MICROGAMING SOFTWARE
Microgaming has a good reputation among players and it is well deserved. Their software is
sharp and easy to use. The speed of the cards is rather slow which can be a plus or minus depending on your
preference. Some Microgaming casinos offer a feature in which you can check how much you bet
on any given day, see a log of past bets, and a host of other information about your play. Microgaming casinos
vary at how they conduct business but many are very generous bonus givers. The table game limits are $2 to $1000
and the slots and video poker machines take coins from 25 cents to $5.
Following is a listing of the games available at Microgaming casinos, their rules, and some strategy
tips.
Blackjack
The rules are as follows:
One deck
Dealer stands on soft 17
Double on 9 to 11 only
No doubling after splitting
No resplitting
Player may draw to split aces
No surrender
Full no peek (player loses total amout bet against dealer blackjack)
Insurance not resolved until end of hand
Following is the correct basic strategy for these rules.
The house edge under these rules is 0.13%.
There is also a multi-hand game in which the player may play up to five hands. This has the
same rules as above, except for five decks instead of one. The house edge in this game is 0.57%.
Craps
Microgaming craps players may not bet more than their original wager either buying or laying the
odds. The combined house edge on the pass side is 0.85% and on the don't pass side is 0.82%. Winnings always get
rounded down to the next dollar so be sure to bet in correct increments.
A Place bet to win is called a "win bet" and a place bet to lose is called a "lose bet." The payoffs are the same
on win bets as conventional place bets. The payoffs on the lose bets are the same as place bets to lose on the 6
and 8 but are less generous on all other numbers. The 4 and 10 to lose pay 2:5 and the 5 and 9 to lose pay 4:7, for
a house edge of 6.67% and 5.71% respectively.
The proposition bets have the same high house edge as in conventional craps. The field bet
pays 2:1 on both 2 and 12. Overall Microgaming's craps game is rather stingy.
Cyberstud Poker
This is what Microgaming calls Caribbean Stud Poker. The pay table is the most generous I have
seen online, paying as follows.
| Hand |
Pays |
| Royal flush |
999:1 |
| Straight flush |
199:1 |
| Four of a kind |
99:1 |
| Full house |
14:1 |
| Flush |
9:1 |
| Straight |
5:1 |
| Three of a kind |
3:1 |
| Two pair |
1:1 |
| Pair |
1:1 |
| Ace/king |
1:1 |
| Pick |
Return |
| 1 |
75.00% |
| 2 |
92.09% |
| 3 |
93.04% |
| 4 |
93.79% |
| 5 |
93.87% |
| 6 |
93.79% |
| 7 |
96.35% |
| 8 |
92.90% |
| 9 |
92.86% |
| 10 |
94.54% |
| 11 |
93.10% |
| 12 |
94.22% |
| 13 |
96.54% |
| 14 |
95.42% |
| 15 |
95.19% |
Pai Gow
Microgaming has the only pai gow game I have seen online. For those unfamiliar with the game it is an ancient
Chinese game played with dominos. This is not to be confused witn pai gow poker which is played with playing
cards. Not all Microgaming casinos offer this game but I have seen it at the English Harbour, Caribbean Gold,
and Silver Dollar. The dealer is always the banker, which results in a hosue edge of about 2.39%. A button is
available to set your hand according to the house way.
Pai Gow Poker
Unlike the standard rules in Microgaming's game of pai gow poker the joker may not be used as a singleton ace.
It still may be combined with other aces or used to complete a straight, flush, or straight flush, otherwise it
is counted as a one. The dealer is always the banker results in a house edge of about 2.86%. No advice feature
is available.
Roulette
A single zero wheel is used. The house edge is 2.70%.
Sic Bo
The payoffs on some bets are more generous than those offered in Atlantic City. A double pays 11:1, any triple
pays 31:1, 4 and 7 pay 62:1, 5 and 16 pay 31:1, 6 and 15 pay 18:1, 9 and 12 pay 7:1, and a three of a kind on a
single number bet pays 12:1. Anywhere you play sic bo it is still a bad bet. The best bet remains on big and
small with a house edge of 2.78%.
Slots
No information available.
Video Poker
Four out of six Microgaming video poker games have a return of at least 99%, however none are over 100%. The
following tables shows the return of all six gams available assuming optimal strategy.
| Microgaming Video Poker - Expected Return |
| Game |
Return |
| Jacks or better |
0.995440 |
| Aces and faces |
0.992556 |
| Tens or better |
0.991388 |
| Deuces and joker wild |
0.990677 |
| Joker poker |
0.985987 |
| Deuces wild |
0.967650 |
The following tables display the pertinent statistics for Microgaming's video poker
games.
