johndoe said:
Is shoe-dealt Spanish 21/Pontoon an option?
I've only seen Pontoon dealt from a CSM, sorry.
ALSO here's an update from Australia (note that I am only talking about 3:2 games here, no "Blackjack Challenge" or other reduced payout scams):
ADELAIDE
$20, $25 and $30 games on the main floor of SkyCity - 6d CSM S17 d9-11 DAS nRSA RS3 ENHC NS
One shoe-dealt $50 game on the main floor, 8 decks
Grange Room games are $50+, 8 deck and hand shuffled with 7 decks penetration.
House Edge roughly 0.66%
Side note for Baccarat players: Adelaide will give you traditional Baccarat rules at $100 mins in the Grange Room. Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne all demand $200 or $300 for traditional Baccarat rules, and only offer Super 6 at $100.
BRISBANE (and presumably Gold Coast and Sydney since they're owned by the same company, but I may be wrong)
$20 and $30 games on the main floor
now hit on soft 17. 6d CSM H17 d9-11 DAS SplitOnce OBO NS, House Edge: 0.777%
$50 games on the main floor
stand on all 17s but are still dealt from CSMs. House Edge: 0.555%
$100 games in Sovereign/The Suite/VIP rooms are dealt from a shoe which is ASM-shuffled. 5 decks penetration IIRC, House Edge: 0.575%
MELBOURNE
Main floor games start at $25 (IIRC) for a 6dCSM. H17, D9-11, DAS, nRSA, RS3, OBO, NS. House Edge: 0.733%
From $50+ (it may be $30 at times but my memory is a bit hazy) the game is dealt from an 8 deck ASM-shuffled shoe. House Edge: 0.774%
In the Mahogany Room, the game stands on all 17s. The game is $50 12pm-6pm Monday to Friday, and $100 all other times. House Edge: 0.55%
So yeah, its a pretty grim picture all things being considered. Deep penetration doesn't change the fact the house edges are high, the table mins are high, the shoe-dealt games are watched closely and the casinos here make more from Baccarat than Blackjack. Recreational players on VIP programs, however, can still get good deals on some very nice hotels.