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Casino

Using the Martingale Betting System to win

· ·

A genie educating about using the martingale betting system in roulette.

The martingale betting system is a commonly used betting system, which like Roulette has its origins in France. The betting strategy is generally used for stakes where there is an equal (or almost equal) chance of one of two outcomes occurring. The most basic example is a coin toss but the strategy is commonly applied to Roulette.

The strategy is based on the bettor doubling their bet after each loss to ensure that their first win recovers any previous losses along with an additional profit. Be warned however that the martingale strategy is not fool proof as (1) it presumes the gambler has infinite wealth (2) betting limits exist.

Application of the Martingale Betting System in Roulette

When applying the martingale betting system to Roulette it is important to remember that the strategy is applied to situations where there is an equal or almost equal chance of one of two outcomes occurring. In Roulette this means betting on outside bets, i.e. red or black or odd or even where the payout is 1:1, and doubling the bet so as to recover losses when the player’s selection is not drawn.

Due to the possibility of drawing a zero it is important to note that the chance of drawing either outcome is not 50%/50% but rather, 47.4%. This doesn’t affect the strategy however as if you do not draw your selected number you still double your bet. It is best to display this via an example where the martingale strategy is applied to the selection of red or black in Roulette.

  • A player decides to bet on the outside bet of “Black” in Roulette and places a bet of €1 on this outcome.
  • If the result is Black, that is fine and the player will be paid at 1:1
  • If the result is not Black, i.e. Red or zero, the player loses their stake and places a bet on Black again, this time for double their previous stake, €2 in this instance. If the result is Black this time, then the return to the player is €4 which will cover the loss they made in their first bet as well as meaning the player pockets an additional profit of 1X their initial stake. If you win begin the process again with your original stake.
  • Betting continues in that doubling manner when a player doesn’t win, e.g.

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SelectionStakeResultTotal Profit/Loss
Black€ 1Loss– € 1
Black€ 2Loss– € 3
Black€ 4Loss– € 7
Black€ 8Loss– € 15
Black€ 16Win+ € 1

System Limitations

As mentioned previously, while this casino betting system may lead to short term gains, it is not fool proof. A players bankroll may not be sufficient and they could run out of money while on a losing run.

In addition, most casino tables have a maximum bet of €500. This means that punters can double their bets by up to a maximum of 9 consecutive times on a stake of €1 before they would then breach the table limit for outside bets. Statistically, this means that in Standard or European Roulette there is only a 0.24% chance that there will not be a winning outcome in 9 spins. In American roulette, where there are 38 potential outcomes this is slightly greater at 0.31%.

Advanced Blackjack Strategy

· ·

If you’ve already mastered basic blackjack strategy and fundamental blackjack lingo, it’s time to step up and learn some advanced techniques to lift your game.

Hole Carding in Blackjack

This advanced blackjack tactic refers to gaining knowledge of the cards that are supposed to be hidden from view. This tactic of advantage gambling can only be used in live casinos. The reason hole carding can be an advanced Blackjack strategy is that Blackjack players normally make decisions based on seeing only the dealer’s upcard. However, if a player can spot the dealer’s hole card, this can result in an advantage of up to 13% to the player, as opposed to the normal disadvantage of 0.5%, if a player is using optimal strategy. It goes without saying that if you are attempting this tactic in a live casino, you should ensure to do so as discreetly as possible.

Blackjack card counting techniques

There a number of methods for counting cards. Despite what you may have heard, none of the methods require you to remember cards that have been previously played. Instead, tracking methods are used to count the ratio of unplayed 10’s to smaller cards in the remaining decks. Card counters simply bet more when the deck has a lot of 10’s, which can result in a 1% edge to the player.

There are a number of reasons that counting of 10’s can be advantageous:

  • Players can choose to hit or stand on a stiff
  • Dealers must always hit their stiffs
  • A deck with a lot of 10’s will be more likely to bust a dealer than a player
  • Small cards lower the probability of winning with a double or a split
  • Small cards tend to create stiff hands. As a result if both the player and the dealer have a stiff the dealer can beat you by drawing a small card

In summary- blackjack players generally win more when the ratio of 10’s is high. Of course, it goes without saying that a knowledge of fundamental blackjack strategy is essential before trying advanced strategies.

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The Hi-Lo Blackjack System – The Harvey Dubner Counting System

The Hi-Lo system is as simple as its name suggests. This system is based on assigning a ranking of +1, 0 or –1 to cards as they fall and the result is an exact measure of how many tens and aces are left in the deck compared to smaller cards. This system is one the most popular system used by Blackjack teams. Once you begin with a new shoe at a Blackjack table, the card count begins at zero.

