Gaming Systems Part I
The written world and internet is littered with articles that promise to help rookie gamblers beat the odds and win a fortune, but the question must be asked, do they really work? Can a system be employed that is legal and gives a player a significant advantage over the house? In this article we will investigate some of the systems available for four of the main casino floor games, Poker, Blackjack, Craps and Roulette and see if the gaming systems available can turn every budding wannabe into a top player.
As Blackjack is the most popular of casino games, it is a good place to begin. The premier Blackjack system is team play and card counting which was utilised by the legendary Blackjack player Ken Uston and also the MIT Blackjack Team. This can present a number of problems as you need a team of players, at least two of whom have good card counting abilities. If you can arrange such a team then it has been a proven success and is totally legal, although the State of Nevada has taken steps to reduce the effectiveness of card counters and Uston was barred from every Vegas casino and many around the world.
Without card counting abilities there are charts available that inform a player about basic Blackjack strategy of when to hit, when to stand, when to split and when to double depending on the dealers upturned card. These systems, combined with some basic card counting skills can turn the advantage towards the player due to how the game is set up. When adhering to the Las Vegas Strip rules, the dealer must hit on anything below 17. So, for example, if the house receives a card between 7 and Ace on their first card then a player should attempt to make 17 and then stand once 17 or higher has been achieved, but if the house card is 2 to 6 then a players number to stand on is significantly lower increasing the odds of the dealer drawing the high cards and going bust. With the knowledge of the dealer’s card a player can also make an informed decision on what pairs to split and when to double up. These vary on the number that the dealer has upturned as some numbers encourage players to split a wider range of pairs than others.
Because Blackjack is a game of skill, it is possible for even a basic system to work especially if you can count cards to a reasonable standard. The system of when to hit, stand, double or split can indeed work and many players have used this to their advantage over the years and it will be successful. There is still an element of luck involved with any game of chance, especially if you have no knowledge of what cards remain.
Roulette is a game of pure chance. Unlike Poker and Blackjack where players can use skill to their advantage and where the odds are forever changing, the odds in Roulette are fixed and the ball will land where it wants. There are a number of sites that offer keen Roulette players the chance to unlock the secrets to the wheel and for a small fee to the author they can find what these “experts” have discovered.
One “expert” has revealed that his preferred system is to bet on low 1-18, even, black, red, odd and high 19-36 and to take advantage of the small winning runs, which he says are many. WOW! Who would have thought that the bets with the best odds would be the best way to make money? That is not a system, it is just commonsense. Furthermore, for the author to reveal all of his secrets it will cost you £79 for the privilege and if the tasters are anything to go by, a complete waste of money.
The Martingale system, which requires players to double their losing bets until they win is good in theory, but is again flawed. For example a player bets £1 and loses; under the Martingale system they then place £2 dollars on their next bet. Should they lose again they double their next bet to £4 and so on. Should the player bet £8 with a return of 1-1 and win then they will receive £16 making them a £1 profit. This seems a good way to make steady money but the flaw is, should a player embark on a long losing streak, they may be unable to finance a further doubled bet or their subsequent bet may exceed the table limit causing a player to have to make a bet outside the sequence and not be able to recoup their losses.
The simple truth is that there is no system available that will make the ball for you. In Poker and Blackjack there are numerous stories of players who have made millions playing yet there are no similar stories for Roulette. The only big Roulette winners have come from players who have noticed a bias in the wheels themselves and have then taken advantage.
Next to gaming systems part 2.
