Poker can be every bit as thrilling and exciting as slots, craps or blackjack, but there is much controversy about how different it is from the other games found on the casino floor. The experts at webxcon have presented a list of the biggest differences you will notice between poker and other casino games. Liquor in the front, poker in the back! What's the difference between prayer in church and prayer in a casino? In a casino, you really mean it! Q: How do you get a professional poker player off your front porch? A: Pay him for the Pizza Q: What does a BlackJack player eat for dinner? A: Whatever his comp card allows him to. Question of the Day - 08 March 2018. How much the casino will lend you is based on the average amount of money in your checking account (between 30 and 90 days) and your credit history as determined by your FICO or Vantage scores or, if you’ve previously established a record of casino credit, your Central Credit score, which is used specifically by casinos.
What are the pros and cons of roulette versus the pros and cons of blackjack? How do these games differ, and how are they the same? Like all casino games, they have certain characteristics that hold true for every game you’ll play in a casino. But they also have significant differences, which I’ll analyze for you on this page.
Independent Events versus Deck Composition Strategies
The odds in roulette never change, no matter what happens on previous bets. If you bet on black, the odds are always either 18/38 or 18/37 that you’ll win. That’s because every spin of a roulette wheel is an independent event. Previous results don’t affect the odds on subsequent results.
This doesn’t mean that roulette gamblers understand this. Many of them stubbornly refuse to acknowledge the simple fact that it’s impossible to get an edge on roulette based on studying the results of previous spins. Martingale players take this to a systematic extreme by lowering and raising their wagers based on what happened on the last spin.
Imagine though a new roulette wheel, one in which certain numbers got filled in once they’d been hit. The odds would change with every spin of the wheel, right? For example, there are 18 black numbers, so the odds of winning a bet on black are 18/38. If you removed one of the black numbers after black hit, the odds of winning the same bet would be reduced to 17/38.
It doesn’t take a math genius to understand how you could use this information to your advantage.
But that’s exactly what happens with a blackjack deck. Once a card is dealt, it’s gone, and the composition of the deck has changed. This is how card counters make money. They use a heuristic system to estimate how favorable the deck is to the player.
Some might have trouble getting their head around this idea, but it becomes simpler if you think of it this way. You get paid out 3 to 2 if you hit a natural “21” right? All other bets pay out at even money, so getting a natural blackjack is where a blackjack player makes his money.
But what are your odds of being dealt a blackjack if all four of the aces in the deck have already been dealt? They become 0, right? If the deck has 0 aces in it, and you need an ace and a face or ten to get the 3 to 2 payout, then the house edge increases considerably.
The same holds true for the tens, but there are more of them in a deck. And the reverse of this is true. As the lower cards are dealt, the ratio of tens and aces becomes more favorable. So the card counter raises his bet sizes to take advantage of the higher chance of getting a bigger payout.
Strategy versus Pure Chance
Another aspect of blackjack that’s different from roulette is the ability for the player to affect the house edge by making smart decisions. (The house edge is the percentage of each wager that the casino expects to win over the long run.)
In roulette, the house edge is fixed, regardless of what decisions you make. On an American wheel, you face a house edge of 5.26%. On a European wheel, you face a house edge of 2.70%. No decisions that you make can change this number.
On the other hand, there are multiple decision points in a blackjack hand. You could increase the house edge to 100% by hitting every hand until you bust, for example. (Most players are smarter than that, though.)
Smart blackjack players use something called “basic strategy” to make their decisions. Basic strategy provides the mathematically best play in every situation that might come up. It’s generally easy to memorize.
The difference between using basic strategy and just playing your hunches is significant. Game conditions vary, but generally speaking, if you use correct basic strategy, you can reduce the house edge to between 0.5% and 1%. Players who don’t know basic strategy face a house edge of 4% to 5%.
If you like making decisions that affect your outcome, and you want to play a game where you can get edge by an advantage maneuver like counting cards, skip the roulette table. Play blackjack instead.
On the other hand, if that sounds like too much trouble, roulette can be a lot of fun. It’s not a sucker bet, no matter what anyone tells you–unless you buy into some loony roulette system or superstition.
Wagers per Hour
Another difference that has a practical effect on a player is how many wagers per hour happen at the table in the two games. You can estimate how much money you’ll expect to lose per hour if you multiply the size of your wager by the house edge and multiplying that by the number of wagers you make per hour.
Roulette is a relatively leisurely game. If you’re playing at a table with five other players, you’re only going to be seeing 35 spins per hour. If you only place a single wager per spin, you can easily estimate your average hourly loss.
Suppose you’re betting $5 a spin. The house edge is 5.26%. So you can expect to lose about 26.3 cents per spin. You can expect to lose a little over $9 per hour at that rate.
Of course, with fewer players at the roulette table, you can expect to see more wagers per hour. If it’s just you and the dealer, for example, you can expect to see 100 or so spins per hour, which will triple your expected hourly loss.
Blackjack is a faster-paced game. If you’re playing blackjack at a table with 5 other players, you can expect to see 60 hands per hour. If you’re playing with perfect basic strategy (1% house edge) at $5 per hand, you can expect to lose a nickel per hand. That’s just $3 per hour. Even though you’re putting almost twice the money into action per hour, your entertainment is costing you even less.
Free Blackjack Games For Fun
Does that make blackjack better than roulette? That depends on your personality. Do you like a leisurely, elegant game? Do you prefer not to have to think too much when gambling? Then roulette is better than roulette—for you.
