I recently read the list on 10 Tricks Casinos Use on You, and found it interesting. As someone who has worked in the casino industry, I was well-aware of these subtle, but powerful, Jedi mind-tricks, and I’ve developed a few defenses of my own that I wanted to share. These are in no particular order.
This may seem like basic advice, but you’d be surprised how many people actually think they have an edge over the House. Regardless of how good you are, or how much experience you have, or what technique you use, the casinos have been at this for a lot longer than you have. The odds are stacked in their favor, and while you may win in the short term, you will eventually lose. Knowing this can keep help keep your head clear.
I used to be asked which machine paid out the most often in the casino, and my answer was always the same; “The one with the letters A-T-M on the front.” When you decide to go to the casino, you must assume that you are going to lose, and treat it as such. Decide beforehand how much money you can afford to spend on the evening’s entertainment, and take no more than that amount in cash. Leave your checkbook and credit cards in the room or at home. When you have played through the cash in your pocket, leave.
This seems, again, like an obvious point, but it is something that gamblers often forget. Always be aware of your win-loss ratio. At any time, you should know exactly how much you have spent and how much you have won since you began this session. It doesn’t seem like much when you’re playing quarter slots until you realize that you’ve been shoving five-dollar bills into the machine!
The casinos love to quote the old adage, “A winner never quits and a quitter never wins,” but the opposite is true when it comes to gambling. My wife and I have a standing rule: we play only what we intended to play before we arrived (see #2), and, if at any time, we reach double the amount we came in with (or greater), we cash out and leave. Just as small losses add up quickly, so do small wins. We go to the casino to eat about once every two months or so, and when we go, we usually bring a little extra cash (often $5 or $10) to play in the machines. In general, we lose or break even, but we have won (and walked out) often enough that, over the course of three years, we’re up by about $25.
There’s a reason that few casinos have clocks or windows. Compensate for this by wearing a watch or carrying a timepiece and referring to it often. At any point, you should know exactly how long you have been sitting at the table or the machine. If you’ve been at the same location for more than 15 minutes and you haven’t at least broken even, it’s time to cut your loses and go. Sometimes, in addition to limiting the amount of money I bring with me, I also set my watch alarm to 30 minutes or so. When the alarm goes off, regardless of whether I’m up or down, I leave.
Alcohol dulls the senses and impairs judgment; that’s why they keep offering you those free drinks. Fortunately, combating this tactic is as easy as saying, “No thanks.” Of course, the waitress will keep tempting you. After all, her job is to keep you there at the table or in front of the machine. If you need an excuse, you can always claim to be the designated driver and they will usually leave you alone. Just remember, they can’t force you to accept the alcohol.
All too often while working the floor, I would see people sitting in the same location for hours on end. Sometimes (it happens much more often than you think), these people would not even leave to take a bathroom break, instead simply urinating (or worse) right there in the seat. Sometimes they would shift to another seat, but more often, they simply sat in their own filth and kept playing. Such is the drive of greed. Get up once in a while and walk around. Go to the restaurant (if there is one) or snack bar and get a soft drink. Use that time to check your win-loss ratio (see #3), and if you find that you’re ahead, it might be time to go.
There’s no shortage of people trying to sell you on time-tested methods for beating the casino. Everyone seems to have a “system” that they claim works for them, but if you ask around, you’ll find that they made their money selling books, not playing casinos. If all of these systems worked as well as they say, how would casinos still be in business? And doesn’t it stand to reason that the casino operators have read these books too? There is no perfect system that can defeat the odds that are weighted in favor of the house, and it’s a waste of money to try. Gambling is largely luck, and you have no control over that factor. What’s more, most casinos write the rules such that the odds go to them.
Many slot machines today offer varying levels of payout with the number of coins played. Of particular importance to note are linked machines that are placed in different casinos across the country, and tied to a central mega-jackpot. Often, in order to win the big money, you must play the maximum number of coins playable. I have been witness to two occasions in which someone got the winning combination (and won a small jackpot), but was “cheated out of” the big money because they did not play the maximum number of coins. By law, this information must be made clear on the face of the machine, but casinos are good at hiding it amongst the colorful designs and other eye-candy.
