How can someone be a professional blackjack player, if it's based on luck alone?
What can someone do in blackjack besides following basic strategy, betting the minimum allowed amount and hoping for the best?
That is, if someone is not cheating, nor counting cards (which is not the hot stuff depicted in movies anyway), how can he make a living out of it, or, at least play regularly for winning?
Quote: justjackHow could someone become a professional in a game that does not depend on your ability? It's not like poker, that you can learn.
What can someone do in blackjack besides following basic strategy, betting the minimum allowed amount and hoping for the best?
That is, if someone is not cheating, nor counting cards (which is not the hot stuff depicted in movies anyway), how can he make a living out of it, or, at least play regularly for winning?
By putting at risk a bankroll that is far FAR more than his required earnings. It's a dumb thing to do but it can work for a long time.
Or.. Exploit bonuses or weaknesses in the game. Don't underestimate the edge that they can give.
Quote: justjackHow could someone become a professional in a game that does not depend on your ability? It's not like poker, that you can learn.
What can someone do in blackjack besides following basic strategy, betting the minimum allowed amount and hoping for the best?
That is, if someone is not cheating, nor counting cards (which is not the hot stuff depicted in movies anyway), how can he make a living out of it, or, at least play regularly for winning?
If you are just playing straight blackjack with basic strategy, any long term profit is straight luck.
Professional players gain positive EV by combining counting, comps, and promotions.
Quote: gamerfreakIf you are just playing straight blackjack with basic strategy, any long term profit is straight luck.
Professional players gain positive EV by combining counting, comps, and promotions.
A player can look for weak dealers who expose their hole cards, or can scavenge hands from weaker players.
Taking advantage of promotions goes a long way. A small chain here recently put $10 match play coupons in a local paper. It was supposed to be one a day but since they had three shifts it became two or three a day at three locations. 80 matchplays, win 38, get $760, lose 42 and you net $340. Do that at three locations and you are.up a grand. You can't live on that, but it pays for your food for a month. Do it with your spouse/ partner and double it.
Quote: justjackHow could someone become a professional in a game that does not depend on your ability? It's not like poker, that you can learn.
What can someone do in blackjack besides following basic strategy, betting the minimum allowed amount and hoping for the best?
Justjack,
This view of Blackjack is the view held by the general public about Blackjack. A player will sit down with $500 at a $25 table and hope that he is "lucky" today, that the cards will be very good today. Has he ever considered learning to play the hands correctly to begin with, since it's a decision making game after all. This is the perspective that the Casinos try to market to the general public as well; for Blackjack as well as all their other games. Basic Strategy in Blackjack will generally reduce the house advantage against the player to less than one percent long term. And so if that's the Basic Strategy, what would be the next step in progress? The "advanced" strategies. Counting, and everything else that would give the player a VERY REAL STATISTICAL ADVANTAGE over the house.
While it's not what you see in the movies, it is quite profitable to the professionals that do it right.Quote: justjack...That is, if someone is not cheating, nor counting cards (which is not the hot stuff depicted in movies anyway), how can he make a living out of it, or, at least play regularly for winning?
I'd suggest reading my articles on the subject which let you know just why/how/etc it all works and how profitable it can be. In the 3rd article I give real life examples of professional players and potential earnings:
https://wizardofvegas.com/articles/A-to-Z-Counting-Cards-in-Blackjack/
https://wizardofvegas.com/articles/A-to-Z-Counting-Cards-In-Blackjack-2/
https://wizardofvegas.com/articles/A-to-Z-Counting-Cards-in-Blackjack-3/
Why would you attempt to make a living playing blackjack yet intentionally rule out using card counting? That's like trying to make a living as a plumber while intentionally ruling out using a wrench. It may be possible, but it's a whole lot harder than using the proper tools for the job.Quote: justjackThat is, if someone is not cheating, nor counting cards (which is not the hot stuff depicted in movies anyway), how can he make a living out of it, or, at least play regularly for winning?
Quote: RomesWhile it's not what you see in the movies, it is quite profitable to the professionals that do it right.
I'd suggest reading my articles on the subject which let you know just why/how/etc it all works and how profitable it can be. In the 3rd article I give real life examples of professional players and potential earnings:
https://wizardofvegas.com/articles/A-to-Z-Counting-Cards-in-Blackjack/
https://wizardofvegas.com/articles/A-to-Z-Counting-Cards-In-Blackjack-2/
https://wizardofvegas.com/articles/A-to-Z-Counting-Cards-in-Blackjack-3/
Romes: I read your articles and I wanted to take a moment to compliment you. They were extremely well written and informative. You might consider publishing a book on blackjack. I'm not saying that it would make a lot of money, but I think some publishers may be interested because of your crisp, clear, writing style and the dynamic expansion of casino gambling in the U.S.; as well as the obvious interest in AP operations by newbies as evidenced by high traffic on various websites. I would request that you comment on the future of blackjack regarding CSMs, ASMs, 6/5; etc., as many are predicting a gloomy future for APs. I disagree with this premise and would like to hear what you have to say about it.
