Most people that go to Las Vegas have no idea what they are getting themselves into. Amongst the lights and noise and overwhelming architecture is the true heart of Las Vegas, the casino games.

The games are everywhere, and each and every one of them is busy. The natural inclination is to jump in feet first and start gambling. That is fine if that is your nature, go for it. But, if you want to make your money last a little longer and maybe even win a little you should at the very least know the odds.

Slot Machines

The “one armed bandits” are definitely popular in Las Vegas. Not bad, for something that was created to amuse the women while men played the real games. Read about slots here. The odds on slots are so wide and varied that it is almost impossible to give you any really good advice. The casino’s take can be anywhere between 3-25%. Look for the slots that actually list their payouts, most casinos have one with at least 97% payout.  These one may not be the most fun to play but, they will let you play a little longer.

Keno

I play keno just for some down time. I really don’t expect to win. And the odds would agree with me, the published Casino’s take is 30%. Of course, there are some people that claim that they do very well on Keno, believe what you like but, don’t expect to win.

Craps

This is my favourite game in any casino. It is where the life is. If you avoid the high odds bets on the table. Play only the line bets:  pass, don't pass, come and don't come bets and the odds will be around 1.4% in favour of the casino. About as good as you can get when playing in a casino.

Roulette

The roulette wheel is a sign of gambling to everyone in the world. Casino love it because even if you try to “hedge” your bet and play red and black at the same time, the casino still had a 5.25% edge because of those 0 and 00 spots.

BlackJack

Considered one of the only “skill” games in a Casino, BlackJack being played with “basic strategy” will keep the house edge at 0-3%. Try to find a table that plays fewer decks of cards, one is ideal, and a table that has the dealer stand on a soft seventeen. Be careful of any variations, they are usually there for the casino’s benefits.

Video Poker

Surprisingly this can be a fairly good play for the gambler. If you can Find a Jacks or better machine that pays 9 coins for a full house and 6 coins for a flush and the odds will be between 0% to 5% in favor of the house, Video Poker is far better than slot machines, with perfect play and a comps card factored in you could actually be ahead of the casino at the end of the day.

Remember, the best thing you can do when it comes to gambling is put yourself on a budget before you go. This simplest of money management techniques can save you from yourself on your Las Vegas vacation.

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