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We thought we would have a little fun with the recent announcement of PandoDaily. The infographic compares former writers and employees of TechCrunch with a blackjack hand and strategy.

<br /> <a href="http://www.onlineblackjack.com/blog/techcrunch-blackjack-infographic/"><br /> <img src="http://www.onlineblackjack.com/images/infographic/techcrunch-blackjack.jpg" alt="TechCrunch Blackjack Infographic" width="595" height="1564" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Via: <a href="http://www.onlineblackjack.com">OnlineBlackjack.com</a>

Online Blackjack has grown from humble beginnings into being one of the most visited online blackjack sites in the world! The most successful aspect of the site has been our free blackjack game. We’ve been constantly improving our game by adding additional features including blackjack switch and easier registration which now uses your facebook account.

Right now, we’re announcing a brand new leaderboard! It lists the top 100 blackjack players along with the top players for the month, week and day. The calculations for month, week and day totals are calculated using the number of chips that you’ve accumulated since your previous chip count. If you’re new to the game then you’ll start with 1500 chips which count towards your all time chip total but anything above that number will count towards the day, week and month leader boards.

Thanks again for making onlineblackjack.com your blackjack source, and we look forward to another excellent year!

Myth #1-Card counters never lose.

This myth is based on the idea that people who count cards beat the dealer and the casino every time they play. This is maybe the silliest and most damaging myth about counting cards–casinos are afraid of card counters because they think their profit is going to walk out the door every time a counter walks in. Real card counting only slightly increases the counter’s odds against the house. We’re talking about tenths of a percent difference in odds, which only make a big difference if you’re betting huge amounts.

Card counters only have a positive edge against the house in certain gaming situations–people who study card counting say that counters only “go up” against the house about 1 in every 6 rounds. The other 5 rounds, card counters have a slight disadvantage, just like people who play using basic blackjack strategy.

Myth #2-Counting cards only works for single deck games.

Since counting cards is really just keeping mental track of favorable and unfavorable cards, it makes no sense that card counters can’t keep track of more than one deck. In fact, card counters tend to stay away from single deck games, as dealers at these games are looking out for card counters and these tables have bet maximums that limit the profits counters could make to begin with.

Learning to count cards is just as easy for an eight deck game as it is for a single deck game; the numbers just get bigger. Instead of keeping track of sixteen 10 point value cards, counters in an eight deck game have to keep track of 128 cards. A little practice, and you could count a shoe made up of hundreds of decks.

Myth #3-It takes a lifetime to learn to count cards.

New methods for counting cards appear all the time, and modern counting methods tend to put an emphasis on ease of use. Older counting methods like the High-Low system can take a little time to learn and perfect, but new methods (such as Speed Count) can be learned in just a few hours of study.

While it is true that the more time you spend learning to count and the more complex method you use, the better your potential profits, learning a simple method like Speed Count can increase your edge against the casino in just a few hours of practice.

Myth #4-Casinos harass card counters.

In Las Vegas and a few other gambling jurisdictions, card counting is really frowned upon. But the truth is that most casinos don’t lose enough money to counters to really worry about them. Casinos are not legally allowed to harass customers for any reason, especially customers who haven’t committed a crime. Since card counting isn’t illegal, most card counters never experience any heat whatsoever.

Myth #5-You have to be rich to make money counting cards.

This myth is based on solid blackjack strategy–every player is going to experience his share of short-term losses. That’s why people assume that you need a massive bankroll to win lots of money counting cards. The truth is, card counters tailor their bet size to their bankroll so that they can weather the losing streaks and live to play another day.

Beware of a slight change in the rules of blackjack offered by lots of casinos in Vegas and elsewhere in the world–look for a little card or sign that says “Blackjack Pays 6-5.” This means that instead of winning $15 for your natural, you’d have won just $12.

Believe it or not, this slight change in the rules of blackjack greatly affects the player’s odds. This rule is most often a part of a single-deck blackjack game. Since lots of blackjack players automatically assume that single-deck blackjack offers better odds, they’ll step up and play a 6-5 game without realizing the impact that rule has on their odds.

How the 6:5 Rule Affects Blackjack Odds

Let’s just write it down in black and white–a casino that pays 6-5 for a natural increases its edge by 1.39%. That means that players who use basic blackjack strategy are now at a 1.45% disadvantage instead of the standard 0.56% for an 8-deck game of blackjack. That means that the 6-5 payout rule triples the casino’s expected take, a huge difference in the odds for a single rule change.