Card values:
Cards valued at 2,3,4,5, or 6 are counted as +1
7, 8 and 9 are counted as 0
10’s and Aces are counted as –1

Based on the above, for every deck that is used in the shoe there are 20 small cards (2-6), 12 neutral cards (7-9) and 20 high cards (Aces and 10’s). This means that the system is balanced as once every card is counted you would end up with a count of zero. When a lower number of smaller cards are in the deck the advantage is with the player as the odds of winning are higher. A common advanced blackjack strategy used by card counters is to use a spread based on the count whereby stakes are increased when the advantage is with the player.

5:1 bet spread for HiLo card counting

Card count Bet Player advantage
0 or negative Standard stake -1%
+1 Standard stake 0%
+2 Stake X2 0.5%
+3 Stake X3 1%
+4 Stake X4 1.5%
+5 Stake X5 2% or more

Multiple decks and card counting

The Casino’s first line of defence against advanced blackjack strategy and card counters is multiple decks. With six to eight decks, the swings are generally not so extreme. While four tens missing from a single deck would be a big deal, the same cannot be said with a four deck shoe. In order to counteract this measure, the running count is divided by the number of decks that have not yet been played. E.g. the running count of +3 is only +1.5 when two decks are left and only +0.5 when six decks are left in the shoe.

Blackjack Terminology – don’t feel lost at the table

· ·

When building your knowledge of basic blackjack strategy or advanced blackjack strategies, it’s critical to get up-to-speed with the lingo of the game so you don’t feel lost at the table. Genie’s guide to blackjack terminology gives you the info you need to know. He’s even gone to the trouble of ordering it A-Z for your punting convenience 💸💸


Blackjack terminology

Action:

This refers to the amount of money that is staked or wagered in a Blackjack game. High wagering means more action.

Advantage player:

An advantage player is a person who uses strategy/ and or card counting techniques to gain a mathematic advantage over the house.

Bankroll:

This refers to the amount of money set aside for gambling. In order to deal with the inevitable swings that occur when playing Blackjack, a player must have a sufficient amount set aside for play.

Burn:

The dealer will remove one or more cards from the top of the deck after shuffling. This is referred to as the burn.

Bust:

Both the dealer and players can go bust. This means that their cards have a total higher than 21. Going bust refers is an automatic loss.

Choppy table:

A choppy table refers to a table that produces alternating wins and losses with almost no net positive or negative results.

Colour up:

Colouring up refers to exchanging chips of a lower value for those of a higher value.

Comps:

Comps are complimentary rewards or bonuses given to loyal players.

Continuous shuffling machine:

A Continuous shuffling machine automatically shuffles used cards back into the deck. This makes card counting impossible.

Blackjack counter measures:

Casino tactics that are used to reduce the effects of various Blackjack strategies. Examples of these are multiple decks, continuous shuffling machines and hitting on soft 17.

Double down:

By doubling down you are placing an additional bet, which is usually an amount equal to your original wager. The dealer will give you exactly one more card and that is your hand. No further hits are allowed and doubling down is usually restricted to the first action on your original hand.

Gambler’s fallacy:

Gambler’s fallacy refers to the myth that past results affect the current contest.

Genie says: Nice work, you’re half way through the blackjack terminology guide!

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Handle:

Handle refers to the amount of money that is cycled through a game. Many online casinos offer handle related bonuses whereby when the player meets a specific handle amount, then the bonus will be released.

Hard hand:

A hard hand is a Blackjack hand of 12 or more that doesn’t contain an Ace or has an Ace counted as one. Hard hands between 12 and 16 are often referred to as stiff hands.

Hit:

To hit is to receive an additional card.

Hole card:

The hole card is the dealer’s face down card.

House edge:

This is the financial edge the Casino has in a wager. The house edge is usually expressed as a percentage.

House odds:

This refers to the amount a casino will pay for a winning bet as opposed to the true probability or odds on the bet.

Insurance:

Typically, an additional bet of one half the value of the original bet. Insurance is offered to players when the dealer is showing an ace. Insurance pays out at 2:1 when the dealer’s hand is a natural.

Natural:

A natural is a two card hand of a ten and an Ace (twenty one). A natural can either win or result in a push but it cannot lose.

Negative expectation:

Negative expectation refers to a game that returns more cash than it is returning over the long run. Negative expectation games have a higher house edge.

Optimal strategy:

Optimal strategy refers to the system of play that lowers or eliminates the Casino advantage.

Past-posting:

Adding or removing chips after seeing a hand, i.e. cheating.

Penetration:

Penetration refers to the percentage of the deck dealt before a shuffle. Penetration of less than 60% reduces the possibility to count cards.

