Our guest this week is Anthony Curtis, owner of The Las Vegas Advisor and Huntington Press publishing. We discuss the new LVA website, upcoming books, and answer some listener email.
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Podcast – guest Anthony Curtis
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I always enjoy the podcast when Anthony is a guest. Thank you!
I have a question. I am a square at blackjack. I have a good handle on basic strategy. I have no intention to learn card counting. I have a full time career and enjoy going to Las Vegas for fun knowing I will lose money more often than not. I avoid the 6/5 games to stretch the gambling bankroll. I am curious about the continuous shufflers at the blackjack table. I Try to avoid them but they seemed to be everywhere during my last trip. Am I worse off playing at them than at a shoe game? My thoughts are there should be no difference if all I am doing is playing a straight basic strategy game. Yet, I ask why would casinos spend the money on these expensive machines if they do not give them an advantage? I assume counters avoid them. Should I avoid them, too?
Thanks,
John
John, if you are a basic strategy player there is no problem playing a CSM. The casinos use them to thwart card counters. You are doing the right thing to avoid the 6-5 games, that is the important thing.
John, you actually are ‘slightly’ better off to play the CSM’s if you’re just a basic strategy player because you won’t have the “cut card effect.” The casinos buy these machines so the dealers don’t have to waste time shuffling. The idea for the casinos is to 1) thwart card counters, but 2) keep the game going non stop so people bet more hands per hour and thus have a higher expected loss to the casino. In the end try to find the best house edge game you can (so stand 17, surrender if available, etc) within your comfortable limits and then have fun =).