You don’t have to be rich to play baccarat and you definitely do not need to wear a tuxedo or evening gown when you play. Baccarat has come out of the ritzy, high-roller rooms and into the casino proper. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the traditional game was elegant and relaxed. It was also not a fast game.

Today, you can play for very reasonable sums in an online casino and if you go to land-based casinos there are usually a few mini-baccarat tables to check out. You will never have to longingly look at all those rich people acting, well, rich. The game is now for everyone.

However, you must learn how to correctly pronounce the name of the game or you will forever be banished to someplace you don’t want to be vanished to.

The game is not pronounced “back-a-rat.” No, it is pronounced “bah-cah-rah.”  If you call it “back-a-rat” you should only play the game in the back alleys of New York City where everyone mispronounces everything anyway.

So here are the top five ways to understand the game, four of them are positives and one is a warning to avoid something that should be avoided. I’ll get that one over first.

Five Things To Know About Baccarat

Tip 1 – Never Make The “Tie” Bet

Baccarat has very low house edges on two of its three bets. Those three bets being Banker, Player and Tie. Banker comes in with a house edge of 1.06 percent. Player comes in with a house edge of 1.24 percent. 

Your expectation is to lose 1.06 units for every 100 units wagered on Banker and 1.24 units for every 100 units wagered on Player.

Please note: Let me translate house edges into actual money. A house edge of 1.06 percent means the player’s expectation on the Banker bet is to lose $1.06 per $100 wagered. The player’s expectation on the Player bet is to lose $1.24 per $100 wagered. Those are great house edges in the scheme of casino things.

And now the rotten bet, the Tie. That bet comes in (hold your breath ladies and gentlemen) with a house edge of approximately 14.44 percent. Yes, I am not kidding, 14.44 BIG percent. Yikes! That means your expectation is to lose 14.44 units for every 100 units wagered or $14.44 for every $100 wagered.

This bet is a total waste of money and should only be played by individuals playing back-a-rat in alleyways.

Tip 2 – The Strategy for Playing the Cards

A “natural” is a hand of either 8 or 9. Each card has its face value, except the ace which counts as one. All 10s, jacks, queens and kings count as zero. In this game royalty has been turned on its head.

Rules for Player hands:

Rules for Bank hands:

Yes, you have to memorize this playing strategy. Right now. Get started. 

Just kidding. You don’t even have to know this strategy – it’s ironclad. It is locked in stone. It is like two tablets coming down from Mount Sinai.

The dealer makes sure that the cards are played correctly. If you want, you just have to nod knowingly, pretending you have everything memorized.

Tip 3 – Banker is Clearly the Best Bet

The Banker will win slightly over 50 percent of the time. In order not to give the player an edge on that bet every Banker win has a 5 percent commission taken from it. 

Still the house edge, even with that commission, is lower than the bets on roulette, craps, other card games, slots and most video poker games. The only game with a lower house edge than Banker is blackjack played with the correct basic strategy.

For a $10 wager, the winning Player bet pays $10 but the winning Banker bet pays $9.50.

[Please note: Some casinos have substituted different ways to add the commission to the Banker bet without looking as if they are adding the commission. Certain hands pay less when they occur.] 

Tip 4 – Mini-Baccarat Can Be Maxi-Dangerous!

The traditional (meaning the high-roller room) version of baccarat, where players actually deal the cards, is a leisurely game. You might play 40 decisions an hour. But there is a fly in the ointment of baccarat. That fly is the mini-baccarat version of the game – which is the game we can afford to play if we aren’t high rollers.

There are two major differences between traditional baccarat and mini-baccarat. The first and obvious one is that in mini-baccarat the dealer deals the cards, not the players. The second is the fact that the game is fast, as in some dealers will get between 150 to 200 decisions per hour! Yes, that is fast.

The table minimum bets are usually much lower than the traditional game, but 200 decisions even with 1.06 and 1.24 house edges can be devastating if things go against you. Keep in mind a small house edge multiplied over an incredible number of hands can hurt you more than a higher house edge multiplied by far, far fewer hands.

Tip 5 – Tie Bets Do Not Count

Let me lay this out now and get it over with. Do not, under any circumstance, make the Tie bet. Do not. 

Please note: Pretend that the Tie bets are invisible. They don’t count; they are simply a pause in the action. If the sequence goes Banker, Banker, Tie, you treat the Tie as if it didn’t occur. When a Tie occurs any bets on the Banker or Player do not lose. That’s it. No Tie bets.

The Dime – Possible Winning Strategies

Strategy Tip 1 – Money Management is Critical in Baccarat

Essentially you are betting a coin flip when you play baccarat. That makes it a tight game. Still, even with coin flips you can experience outrageous streaks for good or ill. Good is good but ill is not.

If you are betting, say, 10 units per decision, give yourself 200 to 300 units as your session bankroll and should you lose that you take a break. And by break, I don’t mean you yawn, stretch and start playing again. You can also take a break if you get tired or have won and you want to leave with your win.

So, get up and get out. Take a walk. People watch. Take a nap. Give yourself some decent amount of time before you start playing again.

If you have won a decent amount but you don’t want to quit right then but want to leave the session a winner (whew, that was long winded), then split your win in half. Only use that half to continue playing. Lose it? Then take the rest of your win and go on a break.

It is absolutely essential that you treat your money as if it were money – even though while you are playing your money will look like chips. Baccarat is a fun game. If you have a friendly table you can get in some socializing as well. But protect your money.

Strategy Tip 2 – Go for the Gold Standard

I am a conservative player. I therefore want to play the lowest house-edge bets that I can when I am playing a game. That makes Banker the bet I favor the most at baccarat.

Although I realize that streaks are a part of all gambling games, I also know that there is no way to predict when a given streak will occur. In a random game guessing is what you do and hoping you win is what you pray for. I’d rather guess on Banker.

Strategy Tip 3 – Card Counting Tells Us What?

Those who have studied card counting at baccarat, something that actually doesn’t work in the game as it does in blackjack, will assess that 90 percent of the best bets are on Banker.

What does that mean? It doesn’t mean you will win all those 90 percent but the possibility of winning is greater for Banker than for Player on each of those bets. Therefore, make Banker your sole bet.

I know that is a hard thing to do (for most of us) but it seems that it is the best way to go.

Strategy Tip 4 – Betting Streaks

We are looking to capitalize on streaks and the bet that will have the (slightly) better chance for a streak will be the Banker. If you find that the Banker does go on a streak from your first bet then keep betting it.

Do keep in mind, however, that the fact a streak has occurred is no indication that it will continue to occur (meaning don’t be too aggressive with your betting amounts). You still face a house edge on every bet you make and you can’t bet your way out of such an edge.

Please note: If you are going to play mini-baccarat then you should utilize a Banker-only betting system. That’s right. You bet Banker until it loses. Then you wait until Player loses and go back to betting Banker. That will theoretically reduce in half (more or less) how many decisions you face. That will also theoretically reduce your losing expectation.

Strategy Tip 5 – Wait One Decision After a Banker Loss

The next methods will deal with Player bets as well. If you can’t only bet Banker (maybe you feel you are missing out on something) then here is a way to incorporate Player into your betting method.

You finally lose on the Banker bet. Player wins. Don’t jump in with another bet. Wait for the next decision. Whatever that decision is, that is what you bet. Keep in mind that if the Tie is the decision neither the Banker nor the Player loses. (That’s why it’s called a Tie.) You wait for either Banker or Player to be the winner and then continue as stated above.

As long as Player keeps streaking, you will bet the Player. When Player loses, you switch over to Banker.

Strategy Tip 6 – The Curve Ball

Here I am going to throw you a curve ball. When Player loses to Banker you will not wait out the next decision. You will immediately hop on the Banker. That’s right, when Banker wins you immediately bet it.

Now, should Banker lose, follow rule number four! We are always looking for more Banker bets and streaks. Again, it is the better bet at the game.

Strategy Tip 7 – Scoreboard Watching

Some mini-baccarat tables will have scoreboards. They will keep track of the wins of the last 20 or so hands. You want to know which hands have the lead in the game on that scoreboard. 

If Banker is leading 11 to 9, then you bet Banker until it is behind the total of Player. If Player goes into the lead, then you switch and bet Player. Ties do not count. If a Tie appears, then you are dealing with 19 or 18 or 17 decisions depending how many Ties have actually shown themselves.

If Banker and Player are tied then you wait until one takes the lead and you then bet that one.

