Games & Rules

Basics of Blackjack

 

游戏介绍

21点(blackjack)

下注后, 所有的顾客和庄家先领取两张牌。

庄家先开出自己的一张牌。

若庄家的牌点数总和小于17, 就必须要牌，直到总和达到17。

顾客所持的牌点数总和在不超过21时, 就可以继续HIT(补牌)，可以不补牌(Stay)。

Premise of the Game

The basic premise of the game is that you want to have a hand value that is closer to 21 than that of the dealer, without going over 21. Other players at the table are of no concern. Your hand is strictly played out against the hand of the dealer. The rules of play for the dealer are strictly dictated, leaving no decisions up to the dealer. Therefore, there is not a problem with the dealer or any of the other players at the table seeing the cards in your hand. Indeed, if you're playing at a shoe game, the player cards are all dealt face up. In any event, when you're just learning to play, don't hesitate to show the dealer or other players your cards and ask questions.

Values of the Cards

In blackjack, the cards are valued as follows:

• An Ace can count as either 1 or 11, as explained below.

• The cards from 2 through 9 are valued at their face value.

• The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all valued at 10.

The suits of the cards do not have any meaning in the game. The value of a hand is simply the sum of the point counts of each card in the hand. For example, a hand containing (5,7,9) has the value of 21. The Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11. You need not specify which value the Ace has. It's assumed to always have the value that makes the best hand. An example will illustrate: Suppose that you have the beginning hand (Ace, 6). This hand can be either 7 or 17. If you stop there, it will be 17. Let's assume that you draw another card to the hand and now have (Ace, 6, 3). Your total hand is now 20, counting the Ace as 11. Let's backtrack and assume that you had instead drawn a third card which was an 8. The hand is now (Ace, 6, 8) which totals 15. Notice that now the Ace must be counted as only 1 to avoid going over 21.

A hand that contains an Ace is called a "soft" total if the Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11 without the total going over 21. For example (Ace, 6) is a soft 17. The description stems from the fact that the player can always draw another card to a soft total with no danger of "busting" by going over 21. The hand (Ace,6,10) on the other hand is a "hard" 17, since now the Ace must be counted as only 1, again because counting it as 11 would make the hand go over 21.

The Deal of the Cards

Once all the bets are made, the dealer will deal the cards to the players. He'll make two passes around the table starting at his left (your right) so that the players and the dealer have two cards each. (European and Australian players: See exception at the bottom of this section.) The dealer will flip one of his cards over, exposing its value.

In the shoe games, the players cards will be dealt face-up, and the players are not allowed to touch the cards. If you're just beginning, you'll probably want to start at the shoe game where you don't have to worry about handling the cards.

In the hand-held games, the player's cards are dealt face down, and the players pick up the cards. When handling the cards in a hand-held game, here are a few important things to remember.

• You are only allowed to touch the cards with one hand. If you're a poker player, this can take some effort to break old habits!

• You must keep the cards over the table.

• Any cards that the dealer subsequently deals to your hand must be left on the table, not added to the cards in your hand.

Once the cards are dealt play proceeds around the table, starting at the first seat to the dealer's left, also called first base. Each player in turn indicates to the dealer how he wishes to play the hand. The various player decisions are covered in their own section below. After each player has finished his hand, the dealer will complete his hand, and then pay or collect the player bets.

Now, the exception I mentioned: Some casinos, mostly in Europe, give the dealer only one card face up until all the players have finished their hands. The dealer then deals his second card, and finishes his hand. This is called the European No Hole Card rule. This can change a player's strategy if, and only if, the dealer collects all player bets in the event of a dealer blackjack. Some casinos that deal only one card at first to the dealer will refund any double-down or split bets if the dealer turns out to have a blackjack. This type of no hole card rule does not have any effect on the player's optimal strategy, and should not be described as European No Hole Card rules.

