Video Blackjack
1. There was a video screen at the top of the machine where the virtual dealer dealt the cards from.
2. There were four or five seats. There was a video screen in front of each of the seats. The virtual dealer would deal the cards from the screen up top and
they would land in the video screens in front off the players.
3. Each player acted in turn on his hand. Then the dealer would act.
4. It was dollar denom and players could bet from $1 to $50.
5. It was SINGLE DECK, Blackjack paid 3 to 2. But I don't remember what the rest of the rules were.
I had no clue about this game but there were some guys around who did. And they exploited this game for a lot of money. After the play got squashed I was told that the dealer wasn't reshuffling after every hand. They were getting 75% penetration. They could tell the shuffle point because they could see the virtual dealer shuffling the cards. These guys had a betting spread from $1 to $50. They would lock up every seat and exploit the game.
I'm not a blackjack expert. So I would like to ask you blackjack guys how you would have exploited this game.
Quote: RorryBest not to talk about such things publicly.
The play has been extinct for about 13 years.
- There is no pit boss watching them! They can spread their bets freely without worrying about pressure from TG management.
- They have a 50 unit bet spread, multiplied individually by how many spots were being played so when the count is in their favor, they can bet aggressively. I feel that you are risking only $1 and have the chance to bet upwards of $50 when the count is in your favor.
- They can track the shuffle so they know when the beginning of the shoe starts.
- It would be to their advantage to use players cards to earn comps on top of their positive theo.
- I would imagine the casino caught on rather quick to this highly vulnerable version of video blackjack and took it off the floor immediately. The rules of play effect how much of an advantage you can have as well. Nowadays, video blackjack shuffles after 4 decks are dealt or shuffles after every hand making it impossible to count cards! There is no way to know when the dealer is going to shuffle. And typically there are special rules increasing the House Edge.
Quote: syrcusbossPrimarily why the players were gaining an advantage is through card counting and other factors:
- There is no pit boss watching them! They can spread their bets freely without worrying about pressure from TG management.
- They have a 50 unit bet spread, multiplied individually by how many spots were being played so when the count is in their favor, they can bet aggressively. I feel that you are risking only $1 and have the chance to bet upwards of $50 when the count is in your favor.
- They can track the shuffle so they know when the beginning of the shoe starts.
- It would be to their advantage to use players cards to earn comps on top of their positive theo.
- I would imagine the casino caught on rather quick to this highly vulnerable version of video blackjack and took it off the floor immediately. The rules of play effect how much of an advantage you can have as well. Nowadays, video blackjack shuffles after 4 decks are dealt or shuffles after every hand making it impossible to count cards! There is no way to know when the dealer is going to shuffle. And typically there are special rules increasing the House Edge.
Thanks for the response, syrcusboss. As I recall they changed the game from single deck to four decks with low penetration.
Quote: PokeraddictWas this a BJ Blitz machine? There were some seriously exploitable plays in South Dakota as late as about 2007.
Pokeraddict, you've jogged my memory and I think that was the name of the game.
Quote: mickeycrimm
I had no clue about this game but there were some guys around who did. And they exploited this game for a lot of money. After the play got squashed I was told that the dealer wasn't reshuffling after every hand. They were getting 75% penetration. They could tell the shuffle point because they could see the virtual dealer shuffling the cards. These guys had a betting spread from $1 to $50. They would lock up every seat and exploit the game.
I'm not a blackjack expert. So I would like to ask you blackjack guys how you would have exploited this game.
I doubt it was not reshuffled each and every hand and showing the video shuffle was just for show. I would want to test it by seeing if the same cards came up or not. Just because you do not see the computer shuffle does not mean it didn't do it. To shuffle takes less than a second. So I am not saying it did not shuffle every hand, I am saying test it not just go by what you see on screen.
fairestcasinos.com/blackjackblitz
Quote: mickeycrimmPokeraddict, you've jogged my memory and I think that was the name of the game.
Look familiar? I took this picture in Deadwood, SD in about 2011. This was the last machine of its kind that I knew of and it is dead now. The manufacturer went out of business and the machine cannot be converted to tickets.
This machine would tell you when it would shuffle and it was correct. Some places would set this as a four deck game but single deck was available although when I saw SD the game reshuffled every time. Game could also be set to not allow doubles, D9-11, D10-11 or D anything. It was always S17 and split only once.
I don't know for a fact, but i think Lyle Berman may have had an interest in that company,
Quote: Pokeraddict
Look familiar? I took this picture in Deadwood, SD in about 2011. This was the last machine of its kind that I knew of and it is dead now. The manufacturer went out of business and the machine cannot be converted to tickets.
