinko). These gaming machines are usually played by one player at a time, involving a machine and do not require the involvement of casino employees.
2. The Random Number Game which, as the term suggests is based upon the selection of random numbers which is taken from a computerized random number generator. It can also be sourced from other gaming equipment. Random number games may be played at a table and this includes the Roulette. It can also be played through the purchase of paper tickets or cards, such as Keno or Bingo.
3. The common table games which includes Asian Stud, Baccarat, Blackjack, Casino War, Red Dog, and many more.

CASINO GAMES

Casinos usually have slot machines everywhere. More than half of most casino floors are covered by slot machine games. The most popular of the slots are progressive jackpot games and video poker slots. There are literally hundreds of different themed slot machine games and dozens of slot machine versions, including traditional reel slots, video slots, single line slots, multi-line slots, progressives and more. Because of their popularity, tons of new-themed versions are released every year. The draw of the slot machines is the chance to win big from a relatively small amount of money. Slot costs range from one cent – penny slots - to machines that play $100 or more a spin.

One of the best tips to keep in mind when playing the slots is to realize that, in the long run, the casino always wins. People win all the time at slot machines and, in the end, come away with breaking even or even down because they're not satisfied when they win. They continue playing, trying to get that dream jackpot and end up losing instead. A player who is way ahead must know when to quit.

Another popular casino game is Blackjack (21). It is the most popular casino table game in the world today. An enticing blend of skill, strategy and luck, there's no wonder that blackjack is the most played casino table game around the globe. In contrast to most casino games, players with knowledge and strategy can obtain an edge over the house. This makes Blackjack one of the few 'beatable' casino games. There are different forms of blackjack but all have the same basic premise – a player must have a hand value higher than the dealer's, without going over a value of 21 points.

The ways to reach that cherished 21 are varied: if in the player’s two-card hand he has accumulated 21 through an ace plus a ten-value card, his work is done, for he’s an automatic winner (except for the rare cases that the dealer also has a blackjack, in which case nobody wins). If this is not his luckiest day and he has to work towards his win, the player can do so by requesting additional cards beyond the two dealt to him to get as close as possible to 21 without going over.

The player’s only competitor in this game is the dealer. He is bound by a set of rules that guide how he will play and represent the house. It is the player’s aim to gauge the dealer’s position throughout the game and make his moves accordingly. There is no reason why several players on the table can’t win simultaneously on the same hand.

Another common casino game is Backgammon. The layout of the backgammon board is one with 24 triangular shapes, or points on which each player spreads his fifteen checkers (or “men”) at the beginning of play. The goal of the game is to progress one’s checkers from their original places to the other side of the board. Once this is done, the checkers must be hauled out one by one before the opposing player manages to get his men off the board. The first player to rid the board of all his checkers is declared the winner.

The game board of the backgammon consists of two players, each with his own home or inner board. This is the area with the lowest point on the board. The player should strive to get all his men as quickly as possible. When all of them (the checkers) are on the home board, they can already be completely taken off the board.

STRATEGIES and WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Aside from having lady luck on your side, you need some strategy to be successful in playing casino games. A long term casino game strategy is not something quick and dirty, not some secret hint (like to always bet on black during a full moon.). A long term strategy is not some quick list tips that have nice bullets in front of them and that one can print out and bring with him when he plays. However, a long term strategy is an understanding and appreciation of the science of odds and risk and how one can increase the chance of coming out ahead over the long term. Even if a player is just playing for enjoyment, a good casino game strategy can help him play longer, for a more satisfying gaming experience.

When a player is about to play a casino game, he should be aware that he is taking a risk. In very simple terms, he is risking losing money in order to gain some. While he can never eliminate the risk completely he can learn to manage the risk. One way is through diversification. A player must learn how to play several different games. Just because he is having bad luck at the roulette wheel, that doesn't mean that he can't make money at the poker tables. Some gamblers think there is such a thing as a "bad day." Not true, the odds of rolling seven on the come out roll are one in six.
It is important to make use of strategies to enable risk management especially when playing internet casino games. You can try link wagering, which simply means that the amount you will bet on the game is linked to the amount of money in the previous bet and also to the fact that you won or lost the game.
A common reaction among gamblers especially if they lose a game is t even play at a higher stake. You can do this if you have a secret wish to dispose or all your cash. Try to bet less than the amount you wagered if you lose and try to bet a slightly higher amount if you win. In due time, you will see the wisdom of this strategy.

TIPS ON WINNING

There are some important tips in playing casino games.
• When making a bet with another person one must remember that he is putting his honor on the line. If a player loses, he must pay.
• A player must expect to lose. Even with good rules and strategy the odds are still usually in the casino's favor. Thus, a gambler must not get mad if he loses. He must think of it as the price he has to pay for entertainment.
• A player should trust the odds, not the hunches. If he wants to maximize his odds then he must believe in mathematically proven strategies, not hunches.
• Another important tip is for a player not to over-bet by bankroll. Before one gambles, he must determine what he can safely afford to gamble with - as entertainment money. He should stick to his limits and not gamble with money he needs for basic necessities.
• He must not hedge his bets. Hedge bets usually carry a high house edge. For example, never take insurance in blackjack and never bet the any craps or any seven in craps. Exceptions can be made for insuring life changing amounts of money.
• Finally, a player must have good gambling etiquette. Gambling is a lot more fun when people are polite and respect each other. It is also good etiquette to tip for good service.
Casino gaming is one of the top legalized gambling activities in the United States and the industry has provided lots of work opportunities to a lot of people. Thanks to the millions of people who patronize casino games (whether they actually play in the casino), government earnings from casinos are also on the rise.
No one can explain the attractions of casino games to people of all ages and economic status. Suffice it to say that the enjoyment, albeit temporary, one gets from playing casino games is enough to make one come back for more.

The Thrill of Playing Bingo

Once called as the community lotto, the game Bingo was in fact derived from lottery, albeit with a very strong group dynamics built around it. You cannot play Bingo by your lonesome; you must always have a group of people to play with in order to fully appreciate the fun of the game. Bingo is very popular among the senior folks and was once deemed as a game for the elderly alone. But in recent years, it has hit the mainstream audience in an unexpected way, especially with the emergence of online Bingo game sites. Its appeal has attracted not only those above 50 years old but people from all age brackets.

Bingo is played with a card that is labelled with the letters B, I, N, G, O across it and under the letters are random numbers. The objective of a Bingo game is to successfully cover these numbers in a certain pattern on the Bingo cards before any other player does it. The most popular version of Bingo is patterned after the American or Canadian type but Australia, United Kingdom and India also have their own versions and sets of play cards which are slightly different from the North American counterparts.

Bingo is traditionally played in halls. It comprises different sets of rules and variations to the game, which makes Bingo a lot more exciting and enjoyable. Prizes can be anything from money to household appliances, gift certificates, showcases or a brand new car. In some countries, Bingo is a recognized form of legal gambling and is popularly played at the casinos. Other games may also be linked to Bingo especially when played commercially and thereby increasing the chances of winning bigger prizes. However, Bingo may also be played for charity or for fund-raising activities. Many churches host Bingo Bonanzas especially during the holiday season.

Playing Bingo brings a very wholesome, relaxed easy-going, family-friendly atmosphere.

HOW TO PLAY BINGO

The concept of playing Bingo is very easy to follow; even children will be able to understand it.