I appreciate the over the top review rooster =). My teammate and I actually plan to write a book encompassing our journey, which will in fact start with blackjack... a lot of blackjack.Quote: lilredroosterRomes: I read your articles and I wanted to take a moment to compliment you. They were extremely well written and informative. You might consider publishing a book on blackjack. I'm not saying that it would make a lot of money, but I think some publishers may be interested because of your crisp, clear, writing style and the dynamic expansion of casino gambling in the U.S.; as well as the obvious interest in AP operations by newbies as evidenced by high traffic on various websites. I would request that you comment on the future of blackjack regarding CSMs, ASMs, 6/5; etc., as many are predicting a gloomy future for APs. I disagree with this premise and would like to hear what you have to say about it.
I could easily write a blackjack book alone, but it would more/less be a repeat of what's already out there (from a technical standpoint). I by no means invented these concepts or math and thus what most people enjoy at that point are the individual stories to the author... which is why I'm leaning more towards the book with my teammate about our entire journey, that I like to think we're in the middle of currently =P.
All hearsay anyways, as this "hopefully" wouldn't happen for another decade at least!
If you can make it more entertaining than "21" then let's make it a movie. Now, about casting...Quote: RomesI appreciate the over the top review rooster =). My teammate and I actually plan to write a book encompassing our journey, which will in fact start with blackjack... a lot of blackjack.
I could easily write a blackjack book alone, but it would more/less be a repeat of what's already out there (from a technical standpoint). I by no means invented these concepts or math and thus what most people enjoy at that point are the individual stories to the author... which is why I'm leaning more towards the book with my teammate about our entire journey, that I like to think we're in the middle of currently =P.
All hearsay anyways, as this "hopefully" wouldn't happen for another decade at least!
There was supposed to be a movie coming out (for a couple years now) from Richard Munchkin that had like all of the top pro's/etc featured in the movie. For the life of me I can't recall the name, otherwise I'd link to the IMDB page, but wow it was a killer cast.Quote: MathExtremistIf you can make it more entertaining than "21" then let's make it a movie. Now, about casting...
Quote: RomesThere was supposed to be a movie coming out (for a couple years now) from Richard Munchkin that had like all of the top pro's/etc featured in the movie. For the life of me I can't recall the name, otherwise I'd link to the IMDB page, but wow it was a killer cast.
Hey Romes, we should swap at some point. I'm writing my journey as well. Almost finished writing (but not the journey) so no idea when I will finally decide to publish.
Always up for exchanging war stories and meeting other AP's! I'm usually in Vegas 3-4 times per year, but past that we can PM and figure something out.Quote: darkozHey Romes, we should swap at some point. I'm writing my journey as well. Almost finished writing (but not the journey) so no idea when I will finally decide to publish.
Quote: gamerfreakIf you are just playing straight blackjack with basic strategy, any long term profit is straight luck.
Professional players gain positive EV by combining counting, comps, and promotions.
I'm curious about this final comment. For those of us who lives in places where the casinos do NOT offer comps and/or promotions (I even have to pay for my own beer), and therefore cannot count towards a positive EV, can card counting alone be enough to make the game profitable?
Where I live the ONLY comp my local casino provides is a $5 or $10 'match play' coupon, good for one play. (It's like a free $5 or $10 chip.) I only play it on the first hand of a shoe; sometimes I win and sometimes I lose. In case of a push, the dealer picks up the coupon. If I wait for a good count to use it, I might not use it for my entire session.
Quote: IbeatyouracesYes. When applied properly, card counting alone will beat a standard blackjack game.
In theory.
In reality, making the bet spreads needed to beat most games these days makes longevity questionable.
It depends on the game conditions and rules.
Quote: billryanIn theory.
In reality, making the bet spreads needed to beat most games these days makes longevity questionable.
It depends on the game conditions and rules.
No theory about it. Counting works and has been proven mathematically. We're not discussing casino tolerance. Just whether it works or not.
Beating the game just means not losing money to some, and making good money to others. In the end, everyone needs to figure out what "beating the game" means to them, and then make a game plan to play accordingly.
