8 minute read
Craps
by FRANK SCOBLETE
Frank Scoblete is America’s #1 best-selling gaming author. He is holding his “Frank Scoblete’s World Casino Championships” in Las Vegas on August 14, 15 and 16. This event consists of tournaments, classes, parties and an awards banquet! Call 1-800-944-0406 for a free brochure. Frank also has his own Sports Service with his partner Dominator and best-selling author Bill Burton: “Dominator’s Golden Touch Sports Service.” Call 1-866-738-3423 for more information.
FOR MORE FREE TIPS, VISIT GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
CRAPS: Dear Frank
Dear Frank: I recently played at a casino in Joliet, Illinois and won a few dollars which is always a nice thing. When I colored up I asked the boxman (as usual) what my average play was so I could determine what comps I was entitled to. He added the odds bet into my average which was a good thing. My question is: Do some casinos in the country count the odds in their average bet calculations? I know the Vegas and Atlantic City casinos do not count the odds in their averages. Why are the policies so different in this regard? Counting the odds really helps players in terms of the comps they get, correct? Why wouldn’t the casinos want to help us out? Thank you, Alan
Dear Alan: I hate to bust your bubble on this “counting odds” for comps thing. Yes, the casino says it is counting odds but in truth what the casino usually does is reduce the percentage of each bet to what it is worth when “counting odds” for comping purposes. The smaller Pass Line (or Come) bet is rated with a higher house edge than the larger bet that includes the counting of the odds in the formula. Here’s how it generally works: In a casino that does not count odds, a $10 Pass Line bet is counted as a 1.5% house edge and your comps are based on this percentage. The casino will give back between 30 and 50% of your expected loss on that $10 Pass Line or Come bet. Now in casinos that say they count odds, that $10 bet has $20 in odds behind it (using double odds as our reference). Instead of counting the bet as 1.5% against the $10 Pass Line or Come bet only, they count the odds but reduce the house edge to 0.5 percent and give back 30 to 50% of this reduced percentage. You can see where this is going. In short, you get the same back in comps. Your rating is indeed higher but the return is much less. Now for this answer I just guessed at the reduction in the percentage on odds bets. It will come out the same as 1.5 on non-odds bets. The 1.5% is what the casinos use for Pass and Come bets, not usually the 1.41% house edge these bets actually have. But you get the idea. Casinos are clever. They can give and take with the same hand. Dear Frank: Help me out on this. I was at a table where the casino paid $10 for $1 bet on the Hard 6. Isn’t that a better return than the usual $9 to $1? My friend says it is a trick by the casinos. So where is the trick? I don’t see a trick. Yours truly, Thomas
Dear Thomas: This is a mistake a lot of casino players make because they don’t know the difference between the words “for” and “to” when it comes to payouts on various casino bets. When the casino says it is paying $10 for $1 on the Hard 6, it counts the original bet in its payback. That is what the “for” means. So you get a $9 win and the return of your $1 bet. That equals $10, but the win is only $9. The wording does make it seem as if you are getting more when, in fact, you are getting less. Now when the casino says it pays $9 to $1 on the Hard 6, the initial $1 bet is not counted. So you win $9. So both of these ways of explaining the bet and its payoff are actually the same exact things. But gamblers think the payout on one, the “for” one, is greater than the payment on the other one, the “to” one. Not so, as you see. For and to equal the same thing. Most slot machines use the “for” formulation when they state their payouts, counting the initial bet as a part of the equation. Slot players know this…I think. Got a gambling question? Email us at editor@gaminganddestinations.com
VIDEO POKER VS. TABLE POKER: Comparing Strategy and Play
There was once a time when you wave goodbye to your friends and announce, “I’m going to play poker” and they would all know where you were heading. However, with the popularity of Video Poker (VP) over the past decade or so, it can also mean you are playing on the screen, and not the table. The games are quite different in terms of game play, strategy, and of course, payouts.
