Life is a roulette game with the house having the ultimate edge. We can see this – and prove this – through personal history and throughout the history of human events over time. Roulette imposes a random distribution of numbers to determine a future (or current) situation of individual players.

Life does that to all of us.

Genetic Roulette

The very first roulette experience each individual has in life is the race to land his or her full existence on earth. We all start off as a single male sperm and a single female egg. We aren’t necessarily guaranteed existence as a whole being

That sperm must outdistance millions of other sperm swimming towards the egg. The first one to arrive there gets the win. The woman’s egg accepts the sperm and pregnancy occurs. If an average male’s ejaculation is 100,000,000 sperm the odds of you getting to exist are 99,999,999 to one.

The winning of that race is as great or greater than the odds of most lotteries existing in the world.

Genetic roulette is a truly real phenomena but it did create you.

[Please note: When a baby is forming it has “choices” among hundreds of thousands of genetic traits. While mommy and daddy are giving equal shares of genes to their baby, those genes have a lineage that goes back to the dawn of humanity – and even before that! That nutty Uncle Louis from the 15th Century could be coming out in baby Louis of the 21st century – and Uncle Louis was not a very nice guy.]

And here is the mind-boggling thing about it – it took all of history; all of the events of the universe before your existence for your existence to come into being.  

Here Comes Uncle Louis

Let me tell you a story from my teaching days: I taught three girls, separated by two years, in my advanced placement English classes. These young ladies were a delight; charming and intelligent. One after another. 

Mommy and Daddy were proud of these young ladies. Then they had a son.

He was trouble from the get-go; angry, particularly ill-disposed to women, a kid who gave all his women teachers from kindergarten through high school sheer unadulterated hell. Indeed, he was hospitalized quite often for threatening his sisters with violence. 

Mommy and Daddy had to reinforce the girls’ bedroom doors so he couldn’t break in. They also put bars on the girls’ windows for fear he would again climb up the side of the house to get into their rooms.

Strangely enough, he did not suffer from any of the popular causes of being a horror such as schizophrenia or other mood-altering mental illnesses. Was he “off”? Yes. And dangerous. Obviously. But where did this come from? No one seemed to know.

Indeed, I didn’t know any of this history until his parents told me on back-to-school night. I got along with him, no problem. He liked me and I liked him. It was a stunner to find out he only had male teachers and was little or no problem for any of them.

My guess is that somewhere in this kid’s self was probably some distant relative now emerging into the modern era. The parents said that no one in their families showed such behavior patterns. The child, even as an infant, was hostile toward his mother and his sisters. Whose genes were it from the past that came out in this kid? 

If this were roulette this lad would be a biased wheel that through the years garnered imperfections that other wheels created by the same company did not have. Those “off-wheels” were dangerous for the casinos because smart players could hurt the casinos by discovering their “off-ness.”

Imperfections exist. In genetics. In roulette.

School Daze: Don’t Get the Numbers Wrong

It’s first grade. Ms. Albertson is teaching an arithmetic lesson. Little Timmy is tapping his foot and turning his head toward the windows. Now, he’s looking out the window. It is hard to guess what he’s thinking, if anything, but his face seems slack. He is obviously distracted; at least internally distracted. He’s away somewhere, far away.

He has a tendency to mentally disappear when Ms. Albertson teaches arithmetic.  That’s just the way it is with Little Timmy. I mean it is only first grade, right? How can this be all that important in the scheme of things?

Little does Little Timmy know that he is now, at this very tender age, making the understanding of arithmetic and ultimately math and any science that uses math an almost impossible task for him.

Through elementary school, high school, and into adult life, Little Timmy, who is now Big Timmy, will hit a solid brick wall when it comes to numbers. Little does he know that his deficiency started all the way back in first grade when he daydreamed instead of listened to his teachers’ arithmetic lessons.

Day after day, week after week, month after month, Little Timmy went away when math was the topic. “I hate math,” he’d tell his friends, many of whom also hated math. “When will I ever need it?” “Yeah, yeah,” agreed his friends. “It’s a waste of our time.”

He chose not to choose numbers to study and over time this decision affected his life in a negative way. Much of life might be random but how you maneuver in that randomness, meaning the decisions that you make at every age and every stage, have consequences on future events in one’s life. There is no escaping that fact. The past in many ways creates the future. 

Except you don’t really know this fact in first grade. Some people never realize this fact at all. The guy sitting at the end of the bar pontificating about this, that and the other thing might have no idea why he is so garrulous.

Ignorance about numbers is not a good situation. Even just knowing about numbers in an elementary way is a good situation.

[Please note: Roulette players who do not understand the meaning of the numbers in the game are not in a good situation. How does the casino get its edge? Why are bets on many inside numbers not the best idea? How can one lower the overall hit on one’s bankroll and still bet more than one number? Big Timmy will probably not understand any of this when he puts his money on the table and faces a mathematical universe of which he understands little. All that started in first grade.]

Can Big Timmy Understand the Following? 

What is the edge the casino gets at roulette by paying out 35-to-1 instead of 37-to-1 on the American wheel?

This is relatively simple math but I think Big Timothy would have problems with this. There are 38 possible decisions at the American double-zero (0, 00) game and thus the odds of a win should be 37 to 1. Because the casino does not pay the true odds of the bet, but instead shortchanges the winning player by two, the house edge is 5.26 percent. You just divide 38 possible decisions into two and you get .0526. That indicates the percent of the house edge against the player.

Why is the edge on the European game lower than the one on the American game?

While the American game has two zeroes, the European game has only one zero (0) and thus there are 37 different decisions at the game. The casino holds back one on a winning bet. The house edge is 2.7 percent. Just divide 37 into one and you get .027. If Big Timothy had problems with the American game there is no reason to think he could handle the European game.

Why does the casino still have an edge on the even-money bets?

The even-money bets of high/low, red/black, and odd/even are called even-money because they pay out 1 to 1. You bet $10 and a winning bet pays $10. But the odds of winning are not 50/50.

The casino does not pay out if the 0 or 00 hits. It keeps two zeroes on the American game and one zero on the European game. Thus, there are 20 ways to lose on the American game and 18 ways to win and there are 19 ways to lose on the European game and 18 ways to win.

The house edge on the games remains 5.26 percent and 2.7 percent respectively. Big Timothy? Don’t know if he can figure this out.

Why aren’t the even-money bets a 50/50 proposition?

The casino can’t win money over time if the game is fair. It must keep some of the payoff money or it couldn’t stay open. Casinos have set up their games to either win more bets than the players or take a percentage of the winning bets from the players. 

In terms of bankroll preservation, is betting on half the numbers straight up or using one of the even-money bets a better situation?

Using the American game, let us say you are a $10 player and you choose to bet half the numbers; that would be a bet of $190. You’d win half the time and lose half the time. But since the win pays only 35 to 1, you’d be out that 5.26 percent on the game. 

On your losing bet, you would lose $190 but on your winning bet you would only win $350. You would, over time, win half your bets and lose half your bets but those winning bets aren’t paid off fairly.

However, if you bet one of the even-money bets, you’d still face the same house edge but you’d only be betting $10. Such a bet would take much longer for you to have the house edge seriously hurt your bankroll than playing half the numbers inside straight up. The difference between $190 and $10 is quite a lot. And Big Timothy? Don’t think he could handle the math of this.

What does a percentage edge at roulette mean in terms of how much money you will lose over time?
 
If the casino has an edge of 5.26 percent or 2.70 percent against you that translates into a loss of $5.26 or $2.70 for every $100 wagered at the game. Big Timothy? Percentages could be out of his reach.

Why does the casino have a scoreboard that usually shows the last 16 or 20 numbers?

Most casino players are trend bettors as they enjoy either betting with a streak or against a streak. A scoreboard gives the players the illusion that these numbers will repeat or not repeat, depending on how the player views them. The scoreboard adds to the excitement of the game for such players.

Why are the numbers on the wheel in a different order than the numbers on the betting layout?