This machine would tell you when it would shuffle and it was correct. Some places would set this as a four deck game but single deck was available although when I saw SD the game reshuffled every time. Game could also be set to not allow doubles, D9-11, D10-11 or D anything. It was always S17 and split only once.
Yes, this is it. I may have been wrong about the max bet. It may have been $1 to $10, but you could go from a $1 bet on one machine to a $10 bet on all five machines.
Quote: mickeycrimmQuote: Pokeraddict
Look familiar? I took this picture in Deadwood, SD in about 2011. This was the last machine of its kind that I knew of and it is dead now. The manufacturer went out of business and the machine cannot be converted to tickets.
This machine would tell you when it would shuffle and it was correct. Some places would set this as a four deck game but single deck was available although when I saw SD the game reshuffled every time. Game could also be set to not allow doubles, D9-11, D10-11 or D anything. It was always S17 and split only once.
Yes, this is it. I may have been wrong about the max bet. It may have been $1 to $10, but you could go from a $1 bet on one machine to a $10 bet on all five machines.
If you or anyone else finds one of these machines please lmk. I don't care if it is -EV, they are fun and I would only bet a few bucks a hand. They are the fastest multi player BJ machine I have ever seen.
The machine you see here was $1-100 as were all of the ones in Deadwood. At one point there were three.
The same company also had a Hot Shot Dice game that was Never Ever Craps with 2x odds. It had a trackball like a Centipede machine to roll the dice with 6 stations. I miss those too, far more entertaining than the fuzzy dice bubble games out now. Much faster too.
They had them all over Vegas, all with different bet spreads,numbers of decks and penetration. I never seen a single deck unfortunately, most were 2 to 6 decks. The nice thing was, there were no Pit bosses to sweat you. It was a relaxing way to countQuote: DRichThe game was made by a company called Innovative Gaming. In the industry they were referred to as the IGCA games. I know they also made a craps and roulette game. I gave those quite a bit of play in Biloxi and Gulfport at the old Grand Casinos.
I don't know for a fact, but i think Lyle Berman may have had an interest in that company,
You could spread from 1 to 500 at a few places. Betting $1 was not something you would want to do, since it only payed in $1 increments and you would lose .50 cents on a blackjack because it rounded down. You could just sit and not play anything, while watching and counting other players hands, it was very easy.
I played the Luxor quite a bit and it was very fun(4 decks $2-$50 ON 5 machines from what I remember), 2 of us would take up all the seats unless someone wanted one. I know in one session We were down 5k.
I Remember playing at a small casino I may be mixing up the location however, I believe it was Bourbon street after it was sold a few times. the place looked as if Gamblers bonus route operators took over the gaming operations. They put in a bank of of BJ blitz with a big Limit, I cant remember if it was 100 or 500 max. I just remember the first day we played it, the shift manager was excited to have us there and encouraging us to play..... until we cashed out many thousands. He then panicked.
Bally's had a bank of them for a long time, they moved downstairs near the sports book in the mall hallway. They were only a $10 max per machine.
They had some upstairs at the Tropicana you could spread a lot however the penetration was bad
There was a small casino in Henderson on Sunset that had them with 100 max and they sent you good mail along with other bonuses.
Riverside had them in the non smoking section.
I played a few other places but it has been so long I don't remember all the details.
Quote: mickeycrimmI did some googling. Henry Tamburin wrote an article about the game in 2001.
fairestcasinos.com/blackjackblitz
That link doesn't work, I think this is what your looking for.
Quote: AcesAndEightsThat link doesn't work, I think this is what your looking for.
Thanks for the correction, AcesAndEights.
Quote: AxelWolfThey had them all over Vegas, all with different bet spreads,numbers of decks and penetration. I never seen a single deck unfortunately, most were 2 to 6 decks. The nice thing was, there were no Pit bosses to sweat you. It was a relaxing way to count
You could spread from 1 to 500 at a few places. Betting $1 was not something you would want to do, since it only payed in $1 increments and you would lose .50 cents on a blackjack because it rounded down. You could just sit and not play anything, while watching and counting other players hands, it was very easy.
I played the Luxor quite a bit and it was very fun(4 decks $2-$50 ON 5 machines from what I remember), 2 of us would take up all the seats unless someone wanted one. I know in one session We were down 5k.
I Remember playing at a small casino I may be mixing up the location however, I believe it was Bourbon street after it was sold a few times. the place looked as if Gamblers bonus route operators took over the gaming operations. They put in a bank of of BJ blitz with a big Limit, I cant remember if it was 100 or 500 max. I just remember the first day we played it, the shift manager was excited to have us there and encouraging us to play..... until we cashed out many thousands. He then panicked.
