Common Sense Slot Tips
Below are 13 common-sense tips that will keep you from becoming a casino victim every time you try your luck at the slot machines.
Tip 1:
Don't be confused or intimidated by today's new breed of slots. Each year a new crop of slots hits the casino floor -- with their gimmicky names (Cool Millions, Top Cat), theme reels (cows, frogs, spaceships), and digital sound effects.
But beneath their fancy facades, all slots are basically alike. They're simply boxes housing the slots' hardware and software produced by the manufacturer. And they all work on the same principle: put in one or more coins and wait and see whether you won or lost.
Tip 2:
Do leave home without them! Your checkbook, ATM card, debit card, and all credit cards but one. Use this one for out-of-pocket expenses only: meals, shows, shopping, etc. Take only the money you can afford to lose. And set a loss limit for each day. When this is gone, your gambling for the day is over. No borrowing from the next day's allotted bankroll. And keep away from those ubiquitous cash-advance machines. Playing with plastic will come back to haunt you when the bank statements start coming in.
Tip 3:
Set realistic goals. Don't go into a casino with the idea of making money. Steve Wynn, CEO of Mirage Resorts, said, "The only way to make money in a casino is to own one." They don't build those ritzy mega-resorts and cruise-to-nowhere riverboats on winners.
Tip 4:
Know how slots work. Today's slots are controlled by a miniature computer (microprocessor) that generates hundreds of win-loss symbols every second, 24 hours a day, weather the slot is being played or not. And since the computer's generation of win-loss symbols is 100% random, no one can predict what symbol will appear on the screen and when. So beware of ads or mail-order offers promising some "secret" or "sure-fire" way of beating the slots. They're mostly worthless, out-of-date, or out-and-out scams. Ask yourself: If you found a way to make millions off the slot machines, would you sell it?
Tip 5:
Understand percentage payback. Like cloned sheep, slots may look alike, but they don't pay alike. The higher a slot's percentage payback, the better chance you have to win. But you can't tell by looking at a slot what its payback percentage is, unless it's posted on the slot. Asking slot floor personnel won't help. They probably won't know. Theoretically, a slot with an advertised 95% payback will return $95 out of every $l00 put into it and keep $5 as profit. But 95% is just an average figure, meaning that the slot will pay back 95% of all the coins put into it, not to just one player, but to all its players (hundreds, maybe thousands), and in no set pattern or period of time - just eventually. So if you were to drop $100 in a slot with a known payback of 95%, you probably wouldn't get back exactly $95 in the time you were at that slot. You might poet mOTe, less, or nothing at all.
Tip 6:
Play the right slots. Whatever denomination slot you choose to play, stick to the 2-coin, 3-reel non-progressive, single-payline slot with the lowest top jackpot (1000 to 5000 coins). The lower the top jackpot, the more frequent the smaller paybacks and the better the odds of winning. The bigger the top jackpot (10,000 to 50,000 coins), the fewer smaller paybacks and the greater the odds against you. And run, don't walk, past any slot with four or more reels! Each added reel increases the odds against you by the millions.
Tip 7:
Don't play with the top jackpot in mind. To win the top prize, you must always bet maximum coins -- which causes you to lose more money and lose it faster. Your goal should be to find a slot that gives you the longest playing time and smaller but more frequent paybacks. The longer you can make your bankroll and playing time last, the better chance you have of finding the right slot at the right time. Learn to be happy with any win you can get.
Tip 8:
Don't play with credits. Some players claim that playing with credits is a practical way of keeping track of a slot's ups and downs. But when you play with credits, money loses all meaning. You don't think of those numbers in the credit meter as real money. They're more like psychological painkillers. Somehow losing 400 credits on a quarter slot isn't as bad as losing $100. It may be tiresome to hand-feed coins into a slot, but when you hold a bucketful of coins, you can see and feel the increase and decrease of coins. And playing with coins forces you to slow down, which extends your playing time. Remember. Fast is good for the casino. Slow is good for you. You minimize the house edge.
Tip 9:
Limit progressive slot play. The odds are too great. But if you like to play progressives, stick to the 2-coin, 3-reel, in-house progressive slot with a top jackpot of $1200 or so. You must remember that progressive slots don't pay as often or as many small wins as regular slots. So when you play a progressive, you're really playing for the top jackpot.
