No-limit to hold’em popularity

Check in on virtually any casino poker room in the past few years, and it is highly likely the most popular game spread is 1-2 no-limit hold’em.

The Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, becoming a bona-fide tourist attraction, is no different in that area, but narrow the search to the most popular limit hold’em game, and the Sands stands apart.

Unlike its northern neighbors Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs and Mount Airy Lodge and Casino in Paradise Township, which arrived on the poker scene together in July, the Sands does not fill up 2-4 limit tables first.

“Generally, we have two limit games going at a time, 3-6 and 4-8,” poker manager David Urie said. “We don’t have it often, but occasionally, we’ll have a 2-4 game going, too.”

Player demand generally drives what games are played at any given casino. If close to 10 players are waiting for a game and the casino has tables and dealers available, the game often gets started.

At Sands, the players are more likely to seek out the slightly higher action in limit. Mohegan Sun usually has a 2-4 game running and only occasionally gets the 3-6 and 4-8 going. Mount Airy has had a second limit game, more often 3-6, join 2-4 a bit more often than Mohegan Sun, but 2-4 remains the most common among limit players.

The difference may seem small, but simple math shows that hourly win and loss averages should be twice as high at 4-8 than 2-4, assuming the same levels of competition and success.

Urie said 1-2 no-limit, 2-5 no-limit and 5-10 no-limit all tend to have more players than the limit choices.

If a wait is necessary before gaining a seat, the Sands takes advantage of strong cell-phone signals for a variety of carriers and takes a player’s cell-phone number to send a text when the table becomes available.

“Instead of having to be stagnant here in the poker area, they can walk around the property, play slots or table games or get something to eat,” Urie said. “If there’s a little wait, we can keep the communication open and not have people leaning around the rail waiting.”

A lounge area is available for those who want to sit comfortably in the poker room waiting for their seat. Waiter service is available in the poker room 24/7, and eight eating options are situated nearby.

“Here, we’re right in the middle of the floor,” Urie said. “We’re part of the action. It’s a lively environment.

“There’s not a lot of noise, but you can see all the action. It keeps the poker players awake, alert and paying attention.”

The slightly higher stakes in place for limit games in the poker room are in line with the play throughout the rest of the casino.

The lowest minimums at blackjack games usually range from $15 to $25 during the week and start at $25 on weekends.

“We have a higher limit area with $100 and $200 tables,” director of table games Jack Kennedy said. “ We’re starting to get a very good reputation around New York and New Jersey for running nice high-limit games.”

The high-limit area is played with six-deck shoes instead of eight-deck shoes, a very slight advantage to players who play correct blackjack strategy.

That follows a trend of favorable rules for players in eastern Pennsylvania casinos.

By state gambling regulations, the dealer stays on all soft 17s, bucking the growing trend in Atlantic City for dealers hitting soft 17s.

Sands allows players to surrender and get back half their bet after the first two cards. It also allows splitting cards up to three times, doubling down on any two cards and doubling after a split. Each time a casino limits one of those options, it makes it just a little more difficult for a player to beat the game, even when playing optimal strategy.

“I’m originally from Las Vegas,” Kennedy said. “We’re running the type of games that are run out there.”

There are more blackjack tables than any other table game in the casino, but there are many options.

Craps, baccarat and roulette are the other usual staples. The Asian Games of Sic Bo and Pai Gow Poker also are available along with novelty games Let It Ride, Three-Card Poker, Texas Hold’Em, Casino War, Big Six and Caribbean Stud.