Tied blackjack is not a push. This promotion pays the player's blackjack, with a standard 3:2 payoff, even if the dealer has a blackjack as well.Usually, a push is declared in this situation and although this rule might not turn a negative expectation game into a positive one, it will still boost player expectations by 0.3%. Blackjack Promotions Address percentage of your deposit is given in free money, so the bigger your deposit, the bigger your bonus. All online casinos have wagering requirements in place; this means any winnings made using your bonus money will only become available after Blackjack Promotions Address wagering a certain amount.

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Thanks for the kind words, Jim. Yes, you still want to split eights, even if late surrender is offered. Even if you can't double after a split you should still decline to surrender. Based on a two-deck game, where you can not double after splitting, the expected value of splitting 8,s against a 10 is -0.480673, better than the -0.5 by surrendering.
Contrary to their claim of having the 'World's Most Liberal Blackjack Rules' there are better single-deck games right across the street at the Horseshoe or the Golden Gate. It is the six decks at the Las Vegas Club which work against the player. Don't feel badly about falling for their marquee, I fell for it myself in my younger days before I knew the effects of rule variations.
Update: After this question, the Las Vegas Club changed their rules to pay 6 to 5 on a blackjack in their so-called 'World's Most Liberal Blackjack Rules.' The 6 to 5 does not even make it a legitimate blackjack game. You are much better off at any ordinary 3-2 game, which are easy to find elsewhere.

This $1000 bonus lowers the house edge from 6.67% to 6.00%, assuming a $1 bet.

You didn't state the surrender rule, so I'll assume it isn't allowed. According to my blackjack house edge calculator, and before considering the double any number of cards rule, the house edge is 0.64%. According to my list of rule variations, being allowed to double on any number of cards (a rule commonly found in Panama) is worth 0.23%. So, the house edge over the overall game is 0.64% - 0.23% = 0.41%.

Can blackjack be beaten under the following casino conditions:

1. The game is dealt face up from an 8 deck shoe, with the cut card appearing after 5 decks have been dealt (3 decks behind the cut).
2. Dealer stands on soft 17.
3. No surrender.
4. Can double down on any 2 card total without an ace.
5. Can split aces once only, one card on each.
6. Can split any other pair to a maximum of 3 hands.
7. Can double after split.
8. Dealer takes original bets only on blackjack.
9. Can take even money on blackjack when dealer’s upcard is an ace.
10. Table max is 50 times table min.
11. Card counting is permitted if the counter plays the first hand of the shoe, and plays every hand. Counter can play any number of boxes, and any bet amount. Counter can stop at any time, but cannot rejoin a shoe after missing a hand, or join a shoe that is partway through.

I haven't done any simulations, but my educated option is a definite yes, this game can be beaten. The strategy to use in this game would be to bet the minimum when the odds are against you and the maximum when they are in your favor. Normally a sudden 50 times increase in bet size would set off a huge red flag but it seems the counter could do this with impunity in your game. When Atlantic City first opened the casinos could not ask card counters to leave and entire tables were filled with people jumping suddenly from a $5 bet to $300, or whatever the minimums and maximums were. After taking a huge beating, the Atlantic City casinos begged the gaming authorities for a change in the rules, which they got. Not only could this be beaten, but I think it would be a card counters dream.

Stanford Wong's Blackjack Count Analyzer is perfect for questions like this. Just plug in the rules and it produces an immediately basic strategy and is ready to run a simulation. Following is his basis strategy under these rules. I did a 31-million hand simulation using Blackjack Count Analyzer, which shows a house edge of 4.13%, under these rules. When I was in Finland they had single zero roulette, which has a much lower house edge than this game. Why the blackjack rules are so stingy in Finland I would like to know.

The total house edge is [fee + (house edge)*(bet)]/[fee + bet]. Let's say the house edge is 0.8%. Then the house edge including the fee would be [$0.25 + $2.00*0.008][$0.25 + $2.00] = 11.82%.
However, a quick and easy estimate is to simply divide the fee by the bet as the increase in house edge due to the fee.

