In Nevada gaming revenues fell by 10.4% in 2009, which is the biggest drop in the history of the state. Throughout the state casinos made $10.39 billion from gaming revenue in 2009 and that was the lowest total since back in 2003. However, in the latter half of the year the decline was not so bad.
According to Control Board Tax and License Division Chief Frank Streshley Nevada gaming revenues in the first 6 months of 2009 were down 13.4% as compared with the same period in 2008. In the last 6 months of 2009 the drop was only 7.2% compared to the year before. Streshley recently stated, “I guess you can say we improved in the second half of the year. In reality, that stretch between October 2008 and March of last year was a horrendous period for the industry.”
The most recent drop follows a trend with the economic slump, as 2009 saw a 9.7% increase from 2008. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has been keeping records of casino revenues since back in 1956 and the only repeat in dropping revenues from year to year were in the past 10 years.
The Strip saw a big drop, as their revenues in 2009 were $5.5 billion, which is a drop of 9.4%. Clark County, which is the county that Las Vegas is located, fell 9.8% to $8.8 billion.
North Las Vegas actually saw an increase in revenue last year and the main reason was the opening of the impressive Aliante Station in November 2008. North Las Vegas was the only part of Clark County that saw a revenue increase last year. The Casinos in North Las Vegas reported gaming revenue of $286.2 million, which is a 1.2% increase over the totals from 2008.
In looking at the main games of the casinos slots saw the biggest drop in revenues from the previous year of 10.8% while table games fell 4%.
Every county in Nevada had a drop in revenue, but what is their loss can be your game. If you look all around Nevada, especially in Las Vegas, you can find killer deals on hotels and package vacations. If you go to Las Vegas and visit the Strip on down times of the year you can find really good bargains and you gambling money can go a lot further. Take some time to research some deals online and you will be surprised how much money you can save.
February 14th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, Gambling Thoughts, News, Slots, Table Games | No Comments
When going to Las Vegas, or any other land based casino, you should know the info about the casino chips and cages. Here is some info on both that you should be armed with before you gamble so you will have no problems.
• The cage is a term for the cashier at a casino. The casino will only have one area for the cashier located in the casino. Generally, it is a row of windows much like a bank. At the cashier area you can deal with money, chips and coins. It is also the area to go to in order to set up a line of credit if you plan to do some significant gambling. By getting a credit you will just have to sign a marker at the table rather then carry a lot of cash on you.
• The change booths at the casinos are generally smaller booths that are located throughout the casino. In many casinos the booths will have bars on them, no not the drinking ones, which makes them looks like cages. These booths or cages are also the cashier and they deal with the transactions of coins to cash and vice versa. The cages will not deal with the chips, which is the reason they tend to be located near the slot and video poker machines in the casino.
• There tends to be 2 attendants that handle the transactions of cash to coins. Roving change attendants tend to be located in the middle of the machine area and they will also give you the plastic buckets for you to hold your change in. The slot and change attendants work around the machine area all day and night at the casinos. You can ask them which are the loose machines and if they give you a good tip remember to tip them if you hit big.
• The casinos will have their very own house coins. The house coins with be in denominations of $1, $5, and $25, and some casinos will have higher limit coins. The penny, 5 cent, and 25 cent machines will take the U.S. coins. At the cages and booths you can only exchange the coins for cash. Most machines will take bills in many bill denominations.
• The chips at casinos will be in denominations of $1, $5, and $100 and can even be more. There are also smaller casinos that will have chips for 25 and 50 cents. You can get the chips at the tables and you can exchange them for money at the cashier section of the casino. However, the Roulette chips work differently, as the chips are color-coded and you must exchange them before you get up to leave the table. When you are done playing just ask the dealer to color up or cash out.
• Many times casinos will not honor coins or chips that come from another casinos. Before leaving a casino to go to another cash out your chips.
• When you are passing through a casino you can lay down cash bets at the Roulette table, and other tables usually, and you do not have to use chips. If you are going to play for some time you should always use chips.
• Even though many casinos will use the same color-coded chips do not use them if they are from a different casino.
August 18th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, Gambling Thoughts, News, Slots, Table Games | No Comments
You have to be smart when you gamble in Las Vegas, or any other land based casinos, so you can have fun and not lose your shirt. Here are a few tips you can follow in how to gamble in an intelligent way.
