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Gambling isn’t as popular as it once was in Las Vegas. However, the majority of people who visit Las Vegas still like to get in on the action. Even if it’s not the main attraction, gambling is still part of the Vegas experience. If gambling isn’t your focus when you visit Las Vegas, you might want to read up on some of the better games to play.
Casino games are supposed to provide the customer a fun experience with the chance of possibly winning a few bucks. At the same time, every game available in the casino is designed to make the operator money. When the games are set up with traditional rules both sides are satisfied. The visitor has fun and over time the casino operator makes money.
That’s not always the case in casinos on the Vegas Strip today. Over the years since casino games were first introduced the rules have changed. When a casino operator changes the rules of a game, it’s usually for their benefit. Today on the Vegas Strip you’ll find worse rules in some casinos for blackjack, roulette, and craps than you did five years ago.
Each of these rule changes has given the casino a larger house edge. This means that over time they’ll make more money from every hand bet than with the old rules. For example, with perfect play and liberal rules the house edge on a blackjack game could be close to 0.18%. Under today’s rules at many casinos, the house edge in blackjack is over 2% even with perfect play.
Having said that, even bad blackjack rules aren’t the worst bet in the casino – if you know how to play perfect basic strategy. More than ever before, most people visiting Las Vegas don’t know basic strategy. Why would they? Casino gambling makes up a small portion on how much a visitor will spend in Las Vegas.
It’s not all doom and gloom in the casino. You can still find casinos with good rules and odds if you head off the Vegas Strip. Even if you stay on the Vegas Strip, there are still more than a few good bets you can make. In fact, some of the best bets in the casino involve the most the most fun game in the casino. Take a look.
Craps
This is easily the most fun game in the casino and it has some of the best bets in the casino. That said, craps can also be the most intimidating game in the casino. It’s understandable that the large table, number of players, amount of betting options and rambunctious players might intimidate new gamblers. However, hidden behind the chaos are some of the best bets in the casino.
The starting bet for most craps players is also the best bet on the table. The house edge on a Pass Line bet is 1.41%. You can reduce that edge by placing free odds (different at each casino) on the Pass Line bet after a point is established. If you’re a contrarian you can play against the table and play the Don’t Pass bet. The house edge on the Don’t Pass wager is only 1.36%.
Pai Gow Poker
If you prefer a slower paced game then you might want to look at Pai Gow Poker. This might not be the first game you think of when visiting a casino but it’s one of the best you can play for a variety of reasons. The players must make two hands with each deal. The player wins the wager when they beat the dealer with both hands. Likewise, the player loses the wager if the dealer wins both hands. If the game is split, then the hand is a push.
You’ll see a push over 40% of the time when playing Pai Gow Poker. All of the pushes helps to extend the amount of time play. Above and beyond the pace and pushes, Pai Gow Poker has a small house edge. Overall, this game only has a 1.46% house edge. This is among the smallest in the casino.
Baccarat
This isn’t the most popular game in the casino by the number of tables. However, there’s often more money wagered on baccarat than all other table games in Las Vegas. The game is simple, you wager that the player or banker will win or that there will be a tie.
The house edge when you bet on the banker is only 1.06%. That’s the best bet in the casino. The house edge when you bet on the player is only 1.24%.
On This Page
Introduction
Free Bet Blackjack is a blackjack variant by game inventor Geoff Hall. The twist to this one is the player doesn't have to risk his own money when splitting or doubling (most of the time). It is like playing with a generous boyfriend at the table who makes all the supplemental bets for you and lets you keep the winnings. What is the catch? Like in Geoff's other game, Blackjack Switch, if the dealer gets a 22, all bets left standing push.
The game opened for business on June 20, 2012 at the Golden Nugget. I went down for the game's debut and found the table full of people enjoying the game. The strategy is simpler and offers more doubles and splits than conventional blackjack. Gamblers who find the basic strategy of conventional blackjack too complicated to memorize may take relief in the simplicity of Free Bet Blackjack.
Rules
The rules have changed since the game launched at the Golden Nugget. It is my understand that the rules below are now the norm. The game is based on standard blackjack, with the following rules:- Six decks
- Dealer hits soft 17's
- Blackjacks pay 3 to 2
- Double after split allowed
- Double on two cards only
- Re-split pairs up to four hands, including aces
- No surrender
The game introduces two major rule changes:
- 'Free Doubles' on hard totals of two-card total of 9, 10, or 11. Regular doubles are still allowed on all other two-card hands. With a 'free double,' the player's original wager is matched with a 'free bet' button and the player receives one additional card. At the end of the hand:
- If the dealer wins, the player loses his original wager only.