Tip 10:
Know which slot locations to try. Casinos want players to see other players winning. It's good advertising. So they often put their better-paying slots in heavy-traffic, highly visible locations, with room for crowds to gather and cheer winners on. Such locations include crosswalks, elevated carousels, and banks of slots near the casino bar, lounges, change booth, and coffee shop.
Tip 11:
Know which slot locations to avoid. Near show lines, check-in lines, buffet lines, in the middle of a long row of slots, and out-of-the-way corners of the casino. Winners here have little advertising value for the casino. Also avoid all non-gaming areas, such as airports, bus terminals, gas stations, drug stores, and cruise lines.
Tip 12:
There is no "right," "wrong," or "best" way to bet at a slot machine. If, like most people, you go to a casino to get away, have a few hours of fun, and maybe win a few bucks now and then, it doesn't really matter how you bet: maximum, minimum, or a combination of both. Ignore any "expert" or casino know-it-all who says to always bet max coins. They always stress the possibility of winning -- conveniently overlooking the greater reality of losing. Just remember. It's not their money you're playing with.
Tip 13:
Know the role of luck. Regardless of what the "experts" say, winning at slots is like winning at keno, bingo, and your state lottery - pure luck! And luck is either with you at any one time or it isn't. If it's not, it won't matter what strategy you use or what you do. Even experts admit to winning no more than 20 to 30% of the time. And on some days they don't win at all.
Below are 13 common-sense tips that will keep you from becoming a casino victim every time you try your luck at the slot machines.
Tip 1:
Don't be confused or intimidated by today's new breed of slots. Each year a new crop of slots hits the casino floor -- with their gimmicky names (Cool Millions, Top Cat), theme reels (cows, frogs, spaceships), and digital sound effects.
But beneath their fancy facades, all slots are basically alike. They're simply boxes housing the slots' hardware and software produced by the manufacturer. And they all work on the same principle: put in one or more coins and wait and see whether you won or lost.
Tip 2:
Do leave home without them! Your checkbook, ATM card, debit card, and all credit cards but one. Use this one for out-of-pocket expenses only: meals, shows, shopping, etc. Take only the money you can afford to lose. And set a loss limit for each day. When this is gone, your gambling for the day is over. No borrowing from the next day's allotted bankroll. And keep away from those ubiquitous cash-advance machines. Playing with plastic will come back to haunt you when the bank statements start coming in.
Tip 3:
Set realistic goals. Don't go into a casino with the idea of making money. Steve Wynn, CEO of Mirage Resorts, said, "The only way to make money in a casino is to own one." They don't build those ritzy mega-resorts and cruise-to-nowhere riverboats on winners.
Tip 4:
Know how slots work. Today's slots are controlled by a miniature computer (microprocessor) that generates hundreds of win-loss symbols every second, 24 hours a day, weather the slot is being played or not. And since the computer's generation of win-loss symbols is 100% random, no one can predict what symbol will appear on the screen and when. So beware of ads or mail-order offers promising some "secret" or "sure-fire" way of beating the slots. They're mostly worthless, out-of-date, or out-and-out scams. Ask yourself: If you found a way to make millions off the slot machines, would you sell it?
Tip 5:
Understand percentage payback. Like cloned sheep, slots may look alike, but they don't pay alike. The higher a slot's percentage payback, the better chance you have to win. But you can't tell by looking at a slot what its payback percentage is, unless it's posted on the slot. Asking slot floor personnel won't help. They probably won't know. Theoretically, a slot with an advertised 95% payback will return $95 out of every $l00 put into it and keep $5 as profit. But 95% is just an average figure, meaning that the slot will pay back 95% of all the coins put into it, not to just one player, but to all its players (hundreds, maybe thousands), and in no set pattern or period of time - just eventually. So if you were to drop $100 in a slot with a known payback of 95%, you probably wouldn't get back exactly $95 in the time you were at that slot. You might poet mOTe, less, or nothing at all.
Tip 6:
Play the right slots. Whatever denomination slot you choose to play, stick to the 2-coin, 3-reel non-progressive, single-payline slot with the lowest top jackpot (1000 to 5000 coins). The lower the top jackpot, the more frequent the smaller paybacks and the better the odds of winning. The bigger the top jackpot (10,000 to 50,000 coins), the fewer smaller paybacks and the greater the odds against you. And run, don't walk, past any slot with four or more reels! Each added reel increases the odds against you by the millions.
