Born in New York in 1933, Joe Classon was a professional casino cheat who, alongside his older brother Henry, and others, perfected several techniques for winning money by illegitimate means. Not least of those techniques was ‘past posting’ or, in other words, placing, or increasing, winning bets after the outcome of an event is known. The technique is applicable to table games, such as blackjack, craps and roulette, but requires skill, teamwork and timing to place illegal late bets at a time when the croupier is distracted, deliberately or routinely.
Classon Jnr. honed his skills, with no little success, in the casinos of Puerto Rico, Cuba and Las Vegas from 1954 onwards, but in the mid-sixties met Ruthie Berin, a showgirl at the
Stardust Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, with whom he began a professional and romantic relationship. A beautiful and charismatic woman, Berin had no qualms about charming casino employees into paying out on illegal, past post bets. Berin eventually left Classon for a Hollywood film producer, but by that stage, he had already become acquainted with Duke Swenson and would later recruit Jerry Palmer, who had known Swenson since school, to form what would become the most successful past posting team in history.
Between 1969 and 1989, when Classon retired, the team continued to ply its trade and, in 1977, was joined by the now-legendary ‘poacher-turned-gamekeeper’ Richard Marcus. At the time, Marcus was a baccarat dealer at the Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas and, following a direct approach from Classon, created a ‘false shuffle’ to protect the cards at the top of the shoe and produce winning hands for the team. Thus, when dealt by a relief dealer, the cards produced a profit of $30,000 without arousing any suspicion at at all.
Progressive jackpots are a staple of online slots. Who doesn’t like shooting for a big prize? Fairly new to the mix are Games Global’s WowPot Jackpots, but already they’re becoming some of the most popular. Offering significant prize pools and slick games from a number of top studios, they’ve earned a bit of a reputation as a go-to choice for jackpot seekers. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the world of progressive slots or you’ve been playing for years, this guide will break down how WowPot Jackpots work – and give you the inside scoop on some of the standout titles.
What Are WowPot Jackpots?
WowPot Jackpots are part of a progressive jackpot network. This means the prize pool grows as more players spin the reels. In fact, around 5% of each spin goes towards the WowPot in these games. This means the more people play, the bigger the main jackpot gets. However, one place that WowPot differs from traditional progressive jackpots is its three other prize tiers. These stay the same, with the WowPot growing and are separated as below:
- Mini
- Minor
- Major
- WowPot
The main WowPot jackpot is the highlight at a minimum of 2 million euros when seeded – and only growing. The setup of these slots means anyone can win with a single spin, no matter the stake size, though higher bets do increase your odds of triggering the jackpot feature.
How Do WowPot Jackpots Work?
Unless you’re particularly interested in game mechanics, playing a WowPot slot feels similar to any other slot game. No special strategies or techniques are required. The jackpots are triggered randomly during gameplay, where you’re invited to spin a wheel, or uncover symbols, to determine which of the four prize tiers you’ll land on.
Top WowPot Slots to Check Out
The WowPot collection is jam-packed with visually stunning and feature-rich games. Lots come from Games Global, but there are a handful of games from other studios too, meaning you’ll find a whole host of different mechanics to get your teeth stuck into.
Sherlock and Moriarty WowPot
Sherlock and Moriarty WowPot is one of the most popular titles from the huge collection of jackpot slots at Jackpot City casino, why? It has brilliant characters, including the fiendish Moriarty, clever mechanics – and the chance to trigger the WowPot. Its engaging characters and rich atmosphere make it a firm favourite among players. Who doesn’t like a mystery to solve, especially one with a big prize at the end?
Book of Atem WowPot
No series of slots would be complete without a nod to Ancient Egypt and that’s where Book of Atem steps in. Despite its ancient theme, it has a bunch of modern slot features, including expanding symbols. Throw in its jackpot potential and you’ve created a compelling mix.
Queen of Alexandria WowPot
Expanding wilds are a great way to boost wins and that’s the name of the game in Queen of Alexandria WowPot. This slot also has the ever-popular Ancient Egyptian theme though with a royal edge thrown in for good measure.
Understanding how to play suited connectors in Texas Hold’em poker is a skill every player should get to grips with before hitting the tables.
Suited connectors refer to hands composed of two consecutive same-suited cards such as 8♣7♣ or 5♦4♦ or 6♣5♣. These hands have massive potential, but players must be careful with them.
Players can make costly errors if they do not consider factors such as stack sizes and opponent behaviour. Read on as we look at some of the mistakes to avoid when playing suited connectors.
Overvaluing Suited Connectors in 3-Bet Pots with Short Stacks
Three-betting suited connectors against opponents with 60 big blinds or fewer is a one of the most common mistakes poker players make.
Suited connectors are famed for thriving in deep-stack situations but they can be hugely ineffective when stack-to-pot ratios (SPR) shrink.
