Blackjack Odds

Blackjack originated in France in the early 17th century where it was known as twenty one (vingt et un in French) The game came over to the United States in the 18th century and was known by the name Blackjack. The reason it was called Blackjack is because in the original game the player would get a large pay out if they were dealt a Jack of Spades and an Ace of Spades as their first two cards hence Blackjack. This additional payout is however no longer part of the game. There have been few changes to the game since the original was brought over to the United States one of these however was forced. In the 1950s and 60s there were many mathematical papers and books published on the subject of beating the odds at a Blackjack table. This made Blackjack one of the most popular casino games in the 1960s with casino players, however one of the less popular ones with casinos. Casinos tried to change the odds of the game in order to make it harder to win. This however caused an outcry among players and casinos were forced to back down. They did however introduce multiple decks, shuffling machines, and frequent and early shuffling among other changes. These combined with the fact that most of the mathematical methods were hard to understand meant that casinos had an edge they considered acceptable and left black jack as one of the most popular casino games.

-

Online roulette is an interesting proposition, one worth considering separately from good old casino roulette. Most pages discussing online roulette, or online gambling of any kind, focus on the effect of being taken out of the casino. This is worth noting because at home you have complete control over your surroundings. Online roulette lets you play without all of the noise and commotion of the casino. This enables you to take as much time as you need to think about your bets, consult outside resources, phone a friend, anything! Roulette isn't like blackjack though, where checking a basic strategy chart is a faux pas in the casino but easy from home. So what are the advantages for online roulette? Well, you're not going to find any biased wheels out there (well, actually you might, there are lots of bad programmers in the world, maybe one of them made a roulette game for an online casino at some point) You can, however, easily find yourself a single zero roulette wheel. A number of online casinos offer European roulette wheels so those of us who reside across the big pond can also enjoy the drop in house edge. Anyone interested in playing roulette online is usually curious about the odds. Are the odds at an online casino fair? Are they the same as Vegas? Who determines the odds? Classically, roulette is completely random. There are little pegs and obstructions strewn around the wheel in an effort to have the ball bounce around a good bit before coming to rest. This randomness can be comforting to the gambler as it provides some security that you are not likely going to be ripped off. You can lose this feeling pretty easily with digital games like video slots and video poker machines, and yes, with online roulette. If this makes you uneasy about venturing online, check out some forums on online gambling and talk to some roulette players. I myself have won more than once playing online, so I can assure you it is entirely possible. Although it may not be possible to determine the exact odds that an online casino offers, you can always call and ask. Check to ensure the online casino is licensed by a licensing board (most are, but its nice to be sure), and then check to see how strict that licensing board is. The quality of the online roulette games you find at an Internet casino is comparable to our

-

Remember, what we said in our introduction to Roulette, there is no beginning or end to a casino game. Casinos want you to play forever because, in the long run, they have the advantage. It is up to you to set up the criteria to make the game a real game with achievable goals and distinct rules on when the game is done. With measurable objectives, you will be able to track your results better and decide whether your strategy is working. With this feedback, you can adjust your strategy to optimize your gain when you are winning. So, here are some guidelines to use in preparing for your next gambling adventure:

  • Establish your gambling pool
    Decide how much you are going to take with you. Separate the money you will use to gamble with from the rest of the money you will need for meals, entertainment, gas for returning home, etc.
  • Establish how many sessions you will have
    Divide your gambling pool into equal parts for each session. Physically separate the money and only take one part with you to each session.
  • Establish your bet start amount
    The driving force behind establishing your bet start amount will be the betting system you use. In addition, you should consider how long you want to play and how much risk are you willing to take. Of course, you could buy in at the table and bet the entire session amount on your first spin. If you lose, then you will be spending the rest of the night watching others gamble. A good rule of thumb for your initial bet amount is 1/10 to 1/20 of the session start amount.
So, say you are planning a one-day trip to a casino. You expect to play two sessions with dinner and a show in between. You have set aside $200 for gambling. Take this money and divide it into two $100 bankrolls. Find a table with a $5 minimum or less. Although our scenario above sounds like it is oriented towards land-based casinos, this process is especially important when using online casinos. The reason is that your total bank amount with the casino is sitting right there in front of you on the screen. You will need to be disciplined enough to say to yourself that although my bank has $500, I will limit myself to $100 for this session.

-

-


Blackjack Original | Blackjack Dealer | Bet Two Cards | Bet Two Bets | Blackjack Play

© 2006