The concern that casinos have for the game is the fact that some players might hit upon sequences of numbers that are together on the wheel and bet them time and again. Such a wheel could be “off,” meaning biased.

Since the layout is in numerical order groups of numbers on the layout are not the same as groups of numbers on the wheel. I think Big Timothy would understand this approach.

What does random mean in roulette?

A random roulette game favors the casino because the casino keeps part of the player’s win. The one thing the casino doesn’t want is for the wheels to be “off.”  So, the roulette wheel has bumpers that the ball can bounce off as it spins and that ball will bounce helter-skelter in the pockets as well. In a random roulette game, there can be no predictive value in where the ball will ultimately land.

Trick question: Can you answer the above questions correctly?

My guess is that most roulette players who read about casino gambling can answer the questions above. A little study goes a long way!

All the best in and out of the casinos!

Introduction

“Bounce back” is a term that means something of value that a casino will give to its valued players, such as money or free play or free meals or other rewards. Players must return or “bounce back” to the casino to use them.

The value of the bounce-back benefit is spelled out in a mailer that a casino sends loyal players. Bounce back is important to video poker players because depending on its amount, it could boost a player’s overall return to close to, or slightly over, 100%.

Therefore, it’s important that video poker players understand what they can control, and how to do it, to increase their bounce-back benefit. 

Table of Contents

2 – Most Common Bounce-Back Benefit

3 – How to Use Your Bounce-Back Free Play

In my case, I download the free play to the video poker machine and then start playing. In some casinos, you must also insert at least the minimum amount of cash to play one hand before being able to use the free play.

I play at a dollar denomination with a maximum of five coins ($5) played per hand. Most casinos have a counter on the keypad of the machine that will track the number of free-play credits that you wager on each hand.

For example, if my counter starts with $300 worth of free play and I play one hand ($5 wagered), after the hand is over, the counter will read 295 credits remaining. When a hand wins, the number of credits won will be credited to the credit meter.

4 – Theoretical Return of Bounce-Back Free Play

If you have, say, $500 in free play that you play once through a video poker machine, you won't necessarily end up with exactly $500 in cash. Theoretically, your expected return would be $500 times whatever the theoretical return of the video poker game you happen to be playing.

For example, if you are playing 8/5 Bonus Poker, which has a theoretical return of 99.17% with expert play, your expected return is $500 x 99.17% or $496. However, most of the time, you will end up with either less, or more, than $496 after playing the free credits through exactly 100 hands.

Luck plays a big part in playing 100 hands, which results in a swing (up or down) from the expected $496. Nevertheless, in the long run, you will come close to averaging a return of $496 per $500 of free play played once through.

(Note: If you are playing a video poker machine that has a poor pay schedule with an expected return of, say, less than 99%, you’ll get less than an average of $496 in cash for your $500 in free play credits.)

 

 

5 – What Determines the Amount of Your Bounce-Back Free Play?

In the “good ol’ days,” the amount of bounce-back free play would be directly related to your coin-in (i.e., the amount of money you wagered). I remember when the South Point Casino (Las Vegas) gave “x” amount of free play based on “y” amount of coin-in from previous months.

The greater the amount of coin-in, the greater would be your bounce-back free play for the following month. It was simple and easy because the only factor that determined the amount of your bounce-back free play was your coin-in.

But alas, nowadays the bounce-back programs are run by the casino’s marketing department, and their computer program that determines how much bounce back you will receive includes several factors besides coin-in. Some examples are what game you play, whether you won or lost, if you are a local player, how long you play, whether you hit a royal, and possibly more factors.

What’s most frustrating for video poker players is the marketing departments nowadays keep this information on how much bounce back you could receive a deep secret. To give you an example of what I mean, I’ve asked the staff at Players Clubs in numerous casinos the simple question, “What demines my bounce back?” I’ve received answers along these lines:

• “It’s based on how much you play.”
• “It’s a very complicated equation.”
• “We don’t know.”
• “Ask someone in marketing.”
• “They won’t tell us.”

6 – Average Daily Theoretical

There is one factor that is proportional to the amount of a player’s bounce back, and it is known as a player’s Average Daily Theoretical or ADT. You can calculate your ADT to some extent so I consider it an important factor to boost your monthly bounce back.

Most casinos will assign a “theo” for every machine (some have the capability of doing it for it every game). “Theo” is an abbreviation for theoretical and it represents the percentage of coin-in the casino expects to win from players playing the machine. When you multiply your coin-in by the theo, you will obtain your ADT.

(Note: How a casino assigns a theo for each machine is a complicated topic and worthy of an entire article. For now, just remember that your ADT is proportional to your bounce back, meaning the higher the ADT, the more you’ll get in bounce back.)

Once the casino assigns an ADT for every one of your play sessions, they will average your ADT’s over a specific number of months or days to arrive at an overall ADT. It’s the latter number that ultimately determines the amount of your bounce back. Here’s an example of how this works. 

Suppose you make six trips to your local casino every month. The casino happens to use a rolling three-month average of your ADT’s to determine the amount of your bounce back for the following month’s mailer (along with the possibility of some of the other factors mentioned above).

On every trip, the casino will compute an ADT (based on coin-in times the theo). Their computer system will sum the ADT’s for the 18 trips you made to the casino over three months and then divide the total by 18 to arrive at your three-month ADT. The latter is factored into the amount of bounce back that you will receive (although you don’t know how large a role in the final number it plays).

What follows are some tips that will help you boost your ADT and the amount of your bounce back. (I’m assuming a three-month ADT, although some casinos use a six-month ADT.)

1. You mustn't mistakenly trip yourself into a lower ADT. For example, suppose you go to your local casino, eat dinner in one of their restaurants, and then pay for dinner using points in your player’s club account. You then leave the casino without playing any video poker. The casino’s computer will assign you a session with zero coin-in, which results in a 0 ADT. The latter will lower your overall three-month ADT, resulting in a lower bounce back.
   
   Tip: If you use your points to pay for anything in a casino, make sure you also play some video poker to avoid tripping yourself into a 0 ADT and lower bounce back.
    
2. If you visit your local casino and download your bounce back and play it once through a machine then cash out and leave, you’ve also tripped yourself into a 0 ADT (and lower bounce back).
   
   Tip: Always play some video poker whenever you download your bounce back.
    
3. A video poker machine that also has slot and keno games on it usually has a higher theo assigned to it than a video poker machine that has only video poker games. That’s because the casino expects to win more from slot and keno games; therefore, they assign a higher theo to the machine.
   
   Tip: For a specific game (say 9/6 Jacks or Better), you’ll likely get more bounce back for a given coin-in when you play the game on a machine that also has slots and keno games vs. one that has only video poker games.
    
4. Suppose you and your spouse are planning to stay at your favorite casino over a weekend. You both are planning to play four hours of video poker each day. Instead of both of you playing on your Players Cards each day, you should play on only one Players Card the first day, and the other card the second day
   
   Tip: By doing this, you will boost both of your ADTs.
    
5. If you visit a local casino several times a week, playing, say, two hours each day, you'll boost your ADT if instead you visit the casino once per week and play a total of six hours. 
   
   TIP: Your goal is to boost your ADT, which will boost your bounce back, and you can do that by playing your coin-in in one day versus spreading out the same coin-in over several days. 
    
6. Keep a log of your session coin-in. You can always find out your coin-in from the number of points you earned playing since it requires a specific amount of coin-in to earn a point. If this is confusing, just ask at the Players Club, when you are done playing, what your coin-in was for the day. Compare the log of your average coin in over several months with the amount of bounce back you are receiving. This will give you some idea of how much action you need to give the casino for a specific amount of bounce back.

