Is Poker And Blackjack More Profitable
The online casino route typically features more favorable rules and lower house edges. Online blackjack also gives you a chance to play for low stakes. You only need to wager $1 per hand in many cases. Land-based blackjack can be more profitable than online games in rare cases. When you add the need to avoid heat, it’s clear that playing long term profitable blackjack is difficult. While the rake is a constant cost for poker players, if a poker player is skilled and picks the right games it’s easy to win enough to beat the rake and turn a profit. 3 – You Pick Your Opponents. We already know that a good return in BJ per hand is 1%-1.5% of your average bet assuming you're only using straight counting. My hypothesis is that poker is the more profitable game (even with a 10% rake) for the AP and requires a smaller bankroll. (I've started with a $600 bankroll). Winning in poker is tough enough if only 10%-12% are long-term winners. One of the leaks is blackjack. If blackjack is a leak, then it should be easy to see why poker wins in poker vs blackjack. For instance, poker wouldn’t be a leak for a blackjack player. With poker, the casino doesn’t care who wins. So, in the epic confrontation between poker and blackjack, poker is harder to learn and harder to become good at while blackjack is probably more accessible for most players. Still, the sky is (maybe) the limit for poker players while blackjack players face extremely small advantages. Poker is the champ!
- In the game of blackjack, a popular question among novice and intermediate advantage players, card counters, trackers, sequencers and hole carders, is: what is the mathematical theoretical value for various types of starting hands, and more to the point what are the most valuable starting hands for the player (the players first two cards) and by how much
- When I say 'types of hands' I mean Hard Totals, Soft Totals, double downs and splits that we can use in our basic blackjack strategy.
The most valuable starting hands in blackjack in order of ascending value to the player is:
- Traditional 21 - Blackjack
- Soft 18 - A soft total of A-7 versus a 7 up card (Doubling)
- Hard 11 - A hard total of 11 against the blackjack dealers 6 up card (Double Down Hand)
- Hard 20 - A Hard total of 20 vs. a dealers 8 up card (Standing)
- Soft 20 - A soft total Ace-9 vs. dealers 8 up card (Standing)
STARTING HAND #1:
SOFT 18
The soft 18 (Ace-7) has a value of 0.3996 of the original bet to the player. This means over the long term the gain the player will gain $39.96 for every 100 dollars wagered. This requires the player to follow the adjusted index numbers and double the bet when the value of the true count is greater than 22 – using the USTON APC count, which is a rare occurrence.
STARTING HAND #2:
HARD 11
The next most valuable first two card total for the player is a hard total of 11, either an (8-3), (9-2), (7-4), (6-5) .These totals have a value of 0.6674 of the original bet to the player. This means over the long term the gain the player will gain $66.74 for every 100 dollars wagered. This requires the player to follow the adjusted index numbers and double the bet when the value of the true count is greater than -16, using the USTON APC count, which is occurs more than 97% the time.
STARTING HAND #3:
HARD 20
The next two card total I will discuss is when the player has a two card hard total of 20, achieved by two 10s. These totals have a value of 0.7918 of the original bet to the player. This means over the long term the gain the player will gain $79.18 for every 100 dollars wagered. This requires the player to never split the 10’s. Splitting 10’s in some instances is mathematically justified but it draws way too much attention and I have decided to omit the index number for this reason.STARTING HAND #4:
SOFT 20
The final two card total we I will discuss is when the player has a soft total of (Ace-9). This has a total have a value of 0.7918 of the original bet (same as a two card total of 20) for the player. This means over the long term, the gain the player will gain $79.18 for every 100 dollars wagered. This requires the player to double when the index value of 7 is reached using the USTON APC count. This doubling can look natural in some instances, but if the pit is watching closely it would be best to avoid the play.STARTING HAND #5:
21 (BLACKJACK)
The most profitable hand type in blackjack is the natural 21. In a traditional 21 game the payout for a natural is 3:2, or 1.5 times the player’s original bet. It consists of an ACE and a 10 value card (10, J, Q, K). This hand never loses, it can only tie or win. So the theoretical mathematical value is the best.SUMMARY
In some cases not making the correct play is in the player’s best interest. You give up a little in EV but you will make it up by not drawing too much suspicion.In general terms; when the dealer is weak it is better for the player. Up cards of a 5 or 6 is the best possible scenario for a player, with a 6 up card being a slightly more favorable situation. This is because the dealer has the maximum number of cards available to break—where the dealer exceeds 21.
