Wizard on LiveStream

Sorry to hear about Pickle. We'll miss Pickle's antics. 😿

Episode #89
Stream Date: 03-23-2023
Length: 00:59:35
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 Cruise ship
02:30 Magic trick
05:50 Spring trivia (throughout show)
06:24 A finger wag
07:19 Puppies and dogs
09:48 Inventing casino games
12:00 A normal haircut
12:33 Wizard's retirement
19:50 VP: Player's Clubs
21:12 Slots: Rock Paper Scissors
25:01 Normal hair pics
28:36 Baccarat: Counting the Dragon
31:11 Are progressive jackpots worth it?
34:52 The Mole People of Vegas
37:56 Wizard's bad bets & stories
41:26 Slots: Buffalo red or black cards
42:35 Slots: Youtubers losing money
43:34 Blackjack: Extreme variance
48:09 Sports: Betting on pro wrestling
49:09 Great gamblers
52:40 Magic trick explained
55:00 The Mirage volcano
56:04 Ugly colors


Next LiveStream: 04/07/2023
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Game Inventors Corner
Card Counting the Dragon Bet in Baccarat

QUESTION: Do you think the casino table minimums have far outpaced inflation rates of the U.S. dollar?

It seemed like $5 table minimums for games like craps or blackjack were available not too long ago, and they jumped to $15 or $25 without staying for long at $10.

Quote: smoothgrh

QUESTION: Do you think the casino table minimums have far outpaced inflation rates of the U.S. dollar?

It seemed like $5 table minimums were for games like craps or blackjack were available not too long ago, and they jumped to $15 or $25 without staying for long at $10.
link to original post

I think what happened was that they left them at $5 for way too long. $5 minimum was common 30 years ago. If they had raised them $5 every 5 or so years it wouldn't seem like such a shock now.

Quote: smoothgrh

QUESTION: Do you think the casino table minimums have far outpaced inflation rates of the U.S. dollar?

It seemed like $5 table minimums for games like craps or blackjack were available not too long ago, and they jumped to $15 or $25 without staying for long at $10.

I checked this out with a calculator and to cover inflation the bet would now be still less than $10
link to original post

Episode #90
Stream Date: 04-06-2023
Length: 01:02:40
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 Park permits & Burning Man
04:11 Jumping off a cliff
05:08 Peanuts trivia (1st quarter)
05:42 Blackjack: Ace/Five counting
06:36 Favorite games
08:20 Slots: Lightning Link
09:02 Lottery: Ticket codes
09:41 Wizard retirement
12:10 Slots: Bonus round randomness
12:52 Blackjack: 3/2 vs 6/5
14:14 Pai Gow Tiles: Skill vs luck
16:15 Easter trivia (last 3 quarters)
17:11 Show: Gambling with an Edge
19:54 Ojos Locos casino
20:32 Calculating house edges
21:35 UTH: Playing two hands
21:51 Photographic memory games
23:18 Tipping casino dealers
26:33 Blackjack: Freebet vs standard
27:36 Craps: Dice control
33:21 Show: Las Vegas Advisor
34:30 VP: Sequential royals
38:09 Slots: Jackpot taxes
40:51 Wonderhussy
44:28 Smoking in casinos
46:29 Baccarat: Sequential wins
50:50 Formula 1 in Vegas
51:22 Craps: Bubble game
51:40 Solar Eclipse 2024
54:46 3CP: Good for new players?
57:05 Craps: Light vs Dark side
58:10 Tongue twisters
59:21 Sports: +EV bets


Next LiveStream: 04/20/2023
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The Ace/Five Count
Card Counting in Baccarat
Wonderhussy Adventures

Episode #91
Stream Date: 04-20-2023
Length: 01:01:23
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 Miscellaneous trivia (throughout show)
02:28 Roulette: Repeating numbers
04:57 Craps: Dice control
07:56 Computer simulated dice rolls
14:25 Linking player cards
15:54 Pineapple & cakes
20:40 Slots: Pulling player cards
28:41 Roulette: Triple zero
30:36 Confronting aggressive players
33:48 Craps: Long shoots
35:31 Slots: Combating vultures
37:38 When to stop playing
38:59 Book: "Gambling 102" update
41:17 Online: Urgent Software games
49:42 Craps: A limited bankroll
51:59 Can RNGs be cracked?
53:40 Blackjack: 2 hands vs raising bet
54:45 Ampelmännchen
58:02 Casino minimums outpacing inflation


Next LiveStream: 05/11/2023
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Gambling 102: The Best Strategies for All Casino Games (2nd edition at Amazon)

Are you using Chapgpt or any of the other Ai to do anything gambling related?

