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GAMING | JULY 1998 |
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5 Rules of the game Despite the crisis, players still stream into Asia's casinos. But it's more important than ever that you come out a winner. By STEVEN WATKINS
Moreover, a flurry of new casinos around the region has given Asian players many more gambling venues to choose from. For example, the number of licensed casinos in Australia has nearly quintupled over the past dozen years--from three to 14, including five since 1992. Gaming, of course, has always been popular in the region. Even in China, Thailand and Taiwan, where it is forbidden, gamblers crowd into musty backroom casinos. (Other places where casino gambling is illegal: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore.) But wagering's appeal has grown in recent years as operators have built new casinos that attempt to equal or surpass the glamour and glitz of Las Vegas' famed Strip. Palatial, government-sanctioned mega-casinos boast thousands of gaming tables and resort amenities that cater to tourists, including families with kids. But many people who enjoy gambling don't fully understand the rules and practices of casinos, particularly those in countries other than their own. If that's the case with you, worry no more. TIME MONEY interviewed more than three dozen gambling experts, casino officials, book authors and travel pros to assemble a slate of no-nonsense advice that will help novice and experienced gamblers alike. Our five tips should help ensure that your next casino experience is an enjoyable one, win or lose. KNOW WHERE TO GO. Which casino best suits you depends on what you can afford, your gambling know-how and your vacation preferences. Make sure you choose a casino that fits both your travel and your wagering budget. Room rates at casino hotels range from about U.S.$50 to $225, while minimum table bets vary from $5 to $15. You'll want to know, too, if there is a cover charge to get into the casino. New gamblers, meanwhile, should favor establishments that offer lessons on playing the games. Unless you are extremely focused on the betting, the hotel and casino environment is crucial to the experience. The circus-like atmosphere of such glamorous mega-casinos as the Crown Casino in Melbourne offer excitement and spectacle, if that's what appeals to you. Otherwise, you might consider such casinos as Genting Highlands outside of Kuala Lumpur that offer a more relaxing experience, complete with beautiful golf courses and activities for children. You should also consider what other attractions are nearby. What languages are spoken at the gaming tables and what kinds of foods are served? Because the majority of Asian gamblers are ethnic Chinese, most established casinos try to hire Mandarin and Cantonese speaking staff and have Chinese restaurants on hand. To get the answers to such questions, you might contact the tourism board of countries where casinos are legal--in particular those of Australia, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand and South Korea. Most countries have tourism board offices in the major cities throughout Asia, often housed in their consulates. They'll provide you with the names and phone numbers of the major casinos in their country. If you don't want to sort through the options yourself, work with a trusted travel agent. A good one can easily get information on various casino vacation packages that will suit your gambling and other leisure interests. Moreover, a travel agent can alert you to possibilities that government tourism officials won't: For example, in Singapore, where casinos are outlawed, gambling enthusiasts can take a weekend cruise into international waters aboard specially designed cruise ships where they can gamble to their hearts' content. PRACTICE SOUND BANKROLL MANAGEMENT. Never walk into a casino with more money than you are financially and emotionally prepared to lose. In fact, experts recommend that you budget the total amount you're willing to lose during your trip before you embark--and stick to it. Overall, the mathematical odds favor the casino. Says Roberto Reyes, manager of the Casino Filipino in Manila, one of the most popular casinos in the Philippines: "Over the long run, gamblers never win. You might win today, but you'll lose tomorrow. So play only the amount you can afford to lose." If you cannot do that--many people can't--stay away. GET A FEEL FOR THE PLACE BEFORE YOU START BETTING. If you are new to a casino--and even if you have played at other casinos--it's a good idea to walk around and watch the games being played before you throw your chips on the table. For the most part, the rules of the games and their odds are the same from casino to casino, but there may be some subtle differences. If you have questions about how the games are played, ask the dealer or a casino floorman. Most casinos have written game rules available on request. One tip for novices: Find the table that offers the lowest minimum bet and start your play there (the floormen can point you in