From this we can extrapolate why the 5s and 6s are the most important cards in a shoe.
When the 6 is the dealers up card the maximum number of cards will break the dealer-where they go over 21. 10s are 4 times more likely to be a drawn. This combined with 6, 7, 8 and 9 will break the dealer. Similarly, when a 5 is played, it benefits the player the most. This is because the 5 gives the dealer an extra card to make a hand when they have the weak up card of a 6.
Each starting hand has an associated value with it. This is the percentage of the bet that is won or lost on average and over time. Here I have associated the maximum values a hand types. The Soft Doubling, Hard Doubling and Pairs mentioned here all have positive values associated with them. A hands value is determined by 3 three things. They are the first two cards dealt to the player and the dealers up card. There any number of books where a player can look up the value of whatever hand they choose. These are not the top valued hands because many of the top valued hands are similar in origin. The hand-types approach, gives the aspiring player a better overall understanding of how the types of hands affects the value of the hand.
Blackjack is one of the world’s most popular casino games. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this game is widely available at online and land-based casinos.
Each setting can offer quality blackjack rules. However, online blackjack has a reputation for being slightly more favorable.
Is this reputation truly accurate, though? I’ll answer this question by discussing what makes a quality game along with whether blackjack at a real money online casino ultimately offers superior odds to it’s land-based counterpart.
What Makes a Good Blackjack Game?
The best blackjack games feature a mixture of qualities that make them stand out. Here are the main factors to consider when searching for favorable blackjack online or in brick and mortar casinos.
Quality Rules
Back in the 1960s, blackjack games everywhere offered excellent rules. You’d regularly find single-deck tables with 3:2 natural blackjack tables when walking through Las Vegas.
Times have changed greatly, though, with regard to blackjack rules. Many land-based casinos and even some gaming sites have added more rules that benefit themselves.
This rule is printed directly on the table felt. You definitely want 3:2 payouts, because they lower the house edge by 1.39%. Meanwhile, tables with 6:5 payouts should be avoided at all costs.
Is Poker And Blackjack More Profitable Slots
The number of decks is also crucial to the odds. The house edge falls by 0.59% when moving from eight-deck to single-deck blackjack.
Here are some other rules that you should pay special attention to:
- Doubling down – The house edge decreases by 0.25% when you can double down on any total (vs. just 10 and 11).
- Dealer’s action on soft 17 – The house advantage decreases by 0.2% when the dealer stands on a soft 17 (vs. hitting).
- Double down after splitting (DAS) – The house edge falls by 0.17% when you can still spit after doubling down.
- Re-splitting aces – The house advantage drops by another 0.08% when you can re-split aces.
- Late surrender – The house edge decreases by 0.07% if you can surrender hands after the dealer peeks for a blackjack.
Low House Edge
Rules are so important because they have a direct impact on the house edge. You can use perfect strategy but still face a 2% house edge if the rules are bad enough.
Therefore, you must consider how the collective rules impact the house advantage. Most blackjack games today feature somewhere between a 1% and 2% house edge.
But you can find even better games if the rules are just right. In some cases, you’ll only be facing a 0.5% house advantage (or less).
Reasonable Stakes
You stand to win more money when risking more on each hand. However, you also need to consider that blackjack is a negative-expectation game.
Unless you’re a card counter, you’ll be facing a house advantage. That said, you should make appropriate bets relative to your bankroll.
You should check the minimum bet at any perspective table. When dealing with a small bankroll, you don’t want be forced to wager any more than $5 or $10 per hand.
Online Blackjack Typically Offers More Favorable Rules
Is Poker And Blackjack More Profitable Money
Land-based and real money online blackjack both have their strengths and weaknesses. The brick and mortar version offers a social environment and, in some cases, more excitement.
