video blackjack
gambling article - learn how to play video blackjack
game
One type
of video blackjack game is housed in a machine that
looks like a slot machine. In fact blackjack is usually
just one of several games
that is available on these machines (usually includes
video keno, slots
and different video poker games). You just touch the
blackjack icon on
the video screen and the blackjack game will appear.
video blackjack gambling article
This video
blackjack game uses a random number generator to deal
the
cards (similar to video poker). Usually one deck of
cards is programmed
in the machine and each card has equal probability
of being selected on
the deal or draw. The casino fixes their advantage
on this game by the
mix of playing rules ( similar to the traditional
blackjack table game).
The worse the rules, the higher will be the casino's
edge over the
player. Usually the minimum bet requirement on video
blackjack games is
lower than the table game version. You can often find
video blackjack
machines that offer 25 cents minimum bets. Therefore
these games attract
players who either don't have the bankroll for the
table version or are
in a learning process and want to play for small stakes.
The major
problem you'll find with the rules on video blackjack
machines
is that player blackjacks are paid at even money rather
than 3 to 2 and
usually doubling is restricted to only 10 and 11.
However, sometimes
the rules are quite good as was the case recently
at a video blackjack
machine at Bellagio in Las Vegas, which was hit hard
by skilled players
before it was shut down. Here's what happened.
There
was a bank of machines that offered video blackjack
where at the
quarter denomination blackjacks paid at even money.
However, at a dollar
up to the $5 maximum blackjacks were paid at 3 to
2 (you could bet up to
20 credits per round or $100). The rules were single
deck, double down
only on 10 and 11, late surrender, a 6-card hand was
an automatic
winner, no double after pair splitting, dealer hits
soft 17, and no
resplit of pairs. Based on these rules a player had
about a 99.70%
expected return. More importantly when you use your
slot club card when
you play, you can rack up a lot of slot points quickly
and the cash back
was worth 0.33% times your action (giving the player
an overall return
slightly over 100%). Just as important the skilled
players knew that the
variance (or short-term risk) for the blackjack game
was a lot lower
then a typical jacks-or-better video poker game. So
the smart video
poker pros were able to put a ton of money through
the machine with
little risk while racking up quite a lot of points
on their player's
card. In fact many players were racking up $100 to
300K of action on
these machines, getting comped meals in classy restaurants,
plus picking
up $400 (or more) in cash back. Invariable they will
also get bounce
back cash in their mail-box courtesy of Bellagio because
of their heavy
play. It was a sweet deal but unfortunately it only
lasted a short time
before the folks at Bellagio pulled the plug on the
game (I happened to
be in Las Vegas when I found out about the game but
it had been
discontinued the day before).
Another
similar video blackjack game is called Blackjack Blitz.
This
game consists of 5 or 6 player stations arranged in
a horseshoe with the
"dealer" video screen in the middle facing
the players. The video dealer
deals cards to each player's screen. Players push
buttons to signal if
they want to stand, hit, double etc.
Last year
the Rio and Hard Rock casinos offered Blackjack Blitz
with
very favorable rules especially at the Rio. I was
able to take advantage
of the Rio game and rack up points on my slot card
before the folks at
Rio pulled the plug on the game. Over at Hard Rock
they simply kept the
game going but reprogrammed less player favorable
rules making the game
not worth playing.
The third
type of video blackjack is Digital 21. Several casinos
on
Indian reservations (most notable Harrah's Cherokee
casino in North
Carolina) offer this game. Digital 21 uses a live
dealer and instead of
plastic cards, electronic cards appear on a screen
imbedded in the
layout in front of each player. Except for the electronic
cards and
electronic shuffling the game plays like the traditional
game (e.g.,
players can make bets using casino chips and the dealer
will collect
losing bets and pay off winners).
No matter
which type of video blackjack game you come across
here are ome tips to remember:
Check
out the rules and make sure you are able to quickly
compute the casino's edge based on the mix of rules
that are offered.
If a video
machine only pays even money for a blackjack, don't
play.
Usually
machines that pay 3 to 2 on a blackjack will do so
only if you bet an even amount of money. If you bet
an odd amount you'll get short-changed on the payoff
so always bet in even increments when you
play video blackjack machines.
Always
use the appropriate basic playing strategy for the
rules. Even though you are playing a video blackjack
game the raditional basic playing strategy is effective
in reducing the casino's edge.
Always
use your player card to get points for your play.
In the case of Digital 21, make sure you get rated
when you play.
The majority
of video blackjack machines use one deck of cards
and shuffle after every round. However, if you come
across one that is programmed with multiple decks
of cards that are shuffled after 50% or so of the
cards have been used, then card counting can be an
effective strategy.
