Ask The Wizard #177

I need to admit that my initial figure of 0.17% was incorrect. I found the mistake in my earlier assessment while I was updating the Microgaming regulations. I sincerely apologize to anyone who might have played based on the erroneous 0.17% statistic.

The house edge can vary based on specific rules, but it tends to be relatively high, primarily due to a standard rule where blackjack pays even money. I looked into the conditions at the Suncoast casino, which include: one deck, the dealer stands on a soft 17, blackjack pays even money, late surrender is permitted, players can only double down on 10 or 11, doubling down after a split is not allowed, splitting aces receives one card each, only one split is permitted, and a six-card Charlie rule is in effect, causing the dealer to stop after six cards. For this setup, the house edge stands at 2.39%.

If a certain event has a probability of p, then the average number of trials needed for it to occur for the first time is 1/p. On your first roll, you will eliminate one number. The likelihood of rolling one of the remaining five numbers on the next turn is 5/6. Thus, you can expect to make approximately 1/(5/6)=6/5=1.2 rolls to achieve that. Continuing this logic to the conclusion, the overall expected number of rolls comes out to (6/6)+(6/5)+(6/4)+(6/3)+(6/2)+(6/1) = 14.7.

The outcome of previous spins has no influence on the upcoming ones. The likelihood of rolling red 23 three times consecutively remains (1/38).³= 1 in 1 in 54,872.

Following the conventional playing strategy found in Las Vegas rules—where the player wins the ante with a straight or better—the house edge would increase from 2.04% to 3.51%. This can likely be mitigated with specific strategic changes concerning the rules. However, analyzing this game takes my computer around 71 days, so I hope you understand why I'll conclude my answer here.

It's crucial to keep in mind that the U.S. only represents half of the global market. Internationally, the gaming industry is likely to grow in legitimacy, particularly as the United Kingdom plays a more prominent role. Despite that, many publicly traded companies in the U.K. avoid accepting U.S. players to comply with American laws. Consequently, U.S. players may find themselves with a larger selection of less reputable operators to choose from ( Bodog with some exceptions, of course). In the short term, this means that American players will have less protection and be at higher risk of being swindled. In the long term, hopefully, we will ultimately realize that prohibition is ineffective and lift this misguided law, though such change will likely take several years.

From my perspective, this legislation does not outright ban online gambling. The bill aims to restrict Internet gaming by making it illegal for U.S. banks to directly finance casino accounts. However, this is redundant since they ceased credit card transactions years ago. This law addresses an issue that was not being acted upon anyway. Businesses located outside the U.S. are not required to comply with our laws when operating in their country. Some choose to abide by them, while others do not. If your preferred online casino still accepts American players, I would recommend being transparent about your location and continuing to use your previous payment methods. Personally, I find Neteller to be the most convenient option.

I hope you’re happy, I just added a new section Responding to queries like this covers scenarios from 1 to 25 dice. According to the five-dice table, the probability of achieving a total of 12 is 0.039223251028807.

Irrespective of the first outcome, the likelihood that the second spin matches it is (1/37)*(36/37). The chance that only the third spin aligns with it is (36/37)*(1/37). The probability that neither spin matches but the second and third spins coincide is (36/37)*(1/37). Lastly, the chance that both the second and third spins match is (1/37)*(1/37). Summing these probabilities yields 3*(1/37)*(36/37) + (1/37)*(1/37) = 7.962%.

I posed this inquiry to a casino manager known as 'Brain.' Here is his response.

Table minimums essentially represent the entry price for the games. These prices can fluctuate based on factors such as the clientele present, hotel occupancy rates, and individual player preferences. We typically employ a maximum limit of 10 times the minimum to safeguard against significant betting fluctuations and counteractions.

We receive feedback from guests who question why a blackjack table's minimum can't be lowered to $5. They often fail to realize that a single $10 player brings in more revenue than two $5 players combined. Likewise, one $25 player contributes more than three $10 players.

Most casinos keep track of occupancy by periodically counting players (e.g., every hour) and comparing it to the total number of available seats. This can be complex since there is an absolute maximum number of spots at a table and a subjective comfortable capacity, which denotes how many players can sit comfortably without crowding. Unless no other options exist, players generally prefer tables with open spots for a more relaxed experience.

Dependent on the overall capacity, we may adjust our table limits up or down during the evening.

My strategy is to place lower-limit tables near the entrance and high-traffic zones to create the impression that the casino is bustling. While I rarely increase a table's minimum once it’s active, I may choose to decrease it. If I do decide to lift a minimum, I always ensure that players already seated are 'grandfathered' in.

Brian didn't delve into the ratio between maximum and minimum bets, but a similar query had been addressed previously. At the time, I spoke with an executive at a major Las Vegas casino who mentioned they prefer to group their high-stakes players in designated high-limit areas.