If you bet $25 per hand, playing a standard average of 80 hands per hour, you can expect to lose $11.20 per hour of play. If you were to switch over to the single deck game (with a 6-5 blackjack payout rule), you can expect to lose $29.00 during that same hour. Considering that a blackjack game with an 8-deck shoe is supposed to be the worst possible table to play at, you’d think a switch over to a single deck game would be a smart financial decision. Not so, if they pay out 6-5 for a natural.

It is easy to forget how much a single change of the rules of blackjack affects your potential winnings. Blackjack tables where the dealer stands on a soft 17 lose about 0.21% of their edge. If a blackjack table doesn’t allow doubling after splitting, the player edge is reduced by about 0.11%. These sound like small numbers, but spread over 80 hands an hour, they can have a big impact on your bankroll. The 6:5 blackjack payout is no different.

How to Overcome 6-5 Blackjack

In the casino, you vote with your chips. The best way to get around the 6-5 payout rule is to not play any table offering 6-5 for a natural. If enough people avoided blackjack games with this rule, the casino would have to stop offering them.

Another way to beat the house when they only pay out 6-5 for a blackjack is to learn to count cards. If you step up to a single deck game (most of which payout 6-5) and you’re armed with the ability to count cards, you can still take money out of the casino’s coffers with regularity. At a single deck game, the dealer is trained to recognize card counters, so you’ll probably be asked to leave as soon as you start winning, but before you’re booted out, you can make a nice withdrawal.

The next time you’re in the casino, make sure you only play tables that pay out at least 3-2 (sometimes called 1.5-1) for naturals. If people continue to do business with casinos that only pay 6-5, they’ll keep opening new 6-5 tables.

Casinos count on people not knowing basic blackjack strategy and not being aware of the rules of a particular table. If you want to lose your shirt (and your pants and your shoes) in the casino, blackjack dealers are willing and able to help you out. Here’s are three quick steps to losing a ton of money playing casino blackjack.

1. Leave Your Strategy Card at Home

If you’re a student of blackjack and don’t have a strategy card or printable blackjack strategy chart, what’s wrong with you? They’re available for free online and for sale on the cheap at the casino gift shop.

If you own a strategy card and choose not to bring it to the blackjack table with you, you’re setting yourself up for big losses. Casinos don’t care if you bring your strategy card–they wouldn’t sell them if they didn’t want you to have them. Maybe you’re afraid to bring the card along because of what other gamblers will say. Who cares?

The blackjack strategy card will help you win, plain and simple. It gives you the mathematically appropriate play for any game situation you’ll come across. Since the game of blackjack is set up to favor of the house, playing with perfect strategy still won’t automatically turn you into a high roller, but leaving it at home is asking for trouble.

2. Use Betting Strategies

We’re not talking about card counting here–if you can count cards, by all means tailor your bets. But if you aren’t trained in counting cards, using one of those ludicrous betting strategies based on winning and losing “streaks” will drain your bankroll faster than anything else.

Betting strategies that base your bet size on whether you’ve been winning or losing make one huge mistake–they ignore maximum bet limits. Let’s say your doubling your bets after losses. Your first bet was $2, and you lost, so you doubled it to $4. Another loss, another doubled bet, so now you’re betting $8. It only takes four more losses and doubled bets before you’ve hit the max bet at most blackjack tables. Since you can no longer double your bets, your system has failed and you can’t recoup your losses.

3. Play Like a Sucker

There are any number of other habits that you could take on to lose money at blackjack, all of which fall under the umbrella of “playing like a sucker.” Though this isn’t by any means a complete list, playing like a sucker means taking insurance, ignoring the table rules, drinking too much, forgetting to tip the dealer, splitting every pair you’re dealt, and being too scared to double down. Playing like a sucker means ignoring everything you’ve ever read about how to play blackjack, pretending like you’re God’s Gift to Gambling.

Casinos are more than happy to host players who think they know all there is to know about blackjack. If you’re unwilling to use your strategy card, plan on incorporating a betting strategy you read about online, and forget the basic rules of blackjack play, the casino will be happy to ask you to visit again and again.

