Casinos can be a fun place for college students. They offer buffets, sports bars and the opportunity to win money.
But even though they can be fun, casinos can also be a dangerous place. On any given night, some people will walk away with extra income in their pockets while others leave hundreds of dollars in the hole.
Despite this, casinos still remain a popular form of entertainment for people across America. According to the National Coalition Against Organized Gambling, Nevada was the only state to allow casino gambling 20 years ago, but now 23 of the 50 states allow casino gambling.
At a typical casino, a player will find a combination of slot and table games. Nickel slots, craps and black jack are some of the more popular games at casinos. Here are the basics for these games including a few pointers.
Nickel Slots
This is perhaps one of the more simplistic gambling devices at the casino. Nickel slots are just that, slots where one pull costs one nickel.
The goal is to get like symbols to appear sequentially on a line. The payout depends on what symbols appear in a row.
Players can bet on multiple lines instead of one like traditional slots. Some machines can bet a maximum of nine lines while others can play 15 lines.
The feature that nickel slots have over the $.25, $1 and $5 slot machines are the bonus games. The bonus games give the opportunity to win more money in a fun and entertaining way.
The “Price is Right” nickel slots have two bonus games. The bonus games are taken straight from the television show. Depending on the machine played, one bonus game will be either Plinko, Cliff Hanger or Punch-A-Bunch.
The main bonus game is the Showcase Showdown. Players will spin the wheel, and if the total does not go over $1, then they can go to the showcase. Players then get to pick tags gaining the prizes on those tags in the showcase. Each prize has a different value, and when all the tags are selected for either the blue or red showcases, players win the total value from those prizes.
If playing nickel slots, bet the maximum number of lines to give the best chances to get symbols in a row and the most payout. Also, always cash out on a multiple of 20. This guarantees an even dollar amount instead of winning $25.65.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a card table game where the object is for the player’s hand to beat the dealer’s without going over 21.
Players win if their hand is greater than the dealer’s or if the dealer “busts” by going over 21.
Each card has a different value. Numbers two through ten are as is. Jacks, queens and kings are worth ten. Aces are worth eleven or one, depending on your hand.
Cards are dealt face up to each player and the dealer gets one card face up and one face down.
Now, players must decide to “hit,” drawing further cards or “stand” by not taking any more cards. After all players complete their hands, the dealer then draws to complete the dealer’s hand.
Players also can take two special hits, “double down” and “split.”
In order to double down a bet, players must match their initial bet. So, if the initial bet was $5, then to double down, another $5 must be placed next to the original $5 bet. The dealer will give the player one more card and the turn ends. If the hand wins, then the dealer will pay both bets placed on the table. The ideal time to double down is when the initial cards equal 10 or 11. Chances favor getting a 10 or a face card as the next card.
The option to split occurs when the player gets two like cards such as two eights. By matching the bet on the table (not connected to the initial bet), the dealer will separate the two cards and place another card to the card on the right.
Players will play this just like any other blackjack hand. When one hand is complete, the dealer will play the other card. Each hand must beat the dealer to win.
Players should always stand on all totals 13 or higher if the dealer is showing a 3, 4, 5 or 6. Chances are the dealer will receive a bust card and the players will win. Also, players should stand on all totals 17 or higher.
Craps
Craps is a dice table game. The basics of craps remain simple, bet with the shooter (the Pass Line) or against the shooter (the Don’t Pass Line).
One player at the table, the shooter, is selected to begin the game. The game begins by the shooter rolling two dice on the table, which is called the “come out roll.”
On the first roll, if the shooter rolls 7 or 11, the shooter wins and keeps rolling. If the roll equals 2, 3 or 12 on the first shot, the shooter loses but keeps rolling.
If the shooter rolls a “point” number (4, 5, 6 or 8, 9 or 10), the shooter continues to roll. If the point number repeats, then the shooter wins, but if a 7 comes up the shooter “craps out” and must pass the dice.
There are a number of other bets players can make while the shooter rolls.
The “Field” bet means the player believes the next roll of the dice will be 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12.
“Place” bets are bets on the specific point numbers the shooter did not roll. If the point number is nine and there is a place bet on the six, then every time the shooter rolls a six, the player will get paid. The only time place bets are taken off the table is when the shooter craps out with a 7.
A “Horn” says the player believes the next roll will equal 2, 3, 11 or 12.
Finally, a “Hardway” bet says the next time the shooter rolls a 4, 6, 8 or 10 the dice will be in pairs, such as two fives.
There are other bets for craps but these are the most common.
If a shooter consistently loses money for the player, do not place any bets down until the shooter starts to get on a streak. Observation is key in this game.
If a shooter bets the Don’t Pass Line, it is usually not a good idea to bet the Pass Line on their roll.
Do not let gambling ruin the fun casinos can present to college students.
In order to have the most fun, bring $20 to $30 and leave the wallet with ATM and credit cards inside the car or at home, and walk away when the decision is first made to stop playing.
Casinos are a place of entertainment. Do not take them too seriously.