The Magic Gambler

By The Original “Mystic Gambler”

Back in the 80’s I was in Laughlin with a friend and we were having unusually good luck playing keno and slot machines. It seemed that we couldn’t lose. We both had won $1,200 playing the keno special at the Pioneer Hotel and Gambling Hall and we were feeling pretty high. As we were taking the ferry boat over to the Riverside Casino he asked me, “Do you think we could make a living doing this?”

I’ve read articles where people say that they can live off their gambling winnings. I have my doubts about that but I know for a fact that you can do really well when it comes to getting comped. And I speak from experience. One of the reasons for this is that the perceived value of a comp, the published ‘retail value’, is much higher than what the benefit actually costs the casino.

Let’s take the cost of a buffet for example. The actual cost of the food eaten may only cost the casino but the perceived value could be $25 or more by the player. Or a comped ticket to a show that may have not sold out might not cost the home casino anything. The same thing goes for rooms that may be given away for certain nights. The casino more than makes up for these perceived values.

So, how is it possible to get an “edge” over the house? To begin with, you must know the best way to play your keno ticket – or cards.  To do that you can learn to do the calculation yourself, use a computer program, study on the internet, read a good book or The Mystic Gambler Keno Smart Charts.

It’s true that the game of keno is managed not to payout more than is taken in, there can be exceptions. Most notably being the circumstance of a progressive being so high that the percentages switch over to be in favor of the players. This has been documented at The Atlantis (Reno) in their “more to the Meter” progressive where 50 cents of every ticket goes into the progressive, as well as statewide in Megakeno.

Another winning keno opportunity can be found The Station Casinos with their jumbo progressives for 6, 7, 8 and 9 spots. It could possibly get high enough to see the advantage switch. While not very likely but perhaps possible is the 8-spot progressive at the Gold Coast and The Orleans if you’re the type of player that can wait for the keno jackpot to get high enough to make playing it advantageous.

When it comes to getting on these progressives, the trick is knowing how to calculate the break-even point. This is where, at a given moment in time, the house edge drops to zero due the progressive payout getting very high. Calculating this has gotten easier over the years because there are several websites that have keno calculators, one of the better ones being as Michael Shackleford’s (a well renowned gambling expert from UNLV) wizardofodds.com.

All you have to do is simply convert the keno ticket price proportionally to $1 per ticket and adjust the payouts based on a per dollar amount. After that just enter the information into the calculator and you can see the return on any given ticket. But you must keep in mind, due the long odds on a higher number of spots, you will need a large bankroll to be in the game. And remember, it’s still a gamble.

The idea is that, from time to time, opportunities do open up where a keno player can find an unusual advantage. But getting there can be a great effort and unduly stressful. For most of us, we just want to enjoy the game, get the best return for our gambling dollars and not be concerned about whether that rare  theoretical return is to our advantage or not.

I found that sweet spot with four card video keno. And the system that I use doesn’t require a fancy computer program or a lot of study. It all done for me with the keno smart charts. It’s that easy.

And that brings me back to the comps. Keno can be quite attractive when you consider the comps in with your total return. Especially using the charts that allow you to play for longer periods of time. If your bankroll lasts longer, comps are available, and you have the possibility of winning big – what more could you ask for? And no, you’re not going to make a living at it but it sure is a lot of fun.

May the good news be yours!

 

By The Mystic Gambler

Double Double Bonus video poker is one of a variety of video poker games that are generally considered in the family of  “Jacks or Better” games.  These

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By The Mystic Gambler

If you learn to think like the casino you can begin to turn the tables slightly to your advantage. Casinos are sophisticated businesses with one ultimate aim: To part you from your money. The more you know about how they do that, the more likely you are to keep more of yours. Just

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My wife and I left for the casino at 6:00 AM Easter Sunday morning. We’ve been so busy lately that we haven’t had the chance to play in several months. So we were excited to finally get out of the house to enjoy gambling together. She plays shortvideo poker and I play short video keno.

