How to win at blackjack (21) with gambling expert Michael "Wizard of Odds" Shackleford

[b78proach]

card counting is usually fine, the reason why the mit people got in trouble is because they worked as a team, having people scout the tables for the "big player" or high roller would come in get the count from the scouter and bet accordingly...

[spar2020]

Most Casino Pitt Bosses could careless about card counters. I have blatantly counted right in front of them and they just look at me. Cause they know that card counting only gives you a small advantage of close to 1%, that can be wiped out by variables. Variables will knock your head off! THe ugly variance will often off-set that small almost 1% percent advantage you have as a card counter. It is a lot harder than you think to maintain a head lead on 1%.

[americancasinoguide]

Some may let you count for small stakes, but as soon as you start betting black chips ($100) I am quite sure they would object to you counting, especially if you are winning.

[754759119]

are there any casinos in America beatable nowadays?

[americancasinoguide]

There are lots of games that are beatable. However, the pit people are always watching for card counters and it's hard to freely bet what you need to succeed as a card counter. Therefore, you need to find ways to disguise your card counting skills or the casinos will simply bar you from playing.

[754759119]

@americancasinoguide thank you, sounds like a dream. I would be proud if I got banned from casino :)

[754759119]

Is there still any casino in the world that is beatable？

I mean 3 to 2， 2 decks，etc..

[americancasinoguide]

You can beat the casinos at blackjack, but you must have a game with good rules and good penetration.

[754759119]

This video really helped! I have an argument with my friend.

If I have Ace and 6, dealer has a Queen, should I hit or stand??

[americancasinoguide]

Always hit soft 17.

[cnc411]

Great advice !

[96phjams04]

Learn Math, Algebra, and Calculus and you can also learn gambling.

[draakgast]

in the netherlands we have such weird rules

for instance, the bank only gets one card and everyone gets to see that card

also they use 6(i believe) decks and te-shffle them with machines every single time

[GosekkkkK]

Never hit on 12. THAT'S FUCKIN TRUE AND EVERY BLACKJACK PLAYER KNOWS IT

[americancasinoguide]

Actually, it's not true. You should hit 12 whenever the dealer shows a 2 or 3 as his upcard.

[GosekkkkK]

@americancasinoguide i don't. anyway, i don't care really. i don't care what this "professional" says, this game has nothing to do with skill. it is straight up pure 100 percent luck. and anyone smart enough to not gamble anymore knows this

[americancasinoguide]

Sorry, but you are incorrect. If the game were pure luck then it wouldn't matter how you played your cards. However, we know that it does matter how you play your cards and a player who knows how to play properly will do better than someone who guesses about how to play their hands. Mathematical studies have been made for the game of blackjack and there is always only one, mathematically correct, way to play your hand.

[GosekkkkK]

@americancasinoguide am i? lol. ok, go make a living at a casino then talk to me. casinos wouldnt have blackjack if there was a mathematical way to win. you never know what card you're gonna get dealt, because they're shuffled dude. it's luck. it doesn't matter how you play your cards. thats why its called gambling, it isn't a game of talent and experience, people just wanna think it is. and casinos know it. so think about that

[americancasinoguide]

Sorry but, once again, you are wrong. Nothing in the video that says you can "go make a living" playing blackjack by using the mathematically correct playing strategy. The truth is that even if you play perfect basic strategy you will still be playing at a slight disadvantage to the casino. The amount of that disadvantage will vary, based on the number of decks used and the rules of the game, but generally it would be about one-half of one percent.

[tutaberi100]

@GosekkkkK You are talking bullshit, that's the only truth here.Don't argue about blackjack if you don't have a clue about this game.Skilled players win in blackjack in long run and that's a proven fact.Casinos go on with blackjack cause they know there are much more gamblers out there than professional players.Very few players can become real pros, cause it's TOO HARD.Casinos can continue making money with all these gamblers and ban pros, that's why Blackjack is still very profitable for them.

[Chowmein987]

@GosekkkkK I have an aunt and uncle that haven't had a job for 10 years and they make a perfectly fine living off the casinos. Just because you aren't familiar with how to play the casino doesn't mean its not possible. Now I won't say they only played one game or that all they did was just gamble but its like he said in the video comps, tournaments, and all that stuff from the casino add up. My mom hit 10 royal flushes in video poker on one hand a few times last year.