7 – What Casinos Dislike

8 – Summary

• Bounce back can be something of value (usually free play) that casinos give to their loyal players.
• Players receive the bounce back in casino mailers and they must “bounce back,” or return, to the casino to claim the reward.
• The amount of the bounce back could boost a video poker player’s overall return to close to, or even greater than, 100%.
• There are several “secret” factors that casinos employ to determine how much bounce back a player will receive. 
• One of these factors is a player’s ADT (or Average Daily Theo).
• Players can maximize their ADTs by following the above strategies. 
• The greater a player’s ADT, the more likely the player’s bounce-back reward will increase.

The first time I saw somebody playing baccarat with purpose, I was at the Palms in Las Vegas, working on a story about whales – that is, mega high-rollers, not the sea creatures. One guy I trailed was a corporate executive from Boston. He loved his baccarat, bet high and tracked all the dealt cards on scratch paper provided by the casino.

I asked him what the notations were about. At first I thought he was card-counting, which, I later found out, is worthless in this game, unless you are doing a very specific kind of counting. He was not and I’ll save details on “specific card-counting” for another time.

His response: “Baccarat’s a streaky game. I’m keeping track of the streaks that are happening.”
I’m not betting on that being a legitimate advantage play (it isn’t). But it is clear that some gamblers have enjoyed financially rewarding streaks at the game. Here are a few of our favorite baccarat runs.

The Trump Buster

A lot of people play baccarat for fun. But not many people can afford to consider multi-million-dollar swings to be fun. Back in the 1990s, Akio “The Warrior” Kashiwagi, a real estate tycoon from Japan, ranked as the Moby Dick of baccarat whales and swore that the game was his idea of pure entertainment. 

The risk-loving mogul was swinging around the world when he happened to land in Atlantic City and took on Donald Trump’s three casinos: Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza, Trump Marina. He was followed by a towel-toting bodyguard who wiped down the Warrior as he perspired through turns of cards and bet $185,000 per hand (apparently, it was always $185,000).

Though his greatest win was $15 million at the Diamond Beach Casino in Darwin, Australia, his most satisfying victory was probably in AC. He took down a relatively modest $8 million there, but he had the satisfaction of it all being witnessed by a pre-presidential Trump who provided Kashiwagi with $14,000 per night suites and whatever else he desired.

Wearing a wrinkled suit and slippers, the global gambler miffed Trump who watched his coffers being fleeced and could only say with annoyance, “I don’t know where the hell he comes from.” 

What we do know: He returned to Trump’s Taj Mahal for a $12 million freeze-out with the casino boss, but Trump called it after winning just $10 million. Kashiwagi yelled and screamed and pegged Trump as untrue to his promises.

Arguably, the Warrior got the last laugh. Soon after experiencing Trump’s dirty dealing, he was found murdered, killed by Samurai sword and still owing Trump $4 million. The crime was never solved and Trump, by all indications, never received his four large.

 

 

Raging Aussie

When Australian media mogul Kerry Packer wanted to play baccarat, he really wanted to play – and not much was going to stop him. In one instance, he made his way to a Las Vegas casino with pockets flush and plenty of time on his hands. But there was a problem: the case that held the game’s chips and accoutrements was locked.

Packer expressed his fervent desire to be in action and a resourceful casino boss took him seriously. The boss picked up a crystal ashtray and used it to smash open the baccarat setup. In no time at all, Packer was betting banker or player and having a great time. Clearly, he appreciated the effort. Once he got ahead by a couple million dollars, Packer made a $100,000 bet on behalf of the crew.

Of course, even a rich guy like Packer would not scoff at winning a couple million dollars, but that does not represent his biggest run at the tables. That began during a trip to Las Vegas in the mid-1990s. He wound up at MGM Grand and fired away at both blackjack and baccarat.

The Aussie kingpin wagered six-figures per hand at bacc. He is said to have won as much as $40 million over the course of that run, which reportedly stretched across several visits to the casino.

As illustrated above, he always tipped handsomely and surely that streak was especially remunerative for his dealers. As a former casino executive told me about Packer-infused payouts for casino employees who typically chop gratuities, “When Packer was in town you could count on splitting $1 million 20 ways.”

Apparently, though, his generosity did not reach higher-ups in the MGM organization. Legendary casino host Steve Cyr, in the book “Whale Hunt in the Desert”, tells of the big win’s aftermath, when an outgoing executive was dispatched to Packer’s polo ranch in the British countryside.

The exec jetted to London, Packer sent a helicopter to pick him up and he flew to the ranch. The executive arrived with bad news: After that massive win, the Australian billionaire was banned from MGM properties.

Packer flipped out and the exec’s departure was hasty. Told that he was barred for life, a disbelieving Packer responded, “I’m gonna make you walk back to London.” Luckily for Packer, there are plenty of casinos in the world and most of them welcomed him and his massive desire to gamble high at baccarat.

The Baccarat Machine

Cheung Yin “Kelly” Sun began her gambling life as a sucker and eventually sucked millions out of the casinos that tried to crush her. 

Born in China, the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Kelly got bit by the gambling bug early and she lost millions to casinos around the world. They treated her great, with comped flights, luxurious suites and all the champagne that she and her friends could drink. But, after a mix-up over an unpaid $100,000 marker, she got thrown into a downtown Las Vegas jail and, upon her release, sought revenge.

Kelly deployed a tricky but legal advantage playing technique called “edge sorting” to recognize whether banker or player was the side to bet on. It quickly earned her millions of dollars but also brought heat from casino employees who were unnerved by the former fish’s winning ways.

So she partnered with poker legend Phil Ivey. He served as the big player (Ivey’s reputation was such that casinos gave him a wide berth) and Kelly functioned as the operation’s brain. She looked at the cards, found advantages and told Ivey which side to bet.

Traveling the globe, flying private and living high, they ransacked more than $30 million from casino repositories in less than a year. It was a great run and a wild adventure with Kelly playing so often and so intensely that she earned a nickname from her team: Baccarat Machine.

Sadly, things ended when bosses at Crockfords in London got wise to the ways of Kelly Sun and Phil Ivey. The casino suspected the advantage play and welched on a win of more than $10 million. A court case ensued and the world found out about the ingeniousness of Kelly Sun. Needless to say, she became considerably less welcome in casinos.

But maybe Kelly is getting the last laugh. A movie about her life is in development, based on an article that I wrote about Kelly.  It has a perfect working title: “The Baccarat Machine.”

Introduction

In both online and land-based casinos the wagering options a player has are numerous. There is a core set of games that are easily recognized and understood by the player.  Consequently, players more readily gravitate to those types of games. Some of these games favor the player more while other games favor the casino more. However, in the casinos’ ongoing attempt to extract more and more money from the player they offer variations of a commonly known game. This is done most often in the game of 21. 

The axiom of any advantage player is: “Given the right circumstances, any game is beatable.” And this holds true for the blackjack variations, where it is easy to keep track of what cards have been played.  One such blackjack variation is the Blazing 7s Blackjack game. Here we will be taking a closer look at the Blazing 7s Blackjack game and discuss its vulnerabilities’.

Playing Blazing 7s

Before we get into the Blazing 7s vulnerabilities we have to know what the objectives and rules of the game are.  Blazing 7s Blackjack is a new take on the traditional game of 21. It’s played just like traditional blackjack; the game offers an additional side bet that has some astonishingly high payouts.

The Blazing 7 side bet pays out based on the number of sevens in the player's first three cards. If you place your bet and draw a seven, you're a winner. Payouts start with just one seven in the players’ first two cards, and increase all the way up to a progressive jackpot that hits when three suited sevens or three sevens in diamonds are dealt to the player.

A payout is also incurred when a 6,7,8 is dealt to the player.  What payouts are had depends on what version of the game is being played. In some cases the games are linked across multiple casinos and the progressive jackpots can get quite high.   

Bonuses come in a 1-unit bonus or a 5-unit bonus, depending on which version you are playing.  The following chart shows the value in units of the payouts. It’s important to remember that these payouts are rare events and the percentages are over the lifetime of the game. The short-term payouts are much greater as we will see below. This means when you actually hit one of the payable bonuses in your playing session.

