Resources for Gambling - Part 1 Video Poker

There is a lot of help out there to be a knowledgeable and even advantage player in video poker. Here are my suggestions for resources:

BEST WEBSITES:
VideoPoker.Com - www.videopoker.com
VideoPoker.com is a legal, non-wagering Web site
No gambling takes place on VideoPoker.com. People play and practice so they can improve their chances of winning in casinos – or just play for fun! There are free contests where people can win cash and prizes, but because the contests are free to enter, it is not considered online gambling.

• In addition to practicing and playing their favorite video poker games, there are other member benefits that keep people coming back to the site including:
• Participating in Free Contests to win cash prizes and merchandise
• Learning more about the games they play and optimal play strategy
• Participating in an active Forum
• Tracking their play over time using Tracking Mode (GOLD members only)
• Real time training using Training Mode (GOLD only)
• Challenging fellow members to individual or group contests (GOLD only)
• Real time chat with fellow GOLD members (GOLD only)
• Playing brand new games before the games hit the casino floors (GOLD only)
• A Players Club that keeps track of their game activity on the site

An excellent site to practice any video poker game out there - even before it reaches most casinos!
This is a free site. But for a monthly fee under $10, you have access as a Gold Member to lots of additional perks (notice above.)

vpFREE2:
Their goal is to provide a complete inventory of the best video poker games available and make that information availble for free.
They currently cover 448 casinos in the US and Canada.are maintained by volunteer casino monitors
and an active community of video poker players who help keep are information up-to-date by sending us updates. This is a free site.

BEST APPS:
Video Poker plus HD - free app
Features include 1) the similar Shuffle Engine as the Video Poker in a real casino.
2) the same Pay Table as the Video Poker in a real casino. 3) the similar graphical user interface as the Video Poker in a real casino. 4) Game Center for your ranking.5) The Max Cash is $400,000,000.00 6) You can play 10 games.
- Jacks or Better
- Bonus Poker Deluxe
- Bonus Poker
- Double Bonus Poker
- Aces and Faces Poker
- Royal Aces Bonus Poker
- Triple Bonus Poker Plus
- Super Aces Bonus Poker
- White HOT Aces
- Deuces Wild
This isn't just a game. This is the simulator of the Video Poker.

WinPoker - $9.99
I feel this is the best $10.00 investment for anyone who wants to improve their VP skills.

• Learn how to correctly play video poker. Single play, triple play, 5 play and 10 play options that can be played with all of the 31 included video poker games!. Change modes from the options screen, or just swipe up to pull up 3, 5 or 10 hands or swipe down to take it back down.
• You can also create any game you want by changing the pay table of one of the built in games. You can also run a game analysis for any pay table created. This is especially helpful if you play in a casino that doesn't have good pay tables.
• 31 video poker variations – Highlighting some best known video poker games like: All American, Bonus Poker, Double Bonus, Double Double Bonus, Double Jackpot, Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Joker Poker - Kings or Better, Joker Wild - (Atlantic City) 5K Jackpot, just to name a few.
• Three Different Modes of Play **Auto-hold** WinPoker holds the correct play for you. **Warn** You hold the cards and WinPoker alerts you if your hold is not the play that has the highest expected return, or **No mode** Use this mode to duplicate the Casino experience. You play just as you would in a casino only now, you can stop and view the session and check to see if you made any errors. (You don't have that luxury in a Casino)
• Statistics show your wins, losses, total hands played, errors, the magnitude of those errors and what those errors potentially could cost you in cash!                                                                This is a "Triple B" - Binbin Best Bet

BEST BOOK:
Has to be Bob Dancer's "Video Poker for the Intelligent Beginner" or "Million Dollar Video Poker." Both books give insight, strategy, and more into playing like a VP pro.

BEST COMPUTER SOFTWARE:
Bob Dancer's "Video Poker for Winner" $49.95
With this software on your home computer, you can learn at home by playing the most popular casino games right from your desktop. It includes Master winning strategies, bankroll and comp calculators, And much much more! If you go the Video Poker for Winners Website, you can sign up for a free trial.

BEST STRATEGY CARDS
When you are ready to head for the casino to play you can take your strategy chart along with you. When you are dealt a hand that you are unsure of, you can look up the proper play on your strategy chart. A strategy card will show you the correct way to play each hand that you are dealt. By following the cards advice you will keep the hand that offers the highest possible return. Two of the best are Zamzow's BDPWinpoker software and strategy cards generated from Tomski's VPSM Video Poker Strategy Master. You can buy excellent cards at Bob Dancer's site as well.  These cards are acceptable to use in the casino, so take them with you!

That should be enough to get you serious beginners and frequent players on your way to improved play.

That's all for now. Tomorrow is NE Casino Entertainment Wednesday. Thursday I look into the game of Baccarat.

