Countries with a national lottery

This maneki neko beckons customers to purchase takarakuji tickets in Tokyo, Japan.

Africa

South Africa: South African National Lottery
Kenya: Toto 6/49, Kenya Charity Sweepstakes

North and South America

Argentina: Quiniela, Loto and various others
Barbados: Barbados lottery and various others
Brazil: Mega-Sena and various others
Canada: Lotto 6/49 and Lotto Super 7 (Replaced by the Lotto Max)
Chile: Polla Chilena de Beneficencia S.A.
Costa Rica: Lotería Nacional, Chances Lotería Popular, Lotería Tiempos, and Lotería Instantanea (better known as "Raspaditas" since the tickets are scratch cards).
El Salvador: Lotería Nacional de Beneficencia, Lotín (scratch cards).
Dominican Republic: Lotería Electrónica Internacional Dominicana S.A.
Ecuador: Lotería Nacional
Mexico: Lotería Nacional para la Asistencia Pública and Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública

Asia

Mainland China: China Welfare Lottery, China Sports Lottery
Hong Kong: Mark Six
Macau: Macau SLOT
Taiwan: Taiwan Lottery
Israel: Lotto
Japan: Takarakuji
Lebanon: La Libanaise des Jeux
Malaysia: Sports Toto Malaysia, Magnum Corporation, Pan Malaysian Pools)
Philippines: Philippine Lotto Draw
Singapore: Singapore Pools
South Korea: Lotto
Sri Lanka: National Lottery, Development Lottery
Thailand: สลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล (salak gin bang ratthabarn or "Government Lottery"), also called lottery or หวย (huay).
Vietnam: Xổ số kiến thiết

Australasia

New Zealand: NZ Lotteries

Europe

Pan-European: EuroMillions
Nordic countries: Viking Lotto
Austria: Lotto 6 aus 45, EuroMillions and Zahlenlotto
Belgium: Loterie Nationale or Nationale Loterij and EuroMillions
Bulgaria: Durzhavna lotariya, TOTO 2 (6/49, 6/42, 5/35)
Croatia: Hrvatska lutrija
Czech republic: Sazka
Denmark: Lotto, Klasselotteriet
Finland: Lotto, scratch tickets, racing & football pools (Veikkaus)
France: La Française des Jeux and EuroMillions
Germany: Lotto 6 aus 49, Spiel 77 and Super 6
Greece: OPAP (Greek: ΟΠΑΠ – Οργανισμός Προγνωστικών Αγώνων Ποδοσφαίρου), Lotto 6/49, Joker 5/45 + 1/20 and various others
Hungary: Lottó
Iceland: Lottó
Ireland: The National Lottery (Irish: An Chrannchur Náisiúnta) and EuroMillions
Italy: Lotto and SuperEnalotto
Latvia: Latloto 5/35, SuperBingo, Keno
Liechtenstein: International Lottery in Liechtenstein Foundation
Luxembourg: EuroMillions
Malta: Super 5 and Lotto
Macedonia: Lotarija na Makedonija
Montenegro: Lutrija Crne Gore
Netherlands: Staatsloterij (The State Lottery)
Netherlands: Nationale Postcode Loterij
Norway: Lotto
Poland: Lotto
Portugal: Lotaria Clássica, EuroMillions and Lotaria Popular
Romania: Loteria Română
Russia: Gosloto (Russian: Гослото, The State Lottery)
Serb Republic: Lutrija Republike Srpske
Serbia: Državna Lutrija Srbije (The State Lottery of Serbia)
Slovakia: Loto
Slovenia: Loterija Slovenije
Spain: Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, EuroMillions and ONCE
Catalonia: Loteria de Catalunya (6/49 amongst others)
Sweden: Lotto (Svenska Spel)
Switzerland: Swiss Lotto and EuroMillions
Turkey: Various games by Milli Piyango İdaresi (National Lottery Administration) including Loto 6/49 and jackpots
Ukraine: Super Lotto
United Kingdom: The National Lottery, the main game being Lotto. Also Monday – The Charities Lottery and EuroMillions

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

The rules of craps play against a bank or casino

Bank craps is a game played by one or more players against a casino. The casino covers all player bets at a table and sets the odds on its payout. Players take turns rolling two dice. The player rolling the dice is called the "shooter." Other players at the table bet on the shooter's dice rolls. The game is played in rounds, with the first roll of a new round called the "come-out roll." The round resolves with a point being rolled or a seven.

