Ask The Wizard #12

If you gamble for an extended period, the most likely outcome is that you'll end up losing all your funds. It's crucial not to take more money to the table than you're willing to lose in that gaming session.

Second, Caribbean Stud Poker Craps has a house edge of 5.22%, so if your goal is to prolong your gaming experience, you might want to steer clear of that option. In contrast, the most favorable table games are craps and blackjack when played strategically.

An important consideration is how many tickets are sold by other players. If there are multiple winners, the jackpot will need to be divided. Let’s define the total number of combinations as n, total tickets sold as t, the return rate for smaller prizes as r (for instance, in the Big Game, r=0.179612), and let j represent the jackpot. To determine break-even, the equation j*n/(n+t) + r*n - n = 0 must hold. This simplifies to j = (1-r)*(n+t).

The advice you received to surrender a pair of 8s was misguided, particularly if we consider American rules. surrender To explain why splitting 8s against a 10 is preferable, take a look at my analysis. blackjack appendix 9b This analysis provides expected returns based on various scenarios for different plays. The findings indicate that splitting 8s against a 10 in a double-deck game yields an expected return of -0.4706, assuming the option to double down after splitting is available. Essentially, you could anticipate losing 47.06% of your initial bet on average. This is preferable to the 50% loss you’d incur by surrendering. If doubling down after a split isn’t an option, the return rate worsens to -0.4801. Thus, splitting 8s against a 9 or ace results in an even poorer return.

You've already highlighted several benefits of playing blackjack online as compared to in-person casinos. Unless you’re counting cards, the fact that they shuffle after every round is actually beneficial. In brick-and-mortar establishments, they tend to play until a certain point in the deck before reshuffling. This can disadvantage players, as it often results in more smaller cards dealt when the shuffle point comes in a deck that contains a lot of small cards versus larger ones. To put it simply, in traditional casinos, players will generally see more small cards than large cards over an extended period, which can be detrimental. Moreover, a significant advantage of online play is that you are not expected to tip. The quicker games, one-on-one format, and broader betting ranges do not substantially benefit or harm casual players. I believe your improved success in online establishments can be attributed to a mix of luck, favorable rules, and the absence of tipping obligations.

Absolutely, in games with a negative expectation (which is the case for most), the longer you participate, the higher your chances are of losing. If you aim to enhance your odds of winning, even at the risk of a significant loss, the optimal approach is to increase your bets after a loss, attempting to recover earlier losses. Martingale This exemplifies a very aggressive version of that strategy.