Most games cannot be beaten in the long run, because the payout for the winning bet is less than it should be given the odds of winning it. This is called the casino advantage, and it is present in every game played in the casino. But there are four notable exceptions and theoretically a fifth one. The following is a quick rundown of them.
Blackjack
This is a casino game that can be beaten over a long period of time, but the only way to do it is with card counting. Counting cards in the game of blackjack along with optimal betting will produce profits, but those that engage in card counting can be removed from the casino. Although not illegal, the casino isn’t going to stand there watching as you take their money. Suffice to say, successful card counters keep a low profile. They don’t win large amounts of money, so they don’t draw attention to themselves. They usually go from one casino to the next, without repeating a visit to the same one for weeks on end. A monotonous way to make a living, but there are those who do make a living at it.
Some Video Poker machines
Although slot machines cannot be beaten, there are certain video poker machines that will have a payback of greater than 100 percent. Casinos offer this type of machine as a marketing gimmick. They seldom lose money, because in order to beat the machine over the long run you will have to make no mistakes. In addition, the hours of play needed are many. However, with expert knowledge of the machine you are playing and the use of a player’s rewards card, you can earn enough points to get free food, and other amenities.
Poker
Many people don’t consider this to be a casino game. But many casinos offer poker, and the game can be beaten. You are not playing against the casino, but against the other players. The casino takes a percentage of the pot, so if you are better than the other players, by enough to beat them and overcome the casino take, you can make money. Professional poker players do exist, and make their living from the game. Although most of them are not on television.
Sports Betting, including horse racing
All of the major sports can be beaten, as long as you have the ability to handicap the sport and stick to straight wagers and avoid all of the gimmick bets. Horse racing is exactly the same as sports betting. You are betting against others and the track will take a percentage of the winners profits. The main difference between sports and horse racing is that there is a lower take to overcome with sports than in horse racing. But with enough skill, both can be beaten.
Keno
People are often surprised at the inclusion of keno. Their first thought is that Luke Meadows is an idiot, and he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but here me out. Although not every casino offers the game of keno, the ones that have popular keno games will have a variety of ways to play, and one of them is a progressive jackpot game. This is usually for an eight spot ticket, and as each game is played with no winner, the jackpot grows. This reduces the casino advantage on the game of keno. It is possible for the jackpot to grow high enough that the player has a positive expectation of return on their money. This rarely happens because as the pot grows, more people begin to play as they bet ever increasing amounts of money, so the chances of a winning ticket being played get better. Still, the casino advantage can get low enough that it becomes an attractive game even for the most jaded of mathematicians.
Good luck at the casino
Luke Meadows
Mr. Meadows is the author of the book Stealth Betting Systems for Winning at Casinos.
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