[markdiaries]

@GosekkkkK -- Probability theory explains how to increase the likelihood of a win in blackjack. Casinos offer blackjack and like games because they have a large amount of money to offset any short term losses (in addition to the house edge). That is why as a player, you should never buy in to a table with less than 1/8 the minimum bet. In other words, this increases your likelihood to win based on an average amount of time. Cards is a game of probability, not certainty.

[comaro16]

@GosekkkkK hey i was reading what you said. i think your wrong. well my personal opinion. because my buddy would go to the casino every Friday, and win at least $1000. i cant figure out how or why, but it must be skill and he must know when to bet a higher wager at the correct time. i cant figure it out. i wish i could take home that amount every Friday, but im only doing about $150. now that's luck cus i have no clue how or when to bet big. i wish i new the future.lol

[americancasinoguide]

Maybe your friend is lucky? You can win for awhile with luck, but eventually you will start losing. The only way to be a long-term winner is to count cards.

[TheJamesAgony]

@GosekkkkK dont dismiss something cause u are not smart enough.

[bscutajar]

what does it mean to be paid 6 to 5?

[americancasinoguide]

Normally, a winning blackjack for the player is paid at 3-to-2. That means you would get paid $7.50 for a blackjack when you bet $5. On bad blackjack games you are paid at 6-to-5 rather than 3-to-2. This means you would only be paid $6 rather than $7.50. You should avoid those games.

[bscutajar]

@americancasinoguide Oh ok thanks. Also I've heard about the H17 and the S17 rule. What does this mean? Assume there is a S17 table and the dealer has a soft 17 hand. If the other players all have above 17, would the dealer still stand on 17? Because that seems illogical.

[americancasinoguide]

It is more advantageous if the dealer hits a soft 17 (a hand where the total of 17 includes an ace). It increases the house advantage by about 0.20% Therefore, you should try to play at a table where the dealer stands on soft 17.

[bscutajar]

@americancasinoguide You could also consider a table where the dealer is supposed to hit soft 17. If all the players stand on less than 17, why would the dealer hit soft 17 and risk busting out?

[americancasinoguide]

It is more advantageous if the dealer hits a soft 17 (a hand where the total of 17 includes an ace). It increases the house advantage by about 0.20% Therefore, you should try to play at a table where the dealer stands on soft 17.

[bscutajar]

@americancasinoguide you did not answer my question. aport from soft hands, the dealer will always stand on 18 right? if all the players have cards above 18, would the dealer hit or stand?

[americancasinoguide]

The dealer is always required to stand on 18 or more. It doesn't matter what the players card totals are.

[Foxhound3857]

@americancasinoguide I thought the dealer was required to stand on 17, not 18. I'm aware that the rules may be subject to whether that 17 is "hard" or "soft" ("soft" meaning that there's an Ace present), but I always assumed the number was 17, not 18 (at least, that's what it was when I checked a few tables on Fremont Street).

[americancasinoguide]

I was answering a question from someone who asked "the dealer will always stand on 18 right?" That's why I answered in that manner. For your question, the answer is: Yes. Dealers always have to stand on 17 or more. However, in some casinos the dealer will hit a soft 17 (a total of 17 with an ace counting as 11). You should try to play at a table where dealers do not hit soft 17. If a casino hits soft 17 it is an additional advantage to the house of about 0.20%

[Foxhound3857]

@americancasinoguide Ah, I see. Thanks for clearing that up. Great videos.

[nwoisnow]

When using basic strategy and counting cards with a Hi-Lo system,when should you take insurance?

[americancasinoguide]

According to Stanford Wong's "Professinoal Blackjack" book: For single decks, you should take insurance when the true count is +1.4, or higher, when playing against two decks, the number is +2.4 and for more than three decks, the count should be +3 or higher.

[nwoisnow]

@americancasinoguide Thank you and whats the difference between a running count and a true count again?

[americancasinoguide]

The running count is the current total. The true count is the count per deck. So you need to divide the running count by the number of decks remaining to be played. If the running count was +8 and there were two decks remaining to be played, then the true count would be +4. If there were four decks remaining to be played, then the true count would be +2.

[nwoisnow]

@americancasinoguide Thank you for that explanation,im starting to understand all of this perfectly!

