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Boss Media, based in Sweden, is one of the most professional
organizations in the world of online gambling. Members of their
staff I have met were very professional. The software of Boss
Media is very impressive. I'm not good with adjectives but the
graphics and sound in their multi-player games are the best I
have seen. Players may also check their account history for purchases
and withdrawals. Upon opening an account with a Boss Media casino
a PIN will be sent in the postal mail which takes about 10 days.
The PIN is required to make a withdrawal. There are two versions
of Boss Media software, single player and multi-player. Some casinos
offer one and some both. Not all games are available in the multi-player
format. The blackjack rules are better in the single player version.
For the player that puts an emphasis on an enjoyable gaming experience
a Boss Media casino would make a good choice. The bet range at
the table games is $5 to $500, the slots and video poker accept
coinages from 25 cents to $5.
Baccarat
One deck is used. Tie pays 8:1.
Blackjack
The multi-player rules are as follows:
- 6 decks
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Double on any first two cards
- Double after a split
- No resplitting
- U.S. hold card rule
- Player may not draw to split aces
- Player may play up to three hands.
The house edge under these rules is 0.46%.
The Cryptologic basic strategy is also correct for
these rules.
The single player rules are the same as above with
the following exceptions:
- 1 deck
- If the dealer has an ace showing and the player declines insurance
then the player will lose the total amount bet if the dealer
has a blackjack.
Following is the basic strategy for the single player
game. To use the basic strategy look up your hand along the left
vertical edge and the dealer's up card along the top. In both
cases an A stands for ace. From top to bottom are the hard totals,
soft totals, and splittable hands. In the body of the chart are
color coded cells that indicate the best play: H=hit, S=stand,
P=split, D=double if allowed otherwise hit, Ds=Double if allowed
otherwise stand, Di=Take insurance then double, Pi=Take insurance
then split.
The player edge in the single deck game is
0.07%.
Caribbean Poker
This is the same game as Caribbean Stud Poker. The
rules and the pay table are as usual.
A $1 progressive side bet is available. The side
bet pays $50 for a flush, $100 for a full house, $500 for a four
of a kind, 10% of the meter for a straight flush, and 100% of
the meter for a royal flush. On December 13, 2000 the meter at
the Cowboy Casino was at $7849. The house edge on the side bet
for a meter this small is 61.47%!
Craps
In terms of graphics and feel Boss Media did a fine
job with craps. The player is allowed to bet three times a line
bet on the odds, both buying and laying odds. Unlike conventional
rules the limit laying odds is not relative to the amount the
player can win. The buy and lay bet player will be happy to learn
the 5% commission is only payable if the player wins! The commission
is correctly applied to the amount bet on the buy bet and the
amount won on the lay bet. For example a $100 buy bet on the 4
would win $195 and a $100 lay bet on the 4 would win $47.50. The
rare place to lose bets are also offered. These pay 5:11 on the
4 and 10, 5:8 on the 5 and 9, and 4:5 on the 6 an 8. Place to
win and proposition bets are offered according to the usual rules.
The field bet pays 2:1 on both 2 and 12. Following is the house
edge on some of the unique Boss Media bets:
- Combined pass/come and buyings odds: 0.47%
- Combined don't pass/don't come and laying odds: 0.45%
- Place to lose on 4,10: 3.03%
- Place to lose on 5,9: 2.50%
- Place to lose on 6,8: 1.82%
- Buy on 4,10: 1.67%
- Buy on 5,9: 2.00%
- Buy on 6,8: 2.27%
- Lay on 4,10: 1.67%
- Lay on 5,9: 2.00%
- Lay on 6,8: 2.27%
Keno
Boss Media's keno is rather stingy. The following
table shows the expected return according to the number of marks
chosen.
| Boss Media Keno
|
| Pick |
Return |
| 2 |
68.04% |
| 3 |
69.38% |
| 4 |
67.39% |
| 5 |
67.57% |
| 6 |
70.64% |
| 7 |
69.56% |
| 8 |
67.47% |
| 9 |
64.53% |
| 10 |
69.61% |
Pai Gow Poker
The dealer is always banker. Cards are not arranged
in order and advice is not available.
Roulette
The usual American double-zero wheel is used. No
half back on even money bets if the ball lands in zero.
Slots
I have no information on the theoretical or actual
return of Boss Media slots.
Video Poker
There is only one video poker game available, jacks
or better. The pay table and return statistics are as follows.
| Jacks or Better
|
| Hand |
Payoff |
Number |
Probability |
Return |
| Royal flush |
1000 |
553693344 |
0.000028 |
0.027777 |
| Straight flush |
50 |
2181883836 |
0.000109 |
0.005473 |
| 4 of a kind |
20 |
46927098840 |
0.002354 |
0.047084 |
| Full house |
7 |
228888423720 |
0.011483 |
0.080379 |
| Flush |
5 |
220234644540 |
0.011049 |
0.055243 |
| Straight |
4 |
226131938628 |
0.011344 |
0.045378 |
| 3 of a kind |
3 |
1477703531280 |
0.074133 |
0.222398 |
| Two pair |
2 |
2569008096000 |
0.128881 |
0.257761 |
| Jacks or better |
1 |
4252431465432 |
0.213334 |
0.213334 |
| Nothing |
0 |
10909169741580 |
0.547286 |
0.000000 |
| Total |
|
19933230517200 |
1.000000 |
0.954828 |
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