Binbin

Feeling Intimidated to Play New Games at the Casino?

"Where do I start to play new Casino Games?"
This is a good question you should be asking youself if you value your money.  If you just want to throw it away by playing games without knowing how to play them, good luck with that - because that's what you'll need - PURE LUCK!

But, playing new games - both Video Poker and Table Games - needs some prep work, some resources so that your bankroll won't diminish quickly, you have a longer chance to win, you have a better mathematical chance to win, and you can earn more rewards with a longer play.

Being new at anything brings with a certain uneasiness - everybody knows the stuff you don't know. It comes with a new job, social media, a new circle of friends, and especially - AT THE CASINO!

In the olden days, when I had to walk through 5 miles of snow, wind, and cold to get to my local casino (uphill) and we didn't have internet - or phones - or books (am I laying it on too thick?), we had to learn the old fashioned way - play, make mistakes and let everybody at the table think there was something wrong with you.

OK, that's not true - at least the snow, etc., part. But the internet, wireless devices, apps, and even the casinos themselves, have made it easier to learn how to play AWAY from the games and BEFORE you use your own money.

In the next week I will posting about resources that will help you learn tables games outside the usual Blackjack, Roulette & Craps. Today, however, I would like to start the considerations for Video Poker players.

There are many new games out there. Volatility is a word VP players should know about. Besides the payback, which refers to the pay table and how much you win per bet, volatility, or variance, can cause a big difference in the size of your bankroll swings in the long run. For the recreational gambler, it can mean a quick loss of bankroll the bankroll, a quick (and not suggested) return to the ATM, or a quick ride back home.

Video Poker seems to be coming out with new games every day. If you're not careful, you could lose your bankroll in an instant.

Video poker games are no way near the same in payback, volatility and bankroll needed. Strategy of different games, such as Jacks or Better (JOB) or Double Double Bonus (DDB) can be very different in certain instances. JOB should include different strategy in itself depending on the size of the flush payback alone!

In the old days, I was pleased to know the strategy to play the usual offerings - JOB and Deuces wild. But now, here are some of the offerings in your casinos - have you seen them?  The list is staggering!

Ace Invaders
Anything's Wild
Black Jack Bonus Poker (VP with a BJ bonus)
Build a Wheel Poker
Chase the Royal
Crazy Times Pay Poker
Deal Draw Poker
Double Down Stud Poker
Double Super Times Pay Poker
Dream Card Poker
Extra Action Poker
Extra Draw Frenzy Poker
Fifty Play (Fill in the blank)
Five Aces Poker
Five Play (Fill in the blank)
Good Times Pay Poker
Hundred Play (Fill in the blank)
Hyper Bonus Poker
Multi-Streak Poker
Multi-Strike Poker
Quick Quads Poker
Random Rewards Poker
Spin Fever Poker
Spin Poker (VP in the form of a slot machine)
Super Times Pay Poker (random mulyiplier)
Ten Play (Fill in the blank)
Trade Up Poker
Triple Play (fill in the blank)
Triple Play Keno Draw Poker (yes, keno plus VP?)
Triple Play with Match Card
Triple Spin Poker
Twenty Five Play Draw Poker
Ultimate 4 of a Kind Bonus
Ultimate X Poker
Wheel Poker Deluxe
Wheel Poker with Quick Quads


Yikes!  That's a lot of possibilities. There are many more variations, made worse by the varied JOB games used as the base for each. 

Tomorrow I will take the quest for Video Poker Knowledge further with resource suggestions.  But for now, stick with what you and enjoy the time with your sacred casino friend - your bankroll.

That's all for now.

Binbin

Website / Podcast Recemmendation - "Gambling With an Edge"

Bob Dancer is a video poker expert and gambling author best known for his book "Million Dollar Video Poker," which recounts six years of video poker experiences. Currently he writes a weekly online article for www.lva.com. More than 400 of Dancer's articles are archived on www.bobdancer.com.

Whether it's in the car, by the pool, or at the fitness center, I like to listen to some of my favorite podcasts. Currently, Bob Dancer co-hosts, with Richard W. Munchkin, (Black Hall-of-Famer), a weekly hourlong radio program called "Gambling With An Edge," on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. on KLAV 1230 a.m. in Las Vegas. This podcast is for the serious gambler, or those who are very interested in the business and industry of gambling. It's purpose is to make you a more informed gambler and closer to being an advantage player - a player looking for the best positive advantage in gambling.

Every week, Bob & Munch host guests that give in depth looks into many aspects of the casino world that are not usually discussed. Here are some of my recent favorites:

• Michael Gaughan - owner of Southpoint Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and son of the famous gambler and Vegas entrepreneur Jackie Gaughan, famous for Binion's Casino and the World Series of Poker.
• Ray Konder, CPA - how to file taxes as a professional gambler; insights into promotion and legal problems with casinos; tax info for all gamblers
• "Old-Timer" - an anonymous Las Vegas professional gambler reminiscing about video poker teams and gambling promotions; changes in gambling and casino security.

