Beware of Advice from Casino Dealers

Casinos go to great lengths to train their dealers to make sure they can accurately deal the casino games they are assigned to work on. Most dealers are very accurate and are quite knowledgeable about the procedures for playing the games. This does not mean that they are experienced in the proper strategy for the games. In fact the strategy advice given by some of the dealers can be just the opposite of the correct play. Don’t assume that because a dealer knows how to deal the game, they know how to play it.

A Perfect Example
I was playing Blackjack the other day in an eight deck shoe game. The table was full and the dealer’s up card was a four. The player at third base (the last person to act before the dealer) was dealt a pair of nines. When it was his turn he split the nines as called for by basic strategy. He drew a ten on each nine. The dealer then turned over her down card and revealed a ten giving her 14. She drew a card and got a seven giving her 21.

The others players at the table started berating the player for splitting the nines and the dealer agreed and said to him, “It’s your fault, you had 18 and should have stayed. You should always stay with 18.”

Normally I try to keep a low profile at the table and never give unsolicited advice however I could not stand by while this player who made the correct play was being chastised by the dealer. I said to her, “Based on math of the game he made the correct play according to basic strategy.”

The dealer turned to me and said, “The math has nothing to do with it. He had 18 and should have stayed.”

I was not about to get into and argument with a dealer who was to ignorant to know to know that playing basic strategy reduces the house edge. This is a perfect example that shows that many dealers do not know how to properly play the games that they deal.

Reducing the House Edge
Casino games such as Blackjack, Let it Ride, Caribbean Stud and other games that require a player to make a strategy decision have a house edge that can be higher if the correct playing strategy is not used. Anyone playing one of these table games should learn the basic strategy to reduce the house edge to the minimum.

Learn the Game
Relying on advice from anyone at the table can be detrimental to your bankroll. It is your money that you are risking at the table. You should take the time to learn to play the game properly before you sit down and risk your money. There are numerous resources available that can give you the best strategy for reducing the house edge on every casino game. Take the time to educate yourself before you play. There is an old adage that Free advice is worth the money you paid for it; Nothing.

Until Next time remember:
Luck comes and goes.....Knowledge Stays Forever.