You are playing with the best odds in the house when you put your money into the blackjack circle and take on the dealer.
Even better, you can swing the advantage in your favor. Not so quickly, though.
You are in for more if you assumed that you were just up against the cards. The combat procedures started even before you took a seat. Getting you to the table and keeping you there is the goal of the blackjack game. You might be surprised to learn that it also entails maximizing your devotion to the idea of winning while minimizing your odds of winning.
Usually, it is not the dealers who are the true con artists. It is the casinos that employ, supervise, and train these people. The dealers are only pawns in the hands of the casino’s management. The main goals of dealers are to avoid firing themselves, receive nice gratuities, and perhaps even have some fun.
Presenting “Sophie,” a former casino dealer who is now a professional card counter (she asked to have her identity changed to prevent casinos from recognizing her). She worked for eight years as a table game dealer at a big casino before deciding to try her hand at card counting at blackjack in order to steal money from the establishment. She was pleased to share her observations about how casinos and dealers think.
These five approaches are straight from the first-hand experience of a casino dealer and will only make matters worse for you.
- Offering Advice on Poor Playing
The list of plays that are mathematically most favorable for a player to make in any given situation is known as basic strategy, or “the book.” It is not a secret, this. It is math here. Casinos may occasionally even set up cards with basic strategies on display at the table. However, they will not ever make you adhere to it. Never take a dealer’s “sage” instruction to heart.
“Perhaps 5% of dealers are familiar with basic tactics… MAYBE,” responds “Sophie,” a card counter who was formerly a casino dealer. Few dealers really believe it, even if they are aware of it. They continue to give terrible advise. Although the casino would like you to think that it is looking out for you, in reality, we have no stake in you making wise gaming choices. For what reason is that the case? Making wise choices hurts their bottom line. Dealers are also urged to maintain the flow of play. The casino makes more money when there are more rounds played in an hour. Pressuring you to choose quickly is frequently just as detrimental as advising you to make the incorrect choice.
- Irrational Hope
The façade that the casino has created—that this is a cheerful place where winning is more than possible—is something that dealers are committed to. A dealer’s role is to greet you, strike up a conversation, and generally give you hope at the expense of the conclusion that is probably assured now but will change with time. They will attribute your losses to bad luck. “It will get better,” they say. “It must ultimately turn around.” How often have you heard that particular one?
“There are two reasons why we desire a happy player playing their game,” Sophie explained. “That is the only way we get paid—through tips, and if people are upset and losing, it makes for a very long night. In order for gamers to continue playing and tipping, we want to keep everyone happy.
- Whoring for tips
Casinos not only steal money out of your wallet, but they also want tips in order to cover the costs of staff wages. They speak as though you are working on a project together when they say, “When you make money, I make money.”
They want a piece of the winnings when you hit it big. However, they frequently assume that you have not been tipping when you lose. In either case, it merely lessens the likelihood of a successful night.
Ultimately, the dealer does not leave you a gratuity when they win large.
- 4. Continually Serving Drinks
What if you were in the middle of making financial decisions, like purchasing a car or home, and businesspeople kept bringing you alcohol? When the casino offers you free beverages at the table, that is essentially what they are doing. They are aware of your propensity for poor decision-making. Step into the bar and pay full price for your drinks. They want you to not have to pay full price at the bar for beverages. At the table, you are more valuable to them than money.
“Dealer says, ‘Take a sip! “Grab a drink,” exclaims Sophie. “Although their stated goal may be for you to have fun, I have seen people lose not just their money but their entire life. The illness is sustained by the way management views the world. I wanted to leave because of that.
- Appearing to be your pal
The dealers invite you to take a seat at the table. They give you a hearty welcome. They accept your gratuities with grace. They will engage in conversation with you on any topic. The front may even vanish as soon as it is obvious that you are not leaving a tip. However, it vanishes completely when you get up from the table, not to mention when you exit the casino. You will not find dealers in the food court or parking lot, nor will they stroll the floor with gamers. Their role is to be your ally only when there is a financial benefit. Although everyone is dressed in tuxedo shirts, no one is extending an invitation to the prom.
We used to tell dealers, “You are performers and actresses,” when Sophie was in management. Put on a performance. However, none of us gave them a second thought once the players left.
Unexpectedly, dealers merely want to get a profit. Casinos just exist to make money. Do you really think they would put in so much effort to obtain yours?
“When a player is winning, everyone gets anxious, but when a person is losing, nobody feels guilty because [casinos] still want more from the player—more, more, as much as they can handle,” claims Sophie.
Play shrewdly. Be aware of potential threats to your finances and safeguard them for the circumstances and tactics that provide you a genuine possibility of success.
