The other day where I play, they had a single zero video roulette game which could be played for as little as a quarter. Now it is double zero. Needless to say, I won’t be going there as often. Thoughts? Don C.
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More than likely, the screws are being tightened on the customer, but, Don, there is a possibility that the single zero wheel was yanked out because the uneducated fatten casino profits in the oddest ways. Let me explain.
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Most players don’t realize this, but on a single zero game, the casino advantage of 2.63% comes from the presence of the 0 on the layout. The casino pays all wagers according to what the odds would be if there were just 36 numbers on the wheel, even though by adding the 0 there are now 37 numbers. The true odds of hitting your number are 1/37, and winners are paid 35-1.
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Once, when I was employed as a pit boss at a South Lake Tahoe casino that had the only single zero game in town, we offered customers this terrific deal, yet we ended up removing it after nine months, not because management was tetchy about the house edge being reduced to 2.63% across the layout, but because of the drone of customer complaints generated by inexperienced players who couldn’t bet the 00 anymore. Go figure; those supremely misguided gamblers most absolutely couldn’t.
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Is it ethical to talk about your poker hand while playing? A couple players in my weekly card group do and I was wondering how you would handle this. Matt T.
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Talking about your hand, especially with the disingenuous intent of deceiving other players, is called coffeehousing. Is it ethical? Well, barely at best, but it depends on who you ask. I say it isn’t, but house rules like coffeehousing among belching buddies should be discussed at the outset of play.
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I like to play the table games based on Texas Hold’em, specifically Bonus Texas Holdem and Ultimate Texas Holdem. Which game has better odds in favor of the player? Bruce J.
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First off, Bruce, both of the above mentioned games merit an independent column on their rules, odds and strategy, and since I have questions on each in the mailbag, look for them in the near future.
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Nevertheless, both texas hold em Bonus and Ultimate texas hold em are poker based table games having slightly different rules and odds depending upon where you play them. For instance, with Texas Hold ’em Bonus in Las Vegas, the house edge can be a smidge over 2%, under Colorado rules 2.3%, and in Atlantic City as high as 5.5%.
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The Bonus bet, which is based on the player’s initial hole cards, and in some cases the dealer’s two hole cards, is based on the posted pay table and carries a steep house edge in the range of 8.5-8.9%, depending on location. Clearly, you want to keep your distance from this wager.
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With Ultimate Texas Hold’em the casino advantage runs roughly 2.1% per ante bet, but it can be lower depending on the average total amount wagered by the conclusion of the hand.
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The game can be full of twists and turns odds-wise on the Play, when making the maximum raise. Lacking space here to go in depth, a future column is fighting its way to the front.
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Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “That’s what they call the great pyramid of gambling! Sharks at the top, then the rounders, the minnows, and at the bottom, the fish–the suckers, the suppliers. Scavengers and suppliers just like in life.” –Pug Pearson, Fast Company
