Casino on the Cheap... How does that Work? Recommendations? What Do You Do?

[falkcor]

i'll just preface this by saying i could count the times i've gambled in any casino on my two hands... i'm not a big roller, and it really doesn't offer the allure it seems to for others... to me...

 

my greatest experience was in vegas, where i played roulette for hours on a $20 buy in... i figured out how roulette works, and played for about 5 hrs... and many drinks later... still walked away ahead... :) (by about 15x = 300 :D)

 

but in my limited gaming experience on carnival, i blew through cash on roulette (because of $5 outside bets vs. $1 in vegas) and on the slots (i think they're rigged pretty steep)... and quickly realized this wasn't an equitable enterprise... :o

 

i've read about people playing penny / nickle / dime slots, but you have to play a few 'options' at a time? and sometimes if you have a bunch of 'options', even on a cheap slot, there can be a far greater payout? you can play a penny slot, but have 20 something 'spots', what? :confused:

 

what do you do in the casino, when you don't want to blow through (or put on the line) a lot of cash, and just want to have a little fun.

 

mind you, i wouldn't care if i lost it all... i just want more than a few minutes of entertainment while doing as much...

 

open to any suggestions / recommendations... :D

[firefly333]

I found 2 cents slots... you can play 2 cents at a time. I didnt find the 1 cent slot. $1 can last you a while, 15 minutes at least, since you do win on a few pulls too. ...

[falkcor]

I found 2 cents slots... you can play 2 cents at a time. I didnt find the 1 cent slot. $1 can last you a while, 15 minutes at least, since you do win on a few pulls too. ...

 

really? so, seriously, it's only 0.02 per 'pull'... i haven't been sure if, when on these low cent slots, you have to get 10 or 20 spaces with that 0.2 (= 0.20 or 0.40)... or if that's just an option.

 

i really don't know how any of the gambling stuff works. because i don't typically do that. ask me about ship specs and stuff, i know that... but gambling, no... :)

 

if you play on one of those 2 cent slots... and you 'hit the jack pot' - what do you get, a dollar? :confused:

 

(totally new to this) :D

 

i don't typically gamble... at all... :o

[cuyahoga11]

really? so, seriously, it's only 0.02 per 'pull'... i haven't been sure if, when on these low cent slots, you have to get 10 or 20 spaces with that 0.2 (= 0.20 or 0.40)... or if that's just an option.

 

i really don't know how any of the gambling stuff works. because i don't typically do that. ask me about ship specs and stuff, i know that... but gambling, no... :)

 

if you play on one of those 2 cent slots... and you 'hit the jack pot' - what do you get, a dollar? :confused:

 

(totally new to this) :D

 

i don't typically gamble... at all... :o

 

On a 2 cent slot, if you are not betting the max you wont get much from the JP

[falkcor]

On a 2 cent slot, if you are not betting the max you wont get much from the JP

 

i didn't think so... so what's he JP like for a bet of 0.02? about a dollar like i proposed?

 

and what's the 'betting the max' - this is what i don't totally understand? :confused:

 

i don't know how this stuff works. i tend to stay away from the casinos for the same reason :o

[BlueJacketsFan1]

My wife loves the penny and nickel slots. She will normally play the minimum and plays for a good while on just a couple of dollars on the penny or about five dollars on the nickel. I really don't see the fun in playing slots, but she likes it. I would rather play blackjack or video poker. Did blackjack on the second cruise and played for over an hour on $50, plus had a great time doing it. Video poker is also a good time, I play that on the last cruise. Will probably try both on the upcoming cruise while the wife trys the slots.

[boaterette]

On the 1 and 2 cent machines I have seen them have from 9 to 250 lines. Most average around 20. So that is 20 to 40 cents per pull. Not much fun just playing one line. Hard to win anything that way too. I usuall play Keno when they have it on the ship. It is usually 25 cents per spin. I have lasted 3 hours on 20 bucks and have also only lasted 15 minutes. It just depends on the machine you are playing.

[falkcor]

My wife loves the penny and nickel slots. She will normally play the minimum and plays for a good while on just a couple of dollars on the penny or about five dollars on the nickel. I really don't see the fun in playing slots, but she likes it. I would rather play blackjack or video poker. Did blackjack on the second cruise and played for over an hour on $50, plus had a great time doing it. Video poker is also a good time, I play that on the last cruise. Will probably try both on the upcoming cruise while the wife trys the slots.

 

so, what's her strategy on the penny and nickel slots - how many lines, all of that?

 

i don't see much fun in the slots either (aren't you supposed to hit a button to pick your numbers?). that fact kinda bothered me. otherwise, clearly, you're just playing to their stats....

 

but what's your blackjack strategy? i've considered that too, especially since it's just effectively 'luck of the draw' the way they play it (shuffling the decks constantly)...