Blazing 7s Rules

There are two versions of the Blazing 7s side bet. Each one has slightly different nuances but the objective remains the same. They variations are as follows:

• Version 1: Wins are based on the first three player cards. Wins for one or two sevens are based on the first two cards only. If the player hits, the first additional card shall count as the third card. If the player splits, then the first card dealt to the first hand shall count as the third card. If the dealer has a blackjack, then the player is capped at two cards. 
• Version 2: Wins are based on the first two player cards and the dealer up card. Wins for one or two sevens are based on the player cards only. 

Further complicating things, there are two pay tables as well. Pay table 1 below is for version 1 and pay table 2 is for version 2. 

Pay Table 1

• Three suited sevens: 100% of jackpot.
• Three sevens of the same color: 10% of jackpot. 
• Three sevens 200 for 1. 
• Two sevens 25 for 1. 
• One seven 2 for 1. 

Pay Table 2 

• Three sevens in diamonds: 100% of jackpot.
• Three suited sevens: 10% of jackpot.
• Three sevens of the same color: 500 for 1. 
• Three sevens 200 for 1. 
• Two sevens 25 for 1. 
• One seven 2 for 1.

 

 

Probability and Percentages 

There are four permutations of the game when you consider the two versions and two pay tables. Here we assume that we are using a six-deck shoe for all variations. For all payouts the player does not get his original bet back on a win. Bets can range from $1 to $5, but for simplicity we use a $1 side wager. The player can easily multiply the results by 2,3,4 or 5 to get those values. 

The following table is the return table is for Version 1 and Pay Table 1. 

Version 1 Pay-Table 1

The following insights on the Version 1 pay table 1 are from Mike Shackelford and the Wizard of Odds website.

• Fixed wins = 47.77% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($1) = 2.20% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($5) = 2.44% 
• 1% in meter ($1) = $454.17 
• 1% in meter ($5) = $2,270.86 
• Break-even ($1) = $23,722.09 
• Break-even ($5) = $118,610.45

The following return table is for Version 1 and Pay Table 2.

Version 1 Pay Table 2 

The following insights on the Version 1 pay table 2 are from Mike Shackelford and the Wizard of Odds website.

• Fixed wins = 51.75% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($1) = 0.49% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($5) = 0.10% 
• 1% in meter ($1) = $2,026.33 
• 1% in meter ($5) = $10,131.66 
• Break-even ($1) = $97,762.40 
• Break-even ($5) = $488,812.02 

The following table is the return table for Version 2 and Pay Table 1.

Version 2 Pay Table 1

The following insights on the Version 2 pay table 1 are from Mike Shackelford and the Wizard of Odds website.

• Fixed wins = 48.03% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($1) = 2.31% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($5) = 0.46% 
• 1% in meter ($1) = $432.18 
• 1% in meter ($5) = $2,160.91 
• Break-even ($1) = $22,462.41 
• Break-even ($5) = $112,312.07

The following return table is for Version 2 and Pay Table 2.

Version 2 Pay Table 2

  
The following insights on the Version 2 pay table 1 are from Mike Shackelford and the Wizard of Odds website.

• Fixed wins = 48.03% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($1) = 0.52% 
• Return per $1000 in meter ($5) = 0.10% 
• 1% in meter ($1) = $1,928.20 
• 1% in meter ($5) = $9,641.00 
• Break-even ($1) = $100,216.92 
• Break-even ($5) = $501,084.62 

Vulnerability

Because 21 is a game with memory and we have direct knowledge of what cards have been removed from the deck, it is reasonable to determine that the Blazing 7s game is beatable. Mostly because the effect of removal can be calculated for each card, which is why card counting is so effective.

Because there are six decks per shoe there are a total of 24 7s in the shoe. If we keep track of the 7s in the shoe that have been played and normalize the number of remaining 7s into the number of decks that remain to be played we can get a value.

Consider that no 7s have been played and there are four shoes that are still to be played, we will get a normalized value of 1.5 (24/4 = 6, this means there are 6 7s per remaining deck and then 6/4 decks remaining = 1.5).

At this value, it is a positive game for the player. 1.5 would be the minimum normalized value I would play for this game.  The higher the normalized number the greater the advantage for the player.  

Conclusion

The Blazing 7s side bet is beatable for the player. At normalizations of values of 7s greater than 1.5, it gives a positive expectation for the player. It takes exceptional patience for the player to get to the 1.5 value. When it does arrive you should max bet the side bet and hope for the best.  Sooner or later it will hit and you will get paid off in a big way.

Introduction

This article explains the popular variations of blackjack offered in land-based and online casinos and the many ways that blackjack games can differ.

Table of Contents

• Different Versions of Blackjack
  1. American Blackjack
  2. European Blackjack
  3. Stadium Blackjack
  4. Spanish 21
  5. Blackjack Switch
  6. Super Fun 21
  7. Multi-Hand Blackjack
  8. Tournament Blackjack

Different Versions of Blackjack

The following popular variations of blackjack involve players competing against a dealer with this objective: having your hand total higher than the dealer’s hand without busting.   

1. American Blackjack

2. European Blackjack

3. Stadium Blackjack

4. Spanish 21 (also known as Pontoon)

5. Blackjack Switch

You must play two hands with equal bets in each round, and you have the choice of keeping the hands that you were dealt or switching the second card in each hand. This switching option gives players a big advantage because you can convert one or two bad hands into two very good hands. To offset the player-favorable switching options:

6. Super Fun 21

This game features a host of liberal rules such as:

1. Doubling is allowed on any number of cards.
2. Surrendering is allowed on any number of cards.
3. Player blackjack beats dealer blackjack.
4. Player blackjack in diamonds pays 2 to 1.

There are also several additional liberal rules; however, here is the catch:

7. Multi-Hand Blackjack

This is a popular variant of blackjack offered in online casinos that allows a player to play multiple hands in the same round. A player can wager the same or different amounts on each hand, and each hand is played independently. (Note: In American blackjack games, most casinos require a player who plays more than one hand to wager at least double the table minimum on each hand.)

8. Tournament Blackjack

If you play in a blackjack tournament, you will be competing against other players rather than the casino dealer. You and your opponents start with the same bankroll and play the same number of hands. The player with the most chips at the end of the round (which consists of a designated number of hands) wins and advances to play other table winners. The initial large field of players is eventually whittled down to a final table of six (or seven) players who play a final round to determine the overall tournament champion.

There is a unique set of tournament skills that often determines whether or not a player will succeed in tournament play. Some of them involve keeping track of your opponents’ bankrolls and, depending on whether you are betting first or last in a round, knowing:

1. how much to bet
2. how to play your hand, especially in the latter hands of a tournament round

EIGHT VERSIONS OF BLACKJACK GAMES

Ways Blackjack Games Differ

There are several ways blackjack games can differ from one another. They include the following.

1. Dealer’s Hand

8. Shuffling the Cards

Casinos shuffle the cards in three ways: manual shuffling by the dealer; off-line using an automatic shuffling machine; or using a continuous shuffling machine (or CSM). With a CSM, cards from each round (or two) are placed back into the CSM where they are randomly shuffled with five or six decks of cards. The latter results in more hands per hour, and a higher theoretical loss per hour. Virtually all online casinos shuffle the cards after each round. (Note: The use of a CSM, or shuffling of the cards after each round, negates the technique of card counting.)

EIGHT WAYS BLACKJACK GAMES CAN DIFFER

Summary

There are different versions of blackjack in land-based and online casinos, and different ways that games can vary. You must understand these differences before you play any blackjack game.
 

I like watching documentaries that reveal the “secrets” behind various things. Sometimes these are “secrets” from the past. Sometimes these are current or contemporary “secrets.” The key word is always “secret” or “secrets” because don’t we all love secrets? 

I am sure that these “secrets” are known to a lot of people but they aren’t known to me. I just found out how the Taj Mahal was built and why it might be sinking. Yikes! Also, why it was built, rather for whose burial. And who else ultimately was buried there. These were all secrets to me.

