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Vegas advice!

A forum for discussion on gambling such as lottery and casino games.
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cesc1977
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Vegas advice!

Post by cesc1977 »

I'm off to Vegas in a few weeks for a friend's stag do and wanted to ask all you kind FISO souls for some advice.

My casino experience extends to a couple of work trips to UK casinos (e.g. the Stanley in Newcastle) and games of texas hold'em with friends. So in summary, I have a reasonable idea of how to play blackjack (but not well) and texas hold'em, but no nothing about other casino games - casino poker, slots, roulette etc.

Without wanting to spend a fortune, can anyone give me some advice on a) what games to play, b) which casinos to head for and c) any tips on playing the games themselves.

Thanks in advance!

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Karrde
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by Karrde »

The best advice anyone will give you with casino games is that you should expect to lose and if you win its a bonus. So decide how much you want to lose before you go, and mentally write it off. If you come back with it or any extra then fair play too you. Once you understand that the house does have an edge, then youre good to go and enjoy yourself.

What games would you most like to play? Because after all, youre there to enjoy it rather than make a million.

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cesc1977
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by cesc1977 »

Thanks Karrde - I'll figure out my daily budget and stick to it (when it's gone it's gone!)

Would like to play some blackjack as I think it's quite good "value for money" i.e. you can play for quite a while without losing too much I think, plus it's sociable with friends round the table. Other than that, I would love to try out my hold'em skills in a casino! No real interest in slots though...

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Digsby
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by Digsby »

I've been a couple of times and that's sound advice, expect lo lose and anything else is a bonus.
Set yourself a daily budget and don't go over it.
More importantly, though, you need to work out a limit, either an amount or a time limit of when to stop if you are up. :shock:
This was something I found harder than setting a limit to lose. In the end, if I was winning, I'd say to myself that, whatever the situation, I'll stop playing at 2am for example. If you don't do this, you'll soon find yourself doubling up your bets and, more often than not, blowing your daily budget.
As for casinos to play in it depends what you're after. Have a walk around on the first day you're out there and spend some time where you feel comfortable (get a list of all the hold em games/timetables for the week). Before you start playing register for an MGM players card (you can get these at the MGM affilliated casinos, MGM Grand, Mirage etc. Every time you play, give your card to the croupier/dealer and accumulate points which are redeemable for a gift at the end of your stay.
If you're just going to play in the casino you're staying in, they will probably have a similar loyalty offer.
First time I went we satyed in the Alladin (now Planet Hollywood) and played there for the majority of the week (only small stakes). By the end of our stay we had accumulated enough points for the manager to 'comp' us for our room bill which was about $200 worth of food and drinks.
Most importantly of all, have fun. It's the best place in the world!!!!! 8-)

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Karrde
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by Karrde »

Ive asked one of our more gamble ready friends to give you the blackjack basics :P

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djnuttie
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by djnuttie »

Aaah Vegas 8-) The city that never sleepls :wink:

The problem with Vegas and Blackjack in particular is you can lose a fortune in no time at all. This is OK if its a night out at home but if your staying in Vegas for a week then those $300 sessions at the table can soon add up :shock:

Heres my advice. There is a game called 'pai gow' poker. All the casinos have a couple of tables for it, normally with a $10 min. Up to six players play at once, but regardless of how many sit down its your hand versus the dealer. You get 7 cards and have to split them into two hands (a 5 card hand and a 2 card hand). If both your hands beat the dealer you win. If both of the dealers hands beat you, you lose. If you win one hand and lose the other, no one wins and your $10 stays there for the next hand. (The houses' edge is they take 5% of your winnings, so your betting $10 to win $9.50, plus if you have the same hand as the dealer it counts as a win for them).

With average luck, every 4 hands you'll win one, lose one and draw two. On a table of 6 players a hand can take 5 mins for all cards to be dealt, hands to be decided, then all bets settled.

Playing this game your money will last a lot longer, plus you can enjoy your free drinks whilst playing which should cover any commission paid to the dealer. Near the end of the night, throw caution to the wind and play a few hands for $100. :mrgreen:

Did I ever tell you about the time I was playing for $30 or so a hand and some fella was playing his own hand for $10K and randomly playing $5K on each of three other players at the table :shock: So when hes on my hand, I win $28.50 and he picks up $4,750 :shock:

Don't worry about how to play, if you've played Holdem before it'll take you no time to pick it up.
1) I've been to Vegas with 2 different women (thinly veiled brag :wink: ) who both picked it up in no time. :shock:
2) If in any doubt about your hand, you are allowed to turn over all 7 cards, show them to the dealer and ask 'how would the house play this hand' They will then tell you how to split your hand.
3) Most casinos give free lessons during the day time where they will explain exactly how to play.

Enjoy :D

abdulhakim
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by abdulhakim »

http://wizardofodds.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The above is a great site for advice and strategy on casino games.

Try the 'Play for Fun' on the same site to learn how to play various games.