First, players will need to have the Bingo cards; these cards are sold at the start of every game and carry different sets of numbers unique to one card only. There are no duplicate cards in the Bingo game. However, this does not mean there is only one sole winner per round.

You can play one round on Bingo with as many cards as you like. As stated, Bingo cards are marked with letters and numbers in 24 boxes:
• Under the first column B are random numbers between 1 and 15
• The second column I contains numbers between 16 and 30
• The third column N contains numbers between 31 and 45
• The fourth column G contains numbers between 46 and 60
• The last column O contains numbers between 61 and 75.

The middle box in the card does not usually carry any number or is already marked out.

When you have your cards and have settled into the game, someone then picks a chip or paper with the corresponding letter-number combination and calls it out or shows it to the audience (e.g. B-12 or I-24 or N-75). In today’s modern setting however, numbers may be drawn via computers and reflected on a computer screen. But in the traditional Bingo game, the person responsible for announcing the drawn combination is the “Caller”. He or she also serves as the host of the game.

As the numbers are called, you then have a few seconds to locate the combinations into your cards. When you do find it, you have to mark your card with a dabber or a marker (which would be provided to you at the start of the game) to indicate a pattern. Now, before each game, the Caller will have to announce what particular pattern everyone needs to form in order to win this round of Bingo. If you have successfully completed the pattern, you should loudly say, “Bingo!” in order for the caller to hear you and recognize you as the winner of that particular round.

There are plenty of possible combinations and patterns to a Bingo game and below are just some of it:

BLACKOUT BINGO – Blackout is the most popular way to enjoying Bingo. The object of the game is to become the first to block or cover all the numbers in your Bingo cards. It is usually the last game of the night and carries one of the biggest prizes. In some cases, this game may end up having multiple winners. If this happens, the prizes then would have to be evenly divided among them.

PATTERN BINGO – Pattern Bingo is played by following certain figures as determined by the Caller:

• Six Pack Bingo – When you have to cover six numbers in two rows of three, horizontally or vertically.
• Nine pack Bingo - When you have to cover nine numbers in three rows of three, horizontally or vertically.
• Postage stamps Bingo – When you have to cover the four numbers on each of the edges of your cards.
• Kite and Tail Bingo – When you cover the numbers diagonally.
• Top and bottom Bingo – When you cover only the numbers on the top row and bottom row.
• T pattern Bingo – When you cover the numbers that falls into the T-pattern of your card; for example, the top row and the center column.
• U pattern Bingo – When you cover the numbers that form a U-shape, even if it is upside down; for example the right and left most columns and the bottom row.
• Square pattern Bingo – When you cover the numbers on the top and bottom rows plus the left and right side most areas of your card.

Other patterns and variations may be invented or thought of by the organizers. In addition to this, bonus prizes may also be given away for special combinations determined also by the organizers.

Las Vegas high stakes include different games and variations such as the X Pattern Bingo. Special patterns or combinations may meet prizes as high as $10,000 in just one game.

Playing in an Online Bingo Setting

If you are playing the game online, the cards you receive are randomly selected by a computer. You will normally be given less than four cards. Each card should cost less than $0.25 on average. Numbers drawn are displayed automatically and blocking out or marking your cards will also be courtesy of the computer. You basically also follow the same rules and concepts as a traditional Bingo by finding patterns in order to win a round of game.

Online Bingo can be played anywhere where there is a computer. And as much as the game is traditionally active and alive because of the presence of a group dynamics or a community, online Bingo also connects you to virtual players all over the world. You are still able to make friends with people even if you are sitting at home and logging in to the Bingo site. This is one of the reasons why Bingo is a game that appeals to a wide audience – the community aspect of it; or having someone else to enjoy the games with.

STRATEGIES and WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

In the Bingo halls, the strategy is quite simple. Sometimes, the caller will keep the momentum going by calling numbers out in succession. So yes, numbers are called out rather quickly. Pay very close attention to it and then immediately mark this on your cards. The caller only slows down when someone shouts “Bingo!” The game will temporarily be on hold while this is being verified. If the person did indeed get a Bingo, a new game is played. If not, the same game will continue until someone actually wins it.

If you have plenty of cards with you, secure these on the table with an adhesive tape for easier tracking and marking.

In an online setting, the dynamics are much simpler and you can play with as many cards as you can handle. Because the game is computerized, you can opt to turn on a feature (we suggest that you do) and have the machine immediately block off the numbers for you. This way, there is nothing you should miss when the numbers are called out.

TIPS ON WINNING

• To increase your chances of winning, don’t play just one card. Have at least four per round. But if you find other players with more than fifteen cards, that is not extraordinary.
• Listen, listen, and listen. If you are playing online, pay close attention.
• Do not be overly eager to yell “Bingo!” Make sure you have the actual winning card.
• Enjoy the game. Bingo is a fun activity that should be relished and enjoyed with enthusiasm.

No longer just a game purely catering to the elderly, Bingo is something everyone can enjoy in their pastime, whether you are playing for fun, for charity or for money.

Why Playing Keno Can Bring Excitement To Any Gathering

Like Lotto, Keno is a popular game that originated in China many years back and which was later brought to the USA in the mid 1800’s by Chinese immigrants who came to work in the mines and on the railroad. This new form of lottery was created to recover funds for the government, and may also have been used to help fund the Great Wall. Keno was one of the first games to be introduced when Nevada legalized gambling in 1931 and still ranks as one of the state's most popular games.
In the past, Keno was regarded by the big Las Vegas casinos as a blue-collar game and was mostly left to the downtown establishments. These days however, many casinos all over Las Vegas have replaced old entertainment lounges with a keno lounge, complete with rows of seats with armrests facing the keno counter, with convenient ashtrays, and cups holding crayons for marking the keno tickets. Restaurants and other public areas in most casinos also have keno runners collecting keno tickets from patrons to the keno counter. Keno is the casino version of the lottery, and, as such has similar odds as the lottery.
Keno is usually played in the lounges of various Casinos specifically allocated for the game, but there are so called 'Keno runners' who will collect your ticket and deliver the winnings if the player wants to play from outside the lounge area. There are many television monitors spread all over the Casino halls to keep players informed of the winning numbers.
Almost all Nevada casinos have keno lounges, where numbered balls are forced out through an air blower to determine the winners. Some tribal casinos in the upper Midwest also have live keno lounges; Atlantic City began offering live keno in 1994. On riverboat casinos, keno enthusiasts play video versions, which have grown in flexibility and even offer bonus rounds in the video slot age.