Thanks for the compliment. If I had been at this game I would have played it hard. Assuming six-decks and otherwise Vegas rules, the player edge would have been 1.94%. The 2 to 1 on blackjack adds 2.37% to the player's expected return in a six-deck game.

Using my good ol' blackjack house edge calculator normal downtown rules result in a house edge of 0.1896%. In single deck the probability of a player blackjack and no dealer blackjack is 2*(16/52)*(4/51)*(1-2*(15/50)*(3/49))= 0.046492. Reducing the BJ win from 1.5 to 1.2 results in increasing the house edge by 0.046492*(1.5-1.2)= 1.3948%. So the house edge of this game would be 1.3948%+0.1896%=1.5844% (ouch!). For insurance to result in even money, it would have to pay 5-1 but the player could only bet 20% of the original bet on it.

I have been asked this enough time to add a section about it. The short answer is that the coupon is worth just over half of its face value. Visit my blackjack appendix 14 for all the details.

I have that coupon too, and am running out of time to use it. Let’s assume a single deck game. The probability the dealer has blackjack with an ace showing is 16/51 = 31.37%. So if you bet $50 the value of this coupon is (16/51)*$50 = $14.71. However I estimate you will lose $1.23 due to the house edge waiting for the opportunity to use it. So the coupon itself is worth $14.71 - $1.23 = $13.48.

The probability of three seven of diamonds is combin(6,3)/combin(312,3) = 0.00000398937. The probability of three unsuited sevens is (combin(24,3)-combin(6,3))/combin(312,3) = 0.000399735. According to my blackjack calculator the house edge is 0.6233%. The expected loss on a $5 bet would be 3.12 cents. Just the value of the $50 for three unsuited sevens is $50*0.000399735=2.00 cents. To make up the other 1.12 cents the meter would need to reach $2802.

It depends if the player is allowed to double and split the match play portion of the bet. Usually the player is not allowed to, which works against the player. The following chart shows how to adjust your double and splitting strategy, assuming the player may not double the match play and if the player splits the match play rides on the first hand played, based on infinite decks and the dealer standing on soft 17. The hit/stand strategy is the same.

Thanks. You should be doing a lot of surrendering if you can keep the match play. My blackjack appendix 9 is good for questions such as this. A match play is worth just about half of face value. So if the expected value of the hand is less than -1/3 you should surrender. Assuming the dealer hits a soft 17 here are those times.

• Player 6 vs. 10-A
• Player 12 vs. 9-A
• Player 13 vs. 8-A
• Player 14 vs. 8-A
• Player 15 vs. 7-A
• Player 16 vs. 7-A
• Player 17 vs. 8-A
• Player 8,8 vs. 9-A

The strategy is the same if the dealer stands on a soft 17, except the player will not surrender 6 against an ace.

Before considering the bonuses, the house edge is lower on the over bet at 6.55%, as I show in my blackjack appendix 8. The probability of three suited cards is 4×combin(78,3)/combin(312,3) = 4×76076/5013320 = 0.060699. The probability the player’s two cards are suited, but the dealer’s card is not, is (4×combin(78,2)×234)/(combin(312,2)×310) = 2810808/15039960 = 0.186889. Let’s assume the action chips are worth 49.5% of face value. Then the bonuses are worth 0.495×(0.060699×$10 + 0.186889×$5) = $0.76301. The expected loss on the over bet is $10×0.0655 = $0.655. So each $10 over 13 bet is worth $0.76301 - $0.655 = 10.8 cents. The overall player advantage is 1.08% on a $10 over 13 bet.

First let's calculate the expected loss if you bet $16.50, and wait until a winning blackjack to use the coupon. The probability of a player blackjack is the number of aces × number of tens / combinations of ways to choose two cards out of the 312 in the shoe. That comes to 24×96/combin(312,2) = 0.0474895. If both of you have a blackjack, the coupon does you no good. Assuming the player has a blackjack, the probability of a dealer blackjack is 23 × 95 / combin(310,2) = 0.045621. So, the probability of the player having a winning blackjack is 0.0474895 * (1-0.045621) = 0.045323, or once in 22.06 hands. So, your way of playing 22.06 hands at $16.50 each would have an expected loss of 22.06 × $16.50 × .0064=$2.33.