How the Dealer Plays His Hand

The dealer must play his hand in a specific way, with no choices allowed. There are two popular rule variations that determine what total the dealer must draw to. In any given casino, you can tell which rule is in effect by looking at the blackjack tabletop. It should be clearly labeled with one of these rules:

• "Dealer stands on all 17s": In this case, the dealer must continue to take cards ("hit") until his total is 17 or greater. An Ace in the dealer's hand is always counted as 11 if possible without the dealer going over 21. For example, (Ace,8) would be 19 and the dealer would stop drawing cards ("stand"). Also, (Ace,6) is 17 and again the dealer will stand. (Ace,5) is only 16, so the dealer would hit. He will continue to draw cards until the hand's value is 17 or more. For example, (Ace,5,7) is only 13 so he hits again. (Ace,5,7,5) makes 18 so he would stop ("stand") at that point.

• "Dealer hits soft 17": Some casinos use this rule variation instead. This rule is identical except for what happens when the dealer has a soft total of 17. Hands such as (Ace,6), (Ace,5,Ace), and (Ace, 2, 4) are all examples of soft 17. The dealer hits these hands, and stands on soft 18 or higher, or hard 17 or higher. When this rule is used, the house advantage against the players is slightly increased.

The dealer has no choices to make in the play of his hand. He must simply hit until he reaches at least 17 or busts by going over 21.

What is a Blackjack, or a Natural?

A blackjack, or natural, is a total of 21 in your first two cards. A blackjack is therefore an Ace and any ten-valued card, with the additional requirement that these be your first two cards. If you split a pair of Aces for example, and then draw a ten-valued card on one of the Aces, this is not a blackjack, but rather a total of 21. The distinction is important, because a winning blackjack pays the player odds of 3 to 2. A bet of $10 wins $15 if the player makes a blackjack. A player blackjack beats any dealer total other than blackjack, including a dealer's three or more card 21. If both a player and the dealer have blackjack, the hand is a tie or push.

The dealer will usually pay your winning blackjack bet immediately when it is your turn to play. In the face down games, this means that you should show the blackjack to the dealer at that time. Some casinos may postpone paying the blackjack until after the hand is over if the dealer has a 10 card up and has not checked for a dealer blackjack. Other casinos check under both 10 and Ace dealer upcards, and would therefore pay the blackjack immediately. Regardless, when you are dealt a blackjack, turn the cards face up, and smile. It only happens about once every 21 hands, but it accounts for a lot of the fun of the game.

The Player's Choices

Surrender

We start with one of the least common decisions, but it is appropriate to begin with surrender, because this decision must be made before any other choice about playing your hand. Not every game offers surrender, and those that do fall into two categories which bear expanation: Early vs Late.

Surrender offers you as a player the choice to fold your hand, at the cost of half of the original bet. You must make that decision prior to taking any other action on the hand. For example, once you draw a third card, or split, or double down, surrender is no longer an option.

The two varieties of surrender, early and late, differ only in the way a dealer blackjack is handled. In an early surrender game, a player may choose to surrender before the dealer checks his cards for a blackjack, offering a cheap way out even if the dealer turns out to have a blackjack. Because this offers a healthy advantage to the player, this version (early surrender) is rarely offered. The much more common variation is late surrender, where the dealer checks for blackjack first, and then only if he does not have blackjack will he allow players to surrender their hands.

Surrender is an excellent rule for players who use it wisely. Unfortunately, many players surrender far too many hands. To understand how bad a hand must be to properly be surrendered, consider the following: To lose less with surrender, you must be only 25% likely to win the hand (ignoring pushes). That is, if you lose 75% of the time, and win only 25% of the time, your net loss is about 50% of your bets, equal to the amount you'll lose guaranteed by surrendering. So, learn to use the surrender option, but make sure you know when it is appropriate.

It's worth mentioning again that the vast majority of surrender is LATE surrender, after the dealer checks for BJ. Make sure you choose the right option over on the Strategy Engine. And if you do find a game that offers early surrender, drop me a note. Good opportunities like that are rare.

Hitting/Standing

The most common decision a player must make during the game is whether to draw another card to the hand ("hit"), or stop at the current total ("stand"). The method you use to indicate your decisions to the dealer depend on which kind of game you are playing.

