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Thread: Casino Freeplay for Blackjack Considerations

  1. #1
    Senior Member dalmatian's Avatar
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    Casino Freeplay for Blackjack Considerations

    I played unrated at a casino far from my house and used obvious spread 1×25-2×500. I won like 5k, left and came back like 30 minutes later to cash out. The pit boss from my table ran over when she saw me in line and talked to the cash center manager. That should have been my cue to leave but I wanted to leave that area and not come back so I decided to go ahead anyways. As expected, they asked for my ID which I gave up. They took it and photocopied it then paid me out.

    Now the interested thing is several weeks later, I recieved comp offers from them. And extremely generous ones. ~1000$ in free play a week. I play unrated, they obviously knew I was counting, and they sign me up for players card and give me this??
    Is there a catch?

    My main question is, how do I extract the value from this freeplay the best? My plan was to arrive the day one 1000$ freeplay expires and stay through the next day so I get the next one. That's 2000$ in freeplay. So, I assume they break up each 1000$ in multiple 100$ or 200$ freeplay coupons? Assuming I have to match each freeplay, my general intuition is as follows: I have to play 2000$ of my own money which is giving up 2000×0.005 or -$10 EV. The freeplay is approximately 50% of its face value in EV so +1000$. So about +$990 in EV? My plan. Was to sit down and play 20 hands of blackjack with the freeplay match until I burn through all freeplay and leave.

    Thanks for any help.

  2. #2
    Senior Member dalmatian's Avatar
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    Or should I bet the freeplay on single number in roulette? Better EV?

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    It’s normal for a casino to check your ID when you have $5k chips. This doesn’t necessarily mean they have found out you were counting. In the past when I used my coupons on Roulette, I was not allowed to bet on single numbers at all.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dalmatian View Post
    Or should I bet the freeplay on single number in roulette? Better EV?
    Nah, find the big six wheel and put it all on the 50-1 joker. The casino will then have you labeled as crazy degen rather than sharp AP.

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    Interesting.
    1. What was your buy in - did you pass any Government thresholds?
    2. They logically could have kicked you out then and there, but they didn’t.
    3. Even the dumbest houses would know you’re counting
    A. Do they think you’re underfunded and can break you through variance or
    B. Were they unimpressed with your skill level and want you back
    C. Marketing and the critter department often do not communicate well - what’s the fine print on the offer - read carefully
    D. There’s no guarantee that you’ll receive a second $1000 free play
    E. They wanted your ID so they could send you iffers
    F. Anything else anyone else can think of

    The potential issue is that there’s fine print allowing them rescind. Obviously, your best scenario though is that they go or the free play and let you play - I kinda sorta think they will

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    Quote Originally Posted by Freightman View Post
    C. Marketing and the critter department often do not communicate well - what’s the fine print on the offer - read carefully
    You are an experienced gambler. I trust you.
    To extract the value from this freeplay, the best bet is the Baccarat banker bet.

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    Most free play chips can't be used at bets that pay more than even money, such as BJ side bets, roulette numbers, etc. If you can get the freeplay in machine play, I'd run it thru the best VP I can find there.

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    Quote Originally Posted by aceside View Post
    To extract the value from this freeplay, the best bet is the Baccarat banker bet.
    And that's why, exactly? You find that edge smaller than BS at BJ?

    Don

  9. #9


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    Quote Originally Posted by dalmatian View Post
    I played unrated at a casino far from my house and used obvious spread 1×25-2×500. I won like 5k, left and came back like 30 minutes later to cash out. The pit boss from my table ran over when she saw me in line and talked to the cash center manager. That should have been my cue to leave but I wanted to leave that area and not come back so I decided to go ahead anyways. As expected, they asked for my ID which I gave up. They took it and photocopied it then paid me out.

    Now the interested thing is several weeks later, I recieved comp offers from them. And extremely generous ones. ~1000$ in free play a week. I play unrated, they obviously knew I was counting, and they sign me up for players card and give me this??
    Is there a catch?

    My main question is, how do I extract the value from this freeplay the best? My plan was to arrive the day one 1000$ freeplay expires and stay through the next day so I get the next one. That's 2000$ in freeplay. So, I assume they break up each 1000$ in multiple 100$ or 200$ freeplay coupons? Assuming I have to match each freeplay, my general intuition is as follows: I have to play 2000$ of my own money which is giving up 2000×0.005 or -$10 EV. The freeplay is approximately 50% of its face value in EV so +1000$. So about +$990 in EV? My plan. Was to sit down and play 20 hands of blackjack with the freeplay match until I burn through all freeplay and leave.

    Thanks for any help.
    Search "Beyond Coupons" by James Grosjean.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by DSchles View Post
    And that's why, exactly? You find that edge smaller than BS at BJ?

    Don
    The house edge for Baccarat Banker is 1.06%.
    The house edge for Blackjack when blackjack pays 1:1 is about 3.0%.
    Clearly Baccarat banker has a lower EV for these coupons. We don’t need anything from Grosjean to figure this out.

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