HOW TO PLAY KENO

The keno numbers can be found printed on each of the 80 ping-pong balls, which are spun around in a bird cage (made of wire), or blown around in a large clear plastic sphere. As each ball is selected, the winning number is electronically highlighted on the keno boards throughout the casino. The house draws 20 numbers out of the field of 80.
To play Keno, a player must select a minimum of 4 but no more than 10 numbers between 1 and 80. Each selection is called a 'Spot', so if the player selected 10 numbers, he is playing a 10 Spot game. Keno tickets are located at tables throughout the Casino and in the Casino's Keno lounge. The Casino provides a 'Keno crayon' for this purpose.
A player must mark a blank Keno ticket with the numbers of the player’s selection and present the ticket to the Keno desk with the wager and the clerk will give the player a duplicate ticket. In a few minutes, twenty numbered Keno balls will be drawn at random from a barrel containing 80 numbered balls, and if enough of the player’s selected numbers are drawn, he is a winner. The results are displayed on screens, called Keno boards, throughout the Casino.
Keno rate cards indicating the various payoffs can usually be found throughout the casino. Players must make bets before new numbers are drawn, and must also collect winnings before the calling of the next game. Players can either collect the winnings themselves or give the winning ticket to a keno runner, who will bring back the payoff. If a player wants to use identical numbers in more than one game, they can return the ticket to the keno writer who will then write out a duplicate for the next game.
The keno writer and the operator sit behind the keno counter. The keno writers handle the tickets turned in, mark down the numbers, and take care of the financial transactions. The keno operator sits above and behind the writers and starts the keno game by pressing a button to begin mixing the numbered ping-pong balls in a large transparent bowl. The balls are then drawn up by air and out of the "goose," a long, transparent tube extending up from the bowl.
The operator calls out every number (juts like in bingo) while it is drawn. The said numbers are then shown on an electronic board in the front of the lounge as well. Once all twenty numbers have been drawn and called, the game is over. Keno is similar to Bingo in many ways except that a keno game is over when all numbers are called, whether or not there is a winner.

STRATEGIES and WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

There is also a video version of Keno. The video version plays like casino keno but players mark a touch screen rather than using a keno ticket. Players view a field of the numbers 1 through 80 and mark between one and 15 of these numbers. While in the casino version, of 80 numbered Ping-Pong balls get blown around and 20 are randomly blown into winning-number tubes. In the video version, a random-number generator performs the same function.
The edge of percentage allowed by the house on video keno is lower than that allowed by the house on casino keno. While the percentages differ for each casino and depending on the number of spots marked by the player, casino keno generally has a 25 percent to 30 percent house edge and video keno a house edge of 8 percent to 12 percent.
There are several ways of betting. A player may get a straight ticket. Betting the numbers marked as a single wager is called betting a straight ticket. It's the simplest way to play, but many players like to bet more combinations. Another type is the King Ticket wherein a number circled by itself is the king, which is used in all combinations marked. Lastly, a player may get a combination ticket by marking several number groupings and plays combinations of them.
The payouts for keno are based on how many numbers the player chose and how many numbers are "hit" multiplied by the player's original wager. The more numbers a player chooses, and the more numbers hit, the greater the payout. Payouts vary widely from casino to casino. Some casinos allow the player to pick up to 20 numbers, but most limit the choice to only 15 or 10.
The probability of a player hitting the "jackpot" 20 numbers from 20 chosen is approximately 1 in 3.5 quintillion (1 in 3,535,316,142,212,180,000 to be exact). If every person who ever inhabited planet Earth played one keno game every single second of their lives, there would be about one jackpot-winning ticket to date. If all these possible keno tickets were laid end to end, they would span the Milky Way galaxy -- and only one of them would be a winner.
TIPS ON WINNING

Though a game of chance, the Keno game has also strategies that may be helpful in winning the game. To really play Keno strategy, a player would need to be an expert in hyperactive geometric mathematics. There are charts and books out there that outline systems for winning Keno however; the problem with practically using them in a real or online casino is that looking all this stuff takes too much time. Most casinos have a five-minute period between each game or less.

One classic strategy is what is known as “chasing the old man”. If a player noticed that the same numbers keep coming up repeatedly on the Keno board then the logic would be that he should play those numbers. However before he falls into the delusion that this constitutes some kind of winning system, he must keep in mind that there is also a fifty-fifty chance that these numbers will not come up again. Those numbers could come up for another 133 rounds or they could never come up for another 500. There is just no way of telling.
Another strategy which is commonly used in this game of chance is to play or choose the numbers that never showed or never come up. The theory is that it is that number’s time and that it has to come up eventually. Once again, there is no real statistical theory that says this is true.
Playing keno is a lot like playing the lottery. One important tip is picking numbers that sound good to the player and the left is up to chance. While there is little he can do to drastically improve his chances of winning keno there are a few tips one should be aware of that may lead him to his winning streak.

When playing keno a player should always bet the maximum number of coins allowed because this will increase his payout if he does win. Another good keno tip is to play with patterns. Choose number patterns instead of randomly choosing numbers for each consecutive hand. This is because computers use algorithms to randomly pick their numbers.

When playing keno, one should be aware of the amount of his winnings. Winnings should be below the amount that a player would have to start paying taxes on.

The next time you play Keno, imagine the excitement felt by those playing the same game during the Han Dynasty. And even if you are living in the 21st century, you will surely feel the same way.

Getting the hand in Poker

Poker is another popular casino game that has an objective of winning the pot like a collection of money, chips or bets made by the players. A player may win the game by having the highest ranking hand or by bluffing the other players into folding by making them believe that you have the winning hand.
There are different types of poker. In a No-Limit poker, there is no limit to the maximum bet that one can make in any betting round. However, there is a minimum bet that is equivalent to the big blind. The minimum raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. For example, if the first player to act bets $10 then the second player must raise a minimum of $10 (total bet of $20). There is no maximum raise; one can raise any amount to as much as he wants. However, if he wish to call a bet but don't have the chips to cover it, the player will be 'all-in'. At this point, he can only win the portion of the pot covered by his chips.
Pot-limit is the most popular variety of poker game in Europe. It is quite similar to no-limit poker but there are certain key differences. In pot-limit poker, players may bet any amount from the size of the blind to the size of the pot. The pot includes the sum of all bets and raises made during the current round.
Here's an example: The pot in the center of the table contains $100. On a subsequent round, one player bets $20, and two following players each call this $20 bet. The fourth player could call the $20 bet and then raise by a maximum of $180. This raise matches the $100 in the pot, the first $20 bet, the two additional $20 calls and the player’s own $20 call, which together add up to a $180 raise.
Poker works like most casino games when it comes to rules that players have to abide with. What makes poker different is that the player has to know the specific hierarchy order as well as how these are ranked. A player who is able to lower the possibility of getting the hand will have a greater chance of winning the pot. Each pack basically has 52 cards with the following (high to low) ranking:
• Ace
• King
• Queen
• Jack
• 10 down to 2

HOW TO PLAY POKER

The game starts with the dealer handing out the cards clockwise from his or her left. As soon as the cards are dealt, the players are left with four options. The dealer (if he's playing) always deals to himself last. The dealer deals everyone their first card, and then goes back around the circle to deal the second, and so on. As soon as everyone has five cards, the remainder of the deck is placed in the middle of the table, and play begins.
Players have several options as far as the first round of betting goes. If no one has made a bet yet, you have two choices: opening by making the first bet or checking. When a player checks, it means that he or she doesn't want to open the betting, but doesn't want to quit either. It basically means "I'm not going to open the betting, but I'll stick around and see what happens."
Here are the possible positions that a player can choose from:
• The player may check the bet (bet nothing but still remain in the game)
• Call the previous bet (bet the same amount as the previous bet)
• Raise the previous bet (increase the amount of the previous bet)
• Fold (giving up a chance to win the pot by not matching a bet).
One can only check when no other players have made any bets and it's your turn in that round.
As a matter of practice, only three betting rounds are allowed when playing casino poker. Thus, once a player has made his bet, the player next to him can choose to call, raise or even fold. If he wants to stay in the poker game he should match the bet made by the previous player. If he chooses to forfeit his chips then he can always fold or give up by placing his poker cards on the table, face down. A player who does this (which is usually the case if he believes his hand is too weak and does not have a chance to compete) will lose any bet he has made.
The other players who have not folded or given up early can take new cards if they want to change their cards (a player can give up three unwanted cards at most and he can also receive three new cards at most). One this is done, the betting starts again. A player can opt to open or check and one this is done a player can also opt to see, raise or fold. If every decides to fold then the game is over and the winner is the player who has the highest hand.

