Casinos Play

Casinos Play

Getting Comfortable Before You Play
(Source : www.gamemasteronline.com)

There are some steps you can take to make yourself more comfortable with the idea of Internet gaming. Please follow this list carefully: 1. Is it legal to participate? First and foremost, find out if it's legal for you to gamble on the Internet from your location. A few states in the United States have rules against Internet gambling and I want it clearly understood that I am writing this ONLY for people who can legally participate. No, I don't have a list of states and/or countries where this is legal so you'll need to find that out on your own and that's the way it should be. By doing the research yourself, you can also find out what, if any, support you can expect from your local government agencies should you become a victim of fraud or cheating.2. What is the software behind the casino? Many on-line casinos are 'turn-key' operations which are sold to operators, independent or otherwise, by companies which provide the consumer interfaces (the 'casino' which comes up on the screen), the games (selected by the operator from a long list), e-commerce functions and technical support. There are four primary companies providing these services: Microgaming of South Africa, Starnet's Softec Systems from Vancouver, British Columbia, CryptoLogic of Toronto, Canada and Boss Media which is based in Sweden. There are others, but these four have most of the market and their value to the player is that these companies usually do not let the individual operators have access to the logic systems of the games. In addition, these 4 companies have each established something of a 'network' of casinos and it's reasonable to assume that they will want to protect their reputations as responsible companies. No company has done more , to the best of my knowledge, to promote the Internet as a safe place to gamble than Microgaming. Some of their casinos have advertised on my web site for a long time and I have never received word from any of our readers of an unresolved complaint about a Microgaming casino. There are no guarantees here, but knowing who has provided the software for the casino of your choice may raise your confidence. 3. What games are available? All the better online casinos have a support page at their website. They'll list the ways that you can reach them. Almost everybody offers an email address that you can mail to for assistance. Is that good enough? Not for my money it isn't. I want service numbers I can call, hopefully 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And toll-free too, please and thank you. Better yet, give me two toll free numbers, just in case. Can you assume that your casino provides this? Certainly not! Go look, check the details. Hell, I'd even call the toll free number just to make sure it's not an answering machine that's got so many messages on it that it can't accept yours. Sound outlandish? Not a chance! Been there, seen that. It's your money, so you decide how much this matters.Licensing Etc There are some general rules you should check A. Roulette - Does the game have one or two zeros? A single-zero game has a house edge of 2.70%, whereas a game with two zeros has an edge of 5.26%. I haven't yet seen an on-line casino with the 'en prison' rule, but that, combined with a single zero, reduces the house edge to 1.35% on the even-money bets.B. Craps - Are multiple free odds available? Do you understand the concept of the free odds bet? Not that you should ever bet the field, but there are some layouts which pay more for that than others.C. Video Poker - What are the payout schedules for the games? Few, if any, on-line casinos are going to offer 100+% payback games, but there are a lot which are in the 99.5% payback range, if you bet the maximum. (In most games, if you don't bet the max., you're giving the house more of an edge.) You should obviously play games with the highest possible payback. Also, most on-line casinos offer the 'double up' bet which carries with it no house edge. But I recommend you not use it, because if you're skeptical, you're going to thing it's rigged, even though it may not be and why put the extra pressure on yourself?D. Baccarat - Check the rules of the game to see that they are following the industry standard; don't take it for granted! Also check to see what 'commission' is charged on the winning Banker bet; it should be no more than 5%. E. Slots - Remember that a slot machine can be set to return virtually any percentage and that each state in the U.S. has minimums which the 'real' casinos must pay back on the slots. I'm not aware of any such minimums for Internet casinos. Therefore, my specific advice is to avoid ALL slot machines. Look at it this way, you're currently on a computer hooked into the Internet, because you're reading this. That means you're smart. Smart people can learn Video Poker or Blackjack or Pai-Gow or Baccarat, so why would you want to play a slot? F. Blackjack - The thing to remember about Blackjack is that, in most cases, card-counting won't work because the deck(s) are shuffled after every hand. But, a single-deck game has a lower house edge than a multi-deck game and the various options for the player, like doubling on any first two cards, surrender, etc. have a value. The object here is to play at a game which has the lowest house edge. Another thing to check is that in a lot of the Internet casinos, the dealer does not take a 'hole' card and should you double, say an 11 against a dealer's 10, and the dealer then pulls an Ace, you'll lose both bets. That rule requires a change in the Basic Strategy of the game and it gives the casino an additional .1% edge.G. Caribbean Stud - Most on-line casinos don't offer the $1 side bet for a progressive jackpot and I've seen weird pay schedules on some of the games. Before you play, see if the pay schedule is 'standard' and then try to talk yourself out of playing; the average edge for the casino is about 2.7%.H. Pai-Gow Poker - At on-line casinos, the dealer is always the Banker and, much like Baccarat, the Banker has a natural edge in this game. Combined with a 5% 'commission' on a winning bet, the casino has an overall edge of about 3% against a skillful player. You can imagine what the edge is against a player who doesn't know what s/he's doing.I. Keno - A lot of the cyber-casinos have changed the pay schedule for various 'picks' in that they pay something out at the low end, but have reduced the payoff on the high end. For example, at most 'real' electronic keno games, a hit of 1 out of 4 pays nothing, but it might pay a half-bet at a cyber-casino. That's good, but the 'jackpot' for 4 out of 4 has been reduced, so the overall payout may be lower, though your $$$ will last longer.4.What is the minimum bet? Of the casinos I've visited up to this point, it appears that the minimum 'coin' size is 50 cents and, for video poker, that's expensive! To realize the maximum return at most games, you'll have to bet $2.50 a pop. I'm going to keep looking for quarter games. A point to remember: make sure you check on the coin size you've chosen for each game; you'll find that at the top, usually marked, "options". You don't want to mistakenly play a hand of $25 Video Poker. 