So, this article might contain “secrets” you know about roulette or “secrets” that are new to you. I hope at least some of them are indeed new for you. 

The Meaning of the Game

Roulette means “little wheel” and the game was often credited to Blaise Pascal, the great mathematician. It seems to be a borrowing of some type from the Italian game of Biribi which was a board game. I don’t exactly know how that was done but I can tell you this: California Roulette does not allow a ball or a spinning wheel as a part of their roulette game. It uses cards. 

The American game of roulette is believed to have started in the wild, wild West (guns blazing, players and the house cheating, a wild, wild time was had by all) but the European game started in the salons of the wealthy and the aristocrats. 

James Bond’s favorite game was roulette, which he often played in Monte Carlo. He’d introduce himself this way: “Bond, James Bond.” His favorite number was 17 and it is believed that 17 is the most selected number in the game. The truth of this you will discover later in this article.

[Please note: As a high school kid I loved the Bond books and the Bond movies. I would swagger and introduce myself as “Scoblete, Frank Scoblete.” I didn’t impress a single girl by doing that so I ultimately dropped it from my pick-up-line repertoire. The stuff I substituted didn’t work either.]

Russian Roulette is not a game you want to play. It first appears in the short story "The Fatalist" in 1840, which was in “A Hero of Our Time” by Mikhail Lermontov. Sad to say there are actually people who play the game in today’s world. Maybe these folks think other people will respect them for being so daring. What do you think?

Teaming Up with the Casino

The casino is your partner in roulette.  How can that be? It’s simple really. Instead of paying you the true value of a winning bet, the casino taxes you a percentage of your win for themselves. With 38 possible pockets for the ball to fall into, the odds of a hit are 37 to one. You win one, you lose 37.

But for the casinos to make a profit, they can’t do that. If they paid 37 to one, they would go out of business because they would just be breaking even. Therefore, they pay back 35 to one, which means they are keeping two units for themselves. Thus, that makes them the winning player’s partner. The casino uses this technique in other games as well, most notably craps.

To be precise: The American game of roulette has two green pockets (0, 00) and 36 numbers. It is often referred to as the “double-zero game.”

The European game has only one green pocket (0) and is often referred to as the single-zero game.

Here is the kicker: The American game was developed in Europe and the European game was developed in America. It’s a strange, strange world. Well, not as strange as someone who enjoys playing Russian Roulette.

A Global Game

The 19th century saw roulette span the globe. It seems that players just loved the “little wheel” and couldn’t get enough of it. Today roulette is played all over the world except in countries dominated by religions that believe gambling is a dastardly sin. 

Some religions actually have casino nights or Las Vegas nights as fundraisers. The games offered are usually a far cry from the casino versions of those games. For example, in roulette they offer games that have three green zeros (0, 00, 000). These are awful games but I guess to support one’s religion that is okay.

Roulette is found on the Internet too. Players are often given the choice of playing the double-zero wheel or a single-zero wheel. What is the difference between them? The difference is BIG.

The single-zero wheel has a house edge of 2.7 percent. The double-zero wheel has a house edge of 5.26 percent. Let’s translate that into money. You lose $2.70 for every $100 you wager on the single-zero wheel. You lose $5.26 for every $100 you wager on the double-zero wheel. 

So, should you play the single-zero wheel if you get the chance? Yes … and no. If everything is the same in terms of betting levels, then yes. However, if you need to bet more to play single-zero, then you must see if your possible losses will be greater at that wheel than on the double-zero wheel.

Sometimes we have to do the math. Sometimes a better game is not always a better game if you have to increase how much you wager.

Devil Wheel

Uh-oh. Is the devil involved in roulette? Some alarmists think so. If you add up the actual numbers of 1 through 36 it comes to 666 which is the Biblical number of the beast. Do the churches that offer Vegas nights know this? If they do, why do they continue to offer the game? Does that scare you? I think this would make a good movie.

If you are looking for a biased wheel, meaning a wheel that is off and landing the same number or numbers out of all proportion to their probability, then settle down. In the good old days, the wheels were handcrafted and some of the pockets were deeper than others, allowing the ball to be captured more easily. This could cause a biased wheel to exist.

Are there biased wheels today? I doubt it. Today’s wheels are finely tuned. The pockets are shallow and the wheels are constantly being checked. Although many players hope for these wheels to exist and hope to find these wheels to take advantage of them, the probability is close to zero. Sorry.

[Please note: My wife the Beautiful AP and I actually did play a biased wheel in the early 1990’s in Las Vegas. It was totally by accident that we discovered it but it wasn’t by accident that we played it starting at $5 on each of three numbers and going up and up until the pit boss closed the table. The table was almost full and no one was betting the three biased numbers but us! That was a “wow!” moment in our gambling careers. It seems nobody noticed how often one of these three numbers came up. That’s the only time we ever experienced this.]

Cutting the House Edge

Can you reduce the house edge at all? The answer would usually be “no” for most casino games but there are two possible options available at some casinos; one at double-zero games and one at single-zero games. These options are absolutely terrific.

On the double-zero games the option is called surrender. On the even-money bets of red/black, odd/even or high/low, if the result is either 0 or 00, the casino will only take half your bet. That reduces the house edge in half to 2.63 percent. Not too bad.

On the single-zero wheel if those even-money wagers land, only one-half of the bet is taken by their option called en prison. The casino just let’s that bet ride for the next spin. That also reduces the house edge in half to 1.35 percent. Amazingly good for a casino wager!  One of the best in all of the casino.

Beating the game for life? Has that been done by anyone? Yes, maybe. That is certainly the dream of many roulette players, isn’t it?

There could be players who win on their first game, or their first bet, and quit forever. They will never play again. Would that count? I doubt it. I think we all think that the amount won should be somewhat substantial. Not a $10 even-money wager. But there is one big winner in the next paragraph who won big on one bet and retired!

Charles Wells won 2 million Francs in 1881 in Monte Carlo. Dr. Richard Jarecki won $1.25 million in various casinos. Chris Boyd won $440,000 in 1994 in Las Vegas. Ashley Revell won $270,000 in 2004 in Las Vegas on one bet and then he retired. Sir Philip Green won $2 million in 2004 in London. Pedro Bartelle won $3.5 million in 2017 in Rio de Janeiro. There have been a few others as well.

Going Streaking

Streaks happen in roulette as they happen in all casino games. The longest streak of one color was 32 reds coming up in a row. I can’t prove this happened but it makes for a good story nevertheless. Poor black, it only came up 17 times. True or false? I don’t really know for sure. I’d hate to be playing the Martingale if I was at the table when either of those two streaks occurred.

The zeroes were often colored blue at roulette and in some casinos they still might be. Why were most changed to green? Green seems to be a more pleasant color to designers who work for the casinos. If you look around your favorite casino you might very well see the hand and the artistry of the designers. They work in color while the bosses of the casinos work in math and money.

Those roulette zeroes used to be called “casino numbers” as some early games had the zeroes automatically beat all the other numbers. These zeroes were not numbers on which the players could bet. As time passed casinos allowed every number to be bet by reducing the payouts on winning wagers. Yes, that is why they are now the partners of the winners.

In 1963 James Bond, meaning the actor Sean Connery, actually won a load of money by betting on the number 17 and winning. Perhaps this is what started the number 17 craze that seems to still be with us today. He bet the number 17 three times in a row before it hit. This is a little-known fact and probably created the greatest roulette streak of all time – players betting 17. 

What is the most annoying thing to happen at a roulette table according to roulette players? Someone winning a lot of money? No. Someone not talking the proper language of the game? No. Someone moaning because they lost some money? No. It is this: Someone knocking over your chips when they are making their bets. This can enrage other players. Hey, it annoys me and I am very mellow when I gamble.

Roulette is tied for second place with craps as the players’ favorite casino table game. Can you guess the number one game? Yes, of course, it’s blackjack. That came about in the early 1960s with the publication of the book “Beat the Casino” by Ed Thorp. Players thought they could beat blackjack and they therefore played it. (Actually, some few could actually beat the game.)

