Dear Mark:
How do you determine what is considered
loose and tight in slot machines? Is there a
way of identifying them? Do they place them
where we can’t find them? Karen K.
All casinos, Karen, have "loose"
and "tight" machines commingled on the
casino floor. “Loose" machines are defined
as those machines returning more of the
player's money; the "tight" machines return
less.
Likewise, “loose and “tight” are relative
terms. One casino's "loose" machines could
be the equivalent of another casino’s
"tight" machines—with all casinos having a
mix of both.
If such-and-such casino describes their
machines as “loose,” it can mean one of two
things, "more payouts" or “higher paybacks,”
and a slot machine’s payback is not
necessarily related to the number of
payouts. Confused, I thought so.
As for finding those “loose” ones, well,
that’s no easy task. Slot managers place
their machines strategically to maximize
customer appeal and potential casino
earnings. Unfortunately, Karen, I can’t give
you a tried-and-true reply as to where slot
managers place their “loose” machines,
besides, no two casinos do it exactly alike.
Nor is it possible to distinguish “loose”
and “tight” machines by look or type. Unless
specifically advertised, such as, “98%
return on these machines,” two similar
machines sitting side-by-side could produce
radically different results.
Yet, if happenstance and Irish luck place
you in front of the loosest machine in the
house, a "loose" machine over the long run
is seldom a winning proposition.
Dear Mark: Is there any difference between a
Pass Line bet and a Come bet? Can you
explain how they work? Larry S.
Come bets can be confusing to
newbies, but they are easy to play -- and
profitable!
A Come bet acts like a Pass line bet, but
they are made after a pass line point has
been established, with the next point that
the shooter rolls becoming your personal
point.
When you make a Come bet one of the
following three things will occur: a.) The
next roll will be a 7 or 11, in which case
you immediately win even money (1 for 1),
or… b.) The next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12,
in which case you immediately lose money,
or... c.) The 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 will
roll, becoming YOUR and the roller’s point.
If the shooter repeats that point on an
ensuing roll, you win and are paid even
money (1 for 1).
Look at a Come bet and Pass line bet as
analogous, both as a couple of the best bets
in the casino, with each having a house
advantage of less than 1.5%.
Dear Mark: Suppose you are playing Three
Card Poker and you make a bet on "Pairs
Plus". You're dealt a pair of fives, but the
dealer has a pair of aces. What happens to
your bet? Does it lose? I lost a bet this
weekend with my example above. Jerry C.
You shouldn’t have. Dealer error!
He or she, possibly seven hours into their
shift, probably had you on ante/play spots
and inadvertently scooped up your winner.
With a “pair plus” wager, it does not matter
if the player’s hand cannot beat the
dealer’s. This is a stand-alone wager with
the payout based solely on the rank of the
3-card hand. If less than a pair, the player
loses. With a pair or higher, you win, and
the higher the rank, the greater the payout.
Your typical “pair plus” payout schedule, no
matter what the dealer has, is as follows:
A pair: 1 to 1
A flush: 4 to 1
A Straight: 6 to 1
Three of a kind: 30 to 1
A Straight flush: 40 to 1
Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "It
makes sense to do the job well instead of
depending on luck." --H. W. Lewis
