Newbie question: How successful are you?

[JoueuseNY]

I had just posted for the first time asking general questions as I'm hoping to go to Atlantic City as a complete novice. (In the Eastern U.S. forum, if you want to look and offer any advice.)

But I'm curious, for all you serious players if you're at big casinos - looking at your playing, over time, over a period of years - overall, are you winning, are you coming out ahead? Or in the final analysis, is the house really always winning?

 

[21forme]

Check out this thread for some answers.

 

[bjhack]

I had just posted for the first time asking general questions as I'm hoping to go to Atlantic City as a complete novice. (In the Eastern U.S. forum, if you want to look and offer any advice.)

Even as a novice, blackjack can be a lot of fun, and not that expensive! My advice, for a newbie, however, is

DON'T EXPECT TO WIN. SET A LOSS BUDGET. You may win, but the house does have it over you.

LEARN BASIC STRATEGY. Practice using the Basic Strategy game available on this site. Buy a basic strategy card (typically available in gift shops at casinos, or print one off of the internet, such as from this site.) Follow it like a slave. You can put it on the table beside you. (Be familiar enough with BS that you only have to refer to it for more rare hands, not to slow down the game).

Start out on a low-limit table. Watch out for the $5 or less tables, as frequently they will pay 6:5 on blackjack, which you want to avoid like the plague (only play 3:2 tables).

Get a player's card. While blackjack isn't great for comps, it will get you some - as a small player, I still get a lot of offers for free rooms.

Enjoy yourself! Playing basic strategy properly will cut your losses to about 0.5%, or about 50 cents for every $100 bet, which for me, is good entertainment value.

I certainly would appreciate comments from others regarding this advice.

bjhack

 

[moo321]

I had just posted for the first time asking general questions as I'm hoping to go to Atlantic City as a complete novice. (In the Eastern U.S. forum, if you want to look and offer any advice.)

But I'm curious, for all you serious players if you're at big casinos - looking at your playing, over time, over a period of years - overall, are you winning, are you coming out ahead? Or in the final analysis, is the house really always winning?

As far as playing as a straight counter, I see several benefits. I take free trips all over the place, eat free meals, and have a good time. I make a good profit at what I do, although I'm not all that interested in playing full time.

Great hobby, but as a full-time job, I don't see it as so great.

 

[sabre]

Great hobby, but as a full-time job, I don't see it as so great.

A-fvcking-Men

 

[Automatic Monkey]

As far as playing as a straight counter, I see several benefits. I take free trips all over the place, eat free meals, and have a good time. I make a good profit at what I do, although I'm not all that interested in playing full time.

Great hobby, but as a full-time job, I don't see it as so great.

Yes. A good part-time job. Not a good full-time job.

An important feature of the math is that having a good full-time job makes AP (counting, particularly) more profitable as a part-time job. But certain types of AP beyond counting require game and connection cultivation practices that are difficult for a part-timer.

Best advice I have for a part-timer is to learn as many different games and skills as you can, so when you walk into a random casino you are prepared to rip in to anything you find.

 

[aslan]

As far as playing as a straight counter, I see several benefits. I take free trips all over the place, eat free meals, and have a good time. I make a good profit at what I do, although I'm not all that interested in playing full time.

Great hobby, but as a full-time job, I don't see it as so great.

May have been great in the past, but they've taken so much away in terms of rules and policies that it's barely profitable unless your bankroll is the size of a brick, and if it's that big, might as well invest in a small business venture for better ROR (that's rate of return, not risk of ruin).

 

[Machinist]

I disagree

I think that being a good AP pays very well if you have the right set of skills...I have put fifteen years in plying my trade... I joined this site to increase my knowledge.. And increase it i have!!!! I hope to be doing this kind of work into my retirement years..
It takes a certain kind of person to be able to pull off AP play full time.. There are alot of variables.... But as with any career ... if you want to be at the top it takes time , dedication, networking, and long long hrs... just like running a business for yourself... Ask any business man how many hrs a week he or she actually works.... :laugh::laugh:
All is not as it seems in the casino world!!!!
Open your eyes and really look...

