are these blackjack earning capabilities possible?

[nightfoxx]

g'day all, i'm interested in card counting and have been reading researching and practising card couting techniques for some months now. i'm from australia, and there is very little info available for card counting in Australia however i did happen to stumble accross this site blackjack-masters.com/earnings.php, its run by Andrew W Scott, who apparently won quite a bit playing in Australia until he was barred from every casino over here. he now teaches an advantage blackjack course which cost about AU$9000 (a fair bit of money). i'm concidering taking this course as i'm impressed at the earning capabilities that he boasts, however after exploring various betting spreads i have become critical of his figures, and i'm wondering if someone else might be able to confirm what he claims as being possible...

of course i don't know the bet spread he teaches because thats within the course but this much information is available on the site:

Bankroll: $12 000
Minimum bet: $10
chance of not running out of money: 97% (ie. risk of ruin: 3%)

he boasts a yearly income of $26 000 with the below rules at 1500 hours a year and approx 65 hands per hour.... which is.... 27c per hand (round)

rules:
8 decks with 1.5-2 cut off
double after split
double on hard 9, 10 and 11 only
S17
resplit pairs to three hands
no resplitting aces
only one card on split aces
no surrender
bj pays 3:2
insurance pays 2:1
australian no hold card rule: dealer bj takes original and busted bets only

the site also has a public forum where the site owner anwers the public's questions and occasionally he has let slip details about the course... i've been able to gather from various posts that the spread he teaches might be a 1-20 spread which may involve playing multiple hands simultaneously.

i don't know much about calculating risk of ruin but it seems to me that a 12 000 dollar bankroll isn't large enough for 3% risk of ruin for bets to make that return...

any help here would be much appreciated

thanks

nightfoxx

 

[E-town-guy]

My god. For about $90 you could buy 3-4 new blackjack books which will teach you everything you need to know. I hope you haven't paid him yet.

 

[nightfoxx]

well actually...

... i don't have anywhere near that amount of money... at the moment, i have several blackjack books... 6 i think (cost me about $50 total- ebay), he claims on his site that he doesn't beleive that people can learn from books and the internet. the reason i'm interested in the course is that it is taught specifically for australian conditions (there is very little info about australian blackjack play in any books or sites) and i also thought the part of the course about camouflage would be beneficial... and of course his "secret" bet spread that allows those high return figures... apparently

cheers

nightfoxx

 

[Mikeaber]

I do not wish to sound cynical, but at my age, I guess it's okay if I do <smile>

Nightfoxx....it sounds to me as though your professor of blackjack in Australia has found a way to make money on Blackjack....by selling at a high price, a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I'm sure you could gain from attending but would urge you to weigh the cost versus the return on information gleaned.

I am not disparaging course offerings. For some people, hands-on is the only way to really make progress. I'm pretty much that way myself, though for me personally, "hands-on" is not that which I can obtain in a classroom.

I seriously doubt that there is going to be a magic formula found anywhere, that can be injected (or taught in a course) which will result in instantaneous perfection at the skill of professional Blackjack...cash or tournament play.

There may be new tweaks or twists that can be employed by the players that could be revealed, but for the most part, the foundation of advantage play as well as Basic Strategy can be obtained from books (most of which are available here on Ken's site).

And, as a member here, you have access to one of the elite Blackjack players of our time, should you have questions or wish to seek professional advise. And he is NOT charging you a month's salary for the privilege!
But, I'm not dropping any names <LOL>

 

[Andrew W Scott]

Straight from the horses mouth

Hi, I am the Andrew Scott you have been talking about. I stumbled across your post.

I just want to post a correction and a suggestion.

First, the correction: I do NOT charge anything like AU$9,000 for my course!!!!! I have no idea where you got that figure from! If you read my website you will see I charge $220 for my first home study kit and $770 for my second kit. This is a total of $990 (including GST) for the full course sessions 1 to 10. I have been teaching BlackJack since 1993 and used to run many classes and seminars, but basically retired from teaching in person in 2002. You can drag me out of retirement for me to teach you one-on-one for $5,500 (everyone has his price) but remember the reason for this price is that you are being individually mentored by a professional of 18 years standing who has won many millions of dollars at the game.

Second, the suggestion: if you are from Australia and wondering about my course, why don't you send us an email or even give me a call? I am perfectly happy to have a 15 minute no-pressure chat to anyone considering doing our course. You can also speak to Chris or Michael who work for BlackJack Masters, and both of whom are former students of mine. They are both significant BlackJack winners in their own right. All the contact details are on my website.

Cheers
Andrew

PS. Before you all starting jumping up and down and saying this is SPAM or a commercial advertisement (shock, horror), remember I am posting in direct response to a question posed by someone else in a thread where it was suggested that I "found a way to make money on Blackjack....by selling at a high price, a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow". In fact I have made almost all my money at BJ from playing myself and hardly any from teaching (after you deduct the expenses of running the business).

PPS. I hardly ever pop in to this forum and am perpetually busy so if you post a reply I will probably not see it. Better to email me direct.

