Knowledge is power, even when it comes to gambling. Here are some tidbits of information to take with you on your casino adventures:
• When most people play roulette, they go for the big 35 to 1 payoff by placing a chip on their lucky number. There are, however, bets you can make that may help you stretch your gambling budget a little further and keep you at the table longer. You can take that same chip and bet on two numbers and go for a 17 to 1 return, three numbers for an 11 to 1 payoff, four numbers which pays 8 to 1, or six numbers which pays 5 to 1. There are also 2 to 1 bets on whole columns or sections of numbers in addition to even money propositions on red/black, odd/even, and high/low. It’s all the same to the player because the house edge remains constant on all the variations.
• Stepping up to the craps table can be an intimidating experience. The layout on the table looks confusing, but in reality, craps is a game that is as easy or as complicated as you make it. If you’ve never played, there’s one easy strategy that also just happens to be a great bet. Try making a place bet on the numbers six or eight. If the number is rolled before a seven, you are paid seven dollars for every six dollars you wager. That boils down to a house edge of just 1.52 percent, one of the best bets you can make in a casino. It’s also a good way to introduce yourself to craps, and once you’re at the table you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the game.
• Low denomination video and spinning reel slot machines are the rage, but if you’re not careful they can wreak havoc with your gambling budget. Penny slots can translate into dollars per spin, but there’s a way to stretch your bankroll. Maximize your winning potential by always playing the highest number of lines the game permits. Bet whatever number of coins per line that suits your budget. The number of coins you play per line multiplies any winning payoffs proportionately. By activating all the lines, you’ll avoid the disappointment of discovering you’re not eligible to reap the rewards of every winning combination that may appear on the screen.
• Some casino goers are under the impression that having a player’s club card inserted in the machine while playing slots somehow has an impact on winning or losing. In reality, there is no correlation between the use of player’s club cards and game performance. If you plan casino outings with any degree of regularity, joining the player’s club and using your card every time you play slots or table games is essential if you wish to derive maximum benefit from the dollars you wager. The clubs are marketing tools for casinos to collect databases and guest profiles, but players also benefit from them in the form special offers and other perks.
• The pursuit of bonus rounds while playing video slot machines is one of the great appeals of the games. The interactive component is not only highly entertaining, there’s also the intrigue that players are in control of their own destinies as to how much they win. Whenever a slot bonus round involves decision making on the part of the player, your onscreen choices do matter. Unlike the base game in which the configuration of symbols is determined the instant you initiate a play, touch screen decisions made during bonus rounds impact the end result. When the game prompts you to decide, what you pick does make a difference.