Next, let’s calculate the expected loss if you bet $25, and wait until the first win to use the coupon. The probability of any win is 42.42%, as found in my blackjack appendix 4. This is not exactly the applicable statistic for this situation, due to complications in splitting, but close enough. So, the expected number of hands to play to have a winning hand is 1/0.4242 = 2.36. The expected loss of betting 2.36 hands of $25 each is 2.36 × $25 × .0064=$0.38, which has a cost 84% less than waiting for a blackjack.

The following table shows the probability of a dealer 21-point hand according to the number of cards and number of decks.

Probability of Dealer 21-Point Hand

Cards	1 Deck	2 Decks	6 Decks
2	0.0482655	0.0477969	0.0474895
3	0.0537557	0.0530246	0.0525656
4	0.0184049	0.0184945	0.0185388
5	0.00310576	0.00326001	0.00335881
6	0.000291717	0.000344559	0.000380387
7	0.0000160093	0.0000234897	0.000029251
8	0.000000456411	0.000000997325	0.00000152356
9	0.00000000466991	0.0000000239012	0.0000000526866
10	0.0000000000064214	0.000000000262229	0.00000000115152
11	0	0.0000000000009179	0.0000000000148827
12	0	0	0.0000000000001003
13	0	0	0.0000000000000003

The next table shows the value in cents of the three prizes. The row for the 7-card prize is the value per hand of the $500 bonus for a dealer 7-card 21. The row for the 8-card prize is the value per hand of a $25,000 prize for a dealer 8-card 21. That should be multiplied by the ratio of the current jackpot to $25,000, for the value at any given moment. The row for the envy prize is the value per hand dealt at all other tables in the room of the $500 prizes for the jackpot hitting at another table.

Value of Prizes per Hand Dealt

Prize	1 Deck	2 Decks	6 Decks
7-card $500 win	0.80¢	1.17¢	1.46¢
8-card $25,000 win	1.14¢	2.49¢	3.81¢
8-card $500 envy bonus	0.02¢	0.05¢	0.08¢

Assuming a total of 8 active tables in the room, and 60 rounds per hour, and a $25,000 jackpot, the value of this promotion is $1.26 per hour at a single-deck table, $2.41 at double-deck, and $3.48 at six-deck.

Recently, the Tuscany casino ran a promotion where if you got 30 blackjacks in a 30-day period, you would win a $100 bonus. At first, the minimum bet was $5 to get your card stamped. However, I later heard the minimum for a stamp was raised to $15. I wrote a letter of complaint about it to the casino manager, stating in part:

I just wanted to express my disappointment in this change, if it is true. I never had a chance to take advantage of the promotion and doubt I will be able to now. The amount of time necessary to receive 30 blackjacks (I’m told about 8 hours of continuous play) seems unreasonable at $15/hand when the promotion still offers only $100.

Here is the reply I received:

In response to your e-mail on the blackjack blackout promotion, I’m not sure where you received your information on how long it takes to complete the blackout card. We’ve seen players complete the card in less than four hours. Also, you have thirty days in which to complete the card. I hope you understand this is not a task that is unreachable with that much time. I THANK YOU for your letter. It’s good to hear feedback from our customers. Hope you can give it a try and win some money!

What is the probability of getting 30 blackjacks in four hours?

According to my game comparison, blackjack players play about 70 hands per hour. The probability of a blackjack in a six-deck game is 24*96/combin(312,2)=4.75%. I assume a blackjack tie still gets a stamp. So it should take about 30/0.0475=632 hands to fill the card, or 9.02 hours.

The probability of filling the card in 4 hours, assuming 280 hands, is 1 in 30,000 playing one hand at a time. I suspect any player achieving the goal in four hours was playing at least two hands at a time.

