By Dana Williams
Although the event was sparsely attended, the select few in attendance were able to learn exactly how casinos make a profit from gamblers, and about the different strategies to use in casino games such as Craps from Jim Turley, a hotel administration professor at the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury.
Whether gamblers enjoy playing Poker, Blackjack or Roulette at casinos, Turley, who has spent more than 20 years studying casino gaming as a member of the Association of Casino Educators, said that there is always a Casino Advantage in the games. ³Casino¹s don¹t make 50/50 bets because they must keep a small percentage of every dollar that gamblers spend- that¹s the Casino Advantage, and it¹s 100 percent legal,² he said. ³Gambling is designed for people not to win in the long run because of the Casino Advantage, and people need to know this.²
The Casino Advantage is one reason why Turley said many people leave casinos with empty wallets and purses. ³We all want to win money, but you will not win much money playing games that have high casino advantages,² Turley added.
To become a successful casino gambler, Turley, who also teaches a casino gambling elective at NYIT, said that players should always try to play games that have under a two percent Casino Advantage. Games such as Craps, and Baccarat are examples.
Turley¹s theories were a hit with the casino fans in attendance, who said they usually leave casinos such as Caesar¹s Palace in Atlantic City, NJ, with less money than they arrived with because they only play the most popular games at the casinos. Many later learned that these games are the ones that casinos make the most money from. One man said he usually plays Blackjack, only to later find out from Turley that Blackjack has one of the highest Casino Advantages.
Lakeview resident Barbara Stevens, said she often goes on bus trips to the casinos in Atlantic City to play the slot machines with her friends. ³I lost all my money last weekend playing the slot machines, so that¹s why I came here tonight to see what tips I can learn about the machines,² Stevens said.
She later learned from Turley, however, that the slot machines are one of the worst games to play at a casino. Turley explained that slot machines are computerized and they are pre-programmed to pay out money at a certain time. Therefore, he said, timing is really the way people win at slot machines.
³There are people who will say I play the same machine to win at slot machines, but it makes no difference because slot machines are about being at the right machine at the right time,² Turley said. ³It¹s all about pure luck, and the person who wins is just plain lucky.²
The evening ended with Turley teaching everyone how to play Craps and Baccarat, both games that could help a gambler leave a casino with a pocket or purse full of money, he said.
³I learned how to play Craps tonight also, so I¹m going to try that game next time I go to the casino,² Stevens said. ³I usually play the slot machines, but I¹ll play Craps to try something different, and hopefully I¹ll win some money.²
Comments about this story? DWilliams@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 282.
