There are a lot of myths about gamblers who as if were playing professionally before publication of the basic strategy for one-pack game by Americans Cantey, McDermott, Maisel and Baldwin in1958. But all that was before them still remains a legend. The four statisticians performed their calculations just with the help of hand calculator. However it was their publication in the American Journal of the American Statistical Association causing much excitement among both gamblers and statisticians, and blackjack was considered a game a common player might probably win. Encouraged by popularity of the article in the magazine, copied and learnt by heart by many players, the originators published a book “Winning Blackjack”. Nowadays this book is a scarce edition and it enriches the home library of many professional gamblers.

In 1962 Edward Thorp this time using computer technologies calculate and published in his book Beat The Dealer not only the basic strategy of playing but also card counting. Thorp states that blackjack differs from roulette, craps and other games of luck, the result of every hand in blackjack depends on the previous dealing – it really matters which cards drew back form the game and which remained in the pack. Most of the stuff calculated by Thorp is still precise, but all the serious modern gamblers should read this book only for historical interest.

Thorp’s system called “10 count system” was meant for one pack game which enjoyed great success in all casinos of Nevada. It was extremely difficult for learning, so most of the gamblers gave it up. However, Nevada’s casinos restricted some rules, for example, doubling down only on 11 points. The media told the whole world about it, and Thorp with his book became known all over the world and the casinos that showed themselves to disadvantage had to return former rules. Realizing that under such circumstances crowds card counters would be trying to beat the house, operators of gambling houses introduced two procedures – shuffling after withdrawal of the trim card and multi-packed games.

Thorp’s systems was very difficult to use in practice. But for the computer conference in Las Vegas in 1963, the game would remain on the same level. On a whim, the conference organizers decided to include a Panel Session on “Using Computers in Games of Chance and Skill.” It was just a whim of the organizers to include a section “Using computers in games of chance and skill”. Thorp was designated as Chairman of the Panel and experts on the various casino games, including blackjack, roulette and baccarat. The room filled up and overflowed with computer gamblers. Hundreds of conference attendees were pushing and shoving to get into the room.

The crowd, of course, had been drawn by Thorp. They were expecting revelations on the game and anticipated using his imparted wisdom immediately following the session to make a killing at the blackjack tables.

After one or two more presentations that mainly corrected and modified Thorp’s system, Harvey Dubner was introduced. He described the approach. Dubner kept a count of remaining high cards (10,J,Q,K,A) and low cards (2,3,4,5,6) as the cards were played and divided its difference by total cards left to play. He called the result the High-Low Ratio. His presentation was enthusiastically received by the standing room only crowd and he was given a round of applause at its conclusion. Here at last, many were saying, is a system that is practical, that can actually be used in the real world of casino play. Thorp incorporated “high-low” system into the second edition of Beat the Dealer published in 1966 and since then over 100 professional books on blackjack, team games, hidden computers, shuffle tracking and sleepless nights for casino securities all over the world.

If you are a fan of video slots then this section is a great place to get some free playing tips and strategies to increase your playing time and stretch your bankroll further. With more and more video reel based games being released each year it is clear that video slots are the future of slot gaming.

Tip 1 : Before You Play

Rather than just sitting down, inserting some cash and hitting max bet we highly recommend spending a few minutes becoming familiar with the machine you are about to play. You can do this by reading the pay table or pressing the “Help” button that appears on most modern day games. The help screen or pay table will show you if max bet is required for the bonus games and other important info.

Tip 2 : Play Max Lines

Seeing as all video slots have at least five lines we suggest that you always play max lines. There is nothing more annoying and disappointing to line up a big winning combination on a line you did not bet on. Saving a few cents on playing less than maximum lines can be a costly error.

Tip 3 : Do you need to play Max Bet?

There is a key difference between max bet and max lines. Most modern day games allow you to bet more than one coin per line. This can quickly add up to some serious money even at the penny coin size. For example a 20 line penny slot that allows 25 coins per line costs $5 per max bet spin (20×25=500). Unless there is a reason to play max bet you often don’t need to.

Tip 4 : Don’t chase the bonus features

With most new games offering some kind of bonus game it is important to not chase the features. While may games offer huge pay outs on the bonus rounds they are also designed to keep you playing longer in the hope of reaching the bonus. I have seen many players lose a nice bankroll because they decide they will play until just one more feature hits.

Tip 5 : Its all about having fun

The whole purpose of video slot machines is to increase the ways you can be entertained by playing. All of the great animations and flashing lights are in place to make the games fun to play but also to keep you playing. Remember that all slot machines have a payout percentage of less than 100% so over the long term it is unlikely that you will be ahead. The key is to get as much fun as possible for the least amount of money

The game of Roulette is one of the most popular table games from all around the World. If you are searching for a casino game which has simple rules and you want to sacrifice on the house edge, you have chosen the right game. The only difference between Roulette and other table games consists of the fact that the value of the specific roulette chips is not defined on them. Gamblers are provided with several sets of chips which are coloured distinctly. When you buy-in you will be given your own colour and the value of your chips will be calculated due to your buy-in and the number or chips you have received. Although players have the chance to make 11 different kinds of bets, the game of roulette has the worst odds available in casino gambling.

The house edge percentage reaches the amount of 5.26% and for one specific bet this value is of 7.29%, which is very high. The above mentioned betting types include six inside bets (red, black and green areas), and five outside bets (the white areas). One of the main strategies you need to take into consideration is that the roulette wheels with single zero are more advantageous than those with double zero, where the house edge is higher. The particular Roulette strategies serve for giving a piece of advice regarding the methods which should be followed in order to increase your odds of winning, so that you can set the most appropriate limits for win and loss. One of the oldest and most popular betting systems is the ‘Martingale’ or doubling-up system. However, many gamblers make a mistake by applying this betting option.

This type of wagering is a risky one, as it work in such a way that the gambler starts with one bet and if he wins, he starts it over with another one. But, in case he loses, he always doubles his last lost bet. In addition, when the player wins, all of his lost bets are recovered, plus he will also benefit of one extra chip. Using the Martingale system is at your own risk, as it may happen that you run out of money or reach the house limit and then you can lose your money for good and never recover your losses. Above this, another strategy you can apply is the one that rolls around the bankroll management. For instance, a player starts betting with the amount of $100. In order to save his placed bet, he defines a $100 loss limit, which is his full bankroll in the same time. This means that in case the player looses, he cannot return to the playing session. You can also specify a win limit, and if you reach to it, you can stop playing; this way the risk of loosing your winnings will be reduced.

When playing Roulette for several times, gamblers will have their own system of playing. This is why it’s advisable for you to get used to these strategies by playing just for fun at first, and then when you feel that you have gained experience, you can give it a try and bet for real cash.