 

i don't like any game that's played via video... :)

[bobbyfk]

I play poker...usually buy in for $50-$100, but you could buy in for less depending on the game

[falkcor]

On the 1 and 2 cent machines I have seen them have from 9 to 250 lines. Most average around 20. So that is 20 to 40 cents per pull. Not much fun just playing one line. Hard to win anything that way too. I usuall play Keno when they have it on the ship. It is usually 25 cents per spin. I have lasted 3 hours on 20 bucks and have also only lasted 15 minutes. It just depends on the machine you are playing.

 

ok, you're speaking the language of what i'm trying to understand...

 

9 to 250 lines. what the h does that mean, exactly?

 

how do you select the (not fun) 1 line, vs 9 or 250? that's part of what i don't understand...

[falkcor]

I play poker...usually buy in for $50-$100, but you could buy in for less depending on the game

 

how's that typically work out for you? and per the way carnival plays it, how much is luck, and how much is strategy?

 

i realize some of their casino practices favors the house... such as in blackjack (constant shuffling)... how does that impact poker? in your opinion? :)

[Kurbanfan]

If you just want to waste time and money......play the minimum...........

[falkcor]

If you just want to waste time and money......play the minimum...........

 

what's the minimum? :)

 

i'm trying to figure out what that is, and for which games...

 

i'm not out to make a million, or even enough to cover the next cruise, just trying to establish options :D

 

and have a (little) fun :cool:

[cuyahoga11]

what's the minimum? :)

 

i'm trying to figure out what that is, and for which games...

 

i'm not out to make a million, or even enough to cover the next cruise, just trying to establish options :D

 

and have a (little) fun :cool:

 

The minimum, push the button for 1 line for 2 cents a spin, waste of time

 

Maximum push the button for max lines with max bet on each line for about 5 bucks a spin, waste of money

[falkcor]

The minimum, push the button for 1 line for 2 cents a spin, waste of time

 

Maximum push the button for max lines with max bet on each line for about 5 bucks a spin, waste of money

 

that doesn't help... if they're both a waste of money :eek:

 

lol, but that's kinda my thinking re: gambling... so makes sense :)

 

what's the 'happy medium'? :confused:

[salty dingo]

Just remember, the casino is a form of entertainment that you pay for. In the long run, you lose more than you win. Guaranteed - the laws of probability are the same everywhere for everyone. You can believe in Lady Luck, or in the Easter Bunny if you want, but the fact is the casino is an expense in the long run. Even people who hit the biggest jackpots will lose more than they win if they play long enough. Of course you can quit while you are ahead, but that means no more fun in the casino.

 

But - there are different odds for different games. Two of the best games, odds-wise, are craps and blackjack with the basic strategy. If you don't play the basic strategy the odds in blackjack get a lot worse. Craps is a lot easier and it is all luck - no betting tables to memorize. Blackjack requires skill and discipline to make the right move at the right time. Very hard to do with a few cocktails in me.

 

Slots don't have very good odds but a trained monkey could do it. DW loves them, I find them boring.

 

I would stay away from anything with a side bet. Bingo is also terrible odds. Roulette is easy but those two green 0 and 00 make the odds pretty bad.

 

We usually decide how much we want to lose, and when that amount is gone we are done with the casino for the cruise. If you are lucky it could last a while and if not you could be done the first night. Maybe pace yourself and don't go every night, or only take a fraction of your money each time and quit for the night when that is gone. You will reach that point sooner than if you take all your money but you'll still be able to play another day.

 

It's all up to you, really, and your budget.

[Kurbanfan]

what's the minimum? :)

 

i'm trying to figure out what that is, and for which games...

 

i'm not out to make a million, or even enough to cover the next cruise, just trying to establish options :D

 

and have a (little) fun :cool:

 

It is really not that complicated......a penny machine will probably have a max bet of 9 and maybe 20 lines max.............that is $1.80 bet........

Just bet maybe 2 and 9 lines.........

You won't win big but it will keep you busy for a while....

I would rather play a quarter machine at max 75 cents bet and win a bigger jackpot......JMO.......

[osprey101]

I play the 2 penny slots mostly and sometime the 5 cent ones. Depending on the machine, you have a choice of 3 to 21 lines that you can make bets on. For a 3 line machine you can bet on from 1 to 3 lines, 3 being the highest... and you can bet the minimum (2 cents) up to the maximum allowed by the machine. On 2 cent machines with 15 to 21 lines I play from 9 to 15 lines at 3 units (3 x 2cents+6cents) per line. Doing this I usually make $20 last from 1/2 hr. to all night. I typically end up winning from $20 to $60 over my original $20 input. That's my system and I'm sticking to it:D However, if I lose my original $20, I quit for the day. ;)

[boaterette]

Ok on the slot machine there will be a row of buttons that you can select the number of lines you want to play. Under that row is another row of buttons that you can select how much you want to bet per the lines that you selected. They recommend plaing the maximum number of lines. So the machine may have 1,3,5,7 or 9 lines you can select from. And the amount could be 1,2,3,5,10 or 20 per line. So if you play 9 lines at 5 per line you would be betting 45 cents per spin.

