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Blackjack
Includes questions about one of the world's most popular casino card games. Also known as Twenty-One and Pontoon.
280 Questions
What is a dealer in Vegas called when the lossely shuffle their cards?
The dealer in a casino is often referred to as a "croupier".
How do you become a Blackjack dealer in Las Vegas?
Most casinos in Las Vegas require you to be trained in a Casino Games School, some casinos still train dealers. School can be expensive, they charge up to $800./game, the more games you know the better your chances of getting into a good house. If a casino trains you they don't charge you but sometimes you have to get a gaming card first and there is no guarantee that you will get the job. Unfortunately, some people are not capable to catching on to the different games, they are much easier to play than to deal.
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I have been dealing on the Strip in Las Vegas for over five years. First of all, if you have no dealing experience or dealer school training the casinos will not hire you. They aren't in the business of training people. The only way to get a dealing job is to take at class at one of the dealing schools (look up "learn to deal blackjack" in Google). You can learn to deal blackjack in less than two weeks for about $300.
Other games like craps, roulette and poker take much longer to learn and are more expensive, but the important thing is that you only need to learn blackjack to get a dealing job. This qualifies you to audition for a job in a "break in" house which is a smaller casino that accepts new dealers from the schools. There are only a few break-in houses in Las Vegas. Remember, when these break in houses need dealers they call the dealer schools first -- that's the way it works. Even if you learn to deal every game you'll still have to get your first job at a break-in house. You will not be hired at a big casino. The big casinos only hire dealers with years of experience.
Once you are hired you should then take classes in craps, roulette, pai gow and baccarat. You'll need to know these, not to keep your job, but to move up to bigger casinos (where you make bigger tips).
Also remember that poker dealers only deal poker. If you want to be a poker dealer, don't waste your money on learning other games.
You should also not take classes for the "carnival games" like Let-It-Ride, 3-Card-Poker, Casino War and Caribbean Stud. Once you have your first job, another dealer will teach you these games. It only takes a few minutes to learn them.
Another point of confusion is about the gaming cards. First of all, the state no longer issues gaming cards. You can only be licensed by the state when you are hired by a casino. They send the forms, plus your fingerprints, your fee and other information directly to the state gaming office. This licensing will cost you about $100 and you'll renew it every five years.
Things that are important in becoming a blackjack dealer is understanding game protect, customer service skills and the ability to dummy up and deal unless your customer service skills overrides that concept and brings the customer back solely for your dealing.
Blackjack dealer school is not necessary but it is a great idea as is provide a feel of "on the job training" and you will be comfortable with produces and technique so you will be fast(which I what the casino always likes) and less of a liability. It is not necessary but it gives a great leg up. Your casino provides you with a gaming card after you pass a mandatory state drug test that is required for all dealers(A pre-employment drug test). This is of course after you pass an audition on the floor.
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As a dealer of 19 years, I have to suggest you avoid becoming a Las Vegas dealer. The economy is horrible, and if you are lucky to find a job, you will likely need 2 jobs to pay your bills. Most casinos only hire for 3-4 days a week, and may push you out with less then 30 hours a week. My worst paycheck was for 33 hours over 2 weeks. Jobs are difficult to find, and experienced dealers will get them first.
Please see the discussion page for more important details about this subject.
Which Atlantic City Casino has the lowest minimum Blackjack tables?
It it the Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City. The blackjack games there range from a minimum of $10 in the main area to a minimum bet of $100 at the high rollers area. That is the lowest I know of in Atlantic City.
Which US Casinos have Blackjack Switch?
This answer is extremely fluid as there are casinos that add or discontinue the game or change the rules every day. Any list would be in need of very frequent updates.
Let it be noted that outside of Las Vegas the game is very rare.
Also the prospective player must understand that seemingly trivial rule changes have a huge impact on your probability of winning,
I refer the reader to "The Big Book of Blackjack" for the most excellent coverage of this fascinating BJ variant.
I refer the reader to an excellent resource on all things re: gambling
GO TO: http://wizardofodds.com/blackjackswitch
On that page there is even a link to a BJ Switch Calculator to show you the correct switches to make.
Where do double deck blackjack tables exist in Louisiana?
Yes, but they pay 6:5 on blackjack instead of 3:2, so the odds are terrible.
Hollywood Casino - Baton Rouge, LA
Isle of Capri: Grand Palais - Lake Charles, LA
Both places have a $25 table minimum on the single deck.
Hint: The odds are much better for you on the double deck games.
Pontoon is a variant of blackjack with all the 10's removed. Pontoon is also known as Spanish 21.
