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Never gambled in Vegas... Advice?

Discussion in 'Casino Gaming' started by stephyamber, Aug 29, 2013.

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  1. stephyamber

    stephyamber Newbie

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    So..we normally don't go to Vegas to gamble. This time I'm interested in doing some. Nothing extreme but I'm up for black jack or machines. I'm not willing to spend much..maybe $200. What's my best bet to make it last and possibly come out on top? Please be specific as I have no idea what I'm doing :eek:
     
  2. Guy

    Guy Captain of the Heads

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    You can research BlackJack Basic Strategy via the Wizard of Odds site (or similar) and then practice on your computer or smartphone.

    Learning other games can also be done in advance, all you really need to do is work out which are the sucker bets and avoid them.
     
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  3. numeno

    numeno VIP Whale

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    As a starting point do you gamble at all anywhere else? You mention blackjack and slots, but have you done these before?
     
  4. Turtleman

    Turtleman VIP Whale

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    Learn whatever games you might want to play BEFORE you go. There's a tremendous amount of how-to information on the Internet (along with libraries and book stores); and the more you know about the games, the higher the likelihood of stretching your money, maybe even making some, and certainly having a more enjoyable experience.

    If you decide to play blackjack or any of the other "real" games, you might want to consider going off-Strip or downtown, as that's where you'll find $5 and even $3 tables. I wouldn't recommend starting out at $10 or $15 tables with a $200 bankroll, especially if you're a beginner. As already mentioned, there are plenty of programs that will permit practicing for free. Don't wait until you arrive in Vegas; the "tuition" to learn as you go can be very expensive. Have fun!
     
  5. SUPER MACHINE

    SUPER MACHINE Tourist

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    The wizard of odds site is great. Learn blackjack on his website and play low minimum tables with 3/2 payout If possible.
     
  6. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    Another +1 for low-limit blackjack.
    Bear in mind - $200 is really only two buy-ins, even playing a $5 table.
    That's 20-units. Nothing wrong with that at all, but you need to be prepared for a lot of extra time with no gambling funds.
    Best possible place for you to play (IMO) is the El Cortez. They have a $3, two-deck shoe with good rules.
    Because it's a shoe, I think you'll be mre comfotable, especially seeing how others play their hands.
    Additionally, at $3 x 20-units, that gives you 3-session buy-ins of $60.
    I would suggest flat-betting @ $3 a hand, play proper basic strategy, and set an objective - say winning $40 per session. That's reasonable and it represents a 66% return on your $60 buy-in.
    Once you get up $80, I'd increase my betting unit to $5 & start buying in for $100.
    Set your win-objective to $50.
    If that's successful three consecutive times, you will have turned your initial $200 into $430.

    You will have more than doubled your bankroll.
    Not many gamblers will ever do better than that on a trip.
    That would be a good time to quit, or to start all over again @$3 a hand, with $60 buy-ins.
     
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  7. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    I will let the specific gaming advice be administered by those far more expert that I.


    I will offer this, out of about 15 LV trips, I have left up a signifigant amount of cash only twice. On those trips each day I stopped gaming when I was ahead and just enjoyed the city for the rest of the day.

    If you beat the odds, it is typically wise to leave it at that. I am not a huge gambling addict though, gaming is not even in my top 5 of why I vac in LV.
     
  8. jackincols

    jackincols Guest

    "I will offer this, out of about 15 LV trips, I have left up a signifigant amount of cash only twice. On those trips each day I stopped gaming when I was ahead and just enjoyed the city for the rest of the day."



    Good testimonial as to why it's as important to know when to quit while ahead as it is to quit when you're getting your head handed to you.
     
  9. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    good luck, but not knowing the games is one of the casinos biggest weapons against the player. have a great time, but your chances of coming out ahead the first time are very low unless you just get really lucky. but that can always happen!
     
  10. rayrat

    rayrat Low-Roller

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    If you are playing slots, ALWAYS put the max coins in per spin.
     
  11. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    Vegas offers three winnable games, not taking comps into consideration. All require a high skill level. They are blackjack if you pick the right games, learn basic strategy, and count, video poker if you pick the right games and play them perfectly, and live poker if you have the skill and patience and pick the right games.

    If you prefer one of those, put in the time to learn it, and learn where the better games may be found. If you don't like any of those three and/or don't want to learn them, your best bet is probably to play low stakes craps, bet pass or don't pass, and take maximum odds on the point. Avoid all other wagers. Craps requires zero skill.

    If you want to maximize your time on a slot machine, play the lowest stakes video slot game you can find and place a maximum wager. I understand that Pai Gow is another table game at which you can lose rather slowly by learning the "house way," which is not too hard to master.

    Avoid all betting schemes, and don't play roulette. Don't listen to others who talk about their big wins at other games besides the three in the first paragraph. Most of them suffer from severe loss amnesia.
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2013
  12. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    I agree with 99% of what you wrote, but would note that the max bet on a penny slot is likely going to be quite a bit more than the max bet on a quarter slot, with a significantly higher house edge to boot.
     