Strategy Tip 8 – The Mini-baccarat Mini-Martingale

The Martingale betting system, which calls for doubling your previous bet after a loss, can be an expensive journey into ruin for many casino gamblers. You have numerous small wins and then, sooner or later, a devastating loss occurs when you hit the table limit on how much you can bet. 

This mini-baccarat mini-Martingale will call for the doubling of a bet just once and no more. You are betting Banker and if you lose then you doble your bet on the next decision. If you lose that you wait two decisions before you bet again. 

Strategy Tip 9 – Random is as Random Does

I’d like to thank Forrest Gump for this method. What if we simply try to apply one random event in another field to give us insight into the random mini-baccarat game? What would happen? Actually, it will have no effect on the game but let’s pretend it will.

Bring a 50 cents coin to the table – or a dollar coin if you want to be something of a high roller – and before the dealer deals the cards, flip the coin. If it lands on heads bet Banker. If it lands on tails bet Player. 

Is it possible that one random act will influence the game in your favor? I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Strategy Tip 10 – Wasting Time

There are many mini-baccarat players but their numbers rarely slow down the game enough to make much of a damage in your negative expectation.

Gambling is the hope of winning money but the house edge is the definitive money-making strategy that can only be used by the casino in almost all games and almost all bets in almost all games. 

You are asking to take a serious hit when you play 200 decisions an hour at the game. That hit can be reduced by playing less time at the table. Instead of playing five hours, you play maybe 3.5 hours. That’s hard to do when you want to play a lot.

You can still reduce your playing time in the following ways:

• Always go to the bathroom while the game is being played. You won’t see all the hands you don’t play by doing this.
• Take a moment or three to call a spouse or friend as the game is being played. You just step away from the table and make the call. 
• Stop playing and tell the dealer you are looking for a streak. Sit out two or three hands then and make recording motions on the paper given to you by the casino or a scorecard you brought to the game.

Baccarat and mini-baccarat offer a lot of fun but you must be careful, as always, when you play a casino game.

All the best in and out of the casinos.
 

This guide serves as a roundup of the best expert blackjack strategy advice from expert contributors on the site. These nine expert blackjack tips are derived from common wisdom taken from the most knowledgeable players in the industry, and with them under your belt, you will have the knowledge to apply strategy to each hand you play. 

Table of Contents

1. Learn How to Play Any Hand

The first thing to do for those who want to play blackjack like a pro is to master basic blackjack strategy, like the basic rules, variations, casino edge, and etiquette of the game. With this knowledge, you’ll be set to play your best no matter what cards you are dealt.

Frank Scoblete, author of the Ultimate Roulette Strategy Guide and a highly regarded casino specialist, agrees that “There is a reason why mankind invented the computer. We needed to find out the optimal way to play blackjack so that we kept the house edge seriously at bay. The optimal way is called basic blackjack strategy.”

There is a statistical advantage to employing basic strategy — it provides you with skills to double your bet in favorable situations, split when the dealer can’t, stand on totals of 12-16, and capitalize on a bonus payoff where the deal can’t.

Henry Tamburin Ph.D. is one of the most respected blackjack experts in the world, and author of the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide, Blackjack: Take The Money and Run, as well as a litany of other magazine pieces. He has made his name teaching blackjack, participating in tournaments like the prestigious Blackjack Ball. 

2. Unless You’re Card Counting, Stick to a Flat Bet

If you peruse the internet, you might read mention of common bidding strategies like the Martingale. This is a go-to for beginners, but unfortunately, it does not work.

A core principle of these progressive betting strategies is that at some point, a player is “due a win.” This is a common misconception. 

Among the many problems with the Martingale system and similar progressive systems is that the longer you play, the more likely you are to have a bankruptcy losing streak. Statistically, the math shows a 0.001% chance of losing a 50/50 bet more than nine times in a row, which means that once out of every 1,000 wager sequences you place, you run that risk. 

Constraints of betting limits restrict your bankroll and, in doing so, ensure that systems like the Martingale system are not statistically beneficial to you.

Tamburin encourages players who stick with progressive strategies thusly, “If you still insist on using a progressive betting system, I suggest the very conservative ‘Oscar’s Grind.’”

The Oscar Grind system begins with a single betting unit. You might bet, for example, $1 out of your $100 bankroll. If you win, then you start increasing the size of your bet by one unit until you make a profit of one unit. If you lose a hand, then you stay with your one unit bet until you win, after which you subsequently increase the size of your back by one unit until you make a profit. 

This system is advantageous because it allows players to withstand longer losses without liquidating their entire bankroll and provides a higher likelihood of achieving small profits.

 

 

3. Taking Insurance Is a Bad Bet

Insurance — it seems like a good thing, whether for your home, car, or family, but it is nothing short of a statistically poor bet for basic strategy players when it comes to blackjack.

Tamburin reminds players that “Taking insurance (or even money, when you have a blackjack) is a bad bet, so never make it.”

Some players might swear by taking insurance, but the math doesn't. Insurance bets, no matter their form, have a negative expected value mathematically. This negative expected value means the more you make an insurance bet, the more money you may lose long-term. 

4. Only Play Games That Offer a 3-2 Payout

Players should avoid tables with 6-5 payout rules. Always.

Casinos that reduce the payouts from the standard 3:2 ratio to a doubled 6:5 payout add 1.39% to the house edge. John Grochowski, ranked as one of the most prolific gambling experts, providing weekly casino columns for almost 20 years and other casino publications, concurs and reminds players that “[A 6-5 payoff] raises the house edge against a blackjack basic strategy player by about 1.4%.”

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Surrender

Players look at their two-card hands and compare against the dealer. If they know the chances of winning are poor, they still often avoid the surrender and stay in the game. Why?

Tamburin explains that “Most players disdain the surrender option because they much prefer to try to ‘win their hands,’ rather than wimp out and surrender them… Surrender can be a smart play if you know which hands to surrender.”

So, players should know when to surrender in blackjack.

There are two scenarios in which surrender is a smart play:

1. Surrender a hard 16 (but not 8-8) against a dealer nine, 10, or Ace upward.
2. Surrender a hard 15 to a dealer 10 upcard

Why?

Each time you surrender, you lose 50% or half of what you wager. So, in these cases, the math says you should choose to surrender in the two scenarios where your expected loss from staying in the game through to the conclusion is more than 50%.

6. Perfect the Art of Doubling Down

Doubling down is a basic blackjack strategy where you make a second bet equal to your first bet. The dealer then gives you an additional card. Basic strategy tables indicate that if you have a situation where you can't bust, where you have an ace.

Experts agree that specific situations and hands wherein the math behind doubling down are advantageous and similar situations where it is not.

Grochowski notes that “Every double down listed on the basic strategy table is an opportunity to enhance our profits, but the opportunities with hard 11 and 10 against weak dealer cards are much greater than the rest.” 

These sentiments are shared by blackjack expert Tamburin who explains that “The logic for doubling on soft hands isn’t always clear to players, so they often pass up the opportunity. The reason you double on soft hands is not so much to outdraw the dealer as it is to get more money on the table when the dealer is vulnerable to busting.” 

It is important to debunk the myth of “doubling for less.” Tamburin advises that “Doubling for less is not a smart play, and any dealer who offers this advice to players needs to read a good book on blackjack.” 

Most players, newcomers or advanced, don't know that they can double for less, but that doesn't really matter when you consider that doubling for less is not a smart play.

7. Understand Splitting Strategy

In blackjack, you can split cards, but you should only do it under a careful strategy.

Tamburin agrees and explains that “There are three reasons why it makes sense to split rather than to employ an alternate strategy.”

Strategically Splitting

You should always split when:

1. You will win more money on average (bold strategy).
2. You will lose less money on average (defensive strategy).
3. You will turn a losing hand into a winning one (offensive strategy).

10 Splitting Strategy

Then there is the 10 splitting strategy, referring to when you should split a 10 card in blackjack. 

In blackjack, a 10 value card can be a 10, J, Q, or K. When dealt a pair of 10’s, there are only two ways to play. If you stand with a pair of 10’s, you have 20. But if you split, you are now playing with two hands, each starting with a value of 10. 

Two types of players will utilize the 10 splitting strategy: 

1. Those who have no idea what they are doing and 
2. Those who have good blackjack strategies under their belts

 

 

8. Counter the House Edge with Advantage Play

Common misconceptions about card counting start with the Hollywood-inspired notion that you must be a genius to do it and memorize every card as you play, and in so doing, you can win at every hand.

