ONLINE CASINO

• Casino Games: Poker Most Popular, Expert Says

  Posted on Mon, 07 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT by By Greg Melikov

  
  

  Poker grabs the spotlight when it comes to casino gambling. There are many reasons, one expert points out.

  “Since the debut of the World Poker Tour and all the TV tournaments that it has spawned, everyone wants to play poker,” says Bill Burton, Internet casino guide and columnist. He’s author of “1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets” and “Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em” available online at www.billburton.com.

  “I know how to play all the games in the casino although there are many I choose not to play because of the house edge,” he says. “It is this knowledge that I pass along. The greatest asset a player can have is being ‘Casino Literate.’ ”

  Before departing for Vegas recently, he e-mailed me: “Right now Poker is by far the most popular game. Texas Hold’em is the most popular game. Back in 2000, stud was the game to play, but Hold’em has pretty much killed that off.

  “While No Limit Hold’em is the most popular for tournaments, there are more limit games (structured betting) being played in the card rooms. These non-tournament games are called ‘Ring Games.’ With poker you are playing against the other players and not the house so I put it in a separate category from the other casino games.

  “It is a game of skill and where good players can make the most money if they read and learn how to play correctly: which starting hands to play, pot odds and percentages, etc.”

  Burton believes in luck. “It’s just possible that your attitude can change your luck. We’ve all heard the saying, ‘When life deals you lemons, learn how to make lemonade.’

  “The person that turns an adverse situation into an advantageous one is sometimes looked upon as being lucky when it was attitude than brought about the luck.”

  The major difference between live and online games, Burton points out, is that online everything is run by software that can be programmed.

  Burton had this to say about video poker:

  Winning a slot jackpot is based solely on luck. You put your money in the machine, hit the spin button and hope that Lady Luck will invite you to dance. There are no decisions to make that will change the outcome of the spin.

  It is a game that requires skill and bridges the gap between slot machines and table games for many players. In most casinos, video poker machines, when played correctly, offer a lower house edge than the slot machines.

  Video poker has been gaining in popularity and the casinos are adding more machines to the gaming floor. When video poker machines first appeared on the casino floors in the late 1970’s the only game offered was Jacks or better draw poker. Today there are over 100 variations of the game.