| Jacks or Better - Microgaming |
| Hand |
Pays |
Probability |
Return |
| Royal Flush |
800 |
0.000025 |
0.019808 |
| Straight Flush |
50 |
0.000109 |
0.005465 |
| 4 of a Kind |
25 |
0.002363 |
0.059064 |
| Full House |
9 |
0.011512 |
0.10361 |
| Flush |
6 |
0.011015 |
0.066087 |
| Straight |
4 |
0.011229 |
0.044917 |
| 3 of a Kind |
3 |
0.074449 |
0.223346 |
| Two Pair |
2 |
0.129279 |
0.258558 |
| Jack or Better |
1 |
0.214585 |
0.214585 |
| Nothing |
0 |
0.545435 |
0 |
| Total |
|
1 |
0.99544 |
| Deuces Wild - Microgaming |
| Hand |
Pays |
Probability |
Return |
| Natural Royal Flush |
800 |
0.000023 |
0.018136 |
| Four decues |
200 |
0.000179 |
0.03581 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
25 |
0.001837 |
0.045915 |
| Five of a Kind |
16 |
0.00313 |
0.050073 |
| Straight Flush |
13 |
0.005763 |
0.074917 |
| Four of a Kind |
4 |
0.062284 |
0.249135 |
| Full House |
3 |
0.020972 |
0.062917 |
| Flush |
2 |
0.017719 |
0.035439 |
| Straight |
2 |
0.057951 |
0.115902 |
| Three of a Kind |
1 |
0.279406 |
0.279406 |
| Nothing |
0 |
0.550736 |
0 |
| Total |
|
1 |
0.96765 |
| Joker Wild - Microgaming |
| Hand |
Payoff |
Probability |
Return |
| Natural Royal Flush |
1000 |
0.000026 |
0.026063 |
| 5 of a kind |
200 |
0.000093 |
0.018572 |
| Wild Royal Flush |
100 |
0.000107 |
0.010733 |
| Straight Flush |
50 |
0.000594 |
0.029694 |
| 4 of a Kind |
17 |
0.008497 |
0.144445 |
| Full House |
7 |
0.015604 |
0.109228 |
| Flush |
5 |
0.015975 |
0.079873 |
| Straight |
3 |
0.016877 |
0.050630 |
| 3 of a Kind |
2 |
0.133124 |
0.266249 |
| 2 Pair |
1 |
0.110483 |
0.110483 |
| Kings or Better |
1 |
0.140017 |
0.140017 |
| Nothing |
0 |
0.558604 |
0.000000 |
| Total Return |
|
1.000000 |
0.985987 |
| Deuces & Joker Wild - Microgaming |
| Hand |
Pays |
Probability |
Return |
| Five Wilds |
2000 |
0.000008 |
0.015458 |
| Natural Royal Flush |
800 |
0.00002 |
0.015832 |
| Four Deuces |
25 |
0.000149 |
0.003728 |
| Natural Royal Flush |
12 |
0.002801 |
0.033607 |
| Five of a Kind |
9 |
0.005508 |
0.049568 |
| Straight |
6 |
0.00743 |
0.044578 |
| Four of a Kind |
3 |
0.081337 |
0.24401 |
| Flush/Full House |
3 |
0.055635 |
0.166904 |
| Straight |
2 |
0.066109 |
0.132218 |
| Three of a Kind |
1 |
0.284773 |
0.284773 |
| Nothing |
0 |
0.496232 |
0 |
| Total |
|
1 |
0.990677 |
| Aces & Faces - Microgaming |
| Hand |
Pays |
Probability |
Return |
| Royal Flush |
800 |
0.000025 |
0.019876 |
| Straight Flush |
50 |
0.000106 |
0.0053 |
| Four aces |
80 |
0.000196 |
0.015668 |
| Four Jack-King |
40 |
0.000587 |
0.023479 |
| Four 2-10 |
25 |
0.00158 |
0.039507 |
| Full House |
8 |
0.011515 |
0.09212 |
| Flush |
5 |
0.01086 |
0.054301 |
| Straight |
4 |
0.011212 |
0.044847 |
| Three of a Kind |
3 |
0.074474 |
0.223422 |
| Two Pair |
2 |
0.129318 |
0.258637 |
| Jacks or Better |
1 |
0.215399 |
0.215399 |
| Nothing |
0 |
0.544728 |
0 |
| Total |
|
1 |
0.992555 |
| Tens or Better - Microgaming |
| Hand |
Payoff |
Probability |
Return |
| Royal flush |
800 |
0.000026 |
0.020546 |
| Straight flush |
50 |
0.000103 |
0.005141 |
| Four of a Kind |
25 |
0.002358 |
0.058958 |
| Full house |
6 |
0.011497 |
0.068984 |
| Flush |
5 |
0.010654 |
0.053270 |
| Straight |
4 |
0.012357 |
0.049429 |
| Three of a Kind |
3 |
0.074265 |
0.222795 |
| Two Pair |
2 |
0.129007 |
0.258013 |
| Tens or Better |
1 |
0.254251 |
0.254251 |
| Nothing |
0 |
0.505482 |
0.000000 |
| Total |
|
1.000000 |
0.991388 |
| 