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In England, slots are often called “Fruit Machines” which is a reference to the different types of fruit that were seen on the reels (or at least this is where I think the reference comes from).

I recall an instance back when I was in gaming where a Chinese punter would often take down the jackpot and I watched him once do this on all four machines simultaneously in the space of about an hour. That to me defied the laws of probablility and the jackpot on those machines was £250 at the time (since risen to £1000).

So he took £1000 in £1 coins to cash desk and I can still picture the scene of our cashier counting them all out even now. I have always been aware that there are techniques to beat slot machines even though the slot machine companies try to keep this under wraps. I think that this principle is the same as poker in that the people who really know the truth simply do not tell.

In fact this is more so than in poker, you can be a good coach without it affecting your long term income in poker. But to divulge the secret of how to get the better of slot machines would be very counter productive as the slot machine companies would quickly eradicate the problem area. This also knocks on to information that you pay for as well. The spies from these companies will be out there and will quickly identify any system that works and then adjust their machines to counter this.

So the fact of the matter is that I do not know how to beat slot machines and if I did know then I wouldn’t tell. The only reason why someone who knew would tell would be to do with how much you could expect to make as an hourly rate and if that did not compare to doing something else that paid more then there would be milage in selling the information in that instance.

Some people have asked me in the past how casinos manage to create their edge at blackjack when the dealer is forced to draw to 17? Basically it is one of two factors and the first one is absolutely huge. This is to do with the dealer always acting last. This advantage is so huge that it is akin to having position in poker.

If you think about this for a minute then the advantage is rather obvious. Every time that you take a card and bust then the dealer wins. So if you have 13 and they have 10 then you feel compelled to take a card to better your total and this is correct play. But there will be many times where you will recieve a ten value card or a nine value card and bust immediately. But yet when the dealer plays on then the dealer may well turn a card from 2 to 6 and then bust.

But if the dealer busts after the player busts then the hand is not a push but a loss for the player. This advantage is substantial but it is not one to be over estimated. With accurate basic strategy then the house edge is only in the vicinity of 0.5% and with even adequate card counting skills then this can be at least reduced to 0% and possibly a slight edge.

The second and more subtle factor is connected to the first and this is that the player will be forced to bust their own hand in an attempt to improve their total. This is correct play and cannot be avoided and is another reason as to why the house starts with an edge and the 3/2 pay offs for blackjacks/naturals do not do enough to offset this.

I had my first real casino trip in ages last night and it felt strangely good to be playing real casino blackjack again. Even though the game was a six deck game and the penetration was marginal, the excitement level was pretty high even though the game wasn’t serious. The only way that blackjack can ever be serious for me is if I were playing full-time again and seeing as that is basically impossible now then these little entertainment trips are all that they ever will be.

I did try to card count but I didn’t really see the point of it all. I only had around £500 on me so even if the deck went highly positive, I couldn’t really take much advantage as the money that I had on me was basically my bankroll.

Fluctuation is very high in blackjack so anything could have basically happened during the course of one session. So instead I was looking for dealer errors as usual and I managed to find myself on first base hoping to get a dealer who exposes cards. However after nearly three hours of having no luck whatsoever I decided to call it a night. The fact that I was £50 ahead was nothing but luck although I did offer some friendly advice for a guy who was playing table maximums who seemed to think that I was an expert on the game and keep asking my advice on what to do.

I hate giving advice on other peoples money but it seemed that everything that I told him to do came off. Once again pure luck but he won about £800 based on what I had told him to do. When he got up to leave the table, he tossed me a £25 chip which I tried to refuse but he was having non of it.

Maybe I ought to go into consulting work inside casinos and advise some big punters and make money that way without the risk

It never ceases to amaze me just how many cheating teams there are out there trying to take money either from casinos or from the actual punters who frequent casinos. I recall one interview that I did some years ago with a professional pick pocket who told me that crowded places were the best places to take wallets and purses and this made casinos a prime target.

When I asked him why, he then told me that it was because bodily contact was normal in such crowded places where many people were in such close proximity. This definitely applies around roulette at night on busy games where quite often there can be as many as ten people around one roulette table.

Pickpockets know that people who frequent casinos usually have money. Even if they are not a big hitter then they will at least be having a night out and be carrying around at least £100 on average. I actually had this skill demonstrated to me once and my wallet was lifted from my back pocket without me even feeling it. Apparently slim people make easier targets because of the cavity between the fabric of the cloth and the persons actual body.

This means that a slim person is less likely to detect any movement. It was only after I had my wallet taken and then handed back to me that I then realised just how good these people are. But then again these are practiced skills that are akin to the skills honed by magicians and card mechanics but the only difference is that their sleight of hand comes with cards and not wallets, purses and cash.

Its a scary business so watch out.

Blackjack is a game that has been with us for an awful long time now and its sister game…..Pontoon means that many people come to blackjack who have had experience of playing Pontoon. Over the years there have been many variations to change the game and I remember when the “Over/Under” feature came into existence in the UK in the mid 1990’s.