The night before I used the Mystic Keno Charts to set up my plays for the different Four Card Keno spots. What I do is get on the computer and go to the Free Video Poker & Keno page where I play for a while and decide on my base numbers.  Then I use the charts to reduce the different base numbers to the individual spots. I usually plan numbers for the 4, 5, 6 and 7 spots. I copy the numbers to my cell phone and I’m all set.

As I said, we were particularly excited on this particular morning. My wife’s great mood brought her good luck. She was doing quite well with her double double bonus video poker. She was hitting her four of a kinds right on time and was hardly putting any money into her machine. But I wasn’t doing so good at first. I was playing my 5 spot numbers and nothing was falling my way. But I knew I just had to hold out until it did.

Finally, after 45 minutes or so (and reloading the video keno machine several times) things began to change. I picked up my first 5 spot on card B and about 20 minutes later I hit a double on B and C ( I love those Mystic Keno Charts!). So now I’m feeling pretty good and just played freely with my winnings and having fun. But before I knew it, we only had 30 minutes left in our session.

So I switched to my 7 spot numbers. And it started. Bam – a double 5 out of seven. Then another. Bam a 6 out of seven. It was happening. I could feel it. Bam – another 5 out of 7 and then another double. I just knew that 7 spot was just about ready to pop.

Then my wife looked over at me and pointed to her watch. That, of course, meant that it was time to go. But no, I thought. My 7 spot was coming. Any minuet. She cashed out and that’s when I knew it was over. And I was doing so good!

Our maximum session time is three hours and we had reached it. That’s the way we play. Win, lose or draw. It was exciting to see all the 5 out of sevens and the double hits. And the two 6 out of sevens was just crazy. But the fact is that I was no closer to hitting the seven spot than I was on the first game. I could have played on all day and never hit it. And if I wasn’t hitting anything at all, I could have argued that a big payout was ‘due.’

Even the most experienced Keno players can fall victim to the Gambler’s Fallacy. We can forget that each game is what mathematicians call an independent trial. We call it the RNG. Completely random.

Even still, on the way home, I found myself thinking that the 7 spot was just about ready to pop.

Until next time,

May the good news be yours,

TMG

 

 

 

A necessary video keno bankroll can only be determined by the ‘playing style’ and the wherewithal of an individual gambler. However, the goal for all players should be to avoid the gambler’s ruin – losing your bankroll too quickly.

Understanding the function of your video keno bankroll will be important to getting the most out of the game. Unlike ‘risk of ruin’ charts for standard video poker games, video keno has too many variables to make such graphs practicable. Consider the many different spots, denominations, pay tables, games and game variations that you’ll find in a single casino. But you won’t need a fancy graph to understand that when you play video keno, or even parlor keno, the risk of ruin is high.  That’s why it’s important to understand video keno bankroll management and the concept of ‘ a bankroll.’

Bankroll As A Separate Entity
Your video keno bankroll is a specific amount of money that is separate from personal and business funds. It is an amount of money that is used for gambling and gambling only. It is money that is not needed for any other purpose and can be used without reservation. Free of worry or guilt.  It is considered an entity unto itself and it is free of any responsibility other than to be available for gambling. If it does not qualify as described above, it is not a responsible bankroll. That’s because the tug and pull from other purposes will affect your ability to stick to your money management plan. Any claim for its use for other purposes will always be present in your mind. So, unless your bankroll is ‘free’, you’ll be playing with ‘scared’ money. And ‘scared’ money runs away fast.

Establish A Budget
Your bankroll is your lifeline when circumstances take a turn for the worst. It will bail you out of trouble as long as it’s there when you need it. The first step toward protecting your bankroll is to establish a budget. Having a budget and sticking with it will protect you from squandering your bankroll or worse; using money that you’ll need for other purposes. Create a budget and don’t allow yourself to go one penny over it. Even if you have a lot of money to work with, you can be separated from it at a surprising rate . The only time that should play up to your bankroll budget is when you’re playing a single session.