Cashiers in casinos have been trained (or machines, where they replace humans, have been programmed) to provide you with the largest possible denominations of bills when giving cash outs. This is because they know that you have to pass through the maze to get back out, and you might be tempted by the lure of a particular machine. You sit down to play just “one more dollar,” only to discover that the smallest bill you have is a five…
It would be wrong to say that no one ever wins. In fact, casinos are filled with winners, sometimes big winners. But stop and ask some of these people how much they have spent trying to get to that point and the numbers become a little more revealing. It is very rare to win huge amounts of cash without having paid excessive amounts to achieve that goal. Ever notice that casino winners (in large part) tend to be in the ages of 50 and upwards? Who else has all day to spend in front of a slot machine, shoving coins into it?
Sometimes, you get lucky. I’ve had days when I’ve walked into a casino with two dollars and come out two hours later with $20. There have also been days when I’ve gone in with $20 and come out in 15 minutes with nothing. The best way to win? Don’t play. But if you must, then these tips will at least help balance the odds a little.
First oxygen thief off the day.
interesting list…. like to info about the linked machines…. Conning b******
Not really. The huge $ amount they show at progressive slots is just like the huge stuffed animal at the fair. Only little kids think that knocking down all the milk bottles once will win the big bear versus a little crappy prize..
Casino and gamling in general shouldn't be about making money it should be about the fun of the game.
I go to casinos with 50-100 $ once a month to simply play.
I play for 2-3 hours for the fun of it and wether I win or lose it doesn't matter to me.
The biggest loss I faced was 75$ in 10 minutes.
The biggest win 3000$ after 2 hours.
Good luck everyone.
also, don't bet more than you can win back on table games.
if you have a bonus bet(bad idea to begin with), and a hand bet, don't bet more on the bonus.
if you're playing the inside of roulette, don't put out 11 chips and only bet corners(8 to 1 payout). This should be obvious too, but most people are looking for a quick-hit instead of a slow grind to make money.
However, the best advice I can possibly give(as a table games dealer) beyond not playing at all, is to go with the intention of having fun. If you are enjoying yourself then you won't become a grumpy ***** that *****es off the employees and/or other players when the cards don't go your way(which they won't).
Not to mention for anything that can be somewhat unpleasant, such as gamling and losing, it's important to view "spending" your money differently. Sure you have fewer assets to your name when you leave, but what did you get out of the experience?
If I have a good time with my friends I look at it as though you can't really put a price on having a good time. I gamble maybe once a year and no more than $40 each instance.
I guess you can probably glean how much "fun" I have at casinos.
there is no system in gambling, but there are games which have lower odds of winning/losing. Black jack (played with good players) has better odds than slot machines or craps/roulette. But as long as you remember that the house always win in the end, play to your means.
Actually the best player odds is in craps – if you make odds bets after the point is established – those are even money with no casino advantage – the key is finding the table with the lowest initial bet limit.
- myself, I play black jack.
craps with maximum odds is the best bet. dice setting is also possible.
roulette is beatable if you have close to infinite funds and no table limit, as there is a way to always come out a unit ahead by always betting the same even money bet and then doubling your bet after every loss until it hits, and then starting over.
blackjack with proper play, counting, bet spread and variance play has better odds over everything else, as it is possible to gain a 3-5% edge over the house. very few people have the mental capacity or discipline to keep up the focus and play long enough to find a shoe good enough to really profit from it.
Actually, I'd have to disagree with the no system idea. It depends on what game you are talking about. There actually are systems to "beat" black jack, for example, even though they have changed the game slightly to make the system more complicated. The casinos don't go broke from this (anymore) because if they suspect you took the time to memorize the card combinations of the system, they can and will throw you out. These are private establishments and have the right to get rid of players they don't like, including ones that seem to be winning too much.
There is no viable system in black jack other than card counting and then only in certain instances.
You HAVE TO STUDY the basic strategy tables – which by the way are available on a card that you can carry with you (I’ve never needed one) – and many casinos will allow you to use a card sitting at the table.
A 4-deck+ shoe pretty much takes counting out of the equation unless you have a Rainman brain.
In short – learn the strategy tables and play – have fun – watch for the roller coaster and jump out at the top.
when i go to the casino , i only play one game , called "the bar" , no matter what – i always win and i never loose a cent .
wow, record time, amazes me how somebody can have their comment deleted in less than 30 mins
Peeing in the seat? Really?
Unfortunately, yes. And what is more, the casino is often aware of the problem, but because the persons in question are big spenders, they find it simpler to replace the seats than address the problem.