How loyal are the players who follow roulette? When you go to a roulette table you often have new players but you more often have players who have played the game for years and perhaps decades. 

In many ways roulette seems to be the quintessential casino game. It is colorful. It offers many different bets. The payouts on some bets are large. The payouts on other bets make the game’s pattern a close contest between players and casinos. Yes, the house edge remains the same but the pattern of wins and losses changes with how the players choose to make their bets.

Oh, and don’t tell these secrets to anyone else. They are between us.

All the best in and out of the casinos!
 

I am not the be-all and end-all of roulette strategies. Many roulette players have developed their own strategies that they enjoy playing and at times these players swear by them. 

As my readers know, I am a conservative player, looking first to protect my money while simultaneously having a good time when I play casino games. I enjoy going to the casinos – a lot – and I have gone over 130 days some years. Writing and playing? Not a bad life.

Some players aren’t interested in approaching the games as I do, or spending as much time in the temples of Dame Fortune as I desire, but when they do play they might prefer to let it all hang out. Frenzy can sometimes be a part of the thrill, I understand that. I just don’t share that.

So, I have marshalled some of the methods of play and also theories of roulette that players have and I think you might find these as interesting. I did.

Full Speed Ahead

William: “I need constant action. That means I want some good hits and some good streaks. I don’t want to plod along with one inside bet or two. You can wait forever to get into the action. It can be one losing decision after another playing that way. If I went every day to the casinos then long losing streaks wouldn’t kill me if I could come out of it with some big hits. That doesn’t always happen, does it?

“My first way of betting after I learned the game was to bet half the inside numbers at one shot. That’s nineteen numbers giving me a fifty-fifty chance to win on every spin. [William plays the American double-zero wheel.] If I got a hit, which I did many times, I’d be paid thirty-five to one. I would make $350, say, if I were betting ten dollars (I actually bet more!) but I would lose $180 on all the numbers I bet that didn’t come in. I am ahead $170!

“You get a couple of those and you are in. You could be substantially ahead with just a small streak. I like that because then I am totally in the game. 

“Now if the same number hits twice, I will parlay the bet to see if I can take advantage of that. I’ll give that number maybe 10 spins of the wheel to see if it hits again. If it does hit again I might parlay the bet a second time. 

“The question is this: If another number doubles up do I parley that number too? Yes, I do.

“If I find that one color is dominating the scoreboard, I will bet a small bet on the red or black. That’s to take advantage of the colors of roulette. Whoever came up with the colors was a genius.”

[Please note: Speaking of colors, read this next one!]

Gender Dynamics

Cheryl: “I am a woman who enjoys being a woman and I always look for the dichotomy of male and female in all things where it could show itself. Did you ever think of why roulette has red and black as the colors? We can dismiss the green as those two were put in – I think – to confuse the players or get more of an edge over the players. I am not sure of those.

“Black is the color of men. It is a strong color and a dominating one. It is not a happy color either. Black is always the color of villainy. The dead of night. That kind of thing.

“Red is the color of women – a monthly flow and a color of interest and warmth. The male color is looking to control things and the female color has more sympathy to it from what I see. It is a more universal color.

“I enjoy betting red at all times. I will bet red on the even-money bets and if I choose inside numbers, they must be red as well. I will never put any chips on black or on inside black numbers. When it comes to roulette, I have a choice and this is how I make my choice. I prefer to bet the female side of things.

“If you ask me how I am doing betting my way, I can tell you honestly that I am behind in my play but I have been playing over 10 years. I enjoy the game and I enjoy how I bet at the game. And, for your information, I use red chips too!”

Covering All the Bases

Henry: “Roulette is really two games in one as I see it. You have all those inside numbers with a big payout on the hit of a number. If a player just bets one number and hits that number then that is a big win. I mean thirty-five to one is as large as some slot machine lines. Maybe not like a big jackpot but at least a substantial win. 

“Or you can go with those bets around the layout. Some pay even-money, some two-to-one and like that. I like to bet both areas of the game. I feel I am really into the game if I play that way. 

“I will put a small bet, table minimum or thereabouts, directly on a number and I will also place a much larger bet on one of the proposition bets on the outside of the layout.

“I am covering all bases as you can see. I prefer the two-to-one payouts and I will use a double-up after a loss three times but that is all. I once played that way for the entire string and lost my shirt. Three times double-up after a loss I will do but that is it. You have to be very careful using that type of betting system.

“What if I hit a big one on the inside? I will spread some of that win on other inside numbers, maybe four, all near the hit on the wheel itself. I am always conscious that some wheels may be biased even if I have never seen a biased wheel in my fifteen years of playing the game. But who knows?

“I am open to suggestions about how to play the game from other players. I am not stubborn but I do like how I play. It engages me.”

Good Vibrations

Dinah: “I used to do a magic act with a friend Denise. We were Denise and Dinah, ladies of fortune. That’s when we were in high school. We had a whole act worked out too. 

“I do believe I have some psychic powers. Not a lot but enough to see things sometimes in the future. I have had enough times of having a sense of things to come that I truly believe I have some kind of insight about the future.

“I try to pick the wheel I am going to play by sending out mental feelers. I play midweek so there are usually open spots at all the tables. I walk through the areas with tables and send out vibrations. It might take me two or three times to pick out where I will play. There have actually been times when no thoughts entered my head and I didn’t just sit down and play. I waited to get the future feelings. After a while I do and then I play the game.

“Once I have picked my lucky wheel. I then send out my mind to discover which bets I should make. I like to make several bets. These bets come to me slowly. At first, I might just put a little bet to get warmed up. But slowly I get into my rhythm of play.

“My betting is not limited to any one kind of bet. I can bet straight up on a number, or numbers, or I can do some of the proposition bets as well. I will play these bets for the whole session. My aim is to allow my psychic feelings to dominate the game for me. No thinking; just feelings.

“How long do I play for? I don’t know. Sometimes it can be short because my feelings are not playing out the way they should. Sometimes it can be a long session because I am hitting enough to make some inroads in the game. It can also be everything in between. 

“If I am having a good session, I will increase my bets to try to take advantage of the good things that are happening. I have no trouble betting-it-up as they say. I am not afraid of going-for-the-gusto as they say. That is part of the enjoyment; trying to take the casino down.

“All right, all right. Am I ahead of the game? No, I am not. There, that is the truth of the matter. I think that is more because my psychic abilities are not that well-honed. Maybe if I kept doing the stuff with Denise, I might have gotten stronger in the psychic department. I’ll never know for sure.

“Maybe when I retire from my job, I can work out the psychic stuff better than it is now. That is my hope. I know that once I start winning consistently at roulette, I will know that my psychic self is in full swing.”

 

 

Playing it Straight(Up)

Carlton: “Don’t talk to me about roulette. It is the favorite activity I have other than being with my girl. In fact, I like to bring my girl to the casino with me but she prefers staying at home watching movies and reality shows. Go figure that one. She doesn’t have that adventurous feeling as I do. I think of myself as a lion, stalking my prey and pouncing. Roulette is my prey. The casino is my jungle.

“I am a straight-up bettor at the game. Six to eight numbers at once. I have a good shot of hitting one of those and if I can get a few hits in a row then it usually turns out to be a good session. 

“I do not like to lose. I guess no casino gambler likes to lose. But I really hate it. Why should I lose? What have I done wrong in my life that I should lose a simple game like roulette? 

“I take the idea of reward and punishment seriously. If I win that means I have been doing the right things. If I lose then I have not been doing the right things. I think human life is based that way. Good is rewarded; bad is punished. I was brought up with that idea and I think it is true.

“I do sometimes go all out by increasing my bets to get back money I have lost. I think that is probably not a good thing to do but I do it sometimes. Should I be ashamed to admit that? Is that a wrong thing to do? Could that be causing me to lose overall?

