Internet Gambling:10 Frequently Asked Questions

In this article I’m going to answer some common gambling questions visitors to our site normally ask us. Here are some of the most frequently asked ones.

1. What’s your opinion about betting systems and is there an easy way to beat the casino?

Every single betting system that states that it has the ability to beat negative-expansion games are worthless. Not only do they fail to overcome the house advantage but they can’t even dent it. Computer simulations proved this time and time again. If the so-called betting systems were so good why are the doors to the casinos still open?

Betting systems are akin to a ponzi or pyramid scheme, if the con artists’ systems work so well why don’t they use it themselves to take millions off the casinos.

2. We have a foolproof betting system that’s guaranteed to make you richer than Bill Gates. Buy it from us and we’ll guarantee you untold riches.

No thanks, ply your diabolical trade elsewhere. If you’ve made your first million from your system drop us a note again, until then please don’t contact us. In the event you do get lucky-I can’t see it happening, the casinos will fly you in a Lear jet in the hope of winning back the cash you’ve taken from them. Believe me when I tell you, the house always wins.

3. Assuming the ball lands on Red 20 times in a row the next spin is just as likely to be red or black?

The odds against 21 reds on a fair wheel are out of this world; they’re exactly the same as betting there will be 20 reds in a row and then one black. Keep in mind that the roulette ball does not have a memory and each spin is independent.

4. What happens when I bet two columns in roulette? Does it give me a 63.16% chance of winning? From the looks of things I can’t loose.

Yes, your chances of winning is indeed 63.16%. In hindsight you’re betting $2 simply to win $1. If you want to get ahead of the game you must wager 66.67%.

5. When playing Blackjack, must I decline even money against the dealer’s ace/ I think it’s a guaranteed winner!

The probability in a 6-deck game, the dealer will not have a blackjack in this situation accounts for 69.26%. If you’ve made a $10 bet, the expected value of not taking even money on blackjack is $15×69%.26%=$10,39, this is 39 cents above the even money option and it will add up over the long run. If you take even money it reduces your risk, the objective is to maximize your profits.   

6. Is there a flaw in blackjack betting strategy, only a few people know what this flaw is but they won’t share it with us?

This is utter nonsense and sprouts from a new gambling urban legend doing the rounds. The basic strategy has not been created once but multiple times independently. The results of a given set of rules always stays the same.

7. Why is the basic strategy and house edge in blackjack different depending on the number of decks? Does it make a difference even if I’m not counting cards?

Every card that leaves the deck has an impact on the remainder of the cards. The less cards in the deck the greater the effect. The effect still exists even if you don’t count the cards. Let’s give you an example. If there are two sevens against the dealer’s ten in a single-deck game, the correct play will be to stand. However, in a multiple-deck game this is not the correct way to play. Reason being with only one deck, two of the four sevens have been removed already.

If the dealer gets a 20, another 7 is the only single draw that will beat it. With half of the sevens gone, the value of hitting is reduced significantly, that’s way it’s better to remain standing. The reason why the house edge is lower in a single-deck game is because of additional stiff hands and the player has the option to stand on a stiff-hand while the dealer is forced to hit.

8. Is it a good strategy to mimic the dealer in blackjack?

Long story short, if both you and the dealer lose you bust. Mimicking the dealer is a recipe for disaster, you’ll lose every time, the house edge is more than five percent.

9. If there’s a bad player at third base will this result in all the players losing at the table?

In the short run, yes. This causes the last player to act indirectly since it causes the entire table to win or lose by making a bad play. That being said, in the long run the third-baseman’s strategy won’t have an affect.

10. Are video keno and video poker games fair? In other words aren’t they rigged?

The short answer, yes they are fair. Many of the top operators must provide an audit report of the games they host on the platforms. If the operator signed up the service of NetEnt, it must include an audit report and the company that conducted the average payout ratio for the various games on its site. However, there has been a case recently where the SkillOnNet (SoN) software rigged its video poker games. I might add that a case like this is very far and few in between.