Dear Mark,
I've played Baccarat once, just to see what it was all about. I observed others playing and keeping track of something on what looks like a scorecard. What exactly are they keeping track of?
Craig S.
Milwaukee, WI

They were charting the results of previous hands in an attempt to identify and exploit streaks. But, Craig, it is a historical look or a backwards glimpse at probability. I believe it seldom, if ever, gives you an accurate prediction of the next hand. True, streaks can and do happen, but past performance is no guarantee of future results. Unless you have the counting skills like Dustin Hoffman's character had in the movie Rainman, I'm of the school-be it right or wrong will always be subject to heated debate-that the next hand is an independent event. Many baccarat players' and casino gaming writers believe that by following the rhythm of previous hands they can identify a future event-winning hand. I don't.

Dear Mark,
In Las Vegas a few casinos now offer 100X odds on a crap game. What is the house advantage on this bet?
Jerry G.
AOL.com

The house edge is 0.09%. As minuscule as this is, Jerry, you better be capitalized to the hilt before you embrace this wager. Two or three seven-out, line away calls and you are in the poorhouse.

Dear Mark,
In Reno, I found a single-zero roulette table. I enjoy the game even more now that I have cut the house edge down to 2.7%. The dealer told me that an even better wheel to play was a true European wheel. What did she mean? Is there a bet that was missing off the single-zero game I was playing?
David Y.
Sacramento, CA

True European wheels feature an additional bargain for the roulette player with a bet called "imprison." When wagering even money bets (odd/even, red/black, 1-18/19-36) and the ball lands on zero, your bet is locked under house arrest until the next spin. With the imprison rule, the casino advantage of 2.7% is reduced to 1.35%, making this bet a decent wager.

Dear Mark,
The casino boats off Florida now put eight decks in the shoe instead of six. It seems to be making a big difference. What is the effect of adding the extra two decks? Am I just having a bad streak or is this really hurting the player?
Chris K.
Internet

Compared to a single deck, a two-deck game handicaps your play -0.35%, four decks, -0.48%, six decks, -0.54% and eight decks -0.58%. Note that the difference between six and eight decks would be miniscule. If you were to play 100 hands per hour at $5 per hand, each -0.1% increase costs you approximately 50¢ per hour. In your case, going from six to eight decks will cost you roughly 20¢.

Dear Mark,
I am interested in learning more about gambling cheats and con games. Would you recommend I purchase your audiocassette series Hooked on Winning?
Lance G.
Hazel Park, MI

No, Lance, I would NOT recommend my tapes as a guide to card mechanics, dice hustlers, grifters and con men. Hooked on Winning was designed as a way to master the subtleties of gambling while you travel to the Green Felt Jungle. I spend no time on the subculture of crooked gambling. Instead, look to this book, Gambling Scams, by Darwin Ortiz. Encyclopedic in scope, this fascinating read tells all on how illegal gambling scams work, how to detect them and how to protect yourself. Every recreational gambler who's been hustled at a Friday-night poker game, burned at bar bets or just want to know how a three-card monte dealer beats you every time can learn from this book.

Gambling thought of the week: "The insurance bet in Blackjack has absolutely nothing to do with insuring your original hand from a loss. Zippo. Nada. Zero." -Henry Tamburin