STRATEGIESand WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Some strategies should be learned by any poker player. Learning the discipline of when to fold cards will save you a lot of money over the course of your poker career. A good player will fold far more hands than he plays and does so with the understanding that playing mediocre cards or cards out of position will only end up in lost bets. A player may pre-flop or folding any cards that are not listed in the Hand Selection groups and ensuring that he is playing the correct hands in accordance with his position.
Deciding whether or not to fold a hand on the Flop is one of the most important decisions one will make during the course of each and every hand. A player should only proceed with his hand past the Flop if one of the following scenarios exists: a pocket pair, paired one of your two cards (preferably the highest), paired both of cards and made two pair, flopped two cards to a straight or a flush, or have three of a kind.
Checking one’s hand is a play that has both advantages and disadvantages as it gives the player a chance to continue in a hand without risking any more bets, but it also indicates to other players that he is potentially weak. One should often consider raising or folding rather than checking.
Another important strategy in poker is “bankroll”. It is very important in poker to have the right bankroll for the limit at which the player wants to play. A bankroll is typically the total amount of money one has set aside to play poker with, and allows him to survive a potential run of cold cards while also giving him the flexibility to move up in limits quickly when he is running well.

TIPS ON WINNING

Unlike the other games, poker definitely involves more skills than luck. If you want to always win in poker then make sure you know who your competitors are and make sure they are weak players. The ability to measure up your opponent will come in handy when choosing which tables to play at. If you are able to choose a table with players less skilled than you then you can expect to earn a profit.
Since poker is more of a game of skills than luck, you can still win or minimize the odds against you even if you are dealt bad cards; this is provided you know how to place your bet. You must also learn how to keep a poker face. Yes, this figure of speech does trace its origin in the game of poker. This means you are able to control your emotions and you play the game without letting your opponents know your hand. It is best to keep them guessing as to what you have or do not have against them.
Next, never be scared to fold. One of the more intimidating aspects of the game of poker is how much or how little one should bet. Eventually, as a player develops a feel for the game, he will become more knowledgeable about when to bet and when to fold. As a general rule, if a player has nothing in his hand, he must not expect that later cards will remedy that situation. Feel free to fold frequently. It is better to sacrifice his small early bets then to rope himself into a betting war with a seasoned pro.
In playing poker, alcohol is a no-no. When it comes to betting, alcohol can be a player’s worst enemy. While beer and cigars tend to go hand in hand with poker night, alcohol is not recommended if a player is going to play in a casino, especially if the stakes are a little higher. Alcohol makes one lose his inhibitions.
Playing is also a matter of concentration. It is important to watch who's playing in an aggressive or loose way and who's playing tight, try to play the loose players and avoid the tight players, unless you've got a strong hand. Another good technique is playing with pairs (7-7, 9-9), two face cards (K-Q, Q-J), or hands that can make both a straight and a flush (8-9, 6-7 of the same suit). A player must be patient and fold other hands, unless he’s in the blind. Finally, the biggest mistake most players make is to act too quickly. When a player is making an important decision, he must pause to think about how the betting has gone and what your opponent might have.

Playing The Famous Roulette

In American casino games, roulette has one of the smallest followings, with nowhere near the popularity of slot machines, video poker, blackjack, or craps. It draws more players than baccarat, mostly because the baccarat pits have traditionally been closed to low-budget players. But roulette is in danger of being passed in popularity by newer games such as Caribbean Stud Poker and Let It Ride. In Europe, on the other hand, roulette draws big crowds. It is one of the mainstays of Monte Carlo and other European resorts.

The game of Roulette which literally means small wheel is perhaps the most popular game of its kind in Europe. It appeals even to intellectuals, maybe because it has been introduced by Blaise Pascal (famous French scientist during the 17 century) in relation to his theory on perpetual motion devices. Pascal’s roulette was a bit on the primitive side however. Incidentally, the single “0” game of roulette was invented by two Frenchmen in 1842.

It is ironic that while roulette has been invented by the French, it gained popularity in Hamburg, Germany. One of the reasons cited for this is the illegal status of gambling in France. However, one of the inventor Francois Blanc and his son Camille brought roulette back to France specifically for Prince Charles II of Monaco.

HOW TO PLAY ROULETTE

Roulette is usually played by up to eight players; all against the house played by the croupier also known as the dealer. The dealer spins the roulette wheel and handles the wagers and payouts. The roulette wheel has 37 slots representing 36 numbers and one zero.

Each player buys-in different colored chips so their bets don't get mixed up. At the end of play, if a player won, he could exchange back the colored chips with cash chips. These are special chips with the value amount imprinted on them. There are several denominations in various colors. These chips are taken to the cash desk where actual money is given in return.

The basic rule in playing roulette is to place one’s bet or bets on numbers (any number including zero) in the table layout or on the outside, and when everybody at the table had a chance to place their bets, the croupier starts the spin and launches the ball. Just a few moments before the ball is about to drop over the slots, the croupier will say 'no more bets'. From that moment no one is allowed to place or change their bets until the ball drops on a slot.

Only after the croupier places the dolly on the winning number on the roulette table and clears all the losing bets that one can then start placing new bets while the croupier pays the winners. The winners are those bets that are on or around the number that comes up. Also the bets on the outside of the layout win if the winning number is represented.

STRATEGIES and WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

If you want to win in this game of chance then you better have good predicting skills especially as regards the place where the roulette ball will land. But analysis has no place in this game because it is after all a game of chance where luck plays a pivotal role.

Here are some tricks up the sleeves of some roulette players in choosing which numbers to bet on (although you need lots of luck to get the right trick!):
• Choosing hot numbers, which are the numbers that regularly come up in the game
• Choosing numbers that were a no-show for quite sometime and hoping this is the time when they will show up
• Choosing as many numbers as you can bet on hoping that one of them will come up after a spin

If you are not so familiar with roulette, it uses a felt long table with a wheel on one end. There are numbered boxes (for numbers 1 to 36) and a numbered wheel as well (up to the number 38), both with corresponding background color. Modern roulette now makes use of a plastic hard ball instead of the original ivory hard ball.

The dealer spins the wheel in one direction, and then spins the ball in the opposite direction around a track on the bowl-shaped recess that holds the wheel. When the speed of the ball decreases, it falls off the track toward the wheel itself, and bounces around until it settles in a numbered slot.

There are different kinds of bet that a player could make.
• the straight bet which pays 35:1
• split bet is betting on two adjacent number and pays 17:1
• street bet is on three numbers on a horizontal line and pays 11:1
• a corner bet or a block of four numbers and pays 8:1
• line bet is on six numbers in two adjacent rows and pays 5:1

There are different procedures for roulette played in the European and the American tables. European croupiers make use of a rake (a long stick) to sweep all the best while American croupiers make use of their arms to do that. Unlike their American counterparts, European players use the casino chips. It is thus advisable to make sure you are playing it right if you play roulette in Europe.

