G A M E S

$mart Gamblers select casino games that offer a good chance of
success with a level of involvement that they enjoy.  This
tutorial covers how casino games differ and deciding which ones
to play.


GAME DIFFERENCES


Casinos in major Nevada gambling centers offer a variety of
casino games.  Atlantic City also offers a variety although it is
limited due to regulations.  This appears to be changing over
time.  Many states now have legal forms of casino gambling and
every year additional ones begin.  The casino games they offer
vary depending on regulations, size, competition and length in
operation.


There are three main items to consider in selecting a game or
games to play at in a casino.  First is whether to play at a
machine or at a table.  Most gamblers start their casino
experiences at a slot machine.  The slot machine is the simplest
form of casino gambling requiring little knowledge or skill.  The
bankroll required to play slots can be very modest.  There is no
dealer to interact with or other players to observe actions and
any possible mistakes.  Some gamblers never venture beyond the
slot machine.  They don't desire to learn other games that offer
a better chance of success and more involvement.  Some stay with
slots preferring their gambling to be easy and uncomplicated.

Many table games offer better chances of success than slots when
played correctly.  Minimum bets at table games will be higher
than most slots.  However the casino's percentage advantage is
usually less.  If properly bankrolled and properly  played, table
game gambling is usually a better opportunity.  This will be
shown later in this tutorial.

Some potential table game players never start because they don't
want to appear foolish when learning.  They are unsure of where
and when to bet or how to handle the cards or dice.  A good
solution for this is the free casino training classes often
provided.  Alternatively, look for a low minimum table in a
casino.  It will often attract beginners and sometimes the
dealers may be specifically selected to help them learn.  In some
locations these may only be found during very light periods.

The second main difference in casino games is the extent of
participation in the out come of the gambling event.  All types
of casino gambling involve making decisions regarding where to 
bet and how much to bet.  Whether you win or lose after those
decisions is purely chance in many games.


A few casino games however give the player the opportunity to
influence directly the out come of the gambling event by using
skill.  Video Poker, Blackjack and Pai Gow Poker provide this
decision making control.  Whether the player wins or loses is
influenced by how they play their cards.  These games have high
growth rates as many players feel the decision making aspect is
important to their gambling experiences.

The last main difference in casino games has the greatest impact
on success.  Casinos don't offer games where the player or the
casino has an equal chance of coming out ahead.  They offer games
that have a built-in casino percentage advantage that covers
their overhead and leaves them with a profit.  This is discussed
further in the Odds tutorial.

It is very important to know approximately what the casino
percentage advantage is in any game played or bet made.  They can
vary from a low of -0.01% to a high of -25.00% or more!  The next
section covers the impact on a gambling bankroll of different
casino percentage advantages.

COMPARISONS

  First situation:  $125.00   session bankroll
                      $5.00   bet each time
                      -0.60%  casino percentage advantage

This is a typical six deck blackjack game available at many
casinos.  The correct strategy must be played as covered in the
Blackjack tutorial.  The $mart Gambler program's Planning-Money
Management feature is used to calculate the bankroll.  In this
situation a player could expect to have $122.00 left after 100
bets that might take about one hour.  The casino on average is
keeping $0.03 of each bet.  Sometimes the player will lose and
sometimes the player will win.  Over the long run the player will
average $122.00 left.  The average gambling entertainment cost
will be $3.00 an hour.  Over a three day trip, with 15 hours of
total play, the average cost will be $45.00.  Over a year, with
four gambling trips, the average entertainment cost would be
$180.00.

  Second situation: $100.00   session bankroll
                      $3.00   bet each time
                     - 5.00%  casino percentage advantage

This is a good pay back dollar slot machine.  In this situation
the player could expect to have $70.00 left after 200 bets that
might take about one hour.  The casino on average is keeping
$0.15 of each bet.  The player will lose more times and win fewer
times than in the first situation.  Over the long run the player
will average $70.00 left after a hour of play.  The average
gambling entertainment cost will be $30.00 an hour.  Over a three
day trip, with 15 hours of total play, the average cost will be
$450.00.  


Over a year, with four gambling trips, the average cost will be 
$1800.00.  This is $1620.00 more than the first situation!  
Over a ten year period that is $16,200.00.

These are just two typical examples.  There are casino games
offering better and worst percentages than those shown.  There
are blackjack games, usually only found in Las Vegas, with casino
percentage advantages of only -0.01% when played with the correct
strategy.  This is nearly a break-even game.  It can be played
and the excitement of casino gambling enjoyed at almost no
entertainment cost.  If played for higher amounts, the gambler
may qualify for casino "comps" or complimentary benefits such as
transportation, room, food and beverages.  See the tutorial on
Blackjack for a complete review of the game.

There are better and worst slot machines than shown here.  The 
Slot Machine tutorial discusses them.  A popular alternative to
slot play is Video Poker.  Played correctly, the casino
percentage advantage can be less than -1.00%.  The Video Poker
tutorial provides more information.

The game of Craps offers a variety of bets varying from less than
-1.00% to -16.7% casino percentage advantages.  The Craps
tutorial provides details.  Other tutorials cover the games of
Roulette, Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Red Dog and the Wheel of
Fortune.

SUMMARY

The decision of what casino game or games to play at is by far
the most important one a player can make.  If they are currently
playing at a poor casino percentage advantage game they should
consider an alternative that offers the same type of
entertainment at a reduced cost.  $mart Gamblers do this and
achieve more success and enjoyment in their casino gambling.

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