“I really don’t have definite answers to the big things in life. How many people actually do? Not many I would say. But I just can’t sit in my apartment watching reality shows. I am in a reality show and that show is my life, isn’t it?

“I don’t live too far from the casinos so I can go once a week if I want. If I am having a hot streak over several visits, I will increase how often I go. If things slow down, I go back down to a couple of times a month. I do not want to just throw away my money.

“I am not a big socializer. I am not into going to movies or shows or any of that. Fancy dinners? Nah. Maybe MMA or boxing, mostly on television for those.

“I find that playing roulette is my thing and why shouldn’t I do my thing?”

*****

Okay, my readers, there were some roulette players giving their opinions about the game.

All the best in and out of the casinos!
 

Introduction

Free Bet Blackjack is a variation of the traditional game of blackjack. The “twist” in this game is this: the casino will pay the player to split and double down in certain hands. 

Table of Contents

1.0 Basic Playing Rules

The game is offered in many land-based and online casinos. Most casinos use six decks although it is available in single-, double-, and eight-deck games. Rules can vary (more shortly) but the most popular version is a six-deck game with these rules:

2.0 So What Is Free?

3.0 Free Doubles

When you are dealt a hard  9, 10, or 11 and you want to double down, you indicate this to the dealer. Instead of your making the additional wager for the double down, the dealer will place a plastic, free bet lamer as your secondary wager. (Essentially, the casino makes the bet for you.) If you win the hand, your original wager will win even money and she will take the lammer and replace it with a real casino chip that is equal in value to the original wager.

Here’s an example of how this works.

Suppose you wager $10 and are dealt a hard 11. You want to double down so you indicate this to the dealer. She will place a lammer next to your original $10 wager. 

4.0 Free Splits

In addition to the Free Doubles, there are also Free Splits where the casino will pay for the secondary bet on splits, meaning the dealer will place a Free Bet lammer on the second hand of a split.

Here’s an example.

Suppose you wager $10 and are dealt a pair of 8s. You indicate to the dealer that you want to split. She will separate your pair of 8s into two hands, each starting with a count of 8. Your original $10 wager stays with your first split hand, and the dealer will place the free bet lammer on the second hand. You must play each hand one at a time. 

Several scenarios could occur.

• If either of the two split hands receives a card of the same rank, you have the option to split again, and the dealer will place a free bet lammer on the third hand. (You can split up to a total of four hands, including aces. Three of them will have a free bet lammer and only one hand will be at risk with “real” money.)
• You can also double down after splitting. Each double can also have a free bet lamer. 
• With pair splitting up to four hands and doubling, it’s possible to have eight hands, seven with free bets, and only one at risk.
• For winning hands, each free bet lammer is replaced with a real casino chip equal to the original wager.
• On hands resulting in a push or loss, the dealer will take back the free bet lammer.

Free Splits are available on all pairs except ten-value cards. In addition, if your split results in a soft hand and you want to double, you can’t ask for a free double (but you can double down with real casino chips).

 

 

5.0 The Effect of Free Double and Splits

If just free doubles and free splits were allowed in a traditional six-deck blackjack game, according to Geoff Hall,  the inventor of Free Bet Blackjack, the player would have about a 6% advantage. Since the casinos could not offer a game with this much advantage to the player, there is an important “catch” to Free Bet Blackjack (see next section).

6.0 The Catch

To compensate for the Free Doubles and Splits, there is a “Push 22” rule, which is this:

• A dealer’s “bust” hand of 22 will push (or tie) all unbusted player’s hands rather than paying them. (Except an untied player’s blackjack, which is paid at 3 to 2.)

7.0 Playing Strategy

The most important playing strategy for Free Bet Blackjack is this:

• Always accept all free splits and doubles even if it seems counterintuitive (like doubling 9 against a dealer’s ace).

You must know the basic playing strategy for this game since a dealer bust of 22 reverting to a push reduces how often you will double down on soft hands and you’ll be more aggressive in your hitting, doubling, and pair splitting strategy than you normally would be in a traditional game. Moreover, when you play this game, some of the time you will use be using the traditional basic playing strategy (for example, doubling on soft hands), while on other hands with free bets and splits you will be using the Free Bet playing strategy.

There is a published basic playing strategy for Free Bet Blackjack. If you want to play this game, I strongly encourage you to study and use this strategy. You will find it on wizardofodds.com.

8.0 House Edge

The house edge is dependent on the playing rules. For the standard six-deck game with the rules above, the house edge against a basic strategy player is 1.04%. If late surrender is allowed, the house edge decreases by 0.21% to 0.83%. If the dealer must also stand on soft 17, the house edge decreases by another 0.31% to 0.52%.

9.0 Card Counting

10.0 Summary

• Free bets on doubling hard 9, 10, and 11, where the casino makes the secondary bet for the player.
• Free bets on splits (except on 10s and picture cards), where the casino makes the secondary split bet for the player.
• To compensate for the above, when a dealer gets exactly a 22, it pushes all player hands (except a player’s blackjack).
• The basic playing strategy is different for hands with free doubles or splits vs. hands that have money at risk.
• By playing a six-deck game with the best playing rules, it’s possible to reduce the house edge to as low as 0.52%, about the same house edge as many traditional six-deck games.
• With a mix of favorable playing rules, it’s possible to gain an edge by card counting.

Introduction

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 the edge. 

It is also one of the very few electronic casino games where the player has an impact on the results. However, in order to achieve the low house edge (or player edge) the video poker player must use the proper playing strategy. Strategy charts can help a player play perfectly.

Table of Contents

1. What is Video Poker Playing Strategy?

Simply put, video poker playing strategy is a set of rules determining which cards to hold and which to discard from the originally dealt hand to maximize the return.

2. How the Optimal Video Poker Strategy is Determined

Determining video poker playing strategy is a complex process. It is very difficult to do without the aid of computers.

In order to determine the optimal video poker playing strategy:

• Each possible initial hand is examined. There are 2,598,960 possible initially dealt hands.
• Each possible hold for that hand is determined. There are 32 possible holds.
  • No cards – 1 possible hold
  • One card – 5 possible holds
  • Two cards – 10 possible holds
  • Three cards – 10 possible holds
  • Four cards – 5 possible holds
  • All five cards – 1 possible hold 

3. Video Poker 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 hold having the highest return.

A chart is a printed summary of all the information gathered by the computer program. It can be used by the player to help determine the hold that produces the maximum average return.

Strategy charts can be found in books, online, and in computer- and smartphone-based video poker apps. Strategy charts are sometimes sold in casino gift shops.

4. Using Strategy Charts

Using a video poker strategy chart is straightforward. Here’s how they work.

5. Is Using a Strategy Chart Illegal?

If you’re playing video poker online, you could play perfectly without using a strategy chart. However, to do so would require a video poker strategy app on your computer or smartphone.

Here is how it could work.

• From the online video poker site, deal a hand.
• Switch to the video poker strategy app and enter the hand that was dealt.
• Have the app calculate the best hold.
• Return to the online video poker site.
• Hold the cards specified by the video poker strategy app.
• Move on to the next hand.

Obviously, this would dramatically slow the playing speed, but it would produce the highest possible return.

After a while many of the proper holds for certain hands (royal flush, straight flush queen high or lower, etc.) become obvious. The app would only need to be referenced for the less obvious hands. To be absolutely certain, however, the app should be referenced for each hand played.

Playing in a casino is quite a different matter. Devices that are used as an aid in playing casino games are highly illegal in almost all gaming jurisdictions. Making use of such a device while playing in a casino could very likely mean arrest and possibly jail time.

In virtually all gaming jurisdictions, a strategy chart is not considered a “device.” That classification is reserved for mechanical (before the advent of electronics) or electronic devices such as computers or smartphones.

There is a difference between using a device and using a strategy chart. 

Casinos consider the “use of a device” when the player inputs the hand that was dealt into a device. The device also determines the proper play and a player holds the cards specified by the device.