Unlike the bingo game that needs mathematical skills and deep concentration, roulette is a game of pure chance. It is believed that no strategy can overcome the built-in house percentage. Betting on one’s birthday, anniversary, last week's winning lottery numbers; it makes no difference at all. For most players, roulette has no element of skill.

TIPS ON WINNING

However, there are times that a dealer gets tired or bored and so he releases the ball at exactly the same angle and velocity nearly every time. A very small number of players can spot what numbers are passing as the dealer releases the ball. With that knowledge, they can predict at a better-than-chance rate approximately where the ball will fall. The player then either bets or signals a partner to bet accordingly.

Another instance that a player can take advantage of is when the wheel itself shows a bias. Perhaps the wheel is off balance, or a slight track has been worn on the wood leading down to the numbers, or the metallic walls, or frets, between numbers are of slightly different heights or tensions. This is rare, for most casinos check the wheel carefully on a regular basis. And spotting a truly biased wheel means tracking play for thousands of spins -- the same number showing up three times in half a dozen spins does not mean the wheel is biased.

There are several betting systems followed by most players. However, no betting system can change the game's percentages, and some systems can be financial disasters for the player.

One common bet is what is known as “martingale”. The player doubles his bet after each loss. When a win eventually comes, it leaves the player with a profit equal to his original bet. That is, if the player bets $5 on black and loses, he then bets $10; if that loses, he bets $20, and so on. A win at the $20 level overcomes the $5 and $10 losses and leaves the player with a $5 profit. The player then goes back to the original bet level. Much worse system of betting is the grand martingale. It is even a faster way to lose money. Instead of merely doubling the bet, after a loss the player doubles the bet and adds another unit.

Not as dangerous as the Martingales, but no solution, either is what is known as “cancellation”. The player starts with a number or series of numbers and bets the total on either end. If he wins, he crosses off -- cancels -- the numbers just played. If he loses, he adds the total just played to the end of the series. When all numbers have been canceled, the result is a profit equal to the sum of the original numbers.

Important tips before starting to play Roulette:
1. Setting one’s financial limits by considering the possibility of profiting from it or losing from it. A player must decide how much he is prepared to win or lose at Roulette and stick to that limit.
2. A player must be knowledgeable on the terms of the Roulette casino prior to starting the game. He must know the maximum bets and the maximum payouts. 3. Most of all, the player must be sure if the casino he’s playing in is well-respected and is reputable.

It is also recommended for anyone to practice playing the game before playing for money. This will make one used to how the Casino system runs when playing Roulette. One must not gamble a huge amount of money on one roulette spin unless the player is prepared to lose it all. Overall winning is what is important in playing Roulette or any other Casino game. If a player made a loss in one session, he must not try to play it until he gets back his money. There is always tomorrow.

Playing Blackjack to Win

The most popular casino game is blackjack because gamblers believe it is the one game that can be beaten by card counting strategies. Even though the house has become adept at circumventing these strategies, the belief persists, and more people play blackjack today than all other card games put together.

History of blackjack

When the game vingt-et-un (twenty-one) was first introduced in the US circa 1960s, casinos had to promote it to uninterested players by offering bonus payouts. One type of pay-out was 10-to-1 if the winning hand was an Ace and a Jack of spades or clubs, or a “black” Jack. Thus the hand was called a blackjack and it has since become the name of the game. A book by Edward O. Thorpe which described how one could win at Blackjack with a card counting strategy was released in 1963 entitled Beat the Dealer! which spurred public interest in the game, and the rest is history.

The Rules of Blackjack

Blackjack is a very simple card game to play. The goal of the game is to come as close to a card value of twenty-one without going over. Going over is called a “bust”. Face cards have a value of 10 and each of the number cards retains their face value. Aces can have the value of 11 or 1, depending on whether the hand is over twenty-one or not.

There are two kinds of blackjack games played in casinos, which can use up to eight decks. One is the single or two-deck game where the dealer holds the cards and deals them out face down to each player. In multi-deck games, a card shoe is employed which uses up to eight decks and shuffles the cards after each game. The cards are dealt out face up in front of the player and each player is not allowed to pick them up. A hand in either type is also dealt to the dealer, only one of which is face up in the initial deal, the face down card is called the hole, and the object of the game is to beat the dealer’s hand. In some Blackjack games, the hole is not drawn until all the players have played their hands.

No matter how many players are on the table, the hand to beat is the house or dealer hand. A player always goes first when deciding either to get hit (get more cards) or to stand (stay with the present hand) at each turn, and the dealer will draw more cards until someone comes up with a twenty-one (blackjack) or goes bust. All players who go bust automatically lose, whether the dealer goes bust or not. The dealer must draw if his cards are on 17 with an ace in the hand (called a “soft” hand because the Ace could have a value of 1 or 11) or 16 or less, and must stand at a hard (meaning no aces) 17 or more. If the dealer goes bust, all players who have not will win.

In casinos, the blackjack table is typically a half-moon shaped table with up to seven players possible for each game. Each player faces the dealer who is on the inside part of the arc. At each player’s place, the table is marked with circles where bets can be placed and the payout is usually even money, except for insurance bets. At one side of the table, a card is placed which may declare the house rules on blackjack, such as minimum and maximum wagers, splitting pairs and double down.

Splitting pairs gives Blackjack players the option to split a pair of identical value cards i.e. 2 sevens into two separate hands and a second bet to cover additional hand. The player who splits plays the original game until he wins or goes bust, in which case he can start playing the second hand. Some houses allow up to four splits and four bets in one round for each player.

A double down is when a player has the option to double the original bet prior to the deal and receives one more card. In a face down game, the cards must be revealed at this point. Some houses allow players to double down regardless of total hand value, while others restrict it to a hand value of 10 or 11.

Another Blackjack bet that may be allowed is insurance, in which a player bets the odds that a dealer’s hand, in which the face up is an Ace, has a 10-value card in the facedown card. The bet may be up to 50% of the original bet. The bet is placed on the insurance block of the table and must be placed after the initial hand is dealt and pays 2 to 1 if the player wins. Most dealers will advise places to take out insurance if the player already has a blackjack by calling out “Even money” because in case the dealer has a blackjack as well, the pay out would be the same as when the dealer has no blackjack. However, taking insurance in this case is not advisable because the probabilities of a 10-value card being in the face down card is only 30.8% as opposed to a 33.8% if the player hand has no 10-value card.

In all games, the Blackjack player is allowed the choice to ask for one or more cards depending on the value of the initial hand. This is called a hit. Blackjack players are not allowed to verbally call for a hit, but must merely wave towards himself or tap the table with the cards or his hand. The player can also elect to keep to the original cards and hope it beats the dealer’s hand. This is called a stand. The Blackjack player indicates a wish to stand by placing his hand flat on his cards in a face up game or sliding the cards under the bet in a hand held game.