In the face-up shoe game, you indicate that you want another card by tapping the table behind your cards with a finger. You'll be required to make the hand signals, rather than just announcing "hit" or "stand" to the dealer. This is to eliminate any confusion or ambiguity in what you choose, and also for the benefit of the ever-present surveillance cameras. If you go over 21, or "bust", the dealer will collect your bet, and remove your cards from the table immediately. When you decide to stand, just wave your hand in a horizontal motion over your cards.

In the face-down game, things are a little different. You'll hold the first two cards with one hand. To draw another card to your hand, simply scrape your cards across the table felt lightly. Watch another player at first to see how this works. The dealer will deal your additional cards on the table in front of your bet. Add them to your total hand value, but leave the actual cards on the table. If you go over 21, just toss the two cards in your hand face up on the table. The dealer will collect your bet, and discard your hand. When you decide to stand, you should tuck the two cards you are holding face-down under the chips that you have bet. This can be a bit tricky the first few times. Don't pick up the bet to place the cards underneath. Remember, once the cards are dealt, you can't touch the chips in the circle. Simply slide the corner of the cards under the chips.

The descriptions are a lot tougher than the actual play. Just pay attention to what other players are doing and you'll fit right in.

Doubling Down

Among the more profitable player options available is the choice to "double down". This can only be done with a two card hand, before another card has been drawn. Doubling down allows you to double your bet and receive one, and only one, additional card to the hand. A good example of a doubling opportunity is when you hold a total of 11, say a (6,5) against a dealer's upcard of 5. In this case, you have a good chance of winning the hand by drawing one additional card, so you might as well increase your bet in this advantageous situation. If you are playing in a face-down game, just toss the two cards face-up on the table in front of your bet. In either type of game, add an additional bet to the betting circle. Place the additional bet adjacent to the original bet, not on top of it. The dealer will deal one additional card to the hand. In the face-down game, he'll probably tuck it face-down under your bet, to be revealed later.

Players are allowed to double down for any amount up to the original bet amount, so you could double down "for less" if you wanted. Just remember that you do give up something for being allowed to increase your bet: the ability to draw more than one additional card. If the correct play is to double down, you should always double for the full amount if possible.

Splitting Pairs

When you are dealt a matching pair of cards (remember, ignore the suits), you have the ability to split the hand into two separate hands, and play them independently. Let's say you are dealt a pair of eights for a total of sixteen. Sixteen is the worst possible player hand, since it is unlikely to win as is, but is very likely to bust if you draw to it. Here's a great chance to improve a bad situation.

If you are playing a hand-held game, toss the cards face-up in front of your bet just like a double down. Then, in either type of game, place a matching bet beside the original bet in the circle. Note that you must bet the same amount on a split, unlike a double-down, where you are allowed to double for less. The dealer will separate the two cards, and treat them as two independent hands. Let's say you draw a 3 on the first 8, for a total of 11. Many casinos will allow you to double down on that hand total of 11 at this point. When this is allowed, the rule is called "Double after Split", predictably enough. Regardless, you can play the first hand to completion, at which point the dealer will deal a second card to the second hand, and you can begin making play decisions on it.

If you get additional pairs (in the first two cards of a hand), most casinos will allow you to resplit, making yet another hand. The most common rule allows a player to split up to 3 times, making 4 separate hands, with 4 separate bets. If double after split is allowed, you could have up to 8 times your initial bet on the table if you chose! Some casinos restrict resplitting, and some allow unlimited splitting. Another fine point is that you are allowed to split any 10-valued cards, so you could split a (Jack, Queen) hand. However, this is usually a bad play: Keep the 20.

The other complication for pair splits concerns splitting Aces. Splitting Aces is a very strong player move, so the casino restricts you to drawing only one additional card on each Ace. Also, if you draw a ten-valued card on one of your split Aces, the hand is not considered a Blackjack, but is instead treated as a normal 21, and therefore does not collect 3:2 odds. Some casinos allow resplitting Aces if you draw another, while many do not allow resplitting Aces although they often do allow resplitting of any other pairs. With all these restrictions, you may wonder whether it makes sense to split Aces. The answer is a resounding YES. Always split pairs of Aces.