Far from the truth, strategic players willing to use popular, basic card counting methods can counter a house edge. Tamburin explains that “Playing ‘virtually even’ won’t get you the money at the end of the day; only card counting will do that.”

High-Low Count System

Keep your card counting methods simple. Start with the High-Low Count System. This system assigns a value of +1 to each low card, called a “tag.”

• This includes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Concurrently it assigns a -1 value to each high card.

• These include 10, J, Q, K, and A

7, 8, or 9 cards are given a tag of 0 or neutral. 

Beginners have to practice quickly recognizing the tags for every card. Practice at home shuffling cards, turning them over one at a time and saying aloud whether the tag is +1, 0, or -1. Don’t worry about the rank, just the tag, until such time as you have it memorized. 

The goal here is to keep track of the cards on the table with their tags and the summation of each card in the pair. 

Hole Carding and Front Loading

Some pros prefer other advantage play strategies over card-counting methods like Hole Carding and Front Loading. Hole carding and front loading are two methods that allow you to adjust your strategy based on identifying what the dealer's hole card is or what the next card will be, respectively. 

Additional Advantage Plays

9. Learn How to Manage Your Money

Learn the best practices for money management, including calculating the Risk of Ruin (ROR). This comes down to having a winning system and the necessary bankroll to support it. This should be a large bankroll but small bets.

Don’t over bet whatever you do. Tamburin states, “As a general rule, successful card counters maintain enough bankroll, so their ROR [Risk of Ruin] is 5% (or less).” 

Strict money management means limiting losses, or at least the emotional fatigue they can bring. For this, integrate the 401G strategy: instead of a 401(k) for retirement, when you play, set aside your playing bankroll just for blackjack (your 401 (G) for ‘gambling’). Withdraw money from that 401G when you play and deposit all that remains after. 

Casino expert Frank Scoblete explains, “Now I think a five hundred to one distance between a single bet and a total bankroll is not far-fetched and is reachable by just about anyone interested in being a ‘safe’ gambler. A five-dollar player just needs $2,500 to get in the game.”

Players can also minimize losses through comps and rebates. Casinos give you comps based on your perceived worth.

Wrapping Up

Common wisdom from top blackjack experts boiled down to knowing basic strategy inside and out and from there, constructing building blocks of additional, more advanced strategy to the foundation you have laid. 

There are many misconceptions regarding the game of blackjack, typically fueled by emotions. Some players who don't want to surrender their hand even though the math tells them they should hesitate because of emotion. Or others who are afraid to hit on a soft 17 similarly hesitate because of emotion.

Blackjack is ultimately a mathematical game. With it, players should employ objective, statistically correct decisions that are not influenced by emotions.

 

When most people walk out of a casino they usually ask “Why did I lose?” This is because most casino games by nature have a negative expectation for the player. This means that for every wager that is made on a game, slot machine or table game, it gives back less than the wagered amount.

For example, when 1 million players wager $1 each and one player wins $500,000, the casino makes a profit of $500,000 and the average loss per player is 50 cents. In slot machines the advertised pay back is often in the neighborhood of 97-99%.

This is over the entire life of the machine, where a machine may collect 100s of millions of dollars in action over its lifetime. Table games are slightly different because some include a skill component and the percentage advantage of the casino varies from player to player.

Understanding the math involved in casino gaming is essential in evaluating the results. The knowledge presented here is required to determine whether the results, good or bad, are statistically acceptable.

Inside the Mathematics

Here I will introduce the mathematics of casino gaming. I will apply the analysis to the game of Blackjack. Blackjack is a game of shifting percentages. And even though the percentages are constantly changing, the cumulative percentage of the overall advantage remains constant. This is achieved by taking the sum of the advantages over all possibilities.

For example, if one hand total has an advantage of positive 5% and another hand has an advantage of -4%, then the total advantage for the two hands is +1%. When the reader understands this approach, it’s easy to translate the concepts to any other casino game with a constant advantage over the player (like slots or roulette).

Law of Independent Trials

Most games of chance reflect the mathematical concept known as “the law of independent trials.” This states that past events have no relevance on future events. For example, when a coin is flipped there is a 50% chance that the outcome would be heads and a 50% chance that the outcome would be tails.

If the coin comes up 10 heads in a row the next flip would again have a 50% chance of coming up heads. In blackjack what happens in the past directly affects what happens in the future. Blackjack has memory, and the law of independent trials is not valid.

In Blackjack, each card has a specific value that it adds to, or subtracts from the initial advantage that the casino has over the player. The initial advantage is derived from the rules of the game. When the cards are dealt, the advantage is either increasing or decreasing. In blackjack when an Ace or 10-value card is dealt the casino advantage over the player increases. When lower value cards are put in play (2-7) the casino advantage decreases.

To determine the amount that one expects to win or lose over a given time (either the casino or player), three key pieces of information are required. They are:

1. Bet Size
2. Number of Hands or Spins
3. Percent Advantage

In equation form, the statement reads:

Expected $ win=$bet*% advantage *# hands played

Equation 1

When we apply the expected value scenario to a flip of a coin, we know that there are two sides to a coin, so there is a 50% chance of landing on heads and a 50% chance of landing on tails. When we bet $1 per flip, the equation for how much we expect to win over 100 flips is:

$50=$1 (bet)*0.5% (% advantage)*100(# hands played)

Equation 2

In this example we wagered $100 and won $1 on 50 of those bets. We were also able to keep the original bet of $1 on 50 of those 100 bets. Also we lost $1 on 50 of the bets. This leads to a zero sum game.

Considering Variance

When a coin is flipped 100 times the outcome is rarely exactly 50 heads and 50 tails. Therefore we must introduce the concept of variance per number of events. Variance is a measure of statistical dispersion. In layman’s terms, it deals with how far away from the expected value the result of a trial or experiment might be. 

Sticking with the coin flip example, variance helps answer the question of whether or not it would be surprising if we observed 45 heads out of 100 trials, or if we observed only 5 heads in 100 coin flips. The answers are no and yes. Getting only 5 heads in 100 coin flips would certainly prove you were flipping a weighted coin. Understanding this concept is crucial for evaluating casino gaming results, since proper statistical analysis determines whether or not a player or casino is being cheated.

 
Variance is usually discussed in terms of standard deviations, and that will be the case going forward in this discussion. Standard deviation is equal to the square root of the variance. The standard deviation for a series of trials is represented by the Greek letter σ (sigma) and is equal to the standard deviation of each event multiplied by the square root of the number of events. The mathematical statement reads as:

σ (total)=〖σ( event)*√(Number of Events)〗^

Equation 3

The following figure shows how likely results are to fall within one, two and three standard deviations of the expected result. In the graphical representation the expected value is indicated by the Greek letter µ and the Standard Deviation is represented by the Greek letter σ.

 
According to the Gaussian distribution curve, there is just over a 68% chance that the result will be within one standard deviation, plus or minus of the expected value. There is a just over a 95% chance that the results will be within two standard deviations, plus or minus of the expected value. There is approximately a 99.9% chance that the results will be within three standard deviations at any given time.

Applying this to the scenario of 100 flips of a coin we conclude that the standard deviation for 100 trials is 10 times (square root of 100) the standard deviation for a single trial (which is 0.5), which yields a standard deviation of 5 for the 100 trial experiment.

In the coin flip scenario we expect the 50 of the 100 flips to land on heads and 50 of the 100 to land on tails. Including the standard deviation concept of plus or minus 5, there is a 68% chance that for a 100 flips of a coin the heads side will come up between 45 and 55 times. There is a 95% probability that the number of heads will be between 40 and 60 (2*σ) and a 99.9% chance that the number of heads will fall between 35 and 65 (3*σ).

Expected Value and Standard Deviation

Applying the expected value and standard deviation equations to the betting unit of 100 dollars for a casino game with a 1% (player or house) advantage the following results are computed.

Graphically it is represented as follows.

As the number of events increases, the standard deviation gets smaller and smaller relative to the expected value. At some point along the curve the expected value and standard deviations intersect.

At this point there is an 84% chance that the standard deviation will be less than the expected value. This means there is an 84% chance that a profit will be made from that point forward and that your funds will never be reduced to the point where the bankroll is lower than initial starting funds. This intersection point for a 1% advantage game is shown in the following graph. 

FOR SIMPLICITY THE STANDARD DEVIATION VALUE IS ABSOLUTE

The intersection point between the expected value and standard deviation is just below 12,000 events. At 12,000 events there is an 84% chance that the expected value will surpass the negative standard deviation, indicating the player will not zero out their bankroll 84% of the time.

