Progressive Jackpot

A progressive jackpot is a jackpot highest payoff for a gaming machine usually a slot machine or video poker machine where the value of the jackpot increases a small amount for every game played. Normally multiple machines are linked together to form one large progressive jackpot that grows more quickly because multiple players are contributing to the jackpot at the same time.

The amount of the jackpot is shown on a meter as a money value. Usually the jackpot can only be won by winning the combination with the highest payoff, e.g. a royal flush at a video poker game, or five of the most valuable symbols lemons, cherries, alligators, etc on a slot machine. Once a player wins the jackpot, the jackpot resets to a preset minimum level.

The amount on the jackpot progresses increases a small amount for every play on a connected machine. The amount that the jackpot advances by is set by the casino the house. For example, on a machine whose house edge is 5%, a generous jackpot contribution might be 1% one fifth of the expected profit. The house is prepared to contribute some of the profit of a jackpot linked machine because players are attracted by the:

Relative novelty of progressive jackpots generally, only a small fraction of the house's gaming machines will be connected to a progressive jackpot

Constantly changing meter, often displayed on large LED or LCD displays

Large amount of the jackpot, which eventually motivates more players to play the game

Usually only players who wager the maximum number of credits per play qualify to win the jackpot. All wagers, whether or not they are maximum credit bets, contribute to the jackpot though. As a result, a game which requires a 10 credit wager to qualify for the progressive jackpot will tend to have the progressive jackpot rise to higher levels relative to its break-even level than a game that requires only a 5 credit wager to qualify.

In some games such as video poker, it is possible to compute an optimal playing strategy based on the frequency for each payoff versus the odds of hitting that payoff. Since the jackpot of a progressive video poker game is constantly growing, it eventually can reach a break-even point where the machine becomes a positive expectation bet for the player.

When the progressive jackpot is less than the break-even point, there is a negative expected value house edge for all players.

In the long run, with optimal strategy, a video poker player can make a profit, although the long run is generally longer than most people think. Several tens of thousands of plays.

It is worthwhile to note that a break-even point cannot be easily calculated on a slot machine game, because the payback percentage for the game is normally unknown to the player. The break-even point in video poker can be calculated because the payback percentage for the game is a function of the paybacks and odds of the poker hands, which is based on a standard 52 card deck. The return of a slot machine is based on the published paytable, but also on the normally unpublished reels. For a five reel slot machine, the player would need to know each symbol on each of the slot machine's five reels, in order to calculate the odds. For a three reel slot, the reels are normally weighted, and this would not be possible. However, in some circumstances the manufacturer may publish the payout of their machines.

Poker Crazy Pineapple Hi-Low Split

Crazy Pineapple Hi-Low Split

Crazy Pineapple Hi-Low Split

Crazy Pineapple Hi-Low Split is played with a standard 52-card deck. In order for a hand to qualify for the low hand, the hand must contain an 8-low or better (lower). Blinds are posted by players who sit in consecutive clockwise order from the button. Action is initiated on the first betting round by the poker player to the left of the person who posted blind clockwise from the button. The blinds act last on the first betting.

All players receive three cards dealt face down (hole cards) as their initial hand. The first round of betting occurs. Check and raises are permitted. Three cards are turned face up in the middle of the board simultaneously (flop). These board cards are community cards and available to all players. The second round of betting occurs. At this time players choose to keep two of their three cards hole cards from their initial hand and discard the third. The next two board cards are turned up one at a time with a round of betting after each card. After the final round of betting has been completed, a player may use any combination of five cards (one hole card and four from the board, etc.) to determine their best high and qualifying low hand. A poker player may use all of the board cards (playing the board). The qualifying low hand must have an 8-low or better. The winning poker hand must show both hole cards face up on the table. The best five-card high and five-card qualifying low poker hand splits the pot. If there is no qualifying low hand, the high hand wins the entire pot. In the event of a tie, that portion of the pot is split equally.

Punto Banco

Playing Baccarat

Baccarat or Punto Banco is usually played in a separate casino area. The playing table is about the size of a craps table with three casino dealers and up to 12 or 14 players. There are just two principal bets to make: banker or player - Banco or Punto, plus the rarely used Standoff. Some casinos let the players deal the cards in turn and others have a casino dealer to deal the cards.

Each player, including the player dealing, may bet on either Punto or Banco but it is customary for the dealer to bet on Banco. Players may opt not to deal, passing the 'Shoe' to the next player. The shoe remains with one player as long as the Bank wins. If Punto wins, the shoe passes on to the next player. Two hands are dealt and you bet which one will win, or that they will tie. It is just like betting on Black or Red at roulette, and the payoff is even money, 1:1 (except for the standoff, which pays 8-1 or 9-1). The only difference between the Banco and Punto bet is a win on Banco will cost you 5% commission or tax levied by the casino - the in-built advantage. The reason for taxing the Banco is because it has been established that over an 8-deck cards play on average the Banco will win three to four hands more than the Punto. Each hand consists of a minimum of two and a maximum of three cards. The person dealing will put two cards, face down, tucked under the shoe, and give the player with the largest bet on Punto the other two cards, face down. The Punto player then looks at the cards and gives them back to the player who is dealing. Then the player who is dealing will turn over the cards of both hands while one of the casino dealers will announce the results and the winner. If either hand has a total of 8 or 9 (nine is the highest), then it is called a 'Natural' and no more cards are dealt. If it is not a natural, then depending on the value of each hand the casino dealer may instruct the card dealer to deal a third card. The decision when to deal a third card follows precise set rules used by all casinos. Once dealing is completed, the hand with the highest count wins. The paying casino dealers will collect the losing bets first and then pay the winning ones. The player who actually deals the cards is not responsible for the payouts. He is just like any other player, playing against the casino.

Baccarat Rules

Baccarat is played from a six-deck or an eight-deck shoe. All face cards and 10s have no value. Cards less than 10 are counted at face value, Aces are worth 1. Suits don't matter. Only single digit values are valid. Any count that reaches a double digit drops the left digit. 15 is counted as 5 and 25 is also counted as 5. To start, the players bet either on Banco or Punto or Standoff. The card dealer gives two cards each; first to the player and then the banker. The object of the game is to bet on the hand that you think will have the highest total value. A third card may be dealt to either or both the player (Punto) and the bank (Banco) based on the following three-card-rules. It is not necessary to learn these rules to play, they are compulsory decisions and therefore automatic. Only on rare occasions a mistake is made: Player's third-card-rule

• If either the player or the bank have a total of 8 or 9 on the first two cards no further cards are drawn. The resulting hand is called a natural and the hand is over.
  
• If the player's total is less than or equal to 5 the player's hand draws a third card.
  
• If the player does not draw a third card, then the bank's hand stands on 6 or more and takes a third card on a total of 5 or less. If the player does take a third card then the Bank's third-card-rule below will determine if the bank takes a third card.
  

Bank's third-card-rules

• If the bank's total is 2 or less then bank draws a card, regardless of what the players third card is.
  
• If the banks total is 3 then the bank draws a third card unless the players third card was an 8.
  
• If the banks total is 4 then the bank draws a third card unless the players third card was a 0, 1, 8, or 9.
  
• If the banks total is 5 then the bank draws a third card if the players third card was 4, 5, 6, or 7.
  
• If the banks total is 6 then the bank draws a third card if the players third card was a 6 or 7.
  
• If the banks total is 7 then the bank stands.
  

House advantage
Banker (Banco) 1.17%
Player (Punto) 1.36%
Tie (Standoff) 14.12% at 8:1 payout