Ask The Wizard #28

Yes, you can easily count cards when playing blackjack online. However, most casinos shuffle after every hand. For those that don't, software exists to tell you the exact correct play given any deck composition. However, such places generally have strict rules against card counters.

As long as you aren't playing at a multi-player table or live dealer, there is no time limit to play a hand.

The better system is to bet on the don't pass only and take full odds. Yes, betting on both does increase you chances of winning on any one bet. However you are suffering a higher combined house edge by betting on both the pass and don't pass and it will cost you in the long run.

The answer depends on how much you are willing to bet in each hand and how high you are willing to allow the probability of losing the entire bankroll. To answer this question properly would require quite a bit of work. There is no easy formula that I know of to get at the answer. Simulations would probably be required.

However, you shouldn't need much to roll through $7,500. If you bring $1,000 and make $25 bets you'll have 40 units to work with, and you'll have met the wagering requirement after 300 bets. The probability of ruin would be pretty low. If forced, I'd guess about 5 to 10%.

Show me a player making opposite, or near opposite, bets and I'll show you a player up to something. He is probably trying to take advantage of a promotion or comps. If I ran a casino, I would give credit only for money being risked. One could argue he is risking $10, because a 12 will cause the pass to win and the don't pass to push. However, that will happen 1 in 36 pass line bets only. If I ran a casino, I would give him an average bet of $0.

I doubt that Casino Niagara would have the "full pay" pay table that my Java game is based on. With little competition they can be stingy and people will still play. I'm afraid I don't have any strategies available for other pay tables. I suspect Casino Niagara offers 8/5 jacks or better, which pays 8 for a full house and 5 for a flush. Assuming perfect strategy, this has a return of 97.30%. Using perfect strategy for full pay video poker, as found on my site, on this game the return would be 97.29%. The two strategies are almost the same and you are only giving up 0.01% by using my strategy on an 8/5 machine. Also, I assume maximum coins bet because that is what the player should do. If you play less than maximum coins you will only get 250 per coin on a royal flush, causing a reduction in the rate of return of 1.36%.

You can correctly use the Cryptologic basic strategy to play at a GamblingSoftware.com casino.

You're right the chances of winning are 24/38, or about 63%. However you have to risk $200 to only win $100. If you want to increase your chances of winning even more then bet on any 35 numbers. The probability of winning will be 92%.

Thanks for the compliment. I take it you mean what is the probability of rolling a pair of dice 28 times without getting a 7. The probability of not rolling a 7 on any one roll is 5/6. The probability of not rolling a 7 in 28 rolls is (5/6)²⁸ = 0.006066, or about 1 in 165.

You should leave them on. It is best to have as much on the odds as possible. Turning the odds off is like temporarily removing the odds bet.

This is getting outside my area of expertise. When I was in college I went on almost free junket flights from Santa Barbara to Reno and had to be a minimum $5 player only. However, I rarely see advertisements for junkets any longer by airplane. I would suggest calling the casino host of a casino you like and prearranging a deal. However, I think you need to be a black chip player to get free hotel and airfare reimbursed.

One idea is to right click on one of my strategy charts, save the image, and then print it. Some casino gift shops sell basic strategy charts the size of a business card. However, these charts have at least one mistake about half the time.

The only thing I know about Lasseters is that they are from Australia, and based on a presentation they did at an industry convention earlier this year, they are serious about setting a good example in the business. When I choose which casinos to try I give a priority to ones that advertise on my site or that have bonus incentives for the new player. Lasseters doesn't meet either or these criteria.

I just commented on this in my last newsletter. Two weeks ago I was playing blackjack in Germany where they also do not take a hole card. In this event the player loses the total bet if the dealer gets a blackjack, including the additional money bet after doubling or splitting. Basic strategy changes are to hit 11 against a 10, hit two 8's against a 10 or ace, and hit two aces against an ace.

Most casinos in Las Vegas do, except those owned by Caesars Entertainment (formerly known as Harrah's). In Reno and Lake Tahoe they pay 2-1 on the 12, but 3-1 on the 2.

I figured this was a Microgaming casino based on the fees for a payment. This is news to me so I called three Microgaming casinos to ask about it. The River Belle said they pay any jackpot in its entirety up front. The Golden Palace did as you describe, paying $4000 per week. The English Harbour pays $5000 per week. You have a legitimate complaint about paying the service fee on every payment, as well as the show payment processing time. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to change it. As I have said before, there is almost no regulation of most online casinos so they can do whatever they want.