GamingTips

So, after reading the last two posts, people are probably wondering what the difference is between a Quinella and a two horse Exacta Box.

Well, first, remember that you can box several horses.  A Quinella is limited to two horses.

Second, they are different pools of money, which means it is possible that they will pay differently.

Finally, the payouts and cost of the bet are different.

Remember that when you bet an Exacta Box, you are actually making two bets.  So, a $2 Exacta Box with two horses will actually cost $4 to place.  The payout, however, is on the $2.  The Quinella, on the other hand, is a single bet, and therefor only costs $2.

The Exacta is another pretty simple bet with a funny name.  It is a bet on which two horses will come in first and second.  Unlike the Quinella , however, you need to bet them in the right order.  In other words, if you bet a 3-10 Exacta, the 3 Horse must come in first and the 10 in second for you to win.

The Exacta Box, on the other hand, allows you to bet that the horses will come in first and second, regardless of the order.  In fact, you can actually “box” more than two horses.  The cost of the bet rises with more horses, and the payout gets lower, however.  When you bet the Exacta Box, you are actually playing multiple bets.  For instance, a $2 3-10 Exacta Box actually will cost you $4, because it is actually a 3-10 Exacta and a 10-3 Exacta.

The Quinella is a popular bet at the track for people who have a couple of favorites.  This is because you do not need to pick the exact winner, but instead, the top 2 horses.  For example, a 2-10 quinella will pay whether 2 comes in first and 10 second or 10 first and 2 second.

The minimum bet for this is usually $2, and the bet will pay out as listed on the tote board or printed on the ticket.  This will vary with the horses chosen, based on what the bookmakers think the outcome of the race will be.

So even this fancy-sounding bet is really not that tough.

So let’s start our discussion of horse track bets with the easiest bets to understand.

On any particular race, a better can bet that a certain horse will “win,” “place,” or “show.”

Winning is pretty self explanatory and is a bet that that horse will come in first place.  Placing is a bet that the horse comes in first or second, and show pays when the horse comes in first, second, or third.

So, despite all the fancily named bets, there are at least three bets that any of us can make and understand.

Anyone who has ever placed a sports bet, or lives near a major track, can’t help but wondering how horse races work.  Between the odd-sounding bets, the multiple types of races, and people betting on multiple races at multiple tracks, it gets to be a lot to keep track of.

In reality, though, the fancy bets are not as fancy as they sound.  Over the next few posts, I’ll try to explain them so that you can bet them properly.

In terms of how to win your bets at the track, it gets a little tougher.  The race program will let you know what horses are racing with what jockey that day.  Then they sell race sheets which help betters handicap the various races.  The real pros also are familiar with the horses, and their previous performances.  They also watch as the horses are brought out to the turf to examine their gait, their features, and their reaction to the type of turf they will be running on.

But with bets starting at $2, the track could be a much worse place to bet just on a hunch.  Not only that, but the tracks are beginning to reinvent themselves.  I always had the impression growing up that the track was for old, rich people.  This is no longer the case.  Del Mar is a great example of the new track.

It is very affordable to get into the races, including trackside open seating where people bring coolers and folding chairs.  After the races on Fridays, there is a free concert on the track grounds.  On a recent trip, the track was very busy, and people were dressed in everything from shorts and flip flops to the traditional white hats.

So go to the track and have a good time!

Dual dab, also called double action bingo, is a commonly offered bonus game at many bingo halls.  The cards look like a normal bingo card, except that each square actually has two numbers.  Players can mark the square when either number is called, they do not need both numbers.  Dual dab is a coverall game, so in order to win, a player must cover all of their squares.

The payout, of course, varies from bingo hall to bingo hall, but it is usually tiered.  If a player gets bingo on the double action coverall within a certain number of balls (often 34), they win an incredibly large jackpot (often $25,000).  Otherwise, they are playing for the “guarantee,” which is usually around $200.

Continuing on the Bingo theme, let’s discuss the option to “validate” your bingo cards.  Validation usually costs $1 per card or pack.  This buys your participation in a bonus game.

The first ball of each session is known as the Ace Ball.  Although at some Bingo Halls this ball does not count for the first game, it usually does.  If a player gets a bingo when the Ace Ball is called, they win a bonus jackpot.  This is a progressive jackpot for the session, which means, for instance, that the 3 a.m. Ace Ball jackpot goes up every day that nobody at the 3 a.m. session wins the Ace Ball bonus.

Now you know what the option to validate your bingo cards means.

Alright.  Since I’ve started playing bingo, I’ve decided I should post the basic info you need to start, along with the key terms.

When you first walk into the bingo hall, you will see the “menu” so to speak.  It lists different types of packs, their prices, and their pays.  Each color of card pays differently, which is why there is a price difference.