[Melkology]

1:40 thumbs up if you where watching the game that was going on.

[lilral13]

give me just one bust?!?!

[alexyhawk]

8:02 dealer took the guys bet where its suppose to be pushed when they both hit 21...LOL

[americancasinoguide]

You are correct. We noticed that mistake ourselves after the video had been posted. That was my son playing that hand and he is a novice blackjack player. I explained to him that, ultimately, it is his responsibility to make sure that he gets paid when he wins, or that his bet doesn't get taken if it's a push. Dealers do sometimes make misatkes and the player has to point out the error or their bet could be taken, or not paid!

[PlurGotti]

what i dont get is, if your at +3 or more, does that mean you usually hit or??? im still trying to understand what the + mean and - mean, someone PM me

[americancasinoguide]

The higher the count, the more 10s and aces remain in the deck. Usually, you just use basic strategy when counting cards. However, there are times when you deviate from basic startegy depending on how high or low the true count is. There are certain "index numbers" that you need to memorize to know when to deviate from basic stratgey. Also, basic strategy says to never take insurance, However, if the count is high enough, it is to your benefit to make the insurance bet.

[MONOPOLY35]

Jimmy JJ comedian is hilarious; Never hit on 12, cardinal sin! Unfortunately, many people take that seriously.

[escobarstatus]

Didn't this guy say don't buy any books about gambling? Then he plugs his book at the end...

[americancasinoguide]

He said not to buy any books that promote gambling systems such as progressive betting. Those don't work. His book gives you information on the best startegies to use without claiming you will be making a profit. Usually, the best you can do is to make the best plays that lower the casino's advantage, but not eliminate it.

[dquin12]

how can u card count with the automatic shuffle boot? when its a random card choose

[americancasinoguide]

You can count cards against an automatic shuffling machine, but not against a continuous shuffling machine. An automatic shuffling machine simply shuffles all of the cards and then they are put into a shoe to be dealt out. With a continuous shuffling machine the cards are continuously put into a machine and dealt directly from the machine. This means that you could get the exact same card as soon as it's placed back into the machine. That can't happen with an automatic shuffling machine.

[zappp111]

Unless you play at a high stakes table the tourists will... KILL YOU!... When the count is positive the tourist that would not hit on a 14 against a dealer ten will double down his 5,3 against a dealer 9. I've now tripled my bet and the dealer hits the miracle 21 90 % of the time. The long run assumes you have a$100,000.00 as a bankroll. The people that sell books won't tell you that. NOBODY, you play with will play the correct strategy.....Ever!

[americancasinoguide]

In the long run it does not matter what the other people at the table do. Sometimes it will hurt you and sometimes it will help. In the long run it really doesn't matter. As a player you will have a tendency to rememeber the times it hurt you, but forget the times it helped you.

[kaneda396]

@americancasinoguide @ramindavani While it is correct that splitting 10's is a bad idea the vast majority of the time, there are situations in which the odds are in the player's favor to do so. For example, if you are counting cards and the true count (not running count) is 4 or higher versus a dealer 5 or 6 then the most advantageous play is to split 10's

[Rany104]

What really shits me is there are too many idiots who play blackjack the way they want to play without any consideration towards others... I understand that you have to loose a few hands to get on role on... but too many off these idiots keep opening & closing hands in between... then you have them also changing seats!!!...I try to play basic strategy and take the hit but it makes me upset when they those lowlife scum win the hand and carry on... I almost followed this guy to car park...!!!

[azfarruslan]

the splitting depends. i would say the perfect time to split face cards or high cards is only if the true count of the table so damn high like +16 with dealer getting 2-6, Its because the dealer wont stop hitting till they have 17. So the count is high, deck is rich with high cards, dealer hits, gets 12-16, dealer hits again, bust, you win. I mean its all probability. You might lose, but probability of that to happen is high. Isn't that good enough? :)

[dancer14z]

How can I expect to make it to the long run if I see that my bankroll is gone in the short run? I'm not betting $100 a hand on a $500 bankroll, I play $5 a hand with $40 and it's all gone withinn 10-11 hands and usually I'm surrounded by idiots that split all 20's and hit against a dealer 6? And they seem to survive longer than I do. Also what is to say about players that opt to play 3 hands a round rather than 1 at the same table you're stting at?

