Games played on machines - reel-spinning and video slots, video poker, video
blackjack and others - share a common strength in that they have low minimum
bets, but also have a common weakness in that they play very fast, with so
many wagers per hour that players tend to risk more money than they think
they do.
On the tables, the situation is the exact opposite. Minimum bets are much
higher but play on the tables is slower. A slot player betting three
quarters at a time actually risks more money per hour than a blackjack
player at a full table betting $5 a hand.
Of course, there's more to the strengths and weaknesses of casino games than
bet size and speed of game. The last two weeks we checked what machine games
had to attract, or repel, players. This week, let's do the same for
the most popular table games.
BLACKJACK
Strengths: One of the few casino games in which it's possible to gain a
mathematical edge on the house. Its status as a beatable game, through
counting cards, has long made blackjack the most popular casino table game,
even though the vast majority of players can't beat it. More realistically,
players who learn basic strategy can cut the house edge to about a
half-percent, plus or minus a few tenths depending on house rules. Strategy
decisions that make a difference in outcome make the game highly
interactive.
Variation in rules from casino to casino gives the smart player the
opportunity to shop around for the best deal. Easy to play at a beginner's
level, with many people having played blackjack for fun at home before ever
playing in a casino. Fairly easy pace at a full table. If all spots are full
at a seven-player table, the game moves at about 50 hands an hour, only a
tenth or so of the speed of playing slots.
Weaknesses: It takes some work and study to master basic strategy and narrow
the house edge. Against most players, house edge is about 2 to 2.5 percent,
and even higher against pure hunch players. Variations in rules from casino
to casino are a trap for the unwary. If you don't know what you're looking
for, you could be caught in a game with an unusually high house edge - Las
Vegas Strip games that pay only 6-5 on blackjacks instead of the standard
3-2. Minimum bets tend to be fairly high - there are some $1 and $2 tables
in Nevada and a few other jurisdictions, but in the Chicago area, it takes
at least $5 a hand to play, and most tables have minimums of $10, $25 or
more. There is an intimidation factor. Some players berate others they think
have made strategy mistakes. The ones doing the berating aren't always
right, but the situation can be uncomfortable.
CRAPS
Strengths: The most social of casino games - camaraderie among players is
stronger at craps than anywhere else in the house. Players who bet with the
shooter win together and lose together, and a shooter on a hot roll draws
some of the most raucous cheers in the casino. A wide variety of wagers
includes some with very low house edges - 1.4 percent on don't pass or don't
come; 1.41 percent on pass or come; 1.52 percent on place bets on 6 or 8.
Those with the bankroll to back their pass/come with free odds, or lay the
odds behind don't pass/don't come, can drop the house edge into the tenths
of a percent. Dozens of possible wagers allows players to choose bets or
make multiple bets that suit their own gambling personality, whether they
want to grind it out with the lowest house-edge wagers that take multiple
rolls to decide, or take a chance on bigger wins and faster losses on
one-roll propositions. Perhaps the most interactive casino game - players
pick up the dice and roll, and feel as if they're in control.
Weaknesses: Most of the dozens of wagers available at craps are bad bets,
with house edges up to 16.67 percent. Players looking for quick, large wins
gravitate to the bets that deplete bankrolls the fastest. Game is faster
than most table games - 100 rolls of the dice an hour even at a full table.
Players who like rapid action will see that as a plus, but it does mean a
high risk per hour, especially for players who make multiple bets. Craps can
be intimidating to a newcomer - the layout is busy, the sheer variety of
bets can be confusing and there is nothing on the table that indicates how
to make the bets.
BACCARAT
Strengths: As simple as a table game can get - choose whether to bet on
banker or player and let the cards tell you whether you win or lose. Players
make no hit/stand decisions. Lowest house edge around on a no-strategy bet -
1.19 percent on banker, 1.36 percent on player. At some big baccarat tables,
ceremony of passing the shoe and players dealing the cards makes for a
tradition-laden, almost majestic feel.
Weaknesses: Lack of decisions to make is boring to some players. Minimum
bets are high - usually $25 and up at big baccarat tables, rarely under $10
at mini-baccarat. Mini-baccarat, with no passing of the shoe, moves even
faster than craps, 200-plus hands an hour, raising risk. Wager on ties is a
sucker bet, with a house edge of 14.4 percent.