Bankroll Time Span
A time span is a period of time that has a beginning and an end. In determining your bankroll, the amount of time that you intend to play is obviously important. If you live in Las Vegas and plan to play every day, you’re going to need a much bigger bankroll than someone who is just visiting for a long weekend. A common mistake is thinking that a bankroll is the amount of money needed to play a single session. It should actually be based the longest reasonable amount of time that you intend to gamble. In most cases that would be a series of small sessions. So when you’re planning your budget, divide your bankroll by the number of sessions that you intend play. Allow for a session time that is reasonable for your gambling style.

Playing in the old keno parlors was rather relaxing and for the most part a leisurely activity. With several minutes between games your money could stretch out all day. Especially if you bet only on the specials. With the advent of video keno, particularly 4 card and 20 card keno, the period of time between each game (or set of games) may only be several seconds – depending on how fast you play and the speed at which the machine is set. At a moderate setting, most machines will serve up about 12 games a minute. That’s an astounding 720 games in an hour. If you play nickel 4 card video keno at that rate, you’re putting $144 an hour into the machine. Yes, some of that $144 will be returned to you, but every time you press the ‘Start’ button you’re risking 20 cents ($144 an hour). And with keno being one of the more expensive games to play, you’ll often lose a good portion of your video keno bankroll in order to keep pursuing your target spot.

Pay Table Variation
Keno pay tables (the list of what each spot or portion of the full spot pays) vary tremendously. That is, some machines will repay more than others. Said another way, some machines will take your money faster than others. Just a credit or two lower on the lesser awards can add up to astounding losses on an hourly basis. It follows that by playing machines with better pay tables will allow you to play longer with the same amount of money. Again, thinking of the time per session, consider the payout of the machine that you plan on playing.

Big Bankrolls For Big Bets
A serious factor in determining a sufficient bankroll is the level of your wagering. For some readers that may seem obvious but I assure you that the relation between the size of the bet and the necessary bankroll to support a satisfying session length is lost on too many people. So let me say it, the larger the bet, the larger the bankroll necessary to sustain your play. The simplest illustration is somebody that has only $20, puts it into a dollar 4 card keno machine, has five losing games within a couple of minutes and then has to go home. To sustain a reasonable session length, the bankroll must match the level of the wager.

Many things should be taken into account when it comes to determining your bankroll. Whether it’s short term or long term, there’s no easy answer. And I haven’t even mentioned the odds for the different spots. So everybody will have to decide what’s best for themselves.

Bankroll Best Practices

• Your video keno bankroll is separate from all other funds

• Set a budget for time on session. Quit when you run out of money or time – whichever comes first

• Play the best pay tables. Hint: Compare awards for the 5 spot. 99% of the time the others will pay accordingly

• Avoid using an ATM. Don’t violate bankroll rules

• Don’t increase in denomination. And play the lowest reasonable for your ‘entertainment’.

• Put earnings aside rather than replaying. It is your money – not the casino’s (as some think of it)

• Know when to stop. That is, if your bankroll disappears, so should you. If you’re winning, play until your session time expires, then disappear.

Don’t forget that you can learn, practice and play your favorite Keno and Video Poker games for free. You won’t have to worry about a bankroll because you’ll have unlimited free credits. It’s great fun and it’s free!

 

If you want to become a luckier person, crossing your fingers will only take you so far. But if you want to improve your chances of good fortune, in your life and in the casino, one researcher has discovered the magic formula. At a minimum, Richard Wiseman, a professor at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom, can get you on the right track.

His study started with asking a simple question: How is it possible for certain people to be in the right place at the right time over and over again? These people benefit repeatedly from good fortune while others seem to attract only bad luck.

Wiseman set out to seek an answer to the question by developing a number of experiments. By surveying a number of volunteers he first noted how lucky they felt they were. Then he had them participate in a series of specially designed tests.