I asked Bing's chat ai to write a poem with a few parameters. (Elvis, you, playing poker on Christmas Eve) It took 3 seconds or so to write this. Not great but it's free.

The Wizard of Odds and Elvis too,
Playing poker on Christmas Eve,
The stakes were high and the cards were new,
And the Wizard was ready to deceive.

He played his hand with skill and grace,
And Elvis was left in awe,
For the Wizard had a poker face,
That left the King with his jaw on the floor.

But Elvis wasn't one to give up so soon,
He played his hand with all his might,
And soon he had the Wizard in a swoon,
As he won hand after hand that night.

The chips were flying and the drinks were flowing,
As the two legends played their game,
And soon they were both glowing,
With the joy that comes from winning fame.

So if you ever find yourself in Vegas on Christmas Eve,
Just remember this story and you'll believe,
That the Wizard of Odds and Elvis too,
Were once playing poker, just like me and you.

______________________
There was another version it wrote where you had a royal flush and Elvis has a pair a kings but he foiled you somehow by bringing out his guitar and playing it. And then somehow God was in on this game. I don't where it came up with that one.

One things i've noticed, is that the more specifics you can add into the inquiry the less generic the output. Otherwise you get similar outputs around the same ideas or questions.

Episode #92
Stream Date: 05-04-2023
Length: 01:06:02
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 1960's Trivia (throughout show)
03:13 VP: Double Up feature
04:41 Video Keno vs Slots
06:34 Bubble Craps: Buying the 4 & 10
09:49 Blackjack: Winning 4 hands in a row
11:15 Mahjong
12:45 Blackjack: Free Bet 3/2 vs regular 6/5
13:21 Arcade redemption ticket games
16:11 Blackjack: Are online games rigged?
18:02 Gaming conferences
22:35 Blackjack: Card counting for beginners
25:07 Which game has the best odds?
26:08 Book: "Gambling 102" (3rd edition)
30:07 Is electronic roulette rigged? (part 1)
31:18 RNG vs algorithm
34:02 Blackjack: Can 6/5 be beaten?
35:29 Blackjack: Wizard's app
36:27 Higher minimum trends
40:29 Is electronic roulette rigged? (part 2)
41:41 The value of comps
46:23 A random card is a random card
50:14 The A's moving to Vegas
52:15 Is card counting still a thing?
53:23 Is electronic roulette rigged? (part 3)
54:08 A low HE & a high volatility
56:30 Sports betting & AI
58:13 A magic trick


Next LiveStream: 05/18/2023
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Wizard Blackjack Card Counting Trainer
Platypus Garden YouTube Channel

Contrary to what was said at the end of the April 20 live stream, we had one on May 4. This was due to a scheduling misunderstanding.

The next live stream is scheduled for May 18. So, no live stream this week.

Episode #93
Stream Date: 05-18-2023
Length: 00:52:52
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 Sorry I'm late
01:20 Birthday trivia (1st half of show)
01:54 Blackjack: Pennsylvania mandates
02:39 Calculators in the casino
06:16 Blackjack: Counting sevens
07:11 Becoming the Wizard of Odds
15:12 Video Poker: Max bet
16:03 "Gambling 102" 3rd edition release
20:22 Programming languages
23:08 Sorry for the interruption
25:28 Shuffle machines
29:28 Slots: Changing the HE
31:39 60's trivia (2nd half of show)
31:54 Roulette: Ban bets
33:44 Low risk/max playing time betting
39:23 And the locust cometh
41:57 3CP: Strategy
42:12 Martingale as camouflage
45:00 Golden Knights & Pickleball
49:09 The new Zelda
49:40 Wall art
51:07 The penny-farthing bicycle


Next LiveStream: 06/01/2023
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The Hedgehog Betting System

Mike:

With respect to the Lightning Link / Dragon Link / Dollar Storm series of machines with a hold and spin feature, the house advantage is done through the amounts shown on the symbols that trigger the hold and spin feature. Reels are identical across all bet sizes and denoms.