However, when using a strategy chart a player looks at the cards that are dealt and simply scans the strategy chart looking for the line that defines the dealt hand.

Do you see the difference? A player has to use his or her skills to find the proper line on the strategy chart. The chart does not automatically give you the proper hold and players can, and will, make mistakes while a device does not.

It’s not illegal for a player to use his or her skills in casino play. For example, card counters playing blackjack are despised by casino management. It is not illegal, however.

Casino management can eject them and ban them from ever re-entering their casino. They cannot have them arrested simply for counting cards, however.

Taking the blackjack example a bit further, most casino gift shops actually sell blackjack strategy cards. They allow players to openly use them while playing blackjack.

The reason this is allowed is because even though the players are using a card to keep the casino edge lower, the casino still gets their share. Card counters can get an edge over the casino, strategy card users do not.

The same thing is true for video poker strategy charts. The player can get no more than the machine’s programming allows. The pay table determines the house edge.

Some casino gift shops even sell video poker strategy charts for certain games. Would they do that if using them was illegal? For more on the legality of video poker strategy charts, go here:
Strategy Chart: Video Poker Cheat Sheets are Legal (888casino.com)

6. Why You Should Avoid Using a Strategy Chart

If it's not illegal to use a strategy chart, is there any reason to avoid using one? That is a rather rhetorical question. Of course, there are reasons. No, they are not illegal.

Yes, most casinos allow blackjack players to use strategy cards while playing blackjack. Yes, some casinos sell video poker strategy charts for some video poker games. All these statements are true. 

Like all businesses, casinos are in business to make money. In fact, if they did not make money, there would be no casinos.

Casinos may like an occasional big winner so they can sell the public that their casino is a great place to win. They have little patience, however, for a consistent winner.

We all know that casinos monitor the casino floor at all times. The famous quote by Sam “Ace” Rothstein from the movie Casino is true.

“In Vegas, everybody's gotta watch everybody else. Since the players are looking to beat the casino, the dealers are watching the players. The box men are watching the dealers. The floor men are watching the box men. The pit bosses are watching the floor men. The shift bosses are watching the pit bosses. The casino manager is watching the shift bosses. I'm watching the casino manager. And the eye-in-the-sky is watching us all.”

Casinos watch blackjack players for signs that they are counting cards. Out of the ordinary acts like drastically changing bet sizes or playing the same hand differently at different times, are strong indications the player is a card counter.

There are no inherent indications of a skilled video poker player. More specifically, there are no indications if the player does not use a strategy chart.

Casinos that have programmed the video poker pay tables to produce a house edge of around two percent or higher, probably don’t care that much about skilled players. The house edge is similar to other casino games where the player has no control over the game.

7. Summary

• Video poker strategy charts allow the player to determine the hold cards that will maximize the return on their play. 
• Developing a strategy chart is a very complex process that requires the use of a computer.
• To use a strategy chart: 
  • Compare the dealt hand on the game to the lines on the chart starting from the top.
  • When you come to the line the contains the cards in the dealt hand, hold those specified cards
  • If the dealt hand is not described in the chart, discard the entire hand.
• Using a strategy chart is not illegal because it is not a mechanical or electronic device.
• Even though strategy charts are legal, it is a good idea to forego using them in a casino.

The use of video poker strategy charts in a casino is a controversial topic. It is best to memorize the chart and practice playing at home. Practice until your play is perfect – or nearly so. 

By following the advice given here, you will make the most of your casino video poker play. Isn’t that what you really want?

Updated on March 18, 2025

What Are Blackjack Side Bets?

Blackjack side bets are additional wagers you can make while playing traditional blackjack in a land-based or online casino. These optional bets typically require a small stake and generally offer payoffs exceeding customary even-money blackjack payouts. Unlike the main game, where blackjack strategy plays a crucial role, most side bets don't involve skill, one of the reasons for their growing popularity.

The most player-friendly blackjack side bet options have a relatively modest house edge (less than 5%). While new side bets are constantly being developed to attract players, only the best make it to the casino floor. This article explains the three most advantageous side bets blackjack players should consider.

Blackjack Side Bets Explained: How to Place Them

Many blackjack players enjoy side bets blackjack options for three main reasons:

1. The cost to make a side bet is low (usually just $1)
2. There's no skill involved
3. The payouts exceed standard even-money blackjack returns

There is usually signage on a blackjack layout or on a placard that sits on the blackjack table, which specifies what side bet is being offered. You don’t have to make a side bet. It’s an optional bet in addition to the bet that you would make on your hand in the main game.

To place a blackjack side bet, simply position your chips in the designated betting spot on the layout after making your main wager. Most casinos require players to bet on their hand in the main game before placing any side bet. Betting limits for side bets are typically posted on the table. If not, just ask the dealer.

While side bets blackjack options generally have a higher house edge than the main game (which can be less than 1% with proper strategy), if you want to try your luck at a larger payout, I recommend you wager on the side bets that have the lowest house edge.

What follows is a list of the best side bets, specifically the ones with the lowest house edge.

Top 3 Blackjack Side Bets Worth Considering

1. 21+3: Combining Blackjack and Poker

This popular blackjack side bet combines elements of blackjack and three-card poker. It involves the player’s initial two cards and the dealer’s upcard, which combined, make a three-card poker hand. 

In the original version, if the three cards form a flush, straight, three of a kind, or straight flush, the player wins with a 9-1 payout, yielding a modest 3.24% house edge in a six-deck game (2.74% with eight decks).

Modern versions of this blackjack side bet offer varied pay tables, such as:

(Note: Unlike a five-card poker hand, a straight pays more than a flush in three-card poker.)

With the above pay table in a six-deck game, the house edge is 4.14% (If fewer decks are used, the house edge increases to 7.76% for three-deck game. If the game uses eight decks, the house edge is only 3.18%).

For players familiar with lay bets craps options who want to try something different, the 21+3 blackjack side bet offers an exciting alternative with reasonable odds.

(Note: I would also recommend the article written by Eliot Jacobson on counting systems for 21+3 that target flushes.)

2. Perfect Pairs: Matching Your Initial Cards

The Perfect Pairs blackjack side bet focuses solely on your initial two cards and wins if they form a pair. The bet automatically loses if your first two cards don't match in rank.

There are three pair types with different payouts:

1. Mixed Pair – Two cards of the same rank but different colours. For example, Queen of clubs and Queen of diamonds.
2. Coloured Pair – Two cards of the same rank and colour. For example, Queen of hearts and Queen of diamonds.
3. Perfect Pair – Two identical cards, such as two Queens of spades.

The payouts vary from one casino to another, but common structures for an eigh-deck game include:

As shown, the house edge varies from 2.17% to 4.09%, making this one of the more favourable side bets blackjack players can choose.

3. Royal Match: Suited Cards With Royal Potential

This blackjack side bet is based on the player’s initial two cards’ being suited. Different casinos offer various payout schedules depending on the number of decks used.

The two most common Royal Match structures found in casinos are:

Another version uses six decks of cards with a 25 to 1 payout for Royal Match, 5 to 1 for Suited Blackjack, and 5 to 2 for all other matches. This variation has a respectable house edge of 3.70%.

Note: There is a card-counting system for the Royal Match in these two books: Beyond Counting by James Grosjean, and The Big Book of Blackjack by Arnold Snyder.

Is Any Blackjack Side Bet Worth It?

The three blackjack side bets highlighted above represent the best options due to their lower house edge compared to other side bet alternatives. While the main blackjack game remains superior in terms of expected return, these side bets offer entertainment value and the potential for larger payouts.

For advanced players, it's worth noting that published counting systems exist for some higher house edge side bets (specifically Over/Under 13, Super Sevens, and Lucky Ladies) that could significantly reduce the house advantage or even give players an edge under the right conditions.

Whether you're playing in an online casino or at a physical table, understanding these blackjack side bet options can enhance your overall gaming experience while keeping the house edge at a reasonable level.

Originally published on October 19, 2021