Paying 25¢ to play at the $1 BlackJack table

For those that don't know, some casinos in A.C. (and presumably elsewhere), charge 25¢ to play at the $1 BJ table. That's 25¢ per hand, win, lose or push.

Depending on how much you're betting, it might be better to sit at a 6:5 table - or even one that pays even money for BJ.


But here's a different slant from a real session:


During our recent Christmas trip, my wife sat at that table. I learned this as we were driving home.

I asked her if she knew how terrible that game is. She totally understood that it makes the house edge huge, but she didn't care.

She bought in for $20 and lost the first ten or so hands. Had she been at a regular $10 table, she would have been down $100, and done with blackjack. Instead, she continued to play and started to win a few hands.

When she was done, a few hours had passed, she had a few drinks and was up about $2. And she said it was a lot of fun because the other players were being very social.

And there was none of the "you took the dealer's bust card" crap. If that happened, the response was more like "Oh well, you gave it a shot. I only lost a buck."


As terrible as that game is, it's hard to argue with those kinds of results.

If you really have the discipline to stay at the minimum bet, it's not such a crazy thing to kill time with.

Interesting take DJ. One question: was she down $2.00 net or down $2.00 from gambling but ~$30.00 from table fees?

Quote: DJTeddyBear

When she was done, a few hours had passed, she had a few drinks and was up about $2. And she said it was a lot of fun because the other players were being very social.

That is totally my wife's attitude. If she can play for
a couple hours, drink a few Tequilla Sunrises for free,
and break even, she's delighted.

Quote: sunrise089

Interesting take DJ. One question: was she down $2.00 net or down $2.00 from gambling but ~$30.00 from table fees?

She wasn't down, she was UP. Ok, it was only $2, but she was up. And that was net. She bought in for $20, left with $22.

Frankly, had she busted out after 2 hours, she still would have said it was a good 2 hours.

And, she's pretty good about tipping. Not too much, but she takes care of the dealer.

So maybe its only the wealthier types that go around squabbling about other player's decisions. Those who can only afford one dollar tables are too poor to be rude or something. I don't know.

Certainly you get the same attitude from males in the Party Pits....extra charges, lower payouts,... so what... great tits!!

Its a question of priorities in life. And a free Tequila Sunrise is indeed a high priority.

You cant beat this game if you are paying a fourth of the wager in a non refundable tax. They pay tax on wagers in oklahoma and what i have seen it is a tenth of what the wager rounding up in the nearest increments of fifty cents. This adds a ten percent losing rate to the payer it makes it impossible to buck ten percent player disadvantage I would avoid these games completly. The highest advantage a player can get through card counting in an unusual circumstance is seven percent that still doesnt beat the ten percent you are out yet alone twenty five percent

I agree that, mathematically, this game is a stinker.

However, as my wife's story shows, it can be a great game to play.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

I agree that, mathematically, this game is a stinker.

However, as my wife's story shows, it can be a great game to play.

$5 6:5 BJ is so much better it's not even funny. I'm pretty sure you're expected loss of playing 2 hours at $1 a hand with a $.25 ante is more than playing 2 hours at $5 a hand with 6:5.

If my wife even played 1 hand of the $1 BJ I wouldn't be happy with her. I'm all for camraderie and enjoyment, but that is just too much for me.

Quote: FinsRule

If my wife even played 1 hand of the $1 BJ I wouldn't be happy with her. I'm all for camaraderie and enjoyment, but that is just too much for me.

There are other issues that just the severity of the "tax". Its the degree to which the player feels driven to it and the degree to which he is aware of its nature and impact. For some people the camaraderie and enjoyment is paramount no matter how stiff that ante bet is. For others, such as at a party pit table, its not the twenty-five cents that they focus on, its the Thirty-Eights they are focusing on. Its sort of like a cover charge at a nightclub ... I hate them but some people pay them willingly.

Pay a twenty-five percent "tax" to be one dollar? No. I sure hope I never have to do it. However, I won't say its wrong to do it. I would expect the one dollar blackjack to get great drink comps though!