Don’t push your luck in blackjack

Sometimes knowing blackjack basic strategy and putting it into practice are two different things. I have an old friend, someone I’ve known since college days. He knows the strategy charts say never to split 10s. He does it anyway if the dealer has a 6 …

Debunking slot machine myths

Some slot machine myths have faded into obscurity because of technology and players getting used to technology. Nobody worries about whether a machine will go cold if it senses hot coins fresh from the hopper, since hardly any games use coins anymore. And players have …

A sideways twist on slot machines

In recent weeks I’ve written about playing Triple Play Poker at the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, Ind., and the penny Cherry Mischief slots at Ameristar Casino in East Chicago. There was a third stop, a detour of a couple of hours of play …

Cards still a better bet for low rollers

In both of the two most popular casino table games, players in the know can reduce the house edge to less than 1 percent. A blackjack player has to know basic strategy to get there, and a craps player has to back pass/don’t pass or …

Stacked symbol slots ramp up volatility

Video slots are the most popular, most played and most widely available games in modern casinos. They’re also the games with the most variation, full of little wrinkles that affect gameplay. One of those wrinkles introduced in recent years has been the use of stacked …

Better pay tables worth some travel

A shuffle through the Gaming mailbag:

Q. You’ve mentioned that video poker pay tables in the Chicago area have gone down. I asked a slot manager about it, and he said it’s because of the high gaming tax in Illinois, and they can’t do anything …

Triple Play Poker offers big rewards

One of my true loves among electronic casino games is Triple Play Poker. I like that I can break even or better with one decent pay even if two hands are losers. I like that I’m paid three times over when I’m dealt a big …

WMS invests in new tech facilities

As one of the world’s leading slot machine manufacturers, WMS Industries Inc. is about technology as well as fun. It competes with the Silicon Valley and other high-tech enclaves for talent.

Now, it has a first-rate facility in which to house that talent. In August, …

Bankrolling your play as varied as the games

My friend Mark isn’t a casino regular, but he likes to play a little video poker now and then. His goal is just to have a good time and stay in action for a couple of hours. “Do you have a guide to how much …

Boyd Gaming unveils ‘Gone With the Wind’

On a hot summer’s morning, one of the coolest places I could be was at WMS Gaming’s studios on the North Side. There, Bill Pfund, WMS vice president of investor relations, and Jami Thornton, senior product marketing professional, were walking me through the latest and …

Bally’s rolls out double zero Roulette

Not all slot machines are designed for mass appeal. Niche games targeted at a specific audience have their place, too. In the last several years, one game that has earned its niche is Roulette from Bally. This isn’t one of the big multi-station systems such …

King of Pop slot machine a thriller

The buzz has been building about Bally Technologies’ Michael Jackson: King of Pop slot machines ever since it gave the casino industry a preview at Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas last November. Now the game is ready for distribution, as ballyhooed in a concert-tour …

Blackjack in the morning satisfies

It was just past 9 on a Tuesday morning, one of my favorite times to play. Crowds were small, tables were wide open, and I settled in for a little $10 a hand blackjack. It was a six-deck game, with the dealer standing on all …

Video Poker Zone needs tweaking

An email from Hollywood Casino in Aurora recently touted its new “one of a kind Video Poker Zone,” and I was intrigued. Would a casino finally be offering local video poker players something of value, or would this be just the same collection of weak …

EZ a good option to traditional baccarat

Baccarat always has been among the easiest casino games. It’s a guessing game. Does the banker hand or the player hand come closer to a total of 9? You can bet either side, and you have no decisions to make after you place your wager. …