BJ +3 Card Poker

#1
A recent proliferation of the Blackjack +3 Card Poker (side bet) games at my local store has me wondering. I'm sure the +3 is a sucker bet, since they've made this bet available at 80% of the BJ tables, but how bad is it. The side bet pays 9/1. Is there a known frequency of being dealt a winning 3-card poker hand. I know it's fun to win a 9/1 payoff, but I don't play it. Alas, once hit the 3-card four times in a row.
 
#3
To include one of the dealers cards

I saw them doing this at the Lumiere Casino In St. Louis in which (I believe) the object was to make a 3 card poker hand out of your two cards plus any one of the dealers cards at the 9 to 1 you mentioned. I'm unsure of the specifics of odds on this but I won't go near a 3 card poker table as it's a hefty house advantage and a great "carnival game" for the casino to cash in on.

It was an interesting twist but much like standard 3 card poker, I doubt there's any chance of any long-term win at this and not something to play unless you have no concerns of losing in the long run.
 

daddybo

Well-Known Member
#5
Less heat?

I've played straight BJ at +3 Sidebet tables (never making the side bet). I play and spread like crazy and never any heat. I don't think they watch the sucker games as closely. (I've only done this at stores that for one reason or another don't have a decent BJ game available.)

Edit: As amatter of fact, I was backed off once but told I could still play the BJ+3... Go figure.
 

Sonny

Well-Known Member
#7
blackchipjim said:
I think that there is a money making angle in this game for the aps that can see the dealers hole card.
Seeing the hole card won't help the side bet at all but it will give a big advantage on the BJ hand. There was a counting system for this side bet but I don't remember how effective it was. A lot depends on what the table max for the side bet is.

-Sonny-
 
#8
Sonny said:
Seeing the hole card won't help the side bet at all but it will give a big advantage on the BJ hand. There was a counting system for this side bet but I don't remember how effective it was. A lot depends on what the table max for the side bet is.

-Sonny-
You need two counters for the sidebet and one for the BJ bet, and the game can possibly be crushed, especially with good pen. On the tables I've seen, the sidebet isn't limited by the BJ bet, but I don't remember what the sidebet max was.
 

FLASH1296

Well-Known Member
#9
Roshamboya said:

"It's not so bad, about a 3% casino edge."

If you have a notion that a disadvantage that is worse than 1% or 2% is "not so bad" I advise you to
gain a more accurate objective view of Advantage Playing. 3% is even worse than American Roulette !
 

sagefr0g

Well-Known Member
#10
Automatic Monkey said:
You need two counters for the sidebet and one for the BJ bet, and the game can possibly be crushed, especially with good pen. On the tables I've seen, the sidebet isn't limited by the BJ bet, but I don't remember what the sidebet max was.
how would you count the sidebet part?
 
#13
sagefr0g said:
how would you count the sidebet part?
How would I count it? Two counters. One counts red vs. black suits. The other counts major (S,H) vs. minor (D,C) suits. Add the absolute values of each true count.

What this will do is reveal a preponderance of any suit or combination of suits, and when suits are sufficiently over or underrrepresented the odds of a flush increase. The same technique is used to beat the Royal Match bet. Exactly how high that combined count has to be to get an edge I don't know, somebody will have to do a study. But being the bulk of your winning hands are going to be flushes and the house edge is only around 3%, I'd be surprised if the game wasn't beatable using this method.
 

ycming

Well-Known Member
#14
I was thinking, one count as norm using hi/lo and one do a count on black(+1) or red (-1)

If either swing to an extreme, meaning if hilo gives a extreme neagtive count then, it will be rich in 2/3/4/5/6 and the other swing to an extreme postive then it will be clubs/spades rich then chances of flushes and str both increases.

Just only 2 counter needed, anyone see any flaws in that ? ( i know we don't exact know if it is rich in clubs or spades, but got to be worth a shot if the count is high ?)

Thanks
Ming
 
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