That is so nasty.
not gonna contradict the writer —- not at all — this was good whtknt. i know you didnt make any of this up — but i dont know what state/area you were in either, and maybe it's different there.
however……..
when i turned 21, i began working at a casino, and for the last 11 years, i never left the industry, while s l o w l y finishing doctorate. i worked at the copa casino a little while, then moved on to the ceasers (grand casino) in gulfport, ms. after hurricane katrina pushed the whole *****ing casino across the highway, (and into my neighbour's yard), i was transferred to the harrahs in vegas. last year, i transferred back to miss., and am at the grand in biloxi. during this time i had part time jobs (extra holiday $) at the bellagio (vegas), treasure bay (biloxi) the riverside (laughlin, nv) harrahs (n.orleans) and the beau rivage (biloxi).
i'd love to say that people dont ***** in the seats.
unfortunately, it does happen all the time.
but i have never ever seen or heard of a "high roller" or "a whale" or whatever you want to call them, ever ***** in a seat. ever. never ever.
first, the very rich do not seem to have quite the dependancy on superstitions as some of the rest of the public, some seat-*****ers simply dont want to relinquish their "warmed up" machine. in the high limits room, there are tons of cats, all of whom will watch the machine. some think the machine is going to be hot soon , others think it is their lucky machine b/c they got four aces with a 3-kicker, a month ago. either waay……..
not to mention, most people that have that kind of money simply aren't cool with *****ing themselves.
@whtknt: "because the persons in question are big spenders"
—–im going by this statement. if you are referring to the fact that slots are the casino's cash cow golden goose whatever……then fair enough.
if you are talking about the actual people (in an individualistic sense), then no. no no.
its the nickel-machine area. the penny slots, and also the penny video slots (which to this day i dont understand). —
the other point: i'd go so far as to say that at least 65% of seat-*****ers, do so on graveyard (1am-9am, here).
……………………………………..cont'd
now, twiggy —- remember what i was telling you the other day, about bodily fluids? pee, blood, vomit, all of that — we cant touch it (f&b). (those of you who dont know — i bartend there) — my supervisor cant touch it. slot attendants and slot techs cant touch it. housekeeping and security are the only departments certified to dispose of bodily fluids. there are not too many housekeeping people on graveyard — and a big portion of the dept. of security is tied up with the hard-count department on graves…….i.e.:*****y seats stay where they are longer. and since it's in the penny-ante slots, it isnt a priority.
in other words:
@fairtwiggy1: "That is so nasty."
——oh, girl, if you only knew.
Sadly? Yes. And what is more, the casino considers these people big spenders, so they find it easier to replace the seats than to address the issue. One lady was dubbed by security as "the *****ing bandit" because she would sit in one place until she had soaked the seat, then move to the next machine on the row.
That is so funny but sad at the same time.
)-D I just *****ed myself laughing.
"sadly?"
Yeah, I agree it is sad, its heartbreakingly sad. To think people get to adulthood and become like this. Such a damn shame.
we've actually had to ban a player at the casino i work for because he would urinate and defecate in his pants at the blackjack table. he didn't even have the consideration to wear an adult diaper to lessen the grossness of the situation. Even if he had, though, it wouldn't have made much of a difference because he refused to leave his seat for any reason.
I'm gonna be really careful about sitting down at a casino, now!
You were up $20 after 2 hours? Wow, get yourself to Vegas.
I only take as much money as I can afford to lose. I have been having pretty good luck lately. Last time I was in Vegas I was up by 100 dollars and decided to just spend 20 of that in a machine. Three spins later and I was up by 500. I know that's very unusual so I quit right away.
sorry i couldn't hear you over all the skeletons clambering to get out your closet .
I think you win best comment of the day!
zing!
LOL!!!!
bwahahaha! That was great!
Gets my vote too!
Haha! Wins my vote too!
I enjoy reading this list even though I'm not a casino guy. =) Thanks for the tips…
I was about to go out and gamble but after reading this interesting list……. I bring my alarm clock, a bottle of water, limit my cash and limit my time at the casino.
thx listverse
You're nuts – put it all on red!!!
Don't forget a cover for the seats.
This is some of the most obvious advice ever. Even casual players take more money than $20 out of a casino. I love the fact that this family-man occasionally takes his wife out to dinner and uses something less than the tip to go gambling ($5 or $10). "over the course of three years, we’re up by about $25."
If only we could all lead such a simple life.
If you were anyone important, I'd be more concerned about your opinions of me.
With a name like Gambleman its no surprised your clearly biased
??
tips for beating casino tactics?
