Rob’s online casino discussion blog

Why is Blackjack more profitable than over casino games?

Friday, February 15th, 2008

To bring this concept into focus, let’s compare blackjack to some other popular games such as slots typically found in most casinos. Take craps, for example. Let’s assume the shooter rolls an 8, composed of a 5 on one die and a 3 on the other. The dice are returned to the shooter, who is about to roll again. Obviously the 5 and the 3 contained on each die could easily come out again. And, in fact, the odds of that happening are no different than were the odds of a 5 or a 3 being rolled the first time. In roulette the same logic applies. Let’s say the croupier spins the ball and it ends up falling into number 15. The physical pocket corresponding to number 15 always remains in the roulette wheel. So when the dealer spins again a few minutes later, number 15 has as much chance of coming out again as it did the first time. In simple terms this concept is called “replacement,” or in probability theory, the “Law of Independent Trials.” Now on to special blackjack, and notice the difference. When the dealer finishes dealing a hand, the used cards are placed in the discard tray—not to be used again until after the next shuffle. (Obviously, the shuffle at the beginning of each deal or “shoe” represents “ground zero”) For this example let’s say the 3 of diamonds was among those cards just dealt in a single deck game. A hard fact has just been established. The 3 of diamonds cannot be dealt again until after the next shuffle. Think about it. In no other game does such an absolute present itself, where knowledge of the past can and will have a direct effect on the future. The same logic holds true for multiple-deck games, only on a lesser scale. In a six-deck game where there are a total of 24 3s, after one hand in which a 3 is dealt, you can rest assured that only 23 3s are left in the shoe. Although such specific information as knowing exactly how many of any particular card remains in the deck or decks at any given moment isn’t humanly possible to track and process to one’s advantage, nevertheless, this represents the basic premise on which all responsible card counting methods are based.

So where and from whom did all of this originate?

Card counting was first developed and proven to be a viable method by Dr. Edward O. Thorp, then a professor of mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The year was 1960, and using the University’s IBM 704 computer, Dr. Thorp was able to formulate and test his theory that a significant advantage could be obtained by a blackjack player able to follow a predetermined strategy and keep some sort of track of high and low cards Blackjack tournaments as they were being dealt. His research began three years after a technical paper appeared in the “Journal of the American Statistical Association” entitled, “The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack,” written by Roger R. Baldwin, Wilbert E. Cantey, Herbert Maisel, and James P. McDermott of the U.S. Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground. “The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack” outlined the first bona fide version of a “basic strategy,” but it was Dr. Thorp and his exhaustive computer simulations that led to the first comprehensive playing and card counting strategy that could successfully beat the game. A year after proving his method in live casino play, the first edition of Thorp’s 1962 best-selling book Beat the Dealer was published, and revealed to the masses just how blackjack could be beaten.

How can we tell the difference between different machines, if they look the same?

Thursday, February 14th, 2008

Look at the pays on the belly glass if it’s a reel favorite slot games machine, or the “pay” screen if it’s a video slot machine. Also, look at the top jackpot amounts, or even the top two or three jackpots, for maximum-coin play. The differences in these amounts will indicate which kind of machine this is, as compared to others which may look the same. Another hint is to look at the multiplier symbols, and bonus pays and bonus rounds. These may be slightly different, but sufficiently so for you to discover this if you look for it. For ex-ample, on the reel slots, one machine may have multiplier symbols which also substitute for all other symbols, while another machine that looks identical may have these same symbols, but they are only “wild,” although otherwise they look the same. On video slots, some of the machines may have only five lines, while another one that looks exactly like it will have nine lines or more. Also, on some of these, the minimum pays may be limited to only some lines, with some “wild” symbols working only on the first and fifth (or last) reel, while on other machines that look the same, these can pay anywhere. Some of these may only pay left to right while others, which look the same, may pay from both sides slots tournaments. It’s up to you to take the time to find this out.

Where are the best-paying machines?

Monday, February 4th, 2008

For reel slots, look for slot islands in areas of the casino which can be seen from different vantage points. Walk around, and find the banks of slots which can be seen from just about everywhere in the casino, or as many points as possible. These are the most visible slots, and these will traditionally be set the loosest. For video slots, or other reel slots, look for areas which are about halfway between the pit and the other common areas of the casino. Stay away from machines which are near the table games pit, or near the showroom lines, buffet lines, coffee shop, gift shop, or any other area where there are other things to do. Also, many casinos put their best-paying machines in front of, or near, the main casino cage. The same are slots tournaments. This is so that those people cashing in, or cashing checks, will see people winning and will spend some of their money in these machines as they are leaving the cage. It’s smart to look for this.

Where do the casinos put their good machines, and where do they put the bad ones?

See above. Also, sometimes the good machines can be found in hard-to-see areas, where few people go. This can be because the casino wants to attract players to that area. However, most of the time the above item serves to answer this question.