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Ask The Wizard #14

What is the method for calculating the individual probabilities of achieving: (1) a queen high hand, (2) a king high hand, and (3) an ace high hand in three card poker?

Paul

I'll begin by calculating the likelihood of a king high hand and will quickly outline the formulas for the other two hands. The probability is determined by taking the total number of king high hands and dividing it by the overall number of possible hands. There are 11 ranks below the king. To form a king high hand, we must select two different ranks from these. The number of arrangements possible for this selection is combin (11,2) = 55. Out of these combinations, one is the king-queen-jack, which forms a straight, so we eliminate that from our count, leaving us with 54 valid options that do not create a straight. For each chosen rank, there are four different suits available, leading to 64 total suit combinations. However, four of these result in a flush, which leaves us with 60 combinations that aren't flushes. Therefore, the total number of king high combinations is calculated as 54 times 60, resulting in 3240. When considering the total ways to arrange 3 cards from a deck of 52, we find there are combin(52,3) = 22,100. Hence, the likelihood of forming a king high hand is 3,240 divided by 22,100, which equals approximately 0.1466063. The calculation for an ace high hand is: (combin(12,2)-2)*(43-4)/combin(52,3)=0.1737557. The reasoning behind the -2 instead of -1 accounts for both ace-2-3 and queen-king-ace straights.3The chance of achieving a queen high hand is determined by: (combin(10,2)-1)*(4', "Hello! I'm really enjoying your website! If I'm dealt a blackjack, and I see the dealer has an ace, I'm faced with the choice of taking even money or carrying on with the hand. Which option should I choose?

This is akin to evaluating the insurance decision in blackjack. By taking even money, the expected return is clearly 1.0 times the amount wagered. For simplicity, let’s operate under the assumption of an infinite card deck. The likelihood that the dealer has a blackjack is 4 out of 13, while the probability of them not having one is 9 out of 13. If the dealer does indeed get a blackjack, you push, meaning you neither win nor lose. If they don't get a blackjack, you win 1.5 times your bet. The expected value of opting out of insurance is calculated as (4/13)*0 + (9/13)*(1.5) = 13.5/13, which simplifies to about 1.0384615, exceeding 1.0. Therefore, opting out of insurance or even money and choosing to play your hand is the more advantageous option. In a real game with a limited number of decks, the odds are even more favorable because there’s one less ten in play (in your own hand), reducing the dealer's chances of hitting a blackjack.3-4)/combin(52,3)=0.119457.

"Thou shalt not hedge thy bets.\" -- Commandment #7 of Gambling

Ross from New York, New York

Hello, I'm currently researching Bingo and I’m curious about how to calculate the chances of winning at Bingo. I want to know the probabilities of achieving horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines, filling the entire card, and obtaining the four corners. I've seen your probability table and I'm interested in the specific formula you used.

Calculating the probability of achieving bingo (which typically means getting five consecutive marks) is quite complex, especially because of the existence of the free space in the card. I utilized a computer program to assist with this. However, calculating the four corners is more straightforward. The probability of marking the four corners on a card, given that x marks have been made, is given by

(20,x-4)/combin(24,x). To clarify, this means the number of ways to place 4 of the marks in the corners while positioning the remainder elsewhere on the card, divided by the total arrangements of all x marks on the card. To find the probability of getting the four corners within y calls, you must sum the probabilities for i=4 up through y of the likelihood of having x marks after those y calls along with the previous probability. The probability of having x marks after y calls is calculated by combin(24,x)*combin(51,y-x)/combin(75,y). Following this method should illuminate the math behind achieving a coverall.

Steph from Toronto, Canada

I've heard suggestions that if you have one come bet in a game of craps, you should collect the odds on the initial roll, but if you possess multiple, you ought to keep these odds in play. The reasoning is that with two or more, the chances of rolling one of those specific points improves over rolling a total of seven. However, with just one bet, the likelihood of winning is generally higher than losing. combin Players should consistently keep their odds active, irrespective of how many come bets they've placed. When weighing the available options, one must consider more than just the chances of winning. It's true that with a single come bet, the risk of losing that bet is higher than the chance of winning, but the potential reward is also notably larger than the possible loss. The main reason to maintain the odds is that this bet has a zero house edge. If you turn off the odds, you inadvertently increase the disadvantage of your game, making it more favorable to the house edge bets and thus raising your expected losses compared to your total wagers.

I’m not particularly fond of gambling. A glance at the odds reveals that my chances of losing are quite high, though the only exception would be if I were employing a sophisticated counting strategy. However, I do appreciate the lively atmosphere of casinos. So, I find myself asking, what's the best approach to minimize my losses while making the most of my time there?

SD from San Francisco, California

I remember reading about a strategy that involves placing two bets on the same roll in craps, which could help lower the house edge to its bare minimum. While I don't expect to bank a huge profit, I'm also not looking to take substantial losses. It might sound unexciting, but I prefer a steady, cautious approach. My plan is for my wife and I to sit separately at the table, effectively balancing each other out—in one case, one could win big, while the other may end up losing considerably. If we bring along enough funds, we could extend our gaming session for a few hours. I believe the bets I was referencing are Pass & Don't Pass.

Fred, wagering on opposing sides of the same bet isn't particularly enjoyable. If you and your wife are communicating, it could lead to awkwardness when betting against each other. Pretending you don't know each other would detract from the overall enjoyment of the experience. blackjack Your intent to reduce possible losses while still engaging in play is quite common. Personally, I would seek a venue with low minimum bets, allowing you to feel at ease while enjoying a low-risk game that also carries minimal house advantage. Games with lower volatility and plenty of tie situations include pai gow poker and pai gow tiles. Since you may find the learning curve of tiles a bit daunting, my suggestion would be to engage in a simpler game instead.

I was just curious, if you possess insights into everything, do you happen to know the exact date when my boyfriend and I began dating and when we broke up (specifically the last breakup)? Do you think there's a chance for us to reconcile?

Fred from Los Angeles, California

Accurate mathematical strategies and insights for various casino games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, and many additional games that are available to play can be found.

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Samantha from Hannond, USA

First starting dating on August 17.
Last break up on February 4.
You will break up four more times.