#1a:
—stay out of the damn casino
i said before but i think my comment was deleted. I only play "the bar" the bets are reasonably low and i always win a beer .
@bluesman87: "i always win a beer"
.
— there is always risk involved. that's why they call it gambling.
next time you win at "the bar", let it ride.
see if you can win a double shot of crown reserve.
i agree.
tips for beating a casino…. invent facebook, and buy one.
Bonus: dont play in the casino to avoid losses.
wow you bring even 2$ to the casino
I guess Listverse doesn't have quality control anymore. This is the stupidest list I have ever read. Nothing new, and apparently $20 is a fortune to this guy. Who walks into a casino with $2?
I only play poker.
Competing against other players where the house has a set "rake"
It may be called "gambling" but thanks to the recent texas hold em explosion, i have done quite well for my self lately.
If you're going to gamble, poker is actually a good way to go. There is still a bit of luck involved, but the player also has a little more control of the game than in, say, blackjack or slots. And you're playing against others, rather than rules set by the House. It is quite possible to make a good living off of playing poker (as illustrated by the pros), but you do need to have a good investment to start with.
Poker is called a game of skill by the IMSA. Its a title given to games like chess and bridge where luck can manifest, but without significant skill you will not win consistently. For this reason I would not consider it gambling in the same breath as craps or slots.
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/poker-recognized-as…
"lately"…thats the key word
You've been playing against the right people. Most people aren't so lucky when they gamble.
It would be nice to see a list of the games with the best odds and how to play those. It is still exciting. Alltime I am down like 50 bucks gambling, but I always follow all of these rules, especially the one about not peeing myself and sitting on it
1) Craps
2) Black jack
3) Bacharach
These have the lowest house advantage of any of the casino games – and understanding of strategy of each is required to play competently.
Really bad odds –
Wheel of fortune
slot machines
Keno – one of the worst
Be careful. Craps and blackjack can be among the WORST games to play if you don't play right. There are more bets in craps that are awful than good (stick with the pass/don't pass and come/don't come with odds).
If you're playing blackjack, learn basic strategy. For every situation there is a correct move to make and they're not as obvious as people think. Just playing using "common sense" will surely result in losses over the long run.
Baccarat is good if you always bet on the banker.
Video poker can have a very low house edge, but again, you need to know the strategy like blackjack, otherwise it won't be so kind to you.
Years ago I became extremely interested in casino math and studied just about every single game so I now only play the games with the lowest house edge. One other note, slots are absolute money suckers.
I agree about blackjack being an easy game to win (at one time) and an easier one to lose if you don't know what you're doing. My uncle used to manage a casino and he thought me how to play blackjack properly when I was 10. I've gotten pretty good at it, but there's just no point anymore. There is definitely a strategy to the game, although casinos nowadays have pretty much ruined that with the multiple decks that are constantly being shuffled (yes, now it's practically just a game of chance).
Video poker is crack.
there's no point in playing if you're not enjoying yourself
"understanding of strategy of each is required to play competently"
Yeah I know, I was elaborating for everyone else.
OK Tryclyde
I play black jack and know my tables well enough to play by memory – well enough to leave the table when it's time – short term loss or taking it to the window
This ***** should be illegal, but what do you expect from a country whose foundations were built on the cornerstone of greed?
Lemme guess you think weed is a terrible vice on society too even though you never tried it ?
I smoked that stuff for three years, so don't presume to know me.
ok my apologies.
burned!!
Why did you quit? It seems like you need to relax a bit.
Its a vice. It is something that relieves people from their normal, boring lives.
What do you want? Everyone to sit around for Good Christian Fellowship?
Gambling is fine, dedicating an entire city to it is not.
You are speaking of the city of Macau?
You gamble every day when you get out of bed and cross the street; get a life.
Hey – the *****ing Unibomber is back – what up dude?
Tell me what country invented gambling? I assume that you are talking about the U.S. just because you hate us. BTW, we were built on the cornerstone of freedom. Anyways, why should casinos be illegal? If it should because it can hurt people who have an addiction then you should make alcohol, tobacco, shopping, caffein, *****, and many other things illegal also. Casinos provide entertainment and should "charge for it". I have spent more money at Disneyland then at Vegas. MY GOD, LETS MAKE DISNEYLAND ILLEGAL. At least you have the opportunity to leave with more money than when you came. I have. If you can't control your spending at a casino then don't go, it's not their fault that you are weak.
ahahahahahahaha!!! freedom!!!