But as online gaming has took off over the past few years then there has been an even greater need for the game to be revitalised periodically. So we are now facing a situation where new variations of blackjack are coming out with greater frequency. Early and late surrender were other popular features that caught on in some casinos.

But 21-3 blackjack is an interesting concept that attempts to merge the game of blackjack with poker. The player simply makes a separate wager that his first two cards and the dealers up card make a three card poker hand.

In this instance, if their first two cards are of the same suit and the dealers card is also the same suit that constitutes a flush. If their cards are say 8,7 and the dealer is showing a 6 or a 9 that that constitutes a straight. There are even more special odds paid for big hands like trips and straight flushes. Trips are obviously where the player has a pair like 4,4 and the dealer also shows a 4.

A straight flush is if say the player has 7h-6h and the dealer is showing the 8h. The pay offs with respect to the poker hands differ from casino to casino but if you like poker and the idea of merging the two games appeals to you then 21 +3 Blackjack may just be your game.

It was revealed a short while ago that gaming agents in the USA are investigating a claim from a known high roller that he was deliberately kept in a state of intoxication just so that he would continue gambling money.

The casino chain in question is Harrahs and this is a real shock seeing as this is one of the biggest casino companies in the USA. The gaming control board are interviewing witnesses who reportedly can back up the claim that Terence Watanabe was deliberately supplied with alcohol at Caesars Palace and the Rio.

It has been mentioned that Watanabe lost an estimated $112 million on the tables in 2007 alone. But the mystery of the case deepens when it also comes to light that Watanabe owes numerous millions in unpaid markers. But the rules of the Nevada gaming regulations state that any player who is in a visibly intoxicated state must not be permitted to continue.

So if these allegations are proven then allowing him to continue would not only be a violation of gaming regulations but by deliberately feeding a player alcohol is also more than likely breaking numerous laws. But some people are claiming that this claim by Watanabe is nothing more than a ploy to divert attention away from his own criminal practices.

All will be revealed in the coming weeks I am sure but that promises to be a very long and drawn out case indeed and one that is highly complex in nature once the full details are understood.

The Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT) organization have been up in arms as of late following what they say are a range of recent reports regarding the numbers of young people facing problematic gambling habits and other addictions throughout the UK only acting to overstate and exaggerate the overall problem. The organization’s claim comes in the wake of a recent review published that looked at the incidence of problematic gambling among young adults in the UK as well as a number of other countries such as Australia, the US, the Nordic countries and New Zealand.

According to the statistics published in the report, which was publicized by the UK Gambling Commission, between ten and fourteen percent of young people throughout the country are at serious risk of developing problems with gambling, and another five to seven percent were defined by the report as problem gamblers with serious addiction problems already. The studies mentioned in the report that were looked at by the commission labeled young people as anyone under 18 years old, and in the wake of the report’s publication the Daily Mail newspaper in the UK latched on to the percentage and made the allegation that almost one million British young people had a serious problem related to their gambling addiction, using the higher percentage mentioned in the report to estimate just how prevalent rates of youth problem gambling was in the UK.

Despite this Ron Finlay, a spokesperson for the RIGT, rapidly pointed out that although the headline figures might on first glance seem to be alarming to many they actually overstate the true extent of the issue at hand. Mr. Finlay restated that the report offered by the Gambling Commission was, primarily, ‘a literature review’, meaning that because of this it contained no actual new primary research.

He also commented that as the report also detailed and examined data from other counties that have different laws and regulations pertaining to gambling from Britain the overall publication could not give a truly accurate representation of the issue in this country. Mr. Finaly went on to state that there exists a strong network of help and support for those youngsters that do have such problems, and such networks can provide them with education, guidance and counseling needed to overcome such an addition should they develop one. 

RIGT promotes nationwide educational programs in schools and helps to fund organizations and charities that go to school to talk to pupils about issues such as gambling, smoking and the use of recreational drugs. On top of this Gamcare’s marketing director, Eileen Kinghan, stated that her organization offers a range of support services to young people who are worried in particular about their own gambling habits, especially through a telephone helpline that is manned by trained counselors able to give informed advice. The organization also runs face-to-face counseling as needed, as well as online chartrooms where young people are able share their experiences and get further advice.

According to many of the gaming industry’s leading experts and analysts playing a wide range of today’s online casino games involves far more than might otherwise be obvious to the casual observer, and this is particularly true when it comes to the economic aspects of the games. One example of this has been illustrated by that popular hybrid of poker, Three Card Poker. In the event that any casino makes the decision to introduce this popular table game to its range it must first go through the copyright holder of the game, the Las Vegas-based company Shuffle Master Inc., where it can choose to either rent a table or buy one outright. Either way, the undertaking can be an expensive one for a casino.

Shuffle Master keeps a close check on the numbers and they are acutely aware of just how popular this game is in casinos. As a result, the costs of renting a table for the game are very much reflected in the popularity as dictated by the market forces of supply and demand, and buying a table outright is a major expense and should be seen by companies as a long-term investment.

