The correct spelling is A
L B U Q U E R Q U E
7 May 1999
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
This is not exactly a casino gambling question
but an inquiry regarding bar betting strategies.
Why is it that I am always buying free drinks?
It does not matter if it's trivia or a magic
trick, I am always duped into paying. Help!
James S.
Every tavern I have patronized has at least five
bar-stool regulars who can spell Albuquerque. In
the real world no one can spell it.
You won't be a patsy for free drinks if you heed
this classic warning from Damon Runyon: "Son, no
matter how far you travel, or how smart you get,
always remember this: someday, somewhere, a guy
is going to come up to you and show you a nice
brand-new deck of cards on which the seal has
not been broken, and this guy is going to offer
to bet you that the jack of spades will jump out
of this deck and squirt cider in your ear. But,
son, do not bet him, for as sure as you do, you
are going to get an ear full of cider."
Dear Mark,
Are not the rules better for roulette in
Atlantic City than in Las Vegas? Jay G.
Only on one wager, Jay. When you make an
even-money bet (red/black, odd/even, 1-18/9-36)
in Atlantic City, you lose only half your wager
if the roulette ball lands on 0 or 00. These
outside wagers cut the house edge down from 5.26
to 2.63%.
Keep in mind, Jay, that this advantage is only
in effect for even-money bets. For even better
value, Las Vegas offers single zero roulette
tables at numerous casinos. A single zero game
will give the casino only a 2.7% edge on all
roulette bets.
Dear Mark,
I have only been to the casinos three times but
have come home a winner on each occasion. I
operate strictly by a "feel" for certain
machines. Ever hear of consistent winners that
base their skill on "feelings"? Dusty R.
I am willing to wager dollars to donuts that I
can prove with 100% certainty that you do not
possess such an ability. I bet you want me to
prove it. Well, Bob, if you answer my question,
"Yes, I go to work every Monday morning," then
you don't have such skills.
Dear Mark,
Thank you for the advice on playing the
single-zero roulette game at the Monte Carlo. My
wife broke even and I actually won $200. I do
have a question regarding the single zero game.
Is the game I played at the Monte Carlo in Las
Vegas an exact duplicate in rules as a roulette
table at the real Monte Carlo in Europe? Paul L.
Not quite, Paul. A true European single-zero
wheel offers a rule called "en prison." If you
make an even money bet and the ball lands on
zero, the croupier doesn't rake in your wager.
Instead, your bet is "imprisoned" or held
hostage, and you are forced to let it ride until
the next spin. If your bet wins, you can remove
it from the table. What is exciting about this
wager is that it cuts the house edge on even
money bets in half, down to a very respectable
1.35%. This makes it one of the better bets in
European casinos.
Dear Mark,
Is there ever a time when you would double down
for less in blackjack? Sal G.
Never is the correct answer. Because you only
double down when you are more likely to win the
hand than lose, you always want to wager the
maximum amount. It is the double downs and
blackjacks that take your blackjack play from
the red to the black. Don't shortchange yourself
in these situations.
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