Equivalence Point

When the overall advantage is increased the “equivalence” point, or the number of events at which the expected value equals the standard deviation, is reached in fewer events. Computing the same graph with 2% advantage the graph shows an equivalence point that is substantially lower, approximately 5000 events.
 

FOR SIMPLICITY THE STANDARD DEVIATION VALUE IS ABSOLUTE

In the final analysis casinos are able to get to the “equivalence” point extremely fast. This makes sense because casinos are playing the game 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And because almost all players play to a disadvantage, the casinos make more and more money with less and less variance relative to their expected value.
 

When video poker games were first introduced, there was only one game variety – Draw Poker. As the popularity of video poker grew additional game types (such as Deuces Wild) and features (such as “kickers” and multipliers) were added.

While all the additional games and features provided choices for players, they also required players to have knowledge of the impact on their play and bankroll.

For information about different games and features, their play characteristics, as well as how they impact your play and bankroll, please click here.

Super Times Pay video poker has been around for about a decade. In that time, it has gained a large and faithful following. This article covers everything you need to know about this game in order to have fun by effectively playing it.

Table of Contents

1. Description of Super Times Pay Video Poker

Super Times Pay is a video poker variant produced by gaming giant IGT. The name comes from the fact that the game occasionally multiplies (times) a line by a random amount.

Some specifics of Super Times Pay video poker include the following.

2. Reasons to Play Super Times Pay Video Poker

With the plethora of other video poker games available in the casino or online, why would someone want to play Super Times Pay video poker?

3. Super Times Pay Jackpots

Let’s take a closer look at the reason people play Super Times Pay video poker – the jackpots. With standard video poker games, the largest jackpot possible is generally a royal flush. This normally pays 800-for-1 (4,000-for-5).

For multiple play standard games, the largest possible jackpot is a royal flush for each line played.

• 8,000 credits for two lines
• 12,000 credits for three lines
• 20,000 credits for five lines
• 40,000 credits for 10 lines

While any of these would be quite a substantial win, see what can happen with Super Times Pay video poker. As stated above, the multipliers are from two to 10 times. This means that the largest possible jackpot is 10 times the win for a royal flush for each line played.

4. Super Times Pay House Edge Vs. Standard Video Poker

With such large jackpots, one might expect the house edge of this game would be reduced. Surprisingly, it is not. Here are the specifics of the house edge. 

Without considering the impact of the random multipliers, the house edge of each game is the same as the standard version. Here are several examples.

• 8/5 Jacks or Better has a house edge 2.7 percent (97.3 percent return).
• 7/5 Bonus Poker has a 2.0 percent house edge (98.0 percent return).
• 9/6 Double Bonus has a house edge of 2.2 percent (97.8 percent return).
• 8/6 Double-Double Bonus Poker has a house edge of 2.1 percent (97.9 percent return).
• 20/12/9/5/3 Deuces Wild has a house edge of 1.1 percent (98.9 return).

Please note that the samples are just that – samples. They are on the lower end of the average returns you will find on the games in the casinos.

Games with higher or lower house edges are available. Casinos are notorious for changing pay tables, so please be sure to check the pay tables before playing.

By playing the sixth credit per line, the multiplier feature is activated. As mentioned above, it occurs once every 15 hands on average. It is between two and 10 times.

The average multiplier value is 4.05 times. By betting an additional 20 percent, the average win with the multiplier is 20.33 percent higher. Betting the sixth credit is nominally worth the additional cost. The house edge for each of the above games including the multiplier is:

• 8/5 Jacks or Better has a house edge of 2.4 percent (97.6 percent return).
• 7/5 Bonus Poker has a house edge of 1.7 percent (98.3 percent return).
• 9/6 Double Bonus has a house edge of 1.9 percent (98.1 percent return).
• 8/6 Double-Double Bonus has a house edge of 1.8 percent (98.2 percent return).
• 20/12/9/5/3 Deuces Wild has a house edge of 0.8 percent (99.2 percent return).

 

 

5. Super Times Pay Variance Vs. Standard Video Poker

The house edge goes down (return goes up) slightly when the multiplier feature is activated. The same cannot be said about the variance. Each game and pay table combination has a different variance. The scope of this article does not allow any detailed information about each game and pay table combination. Instead, here is some general variance information.

6. Super Times Pay Video Poker Strategy

7. Super Times Pay Bankroll Vs. Standard Video Poker (Single and Multi-Play)

Having an adequate bankroll can be the difference between a great gambling trip and a total disaster. It is impossible to cover the requirements for all Super Times Pay video poker games in this article since each game and pay table would have different requirements. In addition, the number of lines played impacts bankroll requirements.

Instead, here is some high-level information that should help.

• For standard video poker, a general rule of thumb is to have a total bankroll equivalent to the value of three to four royal flushes – 12,000 to 16,000 credits.
  • For a 25-cent game, $3,000 - $4,000.
  • For a 10-cent game, $1,200 – $1,600
• Due to the additional variance of Super Times Pay video poker, add 25 percent. 
  • 25-cent game – add $750 to $1,000
  • 10-cent game – add $300 to $400
• If you are going to play multiple lines, add another 15 to 20 percent.

8. 1-Play, 3-Play, 5-Play, or 10-Play?

Super Times Pay machines can have 1-play, 3-play, 5-play and 10-play games. This means the player can play one, three, five, or 10 lines. Actually, the player can play any number of lines (up to the maximum available) by selecting the number of lines to play at the time of betting.

Which option is the best choice? Is it better to play one line, or 10 lines, or something in between? That is a very personal decision and can only be answered by the player.

Playing one line at a time keeps the amount of money at risk to a minimum. Playing multiple lines provides multiple opportunities to win. When dealt a powerful initial hand, the likelihood of several winning hands is increased. However, if a poor initial hand is dealt, there may be little to cheer about in that set of hands.

The more lines that are played, the higher the bankroll requirements. Playing 10 lines requires 10 times the bet of a single line game. That means 60 credits rather than 6. 

Most Super Times Pay machines are multi-denomination. Depending on the machine, the betting unit can be 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents or more. The player can choose to play one line at 25 cents, or five lines at 5 cents. In both cases, the player is betting the same $1.50.

Here is the difference. Playing one line has a bit more variance than playing multiple lines. Playing one line means all or nothing for the $1.50 bet. 

9. Reasons to Not Play Super Times Pay Video Poker

While there is additional excitement playing Super Times Pay video poker, there is a downside. Here are a few reasons a player may not want to play this game.

• Higher variance means that there will be longer periods where the machine eats your bets before a larger win replenishes some of your losses.
• A higher variance game requires a larger bankroll.
• Many Super Times Pay machines have pay tables that have a lower return than standard play machines. The overall loss may be greater than on a standard machine with a better pay table.
• Finding a machine may be more difficult. Casinos generally have fewer Super Times Pay machines. Some have none.

10. Where to Find Super Times Pay Video Poker in Las Vegas

Since Las Vegas has the largest selection of casinos and therefore the largest selection of games, there should be plenty of Super Times Pay video poker games available there.

Here is a list of casinos and the number of machines at each. These observations were made the week of August 22, 2021.

• Aria – 1 
• Arizona Charlie’s Decatur – 1 
• Bally’s – 3
• Bellagio – 2 
• Boulder Station – 5 
• Cannery – 1 
• El Cortez – 1 
• Excalibur – 1 
• Flamingo – 3 
• Four Queens – 2 
• Fremont – 4 
• Gold Coast – 2 
• LINQ – 1 
• Luxor – 3 
• M Resort – 2 
• Mandalay Bay – 8 
• New York, New York – 1 
• Orleans – 3 
• Palace Station – 3 
• Plaza – 1 
• Rampart – 8 
• Red Rock – 5 
• Rio – 4 
• Santa Fe Station – 2 
• Silverton – 3 
• South Point – 6 
• Suncoast – 4 
• Sunset Station – 7 

11. Playing Super Times Pay Video Poker Online

Summary

Super Times Pay video poker is a very popular variation of video poker. It has been around for about a decade. 

• This game adds excitement by including a randomly timed variable multiplier. The multiplier can be from two to 10 times. When it appears, all wins, if any, are multiplied by its value.
• While it costs one extra credit to activate the multiplier, the return actually improves slightly when it’s in play. In return for the extra credit bet, large – sometimes very large – jackpots are possible.
• The house edge is slightly lower, but the variance is considerably higher than the same standard game.
• Playing strategy is the same as the standard game.
• Bankroll requirements are increased due to higher variance and multiple line play.
• Playing more lines reduces variance.
• Many Las Vegas casinos offer Super Times Pay video poker.
• Online play for money has not caught on, but the game is available to play for free.