Bally's had a bank of them for a long time, they moved downstairs near the sports book in the mall hallway. They were only a $10 max per machine.
They had some upstairs at the Tropicana you could spread a lot however the penetration was bad
There was a small casino in Henderson on Sunset that had them with 100 max and they sent you good mail along with other bonuses.
Riverside had them in the non smoking section.
I played a few other places but it has been so long I don't remember all the details.
I figured you were probably be in on this, Axel. Now I'm wondering if your crew were the ones that tagged the dollar denom early surrender Williams video blackjack at Harrah's in Tahoe. It would have been about 1998 or 1999.
PS: Those machines had the Let It Ride feature too.
Quote: teddysThere is one at the Delta Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada. Quite a fun game.
Yep. Teddy beat me to it.
It's only a 2-seater though if I recall (perhaps 3 seats)
I play it every time I go up there.
yes go back to that thread i made a followup to your postQuote: mickeycrimmI figured you were probably be in on this, Axel. Now I'm wondering if your crew were the ones that tagged the dollar denom early surrender Williams video blackjack at Harrah's in Tahoe. It would have been about 1998 or 1999.
PS: Those machines had the Let It Ride feature too.
Can you tell me the rules decks and penetration? Can you tell when it shuffles? Do they have cash back on the card?Quote: ClarkWGriswoldYep. Teddy beat me to it.
It's only a 2-seater though if I recall (perhaps 3 seats)
I play it every time I go up there.
To late now..OMWQuote: Rorrynvm it is needed. Didn't I say "shhhh" earlier? Now can we seriously hush? Use PMs or something folks!
Quote: AxelWolfTo late now..OMW
LOL, I saw that coming.
Well that just goes to my views about putting information online. Many millions have been lost by spreading plays publicly on the internet. VPfree is my nemesis and has been from the beginning when it was Skip's page. I was horrified by the information being spread to the casinos and encouragement of other players. I don't buy the fact that, more information spread out to many different players, help take out more money from the casino over all.Quote: rainmanLOL, I saw that coming.
A few AP's can take out much more with surprise quick high limit attacks.
I know we have some people out there, that for some reason or another they find and talk about current good advantage plays. Perhaps they just like to be praised for the information because they cant exploit it themselves and can't make any money.
If this is ever the situation. Feel free to PM me , I will pay cash for the information, if I play it, or I will make some kind of a deal and give you a free-roll or some percentage and keep my mouth shut. Anything can be worked out.
Quote: AxelWolfWell that just goes to my views about putting information online. Many millions have been lost by spreading plays publicly on the internet. VPfree is my nemesis and has been from the beginning when it was Skip's page. I was horrified by the information being spread to the casinos and encouragement of other players. I don't buy the fact that, more information spread out to many different players, help take out more money from the casino over all.
A few AP's can take out much more with surprise quick high limit attacks.
I know we have some people out there, that for some reason or another they find and talk about current good advantage plays. Perhaps they just like to be praised for the information because they cant exploit it themselves and can't make any money.
If this is ever the situation. Feel free to PM me , I will pay cash for the information, if I play it, or I will make some kind of a deal and give you a free-roll or some percentage and keep my mouth shut. Anything can be worked out.
All you get off me is a trip to Montana. Out of professional courtesy I will clinic you on the plays. But remember this. I've got my WoV rocker patch on. The bottom rocker says Montana. WOV MONTANA. Ain't no swinging dick gonna come to Montana and take over my plays. You or any of your friends are only welcome here by my good grace. I'll knock you M-----F-----s off your saddle. You cross this territory you better have a passport....issued by me.
I have no interest in going to Montana for gambling, I would love to go fishing there. I have more then enough things I can be doing already, then the willingness to do them. I'm fairly lazy these days. I occasionally get motivated by an interesting play, other then that It takes a sledge hammer to get me to hustle. I was just trying to have others think before they post about current plays and receive no benefit from doing so.Quote: mickeycrimmAll you get off me is a trip to Montana. Out of professional courtesy I will clinic you on the plays. But remember this. I've got my WoV rocker patch on. The bottom rocker says Montana. WOV MONTANA. Ain't no swinging dick gonna come to Montana and take over my plays. You or any of your friends are only welcome here by my good grace. I'll knock you M-----F-----s off your saddle. You cross this territory you better have a passport....issued by me.
Quote: teddysThe one in Virginia City is definitely NOT an advantage play.
All I wanted to know was where this antique of a machine was for pure entertainment. Assuming it is just a standard .4% or so edge then it will be fun if I make it up that way. Thank you to those willing to share this info. I doubt my couple of hours of $4 play will hurt anything.
