Chips and Slots Casino News

Let’s start with a little history on the game. Keno is a popular gambling game in the United States. Its history can be traced to a Chinese game called “The Game of the White Dove” invented during the Han Dynasty (187 BC). The name “keno” descends from a form of Bingo or Lotto popular in the USA in the 19th century. There are many references to “Keno” played in a bingo like format in the eastern states prior to the influx of Chinese during the gold rush. The name appears to have been transferred to the similar format Chinese lottery in the late 1800s.

Did you know? A couple of years ago a Las Vegas Casino ran a special promotion in which if a player hit 20/20 on the same Keno card twice, the player would win a $1,000,000 prize. Great promotion right? Wrong. In over 2000 years no one has ever hit 20/20. No One.  Yet thousands of people played in hopes of winning. Here’s a little more information on Keno.

Modern Keno

Keno, in its modern form, is like a lottery or bingo in that it is a numbers game. Unlike bingo, the keno player picks the numbers for his or her ticket(s). Keno cards have 80 numbers; the keno player can pick as many (or as few) numbers as desired. This is done by circling or otherwise marking them with a pencil. Once the player has picked his numbers, he must bring his card back to the clerk at the keno booth. The clerk will then issue a receipt after recording the player’s numbers.

After picking numbers and recording them at the keno booth, the player will then watch either a “big board” in which winning keno numbers will light up or on a video monitor showing the selected numbers. As the winning numbers light up, the player usually marks them on his or her card with a bright-colored marker. The amount of numbers the player originally picked that match winning numbers of a particular drawing will determine if any money is won and, if so, how much. The winning ticket needs to be taken to the keno booth immediately if it is an individual game ticket, as drawings usually take place every five minutes. If the player tries to redeem a winning ticket when the next drawing starts, it is void and no money is paid out.

To avoid having a void ticket, a keno player can purchase a “multi-race” ticket with the same picked numbers on anywhere from 2 to 20 tickets. When the maximum number of games (matching the number of tickets) is finished, the player can then redeem any winnings and avoid the peril of a void ticket. Another option is the “stray and play” ticket, which is usually a number of games greater than 30. Unlike standard keno tickets, the “stray and play” doesn’t have to be redeemed immediately and is often good for up to a year after purchase.

People have always needed entertainment and colorful casino action attracts millions of players. Find out why people don’t mind gambling their money and what they get out of it.

People love playing at casinos and their popularity is undeniable. Compared to a couple of decades ago, casinos are widespread throughout the United States. Cruise ships, state-licensed casinos, and Native American casinos entertain millions of people every year and make billions of dollars.

What could possibly be the attraction of a place that will most likely take your money? First of all, going anywhere and doing anything costs money, so the fact that visiting a casino may cost you money is not really an impediment. The keyword in that last sentence was “may” because you might actually win money when you play at a casino, and this definitely cannot happen at other entertainment venues.

The appeal of a casino begins with the environment it creates for its patrons. Casinos have common elements such as they are noisy, have lots of bright lights inside and out, and flashy gaudy carpeting that (luckily) can’t be found in other places. The exciting and exotic atmosphere of the typical casino combined with the presence of gambling imbues it with a speak-easy mystique that makes it a tantalizing place to play.

A casino provides people with a place to go that is different than their other choices. It’s not a movie theater or shopping mall or bar. Sometimes a casino resort includes these elements but they are only extras tacked on to a casino. There is not another type of entertainment venue that quite delivers the excitement, flash, emotion, and slightly gangster flair that can be found in a casino.

For special events like weddings or just a big date, a casino also offers itself as a place where you can dress up. Although casual dress is fine for visitors as well, you are not the least bit out of place in formal attire. It just adds to the whole scene when some people are dressed up.

Most importantly, giving adults a place to play is what casinos do best. Gambling is an adult activity, and rightly so. When friends and relatives go out to a casino and run about trying different games and trading stories on their wins and losses, they recapture the feeling of being a kid at a carnival.

And the gambling can give you the biggest thrill. While playing, you have the hope for a win to excite and sustain you during the losses. Then, on the times when you do win, you truly have a good time. Winning anything is fun, and winning money is even more fun. It is especially satisfying to win while gambling because the odds are against you the whole way. You can feel smart and victorious as you cash out and tuck the money into your wallet.

Games that suit about every taste and comfort level are offered at a casino. The slot machines and video poker machines are the most popular because they are the easiest to play. Table games such as blackjack, roulette and craps are commonly found at casinos as well. Some people feel intimidated by these games because they do not know the rules for playing. However, if you are interested in trying some cards or dice on your next casino visit, then you have no reason to be shy about playing. Floor supervisors and dealers will tell you what to do. The point of visiting a casino is to have a good time, so be sure to play the games that interest you.

A free how to play craps guide is available from Falbe Publishing.

About the Author

Tracy Falbe is the author of multiple nonfiction and fiction books, including Get Dicey: Play Craps and Have Fun based on her years working as a Las Vegas craps dealer.

There are many basic strategies for blackjack, depending on the casino’s rules and the number of decks used. The basic strategy outlined here is based on the four-deck game as played in Las Vegas. The object of the game is to beat the dealer with a total equal to or less than 21, without going over 21 or bust.

Rules of the Game Before any cards are dealt, the player must wager. He does this by placing his bet in the designated space in front of his table position. The dealer then deals two cards to each of the players, and two to himself (one of the dealer’s cards is dealt face up and one is dealt facing down). Face cards (kings, queens and jacks) count as 10, ace counts as one or 11 (as the player chooses) and all other cards are counted at their face value.

Blackjack If the player’s first two cards are an ace and a 10 or face card, he wins. However, if the dealer also has a blackjack, it is a standoff, as are all ties or pushes. A winning blackjack pays the player 3 to 2.

Hit or Stand Hit means to draw another card (which the player signifies by scraping the table with his cards or a similar hand motion). Stand means no more cards (which the player signals by placing his cards under his wager or moving his hand in a horizontal direction. If the player hits and busts (goes over 21), he immediately turns his cards over and his wager is lost.

Double Down The player is allowed to double the bet on his first two cards and draw one additional card only to improve his hand.

Splitting Pairs If the first two cards a player is dealt are a pair, he may split them into two separate hands, bet the same amount on each and then play them separately. Aces receive only one additional card. After splitting, A-10 counts as 21 and not as blackjack.

Insurance If the dealer’s up card is an ace, the player may take insurance, a bet not exceeding one-half his original bet. If the dealer’s down card is a 10 or any face card, the player wins 2 to 1. Any other card means a win for the dealer.

Surrender Where permitted, a player may give up his first two cards and lose only one-half his original bet.

The dealer must draw on 16 and stand on 17. In some casinos, the dealer is required to draw on soft 17.