Lucky Ladies

At my Casino and alot of them the 1000 to 1 payout only pays $10,000, where as the Max Bet on the side is $25. I should put the side bet on when I hit around TC +5 for Hi low in which should suit Hi OPT 2. IS this a bad bet because of the limit on the payout ? Should I avoid or should I wait till the TC is 8 or 9 + ?

I would recommend a different count for the ladies. Using Hi Lo your second option is way better than your first. Personally, I fee[ that detailed open discussions about some blackjack side bets are better left alone.

The sidebet is described here ( https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/lucky-ladies/ ). It seems obvious that the bet is countable since you want there to be a surplus of Qh and Blackjacks as well as 20s (usually from two picture cards). I'm guessing you can overcome the House Edge on occasions - which is why they set it so high - but if you want a proper count method then you'll have to look at EoRs (effect of removal) etc. Alternatively, since it's only based on a few cards, it's probably easier to develop a spreadsheet with a variable deck and play around.

It's an interesting conundrum whether the forum should give AP advice or keep quiet. Personally I think it's fair if someone wants to learn the methods to analyse an opportunity - nowadays I suspect most game designers understand the principles - certainly a few casinos do.

Technically you shouldn't bet over $10 if they limit it to $10k, but there may be occasions when the HE is +ve, when you're willing to sacrifice the top prize for more money on the lower ones and so bet more.

card counting the lucky ladies blackjack side bet

lucky ladies and the insurance count

lucky ladies 10 years later

Did somebody say spreadsheet?

Quote: miplet

Did somebody say spreadsheet?

you did.

Quote: charliepatrick

It's an interesting conundrum whether the forum should give AP advice or keep quiet.

to keep quiet about 'how' is locking the barn door after the horse has left the barn, for the most part ... something new might be an exception.

to name 'a good place to go' because they are asleep at the wheel there, though, is stupid

There's so much information out there (that was even posted by teliot) that I don't see a reason to write out exactly how to approach this side bet. After all, we don't want it dying anytime soon ;).

Quote: nhbtitan

At my Casino and alot of them the 1000 to 1 payout only pays $10,000, where as the Max Bet on the side is $25. I should put the side bet on when I hit around TC +5 for Hi low in which should suit Hi OPT 2. IS this a bad bet because of the limit on the payout ? Should I avoid or should I wait till the TC is 8 or 9 + ?
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I wasn't aware of the limit. Maybe go with a $10 max bet next time. With a 1,000 to 1 win over $600, I'd expect a tax form for the win. One guy next to me said he won it twice. I asked if he got tax forms for it, he said he hadn't filed taxes in years. He's in so much trouble for other things, it's a wonder he was there at all. Another guy was betting $25 on the LL and $100 on the "3" and pressing his bets on the main bet. Within an hour he was getting purples then betting purples. Within 2 hours he had well over $5,000, maybe over $10K. He had a black & purple chip mess and didn't really know basic strategy. He was betting 2 spots to accelerate his action.

People were getting backed off for betting the Lucky Ladies a decade ago?

It looked like the tiny print on the table had the two deck payout even though I was playing from a 6 deck shoe. I must say it was impossible to read the small print on the table. Even if I took a phone camera photo it would be impossible to read properly, the type was too small. But the 1000 and the 200 were visible.
https://www.888casino.com/blog/side-bets/lucky-ladies-10-years-later
Seems other players are always eyeing what cards other players are getting and what they would have won if they were betting that spot. The peer pressure to bet these side bets is immense. I don't really care, it's not part of my game. But it does help to know there are huge payoffs on these side bets that I'd miss.

The "plus 3" side bet had version 4 payout from The Wiz's site.
"This version, with a 30-20-10-5 pay table, is known as "21+3 Xtreme." The following return table shows the house edge for six decks is 13.39% (ouch!)."
https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/21plus3/
You lose 90% of your bets. This is the only side bet I'd consider at a $5 level, just have to get a straight every once in awhile.

There was also the $5 Blazing 7's side bet which had a JP sitting around $22K, and a 2nd place JP of around $6K. The Wiz's site mentions the 2nd place JP of being 10% of the top JP. That may be true at other places. At this place they have a separate JP for 1st and 2nd place so if one wins the other keeps counting. I know they were both at much higher numbers a few months ago, but being there to win it is a severe longshot, but a severe letdown if you didn't bet it and won it, so much FOMO!
https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/blazing-7s/
You lose 85% of your bets.

Here's the Wiz's site analysis of Lucky Ladies.
https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/lucky-ladies/
The next table is an analysis of pay table B with six decks. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 17.64%. Lucky Ladies Pay Table B — 6 decks
Again, you lose almost 90% of your bets.