To begin, a player wishing to play as the shooter must bet at least the table minimum on either the "Pass" line or the "Don't Pass" line (pass and don’t pass are sometimes called “Win” or "Right" and “Don’t Win” or "Wrong" bets for the outcome of a shooter’s round). The right to roll the dice is rotated clockwise around the craps table. A player next in turn to become shooter may refuse the dice, but can continue to bet on the shooter's rolls; the dice then pass to the next player willing to become the shooter. The shooter is then presented with multiple dice (typically five) by the stickman, and must choose two to roll with. The remaining dice are returned to the stickman's bowl and are not used.

First, the shooter makes a "come-out roll" with the intention of establishing a point. If the shooter's come-out roll is a 2, 3 or 12, it is called "craps" (the shooter is said to "crap out"), and the round ends with players losing their pass line bets. A come-out roll of 7 or 11 is called a "natural," resulting in a win for pass line bets. Either way, the come-out roll continues for the same shooter until a point is established. If the point numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 are rolled on the come-out, this number becomes the "point" and the come-out roll is now over. The dealers will move an "On" button to the point number which identifies the point number to all players at the table. The shooter now continues rolling for either the point number or a seven. If the shooter is successful in rolling the point number, the result is a win for the pass line. If the shooter rolls a seven (called a "seven-out"), the pass line loses. A seven-out ends the round with the dice being passed clockwise to the next player who wishes to become the new shooter.

A player wishing to play craps without being the shooter should approach the craps table and first check to see if the dealer's "On" button is on any of the point numbers. If the point number is "Off" then the table is in the come-out round. If the dealer's button is on, the table is in the point round where some casinos may allow a pass/don't pass bet to be placed, but the player should check with the dealer. All single or multi roll proposition bets may be placed in either of the two rounds. Between dice rolls by the shooter, there is a period for dealers to make pay outs and collect losing bets. When the dealers are finished, players are then allowed to place new bets. The stickman monitors the action at a table and decides when to give the shooter the dice, after which no more betting is allowed.

In a casino, players make bets with chips on a specially made craps table with a table cloth made of felt that displays the various betting possibilities. In most casinos, craps tables are double sided. The layouts on both sides of the table are identical, with the center bets in the middle. This allows more players to participate. Players can make multiple bets for each turn, round, or roll and should become familiar with the craps layout.

A casino craps table is run by up to four casino employees: a boxman who guards the chips, supervises the dealers and handles coloring out players (exchanging small chip denominations for larger denominations in order to preserve the chips at a table); two base dealers who stand to either side of the boxman and collect and pay bets; and a stickman who stands directly across the table from the boxman, takes bets in the center of the table (hard ways, yo, craps, horn etc), announces the results of each roll, collects the dice with an elongated wooden stick, and directs the base dealers to pay winners from bets in the center of the table. Each employee makes sure the other is paying out winners correctly. Occasionally, during off-peak times, only one base dealer will be attending the table, rendering only half the table open for bettors or one of the two base dealers will assume the role of the stickman. In some casinos, there is no boxman; the boxman's duties are shared between the dealers and a roving supervisor who covers many tables.

The dealers will insist that the shooter roll with one hand and that the dice bounce off the far wall surrounding the table. These requirements are meant to keep the game fair (preventing switching the dice or making a "controlled shot"). If a die leaves the table, the shooter will usually be asked to select another die from the remaining three but can request using the same die if it passes the boxman's inspection. This requirement is used to keep the game fair (and reduce the chance of loaded dice).