5. Does the casino have a 'slot' club? Yes, they exist in Cyberspace, though the best cash-back I've found so far is .1%. But you should sign up for it, no matter how low the return is.6. Can you play for free? What I mean by this is, does the casino have a 'play' money mode? Don't ever, ever, ever risk real $$$ at an on-line casino without trying it for a while in the 'play' mode. That's when you'll discover any oddities about the games and will get a chance to see if you enjoy playing there. With all the choices a cyber-gambler has, you should only play where the conditions are exactly right. That means you have to like the graphics, the choices of the games, the rules, the minimum bets, etc. before committing one red cent. 7. Is the casino licensed? I realize that a piece of paper from some banana republic that you've never heard of is scant comfort, but there are some jurisdictions that are taking the licensing of on-line casinos fairly seriously. Australia is VERY serious about it (and yes, I know it's not a banana republic) and a few others seem to be on the right track. The point I want to make here is that some on-line casinos are licensed, but most are not. If an operator will go to the trouble and expense of getting licensed, it will almost undoubtedly state that on their home page and it MIGHT mean you have some recourse in getting your $$$ back should they fold up their tent and steal away in the night.The Disadvantages of On-Line Gaming Beside the obvious ("Will I ever see my money again?"), the on-line casino raises to new heights the test of discipline which any casino imposes. Are you with me on this? Casinos aren't so much a test of your skill or luck (though both do have their impact), but more a test of your self-discipline. The drinks are free or inexpensive, there are no clocks, and few casinos allow you to bet with currency; it's all converted to tokens or chips. Those all contribute to the 'carefree' feeling that the casinos want you to adopt when you go in there. These factors are not a problem at an on-line casino, but consider this: at most 'real' casinos, you have to take $$$ out of your pocket and either change it into tokens or chips, or at least put it into a machine. At an on-line casino, you never see any $$$; you input your credit card info and then just point and click. Money under those circumstances becomes almost abstract and that can really work against you. Some casinos impose a daily or weekly limit on credit card purchases and some allow you to set a limit for yourself. I strongly urge you to set such limits, even if you're Mr. Gates himself.The other 'disciplinary problem' is impatience and the scenario usually goes something like this: You've been playing dollar Jacks or Better Video Poker for a few hours, haven't seen a Four-of-a-Kind even once, are down $250 and figure that a 4K is 'due', so you switch to playing a $5 game, figuring that just a Full House or two (let alone a 4K!) will get you even. Whoa, pardner! Remember that a Video Poker game is just a mouse click away, so take some time off and go after your $$$ when you're rested and your head is clear. It's difficult to win when you're 'steaming'.The Advantages of On-Line Gaming I've always been in love with the idea of playing Blackjack in my shorts..well, not IN my shorts, but while I'm in my shorts.. you know what I mean. Now I can do that. Secondly, have you ever ordered a glass of 'house' red at your local, friendly casino? Barely drinkable, right? Now I can play Video Poker whilst contemplating a lovely '82 Chateau Cos d'Estournel and a bit of good Asiago cheese! Take it easy on the booze when you're gambling, dear reader, but if you hate the fact that almost every gambler smokes, ta da! No smoking at your place, I'll bet. Also no travel expenses, no begging for a dinner comp, no....well, you get the idea. Sure, going to Vegas is fun and there's a lot to do there which you can't do on your computer, but there's one other very important thing you may not do in Vegas which you can do at home on your computer.Did you know that it's illegal to use an electronic device to help you play a game in a Las Vegas casino? But it's not illegal to do that at home. When I'm playing Video Poker on the 'Net, I have my VP software open so if I get a hand that I'm not absolutely certain about how to play, I just check it out, then I play the hand. This ability mostly applies to Video Poker, Blackjack and Pai-Gow Poker, though there might be other games out there for which this option applies. But think of it: perfect strategy decisions! No more guessing, no more, "I think that's the right play." At home you can play any game perfectly.A Few More Tips 1. Logging on to most Internet casinos does not require the use of your web browser, like Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer and I recommend you keep them, as well as your e-mail program, off while you're playing at an on-line casino. That's because those other programs may tie up your connection at times (like when Eudora checks for mail) and you may freak out if cards are being flipped over at that moment. Because a signal is coming down your line from the casino, a delay can occur and you might think you're the victim of 'cheating' when you're not.2. If you're nervous about giving out your credit card info over the 'Net, most casinos will accept checks, money orders, etc. by snail-mail, but an even better idea is to contact your bank and ask them to issue you a new Mastercard or Visa with a small credit limit, say $500 or so. Jerks who want to steal credit card numbers go after big credit limits and, if you have a balance on yours most of the time, it's not a tempting target.