The information provided is amazing. From looks into the historic "good old days" of Las Vegas gambling, to the latest suggestions on how to best maximize current promotions, such as Atlantic City's Revel and their recent $100,000 rebate.

It's a highly rated podcast by its listeners - obviously the serious gambler, gambling historians and the like. If you want to hear it live, the Live Air-Time is: 7 PM Thursday nights on KLAV Talk-Radio 1230am In Las Vegas. You can listen live http://www.klav1230am.com

As for me, I prefer to have my Bob Dancer & guests accompany me to work.

That's all for now.

Binbin

Some Interesting "Bests" in Casino Player's Yearly Pole

It's difficult for new games at casinos to break in as favorites. I find it so curious how some things can change in popularity so quickly, as in restaurants and hotels, but the gaming - well, people like what they feel comfortable with.

Here is a VERY partial list "best games" in America from the magazine Casino Player. Which do you agree with? Which do you find curious? Enjoy......

Slot Machines
Favorite Reel Slot - Double Diamond (IGT)

Favorite Video Slot - The Original "Wizard of Oz" (WMS)

Favorite Progressive Slot - (What else ) "Wheel--Of--For-tune"

Favorite Table Game - Blackjack (however, more gamblers prefer electronic roulette than electronic blackjack

Favorite Video Poker - Dueces Wild

Interesting side - the progressive video slot "Quick Hits" was second in both of those categories.

That's all for now.

Binbin

Foxwoods - CPK Dining, and Improved Video Poker

In a recent visit to Foxwoods, I noticed three important factors to consider visiting, or re-visiting one of the largest Casinos in the World.

1)  First, a constant value with great food and service is the California Pizza Kitchen, which they also call CPK (OMG, too bad we've gotten so lazy as a society that we can't say complete words any more - LOL).  The service has been consistently attentive with a smile every time we visit.  My wife and I love their salads - particularly the Thai Crunch and Mediterranean Chicken Salads. A smaller portion is always an option, and a complete meal!  Stop in if you haven't been in a while.
The BVR rating (Binbin's Value Rating) - A Flush
It's always an uplifting happening to your game!

2)  It seems that Mr. Butera, or whoever is involved with the gaming floor, has been listening to some of our complaints concerning the pitiful video poker inventory.  I found the Great Cedar Casino vastly improved with new machines, better paytables, and a fresher feel.  Quarter VP players are still left with 8/5 JOB and 7/5 Bonus, but I did find 8/6 JOB at $1 denomination.  Also, many new games have been introduced - Ultimate X, and Ultimate 4 of a Kind to enhance the 3, 5, & 10-play already there.  And, while I admit to not visiting that casino lately, it seems more progressives are available. 
I also saw 9/6 Double Double Bonus VP in the Rainmaker Casino. 

NOTE - always check the denomination of the machine before playing!  I can't tell you how many times I have play a nickel slot/VP only to find it was actually $5 - OOPS!

It was a good visit.  I think I'll visit again soon!

That's all for now.

Binbin

Trip Report Part 2 - Oxford Casino, Oxford Maine

A summer trip to Maine is a great vacation idea, whether it includes the inner most camping, hiking, and lakes, or the long coastline. I hope you read Part 1 yesterday when I reviewed the Hollywood Casino, Hotel, and Raceway. If not, go back and read it......we'll wait......

(cue "Jeopardy Theme" music.........)

Now it's time to visit Maine's newest casino - OXFORD CASINO



We stopped at Oxford on our way home. It is about 2 hours southwest of Bangor near Lewiston. There is no parking garage, but tons of outside parking. The front entrance is obviously very new and quite attractive.

CASINO - It is smaller than Hollywood, but they have packed lots of slots in - almost to the point of no space. And while Hollywood is open 8am to 3am, Oxford is open 24/7. Oxford is a non-smoking casino, with areas outside designated for smoking. One terrific idea was the self-service beverage area with coffee, soda and water. If you are thirsty, you can just get up and get something. Free drinks in both Maine casinos are non-alcoholic - alcoholic beverages must be bought and cannot be comped by law.

Table games include Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Mini-Baccarat, Three Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold'em, Mississippi Stud Poker, Let-It-Ride and recently added Pai Gow Poker. Minimums were about $5 - $10 and up on BJ, everything else $5.

They have just over 800 slots, packed together. In using the minimal space there is, this casino floor feels like a sardine can - and it was a Monday afternoon with no big promotions, it was filled with people! The previous year's earnings and visitation proves its popularity, and has produced revenue beyond the expected numbers. To their credit, their slot inventory is very new, and very diverse. New slots such as "Family Guy," "NASCAR," and the latest Aristocrat, IGT and Williams machines highlight the slot inventory.