They can be excellent three-bet bluff candidates with deeper stacks because they have the power to make better hands fold pre-flop.
Suited connectors also be played post-flop while providing significant implied odds by hitting big hands such as straights or flushes.
However, the reduced SPR limits post-flop manoeuvrability and lowers implied odds against shorter stacks. Three-betting these hands becomes a less effective strategy.
Players must consider flat-calling or folding when up against a short stack pre-flop raiser.
When the stack sizes are shallow in tournaments, suited connectors are not so attractive. With a meagre 50 big blinds, players see their ability to leverage the implied odds reduced.
Opponents are more likely to shove or call aggressively, with barely any room for themselves to manoeuvre post-flop.
You need to know when not to three-bet to avoid unnecessary losses and stay competitive, whether playing a competitive tournament or cash games.
Misjudging Opponent Types and Situations
Players should never three-bet bluff suited connectors against calling stations. It is a common mistake, and you may pay dearly for it.
There is only a little chance of you getting them to fold which means you lose a key incentive for three-betting suited connectors.
Calling stations tend to call with hands that overpower suited connectors such as A♠5♠, K♠7♥ or J♠8♣ while increasing the likelihood of nasty coolers when you both hit trips or flushes.
The wise move would be to avoid bluffing calling stations. Try focusing on value-betting strong hands. You can fold your suited connectors or be passive in your play in these situations.
We have recently seen the pitfalls of misunderstanding hand strength at the top level with Chinese-New Zealander Sosia Jiang at the Triton Million.
The Kiwi ace held K♦Q♦ and pushed aggressively against chip leader Daniel Dvoress. The move backfired spectacularly. Dvoress had A♣K♣ which trumped her seemingly mouth-watering hand.
Her mistake is a cautionary tale about understanding the context around hand strength. Success in casinos online NZ often hinges on grasping the odds and knowing when to hold back or go all-in.
While K♦Q♦ is a strong hand in some situations, it loses its prowess against a tighter opening range or superior hands. Tournament dynamics played a critical role in Jiang’s case, but knowing when to fold premium hands can help reserve chips and extend longevity.
Against loose players, expand your range to exploit their tendency to overplay marginal hands. You need to narrow your range and focus on stronger holdings for tight players.
Suited connectors can be effective in both contexts, but you must be masterful and pay attention to the opponent’s tendencies.
Misusing Suited Connectors as Four-Bet Bluff Candidates
When choosing hands for four-bet bluffs, consider elements such as blocker effects, post-flop playability and implied odds.
Suited connectors usually don’t meet the critical criterion of blocker effects. They typically have negative blocker effects, blocking hands your opponent might fold such as K♠6♦ as opposed to strong hands they will continue with like K♠K♥.
Suited connectors have decent playability and implied odds, but the low SPR in four-bet pots kills these advantages. The wise move would be to prioritise hands with better blocker properties such as A♠5♠ for your four-bet bluffs.
Use suited connectors in situations where they can be more potent. Playing them in the wrong situation can yield diabolic results.
In a scenario where you bet with 8♠7♠ against a player who frequently continues with hands such as A♠K♠ or pocket queens, it will be nigh impossible for you to force a fold. Your post-flop playability will be compromised due to the limited SPR.
This is why it is crucial to understand the nuances of hand selection. Reserving suited connectors for spots where they can thrive is key. It ensures your strategy is robust and adaptable.
Born in Deauville, France on February 14, 1948, Monique Laurent was responsible for what Richard Marcus – who cheated casinos worldwide for $25 million – described as ‘ one of the greatest scams of all time’. Working in conjunction with her brother, who was a roulette croupier at Casino Deauville, and her husband, Laurent came up with an innovative scheme to influence the outcome of each spin of a roulette wheel by inserting a tiny radio receiver into a roulette ball.
After much trial and error, a sculptor friend designed a duplicate roulette ball, of the same dimensions and weight as a standard ball, which could be unobtrusively introduced into play at any time. By pressing a button on a radio transmitter, concealed within a cigarette packet, Laurent could cause the roulette ball to divert into a group of six numbers with an accuracy of 90%. Bearing in mind this was 1973, the use of radio transmitters represented a new level of sophistication and the fraudsters were able to make five million French francs in a week before the casino operators got wind of any wrongdoing.
The subterfuge was eventually discovered when the amorous casino manager, who had been rebuffed more than once, noticed that Laurent always stood close to the roulette wheel, but never placed a bet and appeared for all the world to be a largely disinterested spectator. Of course, she also always carried a cigarette packet, but never smoked. His suspicions aroused, he alerted security staff, who discovered that a radio signal was being transmitted in the vicinity of the roulette wheel. The police were called and when asked for a cigarette from the ‘dummy’ packet containing the radio transmitter Laurent could not, of course, provide one; the cigarette packet was confiscated, the transmitter discovered and the fraudsters arrested.