Combination of cards

The best total is a two-card hand twenty-one, meaning an Ace and any face card, still called a blackjack or a natural regardless of suit. The pay out for a blackjack hand that wins is 3 to 2 instead of the usual even money, meaning the player wins 50% more than the original bet. If the dealer also holds a two-hand 21, this is a tie and the player just gets his money back. If the dealer’s hand is made up of three or more cards to make 21, the two-card hand still wins. All other card combinations that is less than or equal to 21 will win even money if the dealer goes bust or has a lower card value. The suit of the cards has no bearing to the value of the hand. In a multi-deck game, up to seven cards can make up a hand (e.g. seven aces add up to a soft 17)

Variations to blackjack

Some games of blackjack allow different combinations of options that may or may not benefit the player. Double downs after splitting reduces the house edge by 0.13%. Not so dramatic is allowing resplitting of aces, which cuts the house advantage down by .03%, although if the house allows yet another resplitting, the house advantage goes down by 0.14%. Early surrender allows players to half their bet before the dealer reveals the hole, and this reduces the house advantage by 0.624%. Late surrender allows players to half their bet after the dealer reveals the hole, and the house advantage loses .07% and .02% in a multi-deck and single deck game respectively.

House rules that work against the Blackjack player includes limiting the double down options of a player to a 10 or 11 hand, which increases the house advantage by 0.28%. Blackjack pay outs of 6 to 5 i.e. the player only wins $6 with a $5 bet increase the house advantage by 1.4%.

Strategies in Blackjack

The basic strategy in winning in Blackjack is making calculated guesses on the probable outcomes of the cards by considering the player’s hand and the card revealed by the dealer. This is the most reliable of strategies and most consistently favors the player. Because face cards comprise a significant percentage of the deck, the probabilities of it turning up in the hole is high. The simplest rule in Blackjack is that if the face up card of the dealer is 7or higher, the player must consider it likely the hole is a 10-value card, and must hit if the player hand is 16 or less. If, however, the dealer’s face up card is 6, and the player hand is 16, it would be best to stand.

In deciding to hit or stand, the Blackjack player has to consider whether the hands involved are soft or hand, meaning if aces are present. In a purely hard hand, certain generalizations may be followed:
• If the player hand totals 9 and the dealer reveals 2 or 7 and above, the player should hit. If the dealer hand is 3, 4, 5 or 6, the player should double down
• If the player had totals 10 and the dealer reveals a 2 up to 9, the player should double down. With a dealer hand of 10 or Ace, the player should hit.
• If the player hand is 11, and the dealer face up card is 2 through 10, the player should double down. A player should hit if an ace is the dealer card.
• If the player hand total 12, and the dealer has a 2, 3 or 7 and higher the player should hit. However, if the dealer shows a 4, 5 or 6, the player should stand.
• A player hand with a total of 13 through 16 should stand if the dealer shows a 2 up to 6, but should hit if the card is 7 and above.
• With a player hand of 17 to 21, stand at all times regardless of the dealer card.

The Hows, Dos and Don’ts of Craps

Craps is often referred to as the noisiest game in the house (meaning the casino). It is a quick-paced game where the bettors and stickmen (the guy with a stick who controls how fast the game goes) compete with each other calling out bets or urging people to bet before the dice roll. It is a dice game wherein players bet against the house. For someone who has no idea how craps is played, it seems that people are yelling or groaning over the same roll of the dice, but craps is a game of timing and sequence, and if you keep an ear and eye open, you should not have a problem following the game or even betting successfully on it.

Basics of Craps

The first thing a craps player needs to know is where to place a bet on the craps table. There are several options open (with about 40 possible combinations depending on what part of the game you are betting in) but the easiest to remember are the line bets, which are also the safest types of bet in Craps. The most common line bet is the Pass bet.

The Pass line is a section of the table where you place a bet before the first toss of the dice in the round, called a come out toss. The one doing the tossing is the shooter. In making a Pass bet, you are betting that the shooter will either roll a seven or eleven. If he does, you and the shooter wins and the round is over. If the shooter rolls a craps (which is 2, 3 or 12) both you and the shooter loses and the round is over. If any other number is rolled (4,5,6,8,9,10) then this is called a point number and the dealer puts a marker (it resembles a hockey puck) on the number. The shooter must then roll the point number before a seven comes out. The shooter tries again and again until either the point number or a seven comes out, whichever comes first. If the point is made, which means the point number came out before the seven, the round is over and you win even money. If the seven comes out first, this is called Out 7 which means you lose and the dice is then passed to another shooter.

The opposite of the Pass bet is the Don’t Pass bet, which also has space on the table. Don’t Pass is the opposite of a Pass bet, except in some casinos you only automatically win if the craps is 2 or 3. A 12 gives you a draw or push to keep the house edge. It is considered a bad faith bet because it operates counter to the rules of the normal game.

Another type of the craps line bet is the Pass Odds or Odds bets, which is allowed for players who bet on the pass line first. Craps players simply move their bet outside the pass line and they are allowed to take odds on the possibility of the point number appearing before a seven is rolled by as much as 5 times the original Pass bet and they get true odds based on the point number. A 4 or 10 point number gets 2-1 odds, 5 or 9 gets 2-3 and 6 or 8 gets 5-6. The opposite of this bet is the Don’t Pass Odds.

The Come bet is a line bet that can be made anytime after the come out roll by placing money on the Come bet box on the table. It operates along the same rules as the Pass bet except that it takes precedence over any Odds bet on the table unless the player tells the craps dealer his odds are on, in which case both Come and Odds bets win or lose at the same time.

There are also single roll bets, also called proposition bets for single shooter rolls where bettors place their faith on ace-deuce (3), snake eyes (2), or craps (12). There is also the Big Red or Any 7 (7). Or, they could have a combined bet, C (craps) or E (eleven, also known as yo for some reason) or hi-lo (2 or12). There is also the Field bet, where the player bets that any of the numbers except 7 and 11 will come out, with a 2 or 12 carrying 2 or 3:1 odds while even money is offered for the other numbers. The Horn involves betting on four numbers at the same time (2, 3, 11, 12), typically one unit each, although in Horn High, one number carries an extra unit i.e. $2 for 11, $1 each for the other numbers.

Multi-roll bets in craps are on the numbers that appear prior to a roll of a 7 excluding 2 and 3. In Hard way bets, the number bet upon (4, 6, 8,10) must come out in identical values i.e. two 3s is a Hard 6. In Easy way bets, the numbers appear with different dice values i.e. 1 and 3 make an Easy 4. The Place and Buy is specifically identifying a number that will appear before a 7 is rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10). Placing a number is offered at lower odds while buying a number offers true odds but winning bets are charged a percentage by the house. Otherwise, the mechanics are the same. The Big 6 or Big 8 bets are place/buy bets at even money. And finally in the Lay bet, the player places his money on the chance that the 7 will come out before the number laid (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10). It pays true odds but winning bets are normally charged a commission.

These are the most popular bets in craps, and they are statistically weighed based on the house advantage. The safest craps bets, meaning the bets with the smallest house advantage are Pass and Come bets at 1.41%. Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets are actually 1.36%, but they are not considered sporting bets and most serious craps players avoid them for as part of etiquette. The bet with the highest house advantage is the Any 7 single roll bet at 16.67%. The average craps player is expected to lose because the odds paid is lower than the actual odds, and since it is a completely random game, no strategy for winning will be successful for an extended period.

Betting Systems

Nevertheless, there are some systems in craps more popular than others even if they are inherently flawed. The Martingale system aims for a one unit net win for every eventual win by starting with $1 bets and doubling this after every loss and goes back to $1 upon winning. The gambler’s fallacy in craps is based on the false assumption of the correlation of the probabilities between past and future dice rolls. Yet another is the parity hedge system, which is actually not a system but a hoax spread by a gambling website to gullible and hopeful craps players.