Insurance and Even Money

Insurance is perhaps the least understood of all the commonly available rules for Blackjack. This is not necessarily a bad thing because the insurance bet is normally a poor bet for the player, with a high house advantage. However, that's not always the case. So, here we go:

If the dealer turns an up-card of an Ace, he will offer "Insurance" to the players. Insurance bets can be made by betting up to half your original bet amount in the insurance betting stripe in front of your bet. The dealer will check to see if he has a 10-value card underneath his Ace, and if he does have Blackjack, your winning Insurance bet will be paid at odds of 2:1. You'll lose your original bet of course (unless you also have a Blackjack), so the net effect is that you break even (assuming you bet the full half bet for insurance.) This is why the bet is described as "insurance", since it seems to protect your original bet against a dealer blackjack. Of course, if the dealer does not have blackjack, you'll lose the insurance bet, and still have to play the original bet out.

In the simplest description, Insurance is a side-bet, where you are offered 2:1 odds that the dealer has a 10-valued card underneath ("in the hole"). A quick check of the odds yields this: In a single deck game, there are 16 ten-valued cards. Assuming that you don't see any other cards, including your own, the tens compose 16 out of 51 remaining cards after the dealer's Ace was removed. For the insurance bet to be a break-even bet, the hole card would have to be a ten 1 out of 3 times, but 16/51 is only 1 in 3.1875.

The situation is often thought to be different when you have a Blackjack. The dealer is likely to offer you "even money" instead of the insurance bet. This is just the same old insurance bet with a simplification thrown in. Let's ignore the "even money" name, and look at what happens when you insure a Blackjack. Let's say you bet $10, and have a Blackjack. You would normally collect $15 for this, unless the dealer also has a blackjack, in which case you push or tie.Let's assume that the dealer has an Ace up, and you decide to take insurance for the full amount, or $5. Now, two things can happen:1) The dealer has a Blackjack. I tie with the $10, but collect 2:1 on the $5 insurance bet for a total profit of $10.2) The dealer does not have Blackjack. I lose the $5, but collect $15 for my BJ. Total profit, again $10.In either case, once I make the insurance bet, I'm guaranteed a profit of $10, or even money for my original bet.So, casinos allow me to eliminate the insurance bet altogether, and simply declare that I want even money for my blackjack when the dealer has an Ace showing.

You're probably thinking that sounds like a pretty good deal. You're guaranteed a profit even if the dealer does have Blackjack. Just remember that the guaranteed profit comes at a price. You'll win more money in the long run by holding out for the $15, even though you'll sometimes end up empty-handed. Nonetheless, many players are adamant that they prefer to take even money when offered. Just be aware that you're costing yourself money when you make that choice.

The basic strategy player should simply never take the insurance bet, even the "even money" variety. Card counters on the other hand can often detect situations where more than one-third of the remaining cards are ten-valued, and the bet is then a profitable one. So, unless you know the bet is favorable, just ignore it.

This information is from http://www.blackjackinfo.com/

Baccarat rules:

 

百家乐(baccarat)

在赌桌上有闲家(Player), 庄家(Banker), 平局(Tie)和对子(Pair)的位置。在这四个位置当中,顾客可以下注于自己希望下注的位置上下注。

庄家把两张牌各放在闲家和庄家位置上。

庄家按照闲家-庄家的顺序开出牌, 可以按照规定得到一张牌。

比较闲家或庄家的牌点数总和接近9的一方可以获胜。在获胜的一方下注的顾客能得到原注金额一倍的奖金。(1对1)

The basics and how to play baccarat

Baccarat or Punto Banco is usually played in a separate casino area. The playing table is about the size of a craps table with three casino dealers and up to 12 or 14 players.

There are just two principal bets to make: banker or player - Banco or Punto, plus the rarely used Standoff. Some casinos let the players deal the cards in turn and others have a casino dealer to deal the cards. In online Baccarat the cards are dealt automatically by a virtual dealer.

