From this weeks National Enquirer: How To Beat The Casino
Wednesday January 21, 2004
When it comes to gambling, everybody knows most casino games are heavily slanted in the house's favor. But an ENQUIRER investigation has discovered ways you can improve your odds and go home a winner.
"Certain games are nearly break-even if they are played right," casino law attorney Anthony Cabot, co-author of "Practical Casino Math," told The ENQUIRER.
"By focusing on the bettorfriendly games and strategies, the chances are far better that you'll walk away a winner."
The best game to play? Blackjack -- because a skillful player can reduce the house's advantage to almost nothing.
The worst games to play? Keno and The Big Six Wheel -- because they are pure games of chance and the odds are heavily against you.
Whatever your game, here, from Cabot and his co-author Robert Hannum, Ph.D., associate professor of statistics at the University of Denver, are secrets of smart playing.
BLACKJACK
Blackjack, or "21," is the most popular casino table game because of its simple rules and the fact that the house can be beaten. At one time, the act of "counting cards" so that a player knew when he was likely to get a face card, greatly improved the players' odds, but casinos now will eject anyone they suspect of card counting.
Even still, proper hitting (taking additional cards) and standing (refusing any additional cards so as not to go over 21) can cut the house advantage to 3.5 percent. That means that out of every dollar you put down, the casino takes 3.5 cents.
And expert play -- knowing when to split, double down, etc. -- can reduce the house advantage to just 0.5 percent. A very good bet.
BACCARAT
This card game is a good bet. The payoffs are even money, but wagering on the banker has a slight advantage, so a 5 percent fee is deducted from those winning bets, yielding the slight house advantage of 1.06 percent. If you bet on the player, the house advantage is just 1.24 percent.
CRAPS
Putting your money on the "shooter" to "pass," (make his number) has a house advantage of just 1.41 percent, while betting against him, "don't pass," is slightly lower at 1.34 percent. This dice game, when you stick to one of these two wagers, is a good bet.
ROULETTE
This game is a so-so bet because no matter whether you wager on odd or even, red or black or corner numbers, no strategy can reduce the house advantage of 5.26 percent.
SLOTS
Not a bad bet, considering there's no skill involved. But you're better off playing higher cost machines because the payoffs are higher. For Nevada slots in the year 2000, the house advantage was 7.23 percent for 5-cent denomination machines, but only 3.68 percent for $5 machines and 3.06 percent for $25 machines. The average house advantage ac**** the nation is 8 percent.
You should always play a machine where you can play the maximum number of coins allowed. You increase your chances of winning because you qualify for all of the jackpots available.
BIG SIX WHEEL
Players spin a large carnival-style wheel and bet on where it's going to stop. There is no winning strategy. The house advantage is 19.84 percent. A lousy bet.
KENO
You pick 20 numbers drawn from a field of 80 in this lottery-style game. The house advantage is large, 25 percent to 35 percent. There is no skill involved. It's a terrible bet.
-- FRANKLIN R. RUEHL
Wednesday January 21, 2004
When it comes to gambling, everybody knows most casino games are heavily slanted in the house's favor. But an ENQUIRER investigation has discovered ways you can improve your odds and go home a winner.
"Certain games are nearly break-even if they are played right," casino law attorney Anthony Cabot, co-author of "Practical Casino Math," told The ENQUIRER.
"By focusing on the bettorfriendly games and strategies, the chances are far better that you'll walk away a winner."
The best game to play? Blackjack -- because a skillful player can reduce the house's advantage to almost nothing.
The worst games to play? Keno and The Big Six Wheel -- because they are pure games of chance and the odds are heavily against you.
Whatever your game, here, from Cabot and his co-author Robert Hannum, Ph.D., associate professor of statistics at the University of Denver, are secrets of smart playing.
BLACKJACK
Blackjack, or "21," is the most popular casino table game because of its simple rules and the fact that the house can be beaten. At one time, the act of "counting cards" so that a player knew when he was likely to get a face card, greatly improved the players' odds, but casinos now will eject anyone they suspect of card counting.
Even still, proper hitting (taking additional cards) and standing (refusing any additional cards so as not to go over 21) can cut the house advantage to 3.5 percent. That means that out of every dollar you put down, the casino takes 3.5 cents.
And expert play -- knowing when to split, double down, etc. -- can reduce the house advantage to just 0.5 percent. A very good bet.
BACCARAT
This card game is a good bet. The payoffs are even money, but wagering on the banker has a slight advantage, so a 5 percent fee is deducted from those winning bets, yielding the slight house advantage of 1.06 percent. If you bet on the player, the house advantage is just 1.24 percent.
CRAPS
Putting your money on the "shooter" to "pass," (make his number) has a house advantage of just 1.41 percent, while betting against him, "don't pass," is slightly lower at 1.34 percent. This dice game, when you stick to one of these two wagers, is a good bet.
ROULETTE
This game is a so-so bet because no matter whether you wager on odd or even, red or black or corner numbers, no strategy can reduce the house advantage of 5.26 percent.
SLOTS
Not a bad bet, considering there's no skill involved. But you're better off playing higher cost machines because the payoffs are higher. For Nevada slots in the year 2000, the house advantage was 7.23 percent for 5-cent denomination machines, but only 3.68 percent for $5 machines and 3.06 percent for $25 machines. The average house advantage ac**** the nation is 8 percent.
You should always play a machine where you can play the maximum number of coins allowed. You increase your chances of winning because you qualify for all of the jackpots available.
BIG SIX WHEEL
Players spin a large carnival-style wheel and bet on where it's going to stop. There is no winning strategy. The house advantage is 19.84 percent. A lousy bet.
KENO
You pick 20 numbers drawn from a field of 80 in this lottery-style game. The house advantage is large, 25 percent to 35 percent. There is no skill involved. It's a terrible bet.
-- FRANKLIN R. RUEHL
