CASINO PLAYERS EZINE #88

#1

The first email includes a trip report and two-part question.
Gayle: Thought I would let you know how we did on our Reno trip. We took $1,000 with us and lost most of it Sunday and Monday. Marci finally got up enough courage to try the Blackjack tables Monday Night. There were at least 300 Marines staying at the Peppermill and a couple of them were at the table with her giving her advice. She bought in with $100 and about 5 hours later had almost $600 in chips! Tuesday morning before leaving, we hit the slots for a couple of hours and she hit a $530 Jackpot on a Penny machine!
I had no luck at all on the slots:-( We did get a lot of meal comps so spent almost nothing on food and the room was free! We had some difficulty with a comp, so contacted a VIP Host who took care of it and upgraded us to a Gold player’s card as well:-) Gotta love the Peppermill! Thanks for your help. Arlen

Gayle: Thanks for the response. I was pleasantly surprised to see you take questions from the general public. We would love to meet you and buy you Lunch. We will be staying at the Peppermill. What is your favorite Reno/Tahoe Casino? Arlen.
Arlen: Thanks for the offer, but I will decline--but sure wish both of you good luck.
You are staying at one of my favorite casinos to play along with Atlantis--just up the street. Gayle.

Gayle: Our question for you is this. Is the best strategy for minimal losses or perhaps even winning going to be sticking with one machine for several hours or as some casino regulars suggest, or play a machine 5 or 6 times and keep moving on as some Pros recommend? We have been reading about the various machines, their payouts and pay lines and think we now know which ones to avoid, so won't ask for redundant info on those.
However, I have not seen anything mentioned by the Pros about feeding one machine for an extended period, so thought I would ask your opinion on that tactic. Arlen.
Arlen: My suggested strategy is for regular slots--keep moving, however video poker, stay with the machines offering the best pay schedules. To expand on that answer: for basic, single payline slots and multi-lines, it can be frustrating to continually feed the machine with no return, therefore I recommend a certain dollar amount or # of spins with no return that you move on.
As you already know the strategy for selecting machines, 'testing' a slot with $20 or 5-6 spins should provide your next move--stay or go.
I know there are many who say that it doesn't make any difference whether you stay or go, but I advocate this strategy in the name of wager management.
If you remain at one slot too long, often you do not realize how much of your bankroll has slipped away; while moving away from that 'loser' will give you an opportunity to explore other slots and your surroundings, get some exercise and re-think your strategy. It's a great way to clear your head and 'people watch'.
Video poker slots are different in that full-pay schedules are the place to stay. However, wager management is still a factor and a losing machine can still signal a move is in order. Gayle

#2

Gayle: I am in Laughlin and started playing VP as a p/t job. I start with a bankroll of 500 and if I get up to 600 or more, I stop. I have done very well at this. My question is I play the triple bonus poker. Pay scale is 1199 aces 600--2, 3, 4, and 375 for others. FH is 50 FL35, ST 20 and down to kings or better. Now is there a chart out there to show how to play these hands?
I do know I make several mistakes as I do not know what to do when you are dealt two pair with Aces and a pair vs. four to the flush. I appreciate any help you can give me. I like Laughlin as there comps for locals seem to be very liberal. Jason.
Jason: First, you are playing a 99.9% game, so that's good news. With the high payout for Aces, I would hold pairs only and save an Ace only if the other high cards in the hand are not the same suit. Another suggestion, purchase VP tutor software. I have WinPoker and it has helped my strategy immensely. You can download a trial version here.
Disclaimer: I do not have a financial interest with WinPoker nor do I benefit from this suggestion. Gayle. Gayle: I did find it on there. You are the greatest! If you need anything from Laughlin, please let me know including a comp room. Jason

#3

Gayle: Is there any word when the Lady Luck in Vegas will reopen? I keep watching news on the internet, but see nothing on how they are getting along. OKC
OKC: The word online is that Lady Luck will be closed for one year. It closed in Feb/06--so about 3 months to go yet. Gayle.

1-31

Wayne Newton's Holiday Show--Harrah's Hotel and Casino.

1-2

Rodney Atkins--Santa Fe

1-3

1-3=Earl Klugh--Suncoast.

1-6

1-6=Howie Mandel--MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

1

Barenaked Ladies--Aladdin Hotel and Casino.

1-2

Styx--Luxor Hotel and Casino.

1-3

Randy Travis--Golden Nugget.

2

Larry The Cable Guy--Orleans Hotel and Casino.

4

2006 Billboard Music Awards-- MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

4-6

Brooks & Dunn--Las Vegas Hilton.

4

The Charlie Daniels Band-- Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

4-6

Tanya Tucker--Golden Nugget.

7

Glen Campbell--Suncoast Hotel and Casino.

7

Wolfmother--Hard Rock Hotel Casino.

7

Rodney Carrington--Luxor Hotel and Casino.

7-9

Vince Gill--Las Vegas Hilton.

7-9

Clay Walker--Golden Nugget.

7-20

Tom Jones--MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

8

Stevie Nicks--Caesars Palace.

8-9

Tracy Lawrence--Boulder Station Hotel and Casino.

8-9

Rodney Carrington--Luxor Hotel and Casino.

8

Gregg Allman & Friends--Santa Fe Station Hotel and Casino.

8

Dierks Bentley & Miranda Lambert--Mandalay Bay Resort.

9

Ron White--Mandalay Bay Resort.

9

Hank Williams Jr.--Caesars Palace.

9

Jeff Foxworthy--Orleans Hotel and Casino.

13-30

Barry Manilow--Las Vegas Hilton.

14-17

Donny Osmond Christmas Show--Orleans Hotel and Casino.

15-17

Paul Revere and the Raiders--Suncoast Hotel and Casino.

15-16

Robert Schimmel--Monte Carlo Resort & Casino.

