Easiest Game for Beginners

[Jhaulotte]

Just bet on a game. 3 hours of entertainment for whatever you feel like betting and all you have to do is pick one or the other.

[Chuck]

Just bet on a game. 3 hours of entertainment for whatever you feel like betting and all you have to do is pick one or the other.

While this is very easy, it can also be intimidating for a first timer who doesn't understand the jargon; and the first time you walk in to a big sportsbook and see the huge score display it's a bit overwhelming.

[Jhaulotte]

Just bet on a game. 3 hours of entertainment for whatever you feel like betting and all you have to do is pick one or the other.

While this is very easy, it can also be intimidating for a first timer who doesn't understand the jargon; and the first time you walk in to a big sportsbook and see the huge score display it's a bit overwhelming.

Very true, I was thinking after the initial wager all the pressures of dealers, other people around you, or any fears of making a mistake are gone.

[brian808]

While this is very easy, it can also be intimidating for a first timer who doesn't understand the jargon; and the first time you walk in to a big sportsbook and see the huge score display it's a bit overwhelming.

Good point! a 1st-timer should prob pick a friendlier casino. A friendly dealer is much better to ease them into it. I play mainly at the Orleans and didn't think anything of it until my cousin pointed it out in May. We spent most of the time gambling at Mandalay Bay, Harrahs, IP, PH. Then just before we left, we spent 2 hours at the Orleans - they loved it. Said the dealers were much more friendly, interactive. Even when he lost (and he can be sour at times), he said he had fun.

[Jhaulotte]

While this is very easy, it can also be intimidating for a first timer who doesn't understand the jargon; and the first time you walk in to a big sportsbook and see the huge score display it's a bit overwhelming.

Good point! a 1st-timer should prob pick a friendlier casino. A friendly dealer is much better to ease them into it. I play mainly at the Orleans and didn't think anything of it until my cousin pointed it out in May. We spent most of the time gambling at Mandalay Bay, Harrahs, IP, PH. Then just before we left, we spent 2 hours at the Orleans - they loved it. Said the dealers were much more friendly, interactive. Even when he lost (and he can be sour at times), he said he had fun.

I believe Chuck's point was with regards to looking at the board and figuring out what to bet, how to bet, and communicate that bet to the teller. I dont think it was about nice or rude, but your point about being with a friendly dealer can make things easier and more enjoyable I agree. I think rude dealers are the exception not the rule. ALL casinos have some that suck and some that are fun.

[ochowie]

I thought that if you play craps bet odds on the pass or come line it brings the house edge down significantly to the point where it is about tied with blackjack for the best odds. Here is an excerpt from http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/craps9.htm

"The most often noted strategy of craps experts is to always place free odds on line bets. The casino has no edge in the free odds you place, so its edge in your overall bet drops. For example, the house edge in a Pass Line bet is 1.41 percent. When you place free odds on that bet, the house edge drops to .8 percent. If you can place double odds (a free odds bet that is twice your original bet), then the house edge drops to .6 percent. The more you can add to your odds bet, the lower the house edge."

Also, I am probably one of the rude players at a BJ table people complain about. It just drives me nuts when someone has a 13 into a dealer 10 and stays. Or how people are to scared to hit on a 16 into a 10. Or my personal favorite was a guy that had 13 with a dealer 10, hit up to a 15, and then stood. I just can't connect with the thought process that drives people to do stuff like that.

[makonyy15]

Also, I am probably one of the rude players at a BJ table people complain about. It just drives me nuts when someone has a 13 into a dealer 10 and stays. Or how people are to scared to hit on a 16 into a 10. Or my personal favorite was a guy that had 13 with a dealer 10, hit up to a 15, and then stood. I just can't connect with the thought process that drives people to do stuff like that.

I'm with you on that one. Can't stand when people do that. Also, I can't stand it when people play good strategy, but then start playing hunches and gut feelings, going against every strategy. Blackjack is never about gut feelings...they developed a list of correct plays for a reason.

[ochowie]

Also, I am probably one of the rude players at a BJ table people complain about. It just drives me nuts when someone has a 13 into a dealer 10 and stays. Or how people are to scared to hit on a 16 into a 10. Or my personal favorite was a guy that had 13 with a dealer 10, hit up to a 15, and then stood. I just can't connect with the thought process that drives people to do stuff like that.

I'm with you on that one. Can't stand when people do that. Also, I can't stand it when people play good strategy, but then start playing hunches and gut feelings, going against every strategy. Blackjack is never about gut feelings...they developed a list of correct plays for a reason.

Yep I agree. In BlackJack a hunch is something you say you had when you messed up a hand. It's like in my situation the guy hit on 13 but now he "feels" he is so much better off at 15 than on 13? If you want to play on hunches you should be playing roulette and convincing yourself that because the board shows the last 5 numbers were red the next one HAS to be black.

[JCase]

About the gut feelings, you can't really blame people. That's how casinos make money is because people fill themselves up with gambler fallacy. Yeah, it takes away from the fun and synergy of the table when somebody bets on the don't pass line when the roller is on a streak but hey, if it hits it hits.

Blackjack is a pretty complex game to play to have odds at their lowest and it requires everybody at the table to the same and well...we know that rarely ever happens.

[ochowie]

Blackjack is a pretty complex game to play to have odds at their lowest and it requires everybody at the table to the same and well...we know that rarely ever happens.

Maybe, but they sell basic strategy cards in every Casino for practically nothing and you can have them at the table with you. Maybe I should just buy a stack of them and pass them out when I'm playing. If you don't have it memorized you can get along way just by assuming the dealer has a 10 in the hole.

[gingerbread]

[QUOTE=ochowie;188231]

Maybe, but they sell basic strategy cards in every Casino for practically nothing and you can have them at the table with you. Maybe I should just buy a stack of them and pass them out when I'm playing. If you don't have it memorized you can get along way just by assuming the dealer has a 10 in the hole.

Be careful with this, in at least a few places, the strategy cards don't match the tables that casino offers (card for two decks, but all the tables are 6, etc)

[drugpusher]

sports betting!!

[hard2hold]

Played last night and I took a hit on my 12 against the dealer's 2. I had a 10 which busted me but the dealer had a 9 then pulled a face card to make 21. I made the table all sorts of angry but they were drunk and forgot about it pretty soon. I *hate* getting twelves against a dealer's 2 or 3 because basic strategy says to hit but piss off the people that don't know strategy.

It has little to do with this thread. I just wanted to bitch about it

[DannyH]

Baccarat.

[PorkChopExpress]

Definitely baccarat. You either bet with the bank or the player. The rules are all pre- determined. Both bets also carry a very low vigorish, which is nice.

The one downside...the game can be verrrrrry boring.