[americancasinoguide]

Whatever anyone else does at the table doesn't affect you. Sometimes what they do will hurt you and sometimes it will help you. In the long run it really doesn't matter. It's their money, let them do what they want. If you have a $40 bankroll on a game with a minimum $5 bet, you can only last for 8 losing hands. I would at least have 20X the minimum bet in my bankroll.

[kaneda396]

@dancer14z  Are you actually counting cards? If not, you can still expect to lose your money eventually even if you use basic strategy. You just lose it slower, on average. As far as your bankroll is concerned, if you are serious about making money playing blackjack, then you need a bankroll that will withstand the short term losses of at least 500 betting units (at least $2500 for you). But before you wager another dollar, spend some time learning to count. You can't win any other way.

[ramindavani]

what does it mean that the house have a 0.25%- 2.0% edge. What does it translate to in terms of money gained by the casino. Thanks.

[americancasinoguide]

It means that for every $100 in bets you make, on average, the casino will make between 25 cents and $2. The amount will vary based on the number of decks used and the rules of the game.

[ramindavani]

so based on basic black jack strategy, we never should split 10s and face cards. Right? But, what is the reason? Thanks.

[americancasinoguide]

You are correct. Using basic strategy, you should never split 10's or face cards because 20 is a very strong hand. There is a well-known phrase among knowledgeable blackjack players: "the only people who split 10's are either card counters or idiots."

[ramindavani]

@americancasinoguide I think its a good idea to split 10's if the dealer is showing a 2-6. I did it a couple of times and it paid off.

[americancasinoguide]

Sorry, but it's still a bad idea to split 10's. Just because you got lucky a few times doesn't mean it's the correct thing to do. Statistically speaking, you are much better off keeping the 20 rather than splitting the pairs.

[cradlenazi]

Seeing as almost all casinos use continuous shuffling machines card counting is useless. Casinos know this and it increases the hands per hour which generally favours the casino unless you are professional wanting to play quick hands. At the same time shuffling machines do not affect your odds in the slightest which is the most important thing.

[americancasinoguide]

You can't count cards against a continuous shuffling machine. However, there aren't very many casinos that only offer tables with those machines. Usually, only some tables within a casino will have those machines. If you play against a continuous shuffling machine you will be dealt more hands per hour and, therefore, you will lose more money per hour. So, it's best to avoid them. Also, if you are playing blackjack to earn comps, you would want a table that is full and not using those machines. 

[cradlenazi]

@americancasinoguide I'm talking about australia with the shuffling machines

[ramindavani]

Why you think progressive betting is wrong and why do you think that there will be a time the player will hit a "string of losses". Did not you say with correct strategy we can cut the house edge to 0.25%? So what is the reason to hit a "string of losses"? Please explain.

[americancasinoguide]

Just because you won a hand in blackjack is no reason to increase your bet for the next hand. Statistically speaking, you have less than a 50/50 chance of winning any hand in blackjack. Therefore, it makes no sense to increase your bet just because you won the hand before. However, if you count cards and you know that there are more high cards left to be played, then you have a mathematically correct reason to increase your bet. That's why card counting works and progressive betting doesn't.

[kongrsx]

25,227 people is addicted to gambling..... including me =(

[Izaak247]

In other words I got to learn to count cards.... Ah y can't money come easy! Lol

[Billionaireben]

When counting, the number of players at a table effects the games in the following ways. 1. fewer hands equals less info and lss opportunity to spread bets. 2. the dealer may have leway on penetration of the deck if it's just one player. If its dealt face down, you have more unknowns and have to count in a different way. If the count gets high, instead of even odds of you getting the good cards vs. the dealer now its 1 in 3 or 1 in 5, etc. Also, if you shuffle track, it helps to cut each time.

[placeinheaven]

He is absolutely wrong about bad players not affecting other players at the table. I am talking about the players who have no clue and blatantly disregard not only basic strategy, but all law of probabilities and simple arithmetic. Yes ignorant players do cost the table money and make the casino win far more often than would otherwise. I have countless examples of why bad play cost people hands and money otherwise, so no way. I win far more often when the table is on one accord.