• Know that gambling is a form of entertainment. Obviously everyone wants to win, but you have to know that the edge is with the casinos and the chances are you will lose. Gambling should be fun and not stressful and you never want to leave thinking you threw away money. The gambling bankroll you have should be seen as a cost that should be taken into consideration for a trip. Hey, you may lose, but there are not many entertainment offers where you can walk away with more money then you came with.
• The bankroll you use should be part of the entertainment budget. This should be money that you can afford lose and you should not be bummed if you do lose it. The gambling bankroll should not be money that you need for bills or other important expenses. Unless it is the case that you are very disciplined with money then it is a good idea to have the bankroll on you and only that amount. This will allow you to stick to your amount and not go past it. Nothing is worse then losing a lot of money when gambling when you go past what you can afford to lose.
• Pick you bankroll denomination very carefully. If you play dollar slots and your bankroll does not last long by doing it then switch to quarter slots. Lower your betting denomination if you go on a cold streak or your bankroll is getting drained quickly switch to lower denomination bets. Lowing your bets is the best way to stretch your gambling dollar.
• Take breaks from your gambling session. Nothing will drain your enthusiasm quicker then staying at a game for hours on end. Take a break, go get some fresh air or go to the bar and get a drink. Even changing games or watch a sports game or horse race and drop a little cash on them to still feel the juice.
• Gamble at a slower pace. Pick tables that you can play slowly at, which means making fewer bets. There is no reward for gambling at a fast pace. Chat with your table neighbors and have a good time, as if you are at a table where you have to bet quickly then find another table.
If you are a person that uses common sense in the every day world then you should do so when gambling in Las Vegas. Don’t leave your common sense at the casino entrance. By following the above tips it can make your gambling experience what it is meant to be, which is fun.
August 16th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, Gambling Thoughts, Slots, Table Games | No Comments
Gaming revenues fell in the month of June in the state of Nevada to their lowest single month total in almost 5 years. Casinos in Nevada took in $818.2 million from customers in June compared to $949.3 million in June of last year, which is a drop of 13.8% according to figures that were recently released by the Gaming Control Board.
June’s total was the lowest monthly total that casinos took in since July of 2004 when they took in $813 million. June was the 18th straight month that there was a decrease in gaming totals, as the gaming industry is getting hit hard by the American, as well as global, struggling economy.
The Strip in Las Vegas was hit harder in the month of June, as they only took in $$414.5 million compared with $486.4 million in June of last year, which is a whopping 14.8% drop in revenues.
The chief of the Gaming Control Board’s tax and licensing division, Frank Streshley stated that the month of June is generally a light gaming revenues month. The decline of double digits in gaming revenue in Nevada was not the result of the basic June decline, but rather people are just not spending as much money as they used to and not as many people are visiting Las Vegas these days. Besides the gaming industry in Nevada the hotel industry is also taking a big hit.
In June the amount bet on slots was down 10.7% and table game revenues also were down by 12.7%. Streshley recently stated that the table game revenue for June, which was $1.8 billion wagered, was the lowest bet on table games since way back in November of 2003.
Gaming revenues went down in double digits in every area of Las Vegas with the exception being downtown Las Vegas, as they still had decreasing revenues but only to the tune of 5.6%. Downtown Las Vegas is cheaper to stay at then the Strip is and more people are going to less expensive hotels and casinos since they are watching their dollars more these days.
I have written about this before, but with the falling revenues in the gaming and hotel industry you can benefit from it. You can not only get cheaper hotel rooms, but you can also play at lower stakes tables, especially on the Strip, and you can get more comps, as casinos are hurting for customers. Now is the time to head to Sin City, as you can get a great deal on hotels and flights.
August 12th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, News, Slots, Table Games | No Comments
Slots may be the easiest game to play at a casino, but that does not mean that players often mistakes when playing the game. Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid when playing slots.
• Do not use a slot machine system – Many players make the assumption that they can tell the future of what the next spin will be by using systems that deal with stats in order to turn the odds to their advantage. A slots system that is successful is basically a myth, as the Random Number Generator (RNG) make it so no spin is like the previous one and every spin is totally random. Winning at slots is just hitting the machine at the right time. Just like with most games in a casino there is no surefire system that works when playing slots.