Names of Rolls in Craps

	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	Snake Eyes	Ace Deuce	Easy Four	Five (Fever Five)	Easy Six	Natural or Seven Out
2	Ace Deuce	Hard Four	Five (Fever Five)	Easy Six	Natural or Seven Out	Easy Eight
3	Easy Four	Five (Fever Five)	Hard Six	Natural or Seven Out	Easy Eight	Nine (Nina)
4	Five (Fever Five)	Easy Six	Natural or Seven Out	Hard Eight	Nine (Nina)	Easy Ten
5	Easy Six	Natural or Seven Out	Easy Eight	Nine (Nina)	Hard Ten	Yo (Yo-leven)
6	Natural or Seven Out	Easy Eight	Nine (Nina)	Easy Ten	Yo (Yo-leven)	Boxcars or Midnight

Nicknaming the rolls comes with making the game more interesting. Locals often have their own names. Nine is often called a "Centerfield Nine" because 9 is the center of the Field bet. Five is often called "No Field Five" to remind the players that 5 is not paid in the Field bets. Some dealers and players refer to any nine (5-4 or 6-3) as a "Lou Brown." The 4 (usually hard) is sometimes referred to as "Little Joe, from Kokomo." In Atlantic City, a 4-5 is called a "Railroad Nine." Eleven is called out as "Yo" or "Yo'Leven" because it can often be mistaken for a seven. Rolls of 4, 6, 8, and 10 are called "hard" or "easy" (e.g. "Six the Hard Way", "Easy Eight", "Hard Ten") depending on whether they were rolled as a "double" or as any other combination of values, because of their significance in center table bets known as the "hard ways".

Rule variations and the "house advantage" in blackjack

The blackjack player will encounter many rule variations which affect the house advantage and therefore affect his chances of winning. Some rules are determined by law or regulation, others by the casino itself. Not all rules are posted, so the player may have to ask either beforehand or when the situation occurs. Over 100 variations exist.^[1]

The casino has a "house advantage" at blackjack just as it does at any other casino game. The primary house advantage in blackjack comes from the fact that if the player busts he loses, irrespective of whether the dealer subsequently busts. If a particular casino game has a house advantage of 5%, it means that - over the long run - the casino will win about 5% of any initial bet. As long as the blackjack player uses the best possible strategy (a strategy which is known as "basic strategy"), the house advantage in blackjack is usually less than 1%. This is very favorable to the player compared to other casino games. Of course, many blackjack players do not know basic strategy or do not follow it, so the true house advantage in those cases may be much higher.

Notes

1. ^ QFIT.com 100+ Blackjack variations

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Bingo nicknames in the UK

Since the introduction of the electronic Random Number Generator (RNG) in Bingo Halls in the UK, the usage of the nicknames above in mainstream Bingo has dramatically decreased. Bingo with an electronic RNG is much less time consuming and it has been discovered that replacing the nicknames with a simple repetition (in the pattern "All the fives, fifty five" or "Two and four, twenty four"), has allowed bingo halls to focus on the more lucrative business of Mechanised Cash Bingo (MCB), known in Gala Bingo Clubs as Party Bingo, Mecca Bingo Clubs as Cashline & most independent clubs refer to it as either the two previously mentioned names or 'table top' (relating to the fact that the boards are usually built into the table in front of the player) or 'Mini Cash Bingo'.

It is perhaps nostalgic to note that the usage of these nicknames tends to be greater where the focus of playing bingo is upon fun rather than big business; this includes British holiday resort chains such as Haven, British Holidays and Pontins, and also church halls, social clubs etc.

Bingo originates from the Italian lottery, Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia. From Italy, the game spread to France and was known as Le Lotto, played by the French aristocracy. Bingo as we know it today was used in 19

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Baccarat Banque

In Baccarat Chemin de Fer, it will have been noticed that a given bank only continues so long as the banker wins. As soon as he loses, it passes to another player. In Baccarat Banque the position of banker is much more permanent. Three packs of cards are shuffled together. (The number is not absolute, sometimes four packs, sometimes two only, being used; but three is the more usual number.) The banker (unless he retires either of his own free will or by reason of the exhaustion of his finances) holds office until all these cards have been dealt.