The video poker is not good. The only barely playable game is 8/5 DDB. Quarter players are stuck with 7/5 JOB and 6/5 Bonus with the same pay tables for $1 players. What is with Maine and their poor Video Poker? At least you can play VP at one of the bars, but you still have pay for your alcoholic beverages. NO comps for you!

THE REWARDS CLUB -  redemption for play is $1 in equals 1 point; 500 points equals $1 of rewards. A great innovation as part of their rewards club called "The Loyalty Club" is the Club Partners, which include discounts for over 20 local businesses. More casinos should take this idea and develop it to connect with local businesses.  (Mohegan Sun has spun it's own variation of this idea in its Mass Casino license application in Palmer.)

DINING - 2 options. the Oxford Grill, open weekdays at 11:00, but on the weekend at 7:30 for breakfast; and the Oxford Express, open 24/7 featuring sandwiches, soups and pastries. We ate at the Oxford grill, which is away from the sounds of slots, and is a beautiful place for lunch and dinner - simple, modern decor with a relaxing feel. We both tried salads. My wife's Summer salad came with Grilled Chicken, Strawberries, Grapes, Oranges, Red Onion, Candied Pecans, Feta Cheese which was not only beautiful to look at but delicious. My Asian Chicken Salad came with Grilled Chicken Breast, Fried Wontons, Sliced Almonds, Ginger Sesame Dressing which ended in a completely clean plate.( I guess I liked it) The serving size was good and the chicken in both was perfectly cooked with a little "char" taste. The Oxford Grill is a great place for a good meal, drinks, and a get away from the business in the casino.

CASINO SERVICE - Everyone was very friendly, but due to the amount of people and crammed rows of slots, the servers certainly have their work cut out for them. Again, Kudos for that beverage station idea!

It was a great trip, finally seeing what all the hub-bub was about in Maine's newest casino. With all that parking space, my suggestion to Churchill Downs, the new owners of Oxford Casino, is:

• Build a parking garage to the far side of the casino
• Expand the casino on the side of the casino
• Continue building upon the success of the first year.

In previous posts I have outlined the phases of expansion already presented. Please check those out.

That's all for now.

Binbin

Casino Card Swiping Promotions - Does Anyone Really Win?

Casinos love to run promotions - basically, to get you there!

But I've never won anything - have you?  I know some do - one friend of mine won $500 with one swipe of their players card.  But for most of us, it's just another exercise in futility...or is it?  And how do they work?

First of all, for those of you who still believe there is some miraculous way that casinos can switch machines to change their payout, or believe in programmed streaks, or refuse to try to understand the science behind a Random Number Generator (RNG), then read no further.  Keep rubbing and talking to the slot machine, keep believing the voodoo you think you know so well, and have a nice uninformed day.

(pause, as people click out of article, leaving the smart ones still reading)

Are they gone?   Good.  So for those of you that understand the RNG, or at least knows it runs the slots and video poker, then keep reading.

I have visited two casinos in the past month - Resorts in AC and Mohegan Sun in CT - that are running similar swiping promotions.  In both, you swipe your card, then choose something on the screen, hopefully matching something or finding something for a reward.  One patron after another  lined up waiting for up to 30 minutes only be disappointed.  I asked the fella running the Resorts promo if anyone had won at all - all day - and he said "No."  Hmmm.....how does this work, anyhow.

I began to think it was very similar to a VERY low paying slot machine.  Remember, the reels, bonuses, etc, on a slot machine is just the entertainment value for pushing a button, or in the old days, pulling the handle. It could be showing SportsCenter, it wouldn't matter.  You push the button, you choose a combination in the RNG (in a milli-second) and what ever you get, you get.  So, I figured, it's not the choosing, it's the swipe that counts.  Again - the screen choosing and all that is just the entertainment value. (Or the not-so-entertaining value.)

So I asked one of the leading gambling experts what he thought of my anaylsis.

John Grochowski is a gambling columnist and author. His weekly newspaper column began at the Chicago Sun-Times making him the first casino gambling columnist at a major U.S. newspaper.
His well-known book The Casino Answer Book explained has explained the basics of casino gambling to beginners and pros since 1998.. His other books include The Video Poker Answer Book, The Craps Answer Book and The Slot Machine Answer Book.
He also contributes articles to magazines and internet publications to the Casino City Times website, Casino Player, Strictly Slots, Southern Gaming and Destinations and Midwest Gaming & Travel, Casino Journal and Slot Manager magazines. And he agreed with me! (pats self on back!)

