 
Playing
bingo can be sound gambling
Dear
Mark,
Horrific as it sounds, it seems
that the only game I'm able to win
at lately is bingo. The thing is,
for a comparatively small amount
of money I can get a pretty good
return. It also makes a nice relaxing
change of pace if I'm on a losing
streak and need to slow down my
losses but I just don't want to
leave the casino yet. Agree? Rick
M.
Most
players don't realize it, but bingo
is one game the casino offers that
generally operates as a loss-leader
for the house. Casinos can actually
show a net loss by paying out more
in guaranteed prizes than they take
in. Now for those who think $5 is
a hefty price for a buy-in, try
a special non-cash game-yes, FREE-that
casinos occasionally advertise.
Rick, you answered your own question
correctly. Bingo does offer a great
return and is a nice, relaxing change
of pace if you're on a losing streak
and need to slow down your losses.
Dear
Mark,
I am planning my first trip to Las
Vegas. The only game I play is Video
Poker. Any recommendations on where
to play? Annie C.
One
of the great things about playing
video poker, Annie, is that the
casino actually tells you which
machines are better than others.
How? Just by reading the paytable
displayed on the machine's faceplate.
So who has the best paytables in
Las Vegas? Have your cabby drop
you off at the Stratosphere. By
offering "certified" 100+
payouts on quarter machines, the
Stratosphere may very well be, according
to their claim, "the best place
to gamble on the planet." My
personal favorites are their 10/6
and 9/7 Jacks or Better machines.
With perfect play, the 10/6 machine
will return 100.7 percent and the
9/7 machine 100.8 percent. Throw
in some slot club card perks, Annie,
and the Stratosphere is actually
paying you to gamble.
Dear
Mark,
How do you judge one casino as being
better than another? Missy D.
Tastes
will always vary, Missy, but when
I'm asked which is "the best"
casino to play in, I'm particular.
Yes, a casino offering a 99¢
breakfast special is enticing, a
$3.49 prime rib buffet tempting,
a comp to a Broadway musical is
worth kissing up to a pit boss for,
but my answer will always remain
the same. I judge a casino "the
best" by where gaming rules
maximize a players chances of winning.
Examples: Single versus double zeros
on a roulette table; blackjack dealt
from a single deck with liberal
rules like doubling on anything,
resplitting and surrender; a crap
game offering five or ten times
odds in lieu of two-times odds;
a mini-baccarat table with low limits;
casinos that advertise 98.5% paybacks
on their slot machines, then tell
you which machines those are when
you ask; and finally, my favorite,
9/6 video poker machines.
The other casinos? They can keep
their 49¢ hot dogs and free
coffee mugs. I suggest that if you're
willing to find "the best"
casino my way, you will have a much
better chance of winning. And isn't
that what we're really there for?
Dear
Mark,
Who has the best shrimp in Las Vegas?
Tom T.
I'm
partial to a joint downtown called
the Golden Gate. They're cheap-99¢-have
no filler (generally 50 percent
celery), and the servings are huge.
You'll find these bargain shrimp
cocktails in the deli near the rear
of the casino. I'll be in Las Vegas
next month to field-test these denizens
of the deep, again, for the tenth
time, to make sure I'm not giving
out erroneous information.
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