The bank is at the outset put up to auction, i.e. belongs to the player who will undertake to risk the largest amount. In some circles, the person who has first set down his name on the list of players has the right to hold the first bank, risking such amount as he may think proper.

The right to begin having been ascertained, the banker takes his place midway down one of the sides of an oval table, the croupier facing him, with the waste-basket between. On either side of the banker are the punters (ten such constituting a full table). Any other persons desiring to take part remain standing, and can only play in the event of the amount in the bank for the time being not being covered by the seated players.

The croupier, having shuffled the cards, hands them for the same purpose to the players to the right and left of him, the banker being entitled to shuffle them last, and to select the person by whom they shall be cut. Each punter having made his stake, the banker deals three cards, the first to the player on his right, the second to the player on his left, and the third to himself; then three more in like manner. The five punters on the right (and any bystanders staking with them) win or lose by the cards dealt to that side; the five others by the cards dealt to the left side. The rules as to turning up with eight or nine, offering and accepting cards, and so on, are the same as at Baccarat Chemin de Fer.

Each punter continues to hold the cards for his side so long as he wins. If he loses, the next hand is dealt to the player next following him in rotation.

Any player may "go bank," the first claim to do so belonging to the punter immediately on the right of the banker; the next to the player on his left, and so on alternatively in regular order. If two players on opposite sides desire to "go bank," they go half shares.

A player going bank may either do so on a single hand, in the ordinary course, or a cheval, i.e. on two hands separately, one-half of the stake being played upon each hand. A player going bank and losing may, again go bank; and if he again loses, may go bank a third time, but not further.

A player undertaking to hold the bank must play out one hand, but may retire at anytime afterwards. On retiring, he is bound to state the amount with which he retires. It is then open to any other player (in order of rotation) to continue the bank, starting with the same amount, and dealing from the remainder of the pack, used by his predecessor. The outgoing banker takes the place previously occupied by his successor.

The breaking of the bank does not deprive the banker of the right to continue, provided that he has funds with which to replenish it, up to the agreed minimum.

Should the stakes of the punters exceed the amount for, the time being in the bank, the banker is not responsible for the amount of such excess. In the event of his losing, the croupier pays the punters in order of rotation, so far as the funds in the bank will extend; beyond this, they have no claim. The banker, may, however, in such a case, instead of resting on his right, declare the stakes accepted, forthwith putting up the needful funds to meet them. In such event the bank thenceforth becomes unlimited, and the banker must hold all stakes (to whatever amount) offered on any subsequent hand, or give up the bank.

The laws of baccarat are complicated and no one code is accepted as authoritative, the different clubs making their own rules.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Full pay video poker games

Full pay video poker machines are games which offer the typical maximum payback percentage for that game type. Payback percentage expresses the long-term expected value of the player's wager as a percentage. A payback percentage of 99 percent, for instance, indicates that for each $100 wagered, in the long run, the player would expect to lose $1. Payback percentages on full-pay games are often close to or even in excess of 100 percent, assuming error-free perfect play.^[1]

Full-pay Jacks or Better, for example, offers a payback percentage of 99.54 percent when played with perfect strategy. It must be remembered that winning the jackpot (royal flush) is also part of the "long run" in every variant. One should not play a "full pay" video poker game expecting not to lose, because even over many thousands of hands played, you are playing a game that pays back less than 100%.

Casinos often place full pay machines alongside other machines with pay schedules that offer less attractive payback percentages, leaving it up to the player to identify which video poker machines offer full pay schedules.

Most full pay machines are configured with a pay schedule that is only full pay when the maximum number of credits is bet. (See the pay schedule tables later in this article for details.)

