Casino Strategy: The Best Advice Comes From Those Who Don’t Bathe

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Over at Casino Buzz, a reader asks the question of what is the best advice ever given to Mark L. of and he fires back with an amusing anecdote about a panhandler and a hot dog:

A panhandler approached and asked if I had any loose change so he could buy a hot dog. Unfortunately, spare change doesn’t exist in Las Vegas. Strategically positioned slot machines allow you to travel light. But I guess I’m an easy mark for a hot dog story so I gave him a nickel chip-casino talk for $5-that I had in my coat pocket.
After his gratitude for my allowing him to bump up into buffet dining, or whatever, he shared some of his best gaming wisdom. “Go downtown to Binion’s and make a pass line bet and take those 10 times odds. It’s one of the best bets in the house,” he said.

And, sadly, immediately after the panhandler was beaten by some crackheads for his $5 and left for dead. But Mark also assures us that this advice is sound:

The house advantage on this wager is .018%. Those multiple odds he was talking about- zero casino advantage. It’s the line bet where the casino enjoys its slight edge. And I mean slight. Expected mathematical loss on a $1 line bet with $10 odds, about 4¢. But we can combat that too, Ned. Throw in a few free drinks and pry a breakfast out of a floorman, you’re getting to the point where they’re paying you to play.

Good Advice Can Come From Anywhere [Casino Buzz]