John also added the following in his email reply:
"You are correct (I LOVE THAT PART!) --- the promo programming is basically a low-paying slot, with results determined by an RNG. There's an extra wrinkle at most casinos. Your players club tier level can make a difference in the odds, whether in more frequent pays (1 in 10 for Tier A, 1 in 20 for Tier B, 1 in 50 for Tier C, for example), or by size of reward, such as most frequent prize being $25 in free play at Tier A, $15 at Tier B, $5 at Tier C.
Such differential programming would be illegal on a slot machine. You can't give a player a better chance at winning just because he's a more frequent customer. But in player rewards, it's not only legal but expected that the best customers are going to get more comps and perks."
So, there you have it.  That's how it works.  Fascinating!
Thanks to John for his timely reply.  Please check out any of his articles and publications, you won't be disappointed.  And thanks for reading this, my royally informed gaming friends.

Thar's all for now.

Binbin

Casino City - A Wealth Of Casino Information

If you look for casino info on the net, there is so much to sort through. But today's post reviews a website that I find very informative, and the more I dig, the more I find.

Casino City is a wonderful website that covers, well, just about everything in the world if gambling.  Casino City has four main categories.

1) Casino & Gaming Directory - a global directory of 6,234 casinos and other gaming properties. This includes news on all the major casino meccas, including Las Vegas Casinos, Macau Casinos, Reno Casinos, Biloxi Casinos, Atlantic City Casinos, and every other gaming destination in the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe, and worldwide

2) Gaming Business Center - For those who work in the industry or for those who are interested in the casino business. The Casino City Press has gaming directories and almanacs. Search gaming properties and executives with our Gaming Directory Online service and their Who's Who directory of gaming executives. It even includes gaming suppliers in their directory of over 14,137 Casino Vendors.

3) Internet Gaming Directory - Covers online gambling sites, ranked by popularity, as well as a directory of 5,180 online slots and our poker dictionary.

BUT MY FAVORITE PART, AND MOST INFORMATIONAL, is
4) CASINO CITY TIMES, which you can get to directly by Googling "Casino City Times." Want to study up before you hit the casino floor? Or get the hottest tips and Playing Strategy on your favorite games with thousands of articles from over 50 top gambling authors and experts? Then, this is the place to visit.

There is a great weekly e-newsletter you can sign up for. And it also includes a section they call "Gaming Gurus." An all-star cast of gambling experts have numerous excellent articles covering everything any one would wonder about. Just think getting your questions answered by the likes of Frank Scoblete, John Gronchowski, Aaron Todd, & Henry Tamburin.

So, take a few minutes and check it out. Some say ignorance is bliss, but the info at Casino City Times is gaming info delight.

That's all for now! Casino City is a Royal blast!

Binbin

Great Gambling Books

A while back, I reviewed "Roll The Bones" by Dr. Dave Schwartz. I loved it! I'm reading it again because their is so much to sink in.

Then I was wondering what other gambling books I have read and enjoyed - books I would suggest. Well here's a short list of suggestions I have enjoyed and hope you will, too.

"American Casino Guide" by Steve Bourie - I buy this book every year. Not only does it have articles about different games, statistics, and coverage of every state's gambling offerings, but it comes with over $1000 worth of coupons. Using a few of these pays for the book each year, wherever you normally gamble, or with a trip to the top five gaming areas in the US.

"The Frugal Gambler" by Jean Scott - Learn the low-roller secrets for: Staying free at hotel-casinos, beating casino promotions, eating and drinking on the house, playing video poker for profit, getting bumped from airplanes and flying for free. And now THE FRUGAL GAMBLER is completely revised and updated. New information includes a completely revamped chapter on video poker, updated coverage of getting the most out of slot clubs, recent examples of exploitable gambling promotions, and a brand new Resources section, identifying the best sources of player information available from books to software to the Internet. It gives a great perspective on why using your rewards card for every casino is important all the time.

"Million Dollar Blackjack" by Ken Uston - Uston's book has great descriptions of team BJ play. Extremely entertaining and was THE book to read for BJ teams years ago. A bit dated in spots, but not a bad place to start learning about card-counting and advantage play

"Video Poker-Optimum Play" by Dan Paymar - This was the first serious book I read to learn about Video Poker. I had finally realized the benefits of correct strategy, Foxwoods & Mohegan Sun had just been built and it changed my VP play forever. Some say it's simply the best book ever written on Video Poker (and probably the only one you'll ever need).

"Casino Gambling for Dummies" by Kevin Blackwood - Want a good overview of Casino Gambling? This book is a great place to start. Kevin Blackwood has used his considerable casino and casino games knowledge to create what’s more than just a beginner’s guide. Insider secrets and tips for maximising profits while minimising losses when playing all of the major casino games are just the basis of this comprehensive casino guide. In addition, Blackwood explains odds as well as detailing winning strategies, bad bets, how to manage your money and how to gamble online. A "How-To" book that you don't have to read cover to cover!