• Do not look at the reels to calculate odds – The number on the slots game deals with the pictures on the reel. There can be up to 100 virtual stops on every single slots reel even though you will not see as many images. If the jackpot of the game is significant the chances of hitting that jackpot are pretty small since the jackpot has to get the funds from another location.
• Do not think that a machine that has not hit for a while is due to hit – Because of the RNG a machine that has not hit for a long time has the same chances of hitting on a hot machine. The RNG is put into place to make long-term calculations and there is no reason that the machine will not give long term payouts one after the other.
• Do not think that fast play will help you win – There is no advantage to playing fast when you play at a slots machine. There are hundreds of numbers that are generated by the RNG in between each spin for the fastest slots players. Because of this is impossible for slots players to make hundreds of spins in one second, so take your time when playing.
Random Number Generators come from advanced technology and what it does is makes the game of slots a game of luck and not one of skill.
The common slots mistakes that many players make that are above come form the simple fact that the results when playing slots can be predicted, which is obviously just not true.
While it is the case that slots machines have been seen as a game of luck, there are some ways that you can play the game in a rational manner in order for you to increase your chances of winning when playing slots.
August 8th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, Gambling Thoughts, Slots | No Comments
In order to get credit for your casino you need to get a Player’s Card, which you can do free of charge. Even if you are not going to gamble a lot you should still get a card, as if you have one you can get mailed and e-mailed for discounted hotel rooms. It is a fact that in Atlantic City that almost 2/3rd of hotel rooms are given away for free.
When you have your Player’s Card and play slots all you have to do to get comp points is put your card in the machine before you begin playing. If you are playing table games then just put the card next to your money when you buy chips. When you play slots or video poker the printout on the card reader will show you the amount of earned comp points you have accumulated. The bigger casinos will also have a brochure at the Player’s Club desk that will show you how many points you must accumulate before you can get such things as free rooms or free buffets.
Typically, casino comps are given depending on how much you gamble and not how much money you lose. Even if you win you can still get comps. Casinos are aware that even if you are a winner that they are as well with the house edge, so they look at the amount of money that you are wagering and now if you are winning or losing. One exception is that it is the case that you can get more comps if you lose big. The size of the casino will be the depending factor on how big a loss is. Another exception is that you can be rewarded for your big win with comps. When you win you will get comped, as the casino wants you to come back so they have the chance to get their money back.
Claiming Your Comps
You have to ask for your comps to get them. If you play machine games you need to head to the Player’s Cub desk and they can give you what you have earned depending on how many points you have accumulated. When you play table games you should ask the pit boss for the comps. If you are not sure how much you have to play to get the comps that you want to get all you have to do is ask, as the pit boss will tell you. Why wouldn’t they, as if you play more the casino makes more money.
Ways to Increase Comps
When you are playing at table games the comps you will get will be based on the average size of your wager. The crew on the floor, pit bosses, will input into their computer you bet size. The bet that is the most important is the first one that you make and the bets directly after that. If your first few bets are more then they usually are the pit boss might input a higher number for your average bet.
You can also get comped more if you slow play at the tables. Play at a table that is full and take your sweet time when decision-making. If you play slower you will lose less, but it may be the case that you will be comped just like you would be by playing at a normal pace.
July 30th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, Gambling Thoughts, Promotions, Slots, Table Games, Video Poker | No Comments
When you visit Vegas is can be an awesome experience, but here are some tips that you can follow to make it more enjoyable and affordable.
• Visit Vegas midweek Accommodations in Vegas can be 3x to 4x more expensive on the weekends. Also, with the crowds on the weekend it will be more difficult to find open tables you want to gamble at, harder to get taxis, and harder to get open dinner reservations. It is also easier to get comps with less people gambling.
• When you gamble get a player’s card – When you hit the casino first go to the Player’s Club desk even if you are not going to gamble there. You will get mail of e-mail offers for free and discounted rooms on your next Vegas visit.
• Set a gambling bankroll before you gamble – Set a gambling budget that you can afford to lose and when you get to that point stop gambling. This will help you not lose more then you can afford.
• Stay away from slots – Slots can drain your money quickly, as they have horrible player odds. If you want to play slots for fun play the games with low money denominations.