Player Etiquette

As in any endeavor where you deal with other people, generally accepted rules of behavior must be observed to promote a harmonious environment. Here are some behaviors a craps player should observe to avoid becoming a pariah in the house.
• Keep to the spot assigned you by the dealer. With many craps players around, it would be hard for the dealer to keep track of the bets if you keep moving it around.
• Tip the craps dealers often, especially if you go to one house all the time.
• Place money you need to change in front of you instead of trying to hand them directly to a craps dealer. They are barred from doing this. Make sure you make your intentions clear or it may be taken for a bet.
• Wait for everyone to cash in after each round before putting a new bet on the table.
• Always speak politely and calmly to the craps dealer and make your intentions clear to the stickman regarding your bets. No need to hurry because the stickman will wait for you.
• Avoid coming in contact with the dice if you are not the shooter, especially when the stickman sweeps it across the table for the next roll. If it comes up bad, you will get blamed for it.
• When it is your turn to shoot, use only one hand to roll the dice and keep it in plain sight of everybody at the craps table.
• Try to hit the other side of the craps table because this is expected. The worse thing that could happen when throwing a little too hard is the dice will fly off the table, which would be declared a “no roll.” It is okay as long as you do not make it a habit.

Superstitions

Perhaps because no one system is guaranteed, many superstitious beliefs abound among craps players. They need all the help they can get. Here are a few of them:
• Changing the dice in the middle of a round is unlucky
• Never say “seven” when a player is rolling.
• A penny under the table is lucky.
• Don’t speak to or touch a person on a good roll.
• Throwing both dice in the air before shooting is bad luck.
• When a die or the dice falls off the table, the next roll is a 7.
• A “virgin” woman roller will have a hot roll, while a “virgin” man will have bad ones.
• Never open a table; the dice are cold and will give bad rolls.

Baccarat Demystified

Baccarat sounds so exotic, especially since most people associate it with champagne, high stakes and glittering jewels. But in fact, Baccarat is perhaps one of the simplest of casino games, and requires very little actual skill.

History of Baccarat

Some history is attached to the card game. Baccarat was first in Europe during the late 15th century. Back then, faro and basset were most popular and baccarat is very similar to these games. Baccarat was derived from the French word for zero, referring to the value of face cards. There were three kinds of baccarat played: the baccarat chemin de fer or railway; the baccarat banque; and the punto banco. In baccarat chemin de fer, the game favored by James Bond, and baccarat banque the players are allowed choices in the play which increases the variability in the card games’ outcomes. Although baccarat chemin de fer was the first game to be introduced in Las Vegas, the rules were perhaps too complicated for the general population to latch on to successfully. The most popular form of baccarat is the North American baccarat, or the punto banco which is a much simpler game.

The Rules of the Game

The rules of punto banco or baccarat as it will be referred to from this point onward are simple: the player who comes closest to a value of nine from the sum of two or three cards wins. There are only two options for customers to bet on, referred to as the Player and the Banker. In baccarat, the Banker does not refer to the house (casino) nor does the Player refer to a particular customer. The two are merely the sides which bettors can back as the possible winner. The house makes money from commissions on the winnings of the Banker, typically 5%.
The values of the cards are as follows: 2 to 9 retain their numerical value; the 10, Jack, Queen and King cards have a value of zero, while Aces have a value of 1. In calculating the value of the hand, the cards are totaled. If the sum is greater than 10, the 10 is subtracted from the total, leaving a single digit value for the hand. This is called modulo.

At this point, a distinction should be made between the full 14-player game of baccarat and the smaller 7-player game of mini-baccarat. In the full game, the card shoe is retained by the Banker, who always makes a banker bet and takes the cards out of the shoe to either hand it to the dealer, who hands it to the Player or retains the card meant for the Banker. This means the three dealers in attendance do not actually deal the cards. In mini-baccarat, the shoe stays with the dealer, who deals the two hands.

For either type of baccarat game, the Player is the customer with the largest player bet in the round. The designation of Player and Banker only makes a difference when a tie or egalite is the outcome of the round, because the tie bettors win and the bets of the Player and Banker are untouched.
The table is marked with bettor numbers as well as slots for Banker, Player or Tie outcomes. All customers must place their bets in the Player, Banker or Tie boxes before the game can start.

The game begins when the croupier or the dealer hands first one card, always face down, to the Player first then the Banker alternately until both hold two cards. This is the initial hand. The hands are then turned over and the points announced. Getting a third card for either Player or Banker depends on established conditions:
1. If an 8 or a 9 total, referred to as a “natural” hand, is drawn by either the Player or the Banker, or both, no other cards are dealt. There is no exception to this rule.
2. If the Players total is 5 or less, he draws another card. If the total is 6 or 7 at this point, the Player will stand.
3. The Banker draw or stand is guided by the following:
a. The Player did not draw, the Banker draws if his hand totals 5 or less, and stands if the hand is 6 or 7
b. The Player draws a 2 or 3, the Banker draws if his hand totals 4 or less, and stands if the hand is 5 to 7
c. The Player draws a 4 or 5, the Banker draws if his hand totals 5 or less, and stands if the hand is 6 or 7
d. The Player draws a 6 or 7, the Banker draws if his hand totals 6 or less, and stands if the hand is 7
e. The Player draws an 8, the Banker draws if his hand totals 2 or less, and stands if the hand is 3 to 7
f. The Player draws a 9, 10 and Ace or other face card, the Banker draws if his hand totals 3 or less, and stands if the hand is 4 to 7.

And that is it. The croupier will announce the winning hand or a tie and the winning bets are paid. Odds are normally 1:1, but in case of a tied round, tie bets are given odds of 9 or 8 for 1.

Strategies for winning at baccarat

Baccarat is not really a game that would respond effectively to any mathematical system, unlike most card games. It is purely a matter of guesswork determining who will win a particular wound, or if a tie is imminent. The skill of a particular Banker or Player does not even come to play because of the guidelines in drawing additional cards. But because the chances are pretty close to 50-50, baccarat is one of the few card games that give the customer an even chance of not losing his shirt.

This is where judicious betting should come in. Since the odds are pretty even, it would be unwise to place all your money in one round. Place a small amount in every round, keeping track of your bankroll whether it is dwindling, growing or staying on an even keel. Use your gut feel freely; it is just as effective as any other strategy, but do not go overboard with the amount you bet. While most players stay away from a tie bet because of the long odds, placing a small one now and again should be okay. You never know.

The most important thing is to know at what point to stop, whether you are winning or losing. A good rule of thumb is stopping when you have lost half of the money you walked in with and when you have won that amount as well. A wining streak is capricious in baccarat; it can go wrong very quickly if you are not careful.

Baccarat etiquette

Because baccarat can be a pretty fast-paced game, it is important that bettors observe the rules of etiquette in order to avoid disrupting the flow of the game. These are relatively few:
• Dealers in most table games are not allowed to handle cash directly, so it would be polite to simply lay down the money you want to exchange for chips and signal to the dealer your intentions.
• In the event that you are the largest player bettor and are handed the Player hand, wait for the dealer to finish dealing out both hands before turning over your cards. There is no need to hurry, the Banker will have to wait for you, and the card values will not change if you are a bit slow in turning them over.
• Listen to the dealer when he calls either “Card to the Player” or “Card to the Banker” so you know where you are at.
• Make use of the score sheets and pencils to keep track of your wagers so there is a clear record of what your winnings or losses should be and to avoid any unpleasant arguments.