If one color has been coming up a lot, are my odds better by betting with it or against it on the next round? Your odds do not change regardless of whether you choose to bet with the color or against it. Roulette is a game of independent events, where one spin has no effect on the outcome of any other spin. What appear to be patterns actually have no affect on the probabilities associated with the available bets. The chance of hitting red or black on any given spin is always a consistent number. This is sometimes difficult to believe, because we have likely all experienced runs of red or black numbers on the roulette wheel. Statistically though, it is not unlikely for such a run to occur; in fact there is an expectancy to it. Runs of red or black numbers are just as likely as runs with alternating colors. Is there a difference between betting on a combination of numbers and betting on the same numbers individually? If you bet $4 on a split bet that covers four numbers, your expected outcome is equivalent to betting $1 each on the four numbers you're covering. Splitting your bet over the numbers is only beneficial because it is convenient, and it allows you to place multiple small bets if you wish to. Can you beat the house by starting with a table minimum bet on an even-money spot, then doubling-up after every loss and returning to the lowest level when you win? This is commonly referred to as the 'Martingale' betting system, and has been discussed at length in many forums of gambling discussion. The Martingale system does offer a high likelihood of netting a small profit, but pits that likelihood against a low chance that you could lose a major amount. The flaw in the system revolves around upper table limits. If you happen to start into a losing pattern where you are doubling your bet each time, the amount you are betting after a few short losses in a row grows rapidly. Eventually you reach the upper table limit and can no longer recover all of your losses with a win on the next spin. If a player is unlucky enough to lose a number of times in a row, the potential losses are usually seen to greatly outweigh the potential wins.

