You don’t have any table camaraderie, shows, restaurants, or cocktail servers for variety and entertainment. The purists may not care, but many people gamble for the experience as much as for the game itself.
Quality, reliability … and honesty vary. While many states license and regulate online gaming, residents of those that don’t might be drawn to offshore casinos that aren’t subject to uniform standards for customer service, fair play, or financial stability.
Measuring Your Gambling IQ
As you’ll learn throughout this book, people who find the greatest pleasure in gambling do so with
Realistic intentions
An understanding of the odds
An informed strategy
Some skill, depending on the game
To paraphrase the character Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, it’s no great shame to lose at gambling — but it’s no great honor, either. Gambling can be a fun experience whether you win or lose … but it’s a lot more fun when you win.
In that spirit, the book aims to arm you with the understanding and knowledge you need to maximize your enjoyment and success at casino gambling. Before you take a step into a casino, here are ten quick questions to measure your grasp of gambling and the world of casinos. If you answer them all correctly, congratulations! And if not? Don’t worry; after you read Casino Gambling For Dummies, you’ll ace this test — and the many gambling experiences you encounter in the future.
The questions
1 To come out ahead overall at sports betting, you need to win approximately50 percent of the time.53 percent of the time.20 percent of the time.
2 You’re playing Annie Duke at the final table of the World Series of Poker. She makes a big bet and then starts blinking her eyes rapidly. Is sheFlirting with you?Having contact problems?Bluffing?
3 At which game would you lose more per hour (on average)?Playing a 25¢ Double Diamond slot machinePlaying $1 video pokerPlaying single-deck blackjack for $100 a hand
4 You’re at the roulette table, and a black number has come up five times in a row. What are the odds that the next number will be red?47.3 percent75 percent50 percent
5 How many states have legalized gambling?48522
6 Players who bet on the pass line in craps are hoping the first roll is a12Yahtzee7
7 What is the minimum number of innings required for an over/under baseball bet to be official?28½4½
8 Video poker is adapted from what poker game?Texas Hold’emStrip pokerFive-card draw
9 Which of these games can you play while in the bathroom?KenoBingoSlots
10 Where is the biggest casino in the world currently located?MacaoOklahomaNevada
The answers
1 B. In sports betting, a gambler needs to win approximately 52.4 percent of their bets to break even because the house charges a commission (or vigorish) on every bet.
2 C. This could be a trick question because Annie Duke has bluffed and flirted on the same hand. However, rapid eye blinking is often an indicator of bluffing.
3 C. Surprisingly, playing high-stakes blackjack can be easier on your wallet than low-limit slot machines. Assuming you know basic strategy (see Chapter 6), your loss in a good single-deck game should be less than $14 an hour. Likewise, video poker (9/6 Jacks or Better) is a good bet and also will only set you back about $14 an hour. Neither one of those is very bad, considering that three quarters going into the slot machine every spin adds up to more than $15 an hour.
4 A. No matter how many times one color or number comes up, the odds for the next spin aren’t related to past spins. And the answer isn’t 50 percent because there are also two green numbers (0 and 00) on the roulette wheel (in addition to the 18 red and 18 black numbers).
5 A. Currently, 48 states offer some form of legal gambling, but just 20 years ago, there were casinos in only two states, so C was a reasonable answer. However, if you picked B, you may want to retake that high school geography class.
6 C. Seven is an automatic winner for pass line bettors on the come-out roll (first roll). B is incorrect because prowess at Yahtzee rarely translates into winning at the craps table — the pit boss is never happy when you try to throw all five dice.
7 B. Even though a Major League Baseball game is sometimes an official result after 4½ innings, an over/under bet is invalid unless the game goes at least 8½ innings.
8 C. Video poker has many versions, but all are based on five-card draw. So, you never need to worry about losing your shirt (or your socks) at this game.
9 A. Keno is one of the few games in which you don’t have to be present to win. It’s even possible to play from your room or the buffet line.
10 B. Believe it or not, the Winstar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, has more gaming square footage than any other casino on the planet. No, this wasn’t some colossal surveyor’s error; Winstar is the only option for two major markets: Dallas/Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.
Chapter 2
Taking a Quick Stroll Through the Casino
IN THIS CHAPTER
When you step into a modern megacasino, prepare to be dazzled. Blinking lights and ringing bells signal jackpots. Glittering chandeliers and rich furnishings and fabrics often mimic the sequined gowns and dapper dress of the folks at the high-roller tables. Clinking ice chills your drinks, and courteous staff appears to serve your every whim. When you see and hear these characteristics, you know you’ve walked into a fantasy world where every hand you play can be a winner, and every spin of the slot reels could make all your dreams come true.
Lucky gamblers make fortunes every day, but the reality is that most money ends up on the other side of the table. And the casino, or the house, is willing to pour millions of its profits into making sure you walk inside, stay inside, and — most importantly — gamble inside.
Always remember that, in addition to wanting your business, casinos provide a service to you, so you have every right to shop around for the establishment that best serves your needs. To assist you in your shopping, go to the web and take a 360-degree virtual tour of the place, then look it up on a travel site to see what others are saying about their recent experiences.
This chapter