Experts Predict Blackjack Rule Changes in Favor of Casinos
December 8th, 2010 by Site Admin
Michael “The Wizard” Shackleford, a reputed gambling expert, has predicted that the state of Pennsylvania will tighten blackjack gaming rules. Expressing his appreciation of Pennsylvania for its excellent blackjack rules, he said that they might get worse because the blackjack gambling market in Pennsylvania is not competitive enough.
This July, Pennsylvania introduced blackjack with rules that enhanced player odds; in fact, these rules reduce the casino edge by less than 0.4 percent provided a player sticks to basic strategy. This spring, the representatives of the blackjack gaming industry requested the Gaming Control Board (GCB) to consider changing the present payout structure to 6 – 5, and GCB Executive Director Kevin O’Toole said that the board will review blackjack rules shortly, although he did not mention details.
According to Shackleford’s prediction, casino operators will request for rules such as hitting on soft 17 and 6 – 5 payouts, which will enhance the house edge by 1.4 percent. However, Shackleford is not the only expert to make these predictions. Anthony Curtis of LasVegasAdvisor.com said that casinos usually tighten payout structures a few months after their establishment.
Such a development can increase Pennsylvania’s income through tax revenue and make the casino owners richer, but will not benefit the players in anyway.
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