Separating sound
strategies from sham systems
5 October 2007
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark: All over the Internet you find offers
of betting systems to beat the casino. You have
claimed before that none of these systems are
worth the paper they're printed on, and yet, you
have also stated that with correct play, certain
casino games are beatable. I'm confused? Charles
G.
I believe, Charles, that you are confusing bogus
betting systems that you come across on the
internet with the legitimate strategies I write
about, which give the player an edge against the
house. For instance, two games that are proven
beatable with good rules and proper strategy are
video poker and blackjack.
Yep, Charles, there's a whole slew of systems
flitting about in cyberspace to beat the house,
but if those systems were any good, casino
owners would do what it takes in a New York
minute so that no lamb could ever slaughter the
butcher. It's a gimme that owners of gambling
joints don't spend bazillions of dollars to
build mega-resorts so that some system player
can come in, beat the hell out of the place, and
get the keys to the front door.
Penned in this column are strategies like
perfect basic strategy in blackjack that give
the house a wee edge, or card counting which
mathematically is proven to give you, the
player, an advantage over the casino. Or my
other example, video poker, which can be beaten
by searching out the best paytables and then
following a proper strategy on which cards to
discard and which to hold.
Dear Mark: There was some discussion on an
online blackjack forum regarding a blackjack
rule that if both the dealer and the player have
a 17, the player loses. Have you ever heard of
such a rule in blackjack? Jacob A.
Heard of it, yes, seen it, no, and would I play
where this rule exists? -- never. On a blackjack
game where you lose instead of pushing on a 17,
you'd be giving the house an additional 1.87%.
Exit stage left laughing if you ever happen upon
it.
Dear Mark: On my last gambling excursion I was
up against a blackjack dealer that didn't bust
once the whole hour she dealt. The dealer who
replaced her busted just about every other hand.
I'm sure there was nothing funny going on, but I
am curious as to what percent of hands a dealer
actually busts on. Chip L.
Within your gambling timeline, Chip, of two
hours and no more than a couple hundred hands of
action, anything can and will happen. But based
on computer simulations of millions of rounds of
play, the dealer should bust 28.23% of the time.
Dear Mark: Who came up with the slogan for Las
Vegas; "What happens here, stays here?" Danielle
F.
Two twenty-something copywriters named Jeff
Candido and Jason Hoff at the advertising firm
of R&R Partners Inc. deserve all the credit for
coming up with the catchphrase "What happens
here, stays here." Many believe that this
tagline was probably the most instrumental boost
in revitalizing the Las Vegas economy after
9/11.
Dear Mark: What is the soundest advice that you
ever received on betting sports? Eddie P.
Parlay bets, especially those that involve more
than two teams, are for suckers, and never bet
on a team that you are emotionally attached to.
Admittedly, when it comes to betting on my Green
Bay Packers, I have a hard time following that
second bit of advice.
Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "To master poker
and make it profitable, you must first master
patience and discipline, as a lack of either is
a sure disaster regardless of all other talents,
or lucky streaks." -- Freddie Gasperia
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