Side bets-Aces

1357111317

Well-Known Member
#1
At my casino ( Won't tell where but its in the eastern United states) there is a bonus game where if you put in an extra 1 dollar bet you can win the following if you are dealt:
1 ace=3 dollars
2 aces=15 dollars
2 suited aces=50 dollars
3 aces=200 dollars
3 aces suited=2000 dollars
4 aces=2000
4 aces red or black=jackpot

The one ace has to be on your first card though and the two aces have to be back to back. Now normally you would never take that bet because of the odds.

(1/13) times 3$ = .2301$
(1/169) times 15$ =.0888$
(1/2704) times 50$ =.0185 $
(1/2197) times 200$=.091$

etc etc.

Now I calculated to make money you need about 6-7 aces in the deck for it to be worth your money. Is there any point side counting aces for this purpose?
 

jack.jackson

Well-Known Member
#3
1357111317 said:
At my casino ( Won't tell where but its in the eastern United states) there is a bonus game where if you put in an extra 1 dollar bet you can win the following if you are dealt:
1 ace=3 dollars
2 aces=15 dollars
2 suited aces=50 dollars
3 aces=200 dollars
3 aces suited=2000 dollars
4 aces=2000
4 aces red or black=jackpot

The one ace has to be on your first card though and the two aces have to be back to back. Now normally you would never take that bet because of the odds.

(1/13) times 3$ = .2301$
(1/169) times 15$ =.0888$
(1/2704) times 50$ =.0185 $
(1/2197) times 200$=.091$

etc etc.

Now I calculated to make money you need about 6-7 aces in the deck for it to be worth your money. Is there any point side counting aces for this purpose?

So if your first 2 cards is a pair of aces, do they wait to see if you get a third or fourth ace, before they pay you?

What the hell, for a Buck, and if you already SC Aces, I would try it for 3$ up to 2K, if the Deck were a few aces rich. Whats the jackpot anyway?

Note: Im not exactly sure, if say, being 8 aces Rich w/4 Decks to go, is the same thing as being 8 Aces Rich w/1 Deck to go, would it? A TC doesnt apply, since your calculation, is done by 1/4 deck density. Remember, positive or negative counts dont matter. Very Curious, about that!

One time in DD game, I got both Ace of Spades, split'em, and then got both King of Diamonds:)
 

SystemsTrader

Well-Known Member
#4
The game is called progressive blackjack and it is beatable. I have a counting system for it. However you need really good pen for it to be worthwhile. The jackpot grows with each bet placed, they have a stand with a meter on it just like in Carribean Stud which is constantly climbing. One deceptive thing about the game while 1 ace pays $3 they keep your original $1 wager so in reality they are only paying you 2-1 for that ace. The jackpot I've seen as low as $5000 and as high as almost $300,000. Most places however start the jackpot around 50k after someone wins it.
 

1357111317

Well-Known Member
#5
Kasi said:
In your case, no lol.

At least not until you understand getting 2 Aces is not 1/13*1/13 lol.
I should have specified that you have to get back to back aces. In that case the odds of getting them are (1/13)^2
 

1357111317

Well-Known Member
#6
I guess if you want to get technical its a bit different. If its the first card out of the 6 deck shoe its 1/13*(23/311) but that is only 3 one hundreadths of a percent less than (1/13)^2 which really doesn't make a big difference.
 

Kasi

Well-Known Member
#7
1357111317 said:
I guess if you want to get technical its a bit different. If its the first card out of the 6 deck shoe its 1/13*(23/311) but that is only 3 one hundreadths of a percent less than (1/13)^2 which really doesn't make a big difference.
Well, that, and separating 2 Aces from 2 suited Aces, likewise for 3 aces, etc.

But, aside from all that, I guess I was just stressing after having just read you wondering what to expect from a 100 unit roll lol.

And, just thought, even if there is a counting system for it, maybe in general you'd be better off focusing on the main show for now and worry about a second count later lol. Just my opinion and I did not mean to imply that your counting skills, or probability skills, are in any way a factor. Probably, hope so anyway, better than mine.

My thing is knowing what to expect, win-wise and risk-wise, when you bet a buck.

If Systemtrader says there is a count for it, I believe him. It's probably out there somewhere in cyber space. If you feel up to it, if the risk is worth the reward to you, go for it!

On the other hand, what the heck, it's only a $1 every once in a while, or I guess when "about 6-7 aces in the deck" (didn't understand what exactly that meant but I don't have to as long as you do) makes it profitable. Could be - I don't have a clue lol. I suppose size of jackpot could make another technical difference too.

But why not buy a little hope with a buck, even if everything isn't "perfect"?
 

Jeff Dubya

Well-Known Member
#8
I see conversations about these side bet schemes all the time.

Now I am not going to even entertain the idea of what works, what doesn't, what is beatable and what isn't.

All I want to do is remind you (especially the players who are less experienced than me) WHY we play blackjack - BJ is the only game where we can reduce or eliminate the house edge through skill and practice.

So why in the world would you play these silly side bets that simply give the house back their edge?

For every player I have seen do well playing these side bets, I usually see them lose it all eventually. Usually because they play crap strategy.

To each his or her own. Seriously. But any wager the house offers, will be to the advantage of the house. Flame away.
 

SystemsTrader

Well-Known Member
#9
Jeff Dubya said:
All I want to do is remind you (especially the players who are less experienced than me) WHY we play blackjack - BJ is the only game where we can reduce or eliminate the house edge through skill and practice.

So why in the world would you play these silly side bets that simply give the house back their edge?
Because blackjack isn't the only game where we can reduce or eliminate the house edge through skill and practice. Some of these sidebets are very beatable and some aren't. Ideally you want to find sidebets which can be used in conjunction with your blackjack bet for added EV. Some sidebets require their own specialized count but it is only worthwhile if it exceeds your blackjack EV.
 

FLASH1296

Well-Known Member
#10
The only side bets that are (pragmatically)* exploitable are Lucky Ladies and Over/Under.

The side bets that can be played to an advantage are ordinarily limited to very small wagers.

What is the limit at your casino?

Obviously the minimum is $1.00


*pragmatic |pragˈmatik|
adjective
dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

I avoid tables with sidebets as they are slowed down to a significant degree by the side bets. If one is "playing for comps" and looking for full tables with slow dealers than these tables work well for you.

If you are an advantage player looking to make a few dollars then just sitting at such a table is a bad idea.
 

1357111317

Well-Known Member
#11
An interesting side note on this bet. Me and a couple buddies dismissed this bet as a sucker bet bound to lose you money. First time in a casino that has this game we had a couple one dollar chips ( thats all you can place for these bets) and we figured ah whatever lets throw em down for the fun of it, we will only waste our money this once. We would play the side bet once every 20 handsish just to test our luck. About 50 hands in my buddy gets two aces, splits them, hits a third ace, splits once more and hits a fourth ace. We were shocked needless to say, had he put the 1 dollar bet down that hand he would have walked out of there 1.999k richer. The guy right beside him to the left had been playing this bet the whole day and needless to say he was pretty choked.

This made me rethink side counting aces for this bet. I have done some rough calculations and I figure there needs to be about 7 aces per deck remaining for this to be a plus EV bet. Now obviously that will rarely happen and even when it does the money you would make isn't worth the effort. My question I guess is; is my calculation of 7 aces per deck right or is it possble that it would be plus EV with 5 aces per deck?
 
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