Many blackjack players know what "the book" says to do in adverse situations. But they sometimes honor their intuition over the laws of the universe anyway. For instance, they'll stand rather than hit 12 versus two- or three-up. Certain solid citizens flout the rules of Basic Strategy under favorable conditions as well. An illustration is hitting in lieu of doubling 11 versus 10-up, thinking the dealer too strong to put extra money on the line.Hands on which blackjack buffs tend to go their own ways are typically close calls. The chances of one such option "working" better than another in a specific instance don't differ much. The "cost" of breaching Basic Strategy in these cases is also usually low. And it's not even a real loss, but a theoretical forfeiture.Pretend you bet $10 and get 12 versus a two-up. You're the underdog no matter what you do. Hitting, the statistically projected damage is around $2.50. Standing, it's about $2.90. Basic Strategy says hit, to save 40 hypothetical cents. No big deal. If the butterflies in your stomach are less agitated by doing so, you may be better off standing and letting the dealer's hand decide your fate, instead of drawing and sweating an instant bust or reaching 17 through 20 and still being clobbered. Minimizing expected loss, as opposed to personal anxiety level, on a particular round is one take on the question. Another is selecting a strategy, and adhering to it, by considering its bearing on the edge the casino gets over a period of time.With a $10 initial bet the statistical penalty for violating Basic Strategy by standing on 12 versus two-up, standing on 13 versus three-up, and hitting 11 versus 10 up is roughly $0.40, $0.20, and $0.60, respectively. When you make these decisions consistently, their effect on the overall edge in the game goes further and involves how often the hands are expected to occur. Players see 12 versus two- or three-up on the average of 7.5 per 1,000 playable hands each; it's 13.6 out of 1,000 for 11 versus 10-up. The corresponding increases in edge are the sizes of the penalties multiplied by their probabilities of occurrence. The products are 0.030 percent for 12 versus two-up, 0.015 percent for 12 versus three-up, and 0.082 percent for 11 versus 10-up. The drop dead edge a casino gets in a six deck blackjack game with doubling allowed on any two cards, resplitting pairs, and doubling after splitting is about 0.46 percent. The three indicated departures from Basic Strategy add 0.127 percent to this value, bringing it to 0.587 percent. Assume that in a representative session, you make 200 bets averaging $10 each. Were you to follow Basic Strategy to the letter, the casino would expect to earn $9.20 from your action. The theoretical "take" with the three departures would be $11.74, an additional $2.54.On an absolute scale, the 0.127 percent gift you're giving the house, the $2.54 for the 200-round session with $10 average bets, is hardly a bankroll buster, dollar-wise. It also barely alters your ultimate session prospects. For instance, on a $100 buy-in, the likelihood you'll still be in action after 200 rounds with perfect Basic Strategy is 44.9 percent. These three frequently encountered deviations only cut that chance to 44.4 percent.For all practical purposes, in the limited number of rounds a person plays in a casino visit of reasonable duration, common violations of Basic Strategy have minor impact. Still, the edge for optimal play is small and the illustrated changes represent an increase of over 27.5 percent of the advantage the bosses are willing to accept. Add a few more "errors," such as standing on soft 18 when Basic Strategy is either to double or hit, and edge increases by 50 percent. Mix in insurance whenever the dealer shows an ace and you more than double the minimum edge.How far are you willing to go before you decide to teach those butterflies in your belly some arithmetic? Or, at least, to calm them with this couplet by the punter's poet, Sumner A Ingmark? Though benefits lost are incremental, The peril is not coincidental.

Cycle

The predicted average number of hands between similar winning hands such as a royal flush. You should remember however that this is only a prediction since the games are random and the exact time between wins will vary.

