Machines do matter
14 December 2007
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark: Per your advice, I'm learning
blackjack on a video machine at 25 cents a hand
versus live play at $5 a hand. I was wondering
if I am allowed to use a blackjack strategy card
in the casino while I play? Does it matter how
many coins I put in? Any other advice would be
appreciated. Paul G.
One of the primary reasons for blackjack's
immense popularity is that when played with
skill, it offers the best odds of all casino
games. Blackjack also offers two sweet little
bonuses. You are paid an extra half of your bet
on natural blackjacks—no skill or monetary risk
involved—and you get to put more money down on
favorable doubles and splits. As long as you
select the correct video blackjack machine,
these rules still apply even against a
cybernetic one-armed bandit.
As for using a blackjack strategy card, yep,
it's absolutely allowed, and a must for newbies
learning the game. As in the table game, the
idea behind using basic strategy is to reduce
the casino's advantage, and by using a blackjack
strategy card you can whittle the house edge
down to less than 1%.
So long as you play an even money amount (see
below why that's important), it doesn't matter
how many coins you insert. Like the video poker
machines, video blackjack machines use a random
number generator (RNG) software algorithm to
determine the game's outcome. The number of
coins played cannot influence the end result.
Never play a machine that offers even money for
a blackjack. Also remember: machines that do pay
3 to 2 typically do so only when an even amount
of money has been wagered. Don't short-change
yourself on the correct payoff by betting an odd
amount.
Just as you would in a live blackjack game, make
sure that you get rated for your play. Always
use your Player's Card when playing video
blackjack.
It is the splits, double downs, and blackjacks
that jiggle your blackjack play from the red
into the black. Do not shortchange yourself in
these situations. When your strategy card says
to double or split, do it.
Make sure to read the posted rules, so that you
can quickly determine the house edge on your
selected machine. For example, I used to play on
a machine that allowed early surrender with
liberal doubling down rules. Surprisingly, with
the use of perfect basic strategy, the house had
no advantage on my play on this particular
machine. Toss in the cash-back when I used my
Player's Card, and the owners were actually
paying me to sit in front of their machines.
Dear Mark: In video poker, am I correct in this
conclusion that if the paytables are essentially
the same for different denomination machines
(they are where I play), that it would be
smarter to play on a $1 machine rather than a
quarter one since the profit per hour would be
much higher? Robert A.
Right off the top of my head you overlooked two
things. Playing on a dollar machine and hitting
a royal will definitely get you a W2G (yuck,
taxes), plus, you are going to need a larger war
chest to play at a higher denomination. And
there's more, Robert, including the possible
assumption on your part of an assured "profit,"
which I'll tackle in a future column, so stay
tuned.
Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "Show me a person
who calls losing entertainment and I'll show you
either a liar, idiot or both." VP Pappy, Midwest
Casino Guide
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