Positive expectation:

Positive expectation games return more money than they retain over the long run. These games have a player edge.

Progression/ Progressive betting:

This is a system of raising and lowering bets. Positive progressions raise bets after wins and negative progressions raise bets after losses.

Push:

A push is a draw. The player neither wins nor looses and their stake is returned.

Shoe:

The shoe is the container that holds four to eight shuffled decks. Cards are dealt from the shoe by the dealer.

Soft hand:

Any hand with an Ace counted as eleven.

Split:

The option whereby a player can choose to create two hands from their original hand if their original hand was made up of a pair. In order to split a player will have to make an additional wager. Players can hit, double, split or stand as necessary.

Stand:

Refuse an additional card.

Surrender:

A rule that allows a player to retrieve half of the current bet and forfeit the rest. This option is generally unavailable on online Casino Blackjack variants.

True count:

When card counting, the running count is divided by the number of decks that haven’t been played which returns the true count, or a standard measure of overall advantage.

True odds:

This is the true probability of winning or losing a contest and should not be confused with house odds.

Volatility:

Volatility refers to the natural ebb and flow of the game, bearing in mind the swings that will occur.

If you think we should add further blackjack terms to our blackjack terminology guide please let us know.

Basic Blackjack Strategy – stack the odds in your favour

· ·

Blackjack Basic Strategy actually refers to the blackjack strategy developed in 1956 by four mathematicians. Roger Baldwin, Herbert Maisel, Wilbert E. Cantey and James P. McDermott were the first group of people to publish their probability based theory on Blackjack “The optimum strategy in Blackjack”. This was published in the Journal of the American Statistical Association and has since been tested, refined and modified through computer simulations. Basic blackjack strategy should be the starting point for every optimal game and is used by all professional Blackjack players. Before diving in, it’s a good idea to start with an understanding of blackjack terminology. Then revisit Genie’s basic strategy guide.

Using Basic Blackjack Strategy

Basic Blackjack Strategy is easy to use. Essentially, it suggests the most appropriate action depending on every possible outcome. While initially basic strategy may appear complicated, it’s actually quite simple. Nearly 50% of the hands should always be played the same way while there are a number of exceptions that should be played in one of two ways depending on what up-card the dealer is showing.

Genie’s shortcuts to Basic Blackjack Strategy

When to stand (“Pat hands”):

  • Always stand on 19 or higher.
  • Always stand on hard 17 and hard 18 (except for a pair of nines as per the splitting strategy below).

When to hit:

  • Always hit on a hand of 8 or less (except for pairs as per the suggestion below).

Splitting/ What to do when you have pairs:

  • Hands of A,A or 8,8 should always be split.
  • Hands of 5,5 or 10,10 should never be split.
  • 9,9: Split this hand when the dealers up card is 2-6 or 8-9. Stand against 7, 10 and Ace.
  • 7,7: Split these when the dealers up card is 2-7. Hit against 8 or better.
  • 6,6: Split these against 2-6. Hit against 7 or better.
  • 4,4: Slit against 5 and 6 and hit against anything better.

Doubling down:

There are two main types of doubling situations- hands that total 9, 10 or 11, and soft hands that aren’t “ pat”(don’t require any action- see when to stand). At all times the dealer’s up card will determine whether a hand should be doubled or whether you should hit. Standing is never an option where there is an option for a double. In these instances you should always hit or double.

  • 11: Double against everything except an Ace. Hit against the Ace.
  • 10: Double against everything except 10 and Ace. Hit against 10 and Ace.
  • 9: Double against 3-6. Hit against everything else.
  • Soft hands: Soft hands that aren’t pat are always hit or doubled. The only exception is soft 18.
  • A,7: Double a soft 18 against 3-6. Stand against 2, 7 or 8. Hit against 9 or better.
  • A,6: Double against 2-6 and hit against everything else.
  • A,5 and A,4: Double against 4,5 and 6. Hit against everything else.
  • A,2 and A,3: Double against 5 and 6 and hit in all other situations.
  • Stiff hands (hard hands between 12-16): Always hit a stiff hand when a dealer has 7-A. Never hit a stiff hand when a dealer has 2-6 except for the below:
    • 16: surrender against 9,10 or Ace or hit if surrender isn’t allowed
    • 15: surrender against 10, hit if surrender isn’t allowed
    • 12: hit against a 2 or 3

Genie says: All doubling down situations are positive-expectation situations so ensure to optimise your game by doubling down where possible.