Superstitions

There are very few superstitions attached to the game of baccarat aside from the absence of the number 13 in a traditional 14-player baccarat table. However, gamblers are notoriously superstitious, which may also apply to baccarat bettors in a general way:
• Entering and leaving the casino through the same door will bring good luck (provided you left of your own volition and not thrown out). Some maintain it brings bad luck.
• Wearing black is bad luck.
• Lucky objects should be worn, such as rabbit’s foot (not so lucky for the rabbit) or a four leaf clover.
• Dropping a card would mean bad luck for the player (in baccarat that could go either way, depending on whose luck is at issue).

There is no real reason why baccarat should be confined to the upper echelons of society. It is a fun, simple game that anyone can learn to play (although the amateur dealer should have a table of Banker draw or stand rules nearby) and can be just as exciting as poker and blackjack. Perhaps even more exciting because the chances are so even that you just never know how the hand will pan out.

SLOT MACHINES

Table players in most casinos see slot machines in a different way, as opposed to casino first timers. To them this is just like child’s play and does not truly embrace what casino gambling is all about. True, slot machines may offer less in terms of hits and payback percentage, but in many establishments, playing the slot machine is most preferred and is commercially viable. Anyone who has ever been to the casino has tried to play the slots at some point during their visit. It is that popular.

The slot machine was first developed in the late 1800’s based on a game of poker. It was played by simply inserting coins and pulling a lever that would then trigger spinning the cards held inside it, to randomly come up with a good poker hand. It became very popular amongst the people and was soon housed inside bars in the city of New York. Prizes were in the form of free drinks or cigarettes only, never cash pay-outs. A few years after that, the crude slot machine was simplified to its better form and works similarly to how it is today. It contains three reels with pictures and symbols. It also included a mechanism that allows players to receive nickels from the slot machine once the player is able to form symbols of three. In 1964, the very first mechanical/electronic slot machine was developed and released by the Bell-Fruit Gum Company. Initially devised as a way to market their chewing gum products, this type of slot machine was the basis for how the modern-day slot machine works today.

Today, slot machines found in casinos offer other incentives to players in that any other winnings may be used as casino credits or as tickets to get additional spinning chances. More successful casinos offer $100.00 winning credit but this is limited to mostly high rollers who still prefer to play the slots.

To raise the stakes of the game, slot machines in major casinos are usually linked together, thanks to computer capabilities. Each slot machine contributes a portion to one collective jackpot which may be taken by the player who generates a special combination (as determined by the casino). Of course, the cash out for this is relatively bigger than usual. In some cases, the linking may even happen in casinos across town --- which means a bigger jackpot prize. Some casinos also offer conditional bets and other surprises that should delight the player and encourage them to play some more.

However, the use and availability of slot machines is regulated by the government’s gaming commission. Therefore many restrictions may apply with the use of these gambling machines, whether in public or private.

HOW TO PLAY

It is a fairly simple game to play and the objective is to win as much money as possible. All the player has to do is pull the handle or push the button in order to trigger the right symbols in the slot machine. Symbols that match naturally correspond to a prize. Games have different winning combinations, so no one really loses in the slots, regardless of what value in prizes a person receives. The combinations one can play to win are usually posted on the front of the machine.

The slot machine works through what is called the Random Number Generator (RNG) technology. Simply put this works via a computer that generates the numbers that you see on the slot machine at a very fast rate, usually between seconds. When the player pulls a lever or presses the play button, the RNG spins it and determines the numbers. Some players believe that the numbers actually carry a pattern (as opposed its randomness) and have even devised strategies to circumvent this.

There are two kinds of slot machines - the straight slot machine, which basically pays based on an already determined schedule and gives the same amount each time a certain combination is drawn out; and the progressive slot machine, which has stands to increase the jackpot prize as you play along (usually in combination with other slot machines).

How to Play Online Slot Machines

Online slot machines come in a variety of games and works similarly as a land-based slot machine. Each slot contains an RNG as well. The great thing about online gaming is that you can keep track of all your wins and loses into one account or membership, even as you jump through different machines. Payouts are also higher than the average Las Vegas casino.


WHAT TO BE AWARE OF
Tips and Strategies to playing slot machines

• Read the rules carefully and follow the instructions specifically. Know what you are playing. Each slot machine has different sets of rules. If there is a chance for you to try the games for free first, take it.

• If this is your first game, start small… and then increase your investments as you go along.

• Play as fast as you possibly can. This increases your chances of getting a better spin.

• Have very realistic expectations from your game play and chances of winning.

• Have a strategy. While playing slot machines may look like a mindless game, you still have to do some money-management in order to take the best out of the game.

• Because slot machines operate via the RNG, no once can actually determine when the machine is due to give out the big prizes. It may even go for days without actually giving big payouts or give three of these in succession.

• This happens quite often --- you leave and give up playing the slot machine and just as you have done that, the machine you just played on suddenly spews better winning combinations for the one playing next to you. Again, do not assume there is a secret to this somewhere. This is still the RNG at work.

• You can pull the handle or hit the button; the result will have no difference. It is still dependent to the RNG the machine has generated.

• Slot machines are said to be loose if they give pay-offs often. If you are looking for just a chance to win something, then go for this. You can usually find “loose machines” among large crowds, by the front desk or entrance. You can also find them where there are usually lines at the casino (the buffet, restaurant or show entrance). This is because people can kill time playing slot machines while waiting to be seated. Do not play the loose machines if you are bent on winning sizeable prizes, including the jackpot.

• A slot machine with one payline usually gives the best percentage of winnings.

• A slot machine that needs higher denomination for you to play it usually means bigger percentage also.

• Study the slot machines carefully. Try and determine the pay-off tables for this. You can usually tell the percentage of the pay-outs the machine gives when you become familiar with how it works.

• You may notice a couple of people lurking while you play, they could be your competition, believing everything against the credibility of the RNG.

• You can also try and remember which slot machines are most advantageous. They could also prove useful to you later on. Slot machines that have recently been left or vacated are examples of this one.

• Remember that the money you put into those machines is yours to spend. Do not listen to those who think they can give you better winning chances. If you feel comfortable with your moves and do not wish to spend maximum coins, then go ahead. First and foremost, you should not be pressured with playing. Have fun and relax.

• If you are playing land-based slot machines, the casino provides you a player card before playing the slot machines; do not forget to insert that. Do not also leave the slot area without it.

• If you need to take a break from the game, ask the attendant to cap your machine while you go to the restroom. Do not forget to bring your winnings with you.

• Decide when to give up. If after 4 spins you still have not taken anything, take that as a sign to get up and try another machine or even a different casino game.

• Bankroll only what you can afford. Keep a bigger part of your prize in your pocket or savings.

• Quit while you are ahead. You may be on a winning streak, but if you think you have enough, you can retire from the game and enjoy the rest of the evening. Testing the machine’s limits may backfire on you. You could end up losing what you have already won.

• Make sure the slot machine does not underpay you and seek assistance from the attendant when it does.

Why slot machines are very appealing is because of the fact that you can bet on a very small investment and stand to win big cash-outs, especially if you have luck on your side. But as with most anything having fun while trying your luck is still the best way to enjoy this game.