Three Card Poker appears to be somewhat unique as opposed to many of the other poker hybrids like Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker, which takes much of its popularity on the back of the craze for poker, as it has very much carved out its own popularity and dedicated following. The game itself is played with a 52-card deck and each player position has three wagering spots, which are Ante, Play and an optional Pairs Plus choice. In the beginning every player must make an ante or Pairs Plus bet, and every player – and the dealer – will be dealt three cards which they receive face down. The object for all players in the game is to defeat the dealer or have a successful Pairs Plus combination.

The game also has a qualifying rule by which in the event that the dealer doesn’t have queen high or better players will win their ante bets whilst play bets are a push. The Pairs Plus bonus, however, will not be affected by the qualifying rule, and players will be paid even in the event that the dealer’s hand should beat their own.

For casinos that decide to lease the game Shuffle Master currently makes twelve different bonus pay tables available to those casinos that choose to rent the game, and it is the ability to tell the good ones from the bad that will make a player’s decision of just where to play the game either good or bad in the end. Experts also agree that Three Card Poker has a favorable house advantage for most players as compared to some other table games – depending on which pay table is in force. As a result of this, the game can be a volatile one for casinos.

In keeping with a few recent promotions from companies looking to cash in on the upcoming soccer event known as the World Cup in June, UB.com in conjunction with Absolute Poker are cordially inviting new players to their online poker rooms, enticing them with a range of interesting and potentially attractive offers. New players to either site that fund a new account any time between April 25th and May 30th will be rewarded by being granted access to a whole range of what the companies in question are referring to as “New Depositor Freerolls,” which pack a combined prize pool total of more than $50,000 and include a 2010 World Cup VIP package which is valued at around $14,000.

For new players to UB’s web sites, there is much more than a warm welcome waiting, as the company has a range of exciting competitions including the $50,000 Soccer freeroll Frenzy, while Absolute Poker are offering a competition called the South African Soccer Spectacular, effectively one online promotion under two different monikers in which players in each card room at the CEREUS Network will put themselves in with an exciting opportunity to take their share of $50,000 in prize money throughout 33 New Depositor Freerolls.

Every day, from the beginning of the promotion at the start of May until it ends on May 30th, both UB and Absolute Poker will be hosting a series of tournaments that will be free to enter for those players making a first-time deposit at either of the sites or those players that put money into their accounts for the very first time by means of a player-player transfer. Additionally, each new depositor that takes part in the month-long promotion will automatically get a chance to participate in the Grand Prize $20,000 Freeroll that will take place on June 5th at 14:00, ET.

The winner of the first prize will receive what has been called “The Ultimate World Cup Package”, worth an estimated $11,000 as well as an extra $3,000 travel expenses to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa this June. The following 99 places in the draw will earn those players occupying them cash payouts of $9,000. The winner of the top prize will also be able to take a guest to the tournament and will receive full VIP perks as well as match tickets to any two of the rounds of 16 games of the winner’s choice.

New users excited by the prospect of these prizes will find it fairly simple to get going: All they need do is to obtain a new account at UB by downloading the free software on-site, following the easy on-screen steps to deposit money and they start playing for free to put themselves in with a chance of winning a part of the massive $50,000 prize pool.

Britain’s government Department for Culture, Media and Sport is widely expected, after a period of lengthy review, to announce new proposals to upgrade and bolster existing regulations pertaining to offshore online gambling companies. The recent review, which was commissioned to examine the ways and methods in which foreign offshore operators could be held more accountable to the regulatory system in the UK, looked into such areas as the ability to ensure fair contributions from foreign licensed operators towards the cost of regulations.

The report and review was hastened by growing concerns regarding the spreading and extent of match-fixing throughout a number of different sports and has also recommended that more information should be provided by offshore gambling operators regarding any suspicious betting patterns that emerge when events take place.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and well as the UK Gambling Commission collaborated on the report with the eventual aim of establishing a “secondary licensing” scheme in the UK. The scheme is not expected to compel foreign operators to pay the current statutory horse racing levy.

Gerry Sutcliffe, Britain’s Sports Minister, assured horse racing operators that the debate regarding the future of the tax on online gambling operators will continue, and Mr. Sutcliffe commented that his principal aim for the review was “to ensure a fairer deal for UK operators.” The government’s proposals have, however, caused a certain amount of disquiet within the gambling industry, with both William Hill and Ladbrokes moving their operations offshore are concessions were granted to the industry.

The development is thought to have coast the horse racing industry more than £4 million, with overall revenue from tax on bookmakers’ gross profits down by 20% in 2009 as compared to 2008’s figure. Within the new framework being mooted by the government offshore bookmakers would also be required to be licensed in the UK, and those refusing to comply would be unable to advertise in the UK. The CEO of the Remote Gambling Association, Clive Hawkswood, stated that the major online gambling operators represented by his organization would be willing to discuss the dual-licensing approach suggested by the UK government, although he cited tax as a potential major stumbling block.