Commentary | Casino's Built-in Weapon

Randomness is the main feature for all casino games. It is an expert at trapping the most educated guesses. Think of it as a built in weapon for the casino. To some extend randomness it is a secret weapon unless gamblers become aware of it.

Randomness give the casino a very good reason not to cheat. By cheating the will alter the randomness. Once randomness is loss predictability increases. It is therefore not in the casino interest to cheat you. Get rid of your conspiracy theorist mentality. You alone do not matter. The casino is looking at the bigger picture which is to win as many people they possibly can.

Commentary | Betting Shops in UK

I had read +XingCai’s blog on the betting shops in United Kingdoms with curiosity. I think they would be similar to our local CT but without any reference as I had no idea what these betting shops look like. Thanks to BBC News Magazine comprehensive photo coverage, my curiosity is satisfied. Sharing the photos here will help satisfy the inquiring minds of GGC members where these establishments are concern. These are some big name in the industry which often crops up when you read about betting shops or bookmakers in the UK.

The picture below is a payday loan company.

Here is a picture of the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBT), which their former Treasury Minster claims is the crack cocaine of gambling. Comparing them with our local equivalent, I do not see much difference. I don’t see how these machines can cause so much trouble. If the trouble would go to the extend as depicted in SavySeph’s Manga, then it would be better to avoid these areas while traveling in the UK.

Commentary | Casino Bread and Butter

Comps are paid for by gamblers through house edge. When it comes to taking advantage of freebies, Malaysian are very good at it. They will find ways to take advantage of it to the fullest. Let’s take casinos in Macau for comparison. While we need Genting Points (GP) to redeem comps like drinks or meals offered by the casino, you don’t need to do it in Macau. We like to complain that Genting is becoming stingy in offering GP, a system to give comps to gamblers based on their betting activities, but we fail to realize that this benefit is greatly abused.

GGC frowns on those who abuse GP. It is these guys who had caused Genting to tighten the control and genuine gamblers had to put up with the inconvenience. For genuine gamblers out there, you should not feel guilty or abusive when you utilized your GP. With each bet you made you have already paid for it through house edge.

Commentary | Edge Sorting

+SavySeph gave a good explanation of edge sorting. This method is about marking cards by simply turning them upside down. It is a very popular magician's card trick and when applied to gambling is as good as printing money in your backyard.

Edge sorting is sorting out a deck or shoe so that certain key cards could be easily identifiable. The key cards will be base on the game that is being played and the strategy that is devised to give gamblers a superior advantage. Phil Ivey had brought this method into baccarat with great success.

The devised strategy was the main factor in Ivey's success story. Once the cards are edge sorted, the rest is to follow the strategy mechanically. No special skill is required hereafter. The bad news is edge sorting requires many conditions for it to work. The biggest set back is the high drawdown to get the cards edge sorted.

Commentary | Know the Casino

Here is the Link for SavySeph's Webpage. Knowledge of the casino includes the following:

• The casino’s bread and butter
• With a built-in weapon casinos do not have to cheat.
• Casino wants you to win. No kidding, the casino really do.
• The casino's deadliest weapon ensures the casino won't go bust.
• Casino uses distraction tactics to win your money.
• Some casino uses supernatural powers to help them win.

While SavySeph use the analogy of an intimate relationship, I choose to think of the casino as my banker. How many times had GGC members seen the casino as an enemy. We should look at the casino our banker. If you forgot your PIN there is going to be no withdrawal for you. Blame yourself for forgetting the PIN.

Commentary | Casino Don't Cheat

Link to Savy Seph’s Next Webpage

As faceless always say gamblers can never understand how casino thinks because they use an outsider perspective. Those who had worked in a gambling operation will be able to see things from the casino point of view. Savy Seph goes in to ways to attempting to see things from the casino side.

Having worked in a gambling operations, I can figure out the six tips that Savy Seph wish to expound but I will not spoil the surprise for Savy Seph.

Commentary | Discard High Drawdown

Link to Savy Seph’s Fifth Tip

Drawdown is the maximum that you have reached in the losing territory for a gambling session. It is use to measure the effectiveness of a system against another. The system with a higher drawdown is deem less effective.

We were taught that hard work will eventually pay off. In some cases it is not going to be true. Everyone brings this mentality to the gambling table. As long as there is perseverance there is the ability to ride out the storm to become stronger but why persevere when it is not required.

When face a high drawdown at the table, you will obediently try to slog at out. You will patiently wait for the turn to run into a streak. You actually won’t have to put up with it if you know of a system with a lower drawdown.