[americancasinoguide]

Sorry, but you are the one that is wrong about this situation. I would agree that, yes, sometimes a bad player will hurt you. However, you need to keep in mind that sometimes what they do will also help you and in the long run it will all balance out.

[justified175]

@americancasinoguide

So if i get it correctly Michael says if u use the basic strategy and counting cards u gonna be a long term winner, right?

Is this still possible? Because what ive heared is that the casinos protect themselves from card counters and change the rules using more cards and so on.. , is that true?? And if not, what is the exact edge u got on the casino with counting cards?

[americancasinoguide]

It doesn't matter how many decks the casinos use because you can still count cards. Your edge is around one-quarter to one-half of one percent as a card counter, depending on the rules and number of decks used.

[Possie8888]

So if a continuous shuffler is being used, does counting cards still work?

[americancasinoguide]

Card counting is useless against a continuous shuffling machine.

[FranknToni1]

well, third base is where most all counters sit. So...it stands to reason that one might draw more heat in that position. Mr. Andersen advocates sitting in the middle. I concur, based on my personal experience. One can see quite as much from here, with a bit of camouflage, and avoid the warmth. The "Wizard" in all aspects, is correct, as usual. Thanks.

[skippyandtazz]

I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Shackleford on who sits at the "third base" position. Regardless of the odds, that person can make or break the table with a boneheaded play. Hitting on a 13 when the dealer is showing a 2 goes beyond basic table stratedy when everyone else passed on a card when showing a lesser or equal hand. If you're playing at a three dollar table, it may be tolerable, but sitting at a 25 dollar table will cause some grief, to be put it mildly.

[americancasinoguide]

Sorry, but Michael is correct. In the long it doesn't matter how that person plays his cards. Sometimes it will hurt you, sometimes it will help you, and in the long run it balances out.

[tosh541]

great video, do a video on roulette :)

[1984Hunter]

Hi, i`ve heard that it actually may help you in some circumstances if you are last to act at a table with more (lets say 5 or more) players : one scenario would be that you can do a ``table count`` or ``current count`` and count only the cards that are present at the table and so you can decide if it`s worth or no to double your 9 against a dealer 2 for example. Is this a myth or not ? (obviously will not matter if decks are shuffled or not before each hand is dealt) It`s correct theory ?

[americancasinoguide]

Well, if you were card counting, it would help you to sit in the last seat because you would be able to see more cards before making your decision. However, if you weren't counting cards, it really wouldn't matter where you sit. Unfortunately, many people think that the person who acts last has some control over the outcome for the whole table. That is not true, even if the person has no idea of correct strategy. Sometimes they will hurt you and sometimes they will help you.

[aimforcentermass]

As a rookie counter, I prefer to play alone (or with less players) at a table because I can more easily keep track of what is being dealt. Nevertheless, I fully concede the other points about playing alone that Mr. Shackleford presented in this video. Perhaps I just need to practice more.

[MONOPOLY35]

The comedian says never hit on 12 LOL! While he's right 10/13 of the time, it is mathematically better to stand against a 4,5, or 6.

[aimforcentermass]

@MONOPOLY35

Actually, you seemed have switched the ratios; the comedian would be correct 3/13 of the time. I get your point though, and you were correct to highlight his error. To imply that one should never hit on a 12, as did the comedian, is to ignore basic blackjack strategy. Mr. Shackleford displayed no hesitation in discouraging others from heeding the comedian's advice.

[p3tr0114]

Thanks Steve!

Another great video!!! :) :)

[jaspa32]

Strange...while Michael was talking about 6:5 singledeck at about 2:22, the dealer gave the player two aces of diamonds on a "single deck" game. Must have been a double deck game being taped.

[americancasinoguide]

It was a double-deck game. Unfortunately, we didn't have any video footage of a single-deck game.

[MONOPOLY35]

@americancasinoguide No doubt! If you did show a single deck game, then the background would have most likely shown a lousy 6:5 game. 

[gamemeister27]

@jaspa32 It's hard to find single deck games.

[americancasinoguide]

I believe that it's easy to find single-deck games. It's just hard to find single-deck games with good rules.

[gamemeister27]

@americancasinoguide I suppose that is what I meant, I've only heard of the golden years. Only single deck games, deal until you run out of cards, good rules everywhere.......no 6:5 garbage or messing with good rules.