|
A recognized authority on casino gambling, Pilarski survived 18 years in the casino trenches, working for seven different casinos. Mark now writes a nationally syndicated gambling column, is a university lecturer, reviewer and contributing editor for numerous gaming periodicals, and is the creator of the best-selling, award-winning audio cassette series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. |
Mark Pilarski
Audio Cassette Tapes:
· Hooked on Winning
Books:
· Deal Me In
· More Deal Me In
More Gambling Stuff:
· Deal Me In column
· Gambling Diploma
· Strategy Cards
Options:
· Who is Mark Pilarski?
· Sydicate Mark's Column
· Email Mark Pilarski
· Home Page
|
Column 1 - "Deal Me In" by Mark Pilarski
Extrasensory behavior on a dice game doesn't work
Dear Mark,
When I shoot craps, I have the feeling that a hot roll will always
be stopped by a change in the dealers, someone touching the dice,
someone crowding the shooter or the dealer giving out the two
dice on a seven, eleven or craps. Is this my imagination or is
there any kind of truth to it? Doug C.
With all due respect, Doug, your false-premise gambling beliefs are based on an illogical
point of view. All too many players use the dial-a-psychic approach
on the next toss of the dice when something whimsical happens
on the game. I believe the true answer lies in the definition
of the word superstition.
Superstition: groundless belief in a supernatural agencies; a
popular belief held without reason.
Dear Mark,
I was wondering, isn't it better to play on a loose jacks or better
6/5 video poker machine than on a very tight full-pay jacks or
better 9/6 video poker machine? Stanton T.
No such animal exists in the
green felt jungle. Because every hand is dealt randomly, tightness
and looseness of a video poker machine are strictly based on the
machine's paytable. A 6/5 paytable (6 coins returned for a full
house, 5 for a flush with one coin inserted) would be considered
tight, no, very tight; whereas a 9/6 machine (9 for a full house,
6 for a flush) would be loose.
Dear Mark,
What is the dumbest thing you ever did in a casino? James C.
Facetiously, working in one
for 18 years. I burned out so many times they started calling
me "Refried Pilarski."
More seriously, my early dabblings in gambling where those of
your typical player- playing all the wrong games, the wrong wagers
on those games, the wrong way. Ten spot Keno, 15 team sports parlay
cards, field bets on a crap game, the Big 6; that was me, making
grade school wagers on a limited pay grade (my salary).
Dear Mark,
What are the chances of any one number showing up four times in
a row on a roulette table? Anita G.
On a double-zero game, once
every 2,085,136 spins. As a matter of fact, Anita, I saw it happen
once, not with one croupier, but with three separate dealers.
I was a pit boss at Bill's Lake Tahoe Casino when dealer A spun
the number 25. After making his payoffs he went on his break and
dealer B stepped in to spin 25 twice consecutively. She was relieved
to go home for the evening, then dealer C immediately twirled
25 again. A sleuth roulette player would have immediately jumped
on this game, figuring it was a biased wheel in need of repair.
In this instance it was hardly worth mortgaging the house. Single-zero
never appeared again over the next seven hours of my shift, nor
were any of the numbers in its wheel section coming up with abnormal
frequency.
Dear Mark,
Why is it that when a slot mechanic opens a slot machine the machine stops paying? Is
there any hanky panky going on? Timothy C.
No need to worry, Timothy. A slot machine is usually opened to fill the hopper with more coins
or to check for an internal malfunction. The random number generator
continues to work even when the slot attendant opens the door.
This should not affect the casino keeping "up to" 20¢
of every dollar you put in.
If you feel uncomfortable playing a previously opened machine, you can always move your hind end to another stool. |
Click
Here to order Mark Pilarski's
TWO award winning audio cassettes, plus FOUR laminated win cards
package "Hooked
on Winning" ($12.95 plus $2. S&H), or call 1-(800) WINNERS.
All contents copyright
© 2000, Winners Publishing. All rights reserved.
pilarski@markpilarski.com
|
|
|