Does anyone here play blackjack

[nissmo300]

Does anyone here play BlackJack at a casino? I was reading up on blackjack and it looks like the only game that can be "beat". For example you have a 1.5 % over the casino if played right.

In this game it looks like you can win a lot of money or lose a lot of money. Anyone have any stories?

Imagine someone went to a table placed one $300 bet and beat the dealer on that session can he just get up and walk away with his $600 dollars?

[Devanshu]

I've never done it but it can be done...there are people who come up w/ algorithms and stuff like that to screw the casinos(has anyone seen Las Vegas on nbc?).

[nissmo300]

I wouldn't call it people screwing the casino. The casino screws people.

All you do is learn one of the many concepts of card counting which will help you.

[Devanshu]

I wouldn't call it people screwing the casino. The casino screws people.

I disagree. If you go to a casino and you think you have a good chance of winning...you're just ignorant. You might get lucky and win a few, but chances are you wont and most sane people are aware of that fact. The others, well its like the lottery..."Its where a million stupid people make one stupid person look smart".

EDIT: Plus, isnt it illegal to count cards?

[The village idiot]

You can not count cards in a modern casino! The cards all come from a device that holds MANY decks of cards, preshuffled, the used cards never return to that device until after they are all gone, and then they may never be returned either. This was done to prevent people from marking the cards, or counting them. It increases the casino's profit, as well as decreases cheating for both sides!

And no one will force you to remain at a table no matter how much you win. For every dollar that one person wins, there are thousands more from other people losing! Even statistics and probability will not help you until you know how many cards are contained in the device (shoe), as I think there is a possibility of seeing 2 of the same card on the table at once.

Other card games may be different.

[nissmo300]

I disagree.

How can you say this. When someone is losing at a casino the casino doesn't say anything. But if there is a skillful player winning over and over they ask him to leave the casino. Why is that?

[nissmo300]

You can not count cards in a modern casino!

When I said counting cards of course you're not going to sit there and try to count 6 decks of cards...

But there are programs like hi/low which uses a -/+ system to show you if it is more probable to get a low card or high card therefore changing your bet.

[Devanshu]

I disagree.

How can you say this. When someone is losing at a casino the casino doesn't say anything. But if there is a skillful player winning over and over they ask him to leave the casino. Why is that?

The casino industry is like any others out there trying to make a profit. Have you ever thought about the skillful player...they may even be doing him(or her) a favor by making him/her leave. Right now they may be winning but the next minute they could lose it all in one hand(or roll or whatever game they're playing).

[SquirrelDip]

You also have to remember that the skillful player (as well as anyone who wins) is great advertising! For every one winner there are many other losers.

There's an old saying "Lotteries are a tax for people who are bad at math." Yes I know it's lotteries but still applicable here. Casinos play the big odds, a player may win but when you take thousands of players the casino will win. Keeping this in mind, know that if you play often you're most likely to lose - on average...

Still, the casinos are entertaining - go and have fun. Don't go in with the attitude you are going to lose, you may in fact win - just go in with an amount that you can afford to lose.

[Hatz]

I love playing blackjack. I go to Vegas alot and always play. My last time there I won 350 the first night and then 650 the next.

You have the best odds of all games with blackjack. I believe the house has only a 1.5% advantage over the player.

Now as far as card counting. It can be done with multiple decks but you wont know which card is going to come up.........only which cards will probably come up.

The best method is the +/- system. This is simply done by assigning a + to low cards(2-9) and a - to high cards (10-ace).

Then you count each card either adding a 1 or subtracting a 1. So if you go on a streak and you are +5, then chances are you will be getting a high card soon. So put a bigger bet down. Grant it, its not fool proof but this is your best chances. And it does work alot of the time. However, do not sit there and stare at everyones card because you cant count very fast. They will catch on in a hurry. Learn to do it before you go in and try it. It will take months and months to become good at it.

But for anyone that says counting cards is money everytime is wrong.......but for someone to say it is impossible that is wrong too........its all about odds and bettering your chances.

Hatz

[pacmania_2001]

I personally like betting on the chocolate wheel and roulette. To me, I can normally go in there and play these two games and walk out on top.