1. Not Doubling Down

The game of blackjack is very formulaic. If you follow the prescribed strategy, and if you happen to get a little lucky, you can usually walk away a winner. While it is true that blackjack tends to reward conservative play, sometimes doubling your bet is the right thing to do. Let’s say you’re holding a soft thirteen (A and 2) against a dealer’s 5. The only card that would keep you from significantly improving your hand is a 9 or a 10. That means statistically speaking you can expect a win, so go ahead and double the bet. The dealer’s bust probability showing a 5 is significantly high. Not doubling your bet is like throwing money away. Memorize double down opportunities before your next blackjack venture.

2. Playing By Feel

If I had a nickel for every time someone said they were taking insurance because it just “felt” like the dealer had a blackjack, I’d never have to gamble again. Playing blackjack (or any casino game) by “feel” is about as smart as driving by smell. Blackjack is a game based in odds and strategy, not feel or emotion.

3. Fear of Surrender

People are as scared of surrendering as they are of doubling down. The fact is, basic blackjack strategy holds that sometimes it is best to surrender and avoid a potentially big loss, saving half your bet in the process. Specifically, if your point total is 15 or 16 and the dealer’s up card is a 9 or higher, you should always surrender to avoid an easy win for the casino.

Why does surrendering make sense under these conditions? 15 and 16 are the most dangerous totals in blackjack–not high enough to beat a dealer standing at 17, and not low enough to safely take a hit. You can safely stand at 15 or 16 if the dealer’s up card is on the low side, when his bust probability is over 50%.

Being afraid to surrender will cost you money in the long-run. Play the odds and you’re guaranteed to have a more successful blackjack experience.

4. Ignoring the Table Rules

Unless you’re playing blackjack in Atlantic City, where the state of New Jersey dictates that all blackjack tables offer the same rules, you should make sure you know the specific game rules for the game you’re joining. Small changes in blackjack rules can mean a big difference in your odds–for instance, if the dealer in a particular game is allowed to draw on a soft 17, the casino’s edge increases by a couple of percentage points. Blackjack games where the house pays 6 to 5 on blackjacks alter the odds by a few more percentage points. There’s no reason not to play blackjack at tables that offer the best rules. What are the best blackjack rules? Early surrender, double down on any two cards, 2-1 payout in blackjacks, double down after splits, and draw to split aces.

If you are new to blackjack, avoiding these common mistakes will save you a lot of losses at the blackjack table. If you’re a long-time blackjack player and are still falling into these same old traps, making a few small changes to your game will greatly increase your chances of winning, which just happens to make playing blackjack even more fun.

The game Vingt Et Un was played in old French casinos, with a similar set of rules to today’s blackjack. If you were to travel back in time and watch a round of Vingt Et Un, you’d probably see a game very similar to our blackjack. Major differences: only the dealer was allowed to double down, and there was an additional betting round after each card dealt. The top hand in Vingt Et Un was a Jack paired with the Ace of Spades, hence the name “black jack.”

From this game came the English game known as Pontoon, still a popular game around the world. The name “Pontoon” comes from the sound of the French phrase “Vingt Et Un.” The biggest difference between Pontoon and our modern blackjack game is that a hand of five cards that doesn’t bust is the second most valuable hand after a Pontoon, what we’d call a blackjack. A similar game appeared in Spain and Spanish-speaking nations after Pontoon, with rules even more similar to our modern game, including the player’s ability to double down, surrender, and even the addition of late surrenders. Sometimes called Spanish 21, this game is still played in some American casinos or online gaming sites.

The most popular blackjack game in America is Vegas Style blackjack, with a standard set of rules including that the dealer stands on a soft 17, players cannot double after splitting, etc. Vegas Style blackjack almost always uses multiple decks (at least 4) and pays 2:1 for a player blackjack, offering insurance to players against a dealer’s blackjack.

The game of blackjack played in Atlantic City (sometimes called Atlantic City blackjack) allows for players to double down after splitting but only pays the player 1.5:1 for a blackjack. This game is favorable for players in some ways and less than favorable in others, but Atlantic City blackjack rules are regulated by the state government of New Jersey unlike in Las Vegas, where blackjack rules vary from casino to casino and even from table to table.

Blackjack is also a popular game in Germany, where it is called “Siebzehn und Vier,” which means “Seventeen and Four” in German. The German game, like the French Vingt Et Un, doesn’t allow for splitting, and therefore is much less favorable for players. In China, so called “Village blackjack” has a number of strange rules that vary greatly from game to game. One of the strangest features of Village blackjack allows the dealer to pay a premium to reveal a player’s hand. Other rules of Village or Chinese blackjack–no splitting, players and dealer must reach a total of at least 16 or face a penalty, and any hand including 5 cards that doesn’t bust is more valuable than an outright blackjack.