Machinist

 

[aslan]

I think that being a good AP pays very well if you have the right set of skills...I have put fifteen years in plying my trade... I joined this site to increase my knowledge.. And increase it i have!!!! I hope to be doing this kind of work into my retirement years..
It takes a certain kind of person to be able to pull off AP play full time.. There are alot of variables.... But as with any career ... if you want to be at the top it takes time , dedication, networking, and long long hrs... just like running a business for yourself... Ask any business man how many hrs a week he or she actually works.... :laugh::laugh:
All is not as it seems in the casino world!!!!
Open your eyes and really look...

Machinist

I thought you were part time.

Personally, I don't see myself able to make as much in AP as I did in my profession all things being considered.

 

[Deathclutch]

I thought you were part time.

Personally, I don't see myself able to make as much in AP as I did in my profession all things being considered.

Well he has to sleep occasionally so I guess you could consider that part time

Edit: Should have added a "could" in there, didn't mean to sound demeaning.

 

[aslan]

Well he has to sleep occasionally so I guess you consider that part time

No, I thought he has several farm enterprises going is different states to tell you the truth. I wouldn't want to do it without other income, and I doubt my AP play could ever equal my salary, but stranger things have happened I guess.

 

[sagefr0g]

Well he has to sleep occasionally so I guess you consider that part time

errhh DC, dude was slept while we was workin, no?:laugh::whip::joker:

 

[aslan]

errhh DC, dude was slept while we was workin, no?:laugh::whip::joker:

Some people can probably count in their sleep. I tried counting sheep, but I'm not sure what happened after I fell asleep. It's a good sign if you wake up."...759, 760, 761...."

I'd be afraid the PC would come over and nudge me to wake up and I'd blurt out, "minus seven!" Also, it requires a talent taught me by the late Aslan, that is, sleeping with your eyes open. :whip::joker::whip:

 

[Machinist]

Part time hhmmmm full time

Aslan my farm stuff is small...
As far as being full time... i guess i will put it this way...I dont waste my time when i am "hustling". If i cant make x amount in a day at a particular store, i don't bother... I move on..meaning alot of driving!!! But when i "find something" good,,, life stops and i put as much time as humanly possible into the effort of extracting as much as i can from the "play"...
A few on here, have seen and been part of this insanity!!! Here's what happens, generally. I telll my bride,, gotta go babe!! I grab my camper and hit the road... I generally know what i am looking for before hand... SCOUTING is the name of the game...
She knows i could be gone ten days if nothing pans out...or 3 months or longer if i find what i am looking for... I was gone the whole winter this last year...
I may not punch a clock.. but i assure you i am always working ,,keeping an eye on the newest stuff hitting stores. I am always thinking of my work...Where to go , what to check on . I am full time but not in a normal routine way..
After i get done with a "play", I go back to living life and really enjoying it with my wife.
We both were raised on a farm and totally enjoy farm life...
I assure you i could never be doing half of the stuff that the wife and i do, if it weren't for my chosen profession... Pre 1994 i was doing the full time punch a clock ,,, try to make ends meet every month. That is a life i could never partake in again..
I guess i am fulltime partime..or partiime fulltime?????:laugh::laugh:



Machinist

 

[sagefr0g]

Aslan my farm stuff is small...
As far as being full time... i guess i will put it this way...I dont waste my time when i am "hustling". If i cant make x amount in a day at a particular store, i don't bother... I move on..meaning alot of driving!!! But when i "find something" good,,, life stops and i put as much time as humanly possible into the effort of extracting as much as i can from the "play"...
A few on here, have seen and been part of this insanity!!! Here's what happens, generally. I telll my bride,, gotta go babe!! I grab my camper and hit the road... I generally know what i am looking for before hand... SCOUTING is the name of the game...
She knows i could be gone ten days if nothing pans out...or 3 months or longer if i find what i am looking for... I was gone the whole winter this last year...
I may not punch a clock.. but i assure you i am always working ,,keeping an eye on the newest stuff hitting stores. I am always thinking of my work...Where to go , what to check on . I am full time but not in a normal routine way..
After i get done with a "play", I go back to living life and really enjoying it with my wife.
We both were raised on a farm and totally enjoy farm life...
I assure you i could never be doing half of the stuff that the wife and i do, if it weren't for my chosen profession... Pre 1994 i was doing the full time punch a clock ,,, try to make ends meet every month. That is a life i could never partake in again..
I guess i am fulltime partime..or partiime fulltime?????:laugh::laugh:



Machinist

twelve hour days may not be all that unusual...... twelve hours that may consist of a lot of dead time.
yup, i can vouch for it, you do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.
lmao, i don't think i'll ever forget the time when a sort of crisis situation arose, you was probably a good four hours down the road, leaving things in our hands, you was ready and willing to turn around and deal with the situation if need be.

 

[aslan]

Aslan my farm stuff is small...
As far as being full time... i guess i will put it this way...I dont waste my time when i am "hustling". If i cant make x amount in a day at a particular store, i don't bother... I move on..meaning alot of driving!!! But when i "find something" good,,, life stops and i put as much time as humanly possible into the effort of extracting as much as i can from the "play"...
A few on here, have seen and been part of this insanity!!! Here's what happens, generally. I telll my bride,, gotta go babe!! I grab my camper and hit the road... I generally know what i am looking for before hand... SCOUTING is the name of the game...
She knows i could be gone ten days if nothing pans out...or 3 months or longer if i find what i am looking for... I was gone the whole winter this last year...
I may not punch a clock.. but i assure you i am always working ,,keeping an eye on the newest stuff hitting stores. I am always thinking of my work...Where to go , what to check on . I am full time but not in a normal routine way..
After i get done with a "play", I go back to living life and really enjoying it with my wife.
We both were raised on a farm and totally enjoy farm life...
I assure you i could never be doing half of the stuff that the wife and i do, if it weren't for my chosen profession... Pre 1994 i was doing the full time punch a clock ,,, try to make ends meet every month. That is a life i could never partake in again..
I guess i am fulltime partime..or partiime fulltime?????:laugh::laugh:



Machinist

Well, thanks for that. Nothing I said was meant as a disparaging remark. I can certainly see someone doing what you do if their regular job doesn't quite hack it. Fortunately, that is not my case.

What you do does underline the fact that what we have today is not what we had when counting was in its heyday. Now one has to put in plenty of time scouring the country for spots where they can capitalize on their talents. What you are doing to me is a ton of work, something that not many aspiring APs would be willing and/or capable of doing. I applaud your resourcefulness and your sensible approach. This is not a game; it's serious business and requires a certain drive and savvy not possessed by many, to say the least.

You remind me of a fellow I met in Denver in 1963. Every summer he would disappear for three months. When he returned to Denver he had enough gold to see him through in grand style for another year. No one knew where he went, only that he disappeared into "them thar hills." lol He knew where the gold was; he knew how to get it; and he went at it while others stood around scratching their heads.

I submit that you are part of a rare breed of thinking, independent men who follow the beat of a different drummer. I'll be keeping my eyes open for those "mines" that have not been completely mined out, or which are susceptible to different techniques than in the past. That's what my Denver guy did. Meanwhile, I am also well aware of my limited talents and know-how thus far in the world of AP, but I am slowing picking up a little here and there. Who knows where this may lead?

In any event, good luck to you and continued success in what you have been able to craft into a serious business. You are a rare person indeed, a cut of a different cloth than most I have met.

 

[dante62]

As a very small time player, I usually make a little bit of money. As there are no casinos in the area near where I live, it requires a little bit of travel to find a table, so my winnings usually go to gas/airfare with a bit of cash left over to have fun in the area on. But that being said, the comps most casinos will throw to even small players add into your budget (remember, promoplay, free buffets, show tickets, free rooms/discounted rooms are as good as money in the pocket if you are there anyway). Even if you break even at the end of the day playing, a free dinner and a show make you come out ahead.

 

[aslan]

I am newbie in the game blackjack and I want to learn how to play professional. Well, this thread help me some things about the casino game. Thanks guys.

Look to the Blackjack School on the left.