Do you battle other players in blackjack?
Blackjack is not a multiplayer game. It is a casino game where there is the dealer and the only player is you. In order to win the stake, you should either get 21 points in your first two cards (Blackjack), surpass the score of the dealer after the hand is stuck or the dealer's hand should be bust (higher than 21).
What do casinos do with card counters?
Casinos don't want people counting cards at blackjack because casinos don't want to lose money. If a casino suspects a player is card counting, they will start to keep a close eye on the player and analyze the action. They want to see if the player is a significant threat before they go through the disruptive process of asking him/her to leave.
Assuming you're playing at high enough stakes to matter to the casino, and you're keeping an accurate count, and playing your hands correctly, and betting correctly, the casino may then decide to ask you to stop playing. There are many ways they may handle this.
As a professional blackjack player I have been asked to leave casinos a handful of times. Here are my personal experiences...
1. The casino might just ask you to stop playing blackjack, but allow you to stay in the casino and play other games. They say something like "you're just too good". They'll never say you're counting cards.
2. The casino might nicely ask you to leave the property. They'll usually tell you that you're no longer allowed at any of their sister properties either.
3. The casino might be a little more aggressive and rudely tell you to get out. Contrary to what you see in the movies, nobody is going to touch you as long as you walk out of the casino. The last thing a casino wants is a lawsuit from being physical with a patron.
When asked to leave a casino you are allowed to keep your chips. The casino will not try to take your money. Card counting is not illegal and is not considered cheating.
Note: Casinos in Atlantic City by law are not allowed to make players leave due to card counting. They will simply try to worsen the game conditions so that the game becomes unprofitable. Casinos in Las Vegas can ask card counters to leave because the casinos are private property and are legally allowed to refuse service to anyone they want.
What are the odds you will get a face card when you double down?
Because you can only double down on your first action, the odds of getting a face card are 4/48 or 1/12
How do you count cards successfully?
There are numerous ways to count cards, the easiest is to simply apply a value of +1 or -1 for various cards. For example +1 for all "10's" and -1 for the cards A to 4. This then allows you to keep a count and determine if the deck is rich in 10s or low cards, and then to apply your play to that style.
Keep in mind you will need a good betting strategy as well as understand that you can't just play what "the book" tells you to do. If you simply play by "the book" and keep the same bet, then the house keeps it's 4% and slowly whittles you down.
What is it called in Blackjack if you have five cards that add up to 21 or under?
It is called a "Five card Charlie"
How many blackjacks does a player get every hour on average?
Example #1
hands per hour: 60
odds of getting blackjack: 4.82%
blackjacks per hour: 60 X .0482 = 2.89 blackjacks = roughly 3 blackjacks
Example #2
hands per hour: 80
odds of getting blackjack: 4.82%
blackjacks per hour: 80 X .0482 = 3.86 blackjacks = roughly 4 blackjacks
A deck of cards consists of 52 cards.
Each card is available four times.
That makes 13 diffent card types.
Four different cards are worth 10 points: 10, Jack, Queen, King.
That means that 4x4 Cards out of 52 are worth ten.
That are about 30% (30/100).
Two tens in a row have the expectation of 30%x30% which is about 9%.
1. Player goes first AND dealer's bottom card is hidden---those are decisive advantages to the house. Say Player has 13 and the dealer's upcard is a POWER CARD (say a 9). If I KNEW the dealer was sitting on a 7, I would sit there and smile (stand). I am staring at a Power card (A, K,Q,J, 10 and/or Joker=win) 2=power assist of an 11 for a positive suit of S-E-V-E-N cards...meaning, I have to hit!!! Look what I am hitting into: 9,10,J,Q,K are instant BUST cards. A,2,3 are FORCE cards, meaning I have to hit again and every time I hit, I increase my chances of busting, 6 is a potential TIE. That means I only have T-H-R-E-E lousy win cards (7,8,Joker). If I moved all in with a 13 against a 9, I'd be asking the cocktail waitress for a butter knife to slit my jugular!
2. KNOWLEDGE of the Game is only 10% of the game. Chart the table BEFORE you sit down (is dealer trending hot or cold?). Limp in with a $25 dollar bet, press it if you win or else repeat x3 if you lose. Three losses and you leave, and surrenders count as 1/2 a loss.
Yes, a blackjack can cause injury. In the context of a weapon, a blackjack is a type of club or blunt instrument that can inflict harm if used to strike someone. The potential for injury depends on factors such as the force of the strike and the targeted area of the body. In general, any object designed to deliver blunt force can pose a risk of injury.