• Make sure to tip dealers and cocktail waitresses – This is not only a nice thing to do, but it could bring you some good karma.
• Ask for comps – When playing table games and slots the casino will often give you comps for things such as buffets, tickets to shows, or even rooms. Inquire at the player’s club booth if you play slots and at the tables if you play table games how you can get your comps.
• Use the buses to go from place to place – The buses in Vegas are very cheap and check out for Strip passes, which you can get for cheap and travel the whole Strip for the evening.
• Get taxis at the hotels on the Strip not the Strip itself – Taxis will not stop right on the Strip, as you need to go the taxi area at a hotel to get one. Do not be afraid to ask other people at the taxi area at a hotel to see if anyone else is going in your direction, as it can be much cheaper when you share a taxi.
• Take a walk! The Strip is 4 miles long and it does not take a long time to walk from one end to the other. Walking the Strip is also one of the best places in the world to people watch. Also, when there is a lot of traffic it is the fastest way to get around.
• Hit the 3 booths on the Strip to get show tickets at ½ price – There are 3 booths on the Strip where you can get show tickets at ½ off and they are located just south of the Rivera Hotel and Casino, outside the Fashion Show Mall (across from the Wynn Hotel and Casino), and in the Hawaiian Marketplace (across from the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino). If you are downtown there is a booth for discounted show tickets outside the Four Queens Casino.
July 28th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, Gambling Thoughts, Promotions, Slots, Table Games | No Comments
Winning money when playing at the casinos in Las Vegas, or any other casino, is not impossible but you have to know that the odds are not in your favor and in the long run it is not likely that you will win. You should be aware of the odds of the house for Vegas casino games so you know how the odds are stacked against you.
Slots
Slots is the easiest casino game to play and there is no real knowledge that you have to have about the game. Slots will keep around 3% – 25% of money and that will depend on the slot machine you are playing at and the casino you are in. Slots players that are losing on one machine may feel that they are due and they keep playing on it. This is incorrect, as slots machines are controlled by a Random Number Generator (RNG), which will figure the payout course over a few thousand spins. Basically, there is no way that you can know that a machine will hit or not.
Keno
For every $1 bet on Keno the casino will keep 30%. You should know that when you play Keno it is very much like playing a mini-lottery. As it stands now 20 out of a possible 20 numbers has never been won at any casino anywhere and not just in Vegas.
Video Poker
When you play video poker try to find a Jacks or better video poker game that pays 9 coins when you get a Full House and 6 coins when you get a Flush. In a game like this the house odds will fall between 0% and 5%. Video poker has better odds then slots and if you play smart you can come out ahead when you play.
Roulette
Many people think that they have a 50/50 chance when playing Roulette by betting on either the black or red, odd or even, or 1-18 or 19-36. This is simply not true because of the green 0 and 00. The green 0 and 00 give the casino a house edge of 5.25%. If you have the time try to find a European Roulette game, as it will lower the odds of the house since there is only one green 0 on a European wheel.
Blackjack
When you play Blackjack the house edge with be around 0% to 3%. You should try to find single hand Blackjack games, as they will give you better odds. One thing that may casinos are doing thee days are paying out 6:5 on Blackjack rather then 2:1. This is generally the case with single deck games, but you should stay away from games like this, as it can raise the house edge by 1%. To get the best advantage when playing Blackjack you should:
• Split aces and eights
• Double down with 10 or 11 if a dealer has an up card of 2-9.
• Stand when you have 12-16 if a dealer has an up card of 2-6.
• Hit with 12-16 if a dealer has an up card of 7,8,9,10 and Ace.
• Stand on 17-21.
• Never ever take the insurance option,
Craps
Stay away from the high odds bet on the craps table. You should only play the line bets, which are the line bets, pass and don’t pass bets, and come and don’t come bets. If you do this the odds will be about 1.4% in favor of the casino. There are some casinos that will offer a game that is called crap-less craps, but beware as even though it looks to be a good game, in terms of odds, the game actually is one that gives the house more favorable odds.
Maybe the best tip you can have when hitting Vegas or any casino is to know when to “walk away” or cut your losses.