Each player, including the player dealing, may bet on either Punto or Banco but it is customary for the dealer to bet on Banco. Players may opt not to deal, passing the 'Shoe' to the next player. The shoe remains with one player as long as the Bank wins. If Punto wins, the shoe passes on to the next player.

Two hands are dealt and you bet which one will win, or that they will tie. It is just like betting on Black or Red at roulette, and the payoff is even money, 1:1 (except for the standoff, which pays 8-1 or 9-1). The only difference between the Banco and Punto bet is a win on Banco will cost you 5% commission or tax levied by the casino - the in-built advantage.

The reason for taxing the Banco is because it has been established that over an 8-deck cards play on average the Banco will win three to four hands more than the Punto.

Each hand consists of a minimum of two and a maximum of three cards. The person dealing will put two cards, face down, tucked under the shoe, and give the player with the largest bet on Punto the other two cards, face down.

The Punto player then looks at the cards and gives them back to the player who is dealing. Then the player who is dealing will turn over the cards of both hands while one of the casino dealers will announce the results and the winner.

If either hand has a total of 8 or 9 (nine is the highest), then it is called a 'Natural' and no more cards are dealt. If it is not a natural, then depending on the value of each hand the casino dealer may instruct the card dealer to deal a third card. The decision when to deal a third card follows precise set rules used by all casinos.

Once dealing is completed, the hand with the highest count wins. The paying casino dealers will collect the losing bets first and then pay the winning ones. The player who actually deals the cards is not responsible for the payouts. He is just like any other player, playing against the casino.

The rules

Baccarat is played from a six-deck or an eight-deck shoe. All face cards and 10s have no value. Cards less than 10 are counted at face value, Aces are worth 1. Suits don't matter. Only single digit values are valid. Any count that reaches a double digit drops the left digit. 15 is counted as 5 and 25 is also counted as 5.

To start, the players bet either on Banco or Punto or Standoff. The card dealer gives two cards each; first to the player and then the banker. The object of the game is to bet on the hand that you think will have the highest total value.

A third card may be dealt to either or both the player (Punto) and the bank (Banco) based on the following three-card-rules. It is not necessary to learn these rules to play, they are compulsory decisions and therefore automatic. Only on rare occasions a mistake is made:

Player's third-card-rule

• If either the player or the bank have a total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards no further cards are drawn. The resulting hand is called a natural and the hand is over.

• If the player's total is less than or equal to 5 the player's hand draws a third card.

• If the player does not draw a third card, then the bank's hand stands on 6 or more and takes a third card on a total of 5 or less. If the player does take a third card then the Bank's third-card-rule below will determine if the bank takes a third card.

Bank's third-card-rule

• If the bank's total is 2 or less then bank draws a card, regardless of what the players third card is.

• If the banks total is 3 then the bank draws a third card unless the players third card was an 8.

• If the banks total is 4 then the bank draws a third card unless the players third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.

• If the banks total is 5 then the bank draws a third card if the players third card was 4, 5, 6, or 7.

• If the banks total is 6 then the bank draws a third card if the players third card was a 6 or 7.

• If the banks total is 7 then the bank stands.

House advantage Banker (Banco) 1.17% Player (Punto) 1.36% Tie (Standoff) 14.12% at 8:1 payout

This information is from http://www.ildado.com/

Rules and how to play Roulette:

(Touchbet electronic roulette)

轮盘(roulett)

庄家喊 “停止下注(No More Bet)”之前, 在球和轮盘旋转时, 顾客都可以进行下注。

旋转的球落在标有数字的轮盘时, 庄家就会宣布选中的编号, 并且把 “Win Marker”放在选中的数字上。

庄家先拿走输掉的赌注(Losing Bet), 赢钱赌注(Winning Bet)按规定的赔率赔偿。

按赔率赔偿完全结束之前, 不能开始下注。

若球落在轮盘外, 或者游戏进行不正常, 庄家可以宣布此盘游戏无效。

An Introduction to Sic Bo and its Rules

 

大小

庄家喊 “停止下注”后, 开始摇动摇骰子器。

停下摇骰子器后, 庄家告知三个骰子的数字之和, 然后按钮以在桌的屏幕上显示胜点数。

庄家先拿走输掉的赌注(Losing Bet), 然后赢钱赌注(Winning Bet)按规定的赔率赔偿。

若难以读出摇骰子器内的骰子数字, 庄家也可宣布 “游戏无效(No Game)”。

The game of Sic Bo (a.k.a - tai sai 大細, or dai siu 大小) originated in China and has come a long way, from its early beginnings as a traditional dice game to one that graces numerous online casinos across the world today. It is a fun game and has a number of interesting aspects to it.

