In every bet, there is a fool and a thief – Proverb

Dear Mark: I was in Las Vegas last week for the first time in about six years and was disappointed to see all the casinos on the Strip changed to single deck with a payout of 6 to 5 for blackjacks. I was curious to know if it were more advantageous to double down on a blackjack if the dealer was holding a bust card, or just take the 6 to 5 deal. Jim I. 

I cringe, Jim, when seeing the advertisement that reads; “Back by Popular Demand … Single Deck Blackjack," which lacks of course, itsy bitsy fine print stating, “6-5 blackjack is an inferior game.”

Yes, Jim, the 6-5 game has become far too prevalent, and regrettably, the uninformed are lining up to park their posteriors on stools to submit to it. The easy out is to criticize the casino for its greed, but some blame must be placed on players who patronize 6-5 tables without researching the game. You always want to get maximum value for your blackjacks, and you do that by getting paid 3 to 2, not 6 to 5. These 6-5 games give the casino an edge of almost 1.5%.   

To answer your question directly, even on a 6-5 game, by taking the guaranteed payoff, you still have a higher expected value than by just doubling down on an 11, regardless of the up-card, so take the snapper.

Historically, Jim, the 3-2 blackjack payoff originated in the betting parlors of Evansville, IN, and has been around since 1912. Now a century later, this columnist suggests when you come across a table that pays 6-5 for blackjacks, don't concern yourself over taking even money for a blackjack versus doubling down, just split, from that table that is.

Dear Mark: Being new to craps, I was wondering if it is okay to ask dealers for advice. Dave A.

Absolutely, Dave, as it should be included under the “be certified friendly and helpful” topic in their employee handbook, or at least it was in mine. Better yet, approach a dealer on a dead table to ask your uncertainties of the game. Most dealers are amenable to explaining the betting process. Finally, many of the larger casinos offer table game classes for the tenderfoot like yourself to help you learn the ins-and-outs of your preferred game. Just check with a pit boss to see if your favorite casino offers one for craps.

Dear Mark: You state that the expected value of all bets is negative, and that over time, the player will lose money. You also state that Free odds have no casino advantage. Are you not contradicting yourself? Richard D.

Not at all, Richard, simply because,  "Free odds" must be packaged with your Pass line wager and cannot be made separately. Combined, they still make the expected value of your entire wager negative. By taking the maximum amount of Free odds possible, you substantially reduce, but never eliminate, the casino edge.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.”  —Chinese Proverb

Be "Put" off by this bet

Dear Mark: Some casinos offer a wager on the crap game called a “Put” bet; others do not. Should I be playing craps where they offer it, since it might be a bet that is favorable to the player? Rick K.

A "Put" bet, Rick, is a seldom-played wager that you can make on the Pass line after a point is established. For instance, say you have no action on the Pass line and the shooter rolls a six. You can then "Put" a bet down on the Pass line and instantly take the maximum odds.

The reason the casino allows you to make a “Put” bet is because you bypass a 22.2% chance of winning on the come-out if the 7 or 11 rolls, and only a 11.11% chance of losing if you crap-out, which is when the 2, 3, or 12 appears. For the normal crap player, especially one who does not take Free odds, it is a terrible bet and not worth giving up the come-out roll potential.  

If you abstain from taking Free odds, which, by the way, carries no house edge, the casino has a 9.1% advantage on a 6 or 8 Put bet, 20% on the 5 or 9, and an enormous 33.3% edge on the 4 or 10.

Players who take the benefit of instant Free odds will need to play on a table that offers at least 5x odds if the Put bet is played on either the 6 or 8: otherwise, Rick, it’s better to be Placing those numbers instead. 

Only if the casino offers 10X, 50X and even 100X odds, a “put” bet is a decent bad wager, especially on a $2 game. The higher odds will more than offset the seven/eleven come-out advantage. However, Rick, if the casino where you play offers only 2X odds max, it is still more profitable to make a Pass line bet and take advantage of the come out seven/eleven. 

Dear Mark: When I approached a blackjack game, a dealer told me he was cold. After an hour of play, I was down just $10 dollars, so I would consider that an overall win. Does a dealer really know if he or she is about to get hot or cold? Bill A.

As you approached the game, the dealer was offering comment on past performance, along with misguidedly relying on the notion that his preceding hands are a predictor of a future, frigid result.

Sure, Bill, any dealer can tell you at any given moment if they are “presently” hot or cold, but that is just an observation from previous hands. What no dealer can do is predict whether he or she will be hot or cold in the future, simply because the next hand remains an independent, random event, with the cards not caring what has happened in the past.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “Man is a gaming animal.  He must always be trying to get the better in something or other.”  —Charles Lamb, Essays of Elia, 1823