the right direction). Each table should have a sign clearly indicating the minimum bet at that table. But if you find yourself sitting down at a table with a minimum bet that is out of your range, get up and leave. Once you find a low-minimum table, try betting the minimum for an hour or so until you get the hang of the game and understand how the luck can swing back and forth. Once you feel comfortable, you can raise your bets gradually. But keep your betting conservative to prolong the fun, recommends Michael Toohey of Australasian Gaming Specialists in Sydney, a gambling equipment maker. "If you walk in with $100 or $500, you should pick the games and the betting strategy that allows your money to last you some time," he says. "You don't want to plop it all down on one or two bets." LEARN THE GAMES AND THEIR ODDS. Although the odds generally favor the house, there are small exceptions. Experts say that the odds in poker and blackjack actually turn in a player's favor if--a big if--the player is highly skilled and practiced in those games, which only a small percentage of players are. There are numerous books available that can tell you more about the rules and strategies of playing casino games plus the odds you face in each game. Two good ones: The New Gambler's Bible by Arthur S. Reber ($18; Crown Publishers), and The Winner's Guide To Gambling by Edwin Silberstang ($14.95; Plume Books). In general, such books discuss ways to minimize the house edge and to recognize situations when that edge is slim. Players should bet high when the edge is small, and when it's big, bet small or not at all. Here is a brief rundown of the major casino games--and for whom they are best suited--from best to worst odds: --Poker. This legendary game of skill offers the best potential odds in the casino. Reason: It pits one player against another, rather than against the casino, which simply takes a cut of each hand's winnings. Still, to win, players must be able to calculate the odds that the cards in their hand will outrank all other possible combinations at the table, and they must also use psychology to perpetrate and decipher bluffs. Inexperienced players should steer clear. --Blackjack. Also known as "21" because cards in the ideal hand equal that number, blackjack offers the thrill of playing the dealer head on. Experienced gamblers like it because there is a considerable element of skill in the game, and the best players can turn the edge in their favor. --Baccarat. The most popular casino game in Asia, especially among high-rollers, baccarat is an attractive game for novices because very little skill is required to play: Players can bet on either of two opposing hands of cards with a near-even chance of winning. --Craps. This dice game is popular because it offers fast action and a sense of camaraderie among the players, especially when a player with a hot hand is throwing the dice. When you hear occasional shrieks from one area at a casino, it is usually the craps table. Craps offers close to even odds on some bets, but only for experienced gamblers. Unless you understand the myriad wagers available and how to combine them, craps is one of the quickest ways to lose money in a casino. So bet conservatively until you get a sense of how to boost the odds in your favor. --Roulette and slot machines. Roulette and the slots offer the worst odds in the casino. Nonetheless, both games are fun and simple to play: In roulette, you guess the slot into which the small plastic ball will land on the spun wheel. And slots may be the easiest game of all: Put your coin in the machine, pull the arm (or press the button), and pray! FINALLY, DON'T PLAN ON WINNING. It is critical to remember that casinos are not a path to riches; casinos stay in business because most gamblers lose. Better to think of casinos as adult amusement parks--the lights, the bells, the spill of coins at the slots, the uproar of the crowd at the craps table, the suspense of watching a high-roller peel his cards off the baccarat table, the shrieks of the winners and the groans of the losers, the well-dressed staff, the glamorous decor, and the fantasy of fast money all combine to create an alluring atmosphere of suspense and excitement.
ASIA'S 10 BIGGEST CASINOS AND WHAT THEY OFFER
[Casino] -- Lisboa
[Casino] -- Genting Highlands
[Casino] -- Crown
[Casino] -- Sydney Harbor
[Casino] -- Conrad Jupiters
[Casino] -- Burswood
[Casino] -- Star Cruises
[Casino] -- Metroplex (Legenda and Grand Seasons)
[Casino] -- Casino Filipino Pavilion
[Casino] -- Sky City Note: Ranked by 1996 revenue. Source: First Pacific Stockbrokers.
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time-webmaster@pathfinder.com |
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erhaps it's because gaming offers a way to forget your troubles
for a few hours: Asians continue to flock to casinos despite
their economic woes. In the Philippines, for example, first
quarter 1998 casino revenues were down only 0.3% compared with a
year earlier, according to the state-owned Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corp.