The Rules of Sic Bo

When you opt to play Sic Bo online, you will have to register an account at any one of the countless online casinos offering the game, make a deposit into your account, and start playing. Before that, you need to be completely aware of the rules of the game.

The first step towards playing Sic Bo is selecting the size of the chip you want. When playing online, you can do this by clicking the plus or minus button on the screen, related to the chip. Once you have selected the size of the chip, i.e. how much money you want to bet, the next step is to place your bets. You can place your bets by clicking the area of the table you want to bet on. The Sic Bo rules allow you to place more than one bet per roll of the dice.

Once you have selected the amount of money to bet and the area you want to bet on, the next step is to roll the dice. To roll the dice you need to click the Roll button on the screen. You win the game if the dice you rolled ends up on the area of the table you bet on.

How to Play Sic Bo – The Sic Bo Bets

There are many different kinds of bets in Sic Bo, and you need to know about each of them when you start playing the game for real money. The most commonly used bets are the small and big bets. These bets are placed on the sum of the numbers from the three dice. For a small bet, the numbers can be between 4 and 10, while for a big bet the numbers are 11 through 17. In the case of a small bet, a triple, i.e. the same number on all the three dice results in the player losing the bet.

Another type of bet is the three-dice total. Here, you do not have a range of numbers to bet on; you simply bet on what the sum of the three numbers could possibly be. For a three-dice total, a triple is a winner.

There are numerous other bet types as well. These include the two-dice combination (the bet is on what the number would be on two of the three dice rolled), single-die (the bet is on what the number on one of the three dice rolled would be), specific double (you pick one number and bet that all the three dice rolled would throw up the same number), and more.

This information from http://www.classicasinos.com/Sic_Bo

 

 

 

 

 

Slot Machine

老虎机(slot machine)

赌场内有各种各样的老虎机，您可以选择喜欢的游戏并投入一定量的纸币进行游戏。

然后根据不同的游戏规则赢取相应的奖金。

Slot machine tips are a popular online search topic for those about to hit

the casinos. Not only can they alert you to the fundamental pitfalls of

playing the slots, but they’re also helpful in dispelling myths and imparting

common-sense strategies which may (or may not) help you to win money

in the long term. Below, I have included a dozen slot machine tips, each

intended to make your gaming experience more enjoyable and potentially

more profitable.

Slot Machine Tip #1 - Each spin of a slot machine is entirely random. It

doesn’t matter how many spins have come before, and it doesn’t matter

whether or not you use a slot card. Each spin has an identical chance of

winning, even if the previous spin paid out a jackpot. The sooner you

come to grips with this sobering fact, the better off you’ll be as a slots

player.

Slot Machine Tip #2 - Slot machines pay out less than they take in. One of

the most important slot machine tips has to do with a game’s payback

percentage. It’s a simple concept to understand, but you’d be amazed at

how many people overlook this fact. Let’s say a slot machine offers a

payback percentage of 96% (on average, they range from 80% to 98%).

That means it pays out $96 for every $100 dollars put in over an infinite

amount of time. Sure, hitting a jackpot can put you ahead of these

numbers for a while, but ultimately slot machines are a losing proposition.

Slot Machine Tip #3 - Don’t fall for slot machine myths. Slots don’t get hot

or cold, and wearing your lucky red blouse isn’t going to increase your

odds of winning. The slots don’t care how many times you play, what

you’re wearing, or the temperature of the coins being inserted. They’re

going to give you an equal chance of success or failure on each spin.