 

[Mikeaber]

Well, that was a very well composed reply and I can respect it. I do not know what Aussie dollars convert to in USD, but if the price is right and you wanted to attend one of these classes....go for it!

I saw that Kenney Eineger also offers prices for appearances and I think I also saw that he was offering seminars on BJ. To each person, the price of admission would have to be evaluated based on your own need and desire.

 

[bluestar]

still looks to me like you found a chance to correct someone, but in the same time advertise. Why not just simply correct the person. Sorry, but i would never pay a dime for a mentor to teach me, it's just like school....you're not guaranteed a job in the end, it's what you learn on craft(or game) and apply your skills, not on WHO teaches you.

Sorry, buy a book.

 

[Jeff Dubya]

Ah bluestar, don't bust his balls.

On my scuba diving forum I don't allow blatant advertising, but if someone corrects erroneous information, they have the leeway... e.g., the the door has been left open.

Andrew, I wouldn't spend the money - but rock on and more power to you. After all, it's the American... er, Australian way

 

[Andrew W Scott]

still looks to me like you found a chance to correct someone, but in the same time advertise. Why not just simply correct the person. Sorry, but i would never pay a dime for a mentor to teach me, it's just like school....you're not guaranteed a job in the end, it's what you learn on craft(or game) and apply your skills, not on WHO teaches you.

Sorry, buy a book.

Yeah, it's just like school....hmm, don't they charge for that too? Come to think of it, I heard that you pay more at Harvard than you do for the local community college...and you're STILL not guaranteed a job! :laugh:

 

[Charles Wells]

Hello Andrew Scott

I would like to say the following to Andrew Scott. Its not nice.

1. I have read your post about the log road to Vegas and it speaks volumes about you and your massive ego. It is not amusing and your jokes are in poor taste. I would love to hear some comments from other members to see what they think.

smartgambler.com.au/casino/andrew_scott_blackjack_articles4.html

2. I do not believe you have won millions at blackjack - but I know people here that have. I also have their books with the inside cover autographed.

3. I have met punters at crown who have told me you have charged them lots of money for knowledge they could have got from a Casino Verite Blackjack software version 5.0. Individually mentored LMAO.

4. Its good to see that you have broadened your horizons with Andrewscott.com and you are now a "life coach" and "business guru" trying to make people's lives happier - for a nice fee.

5. For your information there are players/ BJ educators who are better counters/AP than you ever were right here in Sydney they just dont talk about it. They have played on teams in Vegas and walked the walk - they dont twitter, blog and harp on about it like you do.

twitter.com/andrewwScott

6. Whingeing to the media every 5 minutes was not the best thing to do didnt anyone just tell you to shut up? Its not something I would have done. When I have been backed off in Europe I just cop it on the chin like everyone else.

7. There are semi -retired players who DO give one on one tuition but there is no 5500 dollar fee - they dont need the money that bad. They dont advertise, its all word by mouth. From memory one had to pass a free table test, go away and practice some drills before coming back and being accepted as a student. After that the fees were about 100 dollars an hour for tips on how to improve ones play. I went through it to get contacts in Vegas and tips on the scene when I first started out. I did spend a thousand dollars but it was for introductions to teams and legends of the game not the **** that you peddle.

I think you need a life coach.

Cheers

Charles

 

[21gunsalute]

...he claims on his site that he doesn't beleive that people can learn from books and the internet.

Of course he's going to say that. How else is he going to make any money competing against free and/or low cost resources? Can you say scam?

 

[21gunsalute]

Hi, I am the Andrew Scott you have been talking about. I stumbled across your post.

I just want to post a correction and a suggestion.

First, the correction: I do NOT charge anything like AU$9,000 for my course!!!!! I have no idea where you got that figure from! If you read my website you will see I charge $220 for my first home study kit and $770 for my second kit. This is a total of $990 (including GST) for the full course sessions 1 to 10. I have been teaching BlackJack since 1993 and used to run many classes and seminars, but basically retired from teaching in person in 2002. You can drag me out of retirement for me to teach you one-on-one for $5,500 (everyone has his price) but remember the reason for this price is that you are being individually mentored by a professional of 18 years standing who has won many millions of dollars at the game.

Second, the suggestion: if you are from Australia and wondering about my course, why don't you send us an email or even give me a call? I am perfectly happy to have a 15 minute no-pressure chat to anyone considering doing our course. You can also speak to Chris or Michael who work for BlackJack Masters, and both of whom are former students of mine. They are both significant BlackJack winners in their own right. All the contact details are here:

Cheers
Andrew

PS. Before you all starting jumping up and down and saying this is SPAM or a commercial advertisement (shock, horror), remember I am posting in direct response to a question posed by someone else in a thread where it was suggested that I "found a way to make money on Blackjack....by selling at a high price, a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow". In fact I have made almost all my money at BJ from playing myself and hardly any from teaching (after you deduct the expenses of running the business).

PPS. I hardly ever pop in to this forum and am perpetually busy so if you post a reply I will probably not see it. Better to email me direct.