There was one test that was particularly interesting: the volunteers were asked to count the number of photos they saw in a newspaper. Seeded within the test and plainly visible was a short message that read: “Tell the researcher that you have seen this sign to win 250 pounds.” Participants who thought themselves to be lucky stopped counting the photos and read the message out loud to claim their money. That’s all there was to it. However, those who had previously thought of themselves to be unlucky became confused and doubtful and in some cases said nothing at all.

This result inspired a new central theory to the research: Luck is a question of attitude. “The majority of people simply aren’t aware of things in their environment,” says Wiseman. What’s more, in his opinion, only 10% of our existence is random, the other 90% is defined by how we handle the things that happen in our lives. In other words, this is good news. If we want to be luckier in life, we need to start with ourselves, and change the way that we think.

In a related study of gamblers that frequent Las Vegas, much of the same results that Wiesman discovered in his study was verified using the survey method. The attributes of lucky gamblers verified in that study was used as the bases for widely viewed Travel Show on cable TV. So there’s not much debate about the fact that lucky people, gamblers or otherwise, think differently than those that are less fortunate.

The good news is that anybody can enhance their luck by simply changing their attitude. The way they think. Now let’s take a look at what makes luck people so lucky and how you might benefit from this research … >>> Read More

 

From The Mystic Gambler Archives

The other day I got a comment on my Youtube channel that made me laugh. But I shouldn’t have. They asked me about what they should expect to win if they played Four Card Keno with a $50 bankroll. And sometime ago there was a comment from a discouraged player that said that they had played  30 hands or so and they hadn’t won a thing. On the basis of that they determined that the Mystic SmartCharts didn’t work. Some followers commented back to her and explained the facts of keno life and saved me from writing a wordy reply. Both of these players were obviously new to keno.

The reason I shouldn’t have laughed about the $50 comment and why I should be understanding about the lady’s expectations from 30 hands is simple. They are the voice of inexperience. We all have to start somewhere. And we all started at the beginning of our gambling journey. Thinking that we could walk into a casino and double our money in a few minutes or win a life changing jackpot on a slot machine with $20. We thought that probably because all that and more actually does happen. What we may not have understood is that it doesn’t happen very often.

Now it’s possible to sit down in the keno parlor, order a drink and then hit a  7 spot within the first few games. And you could do the same playing on a  four card video keno machine. But it’s not likely. If you want to win at keno, prepare to ‘grind it out’.

Keno can pay better than most games in the casino but it can be discouraging. You have to be persistent if you want to win. Don’t give up. Too many players begin with the idea of just giving it a shot. So if they don’t win right away they move on.  If you’re going to play keno, in the parlor or on the machine, do so with the idea of being persistent. Don’t quit. When keno pays, it pays big and it’s worth the wait. Persistence is the key.  Having said that, be sure you have enough bankroll to be persistent. That’s important and I’ll address bankroll considerations in another post.

Until then – may the good news be yours!

 

 

 

 

Online casinos are the new source of cash for ISIS as the terrorists try to compensate dwindled revenues from oil smuggling after they were driven out of vast areas in Syria and out of Iraq, Vasily

Nebenzya, Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said on Thursday.

“They are honing their skills with modern technology,” The Moscow Times quoted Nebenzya as telling the United Nations Security Council meeting.

“Caliphate fighters are not shying away from seeking revenue from online casinos,” the top Russian diplomat to the UN said, citing a report by the UN Counter-Terrorism Office.

As of the end of last year, ISIS revenues from oil smuggling and extortion were down to US$2 million per month, while the overall monthly earnings were at US$3 million, according to Nebenzya.

To compare, the UN has estimated that back in 2015, the annual income generated by ISIS from oil and oil products was between US$400 million and US$500 million.

Over the past two years, the U.S.-led coalition that is fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria has managed to cut the militants’ oil revenues to less than US$4 million monthly from a peak of US$50 million, statistics by the coalition provided to USA TODAY in October 2017 showed.

According to the sixth report of the Secretary-General on the threat that ISIS (or ISIL) poses from January 2018,

“The ability of ISIL to generate revenues was considerably weakened during the reporting period, largely owing to the group’s loss of control over oil and gas fields in the Syrian Arab Republic. Because of these and other losses, ISIL’s revenues have fallen by more than 90 per cent since 2015.

