Retro blackjack proposal for Las Vegas strip casinos

#1
In the 1960's, blackjack's popularity exploded on the Las Vegas strip after the 1962 publication of "Beat The Dealer" written by Edward O. Thorp. Readers and gambling enthusiasts descended to the blackjack tables for their piece of the action. The casinos were making money hand over fist with the explosion of new revenue. Single deck blackjack (which then paid 3:2) replaced craps as the most popular game. All strip casinos offered only single deck then, and more tables were needed to meet demand. Then paranoia struck the casinos with parties that had something to gain from it. The Griffin Detective Agency sold mug shots to the casinos of suspected card counters. 99.9% of card counters do not play a winning game, but Griffin had to stay in business. In the 90's, facial recognition software developers sold their expensive products using the myth that counters were threats to the bottom line. The casinos fell for this hook, line, and sinker. They ask now, why have blackjack profits plummeted?

There is a saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", an axiom the casinos broke. A retro period of 21 in the 60's might help a casino or two regain the table profits from that time. The casino should employ single deck at all 21 games. The suggestions are 1) A single deck game that uses a cut card at exactly 50% penetration using a slit in the discard tray. 2) A 1-4 bet spread such as $25-$100 3) 5 betting spots at the table to guarantee at least 2 rounds. 3) No heat, barrings, or photos. 4) Blackjacks that pay 3:2. 5) Make sure that all tables are full, consolidate tables if needed.

Many businesses offer discounts in hope of attracting new customers. People have stayed away in droves from Las Vegas because losing at the current carnival games is no pleasure cruise. The Cash for Clunkers has stimulated the automobile industry, why not a Cash for Blackjacks campaign in Vegas? Professional sports such as the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association have thrived on retro uniforms. Even television stations feature retro broadcasts such as The Andy Griffith Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, and other 60's shows to increase ratings. Certainly a wise Las Vegas strip casino CEO can implement retro blackjack to increase business.

Article published at http://www.examiner.com/x-18051-San...lackjack-proposal-for-Las-Vegas-strip-casinos
 
#3
shadroch said:
Anybody want some spam with their spam?
SPAM!!! Why don't you get off my back shadroch and read a comic book :laugh:. What's wrong with the proposal of a Strip casino exclusively offering single deck blackjack? Steve Wynn's Golden Nugget was mainly SD in the 80's at his downtown casino. The profits were out of this world. Wynn's Encore should introduce throwback 3:2 SD at all blackjack games.
 
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daddybo

Well-Known Member
#5
3:2 SD is still alive.

Hey JSAT, They actually do better than that in some SDs in MS. ( Except for the no backoffs part) I think Vegas has "paranoided" itself to death.
 

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#6
I just watch the documentary on the MIT 21 Blackjack team and the Griffin facial recognition did put them out of the game and made them history.
However to suggest going back to the 60's and let Ed Thorp reign again with his card counting and the casino would prosper again is off the mark completely.
Nowaday with the existing technology catching card counters is assign to computers with the split second RFId chips that casinos are using. But Ed Thorp did popularise BJ in America beyond imagination with the notion that the casino can be beaten. Casinos in the US and less so elsewhere make tons of money based on this perception or dare I say myth. The advent of the CSM has put an end to the casino's card counting problem.
Going forward instead of backwards I think the casinos will now go after the BS player. Or at the least deny them any Comps. The casinos make tons of money quietly on bad BJ players. More like the 5% for Roulette or up to 10% for the Slot player. How else would they pay for their hugh overhead and maybe make a profit.
 
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