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Cryptologic is a Toronto-based company providing downloadable online casino
software. The company was founded in 1995, went live with their first casino in
1996, and was the first to provide multi-player games in 1998. Depending on the
casino, the player may earn monthly deposit bonuses, random prizes, or cash back
incentives.
Visit these fine Cryptologic Casinos
After opening an account a letter will be sent in the postal mail containing
a PIN and account number. You will need the PIN to cash out and the account
number for customer support, so don't lose this information. Based on my
experience Cryptologic casinos are very professional and offer fast and
efficient customer service. The playing experience strives to be realistic,
offering sound effects and voice narration. On the negative side I have always
had problems with dropped connections and error message pop up boxes with
Cryptologic. Multi-player and single player games are offered. The Cryptologic
game rules are often modeled after those found in Atlantic City.
Cryptologic casinos offer a free "safe cracker" game in which the
player enters a 9-digit combination into a safe. In the very unlikely event it
is exactly right the player wins $100,000. Only one guess per day is allowed.
Cash back is awarded automatically at Cryptologic casinos according to money
bet and the game played. Following are the cash back percentages by game.
|
Game
|
Cash back
|
|
Baccarat
|
0.1%
|
|
Blackjack
|
0.1%
|
|
Caribbean Poker
|
0.2%
|
|
Craps
|
0.2%
|
|
Paigow Poker
|
0.1%
|
|
Red Dog
|
0.2%
|
|
Roulette
|
0.3%
|
|
Slots
|
0.3%
|
|
Video Keno
|
0.2%
|
|
Video Poker
|
0.1%
|
|
Video Slots
|
0.3%
|
|
Let It Ride Poker
|
0.1%
|
The following are Cryptologic rules, house edges, and strategy tips for
Cryptologic version 4 games. For version 3, which is still available,
click here.
The game rules are usually the same between version 3 and 4. Some differences
include red dog went from 8 decks in version 3 to 1 deck in version 4, craps
version 4 allows betting extra dollars on odds bets so that winnings will round
evenly, and two video poker games were added to version 4: double bonus and
Super Jackpot.
Following are my comments about the games that Cryptologic version 4 has to
offer.
Baccarat
In version
3 8 decks were used in baccarat. I assume this to be true of version 4 but
can't confirm it. Assuming 8 decks the house edge on the banker bet is 1.06%, on
the player bet is 1.24%, and on the tie bet is 14.36%.
Blackjack
With the exception that splitting after splitting is not allowed Cryptologic
blackjack rules are the same as the standard in Atlantic City. The complete
rules are as follows:
- 8 decks
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Player may double on any first two cards
- Player may double after splitting
- Player may split only once
- No surrender
- Dealer checks hole card for blackjack
Craps
Cryptologic's craps game offers rules that are close to those found in
physical casinos. All place and proposition bets pay according to standard
rules. Buy and lay bets are not offered. The player may bet up to two times any
line bet on the odds. The double odds are always relative to the bet made. This
departs from conventional rules in which laying odds after a don't pass or don't
come bet is relative to the amount the player can win. Finally, winning bets get
rounded down to the nearest dollar so be sure to bet in correct increments. To
avoid getting rounded down the player may bet as many extra dollars on top of
their double odds bets as needed so that winnings will be an evenly divisible by
$1. A pop up box will also alert the player if they stand to get rounded down,
something very nice and unique to Cryptologic.
Caribbean Poker
Caribbean Poker, otherwise known as Caribbean Stud Poker, takes one small
deviation from the normal rules. This deviation is on a royal flush, which pays
200:1 rather than 100:1. Assuming optimal strategy this lowers the house edge
from 5.22% to 5.21%.
New to version 4 is a progressive side bet. The side bet pays $50 for a
flush, $100 for a full house, $500 for a four of a kind, and the usual 10% and
100% of the meter for a straight and royal flush respectively. For the player to
break even on the side bet the meter would have to reach $218,047.37.
Keno
Cryptologic keno payoffs are about equally as generous as land based casinos,
paying between 71% and 75%. The following table shows the expected return
according to the number of spots chosen.
|
Cryptologic Keno
|
|
Pick
|
Return
|
|
1
|
75%
|
|
2
|
72.15%
|
|
3
|
73.54%
|
|
4
|
73.79%
|
|
5
|
73.22%
|
|
6
|
71.61%
|
|
7
|
72.41%
|
|
8
|
72.71%
|
|
9
|
71.87%
|
|
10
|
72.35%
|
Let it Ride
Cryptologic follows the usual Let it Ride rules. Unlike Atlantic City,
however, Cryptologic features a $1 side bet. The house edge on Let it Ride is
3.51% and on their side bet is 22.61%.