Expected Return

The average amount of money paid back based on a particular play for a particular bet. The Expected Return "ER" is determined by taking the Expected Value "EV" of a play multiplied by the amount bet.

Expected Value

EV is the average value of all of the possible outcomes for a particular play or game. In other words the predicted average payback per unit that was bet of a specific play.

Full Pay

A full pay video poker machine will offer the best payout schedule for that particular game type. For instance, the 9/6 Jacks or Better machine is full pay while the 9/5 or 8/5 versions of the game are not.

Inside Straight

Needing one card to achieve a straight and the card needed is one of the middle cards between the top and bottom of the straight. For instance, with a 3, 5, 6, 7 in your hand you would need a 4 to complete the straight. Also referred to as a gut shot draw.

Long Run

A period of time or game play where the presented odds equal predicted probability.

Open Ended Straight

Four consecutive cards requiring one at either end to make a straight. For instance, with a 4, 5, 6, 7 in your hand you would need a 3 or an 8 to complete the straight.

Optimal Play

Using a strategy designed to give you the most advantageous opportunity to win the most money for a particular game, yet not necessarily be considered perfect play.

Pat Hand

A winning hand dealt from the beginning of a hand such as a flush or straight. A hand where you should keep all five cards as no other card will improve the hand.

Payback

Often referred to as the Expected Value "EV" of a particular game. It is the return expected over the long term expressed as a percent.

Payoff

The amount of coins or credits paid for a winning hand often expressed on a per coin basis. For instance a full house might pay 45 coins on a 5 coin bet; so the payoff is 9:1 or 9 coins won for the 1 originally bet.

Payoff Schedule

The table posted on each machine showing the number of coins paid for each possible hand for each possible coin bet. Also referred to as the payout schedule or a paytable.

Payout

The amount of coins or credits paid for any given win.

Perfect Play

Playing a hand according to that particular hands highest Expected Value. Doing so over a period of time can give the player the advantage over the house. Playing perfectly is easier to do on certain games, while in others its almost impossible.

Secondary Payoff

A winning hand achieved as a result of going for a different winning hand. For instance you select to draw 2 cards to a royal flush and get dealt three of a kind; that would be a secondary non-intended goal or secondary payoff win.

Short Run

A period of time or game play where the predicted probability of a game will vary due to normal streaks and fluctuations.

Strategy Card

Is nothing more than an instruction sheet providing hints as to the best way to play a particular game and/or hand.

Zilch or Zip

Nada, nothing, a garbage hand; a hand after the deal which contains no cards worth holding.

The number of games and manufacturers of coin-operated machines are almost end less. Choose from slot, gumball, cigar, music, clocks, cash registers, pinball, gun, and weigh machines, horse gaming and golf, to name a few. Slot authoritarian, Marshall Fey, author of "Slot Machines:
A Pictoral History of the First 100 Years," said the slot machine mushroomed into a premier collectible after 1976, the year that California legalized antique slot machine collecting. Many states have since followed suit. Robert Levy of Pennsauken, N.J., who has more than 250 antique slots, said he collects because "they increase in value every year. They are a good investment, very entertaining, they make wonderful banks, and they will never be made again." His oldest is dated 1893. Levy, who is for two price guides in the U.S. and one in England, said he has bought and sold slot machines for 14 years. For some collectors, "seek and find" offers the most enjoyment. The rare ones are difficult to locate because many of them were taken to the city dump and are lost forever. Some collectors like the "thrill" of owning an illegal item. Not every state condones ownership of a slot machine, and some states require that it be a certain age before it can be sold. Levy said the Attorney General's office of each state regulates the sale of slot machines, and it is best to check with that office before buying. Cosmetic changes over the years are not the only consequences of the modern world of gaming. "With the old machines, you played one coin at a time and it paid on the center line. You could have fun playing and watching and waiting for the symbols to come up. Today's electronic slots play up to 60 lines at one time; they will take $100 dollar bills and will, geometrically, take money unbelieveably quicker. You can sit down and in a matter of seconds, your money is gone, and so is the fun of the game.

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