This question was raised and discussed in the forum of my companion site Wizard of Vegas.

I know about it. The Mohegan Sun is running a 'triple down' promotion for 24 hours, starting at 6:00 AM on July 15. It is valid on all blackjack and Spanish 21 tables, and the maximum additional wager is $500. Information can be found on both the Mohegan Sun’s promotions page. The newsroom used to have the following statement, but it was removed:

Showing an eleven and looking to double down? On Thursday, July 15th, guests who play Spanish 21 or Blackjack will be eligible to triple down on their bet f.rom 6:00am on July 15th to 5:59am on July 16th. After a player receives their first two cards, they may make an additional wager up to triple the amount of the original wager. All tables will make tripling down available up to a $500.00 maximum bet. Standard double down rules apply.

The removed content indicates that the player may quadruple down, because the total wager would be four times as much as the initial wager. Maybe it was removed because it was a misprint.

I’m told in blackjack they use six decks, stand on a soft 17, allow surrender and double after a split, but don’t allow re-splitting aces. Normally the house edge under those rules would be 0.36%. I’m not sure if the player will be allowed to triple/quadruple after a split. Here is the player edge under various sets of rules:

• Player may triple down on first two cards, double down after split: 1.39%
• Player may triple down on first two cards, triple down after split: 1.59%
• Player may quadruple down on first two cards, double down after split: 3.20%
• Player may quadruple down on first two cards, quadruple down after split: 3.62%

Following are strategies for triple and quadruple down, assuming each is allowed after a split. If the player may only double after a split, then the player should following the conventional splitting strategy, except if the player can quadruple down, but only double after a split, then the player should quadruple on 4,4 vs. 6. This question was raised and discussed in the forum of my companion site Wizard of Vegas.

Thank you for that information. I just updated my blackjack survey to reflect that rule change.
You're right that with this change the Alamo no longer has the honor of having the most liberal blackjack in Las Vegas. That honor now belongs to the single-deck game at the El Cortez. There are still a few legitimate (meaning paying 3-2 on a blackjack) games in Vegas, but the El Cortez is the only one that allows doubling on any two first cards. The other properties follow the northern Nevada rule of restricting doubling to totals of 10 and 11. The full El Cortez single-deck rules are:

• Single deck.
• Blackjack pays 3-2.
• Dealer hits soft 17.
• Double on any first two cards.
• No double after split.
• No surrender.
• No re-splitting aces.
• No cut card.

Assigning a house edge depends on specifically the dealer's behavior in deciding when to shuffle. The cut-card effect is important in a single-deck game, lowering the house edge by 0.11% if there is isn't one.
It is my understanding the dealer's shuffle after a certain number of rounds, according to the number of players at the table. Usually, the single-deck game at the El Cortez has at least four players, which equates to the dealer shuffling after two rounds. As long as the dealer deals exactly x rounds per deck, that is good for the player. Given this policy, and the usual crowded table, I put the 'realistic' house edge at 0.19%, which is what the basic strategy player can expect.
So, congratulations and kudos to the El Cortez for the new best blackjack game in Vegas!

There is an old electronic blackjack game at the casino in Cal Nev Ari with the following rules:

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• Wins, except blackjack, pays 3 for 2 (or 1 to 2)
• Blackjacks pay 6 for 1 (or 5 to 1)
• Single deck
• Dealer stands on soft 17
• Double on any initial two cards down offered
• Splitting allowed
• Do double after split
• No re-splitting
• No surrender

Interesting. I assume if the player doubles and wins he still only is paid 1 to 2 on the total amount bet.

First, here is the basic strategy for these rules:

• Hard hands: Never double. Otherwise, play like conventional basic strategy, except stand on 12 vs. 3 and 16 vs. 10.
• Soft hands: Never double. Hit soft 17 or less and soft 18 vs. 9. Otherwise, stand.
• Pairs: Only split 8's against a 6 to 8. Always hit two aces. Otherwise, follow strategy for hard totals.

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Under these rules and strategy, I get a house edge of 7.88%.