Pai Gow Poker
Cryptologic follows conventional pai gow poker rules. In their game the
dealer is always the banker giving the house a 2.86% house edge, assuming both
player and dealer play by a standard house way. The rules say Cryptologic uses
the Atlantic City standard house way, although I know the Claridge uses a
different house way than the Trump Plaza.
Red Dog
Cryptologic's Red Dog rules are conventional, featuring one deck with a house
edge of 3.16%.
Roulette
Atlantic City's version of the European imprisonment rule can also be found
in Crypologic's roulette game. Under this rule if the ball lands in 0 or 00
half the bet is returned on all even money bets (red, black, 1-18, 19-36, even,
and odd). For example if the player bet $10 on black and the ball landed on 0
then the player would get $5 of his bet returned. The house edge on the even
money bets is 2.63%, on the five number combo is 7.89%, and on all other bets is
5.26%.
Slots
This casino list the actual returns for all their games on
their web site: Sands
of the Caribbean. The average monthly return at the Sands of the Caribbean for months
between Sep 2000 to August 2001 was 93.17%.
Video Poker
The following table shows the video poker games available at Cryptologic and
their expected return assuming perfect strategy.
| Game |
Return |
|
Double Bonus
|
99.94%
|
|
Jacks or better
|
98.25%
|
|
All American
|
98.11%
|
|
Deuces wild
|
97.97%
|
|
Tens or better
|
97.96%
|
|
Joker poker
|
97.95%
|
|
Super Jackpot
|
Progressive
|
Super Jackpot is a progressive version of jacks or better. Other than the
progressive for royal flush the paytable is standard 5/8 (5 for a flush, 8 for a
full house), which pays 97.30%. If the player uses 5/8 strategy the expected
return is 95.31% plus 0.50% for every 1000 coins in the meter. Under 5/8
strategy the meter would have to reach 9427 coins to break even. With proper
strategy adjustments with a meter of this size the actual return would be
100.47%.
The following tables show the specific Cryptologic pay tables as well as
expected return tables for all games except Super Jackpot.
All tables assume optimal strategy. Remember Cryptologic also pays 0.1% cashback.
This pushes the return for double bonus to 100.04%.
|
Double Bonus
|
|
Hand
|
Payoff
|
Probability
|
Return
|
|
Royal Flush
|
840
|
0.000025
|
0.020925
|
|
Straight Flush
|
50
|
0.000107
|
0.005368
|
|
4 Aces
|
150
|
0.000202
|
0.030367
|
|
4 2s, 3s or 4s
|
90
|
0.000527
|
0.047465
|
|
4 5-K
|
50
|
0.001638
|
0.081919
|
|
Full House
|
8
|
0.011409
|
0.091269
|
|
Flush
|
5
|
0.010923
|
0.054613
|
|
Straight
|
4
|
0.011522
|
0.046086
|
|
3 of a kind
|
2
|
0.074533
|
0.149067
|
|
Two Pair
|
2
|
0.129173
|
0.258346
|
|
Jacks or Better
|
1
|
0.213943
|
0.213943
|
|
Nothing
|
0
|
0.545997
|
0.000000
|
|
Total Return
|
|
1.000000
|
0.999367
|
|
Jacks or Better
|
|
Hand
|
Payoff
|
Number
|
Probability
|
Return
|
|
Royal flush
|
800
|
493546320
|
0.000025
|
0.019808
|
|
Straight flush
|
40
|
2174382228
|
0.000109
|
0.004363
|
|
4 of a kind
|
20
|
47093235876
|
0.002363
|
0.047251
|
|
Full house
|
9
|
229476095604
|
0.011512
|
0.103610
|
|
Flush
|
6
|
219476752512
|
0.011011