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Blackjack Basic Strategy Charts

Our basic Blackjack strategy chart has been optimised for the most common combination of rules (both online and offline), meaning that it is expected that:

  • There will be multiple decks (four or more).
  • The dealer stands on soft 17.
  • Doubling after splits is possible.
  • Doubling on any two cards is possible.

Download our Basic Strategy Guide in PDF or see below

Genie says: Remember that depending on the Blackjack variant you are playing, certain options may not be available so it will be important to make yourself aware of the rules so that you can ensure you achieve the highest advantage possible.

Basic Strategy for Hard hands (hands without an Ace)

NC = Stand, h = hit, DB = Double (hit if double not possible), sr = surrender (hit if surrender not possible).

Dealer’s upcard

Your hand

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

17-21

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

Hard 16

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

h

h

sr

sr

sr

Hard 15

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

h

h

h

sr

h

Hard 14

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

h

h

h

h

h

Hard 13

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

h

h

h

h

h

Hard 12

h

h

NC

NC

NC

h

h

h

h

h

11

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

h

10

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

h

h

9

h

DB

DB

DB

DB

h

h

h

h

h

5 to 8

h

h

h

h

h

h

h

h

h

h

Basic Strategy for Soft hands (hands with an Ace)

NC = Stand, h = hit, DB = Double (hit if double not possible), sr = surrender (hit if surrender not possible).

Dealer’s upcard

Your hand

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

Soft 19-21

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

Soft 18

NC

DBN

DBN

DBN

DBN

NC

NC

h

h

h

Soft 17

h

DB

DB

DB

DB

h

h

h

h

h

Soft 16

h

h

DB

DB

DB

h

h

h

h

h

Soft 15

h

h

DB

DB

DB

h

h

h

h

h

Soft 14

h

h

h

DB

DB

h

h

h

h

h

Soft 13

h

h

h

DB

DB

h

h

h

h

h

Basic Strategy for splitting pairs

NC = Stand, h = hit, DB = Double (hit if double not possible), sp = split.

Dealer’s upcard

Your hand

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

A,A

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

10,10

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

NC

9,9

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

NC

sp

sp

NC

NC

8,8

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

7,7

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

h

h

h

h

6,6

h

sp

sp

sp

sp

h

h

h

h

h

5,5

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

DB

h

h

4,4

h

h

h

sp

sp

h

h

h

h

h

3,3

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

h

h

h

h

2,2

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

sp

h

h

h

h

So, that’s a wrap to Genie’s guide to Basic blackjack strategy. Don’t step up to the table without memorising it, or you’ll leave some money at the table.

Next up, advanced blackjack strategy.

Blackjack Betting Guide – winner winner, chicken dinner!

· ·

Blackjack is a game of skill; when played properly it can result in the lowest house edge game. This is because Blackjack gives players too many advantages. Good players can gain an advantage over the Casino or “house” with the right information and strategy. However, bad Blackjack players are the reason that Blackjack is the most profitable of all casino table games, so it pays to know how to play.

Basic Blackjack rules

Blackjack can be played using one or more decks of standard playing cards. Players should not be concerned with the suit of the cards, as the card suit does not mean anything. Card value or rank is more important.

Blackjack is mainly about the number 21. Players play against a dealer to try and gain a hand that is closer in value to 21 but not over that amount otherwise they will forfeit their bet or “go bust”. Throughout the game players have the opportunity to “hit” or “stand” in order to try and gain a better hand than the dealer.

To “hit” means that a player takes an additional card while to “stand” means that the player refuses to take an additional card. Once a player is finished hitting or has chosen to stand, it is the dealer’s turn to complete their hand. Unless otherwise stated, the rules require the dealer to hit on a sixteen or less and stand on a seventeen or more. The one exception to this is if the dealer has an ace and a six, which is referred to as a “soft seventeen”.

The dealer will finally compare their hand with the player’s hand.

  • If neither hand has gone bust, then the highest total wins.
  • If neither hand has gone bust and both hands are tied, this is called a push. This means that no money changes hands.
  • If the player has gone bust then the player loses and the money is forfeit. The dealer’s hand is irrelevant to the player.
  • If the dealer goes bust and the player has not busted then the player is the winner.
  • If a player gets a natural, or blackjack¸ this generally pays 3:2 meaning for each $10 staked the player will get $15.

Blackjack card values

  • Cards ranked from 2 to 10 are counted at the card number value.
  • Picture cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) are counted as 10.
  • Aces can either be 1 or 11 (whichever the player prefers)
  • Blackjack: A combination of a card valued at 10 and an ace. This hand will either win or be tied but will not be beaten.

A player with a hand less than 21 can ask for additional cards. This is called a “hit”. However, if a player exceeds 21 then they automatically lose, or “go bust”.