16

The New Cars--Mandalay Bay Resort.

16

Brenda Lee--Primm Valley Casino Resorts.

17

Senses Fail--Hard Rock Hotel Casino.

21-31

David Copperfield--MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

21-24

Hawaiian Christmas Show--Suncoast Hotel and Casino.

23

Rain--Caesars Palace.

25-31

Beach Boys--Luxor Hotel and Casino.

26-27

Jerry Seinfeld--Caesars Palace.

29

Black Eyed Peas--Mandalay Bay Resort.

29-31

Susan Anton--Suncoast Hotel and Casino.

29

REO Speedwagon--Primm Valley Casino.

30

Van Morrison--Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

31

Vincent Falcone Orchestra--Orleans Hotel and Casino.

31

Zowie Bowie--Red Rock Station Hotel and Casino.

31

Frankie Moreno--Texas Station Hotel and Casino.

31

Guy Lombardo--Suncoast Hotel and Casino.

31

Supernova--Hard Rock Hotel Casino.

31

Sha Na Na--Riviera Hotel and Casino.

As reported by the Gaming Commissions.
Slot players know that payout %'s and top casino payout rankings can change monthly.
Note: Not all land-based casinos/regions are required to report payouts.

This link will provide current reporting for Slots Payouts.
easycasinogambling.com

I have been following the aftermath of the online gaming ban of US players (known as UIGEA) and been collecting articles/links for the past month.
I have set up the article excerpts/links with a timeline beginning with after the ruling and just before the November 7th election forward.
I begin with an excerpt/link, as stated earlier, that the UK may be the long-term winner following this ruling. I have noticed a flurry online of online gaming sites and affiliates seriously considering (or already made) a move to the UK where there is regulation already in place.
My opinion is echoed with this line from Issue #86: Legalize it. Regulate it. And tax it to death.

1) Great Britain: Kensington Corporation which advises Internet firms on gaming licenses, has reported a surge in business since the UIGEA enforcement and feels that a United States government crackdown on the industry could work to its advantage as American companies look to set up abroad. “Significantly, a number of enquiries received recently are from US companies looking for a European base.” Kensington has advised 24 of the 29 successful applicants in the region to date and acts for 21 of the current 25 ‘live’ gaming licenses. Read More…

Below are additional timeline article excerpts/links.

2) UIGEA Backlash Begins: NY Times Opinion-Editorial page featured a lengthy piece by Charles Murray entitled, "The G.O.P.'s Bad Bet."…Murray points out that the UIGEA not only erodes the Republicans chances this fall, but also will damage American's respect for the rule of law. He points out that the bill catered to the few Americans that had an issue with online gaming without taking into account the millions they have now outraged. Read More…

3) Prohibition II: Good Grief: When government restricts Americans' choices, ostensibly for their own good, someone is going to profit from the paternalism.
You almost have to admire the government's plucky refusal to heed history's warnings about the probable futility of this adventure…Prohibition I was a porous wall between Americans and their martinis, giving rise to bad gin supplied by bad people. Prohibition II will provoke imaginative evasions as the market supplies what gamblers will demand—payment methods beyond the reach of Congress…And now, by banning a particular behavior—the entertainment some people choose, using their own money—government has advanced its mother-hen agenda of putting a saddle and bridle on the Internet. Read More…

4) Will ban end Internet gambling? Don’t bet on it. Bill may win political points, but $12 billion industry can work around it. Read More…

Here is a story found online of one poker player’s approach to the crackdown.
5) It was getting late on Oct. 12, the night before a sweeping anti-Internet gambling bill would be signed into law. Paul McGuire was at his computer, enjoying one last hurrah on PartyPoker, a site that had pledged to kick off all U.S. users as soon as the law left President Bush's desk. "It was kind of like that last party before summer ends when you've got to go back to school," says McGuire. "They were playing loose because it was the last night." At 11 p.m., he simply closed down his PartyPoker account, withdrawing thousands of dollars in winnings accumulated in recent weeks. He later wired the funds to an offshore account with NETeller, an Internet bank registered in the Isle of Man, and opened new accounts with two other poker sites -- both of them privately owned. So much for the U.S. crackdown on Internet gambling.

6) Gaming boss says changing Congress will aid industry
"You can go down the list and clearly, with regards to leadership in both houses, there are people who have knowledge about our industry and a fundamental understanding of how our industry works, and that's a positive." Read More…

7) Online gambling has 'doubled' in last five years:
There are now 2,300 internet gambling sites across the world, with a large number concentrated in a few key nations - Antigua has the most, with 537 sites, whilst Costa Rica has 474. Nearly one million online gamblers in Britain, make up almost a third of the 3.3 million internet gamblers throughout Europe. Read More…

Below are two opinions that UIGEA will create a black market:
8) Sportingbet: Gambling ban will create black market
“Following the significant fall in total customers now able to play at Paradise Poker, this revenue may potentially be at risk if significant numbers of these customers now seek larger, more liquid "black market" poker rooms.” Read More…

9) Mark Balestra says, “In a way, this is an exciting time (no, seriously, it is) for many in the industry. The playing field has been leveled, albeit decimated as well, now that the heavyweights have fallen. The unfortunate short-term result is that the doors of opportunity are wide open for unregulated, un-checked gambling operations. It's going to get uglier before things look up, but the long-term prospects are good. Everyone knows this industry will grow, and I believe the upswing will be led by regulated, transparent reputable operators. I also believe that the pioneering companies (Sportingbet, PartyGaming, 888 etc.), or at least merged, restructured or spun off variations of them, will be in the mix. Let's just hope that those involved in the rebuilding process have learned from their mistakes.” Read More…

10) Lastly, for a listing of online casinos that accept US players, go to: greenbaycasino.com

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