Casino games, including video poker are constantly being changed and made more exciting. Even Super Times Pay video poker has experienced change in the last few years. To read about new variations of Super Times Pay video poker and other new and exciting video poker games, click here.
 

There are plenty of good books that cover basic strategy and card counting for blackjack players; Arnold Snyder in fact, wrote some of them. His latest book, however, is ... well…“radical.” I don’t mean this in a negative sense; on the contrary, this book is loaded with “eye-popping information and stories” about advanced playing techniques used by Snyder, and some of the world’s most successful blackjack players, to beat the casinos at their own game. As Blackjack Hall of Famer Don Schlesinger succinctly put it, “Arnold Snyder has decided not to hold back and publish information that has heretofore never been made public.”

I was a young and relatively new card counter in 1981, trying to learn everything I could about the game of blackjack. Somewhere I read about a new quarterly publication called Blackjack Forum, so I mailed in a check for a subscription and eagerly awaited the delivery of my first copy. I remember my surprise when I discovered that Arnold Snyder, who was the writer and publisher of Blackjack Forum, was working the night shift at the post office sorting mail. To put it bluntly, I found it “radical” to be reading information about “how to win at blackjack” from a post office employee. However, as you’ll discover from reading his tell-all book, Snyder quit his job at the post office, scraped together a meager bankroll, and tried to make it as a professional blackjack player.

 

 

To say he succeeded is an understatement. His high-stakes assault on casinos, using advanced techniques that transcend card counting, is legendary. His books, the printed quarterly Blackjack Forum, and blackjackforumonline.com website have helped countless numbers of individuals become successful card counters (including yours truly); and his selection in 2002 as one of only seven charter members inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame was a well-deserved honor. 

What sets this book apart from other blackjack books are Snyder’s real-life stories of how he was able to play for high stakes using several different advanced techniques while being closely watched by casino personnel. He not only reveals the techniques he used but also explains how they work in great detail: shuffle tracking, hole carding, edge sorting, front loading, and card-steering. In my opinion, the best-of-the-best sections of the book are his partner-play with his wife, Radar, the comprehensive treatment on loss-rebates, and his playing experiences using shuffle tracking (solo, and with Radar).

 
Snyder meticulously explains the camouflage techniques he and Radar used that befuddled pit bosses and casino surveillance while they were playing for high stakes and extracting millions of dollars from casinos and being given the high-roller treatment from casino bosses and hosts with outrageous favors. (It not only included comped casino suites, free transportation, gourmet meals, and invitations to the Super Bowl, to name just a few, but also unbelievable playing-condition benefits that he asked for and received, such as a hand-shuffled game rather than one using a continuous shuffling machine.) 

You will not find anywhere a more detailed explanation of loss rebates. Snyder begins the chapter on “Milking Loss Rebates” with the highly publicized story of how Don Johnson used a loss rebate (along with other strategies) to win 15 million dollars from three Atlantic City casinos. He then tells real-life stories of his playing experiences with loss rebates, how you can determine the value of a loss rebate, optimal bet sizing and bankroll requirements, how to do your analysis of a loss rebate using a readily available, commercial, blackjack software program, and last, but not least, the best rebate strategy to maximize dollar wins. (This exposé on loss rebates is alone worth the price of the book.) 

Snyder was a pioneer in developing the techniques of shuffle tracking, which he initially published in his 2003 book Blackjack Shuffle Tracker’s Cookbook. In Radical Blackjack, he goes a step further with stories of how he, sometimes alone, but mostly with his partner and wife, Radar, attacked casinos using shuffle tracking. Most of the time, it was Radar who tracked the slugs of big cards during the shuffle, knew when they were going to be dealt from the shoe, and then discreetly signaled Snyder to make the larger bets.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the act that Radar put on to disguise what they were doing, namely, “the girlfriend who used instinct and hunches to guide Snyder’s betting and playing decisions while he played the role of the rich boyfriend humoring her.” Many pit bosses shook their heads when Snyder spouted he was using the “odd/even card-counting system based on numerology stuff from the Bible,” or when Radar proposed making prosperous playing decisions to “change the order of the cards.”

While they were playing the role of the rich boyfriend and bimbo girlfriend, they knew when the slug of tens would be coming out of the shoe, and they were able to get away with spreading from a single hand of $100 to a prosperous six hands of $10,000. (That’s a 1 to 600 bet spread, something that card counters would never be able to get away with.)

The latter chapters contain Snyder’s comments, views, and enthralling stories of some of the world’s most successful gamblers including James Grosjean, Richard Munchkin, Lawrence Revere, Al Francesco, Ken Uston, Stanford Wong, Bill Benter, Darryl Purpose, Wally Simmons, Anthony Curtis, and others. Even if you don’t recognize some of the names, the stories that Snyder tells about them are fascinating. He also included a story about how I indirectly saved Tommy Hyland’s blackjack team members from prison. (You’ll have to read the book to find out how this happened.)

 
You can rest assured that the statistics and percentages quoted by Snyder in the book are accurate because two of the leading blackjack math experts, Blackjack Hall of Fame members Don Schlesinger and James Grosjean, reviewed the manuscript before its publication.

Another feature of this book that I liked (and you will too) is the numbered footnotes included in each chapter to links of articles that explain each topic in greater detail, and a list at the end of each chapter containing the books and software that he mentions. 

Lastly, and most importantly, this book will give you a “feel” for what it takes to be a professional gambler earning money in casinos. You’ll read what it’s like betting six simultaneous hands of $10,000 using powerful advantage-play techniques while being watched by casino bosses and surveillance, and I guarantee you’ll enjoy reading the positively written, inside stories and secrets from some of the world’s most successful gamblers.

This book is, after all, a professional gambling memoir, but unlike any other book that I have read on blackjack. I highly recommend it to all blackjack aficionados, but especially to card counters who want to elevate their game to a higher level. 

To read my reviews of two other, recently published, popular books on blackjack, click on the titles below.

The 21st Century Card Counter by Colin Jones
The Blackjack Insiders by Andrew Uyal
 

EZ Baccarat is a popular version of the traditional game of baccarat with one significant change: the player-annoying 5% commission charged to players when they win a Bank Hand wager is eliminated.

In land-based casinos, the game is played on a table the size of a blackjack table with up to six or seven players with a casino dealer dealing the cards. EZ Baccarat can also be played in online casinos.

In this article, you will learn:

• How to play EZ Baccarat
• How the 5% commission is eliminated
• The third-card drawing rules
• The house edge
• The two optional side bets
• Several advanced playing techniques for the side bets

Content

Objective of the Game

Regardless of the number of players, only two hands are dealt. One is known as the Bank Hand and the other the Player Hand. Before the cards are dealt, each player can place a wager on which hand comes closest to a total of 9. You can wager on:

Card Values

Every card has a numerical value and suits have no relevance.

• 2s through 9s have a value equal to their face value
• Tens and picture cards (Jack, Queen, King) have a value of 0
• Aces have a value of 1

The highest total you can have for either hand is 9. If the numerical total of the cards in a hand exceeds a total of 9, then you can do either of the following to arrive at the adjusted total:

• Drop the first digit of the sum
• Subtract 10 from the total

Examples:

8+8 = 16 or 6

4+9 = 13 or 3

Note: Unlike blackjack, where you bust if your hand totals greater than 21, in EZ Baccarat you can never bust.

 

 

Payoffs

• All winning wagers on the Player Hand are paid at even money. For example, if you wager $10, you receive $10 in winnings.
• All winning bets on the Bank Hand are paid at even money with one important exception: A three-card winning Bank Hand with a total of 7 is a push (meaning, the Bank Hand neither wins nor losses).
• All winning wagers on the Tie are usually paid at 8 to 1 (some casinos pay 9 for 1, which is the same as 8 to 1). 

Third Card Rules

In EZ Baccarat, and in traditional baccarat, either or both hands could draw a third card. Remember, the maximum number of cards per hand is three.

The dealer, not the players, determines if one or both hands require a third-card draw based on standard house rules. It is not necessary to memorize the third-card rules, but you will enjoy the game more if you have some familiarity with them.

For completeness, I’ve summarized the third-card draw rules for both hands in Appendix 1. Just keep in mind that it’s not necessary to memorize these rules.

House Edge

The following are the house advantages per hand played. 

