Gambling Guide
Ask the Wizard #169
"Anonymous" .
According to the Nevada Gaming Control Boards that means that every slot machine in that bank must be set to a theoretical return of at least 97.4%. Popular opinion has it that only one machine must be set to 97.4%, or that the overall average must be 97.4%. However, I am taking a firm stand that both notions are wrong, at least here in Nevada.
Bob B. from Scottsdale
The following table shows the probability for 1 to 8 higher ranks and 2 to 10 players, including yourself. In the case of your example of 4 higher ranks and 9 total players, the probability is 16.45%. The way I calculated these probabilities assumed independence between hands, which is not a correct assumption, but the results should be a close estimate.
Probability of Higher FlushHigher Ranks (down) by Total Players (across)Wizard Estimate
| Higher Ranks | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1 | 0.71% | 1.41% | 2.11% | 2.80% | 3.49% | 4.17% | 4.85% | 5.52% | 6.19% |
| 2 | 1.31% | 2.61% | 3.89% | 5.15% | 6.40% | 7.62% | 8.84% | 10.03% | 11.22% |
| 3 | 1.82% | 3.60% | 5.36% | 7.08% | 8.77% | 10.43% | 12.05% | 13.65% | 15.22% |
| 4 | 2.22% | 4.40% | 6.52% | 8.60% | 10.63% | 12.61% | 14.56% | 16.45% | 18.31% |
| 5 | 2.53% | 4.99% | 7.39% | 9.72% | 12.00% | 14.23% | 16.39% | 18.50% | 20.56% |
| 6 | 2.73% | 5.38% | 7.96% | 10.47% | 12.91% | 15.29% | 17.60% | 19.85% | 22.03% |
| 7 | 2.83% | 5.58% | 8.25% | 10.84% | 13.36% | 15.81% | 18.20% | 20.51% | 22.76% |
| 8 | 2.83% | 5.58% | 8.25% | 10.84% | 13.36% | 15.81% | 18.20% | 20.51% | 22.76% |
Probability of Higher FlushHigher Ranks (down) by Total Players (across)Miplet Simulation
| Higher Ranks | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1 | 0.69% | 1.41% | 2.12% | 2.83% | 3.54% | 4.25% | 4.96% | 5.66% | 6.36% |
| 2 | 1.28% | 2.60% | 3.91% | 5.21% | 6.48% | 7.77% | 9.05% | 10.31% | 11.56% |
| 3 | 1.79% | 3.61% | 5.41% | 7.19% | 8.92% | 10.68% | 12.41% | 14.11% | 15.79% |
| 4 | 2.19% | 4.40% | 6.58% | 8.75% | 10.85% | 12.94% | 15.01% | 17.04% | 19.04% |
| 5 | 2.50% | 5.00% | 7.47% | 9.92% | 12.28% | 14.63% | 16.94% | 19.21% | 21.43% |
| 6 | 2.71% | 5.40% | 8.06% | 10.69% | 13.23% | 15.74% | 18.23% | 20.65% | 23.03% |
| 7 | 2.81% | 5.61% | 8.36% | 11.08% | 13.70% | 16.30% | 18.86% | 21.37% | 23.82% |
| 8 | 2.81% | 5.61% | 8.36% | 11.08% | 13.70% | 16.30% | 18.86% | 21.37% | 23.82% |
Margueritte from Los Angeles
Most of them are now “ticket in ticket out” as they say, or just TITO. Personally, I applaud this change. No more dirty hands and waiting for hopper fills. Some of the older casinos downtown still use coins and tokens, but I doubt for much longer.
Mike H. from New Jersey
Generally speaking, you want to put it on a long shot. This is because you don’t get to keep the coupon on a win, which lowers the value by the probability of winning. The less the probability of winning the less the value is reduced. Following are three tables for the three games listed. You’ll see the best bet is a tie between the 12, 30, 60, triple, and any triple in sic bo.
Free Bet Coupon Value in Baccarat
| Bet | Pays | Probability | Return |
| Banker wins | 0.95 | 0.458597 | 0.481484 |
| Player wins | 1 | 0.446247 | 0.493175 |
| Tie | 8 | 0.095156 | 0.761248 |
Free Bet Coupon Value in Big Six
| Bet | Pays | Probability | Return |
| 1 | 1 | 0.444444 | 0.444444 |
| 2 | 2 | 0.277778 | 0.555556 |
| 5 | 5 | 0.12963 | 0.648148 |
| 10 | 10 | 0.074074 | 0.740741 |
| 20 | 20 | 0.037037 | 0.740741 |
| Joker | 40 | 0.018519 | 0.740741 |
| Logo | 40 | 0.018519 | 0.740741 |
Free Bet Coupon Value in Sic Bo
| Bet | Pays | Probability | Return |
| Small, Big | 1 | 0.486111 | 0.486111 |
| 4, 17 | 60 | 0.013889 | 0.833333 |
| 5, 16 | 30 | 0.027778 | 0.833333 |
| 6, 15 | 17 | 0.046296 | 0.787037 |
| 7, 14 | 12 | 0.069444 | 0.833333 |
| 8, 13 | 8 | 0.097222 | 0.777778 |
| 9, 12 | 6 | 0.115741 | 0.694444 |
| 10, 11 | 6 | 0.125 | 0.75 |
| Triple | 180 | 0.00463 | 0.833333 |
| Any triple | 30 | 0.027778 | 0.833333 |
| Double | 10 | 0.074074 | 0.740741 |
Tim from Madison, WI
For procedure questions like this I like to turn to Brian S., a casino manager and former regulator. Here is what he said.
In my estimation, the dealer should have called the supervisor over before burning the card on his own. The dealer shouldn’t make decisions like that. If I was on the floor, I would have asked the player at 3rd base if he wanted the burn card or the next card in the shoe. If he selected the next card, I would not have shown him the burned card. He may still have been upset by the outcome, but I bet he would have stayed at my table.
Matthew from Toulouse
Sorry, I don’t know of anything like that in print. However, here is my own two cents.
- You should have at least a million in reserves to cover the normal ups and downs of gambling.
- Go with a high end experienced software company with a good reputation.
- Abide by your own rules. If a player outsmarts you on a bonus or promotion pay him and then cut him off if you wish.
- Take it easy on the bonuses. I would rather reward players after they play according to the value of their action.
- It is hard to overstate the importance of good customer service. Try to get to know your players, especially the best ones, on a personal level.
Remember, you can sheer a sheep many times but you can slaughter it only once.
Paul from Irving, Texas
Floors are not necessarily green and ceilings plain. I went to a talk once on casino design and the thinking is you want the floor and ceiling to be colorful and loud, while what is at eye level should be in neutral colors. That will keep the eyeballs straight ahead on the more soothing colors, where the player will more likely be distracted by the games. Of course this is getting outside my area of expertise. I welcome other comments on this one.