These losses notwithstanding, the group may not have completely lost the ability to profit from hydrocarbons, and it could continue to obtain funds through extortion and the control of checkpoints.”

“ISIL is no longer focused on conquering and holding territory. It has been forced to adapt and focus primarily on a smaller and more motivated group of individuals who remain committed to inspiring, enabling and carrying out attacks,” Vladimir Voronkov, the head of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office, said at the Security Council meeting yesterday.

LAS VEGAS (AP) —By Regina Garcia Cano

Before you can think about changing your mind, the room service attendant responds to your text message –  bringing your Cherry Coke on a tray with a glass of ice and lemon wedges. You didn’t need to make a phone call.

Several Las Vegas’ casino-hotels are responding to the high-tech life styles that their guests are accustom to.  Extra towels, food and toiletries delivered

with just a few taps or swipes on their smartphone is just the beginning. The old phone on the nightstand next to a notepad and a flat screen TV on the wall just doesn’t cut it with much of the younger set. At least that’s what the latest trend in casino room design are betting on.

Guests can use tablets to control room features like lights and temperature. Shower infusers and mood adjustable lights offer travelers a chance to recharge. Check out the 4-foot-tall (1-meter-tall) robot can point visitors to the nearest ATM. In the battle for millions of Las Vegas’ tourists, voice-assisted speakers and purification systems also are part of the push to attract ever-more-demanding customers and keep them coming back.

“The hotel brands or the casino brands are trying to make themselves evolve to become more relevant to a younger audience that is highly technologically enabled,” said Robert Rippee, director of the Hospitality Lab at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Las Vegas hotels are not the only ones using such technology. The Acme Hotel Co. in Chicago put an Amazon Echo in every room and the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, California, has equipped rooms with iPads. But what sets Sin City properties apart is the volume of guests they handle, which can test the technology that must be easy to understand.

“Let’s say the tablet is a Microsoft Surface, but the tablet you use is an iPad, so you immediately have a gap,” Rippee said. “You, as the user, now have to learn to use a product an operating system you are unfamiliar with. If you are here for two nights, you are going to discard it.”

Caesars Entertainment launched a texting service at its 3,976-room Caesars Palace casino-hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in August, months after rolling it out at two boutique hotels. Senior vice president and chief experience officer Michael Marino said the service aims to improve guests’ stay after the company noticed a dip in phone calls.

“It’s not like they have less needs, it’s just that something has happened over the last couple of years where people just don’t like to call people anymore,” Marino said.

Four properties now have the service named Ivy, which the company credits for higher scores of two of its hotels on travel review website TripAdvisor.

The service uses artificial intelligence to automatically answer common questions and requests, such as gym location and hours of operation. But trained staffers type back responses to more complex inquiries such as where Muslims should face to pray in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.

“The window of your room faces to the East. If you pray facing the window, you will be oriented towards Mecca,” Ivy answered within two minutes.

The Cosmopolitan casino-hotel also launched a chatbot a year ago, around the same time Wynn Resorts announced that an Amazon Echo would be installed in every room of the Wynn Las Vegas casino-hotel.

At the Aria and Vdara hotels, every room has a tablet with applications that allow guests to schedule breakfast delivery, access thousands of publications and adjust air temperature and dimmer lights. Travelers also can choose uniquely appointed rooms at the MGM Grand and The Mirage with several lighting options, including one that helps to adjust the body’s internal clock, and a device that infuses the shower’s water with vitamin C.

Meanwhile, a shiny white, wide-eyed standing robot named Pepper in the lobby of the luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel can answer a set of programmed questions, including checkout time, how to connect to the Wi-Fi network and the location of the spa.

“I’ve seen robots on TV, but never in person. It’s so cute,” said Ana Rosa Santiago, a Miami resident who took a selfie with Pepper. “I already sent it to all my family.”