Slot Machine Tip #4 - Anyone who promises to share a winning slot

machine system with you is either lying or delusional. There is no such

thing as a winning slot machine system, because all slots are designed to

take in more money than they pay out. Guys like John Patrick and Bill

Stone are to be avoided in particular, as they offer to share their secrets

by getting you to buy their books. Don’t fall for it. You can also forget

about the Martingale System and the Zig-Zag System, because none of

these will allow you to beat slot machines.

Slot Machine Tip #5 - Know when to stop playing. Before you walk into a

casino, figure out how much money you can afford to lose. When that

amount is gone, it’s time to call it quits for the day. If you lose your

predetermined amount and still find yourself headed to the ATM machine

or the Western Union office, there’s a distinct chance that you have a

gambling problem.

Slot Machine Tip #6 - Learn the rules of the game. Some slot machines

can be confusing at first, so take the time to examine the rules printed on

the machine. How many lines need to be activated? How many coins can

be played on any given spin?

Slot Machine Tip #7 - Don’t play progressives. Yes, some progressive

slots offer jackpots in the millions of dollars, but they typically have a

payback percentage that’s lower than other machines. If you’re still

determined to take a shot at a progressive jackpot, your best bet is to stick

with the lower denomination variety.

Slot Machine Tip #8 - Playing maximum coins doesn’t matter in the long

run. Many so-called experts will advise you to always play maximum coins

on a machine, but the difference between maximum coins and a single

coin is often less than one-percent of the total return. The only exception

to this rule is on progressive slots. Since you’ll need to play maximum

coins in order to be eligible for a progressive jackpot, there’s no reason to

miss out on becoming a millionaire.

Slot Machine Tip #9 - If you want to lose less money, play the lower

 denomination slot machines. You’re going to lose more than you win on

any slot, but playing the lower denomination games means you’ll be putting

 less money in on each spin. While the overall return on cheaper slots is

less, it’s still surprisingly easy to bust out while chasing a payout on a five-

dollar machine. Stick with nickel or penny slot machines and you’ll be

playing for hours.

Slot Machine Tip #10 - Always use a slot card (also known as a player’s

card). While using a slot card doesn’t increase your odds of winning, it will

allow the casino to monitor how much you play and possibly make you

eligible for comps such as free meals and hotel accommodations.

Registering for a free player’s card only takes a few minutes, and you can

end up saving money in the long run, especially if you’re a frequent slots

player.

Slot Machine Tip #11 - Stay away from video reel slots. Since these

machines offer all kinds of animated features, they take longer to play than

a traditional no-frills slot. The casino compensates for this by making sure

the payout percentage is lower. There’s nothing wrong with giving them a

try purely for entertainment value, just don’t expect to win any money in

the process.

Slot Machine Tip #12 - Play in casinos with the best payback percentage.

Of all the slot machine tips I can offer, this is one of the most important.

 Casinos on the Las Vegas strip often offer the least payback percentage,

 because they’re going to draw in customers no matter what. Casinos

 located in downtown Vegas are often in the middle, while off-strip Vegas

casinos traditionally offer the best paybacks. There are always exceptions,

 of course, but a bit of searching on the Internet should go a long way in

helping you determine which casinos offer the best payback percentage.

The next time you visit a casino, be sure to keep these slot machine tips in

mind. While you may still end up losing money, the advice provided in this

article will ensure that you’ll be able to play longer and smarter than those

around you.

This information is from http://www.slotmachinetips.org/

 

 

Roulette was first played in France back in the 17th century.

It is now one of the most popular European gambling games and Monte Carlo in Monaco is a well known and famous casino centre for playing roulette.

The Basics Players, usually up to eight, play against the House represented by the croupier also called the dealer, who spins the roulette wheel and handles the wagers and payouts. In the European roulette and French roulette version, the wheel has 37 slots representing 36 numbers and one zero. In the USA most roulette wheels have two zeros and therefore 38 slots.