You will also have to decide whether to play paper, machine, or some combination of the two.  If you play paper, you will need to purchase a dabber, usually located close to the window where you purchase your cards.  If you play machine, you will need to save your receipt and get a machine from the racks where they charge between sessions.  Turn on the machine, and enter the information from your receipt to load your cards into the machine.

A card is the individual square with 25 numbers on which you play.

A game is the “round” you are currently playing.  A game ends once a player gets bingo.

A sheet is the set of cards you are playing.  Sometimes more than one game is played on the same sheet, so it is important to pay attention, or you might throw out your sheets early.

If more than one player gets bingo on the same ball, the prize is divided by the number of winning players.

It’s just that easy.

Alright.  Many card counters have developed different systems for counting cards.  This, however, is the simplest to do, and the method depicted in 21.  Each card has a value.  2-6 are +1, 7-9 are 0, and 10, face cards, and aces are -1.  The concept to remember here is that you’re actually counting the number of “extra” large cards in the deck.

As cards are dealt, the counter keeps a “running count” using the values above.  It is actually easier to wait until the hand is fully dealt out, and play begins to count the cards.  Each player now has a pair of cards which range in value from +2 to -2.  The player then counts individual cards as players “hit,” as well as counting the dealer’s hand when it is exposed.

The “true count” is where experience in blackjack comes in handy.  The true count is the running count divided by the estimated number of decks still left in the shoe.

The common misconception is that strategy significantly changes when counting cards.  This is not actually true.  First, players who play with the level of strategy of most card counters would be very easy to notice changing their strategy according to the count.  For instance, if there is a very low count, meaning a lot of small cards remain in the shoe, it may make sense to hit against a bust card.

Where counting comes in is money management.  When the true count is 2 or more, there are a lot of face cards left in the shoe.  Remember that basic strategy is based largely on the assumption that any card you cannot see is a 10.  With a high count, this is even more true.  So a card counter increases their bet dramatically when the true count is 2 or more, and plays the hand with perfect strategy.

On the other hand, when the count is extremely low (-2 or lower), there are few face cards and a lot of small cards in the shoe.  Assumptions like the dealer busting if they show a 6 go out the window, and the game becomes less predictable.  At this point, a counter is likely to decrease their bet, or sit out entirely.

Alright.  In my next post I’ll get into the mechanics of how card counting actually works, for those that are curious though.  First though, I want to address some common questions about it.  Card counting is a popular subject after the movie “21″ came out, and one of Vegas’s big mysteries.  It is not for nothing that it is a popular subject.  Counting cards is the only way, in blackjack or any other casino game, to shift the odds into the player’s favor without cheating.

But isn’t card counting both cheating and illegal?  According to Nevada gaming law, no.  As long as there is no collusion between the dealer and players, players can use whatever information is made available in the course of play while deciding their next bet or move.   This includes cards that were dealt or discarded face up in previous hands.  On the other hand, casinos have the right to refuse service to anyone, and many will exercise that right with card counters, particularly greedy ones.

What else can casinos do to stop card counters?  Well,  much of the way blackjack is played today stems from this.  Mulitple decks, dealing from a shoe, burning a card before dealing, and dealing single and double deck pitch face down are all attempts by casinos to make card counting more difficult.

If card counting is so great, why doesn’t everyone do it?  Well, first of all, it’s not that easy.  Card counters still need to play with perfect strategy in order to gain an advantage.  The player edge is tiny, so any mistake can easily allow the house to regain its advantage.  They also need to watch every single card that is dealt to every player, and the dealer.  Blackjack dealers are trained to move quickly specifically to make this difficult.  Finally, they need to adjust their basic strategy, both in terms of play and strategy, based on the count, again with 100% accuracy, all without being detected.  Also, I’ve tried casually to do this before, and although you tend to make more money, it is not as fun as relaxing and playing the game for the game’s sake.

So, do casinos really beat people up for this?  According to several security and casino executives I’ve spoken to, absolutely not.  First of all, the scene from 21 is very “old school” Vegas, and is not how things are handled.  Second, the casinos are less strict than they could be on card counters.  First of all,  as I’ve addressed in another post, casinos and their employees actually like for some people to win.  Second, it’s still gambling, and the odds are tilted so slightly that it is still possible that the casino will win.  On the other hand, there are both computers and people working for the casinos counting cards themselves, and evaluating players.  When it gets out of hand, casinos will step in and remove someone.  Moreover, with the number of casinos that are either corporately or tribally owned, the possibility of bans from multiple casinos exists.

Finally, as a disclaimer, the information on the legality of card counting is based on Nevada gaming regulations.  Although Nevada tends to set the trend on these things, it is possible that the laws differ on riverboats, in Missississipi, Detroit, Atlantic City, and especially on tribal lands.  Remember, gaming is not federally regulated.  Although Indian casinos do need to ensure that the games are fair, they are allowed to apply tribal law, meaning that what is allowed at one casino could be disallowed two miles down the road at a casino belonging to another tribe.