What country are you talking about, i believe there is more then one country that has casinos. I checked, and i didn't see the author once mention a country, do i senese a little bias maybe?
Can't wait to see how many anti-gambling people start raging in the comments. Great list, great tips.
yeah i love gambling addicts if it weren't for them i wouldn't have my fender strat right now.
@bluesman87: " i love gambling addicts "
me too — if not for them,
i wouldnt have my factor fretless bass.
of course, i wouldnt have my job at the casino, either………….
I love them too.
Now when i buy cigarettes and have to pass through a crowd of scratchcard nuts, i know i'm not the one with the worst addiction. It means a lot to me.
Thanks.
So explain why people such as Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey are laughing all the way to the bank? Period?!
poker is a skill game, played against other players not gambling where the house always has the edge.
Poker is a psychological game.
Poker games last much longer than the ones you see on the “TV”.
Really? I wonder then how can 17 yo clueless kids have won the Poker Star finals against those supposedly badass sharks who have been playing for decades. I agree that there are better players but their skill never surpasses the chance factor.
Yes, and that is exactly why you often need very deep pockets to get into that game, or backers who do. I'm not surprised at all that a guy like Guy Laliberte, a billionaire, has had a good career in the game.
I'm a *****.
my himalayan cat is more eloquent than you are,
but you do have your moments, don't you?
Hey, its not your fault that humanity is headed for the *****ter…oh wait, it is…
Apparently.
Actually, I aspire to the level of *****ness.
brOck you deleted your reply comment to me. How come? It's okay to admit you like to ride a chowder cannon. I like it just not in the chili ring like you.
i didn`t delete anything you stupid *****
Ahh I should slap you for that……..but ***** splatters.
Thank you for that lovely visual.
I'm from Las Vegas, not saying my opinion deserves more respect or anything but I've seen some *****, and the best way to beat casinos is to not gamble.
gambling is good, its donating money to people who need it most.. Casino CEO's
I have an aunt addicted to gambling. Last I heard she was caught naked in the desert an claimed the coyotes talk to her. Needless to say I have no desire to gamble.
hey i dont mean to be mean but i dont think gambling addictions do that . Sounds like booze or drugs to me personally.
well she's 65 I think she's just coo coo but what do I know
well either way thanksgiving must be a blast!
wow that explains alot about you you must be some kind of drug addick too
I find myself enjoying reading you're comments, I must ask you though: is it your goal to get as low of a reputation score as possible? Because if it is, that's friggin halarious
Clever brOck you couldn't come up with anything better than that.
Because your aunt is off the reservation, doesn't mean you will be. I'm not saying to go gamble, but you are not her.
Have you ever had a sip of alcohol? That doesn't make you an alcoholic.
I know I am gonna get negative votes for this comment but smoke some ***** before you go into the casino, put on some sunglasses and you will win. You get a better feel for the game. trust me. I always win when i follow this method.
Wow, why don´t you try that on mescaline or psilocybin and tell us about how it came out, I bet we could make millions.
it made Hunter S Thompson millions .
Oh hell,.. I have never tried that. I love Vegas… and have been blitzed there, but never gambled while blitzed. Who knew.
Hunter S. Thompson would definitely approve!
Interesting idea, but clearly not thought out.
You are forgetting how deviously clever casino operators are. If faced with a regular crowd of stoners, they would just put the word "munchies" on all the food court signs,pipe the food smell out over the casino and charge over the top prices for pizza and cheetos.
Your winings would go up in smoke.
Not a bad list… some small oops, but nothing big. By the way, the reason the clubs pay out in the largest denominations possible has nothing to do with #1… if you say cash out $1200… do you want 12, $100 bills? Or 60 $20′s? It’s far more of a convenience issue, plus, the less pieces of paper the club hands out, the less the cashier can mess up, or possible steal. (Yes, the employees steal… I worked in a Nevada casino, in the Surveillance department, and we investigated FAR more thefts that ended up being employees than patrons.)
Also, to the guy that said “this ***** should be illegal”… remember this too… gambling, like ***** and drugs, will ALWAYS happen, regardless of legalities. People have ALWAYS gambled/used prostitutes/did drugs… it’s just in the last several hundred years that some societies have outlawed these activities.
Just because you have negative votes doesnt mean you arent correct. You ARE right. Remember, the majority isnt always right… in fact, history has taught us that they are often wrong.