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Playing Blackjack

Blackjack is played at a table like the one below. The most important rules are always printed on the table. You can generally find additional rules on an upright card on or behind the table. Most casinos use multiple deck games but some also offer single-deck games where the dealer actually holds the deck as they deal the cards. In multiple-deck games four to eight decks of cards are stored in a box called a “shoe”.

 

Blackjack Betting Guide

 

Players are dealt cards face down in a single-deck game or face up in a multiple-deck game. Either way the chances of winning are the same. When dealt face-up players are not allowed to touch the cards.

To start the game the dealer deals the cards from the shoe to the first player on their left and any other players that are playing. The dealer will then deal one card face-up to themselves. A second card will then be dealt to each player and the dealer will then receive another card face-down this time. This is called the “hole card”.

As players can only see one of the dealer’s cards they must decide to “hit” or “stand” in order to get closer to 21 than the dealer.

How to hit or stand

If playing Blackjack in a casino it is important to give clear clues to the dealer as to how you want to play. Generally if a player wants to take an additional card they should tap on the table to demonstrate this. If a player wants to stand then they should wave their hand when it is their turn. Playing online requires no such effort!

Insurance in Blackjack


The question of the hole card will be important if the dealer’s up-card is an ace. This is the case as players lose if the dealer has a natural and they don’t. In this case some players choose to take insurance against a dealer blackjack when the dealer shows an ace. Insurance is generally an additional bet of one-half of the original stake. Insurance pays 2:1 when the dealer has a natural. If the dealer doesn’t have a natural then the player loses their insurance bet.

Genie says: Insurance might sound tempting but it’s generally best avoided and should be regarded as a bad bet. The probability of the dealer having a ten under their ace is approximately 31% and yet this only pays out at 2 to 1. All in all, this gives the house an edge of about 7%…..in short, avoid insurance! Once instance where you may want to take insurance would be if you have a natural. In this instance a 1:1 payout is guaranteed.

Hitting, Standing, Doubling or Splitting

The majority of dealers’ hands will not be naturals, so players will have the opportunity to either ask for additional cards (hit) or to refuse them (stand).

Another variation of a hit is called double down. A double down requires an additional bet of an amount normally equal to your original wager. You put the chips next to your original stake and the dealer will give you exactly one more card. You cannot hit further on that card in most cases.

If a players hand is made up of a pair (A, A; 10,10, etc) a player can then split these cards for an additional wager giving the player two hands. The player will then have to play the hands separately.

Genie says: Some casinos restrict re-splitting and doubling on splits so make sure to check the rules before you play! If you’re playing online you can normally check the rules by checking the game information or help files within each game. Most casinos require that you can only get one extra card on split aces.

The dealer’s hand in Blackjack

If a player doesn’t go bust, it is then up to the dealer to beat them by bettering their card value. The dealer will turn their hole card and draw according to the rules. Some casinos require the dealer to hit a soft 17 (Ace and a six) but this will be stated either on the table or in the additional table rules.

Surrendering

Some casinos will allow a player to take back half their bet and forfeit the rest if their initial hand seems hopeless. This term for this is to surrender and it is usually restricted to situations when the dealer doesn’t have a natural. This option is generally unavailable when playing online!

Genie’s summary:

  • 21, 21, 21, that’s what Blackjack is about. Compete with the dealer to get a hand that is closer to 21 but not over that.
  • Getting an extra card is called a hit, refusing cards is called a stand. Try not to go over 21 or you’ll go bust!
  • Give the dealer visual cues if playing in a live casino. If playing online, no need to worry!
  • Double down if a positive situation comes your way (see the strategy guide for this)!
  • You can split when your original hand has two cards of equal point value.
  • You can surrender if your initial hand seems hopeless.

Blackjack house edge and probability

Probability is hugely important in Blackjack as an effective Blackjack strategy is based on being able to predict certain outcomes based on the probability of that outcome occurring.

Blackjack strategy is entirely about the cards in the deck. With Blackjack, the typical advantage is 1% or less when it’s pushed to the player’s side. However, this can also swing to a Casino or house edge of around 5%. Using basic Blackjack strategy without card counting, the house edge is generally reduced to .50%. With card counting techniques, this edge can be reversed to a player advantage of 1%. Despite this fact, Blackjack remains a highly profitable game for Casinos because the vast majority of players are unaware of the optimal strategy that they should use.

Genie says: Remember that by using the optimal strategy you will have a better chance against the house and over time will win more than you would without using optimal strategy. While having the edge doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll win the bet, it does guarantee that you’ll have an advantage every time you place your bet.

Find out more in our Basic Blackjack Strategy guide!

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