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Sometimes
you wonder who runs the nut house
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Dear Mark,
I have heard that in some casinos in Las Vegas
a pit boss will keep track of a dealer's gains
and losses on a per shift basis, and the subsequent
pit that they get assigned to will be based on
these numbers. Generally speaking, hot dealers
(dealers who are winning more than they are losing)
will be assigned the higher limit tables. Two
different dealers in one casino told me how much
pressure they were under to win. Is this true?
Darrell L... more »
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The
side of gambling casinos never talk about
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Dear Mark,
I am a graduate student working on my Masters
degree in Abnormal Psychology. My thesis is on
Compulsive/Problem Gamblers. Any information on
the extent of the problem, trends, profiles and
treatment of problem gambling would be greatly
appreciated. Jane B... more »
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Salvo
Cannonade of Craps Questions
Before I Deal: Craps can be mind-boggling entertainment,
making mincemeat out of those who don't understand
the fundamentals. My guess is that fewer than
one percent of players truly grasp dice. The only
thing greener than the felt on your typical crap
game is not the money won, but the players. What
proves my one percent theory is that on any crap
game, most, if not all, players make at least
one wager that has a house advantage of between
6-16 plus percent. But if you've read my column
long enough, you know that I feel any wager, on
any game, with a house edge in excess of 2%, is
a SUCKER bet... more »
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Viva
Las Vegas
Before
I Deal: I receive an abundance of mail from individuals
making their first pilgrimage to Las Vegas asking
me this or that about the gaming Meca of the world.
Not one to hold back expressing my biased opinion,
I will advise you that discounting 50% of my dogma
would be appropriate. Two reasons why. First,
I don't reside there (I live in northern Nevada
but visit Las Vegas a dozen times a year) and
second, I'm a journalist. Properly forewarned,
here is a sampling of the many questions I get
weekly... more »
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Slots
simplified
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Dear Mark,
KISS, keep it simple stupid. That's how I gamble
by playing only slot machines. Can you share some
simple tips on the easiest game to play, slots?
Sherry B... more »
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Are
birthday numbers really luckier?
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Dear Mark,
In a past column you stated that you only play
the lottery when the jackpot approaches true odds
plus playing quick-pick (random) numbers. I can
see your first point, but I, like most people,
play my family's birthday numbers because of the
luck factor. What is wrong with that?
Also,
you used the odds of hitting a California 6/51
ticket as an example. Our state lottery has 54
numbers. What are the chances of hitting it? Dale
G... more »
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Bring
your kids-sort of
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Dear Mark,
I wish I had read a past column you wrote called
Split Decision before I made a recent trip with
my family to Las Vegas. I was appalled at the
amount of handbills advertising sex being pushed
down my throat on the Strip right in front of
the MGM Grand. Who in their right mind would bring
a family to Las Vegas? Clifford M... more »
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The
Law of 250
-- Dear Mark,
I agree with you about judging casinos in your
column "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."
I would like to add the Soaring Eagle Casino of
Mt. Pleasant, MI to your ugly list. Besides employees
being extremely rude, they charge for drinks while
you're playing slots and their machines are the
tightest I've ever played. If they don't change
their ways soon, they're going to lose a lot of
customers when the new casinos in Detroit are
built. You need to let your readers know how bad
it is. In the future I'm going elsewhere to do
my gaming. Rick J. Wixom, MI...
more »
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With
the Wise Guys gone, Wall Street rolled in
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Dear Mark,
Is it true that the reason Caesar's treats the
customer so well is because it is one of the last
casinos still owned by the Mafia? Just curious
because I love that place, even when I lose. Chris
K... more »
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