Tip 7:
Don't play with the top jackpot in mind. To win the top prize, you must always bet maximum coins -- which causes you to lose more money and lose it faster. Your goal should be to find a slot that gives you the longest playing time and smaller but more frequent paybacks. The longer you can make your bankroll and playing time last, the better chance you have of finding the right slot at the right time. Learn to be happy with any win you can get.
Tip 8:
Don't play with credits. Some players claim that playing with credits is a practical way of keeping track of a slot's ups and downs. But when you play with credits, money loses all meaning. You don't think of those numbers in the credit meter as real money. They're more like psychological painkillers. Somehow losing 400 credits on a quarter slot isn't as bad as losing $100. It may be tiresome to hand-feed coins into a slot, but when you hold a bucketful of coins, you can see and feel the increase and decrease of coins. And playing with coins forces you to slow down, which extends your playing time. Remember. Fast is good for the casino. Slow is good for you. You minimize the house edge.
Tip 9:
Limit progressive slot play. The odds are too great. But if you like to play progressives, stick to the 2-coin, 3-reel, in-house progressive slot with a top jackpot of $1200 or so. You must remember that progressive slots don't pay as often or as many small wins as regular slots. So when you play a progressive, you're really playing for the top jackpot.
Tip 10:
Know which slot locations to try. Casinos want players to see other players winning. It's good advertising. So they often put their better-paying slots in heavy-traffic, highly visible locations, with room for crowds to gather and cheer winners on. Such locations include crosswalks, elevated carousels, and banks of slots near the casino bar, lounges, change booth, and coffee shop.
Tip 11:
Know which slot locations to avoid. Near show lines, check-in lines, buffet lines, in the middle of a long row of slots, and out-of-the-way corners of the casino. Winners here have little advertising value for the casino. Also avoid all non-gaming areas, such as airports, bus terminals, gas stations, drug stores, and cruise lines.
Tip 12:
There is no "right," "wrong," or "best" way to bet at a slot machine. If, like most people, you go to a casino to get away, have a few hours of fun, and maybe win a few bucks now and then, it doesn't really matter how you bet: maximum, minimum, or a combination of both. Ignore any "expert" or casino know-it-all who says to always bet max coins. They always stress the possibility of winning -- conveniently overlooking the greater reality of losing. Just remember. It's not their money you're playing with.
Tip 13:
Know the role of luck. Regardless of what the "experts" say, winning at slots is like winning at keno, bingo, and your state lottery - pure luck! And luck is either with you at any one time or it isn't. If it's not, it won't matter what strategy you use or what you do. Even experts admit to winning no more than 20 to 30% of the time. And on some days they don't win at all.
How to play BLACKJACK
The Game
The main object of blackjack is to beat the dealer with a total equal to or less than 21, without going over 21 or bust. This is based on the four-deck game as played in many casinos in Las Vegas. The dealer will deal two cards to each hand or player including himself his first card is always face down. If the first two cards drawn are an Ace and a 10 value card, that player has Blackjack and will be paid one and one-half times the wager (3 to 2) unless the dealer also has Blackjack, in which case is a draw. The Player not having Blackjack may continue to draw cards attempting to total as close to 21 as possible without exceeding 21, in which case that player "breaks" and loses the wager. Dealer must hit on 16 or less. Dealer must stand on 17 or more.
Cards Value
Kings, Queens, Jacks, and 10's each count as 10. Aces count as 1 or 11, the value is adjusted automaticly. All other cards 2-9, count as their face value.
Hit
Receive an additional card.
Stand
No additional card.
Split
The Player will match the original wager and split the first two cards into two separate hands. The two cards must be of the same point value (i.e. a pair of 8's, King and Queen, etc.) In split hands an Ace and ten equal to "21" and not blackjack.
Double
Double your bet with this option, only one additional card is debt. Double down wagring is not permitted on a "BlackJack".
Insurance
When the dealer's up card is an Ace, a Player may buy insurance, an additional amount equal to half of that Player's original wager. A Player may purchase insurance when he/she believes that the dealer's down card is a ten value card. If the Dealer has Blackjack, the insurance wager pays 2 to 1. If the dealer does not have Blackjack, the insurance wager loses and the game continues as usual. A Blackjack will beat a point total of "21".
