Let It Ride Poker

Origins of the game

Let it Ride was originally developed by ShuffleMaster Gaming in 1993. In it's short history it has grown from a relatively obscure game, to one of the most popular card games available in any casino.

Game variations

There are lots of Let it Ride game variants available that you can play, for example progressive, multi-player and no download versions. Some casinos also offer tournaments dedicated to this fascinating card game.

Rules

Despite the fact you can choose from so many variations, the basics of Let it Ride poker are still the same for each variant. In Let it Ride there are three main bets that you can place, as well as an optional side bet. The three main bets are placed all at the same time on the table layout, and for the same amount of money. The first and second bet are bets that you can take back later in the game, if you don't like the cards you got. If you do like the cards you got, you let your bets ride.

Strategies & Tips

The decision whether to let your bets ride, or to take them back, is fairly easy to make, and if you know a little something about the best Let it Ride strategies and tips, and their relation to odds and house edge, you can maximize your chances to play winning Let it Ride poker. If you need more information to improve your skill at this game, you might consider reading some books on the subject, or browsing through the various resources listed in our directory.

Headlines

 Fearless Super Bowl XLVI Prediction
Photo Courtesy (West Springfield High School)

This year's Superbowl is just a day away, and it's time to make my prediction. I'm obviously qualified to make a prediction because of my extensive background in football. As you can see from the photo above I played football in high school. I'm the one with the circle around his head. No, not a halo. That's something my mother added to point out the kid that most needed a haircut. You can also check-out professional Sports bettor Mark Franco's Super Bowl Picks if you doubt my ability.

As you can see, I'm part of a fairly large crowd. In fact, because of the size of the team I didn't get to play much during games. In fact, this picture is a lot like the actual games we played, because most of the action I saw was from the bench. Bummer!

Sunday the Patriots will try to avenge their loss to the Giants just a few years ago in the Super Bowl. This year's contest will shape up much the same. The Patriots are on a long wining streak and the Giants struggled early in the year but are peaking at the right time. The Giants averaged 25 points per game and the Patriots gave up 22 points per game, I expect the Giants to score 23.

The Patriots averaged 32 points per game and the Giants gave up 25 points per game, so I give the Patriots a 28 point start. In addition, I give the Patriots a point for the longer streak and a point for the better road record. They also get 4 more points because they won 13 games this year to the Giants 9. I expect the score to be Patriots 34 - Giants 23.

Now for the important stuff - like where to watch the game. Obviously we can't all make it to Indianapolis to see the game in person. However, aside from your best buddy's house (or the guy with the huge TV and great snacks), most casinos this weekend will have some kind of a Super Bowl party. Expect there to be crowds in many locations! And, remember to call ahead to your favorite casino and find out when the doors open, and what the fees are. Call the concierge desk or the player's club to find out.

My best advice is to show up around the time they open the doors and stake out a good table or seat, then leave your buddy in charge and hit the slots.

Fearless Super Bowl XLVI Prediction originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Saturday, February 4th, 2012 at 15:28:12.

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 Ghostbusters Slots Haunt Casinos
Photo Courtesy (IGT)

Well, I never know who to call, so I'm telling our readers here, the new Ghostbusters slots are paranormal. That's good.

The new IGT slots first haunted the Vegas Strip at the end of September on a 30-day exclusive run at MGM properties. That engagement still allowed other properties to capture the slots for their own use well before Halloween. The games have been popular as part of IGT's new Center Stage Duo model, two machines sharing a 55-inch overhead LCD screen with loud MEGAfx Surround Chairs.

The slots play much like the new Batman: The Dark Knight machines, which are often combined as a group, sitting directly behind the Ghostbusters slots. The penny machines take up to 250 credits and offer plenty of Bonus screens, each of which prompts a film clip from the movie and a chance to win a nice bonus,

On the Ghostbusters game, bonuses include Ballroom Busters ("Don't look directly at the trap!") where you get five proton shots to blow up the ballroom, Stay Puft free games, Are You Psychic, and the best: Paranormal Pick, where five levels of Paranormal Pick Bonuses allow players to select phantasm clouds for a chance to win the progressive jackpot.

If you remember the movie you'll probably love the slots. They are a lot more fun than Betty Boop or Bewitched.

Ghostbusters Slots Haunt Casinos originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 15:53:34.

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 Yeah? What's Your Problem?

Did you ever hear a really obnoxious store clerk asking somebody what their problem was? I was in a major department store and heard a buyer complaining about a sweater she had purchased. After she got it home she found some off-color spots on one of the arms, brought it back, and the salesperson treated her like she was a criminal. It made me want to skip my purchase and never go back!

Now granted, in a casino you don't always get to go home with your money, or a purchase, but sometimes you win - and you get treated pretty well. If you have a problem in your local casino resort there should always be somebody who is willing to speak with you. Any casino dispute, from a misunderstanding about taking a card at blackjack to waiting too long in valet can be an annoyance. And, if you want to talk to somebody, do it!