Hand Names: Make no mistake, there are similarities between table poker and video poker (VP) which is why they both have the word “poker” in the game name. However, the fact that hand names are the same can interfere with game strategy. Of course, with table poker you are only sure you have a win if you have a RF (royal flush) but you might be inclined to bet the farm on far lesser hands if the situation is right.
Table Poker: If we disregard potential bad beat jackpots (losing with a high hand designated in advance by the house) the value of your hand depends on the circumstances at the time, rather than how high it is. To quote Doyle Brunson, “Try to decide how good your hand is at a given moment. Nothing else matters. Nothing.”
Video Poker: The hand names frequently interfere with correct game strategies with VP players, especially if they don’t know the game strategy, which varies and depends on the payout for each winning hand in conjunction with the odds of achieving that hand. That is why it is so important to have tutorial software (my favorite is Dean Zamzow’s WinPoker) and to have practiced at home before going to the casino.
For example, some players will tell you to “Never throw away a winning hand.”. That is incorrect. If your game is 9/6Jacks or Better and you are dealt a flush, but are four to a RF (Royal Flush) you hold four to the RF. That’s a rather obvious play but in many cases the probability figures are closer, and you will need the tutorial data to choose correctly.
Stakes: I am sure gamblers know “stakes” represents the size of your wager. The actual amount can be deceptive in both VP and table poker.
Table Poker: If you are playing table poker make sure you fully understand the size of the rake (casino’s take) and that you are bankrolled accordingly. You may have played many hours with your buddies, but you will find different conditions once you walk through the casino doors. If you are new to casino 18 play you should start with low stakes, say a 2-4 Hold’Em table, avoiding “no-limit” options. Also, go when it is not crowded so you can ask questions without getting eye rolls or guffaws from the peanut gallery. Be aware that free poker tournaments are good for beginners, but the game strategy will be different depending on House rules.
Video Poker: The display glass may say 25 cents, but the cost of each bet depends on how many coins you’re wagering per hand. In order to receive the 800 to 1 payout for a RF most devices require a max bet. Clearly, you want to be paid the full amount for the RF, so your wager would be $1.25, not a quarter.
Strategy: Amarillo Slim had it right when he said, “In poker you play the players”. In VP, however, you play the cards in conjunction with the payouts and determining the correct holds can be counter intuitive. That is why I emphasize either using my strategy cards (an $80 value but free and removable in the back of my book, The Video poker Edge) or tutorial software.
Table Poker: Many top players consider the “tells” (inadvertent mannerisms that give a clue as to the contents of someone’s hand, like a raised eyebrow) and psychological aspects of the game are especially important. If you are new to a casino you have a definite disadvantage since you’ll know nothing about the other players. That is a good reason to tread lightly by finding a low stakes game.
Video Poker: Obviously, there is no psychological component involved with VP other than common sense. You play according to Zamzow (creator of WinPoker software) and call it a day when you have reached either your session or psychological budget limit. If the game has a theoretical expected return of less than 100%, you will lose over time so you may want to leave any time you’re ahead. You may lose any given hand by playing statistically correct, but in the long run you will be ahead.
Final Thoughts: This brief comparison of table poker and video poker will help you decide which appeals to you the most. Before playing either game, be sure to read books on the topic with my book, The Video Poker Edge, available at Amazon, Square One Publishers and any major bookstore. Each book also comes with practice at home on tutorial software so you will be ready! Good luck!
by LINDA BOYD
Linda Boyd, a long-time table game player before turning to video poker, writes for Southern & Midwest Gaming and Destinations, Arizona Player and several other national gaming outlets. You can see her videos on YouTube and her radio interviews are on iTunes. Boyd’s book, The Video Poker Edge, includes free removable pay schedules and her free strategy cards for the most popular games.
FOR MORE FREE TIPS, VISIT GAMINGANDDESTINATIONS.COM
