Blackjack - What Are the Odds?Written by Tom McBroom
It goes without saying but we'll say it anyway: odds are always in favor of house. How else do you think they can create billion dollar mega-casinos in Las Vegas? The Blackjack rules are carefully structured to ensure a house edge.But just how heavily are Blackjack odds weighed in favor of house? If you're a smart player, not as great as you might think - and certainly not insurmountable. Let's start with some basic facts about Blackjack odds with most common Blackjack rules. The house's advantage - also known as house edge - comes from fact that dealer's hand is played last. All players that bust (go over 21) lose immediately. Then, dealer plays its hand and if dealer busts, players that don't bust are paid. The casino makes its profit from fact that players who bust lose immediately, even if dealer subsequently busts. Regardless of how favorable Blackjack rules might be in a particular casino, this one aspect always gives house an edge. If you, player, use same strategy as dealer, standing on 17 or higher and hitting on 16 and less, you will bust approximately 29% of time and dealer will bust 29% of time. This would seemingly make odds even. Ah, but remember: Blackjack rules say that dealer wins bets of all players that bust, even if dealer busts. This puts house's edge against you at about 8% or so. However, since you are paid three for two when you get a blackjack dealt to you, so this reduces house edge down to just under 6%. If you follow all Blackjack rules and play perfect basic strategy house edge is reduced to about .5% in game with favorable rules. By favorable rules, we mean following rules, which you are only likely to find in a 6 deck game:
| | Transcendence Release Nothing Is CohesiveWritten by Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFor Media Requests Contact: Ariel Publicity 325 West 38 Street Suite 505 New York NY 10018 Phone: (212) 239-8384 Fax:(212) 239-8380 Contact: ariel@arielpublicity.com New York, NY--May 2, 2005--The ever-experimental rock stalwarts Transcendence have turned tables again and released a stunning new album entitled Nothing Is Cohesive. Coming off of last year’s harder-edged modern rock manifesto Sleep With You, which yielded hit singles Superhero Girl and Minnie Driver, Nothing Is Cohesive is band's third release and may be their best to date. Lead singer Ed Hale and company continue to draw influences from classic rock and pop sounds of 60s through 90s while employing modern day studio techniques and production to give their music a sparkle and alternative flair most indie bands strive for, but rarely attain. Nothing Is Cohesive features austere and poignant lyrics band has built their reputation on…literate, thought provoking and oozing passion- no matter subject, they drive feeling home on every track. The colorful artwork on CD cover pictures swirling red images, giving introspective listener something to think about before spinning CD. Once you hear tracks like "Somebody Kill DJ" and "Bored," you begin to realize how title and image on cover portray concept of album. In a world gone mad there is madness, but there is hope. The band is excited about positive press CD has received upon its pre-release, especially coming off controversially received Sleep With You CD. Critics have been quick to draw comparisons to notable acts like U2, Radiohead, or Beatles, but band, currently holed up at Miami’s Hit Factory Studio, seems intent on focusing its collective energies on recording their follow up due out later this year. Recorded in a garage studio this time out, but sounding very little like a garage band, music on Nothing Is Cohesive sounds surprisingly clean, smooth, and analogue, general feel and sound seems to celebrate band’s love of and joy for making music more than anything else.
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