Does anybody else find it even just a wee bit suspicious that Andrew has only made 2 posts here and both are to this thread? Just happened to stumble across it, eh? Can you say PLANT? So much for being an expert on camouflage! Maybe I'm wrong but something seems rotten in the state of Denmark, or in this case Australia.

 

[Charles Wells]

Andrew Scott

This guy hasnt been in Australia for years.

Last I heard he was in Asia?Macau?Hong Kong?

He was banned from a few casino's in Australia in the 80's/90's? for what Im guessing was outrageously aggressive play (my assumption) and then spat the dummy for being banned or restricted. ie. Took the Crown Casino to court.

As if that wasnt enough he made appearances on the following television shows:

1. A current Affair
2. Today tonight
3. Four corners
4. Today show
5. Midday show

Not to mention newspaper interviews and magazines. Not a very good job at keeping a low profile eh?

From this he claimed to be some big authority on blackjack.

His wikipedia profile says that he claims to have won 15 million dollars at blackjack but I think this is a wild exaggeration. My guess is a couple of hundred thousand.

I do know of one session where he won 80K at Canberra casino....big deal.

Andrew is probably a better poker player than a BJ player.

If he had put all that time and energy into poker for the last 18 years he may have won some big tournaments - really made the millions (real millions, not virtual millions) and not felt the need to scam all the ploppies in Melbourne for his expensive flashcard sets and 5 thousand dollar one on one tutorials.

You dont see Joe Hachem fleecing newbies and twittering? the world every ten minutes giving updates on how big his stack is in backyard poker tournaments.

 

[StandardDeviant]

Of course he's going to say that. How else is he going to make any money competing against free and/or low cost resources? Can you say scam?

True. If someone is so mentally challenged that they can't learn by reading, I think they will struggle with many of the concepts associated with advantage play. And much of the distilled wisdom of this game is readily accessible in book form only.

If someone wants to pay $1000 to learn this game, have at it. Just know that the same content is available for about $50 in books, or for free if you search for it on the Internet. And the real secret to success at this game is practice, practice, practice. DVDs and books can't do that for you.

 

[zengrifter]

Hi, I am the Andrew Scott you have been talking about. I stumbled across your post.

I just want to post a correction and a suggestion.

First, the correction: I do NOT charge anything like AU$9,000 for my course!!!!! I have no idea where you got that figure from! If you read my website you will see I charge $220 for my first home study kit and $770 for my second kit. This is a total of $990 (including GST) for the full course sessions 1 to 10. I have been teaching BlackJack since 1993 and used to run many classes and seminars, but basically retired from teaching in person in 2002. You can drag me out of retirement for me to teach you one-on-one for $5,500 (everyone has his price) but remember the reason for this price is that you are being individually mentored by a professional of 18 years standing who has won many millions of dollars at the game.

Second, the suggestion: if you are from Australia and wondering about my course, why don't you send us an email or even give me a call? I am perfectly happy to have a 15 minute no-pressure chat to anyone considering doing our course. You can also speak to Chris or Michael who work for BlackJack Masters, and both of whom are former students of mine. They are both significant BlackJack winners in their own right. All the contact details are here:

Cheers
Andrew

PS. Before you all starting jumping up and down and saying this is SPAM or a commercial advertisement (shock, horror), remember I am posting in direct response to a question posed by someone else in a thread where it was suggested that I "found a way to make money on Blackjack....by selling at a high price, a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow". In fact I have made almost all my money at BJ from playing myself and hardly any from teaching (after you deduct the expenses of running the business).

PPS. I hardly ever pop in to this forum and am perpetually busy so if you post a reply I will probably not see it. Better to email me direct.

If you are not interested in interacting here, Andrew, then we must advise our mmbers to not take you seriously. This is a community. zg

 

[zengrifter]

His wikipedia profile says that he claims to have won 15 million dollars at blackjack but I think this is a wild exaggeration. My guess is a couple of hundred thousand.

$15m would make him THE most successful counter in the game's history. zg

 

[zengrifter]

If someone wants to pay $1000 to learn this game, have at it. Just know that the same content is available for about $50 in books, or for free if you search for it on the Internet. And the real secret to success at this game is practice, practice, practice. DVDs and books can't do that for you.

I think they should buy the books AND pay ME the $1000. zg

 

[StandardDeviant]

$15m would make him THE most successful counter in the game's history. zg

I would certainly think so! And someone who can crank that much cash by counting would not be hawking DVDs on the Internet, IMHO. :laugh:

 

[StandardDeviant]

I think they should buy the books AND pay ME the $1000. zg

Maybe I should be taking this more seriously. I can write pretty well. With a little effort I too could be making REAL MONEY. :laugh:

 

[StandardDeviant]

The knowledge one can get from interacting with knowledgeable players on this site is more valuable than what is on that DVD, I am sure of it. However, some people think they must pay big money to learn "the secrets." The same thing happens in the stock markets, where the same cr@p is repackaged again and again and again. There as here, it's easy to weed out the hucksters, just avoid anyone who says it's easy and that you'll be rich over night.