"Bringing Down the House" by Ben Mezrich - The tale of how MIT students won millions of dollars in Las Vegas is sure to excite and inspire. This is fun reading and includes references to play at Foxwoods as well for a New England flavor.  Reads well, well enough for you to forget that it isn't fiction.

"The Video Poker Answer Book" by John Grochowski - John Grochowski addresses common player concerns in his complete guide to video poker. This is a nuts and bolts book that answers questions that every VP player asks or wonders about. Perfect for players who want to understand the mechanics behind video poker, without becoming overwhelmed by facts and figures

"Zen and the Art of Casino Gaming" by Miron Stabinsky - This book discusses basic rules & strategies, as all gambling books do. But this differs in the way Miron covers the psycology of being successful - or at least enjoying gaming more by realizing what you actually DO control. This book teaches acceptance of gambling reality to help get the most enjoyment out of your play. It's a little different, but I liked it.

Finally, any book about systems to beat slots is a good book - a good book for the author that is. There is NO SYSTEM to beat slots. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY! If you consider buying any such book, drop it and run - run fast and run far!

That's all for now. Tomorrow is NE Gambling Entertainment Wednesday!

Binbin

Stupid Human Tricks - Casino Etiquette, Part 5

"You Can't Fix Stupid!" - Ron White, Comedian
Even though this member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour may be correct, I will try to reach out and maybe bring awareness to Stupid and Inconsiderate Human Tricks in the casino.  Get your imagination ready.....

Sometimes, humans in a Casino transcend past the line of good/bad manners and into the the realm of

(cue echo) Sheer Stupidity, Stupidity, Stupidity, Stupidity.....

For them, it's a different reality. It's a light-speed dash to an entirely different planet, in a galaxy far beyond our imagination (cue music from "Star Wars" or even "Twilight Zone") - it's a planet called "Stupidus Horendus."

Ok, so, we've all probably been there at least once, probably more often than we would like to admit. Luckily, we make it back to Earth, hopefully safe and unscathed!

The following are some of those parallel universe experiences we see and unfortunately rub elbows with - figuratively AND literally.

First, it is improper to count your money out in the open. Not only that, but it's just plain stupid. If you are so naive that you think everyone is wrapped up in their own fun not watching you, then you have just visited "Stupidus Horendus." There are people that visit casinos to steal, not gamble. Be humble about your winnings or bankroll - it'll keep you safe and not alienate people around you (get-it? alienate? different planet?) . Casino etiquette would have you take your money up to your room, or into a stall in the bathroom to count it.  Wherever the place is, don't broadcast your win!

Those that have lived by casino etiquette for years know that there are cameras all over the place in a casino. They laugh at those fools that think that it is necessary to point out every camera in the place. Plus, casino security might wonder why you are doing this as well. Do you want them thinking that you have something to hide?

If you see a seat leaning up against a slot machine, leave that machine alone. This is done if a person needs to leave the slot machine for a few minutes and they feel that it has been lucky for them. However, if you don't have someone who you know watching it for you, I wouldn't do this myself - don't trust this long tradition of holding your seat in today's casinos. The clientele of today's casinos have not grown up with these things. It's the cynic in me that says "you shouldn't do this anymore," but, I still think it's stupid to be so naive in today's casino environment.

If you're going to lunch or to play another game, free up your spot. If you're going to be gone for more than a few minutes, it's not fair to other players or to the casino to tie up the game. And, for goodness sake, don't do the chair trick.

By the way, don't pressure someone around you to watch your machine. It's presumptuous to think that they should do that for you. It tends to keep a person there longer then they usually want to be and you don't even know them! Leave them alone!  (But I digress...)

Yeah - free drinks! Who doesn't like free drinks? But drinking to excess while gambling is just another trip to Stupidville. Please don't let me go into the well-known effects of alcohol on human decision-making! Monitor your alcoholic beverages before it's too late and your money is gone after more than expected runs to the ATM, you can't find your car (or the doorway to the parking garage) and you've just left your fly down for two full hours!

Very important - don't drive away from the casino unless you're sober. You're Stupidity of drinking intoxicated could harm or kill someone.

Finally, stupid and annoying machine tricks:

• Rubbing the screen of the slot for luck - how many people do you think have already touched that screen with dirty, germy hands? Google "Random Number Generator (RNG) - it might save you from certain health problems
• Rubbing the machine to make friends - REALLY? If you want a positive relationship, go home to your spouse and kids.
• Believing that a machine is "hot" or "cold." Again, google RNG.
• Telling people that you "just played that machine, and it didn't hit anything. It must be a tight machine." See previous sentences.
• Taking your players card out and then in to change your luck. Aaaaaaaah - stupid, stupid, stupid. All your card does is collect data such as time played, denomination played, and accumulation of points. Really, you're not tricking the machine nor the casino!
• Give ignorant information as if you are an "expert." I had one lady tell me, unsolicited of course, that I needed to play my machine at the $.50 denomination, because after playing it herself, that's what she found it was programmed at. She also told me that ALL slots are programmed to hit better at certain bet amounts. So, once you find out if it hits at $.50, $1.00, etc, you can play professionally. Obviously, she was a native from the planet.