July 12th, 2024 | Posted in Blackjack, Casinos, Craps, Gambling Thoughts, Roulette, Slots, Table Games, Video Poker | No Comments
You have probably seen that at land based and Internet casinos there are always tons of slots games available. Slots is the easiest game to play, but it is a game that it may be a game that is the hardest to cash in on. There are a number of reasons and slots tips that you need to look at if you want to win some cash when playing slots.
When you look or a slots game to play it is a good idea to find the game that have an advertised payout rate of between 95%-98%. If a couple slots games are located right next to each other it does not mean their payout rate is the same. It is a good idea to avoid machines with many symbols, as their payout percentage is difficult to determine.
If you have the chance to double your bankroll at any time when playing slots you should cash out. The longer you play at one slots game the higher the odds will not be in your favor. Do not think that if a slots game has not paid out for a while that it is due and will hit soon. If you are on a cold machine cut your losses and move to another machine.
When you start a slots session it is smart to start with low denominations. If you have a slots bankroll of $30 then start betting $1 on each spin. If you are losing right off the bat for some time, again, switch games. There is no guarantee that the next game you play at will cash out, but never stay at a cold game.
When you play slots you should be betting the max number of coins or credits you can because your chances of winning a bigger jackpot are higher. Also, many land-based casinos will reward loyal slots players for placing bigger wagers. However, you should never wager more money then you can afford to lose. Have a set bankroll for a session and stick to it. Progressive slots will only pay out the largest jackpot if you play the max amount of coins or credits.
If you cannot afford to play the max coins when playing slots then find a similar game that has a lower denomination. For example, if playing at $1 slots are too much for you with the bankroll you have then find a quarter slots game. If you are not sure on what type of slots game you should play at then it is a good idea to start at video poker, as they have a better payout then most slots games.
Knowing all there is to know on how to play slots will increase your chances of winning. You have to understand the rules in terms of how many coins or credits to play as well as the games payout percentage. When you know this the odds are more in your favor, which makes it more possible that you will win.
July 9th, 2024 | Posted in Casinos, Slots | No Comments
Microgaming, which is one of the world’s leading Internet gaming providers, recently released 4 brand new video slots games for the summer season and each has fantastic graphics and exciting game-play.
The first game released was Summer Holiday is a 5-reel 100-payline slots game that features a combination of stacked wilds, scatter symbols, and re-triggers of free spins with multipliers that are very generous. The game also has a unique bonus feature that allows players to choose a prize when they complete the spin cycle. The game’s design is very relaxed and smooth and has very colorful artwork that guides players through scenes of holiday and ultimate leisure. Summer Holiday gives rewards of up to $37,500 in the base of the game with a huge $112,500 that can be won with the free spins feature.
The Tour De France will take place this month and Microgaming and the Pedal Power slots game will capitalize on the most popular bicycle race in the world. The Pedal Power game features eye-catching artwork and top-notch graphics that show the world of bicycle racing, such as the riders, trophies, tools used in the race, and even stop-watches. The new game lets players take an extra risk, as they can pick the number of free spins that they get and that is then balanced against what each player choice gives them in the multipliers. Winning combination can be had in the wide feature of Pedal Power that takes the place of the golden trophy of the Tour de France.
Microgaming’s 3rd release is Sterling Silver, which is a 5-reel 25-payline video slots game that has the theme of the precious medal of silver, hence the name of the game. The game features glittering silver symbols that include both wild and scatter symbols that players can use to find out the hidden treasures inside the game. For more action players can take advantage of the gamble feature to double and even quadruple what they win if the make the right guess to what the suit of the mystery card is.
Last, but definitely not least, is the Fortune Finder video slots game where players can get an ax and some TNT and go on an exciting mining quest. The player can find diamonds, nuggets of gold, and rubies toward the ultimate jackpot of this 5-reel 30-payline slots game. Players of Fortune Finder have the opportunity to pick the best hands so they can create winning combinations as well as generous opportunities through wide cards, scatters, free spins, and the gamble feature. A unique feature of the Fortune Finder game is a new and exciting stage that allows players to control the 3 wilds in the game, which is known as Diamond, Ruby, and Nugget that are located on reels 2,3,and 4. Choosing the gem in which they think will be the most precious the choice of the player can then be changed and that will depend on the success of the gem in order to make the game even more suspenseful and exciting.
July 2nd, 2024 | Posted in News, Slots, Video Poker | No Comments
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