Nobody in the casino and resort industry wants to hear complaints - and that's why they work so hard to avoid them, by offering guests the best service they can. However, when something goes wrong, you can always talk to the pit boss, slot supervisor, restaurant manager, or even the casino manager. In almost every instance they will be cordial and happy to try and help. Unfortunately, when dealing with gambling issues, the answer is often "no," but that does not mean you can't ask!

One of the funniest complaints I ever heard centered on the game of Omaha high-low (eight or better ) split. A guy that claimed he played a lot of Texas Hold'em got into the lively Omaha-Eight game and made a great hand. Unfortunately, at Hold'em you can play your hand with one of your own cards, both cards, or even play the board, but in an Omaha game you have to use two cards and only two cards.

Anyway, the new player didn't understand that in Omaha high-low you can use any two of your four cards for the "high" hand and any two of your four cards for the "low" hand. The disagreement got to the point where not only was the poker room manager called in, but even players from other tables were weighing-in with their own disparaging comments about the noise, the disruption, and the newbie. So, the lesson is, make sure you understand the game you are playing - before sitting down - and when you have a dispute, don't be afraid to ask for help. But please, don't scream and cry when the players, the dealer, the supervisor, the poker manager, and finally the casino manager explain why you are wrong.

It's not a shoe store, sometimes the customer isn't right! Don't be afraid to ask, but take your answer with a grain of salt and go back to your game, they aren't all out to cheat you, honest!

Yeah? What's Your Problem? originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 15:08:30.

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 Paris Vegas for a Good Meal
Photo Courtesy (Nevada Casino History)

Sometimes it is amazing the lengths I will go for a good meal! When in Vegas, you can have Chef J. Joho's Eiffel Tower Restaurant serve you the most acclaimed cuisine available in any Las Vegas French restaurant, with lamb seasoned to perfection and foie gras unlike any other. And, you can enjoy your amazing meal inside the Eiffel Tower. It's a pretty cool experience.

If you haven't stopped into the Paris casino on the Las Vegas Strip, you will find a very friendly gaming house. The dealers are nice, the table games aren't squished together, and they offer the standard fare: blackjack, craps, roulette, keno and a race and sports book. However, if you want to see the Eiffel Tower and ride to the top for a spectacular 360 degree view 46 stories high on the Strip, this is the place! There is a small fee (starting at $7.50).

Afterwards, if you are hungry, you can eat in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant on the 11th floor. The full windows give you a terrific view of the Bellagio Fountains. The restaurant serves lunch at 11a.m. and dinner at 5p.m. The lunch menu is quite reasonable, with most of the main courses running about $20. On the other hand, if you are having dinner, don't forget your wallet, or your socks and shoes!

My wife and I had never ridden to the top of the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, or in Paris Las Vegas, so there we were. High above the Strip as the sun was setting. A wonderful experience. And, it made us hungry. So, on the ride down, why not stop at the restaurant for dinner?

Well, like a lot of Las Vegas tourists, I was wearing sandals. And yes, they do expect at least business casual dress for dinner. And, that's why I now have a pair of $9 Eiffel Tower Socks!

That's right, straight from the Paris gift shop on the heart of the Las Vegas strip. The black socks are magical. Not only do they have little Eiffel Tower designs on them, they also made my sandals look enough like shoes to get us into the restaurant, where my wife and I were able to have a great meal.

Being at least a little frugal, we passed on the Trilogy of Imported Caviar at $360, but our salmon and steak meals with a couple side dishes and a couple glasses of wine still ran about $250 with a tip. And, we'll go back again, the next time I win a poker tournament. Plus, I still have the socks!

Paris Vegas for a Good Meal originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 18:07:42.

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 Doyle Still Playing Great Poker

This past World Series of Poker included the usual array of poker prowess by many poker stars, but amazingly, Doyle Brunson continues to play excellent poker. It's one thing to have a few good years as a poker pro. I have, and I'm not that impressed with myself. Other players are sharp and successful for a decade or more, but by and large, players begin to lose their focus after a dozen years or so in the bone-yards of poker. It's just a fact.

The money that is available now, and the notoriety that players can achieve with only a few TV appearances certainly has had a great impact on extending the careers of many players, but I'm just dumbfounded by the players who are getting to middle age and beyond and are still playing well. It's something new in the world of poker.

If you have ever read According to Doyle, then you know how Doyle Brunson thinks and how he has been able to make a career of playing an extremely hard game. What you might not know, or remember, is that those stories Doyle first wrote about in the 1980's for Poker Player Newspaper, were about his time playing in the 1950's.

Come on, the 1950's! He was playing successfully in the '50's and is still playing well. Baby I'm Amazed.

Doyle Still Playing Great Poker originally appeared on About.com Casino Gambling on Sunday, January 15th, 2012 at 16:50:26.

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