  13. The Furry One

    The Furry One Low-Roller

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    From the sound of it you are looking to hopefully spend more than a half hour gambling with your $200 but want to feel the vibe of gambling. As you say you have no idea what you are doing I would personally suggest you split your gambling bankroll in half and learn to play both video poker and blackjack. That way you get to experience both machine play and live table play and see which, if either, floats your boat.

    For video poker you would be best off learning Jacks Or Better (JOB), it is the easiest to learn correct play and not a very volatile game compared to other variants but still gives you a chance of a very nice pay if you are lucky enough to get a royal when betting max. With a $100 bankroll I'd suggest starting off at single-play nickels (25c per hand with max bet) and if/when you feel comfortable perhaps move up to single-play quarters ($1.25 p/h).

    For blackjack you should definately go off strip and play at the lowest level you can find that has decent rules ($5 or lower if poss), let the dealer know you are a novice and if they are worth their salt they should ease you into the game and stick to the table minimum bets. Don't let live play intimidate you - every player had to sit down at a table for the first ever time at some point even if some appear to forget that fact occasionally.

    I'd agree with setting a point for each session on both games at which you walk away with a profit if things go your way. If you find you've enjoyed that particular game you can always buy in for another session at another point and if not you've experienced it and walked away a winner.

    Whatever you opt to do, whether it be all, part or none of the above, I hope your experience is an enjoyable one. If you come out a winner even better.

    Furry
     
  14. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

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    Well said. Invest the time to learn basic strategy in BJ and unless you have a horrible run of luck your $200 should last a good while at the lower limit tables.:peace::beer:
     
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  15. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    I confess to knowing nothing about the maximum wager for a penny slot or any slot. The only times I have ever played slots were with a friend who wanted to. I would never play slots on my own. They do nothing for me.

    I assumed, possibly incorrectly, that a quarter machine would be set up the same way as a penny machine, so a penny machine would involve a much lower total wager for each pull, thereby maximizing time on the machine for a given gambling loss budget. I also assumed that under the "loss disguised as a win" plan employed by so many slots, playing more lines smooths the ride down. Would it be better to play maximum lines but with a minimum wager per line?

    Is it possible to quantify the difference in the hold between a penny machine and a quarter machine in a particular casino? Slot machines, unlike video poker, do not provide any information about the hold unless one plays at a marked bank.

    Perhaps rather than playing that way, if the maximum wager is that high, a player should make small wagers, play one or just a few lines on a penny or nickel machine, and take the payout hit in exchange for a smaller total loss per hour- if, of course, one finds that to be entertaining. That is the way another friend plays. She budgets $5 or $10 per session and gets up when it's gone.
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2013
  16. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    It isn't always mandatory to do max bet. You need to review the information on the machine to make that determination.
    Some will read "Max bet required to activate the Bonus" or to win the progressive.
    There are plenty of penny machines that can be played for 30-40 cents per spin.

    BlackJack is a good game but that $200 can disappear quickly.
    If you want considerable play do the JOB Video Poker. My wife played about 4 hours on $20 playing the 1 cent machine (100 play, for $1 per turn).
    She got a number of free drinks while playing as well.
     
  17. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    Hundred play JOB would even out the wins and losses if you can stand the tiny, tiny cards. 9/6 JOB can be learned fairly fast if you are willing to settle for 97%-98% accuracy, and is relatively smooth and reasonably close to positive expectation. But those tiny cards! Also, playing a single cent per hand eliminates the royal flush bonus.

    Yeah, 40 cents a spin should keep people playing quite a while on that budget, even if the hold is higher on the penny machines. I just can't stand slots. Obviously, it's a minority opinion among Vegas visitors.
     
  18. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    This is not good advice for the OP. Playing max-coins is only favorable on machines with a max-coin bonus and even then you couldn't say "always" play that, especially for someone like the OP who wants to make a small amount of money last.

    I would also recommend the low-limit blackjack as the best option to fit both your criteria - making it last and possibly coming out on top.
     
  19. stephyamber

    stephyamber Newbie

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    Thanks to all of you for the information! I have played BJ before, just never at a casino, so I am a bit intimidated to do so. Mainly because I do not want people to be all annoyed if I don't know the gestures and all that.

    I really do want to try BJ this time. I know basic strategy, so I figured if I go on that I should be fine for a while.

    Slots are fun for me.. but I know the odds.. so that's why I was interested in seeing which ones everyone thought were the best. I will give that Jacks game a try if I come across one.

    We leave for Vegas early tomorrow morning. I will definitely do some studying up on the plane!:wave:
     
  20. rayrat

    rayrat Low-Roller

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    Regarding max coins in the slots, let me just relate this story.

    In Palace Station years ago, my wife put a nickel into a slot machine, and didn't put in the other nickels because she was out of change and didn't see me. She hit the jackpot and won $400. Had she waited until I came around with 2 more nickels, that jackpot would have been something like $15,000.

    Use your judgement, of course, but go for the big win. It's Vegas!
     
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