I meant the tactics used by the unscrupulous benefactors of gambling, not gambling itself.
No you didn’t. You made some *****ty remark about some country’s tradition of greed – didn’t you?
And yet not one of the suggestions on the list, bar the comment by oliveralbq was "Stay out of the Casino": they can't take your money off you if you don't go in and pour it into their machines and gaming tables!
The list title is “Top 10 Tips for Beating Casino Tactics” –
This is presumptive that someone is in a casino by choice.
DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
It seemed painfully obvious, which is why it wasn't on the list.
<DIV>But it IS a valid suggestion – and thus should have been an option: Much the same way as a magazine aimed at teenage girls over here (and VERY widely read) once ran an article entitled “The Ten Best Ways to Avoid Pregnancy”: they covered the pill, diaphragms, condoms etc etc – - – - and yet not ONE of the suggestions was the blatantly obvious – don't have *****!</DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>To paraphrase the statement “Absence of proof is not proof of absence” – - – “Omission of an option is not is not an option for omission”</DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>Carra</DIV> <DIV style=”FONT: 10pt arial”>
I tried gambling for the first time about 4 years ago. It was very boring. I ended up playing at the arcade….got more bang for my buck there. I went back about 2 years later (like an idiot) but had a bit more fun the second go-around. I didn't play more than 5 games, got free drinks and walked away with $80 bucks…..which was good since my daughter managed to short circuit her iPod. So I was generous and helped her out.
She got my old one and I got a new one.
Nice list.
,,
I live 5 minutes from a casino and have never been inside. But Oh how I love all the tourists that shovel money into my community every day. Funny how eveyone you talk to says how they always win when they gamble. You'd think casinos would be bankrupt by now.
Gambling advice from someone who risks a $20 and focuses on the slot machines….. Not exactly an all-encompassing advisory if you ask me. I don't even enter a casino with less than $500- and Going with the adage that it takes money to make money, you learn that money can be made in the casino. But you have to have enough to ride out the lows to hit the highs.
It's not a bad list of advice, of course, and I follow some of these things religiously (double the money and leave, wear a watch, especially take only what you can lose).
I've NEVER won money when I was desperate for it except for one time:
I was playing Pai Gow and lost my play money. Then I dipped into my paycheck (yeah, dumb, irresponsible, foolish and stupid as *****) . On my last bet, I bet it all on 3 hands and got crap on one, a full house on seat two and a royal flush on seat 3 which paid me about $1200. I pocketed my paycheck. With the remainder, I sat for one more round on three spots. In the next deal was ANOTHER ROYAL FLUSH! I won a little over $15,000.
I tipped my dealer his 10% and walked out knowing that the odds against something like that were virtually *non-repeatable in my lifetime*.
I learned:
1) Luck is as dumb as the person who relies on it.
2) I was a crappy, emotional gambler and should never try to make a living at it. (though I've gotten a lot smarter and better at it after that night)
3) Money doesn't always make a wife more forgiving when you stumble into the house at 5am, but that money smells a lot better than another woman's perfume which NEVER pays off in the end.
So you can afford to lose $500.00. Good for you. A lot of people can't. There is nothing wrong with taking 100.00 or 50.00 or even 20.00 into a casino. The ideas are the same.
I'm amused by this list. It is all common sense sorts of tips. I've heard most of these before from other people who don't have a gambling problem, but like to occasionally go visit a casino.
I remember being a high school student and going over some basic probability and statistics in class. What was the teacher's example? Why some of the most common Vegas casino games of course! It held the class' interest and made a very good point. Gambling can be fun, but like going to the amusement park just count all funds as an expense. I really hope more teachers do that as a part of the lesson plan because it really works to make the students want to think about the subject matter and a well known application.
Here's another good tip for beating casino. How ever much you plan to play, bet it all on 1 hand. Casinos win with the slight edge in each game, say you have 49% chance of winning at a game, each successive game you play, you chance of winning is reduced by a small amount. Another words the more you play the bigger chance for you to lose.
If everyone plays only 1 hand, the chance of winning/losing is AROUND 48% (depending on the game), I garantee all the casinos will close their doors.
I love Gambling, I've only been to the Casino 5 times, the first time I won $2,700 at the slots and then won 400 plus every other time. It's all luck I guess. I was in disbelief, that was the best feeling in the world!
Excellent common-sense advice from the expert. Always welcomed. Great job WhtKnt.