[falkcor]

Just remember, the casino is a form of entertainment that you pay for. In the long run, you lose more than you win. Guaranteed - the laws of probability are the same everywhere for everyone. You can believe in Lady Luck, or in the Easter Bunny if you want, but the fact is the casino is an expense in the long run. Even people who hit the biggest jackpots will lose more than they win if they play long enough. Of course you can quit while you are ahead, but that means no more fun in the casino.

 

i entirely understand that. and that is why i don't spend much time there, typically :)

 

But - there are different odds for different games. Two of the best games, odds-wise, are craps and blackjack with the basic strategy. If you don't play the basic strategy the odds in blackjack get a lot worse. Craps is a lot easier and it is all luck - no betting tables to memorize. Blackjack requires skill and discipline to make the right move at the right time. Very hard to do with a few cocktails in me.

 

and that's in part why i asked about blackjack in particular. i understand that's more a game of chance / luck than others.. as long as you understand the basics, and don't 'harpoon' others at the table...

 

Slots don't have very good odds but a trained monkey could do it. DW loves them, I find them boring.

 

me too :(

 

that's why i want to understand how that stuff works for some folks... i lost $ as quickly on slots as roulette... but without the unkown of choice (numbers, outsides on roulette) - just a stupid machine, giving me my results... without pressing buttons or anything....

 

I would stay away from anything with a side bet. Bingo is also terrible odds. Roulette is easy but those two green 0 and 00 make the odds pretty bad.

 

good advice. i know how to play roulette in vegas. i'm really good at it. but you're right, the 0 / 00, and outside bets at 5 kill my roulette understanding... it doesn't work with their system... much harder. to their benefit.

 

We usually decide how much we want to lose, and when that amount is gone we are done with the casino for the cruise. If you are lucky it could last a while and if not you could be done the first night. Maybe pace yourself and don't go every night, or only take a fraction of your money each time and quit for the night when that is gone. You will reach that point sooner than if you take all your money but you'll still be able to play another day.

 

It's all up to you, really, and your budget.

 

and i understand that... and i don't budget much to the casino. i just want to do something for 20 minutes, and not pay 100 or more... which is too easy in the casino....

 

i don't like to just 'throw away' money, and am not up to putting so much up, that the odds may turn around... i'm by no means a 'serious' gambler, but want more than 10 minutes of entertainment...

 

thanks for your insight though, really... :D

[Kurbanfan]

Not all the slots have lines and bets........the quarter and dollar machines have just bets....

So you can play a 2 bet quarter machine for less then a max penny machine.........just a thought....

[boaterette]

Not all the slots have lines and bets........the quarter and dollar machines have just bets....

So you can play a 2 bet quarter machine for less then a max penny machine.........just a thought....

 

Very true. I usually don't play penny slots just because of that. Then agian I like keno. And it has done well for me.:D

[falkcor]

It is really not that complicated......a penny machine will probably have a max bet of 9 and maybe 20 lines max.............that is $1.80 bet........

Just bet maybe 2 and 9 lines.........

You won't win big but it will keep you busy for a while....

I would rather play a quarter machine at max 75 cents bet and win a bigger jackpot......JMO.......

 

i've done what you'd recommend... played the quarter slots...

 

that's why i don't understand how penny or lesser currency slots work? :confused:

 

and i still don't understand how to 'play lines' lol :)

 

honestly, just never done it...

[Kurbanfan]

Very true. I usually don't play penny slots just because of that. Then agian I like keno. And it has done well for me.:D

 

Yep me too.......keno has done me good:D I play the pennies when I'm pretty much done:p

 

i've done what you'd recommend... played the quarter slots...

 

that's why i don't understand how penny or lesser currency slots work? :confused:

 

and i still don't understand how to 'play lines' lol :)

 

honestly, just never done it...

 

 

First of all there is not lesser currency then pennies:p

But I think we pretty much explained how the lines and bets work......

Good luck!

[falkcor]

I play the 2 penny slots mostly and sometime the 5 cent ones. Depending on the machine, you have a choice of 3 to 21 lines that you can make bets on. For a 3 line machine you can bet on from 1 to 3 lines, 3 being the highest... and you can bet the minimum (2 cents) up to the maximum allowed by the machine. On 2 cent machines with 15 to 21 lines I play from 9 to 15 lines at 3 units (3 x 2cents+6cents) per line. Doing this I usually make $20 last from 1/2 hr. to all night. I typically end up winning from $20 to $60 over my original $20 input. That's my system and I'm sticking to it:D However, if I lose my original $20, I quit for the day. ;)

 

so... how do you know how many lines the machine allows / you're supposed to play? is it posted or something? :confused:

 

and i assume, you just tell it... i want x amount of lines... and it arranges them for you?

 

the thing i like least about the cruise ship slots is there's no choice... they just do what they're programmed to do... which is why i think they're mildly rigged :D

 

your system seems to work for you... but... the lines.. please.. what? :confused: