Video Blackjack Strategy?

[quick-question]

Steve, do you know what's the house advantage on those IGT's video blackjack machines (in combo with keno, video poker, etc) that allows :

- double down on 10 or 11 only
- double down after splits (if splits are 10 or 11) ??

A friend of mine told that they're about 4 to 5 % ??

What is it really??

[Steve Bourie]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

The casino's advantage on video blackjack machines is determined in the same manner as on a regular blackjack table.

It all depends on the number of decks used and the rules of the game.

I believe that all of those IGT games use a single deck which is shuffled after every hand.

The big problem is that those games all pay even-money when you get a blackjack, rather than 3-to-2.

That even-money rule alone accounts for about a 2.3% advantage for the casino.

If they hit soft 17, that's another .20%

Allow double down on 10 or 11 only, around .26%

So, the total advantage for the casino is around 3%.

I have an old software program called BJ Advantage by Stanford Wong which can be used to calculate the casino's advantage for any rule and deck variations.

I will try and track that down here in my office and give you a more definite answer. The main problem is that it's so old it's still on a floppy disk and I need to use an older computer.

[Denny]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

There are even some casinos at which the BJ machine does not even offer double down and splits. Mostly Indian casinos.

I recall the most recent one last week at Jackpot Junction in MN. I was at the bar and the video poker wasn't doing well so I thought I might kill a little time playing video blackjack.

After about 2 hands I noted the machine did not do splits and double down so I stopped playing immediately.

[Steve Bourie]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

At the other extreme, you can sometimes find a machine that actually does pay 3-to-2 on blackjacks.

We had one of those on one of the casino boats here in south Florida several years ago.

That was a great machine and I made money on it because the casino gave cashback in their slot club.

It was fun while it lasted, but they eventually converted the payoff to even money for a blackjack and I never played it again.

[iam4jacks]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

Go visit the Wizard of Odds site for the variations of BJ. Another one is Ken Smith's site www.blackjackinfo.com . He has a calculator based on the rules.

Now these new-fangled Shufflemaster multi-station games hitting the floors can offer a decent game and tracked play. They can be spooky with the lifesized flat screens. The dealers stare at you from across the room. Get close and they start talking to you!

In Laughlin River Palms and Trop Express have them. BJ pays 3/2, dealer hits soft 17, Double on Any, six decks. They get shuffles halfway through, but is it when they change dealers?

They are fun and allow newbies a chance to get their feet wet. The TE has three of them in $1,2,3 minimums.

[Mike]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

The old Williams brand Multi-Magic games from the mid-90's supposedly had a beatable BJ game.

It was a single deck game with a late shuffle.........rumor had it that the pros got wind of it and were able to do a number on those machines by card counting.

I didn't know about the BJ angle at the time but I used to love playing the keno on those machines. The keno had a cool feature where every # that got hit would turn the square into a dollar sign and then the squares would kind of flutter to a musical tune if enough numbers got hit..................very addicting !

There was a cool VP on those games also, where a joker would randomly appear in an upper corner of the screen and the player had up to 5 hands in which to substitute the joker, one time only, for any card, prior to the deal.

[Luigi Barsotti]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

The Pennsylvania slot parlors all feature the computer generated human blackjack dealer. The rules are identical to the casinos in Atlantic City. The minimum table bet is $10. bet at the Mt. Airy Lodge Casino. They also feature a $25. table as well as Three Card Poker. I also noticed at Mohegan Sun Casino at Pocono Downs Raceway there are $5. blackjack tables. My understanding is that both are doing very well as they are cutting into AC profits.

[RenoPlayer]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

Does someone have the ability (and willingness) to calculate the house percentage on these new machines described in this post?

Would appreciate the info. Sounds as if (with slot club benefits), it might be a good game.

RP

[SteveBourieOLD]

Re: Video blackjack's house advantage ??

Does someone have the ability (and willingness) to calculate the house percentage on these new machines described in this post?

Would appreciate the info. Sounds as if (with slot club benefits), it might be a good game.

RP

The casino's advantage in these games can be calculated in the same manner as for blackjack table games.

The advantage is based on the number of decks used and the rules of the game.

[RenoPlayer]

Re: Video Blackjack Strategy?

They are six deck games with some reasonably satisfactory rules about splitting and doubling. I've really enjoyed them since they provide slot club tracking.

Only wish I could figure out when they shuffle.

RP