Each player buys-in a different coloured chips so their bets don't get mixed up. At the end of play, if you won, you exchange back the colorued chips with cash chips. These are special chips with the value amount imprinted on them. There are several denominations in various colours. You then take these chips to the cash desk where they will give you actual cash money in exchange.

To play roulette, you place your bet or bets on numbers (any number including the zero) in the table layout or on the outside, and when everybody at the table had a chance to place their bets, the croupier starts the spin and launches the ball. Just a few moments before the ball is about to drop over the slots, the croupier says 'no more bets'. From that moment no one is allowed to place - or change - their bets until the ball drops on a slot. Only after the croupier places the dolly on the winning number on the roulette table and clears all the losing bets you can then start placing your new bets while the croupier pays the winners. The winners are those bets that are on or around the number that comes up. Also the bets on the outside of the layout win if the winning number is represented.

The House advantage On a single zero roulette table the House advantage is 2.7%. On a double zero roulette table it is 5.26% (7.9% on the five-number bet, 0-00-1-2-3). The House advantage is gained by paying the winners a chip or two (or a proportion of it) less than what it should have been if there was no advantage.

The 'En Prison' rule A roulette rule applied to even-money bets only, and by some casinos (not all). When the outcome is zero, some casinos will allow the player to either take back half his/her bet or leave the bet (en prison = in prison) for another roulette spin. In the second case, if the following spin the outcome is again zero, then the whole bet is lost.

The 'La Partage' rule The la partage roulette rule is similar to the en prison rule, only in this case the player loses half the bet and does not have the option of leaving the bet en prison for another spin. This refers to the 'outside' even-money bets Red/Black, High/Low, Odd/Even and applies when the outcome is zero. Both the La Partage and the En Prison roulette rules essentially cut the casino edge on the 'even-money bets' in half. So a bet on Red on a single-zero roulette table with the la partage rule or the en prison rule has a 1.35% House edge and one on a double-zero roulette table has a House edge of 2.63%.

The payouts A bet on one number only, called a straight-up bet, pays 35 to 1. (You collect 36. With no House advantage you should collect 37 (38 in the USA on double zero roulette wheels). A two-number bet, called split bet, pays 17 to 1. A three-number bet, called street bet, pays 11 to 1. A four-number bet, called corner bet, pays 8 to 1. A six-number bet, pays 5 to 1. A bet on the outside dozen or column, pays 2 to 1. A bet on the outside even money bets, pays 1 to 1.

Object of the game To win at roulette the player needs to predict where the ball will land after each spin. This is by no means easy. In fact, luck plays an important part in this game. Some players go with the winning numbers calling them 'hot' numbers and therefore likely to come up more times. Others see which numbers did not come up for some time and bet on them believing that their turn is now due. Some players bet on many numbers to increase their chances of winning at every spin, but this way the payout is considerably reduced. Other methodical players use specific roulette systems or methods, money management systems, or both.

French roulette rules

The French roulette rules are very much like the European roulette rules. It has the same 37 numbered wheel with one zero but a different table layout for the outside bets.

The player odds in French roulette are the same as in European roulette (only one zero) and better than the odds in American roulette (two zeros). The players loose only 50% of their even-money bets when the outcome is zero, known as the 'La Partage' rule.

The object of the game is still the same - to predict which number out of possible 37 the ball will land on. And of course, they speak French. Below are the English and equivalent French terms for the various roulette bets:

Inside bets

• One number Straight up = En plein

• Two numbers Split Bet = Cheval

• Three numbers Street Bet = Transversale

• Four numbers Corner = Carre

• Six numbers Line Bet = Sixainne

Outside bets

• Twelve numbers Column = Colonne

• Twelve numbers Dozen = Douzaine

• Red or Black = Rouge, Noir

• Even or Odd = Pair, Impair

• Low or High numbers = Manque, Passe

Canasta Roulette

In Costa Rica some casino table games have different names, others have different names and different rules. Roulette in Costa Rica casinos is called "Canasta" and is played with a double-zero layout. However, instead of using a roulette wheel the winning number is selected from a circular wire cage with numbered balls similar to the one used in bingo halls.

This information is from http://www.ildado.com/