Blackjack is such an adaptable game, it is no surprise that many different variations and national versions of the game exist. For the most part, the game played in Las Vegas and Atlantic City is the game most favorable to blackjack players, due mostly to the ability to split pairs and rules governing the rank of hands.

Low Limit Blackjack Tables

Having beginners in mind, lets concentrate mainly on low limit tables and Casinos, and include extra points here and there. These low limit tables after all are great to stretch your budget and entertainment experience.

Las Vegas Club Casino –Not only do they have some good blackjack rules such as hitting an extra card after splitting Aces and doubling down on more situations than usual, but they also offer $5 tables, most of the time, with some rare instances of $3 tables. The casino is located in Old Vegas, which will be a great excuse to go see that area of town.

$5 tables are great, and $3 from time to time even better – but, how about $2 tables!

Slots-A-Fun offers $2 tables as well as $3 tables. That is crazy low, and can definitely help you extend your gaming budget, especially if you are a beginner at offline tables. Online Blackjack after all is somewhat easier in that you can pace yourself. Slots Of Fun is not the best casino, but with those limits, it does not really matter.

Apart from that, you can find $5 table almost everywhere that aren’t premium strip casinos (Wynn, Bellagio, Aira etc.) – although the issue is finding an open seat or enough of those tables to join. The Sahara, Circus, and Stratosphere for instance are good places to play $5 tables, except on Fridays and Saturdays when it gets way to packed.

High Roller Blackjack Tables

Now, lets look at some other points apart from the low limit casinos and tables.

For instance, higher stake blackjack tables with great atmosphere can be found at what we consider the premium strip casinos like the Wynn and Bellagio (picture provided by Bellagio Wikipedia). The players are better there since the limits are higher, so you will be seeing high rollers, and better treatment. For instance, the Wynn definitely shows off the luxury and style, and includes tables going all the way up to $100,000 per hand minimum, and $500,000 per hour minimum – do not worry though, they obviously have more reachable limit tables too.

One thing to consider is that even though Casinos tend to concentrate on higher limits, they do offer $10  tables in the mornings – around 6am to 10am more or less. MGM, Mirage, and Luxor for instance will have less people at the tables around this time, so even dealers will take their time to help you out more, in hopes of keeping players at the tables. Seeing that since in Vegas one does not do much sleeping anyway, then that might be a good time to get on some gambling.

Single Deck Blackjack

You might also want to play at 1-deck tables, since the fewer the decks played with, the better the players’ odds are.

In that case, you might want to go to the Binion’s Horseshoe, Las Vegas Club (already mentioned with good limits and rules), El Cortez, and Fiesta Rancho, which have single deck games. Not exactly low limits tables, but at least the winning odds are more towards your favor.

Tuscany is also another good casino near the Strip for single deck games, with an even lower House edge of 0.30% and $10 tables.

As for double-deck games, you can get some good ones with low House Edge at NewYork NewYork, Bellagio, Treasure Island, and Texas Station within others – the limits however, are not that low.

Atmosphere

Finally, lets look at atmosphere. For instance, the PALMS Fantasy Tower has the ‘Playboy Club’, where apart from partying and dancing, you will be able to play blackjack and roulette, with some sexy, bunny-dressed dealers.

That is not it for the PALMS though, they also have 6 pool side blackjack tables, with a good vibe of people usually staying there, especially since the Hotel/Casino is just off the Strip.

The Wynn (picture provided by Wynn Wikipedia)  is another venue with grea pool side blackjack action at the Cabana Bar, equipped with flat-screen TV, and an European style pool side… obviously a great place for men to relax and gamble – but we cannot promise you will be able to concentrate much on your game. At least you will have fun and relax. Just like Caesar’s Palace with another European Style poolside and BJ tables.

A few other hotels where you can relax on the pool area for some blackjack, especially great for families where the kids will be occupied at the pool, is the Tropicana Hotel and Hard Rock Hotel, where the tables are actually in the water, and so obviously, the dealers will accept wet cards, chips, and money.

Blackjack Tournaments

Lastly, for those interested in Blackjack Tournaments, you might want to consider the Hilton hotel hosting the World Series and Million Dollar Blackjack Tournament, as well as the Imperial Palace and Boulder Station with weekly tournaments.