Live stream reminder in 35 minutes.

Episode #94
Stream Date: 06-01-2023
Length: 01:04:59
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 Finger movements
01:50 Barbie trivia (throughout show)
03:21 Blackjack: HE & number of decks
09:51 Earning casino comps
13:59 Off Strip comps for the Strip
16:57 Slots: Changing the RTP
18:21 Dinosaurs
21:38 Card distribution
24:33 Heads Up Hold'em strategy
27:53 New table games
34:40 Determining your bet size
35:15 Beatable casino games
36:08 Online casino comps
42:22 Comped rooms & resort fees
44:49 Baccarat: Can it be beaten?
46:22 Chatbots
52:33 UTH: Programs & computations
54:51 Is Vegas getting gentrified?
56:28 Craps: Pass vs don't pass


Next LiveStream: 06/15/2023
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Why the number of decks matters in blackjack


Heads Up Hold'em
3 Shot Poker
Card Counting in Baccarat

Episode #95
Stream Date: 06-15-2023
Length: 01:02:26
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 Subway & Gunlock
07:58 Classic car trivia (throughout show)
09:08 Free bet Blackjack: A/5 count
09:52 VP: Multi game strategy
10:14 Using non-negotiable chips
10:37 Slots: Variable state strategies
13:15 Casinos tracking bets
15:44 PGT: Banker advantage
16:14 Vegas Boring Tunnel Loop
18:37 The digits of Pi
23:12 Arnold Snyder R.I.P.
27:24 Tracking different bets
29:05 Tipping 'bad apple' dealers
31:56 Calculating HE
35:42 Trusting an RNG
38:04 Vegas table limits
39:03 Math YouTubers
41:27 A's baseball stadium
45:34 Math classes for gambling
46:13 Craps: Hopping 7s vs Any 7
47:01 Match52
51:53 Dealers who gamble
53:30 Craps: A comp advantage
56:24 A double up strategy
58:43 AP: Slots vs table games


Next LiveStream: 07/13/2023
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Gunlock State Park (official site)

Episode #96
Stream Date: 07-13-2023
Length: 01:02:10
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 Wizard's travel plans & health
05:30 Heather's health
06:45 LDS trivia (throughout show)
08:00 Union & casino relations
10:57 Eclipse lodgings
15:01 PGP: Banking
17:13 Short sessions & variance
18:48 Slots: Skill base games
21:04 Slots: Revenue reports
24:31 Pre-shuffled cards
29:00 Tesla Tunnel LVCC Loop
31:43 Flying to New Zealand
34:51 Shuffle trackers
38:16 Roulette: Hedging
40:59 Slots: RTP
42:01 Pocketing chips
44:13 Slots: Bonus rounds
45:32 MSG Sphere
48:43 Spanish 21 in Vegas
51:36 UTH: Flashing cards
53:42 UTH: 4 kings & an ace
55:25 Craps: Is bubble craps rigged?
55:50 Bj: Are side bets for suckers?
58:05 Cruise ship casino regulation



Next LiveStream: 08/10/2023
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MSG Sphere Discussion at WoV

Questions:

Are discretionary comps a thing of the past? I was playing at a table game for $25 for 4 hours. I asked about a comp the buffet (face value: about $30). The pit boss said “oh, you have enough comp dollars to cover it.” When I started gambling about 20 years ago, it was common to get a voucher after playing for much less time.

Why do shoes max out at 8 decks? Wouldn’t it be better for a casino to have 10, 12, 24 deck shoes? I’m guessing automatic shufflers can only handle 8 decks but any hand shuffled game can do more. Is it just that the company that makes shoes won’t make any larger than 8 decks?

Live stream reminder today at 3:00 Vegas time. I'll answer the questions above at that time.

