The actions behind action
18 May 2007
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark: You have used the term "action" a lot
in your column. Exactly what does that mean for
the typical blackjack player? Does it mean how
much I'm betting per hand, or per session, or
does it mean how much I need to bet to get my
room comped? Justin B.
I recollect describing "action" at least these
two different ways: as gamblese for the total
amount of all your wagers, regardless of whether
you win or lose, or, how the casino decides what
comps you deserve for a crack at your play.
As an example of "action" representing the total
amount of all your wagers-say you were to sit
down at a blackjack table with $200 and proceed
to play 100 hands an hour over three hours,
betting $10 on each hand. Got it? Now multiply
100 (hands) times 3 (hours) by $10, and it comes
out $3,000. This would be the amount of money
you "put in action," even though your actual
bankroll was just $200.
The latter description regarding "action" is how
most casinos base their complimentary polices,
i.e. the criteria a casino would use to assess
your rating and eligibility for comps.
The joints I worked in had a simple mathematical
formula to figure what your play was worth to
them. To get your goodies, they wanted you to
bet a decent chunk of change for a calculated
stretch of time, and then they'd base your RFB
merit (room, food and beverage) on what you were
probably going to lose. They considered your
average bet, how many hours you were possibly
going to play, the speed of the game, and the
casino advantage. These factors, in theory,
computed essentially your expected loss to the
house over that period of time.
Going back to our original example, Justin,
suppose again you are betting $10 a hand for
three hours, averaging 100 hands per hour, and
taking into account the house advantage of five
percent the casino holds over the average
blackjack player, the casino management could
predict that you should lose $150 ($10 X 3 hrs.
X 100 hands X .05 = $150) of the $3,000 wagered
("put in action").
Now that they theoretically see $150 of your
hard-earned money coming their way, it would
probably warrant a "good eats" extravaganza at
the buffet.
Dear Mark: I'm writing to let you know that
Atlantic City is changing their blackjack rules.
On the $10 or $15 tables, at least half of them
now hit a soft 17, and this rule change exists
in the same casino. Only the $25 and up tables
does the dealer stop on all 17's. Dave
Just so readers understand Dave's concern,
anytime the dealer hits a soft 17 (and that's
anywhere, not just Atlantic City), the house
gets an additional two-tenths of one percent
advantage over the player.
When the dealer gets that additional hit on a
soft 17, the dealer can improve his or her hand
with an Ace, 2, 3 or 4, or it remains the same
with a 10, Jack, Queen or King. Consequently,
eight of every 13 cards either improve the
dealer's hand, or keep it the same. Moreover, if
any of the other five cards is drawn, the dealer
still has some chance to escalate his hand-value
with yet another draw. A dealer whacking at a
soft 17 might not drill a hole through your
wallet, but I'd recommend playing on a game
where the dealer stands.
By the way, Dave, the same basic strategy
rationale dictates that the player should always
hit a soft 17, or double down against a dealer
who's showing a 3, 4, 5, or 6.
Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "If you are looking
to cheat the house or beat it legitimately,
forget about roulette. It's basically a sucker's
game."-Mario Puzo
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