If you love to play table games in a land-based casino, you would have noticed that the dealers only work on a table for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. After the first 20 minutes, the dealer will either take a break or go to another table. It can be 20 minutes on, 40 minutes off or 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off depending on the rush in the casino. No dealer workers for one straight hour in any casino. This happens in every major casino and there is a logical explanation for it. For starters, the casino management doesn’t want the dealers to become too familiar with the players. Being too familiar with a player might make it easy for players and dealers to work together to defraud the casino. So, switching them from time to time will make it difficult for any illegal activity to take place on the table.
Casinos may also ask a dealer to change tables or take a break if the players are on a winning streak. Remember, if the players are winning, the dealers and losing and in extension, the casino is losing. So, a dealer who is losing consistently may be asked to take a break and regain their focus before they continue. During that time, another dealer will take charge of the table. Dealers have to be mentally prepared at every point of the game because if they aren’t, they will be unable to solve the math required and may make mistakes while they are calculating the odds. They don’t use calculators and they have to block out the noise customers make in the casino. It’s not an easy job so they need all the focus they can get. It is in the best interest of the casino and it’s one of the many things casinos do to maintain their edge over players.
If The Dealers Are So Good, How Can You Increase Your Edge On the Table?
As stated above, dealers are there to ensure that the house maintains its edge against the players. This is why you’re more likely to be on a losing streak than a winning streak during a typical table card game. The casinos make you believe that these games depend solely on luck but this is not true. While luck does play a significant role during card games, there is room for skill as well. There are some things you need to do and some others you need to avoid if you want to increase your chances of winning a card game. Some of the tips are as follow:
1. Make Sure You’re Mentally Prepared
Just like the casino always makes sure that its dealers are mentally prepared for every match, every player needs to be mentally prepared for every game. If you’re playing when you’re tired or inebriated, you’ll be setting yourself for failure. Even if you want to drink, try not to get wasted when you’re on the table. Drink as little as you can while you’re in the casino and save the rest for later. If you’re on gambling tourism, don’t go to the casino as soon as you get to your destination. Go to a hotel, bathe, rest, and when you wake up refreshed, head to the casino.
2. Make Sure You Know The Rules Before You Start Playing
There are different card games in the casino. There are even subcategories for each game. For example, everyone knows that there is a game called blackjack but do you know that there are different types of blackjack games and each one comes with its unique rules. In some games, these rules benefit the player but in some cases, it may benefit the house. So, make sure that you find out what the rules of a particular game are before you start staking. You should not expect the dealer or any other worker in the casino to tell you which games have rules that will favor you. It’s up to you to read and understand these rules.
3. Don’t Play 6-5 Blackjack Games
The house has an edge on every bet but the edge on 6-5, 7-6, and even blackjack games are usually higher. So, if you play these games instead of the others, you’re going to lose a lot of money if you fail. These sorts of figures are usually seen in single-deck games but you can also see them in multi-deck games. The house edge can be as high as 2.3%. The figures are usually posted at the side of the table and the most favorable figures are 3-2. Any blackjack game that doesn’t pay 3-2 isn’t worth your money.
4. Don’t Underestimate the Basic Strategies
It’s easy for gamblers to overlook the basic strategies of table games and focus on luck alone. However, this is a big mistake. There is a list of mathematically correct ways to play every hand of a card game. These are called the basic strategies of blackjack. You can get these strategies on articles and books online. Master them, and apply them when you’re playing no matter how much you’ve wagered during the game. The basic strategies are universal. So, it doesn’t matter whether you’re playing in a local casino or a casino abroad, the strategies will always be applicable.
5. Don’t Imitate Players Who Love Betting Progressions
Playing based on betting progression is one of the most common gambler’s fallacies in the industry. It happens when players place bets based on the result of the previous hand. There is no mathematical evidence to suggest that the result of a game of blackjack can be influenced by the result of the game before it. Even if you win using this method, it is going to be pure luck and nothing more. Betting progressions don’t guarantee anything during a game of blackjack. Use only logically proven tactics when you’re playing a game in the casino. Betting progressions may be favorable short term but the house edge will still prevail long term.
6. Always Remember That It’s Never 50-50
Some players increase their bets suddenly because they believe they are due for a win. These players see blackjack as a 50-50 game in which a winning streak must be balanced out by a losing streak and vice versa. It doesn’t work that way because as stated before, the result of a game doesn’t influence the result of the games to follow. There is only one verified and mathematically proven way of getting a near accurate prediction while gambling and that’s counting cards.
7. Learn How To Count Cards Like a Professional
Counting cards, as stated in the previous point, is a popular method of boosting your chances of winning during a card game. Card counters tag the cards with the dealers and use the information after every game to determine which cards other players will most likely have during the following game. They compare the number of high-value cards with the number of low-value cards and increase or reduce their wagers accordingly. Keep in mind that casinos frown at card counters. It isn’t illegal as long as you’re not using an external card counting device but this doesn’t mean casinos will be happy about it. So, make sure that you’re careful to avoid attracting attention to yourself. Don’t win too frequently and don’t make too much noise when you win.
8. Avoid Automated Tables As Much As Possible
In the gambling world, there is an automated method of shuffling cards using a continuous shuffling machine. This continuous shuffling machine, which is also known as the CSM, automatically shuffles the cards for the dealers. Major casinos use this machine because it is a good way to make card counting more difficult for players. It is also a good way to save time and maintain the house edge over the players. To maintain your card counting edge and protect your bankroll, try as much as possible to avoid blackjack tables that use CSM.
These are some of the common ways to improve your edge during a table game no matter how skilled your dealer is. Make sure you stay focused, use basic strategies and logically proven techniques.
