Features
Science background an asset for Winnipeg’s only Jewish home inspection specialist
By MYRON LOVE Readers of the Free Press may recognize the name, Ari Marantz. For the past 20-plus years, Winnipeg’s only Jewish home inspection specialist has been writing a regular weekly column, “Ask the Inspector”, on the subject he knows best.
“It started when a previous “Homes” editor was set to retire,” says the son of Bill and Brenda Marantz of his gig as a Free Press columnist. “Someone passed my name along and I thought I would give it a try. It has worked out well and has been really good exposure for my business (Trained Eye Home Inspection).”
He adds that he tries to keep the column fresh and up-to-date. “I really appreciate getting questions from readers,” he notes.
The real irony for Marantz is that his wife, Ilana Simon, is the professional writer in the family. In the past, he points out, she used to write a food and recipe swap column for the Free Press. (She is currently Director of Communications and Marketing at the University of Manitoba’s Rady Faculty of Health Sciences.)
While Marantz studied zoology at university and has a degree in Science, the building trades have always been his real passion. During his university years, he worked summer jobs part time, first at Beaver Lumber (sales clerk) and later at Brown and Rutherford (a historic lumber yard).
After university, he began his own construction company. “I started with fences and decks and other outside projects,” he recounts. “I did mostly residential renovations.”
He worked as a contractor for about 15 years before switching to home inspections. “Being a contractor is a challenging occupation,” he observes. “It was particularly difficult during the period when house prices were flat and interest rates were at an all-time high.”
Setting himself up as a home inspector meshed well with his experience and skill sets, he notes.
His science background also helped, he adds.
Marantz qualified for his new role through a home study course created by Toronto-based Carson Dunlop and Associates. “I was one of the first graduates,” he reports. “Today, their program is offered throughout North America. A lot of colleges follow their curriculum.”
A proper home inspection should take two to three hours – depending on the age of the house, Marantz points out. “We examine all the major systems – the plumbing, heating and electrical, the attic and the roof. The foundations are the biggest concerns.”
Most home inspections should take place before you take possession of your new home, he advises. “You will want to know what the potential problems may be before you move in.
“When I started Trained Eye Home Inspections,” he recalls, “the average wait for a home inspection was three or four days. We are a lot busier these days, Now, when someone puts in an offer on a house and wants a home inspection before buying, the home inspection has to be done almost immediately because the offer is often time limited.“
For first time home buyers, he adds, bringing in a home inspector prior to purchase is especially important because there is a lot to learn about owning a home.
It is also useful, he adds, for people building a new home to be in contract with a home inspector at the beginning of the construction process to ensure that potential problems are identified and resolved before the house is completed.
He reports that he has been especially busy these past few weeks between the ground shifting more than usual due to the previous dry weather and the many flooded basements caused by the torrential rains of the past few weeks.
While Marantz may be the only home inspector of the Jewish persuasion in Manitoba, he notes that he has come to know several other Jewish home inspectors across North America. This came about through his membership and involvement in the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors, where he was Manitoba President, National Vice-President, and a National Director for many years.
He is also a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Outside of work, Marantz enjoys spending time with his family, including his sons Jesse (who, with his wife, Lauren, are parents to three-year-old Jack), and Evan (and girlfriend Ravit). He also enjoys the family cottage at Winnipeg Beach in the summers and keeps in shape with golf in summer and hockey – he plays twice a week – in season.
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Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
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The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
