Casino Odds
As anyone who has been intimately involved with casinos for a substantial amount of time can tell you, it is not all that challenging to look around a typical gaming floor and separate the amateurs from the pros. This is not to say that the art of psychological camouflage cannot be pulled off from time to time.
There have been numerous occasions when I've pinpointed an individual sitting at a poker or blackjack table and immediately determined him or her to be a rank novice, based upon attire, gambling patterns or general demeanor. Upon further inspection, I have been shocked more than once to discover this person was only "sandbagging" to throw his or her opponents off-guard. This can be a devastating tactic - tantamount to a full body bluff - but one which can only be performed with any level of efficiency by true veterans.
It is less likely to see an effective counter-bluff perpetrated. In other words, when an amateur successfully passes him- or herself off as someone who really knows the score. Granted, every casino in Vegas is full of these types of misguided hopefuls, but their winning streaks are spotty at best.
So the relevant question becomes what are the more subtle ways in which to designate the relative skill level of a typical gambler? One of the most subtle and yet potent methods to employ is observing the way a player deals with casino odds. To put it in the simplest terms possible, if you look at a player who is engaging in any number of games without the slightest concern for the odds involved, it is pretty safe to say that person is not a professional.
But what about your own experience at the tables, when looked at from this perspective? It should be clear that effectively handling the odds is a critical factor in the strategic resolve of a seasoned gambler, regardless of the game being played. Obviously, these odds will factor in much differently in a game of poker as opposed to blackjack, craps, roulette, pai gow or other popular casino variants. What is most essential is to use the odds in your favor at all times without allowing them to restrict the fluidity and adaptability of play which are the hallmarks of any successful gambler.
For instance, when shooting craps there must be a delicate balance between the kind of natural momentum that a shooter feels when he or she gets a hot hand, and a more detachd, even clinical assessment of the odds involved. Only by walking this tightrope are you able to truly elevate your chances to win over the course of a lengthy period of time.
Is this an easy task to accomplish? There is no way I can honestly answer that question in the affirmative. All I will say is that the percentage of gamblers with lifetime averages above 50 percent is quite small, indeed. That truth alone should speak volumes. So take the time to master casino odds to the greatest extend possible, then go out and put that knowledge to work.