Episode #97
Stream Date: 08-10-2023
Length: 01:05:17
Topic: Ask Me Anything

Subjects
00:01 The Wizard's travels
03:40 A rant & a plug
06:04 Travel trivia (throughout show)
06:53 Blackjack: deck penetration
07:40 National Lazy Day
11:46 Blackjack vs Free Bet Blackjack
12:59 Why face up Pai Gow Poker?
15:08 Are discretionary comps gone?
17:14 Blackjack: The number of decks
19:45 Blackjack: 16 vs 10
21:07 Sports: Promotions
23:32 Casino cheating
28:08 PGP: A six card straight
30:05 UTH: Dealer errors
33:12 Wizard eye glasses
34:30 Moving to Las Vegas
37:41 Sports: Best sports to bet on
40:20 Postcards & stamps
41:41 The Wizard in Oz
42:21 Casino power outage
43:15 Formula 1 in Vegas
44:41 VP: Games in different states
48:49 Making money at gambling
52:24 The envy bonus
53:11 Online: Beating blackjack
54:17 Crapless Craps
57:38 New Star Trek
59:30 Switching casino seats


Next LiveStream: 09/07/2023
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@Wizard, on the latest stream you say "I think it's a little dishonest to not call out a dealer when it cuts your way" in the context of dealer errors in UTH.

What is your though on the idea that "calling out dealer errors can get the dealer in trouble; we don't want to get the dealer in trouble" as a reason not to do it?

I personally don't play enough table games to experience this in any meaningful amount, so it's purely theoretical for me, but I do feel there is some weight to this argument.

Quote: Mukke

@Wizard, on the latest stream you say "I think it's a little dishonest to not call out a dealer when it cuts your way" in the context of dealer errors in UTH.

What is your though on the idea that "calling out dealer errors can get the dealer in trouble; we don't want to get the dealer in trouble" as a reason not to do it?

I personally don't play enough table games to experience this in any meaningful amount, so it's purely theoretical for me, but I do feel there is some weight to this argument.
link to original post

Good question. I'll answer this on the next show. However, I think that is just an excuse to justify taking the casino's money. Furthermore, dealer errors happen all the time. It isn't like a good dealer would get fired over one mis-pay. Only if it was a habitual thing but it be a problem, but Heather could probably speak to that better than me.

We are getting close to Live Stream #100. The next one will be #98. I'd like for #100 to be a good Barbara Walters kind of show. Feel free to submit your deep probing questions to me for the occasion.

In light of The Wiz's interesting week, is the livestream for 9-7 still on?

Quote: Wizard

We are getting close to Live Stream #100. The next one will be #98. I'd like for #100 to be a good Barbara Walters kind of show. Feel free to submit your deep probing questions to me for the occasion.
link to original post

Deep probing questions:

I get the sense that Mike is generally a libertarian in many ways. But overall, do you think legal gambling is a net plus for society or a net negative?

Does Mike hope that his children follow in his footsteps or not?

What specific decision in his life does Mike wish he could go back and change? Or would do differently?

Quote: GenoDRPh

In light of The Wiz's interesting week, is the livestream for 9-7 still on?
link to original post

Yes, it is on for 3:00 today! I shall welcome questions about Burning Man.

I believe the link for the stream is https://www.youtube.com/live/pzxbdpgke_0

Episode #98
Stream Date: 09-07-2023
Length: 01:06:34
Topic: Ask Me Anything (Burning Man Edition)

Subjects
00:01 Overview: Burning Man 2023
01:35 Favorite beer types
03:10 Slots: Cashman Bingo
04:29 Billy Walters
06:15 Burning Man trivia (throughout show)
07:13 PGP: Splitting 3 pairs
08:45 Mikki Mase
11:34 "Gambling 102" delays
13:34 Slots: Suggested changes
15:25 Hedgehog standard deviation
17:12 Gambling book publishers
17:57 Craps: Marching Soldier system
19:37 Casino float
20:49 VP: Is 9/6 JoB still available?
22:05 The house edge sweet spot
24:41 Sports: Best Vegas sportsbooks
25:10 TV: Card Sharks
25:36 UTH: 3 quads in 100 hands
28:30 Is bubble craps random or RNG?
28:39 Craps: Point followed by 7 odds
29:10 Wizard at Burning Man 2023 (pix)
53:18 Any Burning Man regrets?
54:20 Leave no trace
56:33 Chris Rock & cannibals
1:00:07 Weight loss
1:00:45 Return to civilization
1:01:39 The burning of the man
1:02:45 Wizard magic


Next LiveStream: 10/19/2023
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Marching Soldier craps system analysis at WoV