That's all for now. Be considerate and aware of those around you, and don't fly away to the planet Stupidus Horendus - you never know who else you'll find there, or if you may ever come back!

Binbin

Casino Etiquette Part 4 - Smoking Etiquette & other Health Concerns

Smoking Etiquette

First of all, Let's talk first about Non - Smoking etiquette.
To the non-smokers in the audience - smoking and gambling, as well as drinking, have been part of the history of gambling for hundreds of years. (Quick Book Plug - "Roll the Bones" reviewed March, '13) If you sit down next to a smoker, in a smoking area, don't complain! They were there first. And especially let it go if they are using an ashtray and trying to be considerate.

Now, Smoker's etiquette
To the smokers in the audience - times have changed! We are aware of the health risks of second hand smoke. It's reality. Smoking is a big issue of concern when it comes to playing slot machines and is always subject to the casino etiquette and policies.

• Please follow signage requesting non smoking areas and tables.  There are casinos that allow smoking in specific areas while other casinos totally prohibit smoking at the slot machines. 
• If you are smoking while playing slots, blow the cigarette smoke away from other slot players. Your smoking might annoy other people. (You think!), never mind be a health hazard. And if you sit down next to a non-smoker, remember they were there first. Be considerate how you smoke, even though smoking is permitted in that area.
• If you're smoking while playing video poker or the slots, use an ashtray. If there's not one at the machine, ask an attendant to bring one to you. Do not use the coin well to drop your ashes or butts. Players who follow you have a right to reach in for their coins without getting your ashes all over their hands.
• Be considerate of the wait staff, and especially staff behind the cashier cages. NEVER smoke while cashing in or taking out money. The people behind the cage might as well be working at a toll booth.
• When you exhale do not do so in the face of other players, dealer, or casino staff.  When you are done with your cigarette please fully put it out, not letting it emit smoke from the ash tray. I respect your right to smoke, even at my table, but try to make it as painless for me as possible.

Casino Health
Sudden injuries & long term health concerns can happen anywhere. A casino is no exception.

Now, I'm not talking about the old days in Vegas where if you were caught cheating, you might be taken to a secret room and have your knuckles smashed (if that ever happened). I referring to emergencies in our day that can occur at any casino. Consider this:

• Remember, people in a casino rush around, bring their kids, and basically don't look where they are going. Be aware of things and especially people around you such as vacuum cords, unleveled carpet, audio visual equipment, parking bumpers, poorly lighted parking garages, poorly lit stairs, etc.
• Beware of non-rug surfaces - the combination of free drinks, wait staff, and unaware humans causes spills. Many accidents happen concerning high polished marble, mopping without warning, melting ice, slippery stairs, defectively designed stairs, and escalators.
• Many kids are hurt every year when their parents don't watch their kids or leave them unattended. Please don't put your kids in harm's way where they don't belong.
• Assault & Battery attacks are typical in any highly populated places - especially at night. Be careful in parking garages and remember, anytime you win big, the casino will always be happy to escort to your car.
• If you or someone you are with have health issues, find out where first aid services are. contact your host if you have any information or questions. If you don't have a host, just ask a security guard or floor manager. 

Finally - believe it or not -  WASH YOUR HANDS!!!  as much as possible.  Take Purell, or hand sprays that will help clean your hand of the tables and machines others with tons of germs have touched before you.  You will help protect yourself and others.  Think of the following which you have seen so often - coughing, sneezing, tapping and wiping machine glass, then, you come along.  So, WASH YOUR HANDS - OFTEN!

That's all for now.
Tomorrow is Sun Sunday and Foxwoods Friday rolled up in one.  Tomorrow it's Royal Connecticut  Day!

Binbin

Casino Etiquette - Something For Everyone - a Preview

Once Upon A Time, at a Community Slot Game.....

Have you ever played a Community Slot Machine Game - games that consist of a bank of machines that contain the same game. Each player is playing on their own machine but at random times there will be a bonus event in which all players take part. The event is usually shown on a separate screen connected on top of the bank of machines. All players taking part in the bonus event will share in the jackpot. The amount won by the individual player is based on the amount they are betting per spin. Below are a few of the first popular community games to come out:




Well, this post is not going to help you know how to play these games, or even help you be successful at them - read on......