Blackjack I have really played that much at the casino but I am a frequent player outside of it so give me a few more times and I will probably play it.

I also like playing poker but none of the casinos around my area play the two versions I like.

Also, does anyone get craps? I have sat at one of the tables for 30 minutes or so and still never really got it. So far I know that 7 is good and 'snake eyes' or 2 is bad, correct?

[nissmo300]

^ How can you play roulette. Its impossible for that ball to land on your number. But you keep picking the same one obviously you will hit eventually.

And you realize all your money is gone. In blackjack you win some you lose some. you cant lose everything unless you really suck at it.

[Craig Tucker]

Well you can pick red or black, you dont have to pick a number. And I think impossible is a bit of an exagaration.

[pacmania_2001]

Like Craig said, you can play red or black, twelves, odds or evens, rows or forths.

The chances of the ball landing on an exact number is 36:1, for rows its like 12:1, in twelves its also 12:1, odds/evens and colours are 2:1 and for forths its 9:1.

On the last two trips we have been on to the casino, my friend has walked away with several hundred dollars just from playing reds or blacks and twelves.

[SquirrelDip]

In roulette there are also 0 and 00 (zero and double zero) - you can bet on these but they are green and therefore do not pay on red or black. This pushes the odds towards the house. The odds are 1 in 38 of a hit but they only pay 36. Actually... Most of the places I've seen (outside of Vegas - I don't play roulette in Vegas) will only pay 35 to 1.

Another interesting thing on the 35 to 1: You can bet multiple numbers but every time you "split" your bet the payout is reduces a little. Two numbers will pay 17 to 1 and four will pay 8 to 1.

I really don't like roulette - I thought about it for a while and realized that when you bet more than one number you're actually betting against yourself. That is, if one number wins the other can't. Hence you're better betting one number and playing twice as long rather than betting two (and so on with more than two). Now if you only play one number the game is pretty boring...

You have to remember that the casinos are a business. The odds in the games will always be in the houses favor. In black-jack you can push the odds more in your favor with card counting schemes as mentioned above. However, this is why the clubs use multiple decks and re-shuffle a little beyond half way through - card counting only helps when the remaing cards gets small.

On craps (someone correct me if I'm wrong): You start with a roll of the dice. 7 or 11 on the first roll is a win, 2, 3 or 12 is a loss - any other becomes your "point". To win beyond the first roll you must roll your "point" a second time before rolling 7 or 11. 7 or 11 is a loss after the first roll.

I'm recalling the rules in craps from a statistics class back in university. Probability statistincs is just creative counting and calculating the odds in craps was an interesting exersize. If I recall the outcome, crapps was actually quite close to 50/50 - of course still in the houses favor.

[defense]

Hatz wrote:

You have the best odds of all games with blackjack. I believe the house has only a 1.5% advantage over the player.

The best odds of all casino games aren't with BlackJack..they are with Baccarat.

With Baccarat..plays on the "player" have a 1.36% house advantage, while plays on the banker only have a 1.17 % house advantage. The "TIE" play is the 'SUCKER' play in Baccarat..many people will play the "tie"..however, there is a 14%+ house advantage with it.

The next two games with the best odds are blackjack and then craps. Craps also only has about a 1% house advantage.

nissmoe wrote:

Imagine someone went to a table placed one $300 bet and beat the dealer on that session can he just get up and walk away with his $600 dollars?

Yea..a person could do that. The problem is what happens when they lose that first hand? Someone with that mentality better have a thick bankroll because they'll get juiced quick with that mentality.

[Craig Tucker]

No more SUCKERS defense, please

[defense]

Craig wrote:

No more SUCKERS defense, please

lol...Oh yea...didn't even realize that. Well...in this case noone openly said that they play Baccarat and moreso...bet on the "TIE" play...so I don't think anyone can get offended at something that wasn't ever mentioned.

The stats are accurate though....almost all games..even ones like the three I mentioned which have minute house advantages..do have at least one play which is called a "SUCKER" play..of course....the people that makes those plays almost never know that they're called that...and usually have no clue about odds to begin with.