Don’t be shy though, let us know what you think are the actual best blackjack venues in Vegas.

Stanford Wong runs one of the most influential blackjack communities in the world, a pay membership message board on BJ21.com. Stanford Wong has been inducted in the Blackjack Hall Of Fame and has written 7 books on blackjack and other casino games.

He even has his own blackjack technique widely known by blackjack advantage players as “wong” or “wonging,” which refers to watching the cards and waiting to play until it is advantageous for the player (a favorable count) before wagering.

Kendall: Stanford, we’ve learned that your main income during graduate school was playing blackjack, – How and where did you learn to play good enough to make a living from playing?

Stanford:  I bought Ed Thorp’s Beat the Dealer when I was 20, and learned his 10-count. I started playing blackjack in Reno as soon as I turned 21. I never thought about making a living from blackjack; I considered it to be a source of income while I was a student.

Kendall: From your website –www.bj21.com- and your numerous books, it seems you have a very strong knowledge of not just blackjack, but the casino business in general as well as the sportsbook industry – how did you come to learn so much about them?

Stanford: I have an MBA. I have not learned much about the casino business or running a sports book, but what I did learn I understood. I understand how and why a casino interacts with its customers the way it does, but I do not know enough to run a casino.

Kendall: The green chip membership at BJ21.com is a pay membership section that has one of the most active advantage player communities on the internet. How did that come about?
Stanford: BJ21 was created in early 1996, shortly after message-board software was invented. I had been looking for a reason to start a website, but did not want to open something that was read only. The invention of message-board software is what I was looking for. BJ21 was one of the first message boards in existence.

Kendall: If you were to recommend a gambling activity for someone to make a living from as an advantage player, what would you recommend? Sports betting, poker or from casino game(s)?

Stanford: I would recommend making a living doing something else than trying to win money in casinos. I’d advise relegating advantage play to a part-time activity. If you can succeed as an advantage player, you probably can make a great contribution to society by doing something else — become a lawyer or doctor or professor or run a business. If you must take on casinos, your choice of game depends somewhat on your abilities. If you have the ability, poker is your best bet. Keep your eyes open, because tomorrow’s opportunities might be different from today’s.

Kendall: How much of the site’s articles, and updates are you involved in everyday?

Stanford: Visitors to BJ21.com create the content. I post only a few items a week. Many of BJ21′s green chippers spend much more time at the tables than I do, and their posts are where the value is.

Kendall:  Do you continue playing and gambling aggressively, or have you stopped and concentrated more on your site and business?

Stanford: I still play, but I would not call it “aggressively.” I’d rather spend my time on the business.

Kendall: Have your kids, friends and/or family ever come asking you for help on gambling? Do you or would you approve of them going towards that path considering you’ve lived it?

Stanford: Nope. My family is not interested in putting in the effort to get an edge over casinos. I have never tried to encourage or discourage them. They make their own choices, and they have decided to make their marks in non-casino endeavors.

Kendall: Seeing that you hold quite the expertise on several areas, not just blackjack, which would you recommend as your favorite? And why?

Stanford: I enjoy analyzing a game, and writing it up. Any game. Probably my favorite, because it was the most difficult to analyze, is blackjack tournaments. Casino Tournament Strategy was more challenging to write than any of my other books.

Kendall: What has been your most memorable moment at the tables? And why?

Stanford: Lots of memorable moments. No one stands out as particularly special.

Kendall: Lastly, which of your books, or any other books around in the world for that matter, would you highly recommend to start off with? Let’s keep it within 3 books or resources…

Stanford: It depends on which game you want to learn. If blackjack, I’d recommend Professional Blackjack or any other good card-counting textbook. All the books we, meaning Pi Yee Press, publishes are among the best in their field. The Internet is a tremendous resource. I recommend trying green chip at BJ21.com.

Have you ever wondered how likely it is that you’ll win the lottery, get struck by lightning or become a pro athlete?

See the infographic below for the answers; each pixel represents your chances. How lucky are you feeling?

<p><a href="http://www.onlineblackjack.com/blog/what-are-the-chances-infographic/"><img src="http://www.onlineblackjack.com/images/infographic/what-are-the-chances.png" alt=”What are the chances” width="640" height="3938" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Via: <a href="http://www.onlineblackjack.com/">Online Blackjack</a></p> </p> <p>