At times, you will get a multiplier boost, that lasts for a few spins then returns to your original bet. At the time you push the button, the multiplier is at a certain level. For example, playing 2X bet ($0.80) gives you a 4X multiplier at first, then after a brief moment it drops to two. If you play faster, you can keep the 4X going until the community bonus round randomly kicks in.

You see, while I was playing at the local casino, I decided to try a community Wizard of Oz game. As I was playing, minding my own business, the women next to me asked me how come this or that?, and how do you?  and how did you get that?   .......distracting me, slowing me down and basically being a huge pain in the......RNG. While they continued to bother me, being the gentleman I am, I  actually payed them some attention and gave some answers, while my multiplier dropped to a point lower than it would have been without these pests.  But it gets worse...
You see, at times on this particular community slot, an individual can get a special brief multiplier up to 15X - which is what I got just before their next question, my next answer and.....

Whammo! - it's bonus time! 

Only the big multiplier in that brief time already was back to 2X.  Yup, that's right - they actually cost me money, because they stopped my play with incessant rude interruptions, and timing as it was, my multiplier was 2X instead of 15X. By the time the bonus round had finished, they had cost me $130! Unbelievable! I cashed out grumbling, and she and her friend thought I was rude. AAAAHHH! I WAS RUDE?

It was that moment I sought never to forget. To go where gambling bloggers HAVE gone before. To research the biggest pet peeve of mine in the history of my gaming adventures. Yes, that's right.....

RUDE CASINO PATRONS & 
BAD CASINO ETIQUETTE!
(cue music - "dun, dun, Daaaaah)

This week I will start my march through the valley of dearth - a dearth of manners! (Look it up if you don't know the word - I'm not stopping my rant to explain it!) I will go high and wide to find the most complete list of Casino Etiquette ever assembled in the history of blogging!! MooHaaHaaHaa....

The categories will include but not be limited to the following:

• General Casino Etiquette or "General Nuisance"
• Etiquette When you Bring Family or "All in the Family"
• Tables Games Etiquette or "Know Your Table Manners!"
• Slot Machine Etiquette or "Machines bring out the Worst in People"
• Video Poker Etiquette or "The Royalty on the Cards act Better Than You!"
• and
• Smoking Etiquette or "Watch Your Ash"

So get ready. The series of teaching moments is coming soon. Probably next week - I wouldn't want to wait too long and smooth out my edginess.

That's all for now, but not for long. Tomorrow will continue as New England Casino Entertainment Weekly. But after that, I'm off and running. Leaping tall inconsiderate patrons in a single bound.
Look in the ceiling - it's a bird, it's a plane it's....

SuperMan-ners!

May the force of Ann Landers be with me.......and any other SuperHero / Sci-Fi help I can get!

Binbin

Waiter, There's a Bug in my VP Machine!

Las Vegas man who rakes in half a million dollars in Video Poker - More Smarts than Luck

We've all been there - the bank ATM gives an extra $20 bill, or maybe the server forgot an item and your bill is less than you thought. What would you do?

Getting anything extra out of a casino sometimes fills us with unrighteous indignation! "After all, just think what they've taken from me!"

Well, a guy from Las Vegas turn the tables - the paytables that is - on the casinos in Las Vegas and Pennsylvania, before being caught.

Federal prosecutors have built a hacking case against a Las Vegas man who raked in half a million dollars exploiting a minor glitch in a video poker machine, Wired reports.

At the center of the hacking case is the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), a 1984 law used to prosecute Aaron Swartz that critics say is way too broad. The CFAA — which was originally passed to protect national security — punishes people who "exceed authorized access" to computers.

A lawyer for John Kane, the Vegas local who's being prosecuted under the law, says that he didn't violate the CFAA even though he did exploit a bug in a machine known as Game King.

That lawyer, Andrew Leavitt, told Wired that Kane and a friend of his were playing by the rules imposed by the machine, and that's all that matters.

"All these guys did is simply push a sequence of buttons that they were legally entitled to push,” Leavitt said.

Here's how that sequence worked, according to a motion Leavitt filed to dismiss the case:

If an individual is playing a $1.00 video poker machine and wins a jackpot or any other winning hand, so long as the double up feature is available for selection, currency can then be inserted into the machine. Once the currency or the voucher is inserted, the "double up" feature will be disabled. At this point, one simply needs to change the value on the machine from $1,000 to ten dollars and a $1.00 jackpot will then become a $10.00 jackpot. The individual can then hit cash out and for instance, instead of winning $820.00, the player will earn $8,200.00. Yikes!

Check out the following link to Wired to read its full analysis of the case, which rests on whether making money off this glitch "exceeds authorized access" to the video poker machine based on the CFAA. Very interesting!

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/05/game-king/all/

That's all for now.

Binbin