On the other hand, if you like card games and enjoy the challenge of making correct decisions, blackjack is more likely to be suited to your personality.
21 Blackjack Free Vegas World
The pros and cons of each game are all based on what you prefer as a gambler.
- Poker Guide
- Learn to Play Poker: Getting Started
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- Texas Hold ‘em Guide
- Learn to Play Texas Hold ‘em
- Hold ‘em Gameplay
- Texas Hold ‘em Strategy
- Beginner Hold ‘em Strategy
- Intermediate Hold ‘em Strategy
- Blackjack Guide
- Learn to Play Blackjack
- Blackjack Dealing
- Blackjack Strategy
- Blackjack Resources
- Roulette Guide
- Learn to Play Roulette
- Roulette Strategy
- Roulette Types and Variations
- Roulette Resources
- Slots Guide
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There are so many aspects to Texas Hold ‘Em strategy that it can sometimes make chess seem like a kid’s game. Yet, of all the complex poker strategies to master, the differences between cash game play and tournament play may be at the top of the list. Strategies for the two formats vary so widely, it’s almost as if they’re completely different games. As such, succeeding at both will require that you use contrasting tactics, styles and mindsets.
The Difference Between Cash Games and Tournaments
One of the most successful Hold ‘em players in recent years, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, CardPlayer Magazine’s 2006 Player of the Year, and winner of more than $14 million in tournament earnings in his career, is a perfect example of how different the two formats can be.
He earned his nickname, “The Grinder,” from years of playing in cash games. With his rent money on the table, Mizrachi was known as a relatively tight player, grinding out a living. But in tournaments, he was one of the wildest players at the table, gaining a reputation for non-stop raising.
He described the two strategies by saying, in effect, that at a cash game you had to consider every decision carefully not just from a poker standpoint but from a practical one as well. However, in a tournament, the goal is to collect all of the chips in play, meaning you have to be involved in more pots, making more bets and gambling more often. And since you’ve already put your entry fee down, there isn’t the worry of having to reach back into your pocket to continue playing. You’re either in or you’re out.
Tournament Strategy
As with any other type of poker strategy, there are many nuances to tournament play. But for the sake of simplicity, there are two primary schools of thought for Hold ‘em tournament strategy.
The first is the one used by Mizrachi. The goal in any poker tournament is to end up with all of the chips, so aggressively pursuing them from the outset makes sense. However, that often leads to wild swings in chip stacks, a harrowing experience for even the most seasoned professionals. It’s also a very hard strategy to employ, one that requires a great deal of experience, knowledge, intuition and guts, and it can often lead to an early exit from the tournament.
The second of these strategies is the more traditional, stay-alive-as-long-as-possible method, then hope things break right for you at the end. The most famous practitioner of that strategy may be “Action” Dan Harrington, who won the main event at the World Series of Poker in 1995, and reached the final table back-to-back years in 2003 and 2004.
In this traditional strategy, the tournament turns into a minefield. You have to look at each and every decision as if it is for your tournament life, and avoid every pitfall. In order to employ it successfully, you have to play far fewer starting hands – usually only premium ones like pocket pairs and two face cards – and almost always err on the side of caution. This is also the recommended style of play for tournament novices and inexperienced players.
Cash Game Strategy
Many veteran players feel so strongly about cash games being a superior test of skill that they won’t even play in tournaments. With money more tangibly on the line, and the ability to reach into your pocket and reload at any time (unless, of course, your bankroll runs out), cash games present myriad strategies, decisions, styles and bets for player to choose from. While some of the strategies are similar to those previously discussed for tournament play, the way they are employed is often completely different.
The are four main categories of cash game strategy: Tight, tight-aggressive, aggressive and maniacal.
Tight Play
This style is the one most beginners use, and rightfully so. It requires playing only premium starting hands, rarely raising – allowing the cards to almost play themselves – and waiting for only the most optimum opportunities to put your money in the pot.
The benefits of this strategy are that you are less likely to lose money and will rarely experience large downswings in fortune. On the downside, because you are giving less action you will get less action. That means it will be very difficult to win a lot of money.
Tight-Aggressive Play
This would be the cash game equivalent of the Harrington tournament strategy. You will still only play premium starting hands for the most part. Though, the list will expand beyond that of a tight player’s to include hands like Jack-ten suited.
The main difference between tight and tight-aggressive is that once you enter a pot you will be much more willing to bet and raise. The idea is that by playing few hands, but playing them more powerfully, will allow you to take control of a table without putting yourself at too much risk. It also puts you in a better position to bluff when the mood strikes.
Aggressive Play
This is where you play far more starting hands and put in far more bets, whether you have good cards or not. The line of thought behind this strategy is that by keeping your opponents off balance they won’t be able to read your hand, and will be less likely to put you to tough decisions since the pressure will regularly be on them. It’s sort of ‘the best defense is a good offense’ tactic.
Also, by putting a lot of money in the pot, there will be more to win, meaning bigger profits. On the other hand, it’s much easier to lose when playing this way.
Maniacal
We’ve all seen them – the maniac who can’t help but throw money into nearly every pot. Sometimes his chips are stacked to the ceiling, other times he can’t stay in the game more than a half-hour. Aggressive play, especially if it’s tempered by experience, can be a highly effective strategy. Maniacal play is more likely a desperate call for help by the player who uses it.
Ultimately, you want to become proficient at most of these strategies, and be able to continually vary your playing style depending on your opponents. That’s why it’s highly recommended that you find somewhere to work on these different tactics, like an online game where you can see a large number of hands per hour, until you come up with the strategy that works for you.