Las Vegas is Cheapskate
City
30 July 1999
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
I received an advertisement in the mail that
offered a book of coupons that I can use on my
next trip to Las Vegas. They wanted $4.95 for
$200 worth of coupons. Is that a good deal?
Terry C.
Save your money, Terry. Not only is Las Vegas
the hot dog and shrimp cocktail capital of the
world, but for the coupon clipper, Las Vegas is
the "half-off" city. Everywhere you look, or go,
newsstands will be loaded with, and hawkers
passing out, coupons with the latest bargains in
Las Vegas. The favorite of many who journey to
Vegas is What's On in Las Vegas. With a
130,000-per-issue circulation, you will find
this FREE, coupon-laden publication everywhere.
I'll be forthcoming here, Terry. I'm a big time
tightwad. I won't, nor should you, pay full
price for anything.
Dear Mark,
I have two blackjack questions for you. First,
what is the house advantage, if any, if I use a
never-bust system against the dealer? Also, is
it better to play on a blackjack game where the
dealer hits a soft 17 or stands? Thomas D.
Over the years I've seen many losing players
employ this never-bust strategy. Right off the
top, they're giving the house a 5% edge. Strict
basic strategy, which obviously recommends
hitting plenty of stiff hands, cuts the house
edge to a half of one percent on the six-or
eight-deck games that you'll find in the Chicago
area. Use it, or plan on losing it-all.
When you play a game in which the dealer hits a
soft 17, you give the house an additional
two-tenths of one percent. With a soft 17
showing, an Ace, 2, 3 or 4 improves the dealer's
hand and a 10, Jack, Queen or King leaves it of
equivalent value. Eight of every 13 cards,
Thomas, either improves the dealers hand or it
stays the same. If any of the other five cards
are drawn, the dealer still has a chance to
convalesce his hand with another draw.
For the above reason, Thomas, basic strategy
dictates that you the player should always hit a
soft 17, or double down against a dealer who's
showing a 3, 4, 5, 6.
Dear Mark,
Could you please give a brief description of the
rules for Let It Ride? Hugh G.
Let It Ride is based on the all-American game of
five-card stud poker. The game begins with every
player placing three equal wagers on their
individual betting circles. The object of the
game is to get a winning poker hand (10s or
better) using your three cards plus the dealers
two "community" cards. Your three cards are
dealt face down, and the two community cards are
placed face down in front of the dealer.
After looking at your three cards, you may ask
to have your bet returned or "let it ride,"
depending on whether your cards show the
possibility of a winning hand. Then the dealer's
first community card is turned over, and again
you can ask for your bet back or let it ride.
Finally, the second community card is turned
over, completing both the player's poker hand
and the game. Your third bet, a contract wager,
is committed to play and can't be returned. The
dealer then pays all the winning hands according
to a payout schedule. The higher the rank hand,
the greater the payoff, with a royal flush
paying 1,000 to one.
The game is fairly simple, Hugh, but because 70%
of the hands are outright losers, the house edge
(3.5%) is well above my recommended maximum of
2%. I recommend you stick with some of the
better bets that the casino has to offer.
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