You’re better off playing at internet casinos if you want favorable rules on a consistent basis.
- First off, you rarely need to deal with 6:5 natural payouts online. Gaming sites almost usually offer 3:2 payouts.
- Secondly, you can find plenty of games with a single deck, two decks, or four decks. All of these options are better than six-deck or eight-deck blackjack.
Most online blackjack games also throw a few more player-friendly rules into the mix. They may allow you to double down on any total, split up to four hands, and/or use a surrender option.
Some internet blackjack variations even feature less than a 0.5% house advantage.
Here are some of the best online blackjack games available:
- Microgaming single-deck blackjack – 0.31% house edge
- Betsoft single-deck blackjack – 0.35% house edge
- Playtech single-deck blackjack – 0.35% house edge
Is Poker And Blackjack More Profitable Games
Play for Lower Stakes Online
You don’t need to bet much to play online blackjack. In fact, most gaming sites only require that you place a $1 minimum wager.
If you’re somebody who’s dealing with a small bankroll, you’ll appreciate the low minimum wagers. Your gambling funds will last much longer if you stick around the dollar minimum.
Is Poker And Blackjack More Profitable Strategy
Here’s an example on how long your bankroll could last:
- You have a $100 bankroll.
- You average 500 hands per hour.
- You play an online blackjack game with a 0.5% house advantage.
- You bet $1 per hand.
- 500 x 1 x 0.005 = $2.50 in hourly losses
- 100 / 2.5 = 40
- Your bankroll will theoretically last for 40 hours.
You Can Find Great Blackjack Games in Land-Based Casinos
My point with this post isn’t to make land-based blackjack sound absolutely terrible. In fact, you can still find good games in some brick and mortar casinos. Everything depends on exactly where you’re playing. You can spot plenty of worthwhile games in Downtown Las Vegas, for example.
Some downtown casinos, like El Cortez, feature single-deck blackjack with 3:2 natural payouts. You also don’t have to bet much to play these games either.
This special administrative area of China features several casinos that offer some of the world’s best blackjack games. You can benefit from house edges as low as 0.16% in Macau. I’ve yet to find any better games than this in online casinos!
The drawback is that you need to bet a $25 minimum in many of these cases. But if you like playing for larger stakes anyways, though, you’ll truly appreciate the 0.16% house advantage.
Card Counting Is Possible in Brick and Mortar Casinos
As mentioned before, you can actually gain the upper hand in blackjack through card counting.
This advantage play method sees your track cards in an effort to determine when the shoe is rich in aces and 10s.
At this point, you have a stronger chance of getting natural blackjacks.
You want to raise your bets during positive counts to take advantage of the situation. Meanwhile, you should bet the table minimum during negative counts so that you don’t lose too much money.
The best thing is that you don’t even need to spend much time learning card counting. In fact, you can learn the Hi-Lo system in just minutes.
Online casinos don’t give you an opportunity to count cards.
You can only count in brick and mortar casinos. Therefore, you’ll need to play at a land-based establishment when hoping to gain an advantage.
You’re Probably Going to Fare Better Online
Again, card counting doesn’t require much time to learn. You can master the basics in less than 15 minutes.
However, you also have to practice so that you can keep an accurate count. You should deal cards to yourself, use online training programs, and/or count off to the side of live games.
If you’re like most gamblers, you won’t go through these efforts to become a master counter. Even if you do, you’ll need to have a large bankroll to survive the volatility.
Assuming you fall into the large class of average blackjack players, you’ll have better luck at safe online casinos than land-based establishments. The online casino route typically features more favorable rules and lower house edges.
Online blackjack also gives you a chance to play for low stakes. You only need to wager $1 per hand in many cases.
Conclusion
Land-based blackjack can be more profitable than online games in rare cases. Certain Downtown Vegas and Macau casinos offer incredible rules and odds.
Chances are, though, you don’t live in one of these destinations or visit them very often.
Some variations even offer between a 0.3% and 0.5% house edge.
Even if you don’t play one of these games, you’ll still find many online variations with house advantages ranging from 0.5% to 1%. By comparison, most land-based tables offer a house edge running from 1% to 2%.