Читать книгу Casino Gambling For Dummies - Swain Scheps - Страница 14

The casino’s first commandment is “The house shall always win.” A couple of games permit sharp players to break even or eke out a small edge occasionally. But casinos are in business to make money, so winning is a losing proposition for most players.

Why? Three good reasons:

 In many games, the casino doesn’t pay out true odds.In roulette, for example, the odds of betting on the right number are 37 to 1. That means you can expect to guess right once for every 37 spins of the wheel. But if you win, the payout is only 35 to 1 — or $35 profit for every $1 you bet. The difference between 37 and 35 seems small, but that discrepancy actually gives the house one of its biggest edges. (Refer to Chapter 3 for an explanation of true odds and Chapter 9 for more info on roulette.)

 The casino has a house edge — a mathematical advantage over the player in any game. Throughout the casino, players must overcome odds that aren’t favorable to winning. (Read more about the edge in Chapter 3.)Your goal is to find games where the casino has the lowest edge. Craps is a great example. This fun, exciting game offers great odds — if you stay away from the bad bets. We explore craps in Chapter 8.To get the lowdown on house edge in other games, check out the individual chapters in Parts II and III.

 The house charges a vigorish (commission) in some games, such as sports betting. (Check out Chapter 15.)