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kizkiz
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by kizkiz »

I can't believe someone asks how to play blackjack and dave comes on and tells them to play pai gow :lol:
The game is so complicated that it takes two dealers just to work out what the eff is going on. I didn't see you mention the dominos either nuttie?

The key with blackjack is a bit of simple card counting.
Sit somewhere near the end of the shoe, but not the very end, as you will have to take hits. Once it gets to you, have a little look at the cards on show, and think back to what you've seen recently. Lots of high cards and it's good odds you're getting a low one and vice versa

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Kdub
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by Kdub »

djnuttie wrote:Aaah Vegas 8-) The city that never sleepls :wink:

The problem with Vegas and Blackjack in particular is you can lose a fortune in no time at all. This is OK if its a night out at home but if your staying in Vegas for a week then those $300 sessions at the table can soon add up :shock:

Heres my advice. There is a game called 'pai gow' poker. All the casinos have a couple of tables for it, normally with a $10 min. Up to six players play at once, but regardless of how many sit down its your hand versus the dealer. You get 7 cards and have to split them into two hands (a 5 card hand and a 2 card hand). If both your hands beat the dealer you win. If both of the dealers hands beat you, you lose. If you win one hand and lose the other, no one wins and your $10 stays there for the next hand. (The houses' edge is they take 5% of your winnings, so your betting $10 to win $9.50, plus if you have the same hand as the dealer it counts as a win for them).

With average luck, every 4 hands you'll win one, lose one and draw two. On a table of 6 players a hand can take 5 mins for all cards to be dealt, hands to be decided, then all bets settled.

Playing this game your money will last a lot longer, plus you can enjoy your free drinks whilst playing which should cover any commission paid to the dealer. Near the end of the night, throw caution to the wind and play a few hands for $100. :mrgreen:

Did I ever tell you about the time I was playing for $30 or so a hand and some fella was playing his own hand for $10K and randomly playing $5K on each of three other players at the table :shock: So when hes on my hand, I win $28.50 and he picks up $4,750 :shock:

Don't worry about how to play, if you've played Holdem before it'll take you no time to pick it up.
1) I've been to Vegas with 2 different women (thinly veiled brag :wink: ) who both picked it up in no time. :shock:
2) If in any doubt about your hand, you are allowed to turn over all 7 cards, show them to the dealer and ask 'how would the house play this hand' They will then tell you how to split your hand.
3) Most casinos give free lessons during the day time where they will explain exactly how to play.

Enjoy :D
PAI GOW it is !

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djnuttie
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by djnuttie »

kizkiz wrote:I can't believe someone asks how to play blackjack and dave comes on and tells them to play pai gow :lol:
The game is so complicated that it takes two dealers just to work out what the eff is going on. I didn't see you mention the dominos either nuttie?

The key with blackjack is a bit of simple card counting.
Sit somewhere near the end of the shoe, but not the very end, as you will have to take hits. Once it gets to you, have a little look at the cards on show, and think back to what you've seen recently. Lots of high cards and it's good odds you're getting a low one and vice versa
Oh kiz, you poor deluded soul :wink:

The key to BlackJack is not a bit of simple card counting! Yes, you can count high cards v low cards but the count doesn't often move far away from 0. Even when it does, it only moves the odds a small amount back in your favour so unless your prepared to a) stay sober and keep a controlled count of the cards and b) vary your stakes significantly when the count moves in your favour ie $10 normal bet but then bet $100 when you like the count then it really isn't worth it. I mean, who stays sober in a casino :roll:

Although BlackJack is the best game for a punter to play in terms of the house edge this is completely negated by high volume of hands played. As an example (and yes I am making up these number but its just to illustrate the point). Every Black Jack hand you lose an average of $1, every pai gow hand you lose $2. If you only want to play 1 hand then yes, Black jack is the way to go. But if the table deals 40 hands of Black Jack per hour and only 10 hands of Pai Gow then...well you do the math :wink:

Now, forget the dice or dominos, this is purely a way to determine who the cards are dealt to. When there is a dispute and a second dealer is called - well that just adds to the entertainment :D

Trust me, my girlfriend picked it up Pai Gow in no time at all and she still can't use the Sky+ remote after 3 years. :mrgreen:

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Synyster
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by Synyster »

Card counting I believe is now pretty darn useless alone, few people have told me they now use 5 decks and electronically shuffle these, the decks are swapped every 15mins. I mean a small amount of card counting may give you a slight advantage, but nothing bank boosting imo.

I'll be going fairly soon, the week in Caesars is nice and cheap, just as they want to take your money at their casino. :D

Just whatever happens, have fun. :D :D

scientistbomb
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Re: Vegas advice!

Post by scientistbomb »

The best counsel anybody will give you with gambling club games is that you ought to hope to lose and assuming you win its a reward. So conclude the amount you need to lose before you go, and intellectually discount it. On the off chance that you return with it or any extra, fair play too you. When you comprehend that the house has an edge, then, at that point, youre all set and have fun.

What games might you most want to play? Since all things considered, youre there to appreciate it as opposed to making 1,000,000.

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