Gambling could easily become another one of my vices – I love the rush…. which is why I rarely go to the casino. Number one on this list could easily be know thyself.
ps: white knight? or a play on words – what knot? I prefer the second.
Thank you, and it's White Knight, though I have had more than a few people make the connection of the wordplay.
What about Poker?
The odds depend on the skill of your fellow players.
Some friends of mine, while in college, would visit the casino some nights and come out with a few hundred dollars a few times a week.
They lost at times of course, but more often won.
Since I live in Canada, we only get free soda and must pay hefty prices for alcohol. Shame!
Poker actually gives you the best odds, precisely because you are competing against the other players and not the House, but there is still an element of luck involved. You do tend to win more often, but when you lose, you typically lose big. That said, a skilled poker player can make a decent living, and we did have our share of high stakes poker champions that used to make the circuit.
It's lists like this that keep me coming back to this site. Nice one.
Thank you!
Regarding the comments about the legality of gambling, I ask you, why? The day they make it illegal to part a fool from his money is the day that I give up on humanity. Personally, I think that they should make ***** legal, treat it like alcohol, and tax the living $#!4 out of it.
agreed on both points – would include ***** too. Here in Canada our supreme court threw out our anti-***** laws btw – they prevent ***** workers from being able to acquire security of person – one of our fundamental rights as Canadians.
Absolutely! Hell, if ***** were legalized, I'd open a *****. I saw a news program a few months ago on people who run legalized *****s and they make more money than they know what to do with. The girls are licensed and clean (and checked every month), the clientele is monitored and troublemakers are arrested and barred, and everyone goes home happy.
I go to the casino maybe once every two years, always the sam routine: I leave bankcards and credit card at home. I always play Roulette. In my wallet I have maybe 10 € for drinks. In my left pocket I carry twenty 5€ tokens. Nothing is added. in my right pocket I put whatever I may win. Nothing is taken out. I stop when my left pocket is empty. Works just fine.
AHH – you see there are systems to gambling that work!
Most excellent Scrooge.
my mum loves to play the pokies. The upside is she is unbelievably lucky, she can go to an rsl or leagues club or whatever at least once a month and leave with over a $1000 easy. Myself have tried and failed so I don't bother, I much prefer poker.
Great list, very good advice!
"my mum loves to play the pokies" – Harsh dude did you walk in on her ?
She is not that lucky if she has been playing for a long time, I can tell you she is down. She only tells you about the money she wins, not the amount she pumps into the machine every week.
Why are negative comments about the list "deleted by administrators"?
They aren't. I wouldn't come here if they were.
they're not – stooopid "first" comments are deleted. that's about it.
further info – there was/is some sort of problem; there were a plethora of comments kicked to moderation for no discernible (by me anyway) reason. Maybe same ip range as spammers? Will bring it to Jamie's attention.
Yeah – I've had two so far – somethings out of whack
ive had a couple as well.
and bluesman87 had one too —
but with his 'closet skeletons' comment above, he deserves a
"get out of moderation free"
card for the month of october.
I spent three years as a security guard (rent-a-cop) in a casino. I have all manner of stories about the stupidity of people, and they're all true. I have truly witnessed the lowest common denominator of society; people whose self-esteem is so low that a change of address to the gutter would be an improvement.
Great, maybe you should write a list about those stories, something as "Top Ten Lowest Conducts seen in a Casino", I´m sure it would be a blast.
I really enjoyed this list, good job.
I´m really confused about why my this last comment caused it to be reviewed for its content? No "firsts", no cursing,
…maybe I´m just plainly annoying
Gambling advice from someone who risks a $20 and focuses on the slot machines….. Not exactly an all-encompassing advisory if you ask me. I don't even enter a casino with less than $500- and Going with the adage that it takes money to make money, you learn that money can be made in the casino. But you have to have enough to ride out the lows to hit the highs.
I never said that I focused on the slot machines. We play the slots because that's what my wife enjoys and we aren't there specifically to gamble. If I were going in to gamble, I'd play blackjack, for one thing, and I would bring in at least $100. My brother and I, on a good night, can sit at a blackjack table and make $500 easy. Sure, you can turn a profit (why else would anyone play?), but as you said, it takes money to make money. Overall, most people (unless they are extraordinarily lucky or very skilled) that win big have spent a lot of time and money getting to that point.
BONUS:
don’t gamble at all, thats how you REALLY beat the casino
Yes, but that seemed obvious to me, so I didn't include it.
