Gambling Guide
Ask the Wizard #74
Michelle from Las Vegas, USA
This is a popular new gimmick here in Vegas. Many casinos here have prominent signs saying "Single Deck" blackjack. However on a much smaller sign it says "Blackjack pays 6 to 5." Aside from the 6-5 rule the house edge would be 0.05%. However the 6-5 on blackjacks costs the player an additional 1.39%, for a total house edge of 1.44%. This is by far the worst blackjack game in city and I urge you to avoid it.
Brian from Independence, USA
I think the reason for this is that they don’t want a minimum bet player hogging up two spaces. This will slow down the game and possibly prevent bigger bettors from playing. Not all land casinos have this rule, I think it is more prevalent in Atlantic City, where tables are more crowded, than Las Vegas. Whether online or a land casino there is no advantage to playing more than one hand.
Atle from Porsgrunn, Norway
Start by removing 2 pearls from the row with 3, leaving 1+4+5. Regardless of what your opponent does on your next turn leave him with any of the following: 1+1+1, 1+2+3, or 4+4. From any of these force the opponent to a situation of two piles of 2 or more each, or an odd number of piles of 1 each.
Tim from Chicago, Ilinois
No, the strategy does not change. The odds are strategy are the same whether the replacement cards are all dealt from the same deck or each hand from a different deck. However there would be less volatility in a game like Spin Poker where all replacement cards are dealt from the same deck.
Joseph from Shelton, Connecticut
I think about $800. I’m not a very big bettor. I once lost more than that chasing a 2 to 1 blackjack promotion at an Internet casino.
R.S. from Seattle, US
The good news in Washington State is that there is no 5% commission, as you said. The bad news is that the dealer is always the banker, thus the player always loses on copies. Overall the house edge in the Washington game is 1.44%.
Clint from Singapore
The house edge on the banker bet is 4.07%.
Clint from Singapore
It is a good sign if a casino has an independent auditor to review the log files for fairness and randomness. I used to provide such a service to online casinos myself.
Jeff from Las Vegas, US
The following are the possible outcomes of the pass/come bet and their associated probabilities:
- Player wins on come out roll: 22.22%
- Player loses on come out roll: 11.11%
- Player wins on a point: 27.07%
- Player loses on a point: 39.60%
So the player will win on a point about 1 in 3.7 rolls.
Oh, and the man behind me in the white coat wants to say that he loves your web site and is grateful for all the work you have put in to show the math. He says it saved him a lot of time and money. Keep up the good work.
Iggy
I’m happy to have helped the main in the white coat. My roulette advice is limited to games on earth, bribery is recommended on your planet.