• Bank Hand: 1.02%
• Player Hand: 1.24%
• Tie: 14.36%

Side Bets

EZ Baccarat has two optional side bets, Dragon 7 and Panda 8

Dragon 7

This is promoted as an insurance bet in the event the three-card Bank Hand totals 7 and beats the Player Hand. If you remember, the reason EZ Baccarat eliminates the 5% commission on winning Bank Hand bets is because of this one rule change:

• A three-card winning Bank Hand with a total of 7 is a push.

A winning Dragon 7 side bet is paid at 40-1 payout odds. Therefore, if you wager on the Bank Hand and the Dragon 7 side bet and the Bank Hand wins with a three-card total of 7, your wager on the Bank Hand pushes, and your wager on the Dragon 7 side bet is paid off at 40-1.  The house advantage is a hefty 7.61%.

Panda 8

This optional side bet wins when a three-card Player Hand totals 8. The payoff is 25 to 1, and the house advantage is 10.19%.

For those that are interested in learning about card counting the above two side bets, I recommend you read my friend and fellow 888casino contributing writer Eliot Jacobson’s articles on this subject. One was published on the 888casino blog, and several others on the Wizard of Odds site.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Playing EZ Baccarat

Advantages

• The 5% commission on Bank Hand wins is eliminated.
• The House Advantage on the Bank Hand is slightly lower than it is in a traditional baccarat game.
• The minimum betting requirements are usually lower than traditional baccarat.
• There is a possibility to gain a slight advantage betting the side bets by using either card counting or known-carding playing techniques.

Disadvantages

The game plays faster than traditional baccarat, which can expose more of a player’s bankroll to the house edge.

Appendix 1

Player Hand Third-Card Rule

• If the sum of the two cards is 0 to 5, a third card is drawn.
• If the sum is 6, 7, 8, or 9, the hand automatically stands.

Note: The total of the Bank Hand does not affect whether the Player hand must draw or stand. In addition, a total of 8 or 9 is known as a “natural” and when either the Player or Bank Hands total 8 or 9, both hands must stand.

Bank Hand Third-Card Rule

The third-card draw rules for the Bank Hand are slightly more complicated than those for the Player Hand; however, as I mentioned earlier, it is not necessary to memorize these rules since the dealer will decide whether or not to draw a third.

• Bank Hand always draws when the initial two cards total 0, 1, or 2.
• Bank Hand always stands when the initial two cards total 7, 8, or 9.  (When it’s a natural 8 or 9, the Player Hand must also stand.)

When the Bank Hand totals 3, 4, 5, or 6, see the table below for the third-card rule for the Bank Hand.

 

Video poker is among the most popular casino games – both online and in a real casino. This is because the games have a very low house edge. In fact, sometimes the player has an edge.

To gain that edge the player must use the strategy that maximizes his or her return – and must play that strategy perfectly. 

It takes practice to perfectly play video poker strategy and achieve that maximum return. Continue reading for tips on practicing video poker strategy.

Content

1. Choose the Proper Game

Strategy Complexity:

• Each specific video poker game and pay table combination determines the playing strategy. Some games and pay table combinations have a fairly simple strategy (i.e., fewer lines). Other games and pay table combinations can be much more complex (i.e., many more lines).
• The simpler the strategy, the easier it is to learn and play that strategy perfectly. 
• The complexity of the strategy is a consideration whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player. The more complex the strategy, the more difficult it is to learn and play perfectly. If the strategy is not played perfectly, the player is giving the house more than necessary.

Game Popularity:

2. Choose the Proper Practice Tools

Strategy Charts

• A strategy chart is simply a list of the specific cards to hold (if any) from the initially dealt hand starting with the most favorable.
• Charts can be found in books, online, and in computer- and smartphone-based video poker apps.
• They are generally free and can usually be copied without cost.

Online, Computer- and Smartphone-Based Video Poker Apps

3. Properly Use the Practice Tools

Strategy Charts

• First, the strategy chart for the game and pay table to be played should be studied and memorized as well as possible. This should be done even if you are using an app for practice.
• Next, one or more decks of cards are used to check the players mastery of the strategy chart.
  • The cards are shuffled and hands are dealt.
  • After each hand, the player checks the strategy chart to make sure the proper hold was made.
  • Don’t worry about betting or whether the hand wins or loses.
  • If a mistake is made, the player should make a note of what happened for future reference. This will also help him remember the hand that caused the error.
• After several times shuffling and dealing all the cards, the player will feel confident about most hands, and will only need to reference the strategy chart for a few of the less common hands.

Online, Computer- and Smartphone-Based Practice

• Select the proper game and pay table or modify an existing game’s pay table to match the game and pay table that will be used in live play.
• Don’t worry about the amount bet, whether the hand wins or loses, or the total credits remaining.
• Deal hands and choose which card or cards to hold.
• If the app shows an error was made, make a note of the error for future reference, and to help remember the error the next time this hand is dealt.

4. Practice in a Proper Setting

Once you are making very few mistakes during practice, it’s time to begin playing in a setting that matches live playing conditions.

Develop a Good Level of Proficiency

• Before worrying about the practice setting, develop a good level of proficiency. For example, fewer than two errors per 100 hands.
• Your proficiency will suffer some in a simulated live setting. This is normal.

Simulate a Live Playing Setting

5. Practice Until You Get It (Nearly) Perfect

• Continue your practice sessions with conditions closely matching your live play setting until you make nearly no mistakes. Nobody is always perfect.
• If your play continues to be nearly perfect (less than one error per 100 hands or so) during the entire planned live session, you are probably ready for the real thing.
• You will start making more mistakes as your sessions continue. Make a note of when this starts to happen. Consider ending live sessions at a similar session length. No sense giving the house more than necessary.
• Be mindful that there will be additional distractions during live play such as drinking, people interrupting you, etc.

6. Online Versus Casino Play

Online play is much less stressful than live casino play.

Online Play:

• You control your surroundings.
• You can play when you are at your peak.
• There is no stress when looking at a strategy chart while playing online.
• There is no need to stay at the game. You can grab a snack or beverage and return when you are ready without the fear of someone grabbing your machine.
• Your practice sessions and online play will most likely be very similar.

Live Casino Play:

7. Maintain Control During Live Play

To gain the maximum advantage, you must play in conditions that are as close as possible to your practice sessions. Or you can make your practice sessions match your live sessions as closely as possible.

The biggest problem with most video poker players is loss of control during live play.

Online Sessions:

Fortunately, online live play is very similar to practice sessions. The only real difference is you are playing for real money.

To counter that:

• When practicing, bet as if it’s real money. Watch your credit balance.
• Make practice sessions last about as long as your live sessions. 

Casino Live Play:

While practice sessions can include some distractions, nothing at home can actually match a live casino.

You can pretend that the money bet during practice sessions is real. That will help. But most of the control needs to happen in the casino.

• Try to not let other players bother you. Easy to say, hard to do.
• Notice when you are making more mistakes and stop playing when that happens.
• Stop playing when tired or otherwise not alert.
• Stop playing when you are angry, upset or stressed.

8. Summary

Video poker is a great game mostly due to its low house edge. However, in order to get that edge, you must play perfect strategy. To play perfect strategy, you must practice. 

The great football coach Vince Lombardi said, “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”

Perfect practice involves several things:

• Picking the proper game – one with a simple strategy.
• Making sure the practice game is available to play live.
• Having the proper practice tools.
  • Strategy charts
  • Online, computer- or smartphone-based video poker practice apps
• Using these tools to gain the best advantage. This means making practice conditions as close as possible to live playing conditions.
• Practicing until your play is perfect – or very close to it.
• Understanding and making allowances for the differences between practice and live play – either online or in the casino.
• Maintaining your control (and therefore your advantage) during live play.

By following this advice, you will make the most of your online or casino play. Isn’t that what you really want?
 

Updated on May 12, 2025

What is a Street Bet in Roulette?

In the game of roulette, players can cover one or more rows of three consecutive numbers by placing street bet roulette wagers. This strategic bet allows you to cover more numbers with fewer chips, making it an attractive option for both novice and experienced players alike.

Various bets can be made on roulette games. You might be familiar with betting options such as:

• The six outside even money chances that include red and black
• The six 2-to-1 options relating to the dozens and the columns
• The inside betting options displaying a single green zero and numbers 1 to 36

Yet other kinds of betting options can be placed on a roulette layout, namely on the inside grid area. One of those is the street bet, and it's made when one or more chips are placed on top of the outer grid line, normally at the lower end of a row of three consecutive numbers. 

How Does a Roulette Street Bet Work?