|
0.066064
|
|
Straight
|
4
|
223909304748
|
0.011233
|
0.044932
|
|
3 of a kind
|
3
|
1483995016080
|
0.074448
|
0.223345
|
|
Two pair
|
2
|
2576917506024
|
0.129277
|
0.258555
|
|
Jacks or better
|
1
|
4277798625024
|
0.214606
|
0.214606
|
|
Nothing
|
0
|
10871896052784
|
0.545416
|
0.000000
|
|
Total
|
|
19933230517200
|
1.000000
|
0.982534
|
|
All American
|
|
Hand
|
Payoff
|
Number
|
Probability
|
Return
|
|
Royal flush
|
800
|
447967224
|
0.000022
|
0.017979
|
|
Straight flush
|
90
|
2555453292
|
0.000128
|
0.011538
|
|
4 of a kind
|
35
|
44879539632
|
0.002251
|
0.078802
|
|
Full house
|
8
|
218979227088
|
0.010986
|
0.087885
|
|
Flush
|
8
|
313988688984
|
0.015752
|
0.126016
|
|
Straight
|
8
|
373997868540
|
0.018763
|
0.150100
|
|
3 of a kind
|
3
|
1370909316480
|
0.068775
|
0.206325
|
|
Two pair
|
1
|
2382250229568
|
0.119511
|
0.119511
|
|
Jacks or better
|
1
|
3646648353564
|
0.182943
|
0.182943
|
|
Nothing
|
0
|
11578573872828
|
0.580868
|
0.000000
|
|
Total
|
|
19933230517200
|
1.000000
|
0.981100
|
|
Deuces Wild - Cryptologic
|
|
Hand
|
Payoff
|
Number
|
Probability
|
Return
|
|
Natural royal flush
|
800
|
451963644
|
0.000023
|
0.018139
|
|
4 deuces
|
200
|
3745487652
|
0.000188
|
0.037580
|
|
Wild royal flush
|
20
|
35864159688
|
0.001799
|
0.035984
|
|
5 of a kind
|
15
|
62385447048
|
0.003130
|
0.046946
|
|
Straight flush
|
9
|
99367373148
|
0.004985
|
0.044865
|
|
4 of a kind
|
4
|
1225731582828
|
0.061492
|
0.245967
|
|
Full house
|
4
|
522145872600
|
0.026195
|
0.104779
|
|
Flush
|
3
|
408462003072
|
0.020492
|
0.061475
|
|
Straight
|
2
|
1152851681184
|
0.057836
|
0.115671
|
|
3 of a kind
|
1
|
5348224877136
|
0.268307
|
0.268307
|
|
Nothing
|
0
|
11074000069200
|
0.555555
|
0.000000
|
|
Total
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|
19933230517200
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1.000000
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0.979714
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|
Tens or Better
|
|
Hand
|
Payoff
|
Probability
|
Return
|
|
Royal flush
|
800
|
0.000026
|
0.020530
|
|
Straight flush
|
50
|
0.000104
|
0.005180
|
|
Four of a Kind
|
20
|
0.002357
|
0.047145
|
|
Full house
|
6
|
0.011493
|
0.068955
|
|
Flush
|
5
|
0.010670
|
0.053350
|
|
Straight
|
4
|
0.012386
|
0.049544
|
|
Three of a Kind
|
3
|
0.074218
|
0.222653
|
|
Two Pair
|
2
|
0.128936
|
0.257872
|
|
Tens or Better
|
1
|
0.254368
|
0.254368
|
|
Nothing
|
0
|
0.505443
|
0.000000
|
|
Total
|
|
1.000000
|
0.979598
|
|
Joker Wild - Cryptologic
|
|
Hand
|
Pays
|
Probability
|
Return
|
|
Natural Royal Flush
|
800
|
0.000025
|
0.019774
|
|
Five of a Kind
|
200
|
0.000093
|
0.018583
|
|
Wild Royal Flush
|
100
|
0.000104
|
0.010395
|
|
Straight Flush
|
50
|
0.000596
|
0.029788
|
|
Four of Kind
|
15
|
0.008505
|
0.12757
|
|
Full House
|
8
|
0.015625
|
0.125001
|
|
Flush
|
5
|
0.015852
|
0.079259
|
|
Straight
|
3
|
0.016871
|
0.050613
|
|
Three of a Kind
|
2
|
0.133296
|
0.266592
|
|
Two Pair
|
1
|
0.110667
|
0.110667
|
|
Kings or Better
|
1
|
0.141228
|
0.141228
|
|
Nothing
|
0
|
0.557139
|
0
|
|
Total
|
|
1
|
0.97947
|
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