Wager Mage
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What is an envy bet?

In addition, if another player has a four-of-a-kind or better, the player making the fortune bet will get what is called an envy bonus, a bonus that is paid when other players at the table make a certain pay table hand. To qualify for the envy bonus, typically a minimum of $5 must be bet on the fortune bonus.

Is it better to run it twice in poker?
Is it better to run it twice in poker?

There are some myths out there that running it twice, thrice, or once, may be best depending on the type of hands that we have. The truth is that...

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What not to do at the casino?
What not to do at the casino?

9 Things You Should Never Do In A Casino Don't Think It's A Win For You Every Time. ... Don't Rush To The ATM When You Are Out Of Cash. ... Do Not...

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Mark Pilarski

QUESTION: With fortune pai gow poker, how bad are the odds on the bonus fortune bet? — Ray C. ANSWER: pai gow poker is a hybrid of Chinese dominos, pai gow and American seven-card poker. Played with a standard 52-card deck plus a joker, it differs from the typical seven-card game in that you play against a banker, not against other players at the table. The pai gow house edge playing house rules against a player who does not bank (acts as the banker for other players to play against) is 2.84%. Most of that edge, 1.27%, comes from players losing a tie to the bank. The remainder comes from the 5% commission paid on winning hands. Fortune pai gow poker is a popular variant played in casinos today. The game is exactly like pai gow poker with the exception of an optional fortune bonus side bet. Ray, whenever the casino proposes a wager that requires you to put more money on the layout, it most likely is offering you a losing proposition. Better stated, it is a sucker bet that carries a high house edge. The fortune bonus is a side bet that pays strictly on the value of a player's seven cards and not how the player sets his or her hand. In addition, if another player has a four-of-a-kind or better, the player making the fortune bet will get what is called an envy bonus, a bonus that is paid when other players at the table make a certain pay table hand. To qualify for the envy bonus, typically a minimum of $5 must be bet on the fortune bonus. Based on a typical pay table, the fortune bonus pai gow wager has a house edge of nearly 8% before considering the envy bonus. With the envy wager, you can subtract approximately 1% for each additional player at the table. I recommend, Ray, that you stay clear of a fortune bonus pai gow wager. pai gow poker already has some of the best odds/money return of most casino games outside of craps or blackjack, so don't give the casino any more of your hard-earned money than you have to. Q: I recently played at the MGM Grand in Detroit. I asked an employee to help me find the 9/6 machines that were for jacks-or-better. We searched all over, and the best he could find were some 8/5 machines. There were also many 7/5 machines. I did manage to win a little on the 8/5 but not as much as I had at Greektown Casino, which does have 9/6 machines. Can you tell me what the different odds are on a 9/6 versus an 8/5 and a 7/5? — Mike O. A: I am pleased to see, Mike, that you are on the hunt for full-pay (9/6) jacks-or-better machines. They are just not that easy to find anymore, but once located, if you employ basic strategy, your expected payback is 99.544%. However, you must take into account that those high returns are predicated on your hitting the royal flush. The royal flush is so dominant in the casino payout calculations for video poker that it is going to cost you 12% over the long run while you burn through your bankroll chasing a suited 10, jack, queen, king, and ace. Now compare that to the reduced return of an 8/5 game, 97.3%, and a 7/5 machine that returns 96.2% with five coins inserted. Mark Pilarski is a contributing editor for numerous gambling publications. E-mail questions to pilarski@markpilarski.com.

How do you break a slot machine addiction?
How do you break a slot machine addiction?

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What countries is gambling illegal?
What countries is gambling illegal?

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What year is considered a donk?
What year is considered a donk?

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What is the maximum transfer limit per day?
What is the maximum transfer limit per day?

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What was the most money ever gambled?
What was the most money ever gambled?

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What does KK in Dutch mean?
What does KK in Dutch mean?

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