Never really understood the whole fascination with gambling.
I like poker though, the one you used to play with your card in hand, remember?
But in the last few years gambling fashion exploded, especially among youngsters.
Slot, online bets, online poker and so forth.
It never really got me. Must be my childhood.
As a kid i used to see those orrible old fat people in my neighborhood's communist party "clubhouse" smoking, cursing, spitting and betting on horseraces. It disgusted me ever since. Maybe that's also why i can't stand communism as a whole.
Did you bet the "p" of your nickname and lost?
last easter me nd some mates from uni were in a casino in birmingham for 3 days for the uk national student poker championship, i did pretty well in the poker, came away 50 quid up, was up and down at the blackjack tables during breaks etc in the poker tourny, ended up bout 20 quid down af the end of the 3 days. one of my mates got knocked out early in the poker, went nd played roulette, started with 20 quid, and at one point was 2K up – walked away after the 3 days 600 quid up – he lost 1400 quid in one day – obvs still ended up makin money, but could have walked away with a lot more if he'd stopped at 2k
When me and a couple friends went to Vegas a few years back my dad gave me the best advice, whatever you win, send it to me. Well I went in with $200 and 3 hours later I was up a grand and cashed out and put my cash into a money order and mailed it home to MY house, not dad. My friends all came home broke, but I came home and had a grand waiting for me.
Extremely interesting. I'm not much of a gambler, for me, I liked wandering the casinos and seeing how they were decorated by theme, etc. But you can have a good time without expecting too much in return.
I enjoy gambling.
I enjoy gambling in certain casinos where I have fun.
I have self control and drink and gamble and meet people from all around the world have a great time.
Sometimes I lose and sometimes I win – but I always have fun.
I enjoy gambling.
Th best book on Slots machines is EGD Secrets, written by a slot machine tech. He talks about how there are no strategies, no visual clues that a machine is going to pay out. Instead he talks about the mechanics of the machines work to get the best odd possible. http://goo.gl/lD6y
It is not hard to win money. The hard thing is to keep the money. Each time I win something I put a portion of it in my poket. It can really add up, so I never lose all the money that I brought. Also, the less money that I have "in my hand" the more conservatively I play, which helps. Also, I never gamble the day that I leave, anymore. I almost always give back the money that I won. Once, I had a layover in Reno, Nevada for about an hour and played the slots. I won enough money that it covered my airfare.
Fair enough. My mother-in-law had a similar problem. She could start an evening with $5 and strictly by playing slots, parley it into a handful of cash within a few hours. But she always played through her winnings and went back for more. And I've seen so many others do the same thing.
My other half and I go to the casino here twice a month and play the smaller machines – when I was younger they called them one arm bandits ( I think ) now they have buttons you push to make the three wheels spin.
We have only being going for 6 months and win small time, but its a lot of fun and most months it pays the groceries – and some left for a couple of bevvies
You obviously have to bet big to win some serious money – and sadly I do not fall into that category
Enjoyed the list thanks.
Poker does not offer better odds of winning Skill doesn't matter because it is all about luck. I have seen people win huge jackpots with crappy hands and go all in with good hands only to lose.
The cashiers will ask what denominations of bills you want.
As for slot machines I know people who play the same machine all night and win a big jackpot and others who move around and win too. They also lose big time, but you never hear about that.
All the seniors wasting their pension money at casinos Why don't they use the money to do some good in the world?
No offense Carole – but seniors should always do as they please – they've been carrying the burden for a long, long time – you want them to give it to charity and sit and die?
Let-em gamble – if you will watch they bet small and take their time and get absolutely giddy about a free drink.
All the seniors wasting their pension money at casinos Why don't they use the money to do some good in the world?
It is not being wasted if you are obtaining an equivalent amount of entertainment value in return for what is being spent. And why do you assume that the targets of your scorn here don’t give something to charity in addition to frivolously spending some on themselves to have a little fun at a casino? And if they don’t give anything at all to charity, why should they? Look in the mirror: After your essential living expenses are covered, how do you spend the rest of your money? Every penny towards “doing some good in the world”? I highly doubt it…so why do you expect that of others?
Poker is not all about luck, it is mostly about skill ( what cards are up, been played, what are the chances of the card(s) you need and what the other players need) and reading the other players. Sure, luck plays a big part, but if it is all luck, why is it that the same players show up in the top ranks time and time again.