Gambling With an Edge - guest Captain Jack and G2E 2018

Bob and I are again joined by sports bettor and GWAE columnist Captain Jack to discuss what we saw, liked, or didn't like at the recent Global Gaming Expo held last week in Las Vegas.

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Show Notes

[00:00] Introduction of Captain Jack and G2E
[00:40] How can casino managers improve sportsbook operations?
[03:40] What new sports betting offerings did Captain Jack see at G2E?
[08:10] In-game betting approval process and regulation.
[11:45] Expansion of Westgate SuperBook to other states.
[12:54] Facial recognition products.
[16:07] A blackjack variant where all hands push on a dealer 16.
[19:06] A "smart shoe" ShuffleMaster blackjack variant.
[20:22] New side bets on most table games.
[21:42] New video poker games: Lucky 8, Max Action Poker, and Stack the Deck, etc
[35:38] Multi-Strike and Super Times Play Keno.
[36:30] Gamblit skill-based games: Pac-Man, Deal or No Deal, etc
[39:18] Gaming Arts' Casino Wizard blackjack game.
[40:20] Stadium games with multiple games, fewer dealers.
[41:17] Next Gaming's skill-based games.
[42:15] SouthPoint Casino October promotions.
[42:37] VideoPoker.com promotions.
[43:12] AutoSlash.com car rentals.
[45:11] Cammegh roulette randomness.

AutoSlash - http://autoslash.com
SouthPoint Casino - https://southpointcasino.com/
VideoPoker.com - https://www.videopoker.com/gwae

Gambling With an Edge - Slot Expert John Robison

Our guest this week is John Robison, author of The Slot Expert’s Guide to Playing Slots. John has been a gaming writer for more than twenty years and we talk about some of the inner workings and misconceptions regarding slot machines.

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Show Notes

[01:39] John’s thinking on slot machines and common misunderstandings

[11:37] The reality of loosening and tightening of slot machines

[13:44] How the casinos set their theoreticals

[22:43] Class 2 machines v.s. Class 3 machines

[25:09] Fruits in England

[29:47] The Big Time Bonus in Station Casinos 

[34:24] How do slots randomly trigger bonus events?

[38:37] Are the slot machines next to the restrooms are looser?

[43:01] Are no-name slot machines looser than licensed slot machines?

“The Slot Expert’s Guide to Playing Slots” by John Robinson: http://amzn.to/2oMFBSd

"Slot Machines: A Pictoral History of the First 100 Years” by Marshall Fey: http://amzn.to/2Gk9Ck4

Indian Gaming Regulatory Act: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Gaming_Regulatory_Act

Gambling With an Edge - listener emails

We have no guest this week.  Bob and I reach into the mail bag to answer listener questions.

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Show Notes

[00:37] A bankroll requirement for a stadium Blackjack game

[02:38] Traffic hazards

[06:11] What do you wish someone has told you at the beginning of your career?

[09:26] What purchase of $100 or less in the last year improved your life the most?

[12:27] What are your favorite gambling books?

[15:33] Did James Grosjean’s book cause many card counters to switch to carnival games?

[17:55] Would the strategy change if you have a use-once-MP coupons

[19:52] Playing slot machines for cover

[22:01] Traveling bankroll: how much should you carry?

[25:13] If you have found AP earlier or if you were younger, would you have left your career immediately for it?

[28:09] Richard and Bob’s previous lives

[29:38] Supplementing income with Blackjack card counting with $3,000 BR

[32:07] Book recommendations for Blackjack

[34:12] Dealing with big losses

[35:54] Which game should I play for point challenge with a $10,000 BR?

[38:26] Similarities between AP and crimes

[40:14] Would you quit depending on the amount of win or loss?

[46:33] If the casino has a low game protection procedures in general, is it safe to count cards?

[49:08] EZ Baccarat

[50:37] A new casino in Las Vegas

[53:35] Recommendations to a middle-aged man starting out as an AP

[58:18] Multi-Line VP v.s. Single-line VP

[1:00:52] Bonus multi-lines game

[1:01:26] Why average BR is 3x-4x jackpot?

[1:02:51] Tutorials for Dream Card

"Gambling Wizards” by Richard W. Munchkin: http://amzn.to/2E7C9L3

"The Man with the $100,000 Breasts" by Michael Konik: http://amzn.to/2FD6FcQ

"Fast Company" by John Bradshaw: http://amzn.to/2DY3P5H

Daymon Runyon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damon_Runyon   Amazon author page

Beyond coupons: http://www.blackjackforumonline.com/content/beyondcouponsbjfo.pdf

"The Moon and Sixpence” by W. Somerset Maugham : http://amzn.to/2E8paZA

"Knockout Blackjack" by Olaf Vankura and Ken Fuchs:  http://amzn.to/2DWl8UG

"Blackjack Blueprint” by Rick Blaine: http://amzn.to/2Ezaqk7

"Professional Blackjack” by Stanford Wong:  http://amzn.to/2GIMOKk

Ken Uston: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Uston

Gambling With an Edge - G2E 2017

No guest this week. Bob and Richard discuss this year's Global Gaming Expo, also known as G2E. Bob talks about the new video poker games, and I talk about new table games.  We also discuss "skill based" games.

podcast

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Show notes

[03:59] Surveillance educational seminars

[05:57] Federal rule procedure 37(e): using electronic data in a lawsuit

[07:58] Scams, cheats, and blacklists

[10:26] Slot machine game Haystacks: legality of winning money without wagering money.

[16:43] New Video Poker games and other skills based machine games

[28:17] Interesting table games: side bets and consequences of 3CP's expiring patent

[35:21] A new shuffling machine

[41:23] Video games of skills

[53:33] Driving game 

[54:55] IGT's mobile game that lets you earn comps at home

[56:18] Remote wagering via phones

G2E Global Gaming Expo: http://www.globalgamingexpo.com/

CDC Gaming Reports: https://www.cdcgamingreports.com/

Gambling With an Edge - guest academic Mark Johnson

This week's guest is Mark Johnson.  Mark was a recent post-doctorate at UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research. His research is ongoing, looking at the similarities, and differences between Esports professionals, and professional gamblers.

podcast

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Show Notes

[00:47] What was Mark Johnson doing at UNLV? Why UNLV?

[03:55] What books other than Richard’s Gambling Wizards has Mark used in the research?

[05:40] Considering how young eSports is, was Mark able to find literatures on eSports?

[07:35] Differences between professional gamblers and professional eSports players

[13:51] How is the way gamblers earn money different than eSports players?

[17:00] How much can top eSports players make?

[18:51] Gambling on eSports through skins?

[23:14] Challenges of estimating how much other gamblers made outside of tournaments.

[26:03] eSports Players disguising themselves and the “barcodes” players.

[33:49] Love of the game and the learning curve

[34:56] Intrinsic talent indicators in eSports.

[41:24] Cheating, hustling, and doping in eSports

[48:30] The dramatic value of a single pixel glitch in a tournament.

[53:23] Handicaps in eSports

[58:17] The different issues between gambler teams and eSports teams

Gambling Wizards: Conversations with the World’s Greatest Gamblers:  http://amzn.to/2wBanDn

Mark’s podcast: http://www.roguelikeradio.com/

Mark's website: http://www.ultimaratioregum.co.uk/

Twitter: @UltimaRegum