By The Way..the Sucker play in "21" is the Insurance play. Taking insurance is a terrible play...and gives the house a huge advantage. At least to take your insurance money.... Sure....like anything else you'll hit it eventually. Playing the lottery..you'll eventually get at least 3 numbers..the question is over the long haul where you'll be in terms of Profit vs losses.

[SquirrelDip]

For all you Blackjack players:

Here's a "system" that will guarantee you to win. Start with a $10 bet, keep you bet at $10 unless you lose. Every time you lose, double your previous bet. When you win again go back to $10.

With this "system" you will profit $10 for every win. If you win one out of three you will net $10 every three hands. If you play, say, 12 hands an hour, you will net $40 per hour.

Remember - you must go back to your base bet after every win and stay at that bet until you lose.

Problem with this system is that you'll have to have a pretty big bank roll - losses increase your bet geometrically (if you lose 4 in a row, your 5th bet will be $320). You may have to move to a higher stakes table when on a losing streak.

[nissmo300]

I heard someone winning 30,000 in one night... thats unbelievable

What is the highest amount you can bet at blackjack.

[Hatz]

Depends what kind of table you are on. There are sections in casinos for the high rollers and they can bet in the thousands if they want. The normal tables are usually anywhere from minimum of 2,5,or 10 dollars to a max of 200,500,1000 dollar bets.

Some of those high rollers can make millions. You gotta bet big to win big. Betting a dollar at a time will take you awhile to make some good money. Plus if the casino sees that you are betting big and spending alot of time there, they will usually comp you rooms and other stuff like nightshow tickets.

My dads buddy always goes to Vegas and buys 5000 dollars worth of chips as soon as he gets there and they comp him right away then. You don't even have to spend any of that gambling and you get free rooms.

Hatz

[defense]

My dads buddy always goes to Vegas and buys 5000 dollars worth of chips as soon as he gets there and they comp him right away then. You don't even have to spend any of that gambling and you get free rooms.

That's definitely true...but in addition....not only will they comp you rooms, food,..etc...they'll also pay for your ticket TO AND FROM the Casino. Depends how much you "BET"..not necessarily..how much you spend. You can have someone monitor your plays..they'll take notes of how much your HIGHEST bet is..how much your lowest bet is..and what your "average" play is. Then they'll decide what they'll comp you.

People like Larry Flynt/CEO of Hustler..are one of the biggest High Rollers in all of Vegas. They can blow MILLIONS with ease. AT the same time..they can win millions. Flynt apparently loves Blackjack..that's basically all he plays. Vegas calls guys like Flynt "WHALES"....of course...that term does sound peculiar...but that's what High Rollers like Flynt are called.

Because they are HUGE bettors, they get everything comped. I happened to be watching....I think it was the Travel Channel...about a year ago or so...and Flynt came in with this Asian female......during their stay at the hotel she went shopping.....she happened to notice some really nice...either earings or a necklace....it was one of the two...anyway...the jewelry was $25,000 .....she had no intention of asking Flynt for it....she just made the comment that she REALLY LOVED that piece of jewelry....and one of the top cats in the Casino told her it was HERS...just like that..... 25 grand as a gift....not to bad for a SECONDS work...huh?

By The Way...on that particular trip..Flynt lost 1 million in one of the Casinos....he got pissed...left....went to another Casino....which "NO CASINO" wants ..especially when a "WHALE" is losing big.....anyway...he won 2 MILLION from the second Casino...so he made out with a cool 1 million dollar take from that outing. But the Casinos don't sweat it..they know he'll be back..and chances are...he'll lose big...sooner or later..it's just a matter of time.

[pacmania_2001]

Went to the casino tonight, had a $55 gambling limit.

First $15 went through roulette where I had mild sucess staying slightly above before I bummed out doing an all or nothing bet.

Second $15 went into blackjack were I won one hand before losing it all.

Last $25 went onto the chocolate wheel where I had some sucess.

End of the night walked out broke but had about 10 free drinks (courtesy of comps), a bunch of girly daquiris and a pretty good time.

Have to start planning next months trip.