The Game
The main object of blackjack is to beat the dealer with a total equal to or less than 21, without going over 21 or bust. This is based on the four-deck game as played in many casinos in Las Vegas. The dealer will deal two cards to each hand or player including himself his first card is always face down. If the first two cards drawn are an Ace and a 10 value card, that player has Blackjack and will be paid one and one-half times the wager (3 to 2) unless the dealer also has Blackjack, in which case is a draw. The Player not having Blackjack may continue to draw cards attempting to total as close to 21 as possible without exceeding 21, in which case that player "breaks" and loses the wager. Dealer must hit on 16 or less. Dealer must stand on 17 or more.
Cards Value
Kings, Queens, Jacks, and 10's each count as 10. Aces count as 1 or 11, the value is adjusted automaticly. All other cards 2-9, count as their face value.
Hit
Receive an additional card.
Stand
No additional card.
Split
The Player will match the original wager and split the first two cards into two separate hands. The two cards must be of the same point value (i.e. a pair of 8's, King and Queen, etc.) In split hands an Ace and ten equal to "21" and not blackjack.
Double
Double your bet with this option, only one additional card is debt. Double down wagring is not permitted on a "BlackJack".
Insurance
When the dealer's up card is an Ace, a Player may buy insurance, an additional amount equal to half of that Player's original wager. A Player may purchase insurance when he/she believes that the dealer's down card is a ten value card. If the Dealer has Blackjack, the insurance wager pays 2 to 1. If the dealer does not have Blackjack, the insurance wager loses and the game continues as usual. A Blackjack will beat a point total of "21".
Have you played at an Online Casino before?
Playing online is going to be very similar to playing offline, but you won't have the distractions of people next to you, sounds around your or the yelling of those who are winning or losing in the casinos. Playing and gambling online is one way that you can take a mini vacation and forget about every thing around you while having a great time of it!
If you already know how to play the online games, if you have been in online casinos before, we suggest that you read through the rules of the site to make sure that every thing is the same as when you have played before.
If you have never played online at an internet casino, we suggest that you take advantage of the free online games before playing for money. The free online games are the exact same, with bets and all the players, but this gives you a chance to get used to the difference playing online compared to playing offline.
Playing online sometimes there are time limits, the buttons are easily located, sometimes there are noises that will be played, or the flashes of lights when certain games are played will happen. Realizing the noises and the sights of the online casino will help you focus on the game more than the entertaining sights and sounds.
If you don't like the noise from the casinos online, you can turn the speakers off on your computer. Everything that you need to play should be located on the screen so you can listen to music, the news, or what ever it is you want to listen to when gambling online.
When you are playing online, don't play during a thunderstorm or a lightening storm. Flashes of electricity where you are kicked off line will interrupt your play and you won't be as happy as if you would have been playing the entire time. Storms pass quickly and you can play without interruption once the storms have passed.
It is in your best interest never to give out your passwords or users names to anyone online. Your information is private and secure with the casinos so giving out your information will only allow someone into your account where they will spend your money.
Always protect your log in information and your password by changing your password at least monthly and writing it down on a piece of paper. Listing your log in names and passwords in a file on your computer can be hazardous as a virus could grab files and send out your personal information from your computer when you are least aware of it.
Playing online is going to be very similar to playing offline, but you won't have the distractions of people next to you, sounds around your or the yelling of those who are winning or losing in the casinos. Playing and gambling online is one way that you can take a mini vacation and forget about every thing around you while having a great time of it!
If you already know how to play the online games, if you have been in online casinos before, we suggest that you read through the rules of the site to make sure that every thing is the same as when you have played before.
If you have never played online at an internet casino, we suggest that you take advantage of the free online games before playing for money. The free online games are the exact same, with bets and all the players, but this gives you a chance to get used to the difference playing online compared to playing offline.
Playing online sometimes there are time limits, the buttons are easily located, sometimes there are noises that will be played, or the flashes of lights when certain games are played will happen. Realizing the noises and the sights of the online casino will help you focus on the game more than the entertaining sights and sounds.
If you don't like the noise from the casinos online, you can turn the speakers off on your computer. Everything that you need to play should be located on the screen so you can listen to music, the news, or what ever it is you want to listen to when gambling online.
When you are playing online, don't play during a thunderstorm or a lightening storm. Flashes of electricity where you are kicked off line will interrupt your play and you won't be as happy as if you would have been playing the entire time. Storms pass quickly and you can play without interruption once the storms have passed.