References

1. ^ Expected Return on Video Poker Games

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Slots terminology

Display screen of a slot machine in tilt mode

Bonus is a special feature of the particular game theme, which is activated when certain symbols appear in a winning combination. Bonuses vary depending upon the game. Some bonus rounds are a special session of free spins (the number of which is often based on the winning combination that triggers the bonus), often with a different or modified set of winning combinations as the main game, and often with winning credit values increased by a specific multiplier, which is prominently displayed as part of the bonus graphics and/or animation. In other bonus rounds, the player is presented with several items on a screen from which to choose. As the player chooses items, a number of credits is revealed and awarded. Some bonuses use a mechanical device, such as a spinning wheel, that works in conjunction with the bonus to display the amount won.

Candle is a light on top of the slot machine. It flashes to alert the operator that change is needed, hand pay is requested or a potential problem with the machine.

Carousel refers to a grouping of slot machines, usually in a circle or oval formation.

Coin hopper is a container where the coins that are immediately available for payouts are held. The hopper is a mechanical device that rotates coins into the coin tray when a player collects credits/coins (by pressing a "Cash Out" button). When a certain preset coin capacity is reached, a coin diverter automatically redirects, or "drops", excess coin into a "drop bucket" or "drop box". (Unused coin hoppers can still be found even on games that exclusively employ Ticket-In Ticket-Out technology, as a vestige.)

Credit meter is a visual LED display of the amount of money or credits on the machine. On video reel machines this is either a simulated LED display, or represented in a different font altogether, based on the design of the game graphics.

Drop bucket or drop box is a container located in a slot machine's base where excess coins are diverted from the hopper. Typically, a drop bucket is used for low denomination slot machines and a drop box is used for high denomination slot machines. A drop box contains a hinged lid with one or more locks whereas a drop bucket does not contain a lid. The contents of drop buckets and drop boxes are collected and counted by the casino on a scheduled basis.

EGM is used as a shorthand for "Electronic Gaming Machine".

Hand pay refers to a payout made by an attendant or at an exchange point ("cage"), rather than by the slot machine itself. A hand pay occurs when the amount of the payout exceeds the maximum amount that was preset by the slot machine's operator. Usually, the maximum amount is set at the level where the operator must begin to deduct taxes. A hand pay could also be necessary as a result of a short pay.

Hopper fill slip is a document used to record the replenishments of the coin in the coin hopper after it becomes depleted as a result of making payouts to players. The slip indicates the amount of coin placed into the hoppers, as well as the signatures of the employees involved in the transaction, the slot machine number and the location and the date.

MEAL book (Machine entry authorization log) is a log of the employee's entries into the machine

Low Level or Slant Top slot machines include a stool so the player has sitdown access. Stand Up or Upright slot machines are played while standing.

Optimal play is a payback percentage based on a gambler using the optimal strategy in a skill-based slot machine game.

Payline is a straight or zig-zagged line that crosses through one symbol on each reel, along which a winning combination is evaluated. Classic spinning reel machines usually have up to nine paylines, while video slot machines may have as many as one hundred.

Rollup is the process of dramatizing a win by playing sounds while the meters count up to the amount that has been won.

Short pay refers to a partial payout made by a slot machine, which is less than the amount due to the player. This occurs if the coin hopper has been depleted as a result of making earlier payouts to players. The remaining amount due to the player is either paid as a hand pay or an attendant will come and refill the machine.

Taste is a reference to the small amount often paid out to keep a player seated and continuously betting. Only rarely will machines fail to pay out even the minimum placed bet over the course of several pulls.

Tilt Electromechanical slot machines usually include an electromechanical "tilt switch", which makes or breaks a circuit if the machine is tilted or otherwise tampered with, and so triggers an alarm. While modern machines no longer have tilt switches, any kind of technical fault (door switch in the wrong state, reel motor failure, out of paper, etc) is still called a "tilt".

Theoretical Hold Worksheet A document provided by the manufacturer for all slot machines, which indicates the theoretical percentage that the slot machine should hold based on the amount paid in. The worksheet also indicates the reel strip settings, number of coins that may be played, the payout schedule, the number of reels and other information descriptive of the particular type of slot machine.

Weight count is an American term, referring to the dollar amount of coins or tokens removed from a slot machine's drop bucket or drop box and counted by the casino's hard count team through the use of a weigh scale.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.