Various, not-so-obvious bets can be placed on a roulette table, including the street bet.

Players new to the game of roulette will look at the grid (which forms part of the betting layout on a roulette table) and think about placing bets on top of the numbers within each square. Those are referred to as single-number, straight-up bets with a payout of 35 to 1.

However, what is a street bet in roulette, and how does it differ? A street bet differs in four ways:

1. Your bet will always cover a row of three consecutive numbers (horizontally when viewing the numbers the right way up)
2. Only one chip is used to place a street bet. So, instead of covering three straight-up numbers using three chips, you can cover all three using just one chip, so long as they're in a row of three consecutive numbers
3. The payout for a street bet win is 11 to 1
4. You place one or more chips on the outer grid line, at the end of a lower or higher number, that forms one of the three consecutive numbers in a row. This, then, will be your street bet

Types of Street Bets in Roulette

Standard Street Bet

When making a standard street bet in roulette, 12 possible street bets can be made. They consist of 12 rows of three consecutive numbers, including:

3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36
2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, 29, 32, 35
1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34
       ^                       ^ 

Example:

• To cover numbers 7-8-9, place one or more chips on the line at the end of 7, which is the lower of the three consecutive numbers.
• To cover numbers 22-23-24, place one or more chips on the line at the end of 22, etc.

Double Street Bet (Six-Line Bet)

A variation of the standard street bet is the double street bet, also known as a six-line bet. This involves placing your chip at the intersection of two adjacent street bets, effectively covering six numbers with one chip. The payout for this bet is 5 to 1.

Split Street Bet

Some players also employ a strategy where they place a bet that essentially splits between two numbers on a street. While not technically a street bet, it's often confused as one. This bet covers two adjacent numbers and pays 17 to 1.

Example:

• Make a street bet on 10-11-12 and place a chip on the line that separates the top number in that row and the adjacent number (12 | 15). The ball would have to land on 10, 11, 12 or 15 for a win.

Practical Example of a Street Bet

Let's say you place a $10 street bet on 13-14-15 in European roulette:

1. You position your chip on the outer grid line at the end of number 13
2. The wheel spins, and the ball lands on 14
3. Since 14 is one of your street bet numbers, you win
4. Your payout is $10 × 11 = $110 in winnings
5. You also get your original $10 stake back, for a total of $120

Had the ball landed on any other number not in your street (13-14-15), you would have lost your $10 stake.

Odds, House Edge and Payouts for Street Bets

Understanding the odds and payouts is crucial when deciding if a street bet roulette strategy is right for you:

• Standard Street Bet: Covers 3 numbers, pays 11 to 1, with a probability of winning at 3/37 (8.11%) on European roulette and 3/38 (7.89%) on American roulette
• House Edge: The house edge on a street bet is 5.26% on American roulette (with double zero) and 2.70% on European roulette
• True Odds: The true odds would be 11.67 to 1 on European roulette, but the casino pays 11 to 1, creating their advantage

Online Roulette Chip Placement

If you're playing online roulette, you'll click or tap your intended street bet, and the game will position your chips. There should be an option to remove your last bet if you make a mistake as well.

Half your chip will appear outside of the outer grid line and half inside the numbered square.

Street Bet Chip Placement Variation

Chip placement depends on how the table layout appears in front of you. If green zero is on your left or your right, street bets could be made on the outer grid line on the end of the lower or higher number of the row of three consecutive street bet numbers. For example:

• If green zero is on the left side of your screen and you want to place a street bet to cover 31-32-33, the correct area is on the outer grid line at the end of 31
• If the green zero is on the right side of your screen, the correct area to place a street bet is on the outer grid line at the end of 33

As a rule, bets are placed on the player's side and not the dealer's side of the table. Though bear in mind, on some online games, the structure of bet placements may vary, given that there may not be a dealer interacting with the chips on a table.

But the rule of thumb is that a street bet is made beside the number of the three numbers that's closest to you. Or if viewing on a computer or mobile device screen, that number will probably be lower down on the screen than the other two numbers.

Street Bet Roulette Tips

Street bets are useful to players because:

• Economical Use of Chips: If you've only got a few chips to play with, you only need to stake one chip to cover three numbers.
• Broader Coverage: By placing several street bets, you're able to cover a wider selection of numbers. For example, four chips make four street bets covering a third of the 36 numbers.
• Balancing Risk and Reward: Street bets offer a middle ground between high-risk straight-up bets and low-risk outside bets.
• Sector Betting: Some players use street bets as part of a sector strategy, covering specific sections of the wheel.
• Progressive Systems: Street bets can be incorporated into progressive betting systems like the Martingale strategy or Fibonacci.

Roulette Street Bet – Final Thoughts

The roulette street bet provides an excellent middle ground between high-risk single-number bets and low-payout outside bets. By understanding how to properly place these wagers and incorporating them into your strategy, you can enjoy a more versatile and potentially rewarding roulette experience!

Whether you're new to the game or a seasoned player, mastering the street bet gives you another valuable tool in your roulette arsenal.

Originally published on August 11, 2021

With apologies to the great psychologist and philosopher William James (1842-1910), author of the famous book The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature, I think there are a variety of powerful roulette experiences casino players feel. Some for the good and some of them for ill.

Are these roulette feelings of a religious nature? Well, some players will claim they feel warm feelings as they play the game, having nothing to do with drink.

Some say that they feel “out of themselves” or in “another realm.” A few have thought the game of roulette, once they have played for a little while, feels like “another world.”

Dare I actually compare roulette feelings with religious experiences? Does that reference hold any real intellectual water in the world of ideas? I don’t know.

But the varieties of roulette’s emotional experiences are certainly real and often quite powerful. And these experiences aren’t just limited to “Did I win?” or “Did I lose?” the last decision. They seem to have a deeper meaning.

So, is more going on? I think so.  

When a player gets so caught up in a game in a general way as defining him or herself as “I am a roulette player,” or in a particular way, “tonight is a great night,” we know much is flowing through his or her emotional veins.

I believe players’ emotions are the key to playing casino games, or any games for that matter, but the emotions that dig deeper and deeper into the psyche. These make the game something far more than just a game. There might be a separate reality to the experience of the game for such players than for less deeply involved players.

[Please note: I am not just sticking to William James’ list of religious experiences from a roulette angle. In truth I do not think we are dealing with religion here in any way, shape or form. But I do think we are dealing with deep senses. You might find that many of these senses seem similar to meditative states.] 

Table of Contents

The Explosive Experiences

The first and most obvious emotional state while one plays roulette is probably the most upfront expression of one’s inner self. Players want to win and hate to lose. And they often show big reactions to good or bad moments.

When they lose, they might moan, shout words about their discouragement or just sit in a semi-angry or stupefied state. It isn’t too hard to know what they are feeling. They are wearing their emotions on their sleeves so to speak. 

Certainly, roulette can be a leisurely game and many players have developed a relaxed attitude toward certain losing streaks since such are a large part of the game. Players betting on the inside straight-up numbers probably have a losing capacity that doesn’t see them fly somewhat off the handle when they lose sequences in a row.

However, if the losing streak becomes so prolonged that it passes their ability to handle without responding then they will definitely respond. When you play roulette, just look around at all the players and you might be able to read their upcoming explosions starting to show on their faces. A few more losses and boom!

Nancy from Henderson, Nevada, put it well: “I feel almost as if the world has turned against me when I have really long losing streaks. It is almost like I am out of step with the universe. My husband doesn’t feel that; he just gets angry. I get depressed and sad.”

Winning can be even more explosive and deeply felt than losing. 

A direct hit on a single number played directly inside with a 35-to-1 payout can bring immediate and loud shouts of joy. A sequence of such wins, with only a few losses in between these, can create such an excitement in players that they seem supercharged with emotion. 

Johnny explains it this way: “I actually seem to be trembling if I have hit a few numbers in a very short period of time. I am actually trembling a little in these moments. You can see it in my hand when I make my next bets or raise the amount of my current bets. It’s like being possessed by the spirit of goodness. I know that sounds nuts but that’s how I feel.”

The Oceanic Experiences

We are all aware of the emotional experiences of our fellow players as described above but there are more subtle varieties of roulette emotions. These seem to transcend into meditative levels of consciousness.

After sitting at a roulette table, players who enjoy watching the ball spin around the wheel, land, hop, skip, and jump the pockets can get into a mesmeric state. It almost seems as if the roulette wheel is a hypnotic trinket, a rather large one at that. Wins and losses aren’t as important to these players.

