Top 10 Casino Tips

January 2009

Note: Since we are starting a New Year, instead of my usual Top 10 Casino Tips, I’ve presented instead Eight New Year’s Resolutions that will help you get the edge when you play in 2009.

2009 New Years Resolutions

Eight ways you can get the edge in 2009

Play in Tournaments

Why tournaments? Because you are playing against other players and not against the casino, you don't necessarily have to edge over the casino to be a winner. You just need to play more skillfully than your opponents do. This holds for any casino tournament - blackjack, craps, slots, video poker, etc. Nowadays most casinos hold daily or weekly fun tournaments that cost very little to enter (usually less than $50). As long as the casino puts all the entry fees into the prize pool, you should consider playing them.

Play Texas Hold'em

You've probably watched a few of those popular Texas Hold'em Poker Tours on TV. I'm not suggesting you mortgage the farm and enter one but you ought to consider learning how to play Texas Hold'em for low stakes. To help you learn the ropes about the game get Bill Burton's book for starters, Get The Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold'em. Burton will teach you in plain English how a savvy low-limit player can turn a profit at this game. He should know because he learned the game on his kitchen table and he has become a winning player. Remember when you play live table poker, it's you against your fellow table players and the more skillful you are, the more likely you will gain the edge over your opponents.

Use Gambling Coupons

You've heard it before but it is worth repeating - use all the gambling coupons you can muster. Why? Because every time you use one you have the edge! There are many types of gambling coupons - Matchplays, Lucky Bucks, First Card is an Ace, Blackjack Bonus Coupons and more. Jean Scott's book, More Frugal Gambling, explains each coupon, how they work, and where to get them. Using gambling coupons is a no brainer. And as Jean quoted from an anonymous Internet coupon hound: "The question is not whether or not to use coupons, but how many!"

Play Blackjack Skillfully

One way to gain the edge over the casino is to get the math on your side. Card counting sounds too difficult for you? You can learn Speed Count in less than half an hour and play with an edge (read the Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution book or DVD for details).

Play Video Poker Skillfully

Here it's a question of playing the right machine using the right playing strategy while cashing in on comps and/or cashback the casino will give you just for playing. There are legions of smart video poker players that are consistently playing with an edge over the house (that includes my 90 year old father-in-law Peter, who has quadrupled his video poker bankroll). You’ll learn everything you need to know in the Frugal Video Poker book (Jean Scott) or Bob Dancer’s new book Video Poker for Intelligent Beginner. So why not give video poker a try this year? Still not convinced? Then ponder this fact. Often the highest paying slot machine on a casino floor pays less then the worst paying video poker machine. Enough said?

Take Advantage of Comps & Cashback

You usually have to take a break to eat when you play, don't you? So why not let the casino foot the bill? That leaves you with more gambling bankroll and when you consider the cash value of comps, you can often turn a blackjack or video poker game from a negative expectation (long term loser) into a positive expectation (long term winner). No matter whether you are a low roller or high roller, machine or table player, you should try to take advantage of all the comps and cashback that you can get. Look at it this way - the casinos in the US gave away one billion dollars worth of freebies to players last year (that's billion with a B). Did you get your fair share? If not, check out Jean Scott and her daughter, Angela Sparks, advice on comps and cashback in More Frugal Gambling.

Learn How To Control The Dice in Craps

"Whoa now, aren't you getting into some black magic here." Thought you might be thinking this. But I've been there, so to speak, and watched and played with shooters who can influence the results of their dice throws (and also had their throws mathematically analyzed). They do this by how they set the dice, and how they carefully hold and toss them so as to maximize the numbers they want and/or minimize the appearance of the 7. Their amazing exploits have been featured on Travel Channel, History Channel, Playboy magazine and other publications. Dice setting and throwing is a physical skill that must be learned and practiced to be good at it. But if you are willing to put in the time and effort required to master this skill, it's possible to shift the odds slightly in your favor (you change the game of craps from random to non-random, which can give you the edge). For starters read the book "Golden Touch Dice Control Revolution or watch the Golden Touch Craps DVD where you will see for yourself how the experts influence the dice (seeing is believing).

Play Slots with an Edge

No, I’m not kidding. There are about a dozen slot machines where it’s possible to play with a mathematical edge over the house. You need to read Jerry Stickman’s book Advantage Play Slots for all the details on which machine these are and how to play them.