It is in your best interest never to give out your passwords or users names to anyone online. Your information is private and secure with the casinos so giving out your information will only allow someone into your account where they will spend your money.
Always protect your log in information and your password by changing your password at least monthly and writing it down on a piece of paper. Listing your log in names and passwords in a file on your computer can be hazardous as a virus could grab files and send out your personal information from your computer when you are least aware of it.
How to play RED DOG POKER
Red Dog is fun, fast, and can be learned with basic strategy in under 10 minutes.
Red Dog may be the most basic card wagering game currently available in casinos. It is a casino version of the classic game of In-Between that is often played in living-rooms and basements around a folding table with red, white and blue plastic chips and a set of cards from a Vegas casino with a hole punched through them. The basic premise is a bet on whether a third card's value will fall between the assigned values of two previously drawn cards.
Red Dog is only slightly different from the home version. There is no "pot" or "jackpot" of accumulated losses from other players. This game is played against the house with fixed odds and there are two betting stages to each hand. An ante is always played first and, after the initial two cards have been dealt, the player may choose to play another bet known as the "raise".
The ante bet is a 1-1 paying bet on the actual outcome of the third card (whether it is "in-between" or not). This bet can never be surrendered and is a considered a push anytime the initial two cards are consecutive, thereby not allowing a potential in-between play. This situation is called a "tie" and all bets are considered null and void. If the initial pair of cards is an identical pair no raise bets are allowed but if the third card is also a match the ante wager is paid out on an 11-1 basis.
The second bet of a Red Dog hand is the raise. If the initial cards are not a tie or a matched pair the player has the option of placing a second bet on the likelihood that the third card will be in-between. This is a "spread bet" and is placed at fixed odds based upon the spread of numbers between the first pair of cards.
An easy example is in order. First, the player places an ante. The dealer then deals two cards, face-up. If those cards were a king and a 4 (suit is not important in Red Dog) the player would have a spread of 9 based on the values of cards in Red Dog as shown here:
This game is as simple as they come and the strategy to playing it is just as easy: Only place a raise bet when the spread is seven or more. There is nothing more to it. On the 7-spread the player has a 54% chance of winning and each number higher equates to more in favor of the player. Spreads of 6 or less always have a house edge and it is huge. Avoid those bets!
Red Dog is fun, fast, and can be learned with basic strategy in under 10 minutes.
Red Dog may be the most basic card wagering game currently available in casinos. It is a casino version of the classic game of In-Between that is often played in living-rooms and basements around a folding table with red, white and blue plastic chips and a set of cards from a Vegas casino with a hole punched through them. The basic premise is a bet on whether a third card's value will fall between the assigned values of two previously drawn cards.
Red Dog is only slightly different from the home version. There is no "pot" or "jackpot" of accumulated losses from other players. This game is played against the house with fixed odds and there are two betting stages to each hand. An ante is always played first and, after the initial two cards have been dealt, the player may choose to play another bet known as the "raise".
The ante bet is a 1-1 paying bet on the actual outcome of the third card (whether it is "in-between" or not). This bet can never be surrendered and is a considered a push anytime the initial two cards are consecutive, thereby not allowing a potential in-between play. This situation is called a "tie" and all bets are considered null and void. If the initial pair of cards is an identical pair no raise bets are allowed but if the third card is also a match the ante wager is paid out on an 11-1 basis.
The second bet of a Red Dog hand is the raise. If the initial cards are not a tie or a matched pair the player has the option of placing a second bet on the likelihood that the third card will be in-between. This is a "spread bet" and is placed at fixed odds based upon the spread of numbers between the first pair of cards.
An easy example is in order. First, the player places an ante. The dealer then deals two cards, face-up. If those cards were a king and a 4 (suit is not important in Red Dog) the player would have a spread of 9 based on the values of cards in Red Dog as shown here:
- Two through ten - face value
- Jacks - 11
- Queens - 12
- Kings - 13
- Aces - 14
- 1 card spread - 5:1
- 2 card spread - 4:1
- 3 card spread - 2:1
- 4 to 11 card spread - even money
This game is as simple as they come and the strategy to playing it is just as easy: Only place a raise bet when the spread is seven or more. There is nothing more to it. On the 7-spread the player has a 54% chance of winning and each number higher equates to more in favor of the player. Spreads of 6 or less always have a house edge and it is huge. Avoid those bets!
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