Janice explains, “I meditate every day and when I am at the roulette table and I can see the wheel clearly, I feel that I fall into a meditative state as real as the ones I have when I am actually meditating. I am calm and going with the flow of the game.

Dreams and Visions

I am not talking about saints and prophets talking to a divinity here. There is no burning bush or the feeding of the multitudes with several loaves and a few fishes.

I am guessing the next steps that are somewhat deeper than the oceanic experiences have to do with dreams and visions. No, no, not by players who have taken drugs or have had so much alcohol that they can’t tell the difference between ups and downs.

If you are in a relaxed state as the game progresses, you might feel your mind offering you sequences that can be called waking dreams, where time seems to slip away. Images form in your mind that seem similar to the images that form when you are just about to drift off to sleep. 

Sometimes these images seem almost real. You might call them visions.

Can such images be caused by watching the wheel? Does it put you into the proper frame to go deeper inside yourself?

Paulie Q. said, “Maybe after about an hour of play, I really do drift off. It does seem as if I am dreaming. I don’t lose sight of the game, it’s just that the game seems a little far away. As if I am a part of it and I am also not a part of it. Funny. It doesn’t have anything to do with whether I am winning or losing. It is almost like sleep, almost.”

[Please note: The one caveat about this dreaming or visionary state is that the people who have mentioned this to me all watch the wheel during every decision. They are not just looking at the layout. The wheel seems to play a big part of this emotional state.] 

 

 

The Vanishing of the Mathematical Elements of the Game

Roulette is math. All casino games are math. That’s how the casinos beat the players. They have structured their games so that they must, in the end, win the players’ money. 

True the packaging of the games doesn’t look like math. Even roulette, which is a game about numbers and groups of numbers, about colors and such, is really about shorting the payouts on player wins or winning more decisions than the players. 

[Please note: The payout of 35-to-1 on a direct hit on a number is not the true payout in any casino roulette game I have ever seen. In the European game, the payout would be 36-to-1; on the American game, it would be 37-to-1 and on the abominable triple zero wheel (0, 00, 000) the true payout should be 38-to-1. The casinos win more decisions on the even-money bets and the other proposition bets because the player loses when the zeroes appear.]

I am guessing that some players tune out the fact that the casino has a mathematical edge over them and instead fall into reveries about what is to happen, what may happen, what they want to happen and react to that. I sometimes wonder how many players actually know how the casinos create their edges over the players. 

How can players forget that or never learn that? Easy!

Todd from Long Beach, New Jersey, is a roulette aficionado. He knows the game well. Yet, when he plays, “I forget everything I know or have learned about the game. It is almost like the numbers all become magic and the propositions are like trying to cut down stalks of corn or fruits from trees. 

“I play trend bets and I go with groupings that I think will hit. These groups are not on the wheel but merely on the layout. I get caught up in the irrational elements of the game. You can ask me the math. I know the math. But when I play, zip!, the math vanishes and I am in a childish state. Maybe you can call this a primitive state of mind.

“Here is what gets to me: I play as if what I am doing makes sense. And none of it makes sense. I bet more money than I should and I increase my bets without any real reason to do something such as that. I don’t even second guess myself. It is so weird.”

What About Me?

Talking to these players offered me a way of looking at roulette as I had never really done before. Yes, I know that many players have no idea of how the edges are achieved by the casino but that is not a change of thought for them.

It is basically no thought for them. You can certainly play casino games without thinking. 

When I play, I do not go into any kind of reveries or dreams or visions. I don’t get oceanic feelings, nor am I floating in a salty ocean.

Yes, I do get happy when I win and I do get disappointed when I lose. But neither of those feelings is all that strong because my betting is truly contained. I bet against my 401G bank account which is an account where I keep my casino playing money.

But I do watch other players when I play and I do talk to them to find out what they are thinking or not thinking when they play. I find there’s a lot to learn from them.

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Scott “Angry Scott” Robbins had nothing to be mad about when he arrived at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa’s check-in desk. 

The poker pro was in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to play a major tournament there. Thanks to a satellite win, he had already parlayed a $400 entry fee into a $3,500 voucher for the next day’s event. 

But things did not go as planned. 

And now Robbins hopes for a payout via a lawsuit against Borgata. He’s asking for $1.25 million, a sum that would eclipse almost every tournament prize on the circuit. (Robbins’ biggest score to date: $130,235, snagged two years ago at a tournament in Hollywood, Florida’s Hard Rock.)

Robbins’ arrival at Borgata took place in the fall of 2018, by which time he had already established himself as a serious full-time professional poker player. At that point, Robbins had won close to $300,000 over just two years. 

And that did not even include cash-game profits. So, with the tournament entry already to his credit, Robbins had good reason to be happy.

Bad Beat Before Taking a Seat

Though Robbins is known for being a bit of a crank at the table – “I have no problem saying something to someone about his body odour or bad breath,” he told 888. “I’ll give someone a piece of gum if I think he has bad breath, and I will tell him why he needs the gum.” He probably was in the mood for a bit of a giggle when he approached the clerk at the check-in desk.

He could not have realised that having some fun would transform into a bad beat before the first pot was dragged off the tournament table. “I crushed the satellite and had a comped room at the Borgata,” explained Robbins. 

“My plan was to check-in, relax, maybe go to the pool, have dinner.”

He might’ve scoped out the cash games had he not gotten played before having the opportunity to ante up. “I walked to the front desk. Six or seven people were taking names and giving out keys,” he remembers. 

“I know their jobs are not satisfying, and I enjoy having a little banter. The woman asked if I would like to have a high floor or a low floor. I said, ‘If I had to jump from a high floor, would I make it?’

“Obviously, it was a joke. The obvious answer would be, ‘You won’t survive out of any floor.’ Instead, she said, ‘No! Don’t do that!’”

Robbins assured her that he wouldn’t. Clearly, he maintains, he was making a joke. 

This Is No Joke…

After using the elevator up to his room, Robbins set down his baggage, laid on the bed, turned on the TV and called down to room service. He wanted a pair of feather pillows. 

Soon after, he heard a knock on the door and figured that maybe it was the requested pillows. 

It wasn’t: “I opened the door, and there were two New Jersey state police officers, three security guards and two paramedics. I asked, ‘What’s going on?’”

• One of the people said he wanted to talk to Robbins. 
• Robbins was asked if everything is okay. 
• Robbins replied that everything is great.
• The poker pro was asked if he was feeling depressed. He answered in the negative. 

A police officer stepped into the room and told Robbins to take his hands out of his pockets. He was asked to explain what happened at the front desk. Robbins recalled to 888 that he retold the story “verbatim” and underscored that he was obviously kidding around.

Awkward Sense of Humour?

The ambulance whisked Robbins to TK Hospital. Once there, he was made to change from his street clothes to a hospital gown. His phone was taken away, and he was told to wait for a psychologist. 

In the meantime, a nurse asked if someone could provide details on Robbins’ mental stability. “I called my best friend Jim, told him the story, and he started laughing hysterically,” recalled Robbins. 

He then put the nurse on the phone with his friend. “The nurse began laughing hysterically as well. But she told me that I had to wait for a doctor.”

Hours later, Robbins received a five-minute-long assessment. According to Robbins, the doctor put his opinion in writing: “Patient suffers from an awkward sense of humour.”

Robbins took an Uber back to the Borgata, figured that everything would be sorted out and found himself in for another surprise. 

It’s Robbin’s Turn to Act

Fast forward to some 21 months later, in the summer of 2020, Robbins was missing out on opportunities to play at the Borgata. He figured that a simple phone call could rectify the misunderstanding. 

Robbins called a security supervisor, connected with the person, and explained who he is. “He said he knows who I am,” Robbins recalled. “I told him what happened. I told him about the doctor’s note. I asked if I could come back to the hotel. 

He said, ‘No. Wait until the end of two years and call me back.’”

Robbins opted to make a different call: To his lawyer. A lawsuit – alleging losses of $85,000 per year in poker winnings (over a 10-year period), a clip of $200,000 in sponsorship profits and false imprisonment – was filed against the Borgata.

For Robbins, it goes beyond not being able to play in the Atlantic City casino. “My reputation is getting dragged through the mud,” he said. “I am getting torn apart on the poker forums, and somebody at a poker table in Maryland was talking about me – while I was at the table.”

If he likened his lawsuit lodged against the Borgata to a Texas Hold’em hand on the river, how would he play it? 

Wanting to be in the game but maybe possessing no tangible read on the impending outcome, Robbins told 888, “I would probably just check-call.”