Blackjack dead for advantage players? [WoO]

[The_Patriot]

Hi everyone,

I was watching a livestream recently with The Wizard of Odds (many of you in this forum probably know him), within which he received a question from the audience asking whether card counting in blackjack was still a thing.

He answered that it has died down a lot compared to previous decades and estimated that about 20% of advantage players remaining were playing blackjack.

What are your thoughts on his response? Do you agree with this statement, and if so, which games have advantage players moved to? To my knowledge casinos do not have any other variable edge game other than blackjack, so I'm really curious.

Thanks,

The Patriot

[txlouder]

"About 20% of advantage players remaining were playing blackjack."

I seriously doubt that statistic.

Don't want to contradict the Wiz. He's certainly better connected to more APs than I am. Perhaps he (or you) misspoke. I could believe 20% of the EV generated by current APs is from blackjack. But I believe considerably more than 20% of current APs play (positive EV) blackjack, at least some of the time.

Other positive EV situations tend to be short-lived, sporadically available, and quickly burned. Positive EV blackjack has never died.

-TX

Sent from my Pixel 5a using Tapatalk

[The_Patriot]

Hey, sorry I was operating just from memory there and crossed some words. I don't want to misquote him so I've double checked and he sad verbatim that:

"card counting is probably about 20% of how big it was at its all time high"

adding that many had moved on to other advantage games.

Here's the timestamped video: https://www.youtube.com/live/sx7WZoh...e=share&t=3134

What would the reasons for this be? Is it simply a case that over the years casinos have implemented more difficult rules and gameplay or am I missing other factors?

[Norm]

Seems quite low to me. Certainly Poker was big for a time and plenty of folk still make money at it. But, it has faded and some Poker rooms have closed. Online Poker is still big. Tournys seem to have faded. Carnival games can be profitable. But, there are so many new blackjack variations; they have become the carnival games. Holecarding is still a big money maker. I don't know where VP stands now. So many goofy, new slots. There are quite a few BJ teams now, some very successful. I also get regular calls from old timers who are getting back in the game. And there are some BJ names still playing after decades. There are a lot more casinos than in olden days.

[The_Patriot]

Thanks Norm, appreciate the input. It's reassuring to know that it's not entirely fizzed out.

I'm not very familiar with hole carding unfortunately. I don't think casinos appreciate patrons lowering their heads to table height to peek under cards, seems like a surefire way to get backed off.

[UncleChoo]

I don't think casinos appreciate patrons lowering their heads to table height to peek under cards, seems like a surefire way to get backed off.

Probably don't want to try that haha. Rather, find a table with a younger new dealer still cutting their teeth and grab you a spot on 1st or 3rd base and keep those eyes open.

[21forme]

AP machine play has grown exponentially over the last 5 years.

[aceside]

I actually believe what the Wizard said. The main reason is that nowadays casinos have got illegal technologies to deter card counting.

[Norm]

Do not make accusations of criminality without evidence. And, I don't know any AP who has stopped his trade due to casino illegality.

[21forme]

Norm, don't feed the troll. Ban him.

Out of his 1000+ posts, have any been factually correct?

[aceside]

I will refrain from posting. No need to ban me.

[DSchles]

You don't need to refrain from posting; you need to refrain from posting impetuously and then retracting what you write. What's the point in that?

Quote attributed to Epictitus, a Greek philosopher: We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. Smart guys, those Greeks! French proverb: Tourner sept fois sa langue dans sa bouche avant de parler = Roll your tongue around in your mouth seven times before speaking!

Don

[G Man]

I will refrain from posting. No need to ban me.

You have 26 posts ou of 655 that were rated helpful... WAKE UP.