- If the hand results in a push, the player gets back his original wager only.
- Otherwise, if the player wins, the player gets back his original wager plus winnings equal to double that wager.
- 'Free Splits' on all pairs except 10's. With a 'free split,' the player's two cards are divided into two one-card hands. The player's original wager is placed with the first hand and a 'free bet' button is placed with the second hand. The player plays out each hand one at a time and is entitled to a 'free double' or 'free split' on both hands. For winning hands, each 'free bet' button is replaced with real chips equaling the original wager. On hands resulting in a player loss or push, the dealer takes back the 'free bet' button.
- Dealer pushes on 22. If the player has 21 or less and the dealer busts with 22, then the player's wager is a push.
Basic Strategy
Strategy depends on whether you are playing a real money bet or a free bet. There is a difference because a push is just as bad as a loss on a Free Bet, thus causing a more aggressive strategy. The following three tables show the strategy for a real money hand, free bet hand, and pairs respectively.
If you remember just one thing about the strategy, accept every free double and free split opportunity.
House Edge
The house edge under the standard rules above is 1.04%.
Rule Variants
Following are the effects of some possible rule variants. The effects are the change in the player's expected return. The figures below with a (SH) were taken with permission from Discount Gambling. The ones with a (Wiz) were calculated by me. It is interesting that the greater the number of decks, the better the odds for the player, which is the opposite of conventional blackjack. I assume it is because there is more free-splitting with more decks, due to a lesser effect of non-replacement.
- Free doubles with three or more cards (DG): +0.66%.
- Dealer stands on soft 17 (DG): +0.31%.
- Late surrender allowed (DG): +0.21%.
- One deck: -0.14% (Wiz).
- Two decks: -0.06% (Wiz).
- Eight decks: +0.01% (Wiz,DG).
- No re-splitting aces (DG): -0.08%.
- No free re-splits on a pair of fours (DG): -0.27%.
- No re-splitting 2-9: -0.32% (DG).
- No double or free-double after a split (DG): -0.70%.
- Blackjack pays 6 to 5: -1.36% (Wiz).
Pot of Gold
I have heard reports that some casinos offer a side bet called Pot of Gold, which is based on the number of Free Bet tokens the player accumulates per initial hand. The Washington Gambling Commission lists two Pot of Gold pay tables. Following is my analysis of both of them. These tables were based on a random simulation. The lower right cells show a house edge of 5.77% on pay table 1 and 4.64% on pay table 2.
Pot of Gold — Pay Table 1
Best Bet Casino Facebook
| Tokens | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1000 | 0.000002 | 0.002026 |
| 6 | 300 | 0.000027 | 0.008140 |
| 5 | 100 | 0.000194 | 0.019445 |
| 4 | 60 | 0.000847 | 0.050799 |
| 3 | 30 | 0.003866 | 0.115973 |
| 2 | 10 | 0.013488 | 0.134884 |
| 1 | 3 | 0.148155 | 0.444466 |
| 0 | -1 | 0.833420 | -0.833420 |
| Total | 1.000000 | -0.057686 |
Pot of Gold — Pay Table 2
| Tokens | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 100 | 0.000002 | 0.000203 |
| 6 | 100 | 0.000027 | 0.002713 |
| 5 | 100 | 0.000194 | 0.019445 |
| 4 | 50 | 0.000847 | 0.042333 |
| 3 | 30 | 0.003866 | 0.115973 |
| 2 | 12 | 0.013488 | 0.161861 |
| 1 | 3 | 0.148155 | 0.444466 |
| 0 | -1 | 0.833420 | -0.833420 |
| Total | 1.000000 | -0.046426 |
The player can lower the house edge on the Pot of Gold by splitting fives instead of doubling, at the detriment of the primary wager. If the player splits fives the house edge on the Pot of Gold will be 2.75% under Pay Table 1 and 1.48% under Pay Table 2. Splitting fives, instead of doubling, will increase the house edge on the base wager by 0.15%.
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank Geoff Hall, the inventor, for his cooperation with the rules and sharing the math report. This report is based on a combination of work between Stephen How and me. We are in close agreement on the house edge. The basic strategy and some of the effects of rule variations are the work of Stephen How.
Internal Links
- Original rule card. Please note that doubling on three or more cards is no longer allowed but free splits of fours is. Overall, the old rules were better, of course. Table game rules seldom get better for the player.
Outside Links
- Free Bet Blackjack page at Discount Gambling.
- Free Bet Blackjack Facebook page.