Blackjack Rules At Choctaw Casino

Most blackjack players who’ve played for any length of time understand that rules for the game vary from casino to casino. In fact, they vary from one table to another.

The obvious example is the size of the payout for a blackjack (a 2-card total of 21).

The standard for decades is for a blackjack to pay off at 3 to 2 odds.

But recently, many casinos started offering blackjack games that pay off at 6 to 5 odds.

Blackjack Rules. I overhear a lot of bad gambling advice in the casinos. Perhaps the most frequent is this one, 'The object of blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible, without going over.' The object of blackjack is to beat the dealer. To beat the dealer the player must first not bust (go over 21) and second either outscore the. Choctaw Casino Blackjack Tournament, jogos de poker em portugues no click jogos, heads up poker calculator, c!oudcasino111.

What does this do to the house edge?

It increases the house’s advantage by 1.5%.

Casino blackjack rules the game benefits the world statistically likely to an unusual rule set. Perfect a lay their hand now has a push. Purses, the lowest-stacked player finally, and the other casinos. If the dealer does have 21, the player will lose the initial bet but will receive a 1:1 payout on their insurance amount, and so they will receive that same amount back. If both have 21, most blackjack rules say that is a push. Some casino 21 rules, though, give ties to the dealer when it comes to a blackjack.

Blackjack Rules At Choctaw CasinoBlackjack Rules At Choctaw Casino

That might not sound like much, but a basic strategy player at a standard blackjack player faces a house edge of only 0.5%.

This means that the house’s mathematical edge quadruples because of what seems like one small rules change.

In this post, I look at some of the rules changes and what stakes they happen at.

6/5 Blackjack Versus 3/2 Blackjack

Some casinos offer 6/5 blackjack at their lower stakes tables while offering the standard 3/2 payouts at their higher stakes tables.

Let’s take a hypothetical Las Vegas casino and look at what happens to their profits when they implement this rules change at lower stakes.

They might offer the standard 3/2 payout on their $25 minimum tables. An average blackjack player might play 80 hands per hour at such a table, putting $2000 per hour into action.

Assuming perfect strategy on the part of that player, you’re looking at a house edge of only 0.5%, which means that a player at this table will lose an average of $10 per hour at this table. A table full of these players might generate $60 per hour for the casino.

The players at the $5 table are only putting $400 per hour into action.

But with the 6/5 payout in effect, the house edge increases from 0.5% to 2%.

This means that the players at this table are losing $8 per hour – almost as much as the players gambling 5 times as much per hand at the other table.

Casinos want to encourage action at the higher stakes tables because they make more money from gamblers who are betting more per hand.

But the payout for a blackjack isn’t the only rule a casino might change.

Hitting and Standing on a Soft 17

Everyone knows that the dealer has to hit any total of 16 or less.

What many gamblers don’t realize is that the rules for hitting or standing on a soft 17 vary based on the casino and the limits.

It’s better for the player if the dealer has to stand on all totals of 17 – even soft totals of 17.

Blackjack Rules At Choctaw Casinos

But in lower stakes games, the dealer hits a soft 17.

What does this do to the house edge?

It increases it by 0.2% — which sounds like a minor increase, but it’s a bigger increase than you might think.

Suppose a casino has a game where the minimum bet is $50, and the dealer has to stand on all 17s. The house edge for such a game might be 0.5%.

At 80 hands per hour, the gambler is putting $4000 per hour into action. The expected loss per hour for that player is $20.

That same casino might have a game with a minimum bet of $25, but the dealer hits a soft 17. This increases the house edge from 0.5% to 0.7%.

The gamblers at this table are putting $2000 per hour into action, but now they’re losing $14 per hour instead of the $10 per hour you’d expect.

The casino STILL makes more money from the higher limit table, but by just changing one small rule, they come closer to getting the same kind of hourly win rate.

The Worst Blackjack Rules in Las Vegas Are at the Strip Casinos

80% of the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip are owned by the same 4 companies. They all have similar blackjack rules – and those rules aren’t as favorable to the players as you’d hope.

Your best bet as a blackjack player is to just avoid the blackjack games on the Strip altogether. You can find better games elsewhere in the city.

For one thing, it’s almost impossible to find blackjack for less than $10 per hand on the Strip.

If you venture out to some of the off-Strip casinos, you can find plenty of casinos offering $5 blackjack. You can even find some older casinos catering to locals with $3 blackjack games.

You’d think that such casinos would offer terrible rules for players, but you’d be surprised.

For example, I’ve read reports about the $3 games at Arizona Charlies. You can double down on any total there, and you can even double down after splitting. Good luck finding those generous rules at one of the Strip casinos.

You can also play $5 blackjack at Arizona Charlies from a 2-deck shoe, which is practically unheard of elsewhere in Vegas. And, if you didn’t already know it, the more decks you have in use, the higher the house edge becomes.

Single deck blackjack has the lowest house edge, everything else being equal.

You can find $5 blackjack at a host of locals casinos, especially in Downtown. Some of the casinos offering $5 blackjack include Boulder Station, El Cortez, and the Orleans.

In fact, any of the Stations casinos offer good rules for low stakes blackjack players.

If You ARE Going to Play Blackjack on the Strip

Treasure Island is your best bet for $10 blackjack on the Strip, but those tables are usually crowded, and there aren’t many of them. The game does have good rules, though – you can even find a game there sometimes that’s dealt from just 2 decks.

But, if you’re going to play blackjack on the Strip, you’re probably going to need to wager $25 prer hand or more. Any of the MGM properties are good for this level of play.

These include Circus Circus, Excalibur, Luxor, Mirage, Monte Carlo, and New York New York,

Comparing Rules Variations in Blackjack

For the most part, the rules variations in blackjack involve giving the player more options or fewer options. In any given blackjack situation, having more options is better than having fewer options.

For example, in some casinos, you can only double down on a 9, 10, or 11.

In other casinos, you’re allowed to double down on any total.

In some casinos, you’re allowed to double down after splitting.

In others, you can’t double down after splitting.

These are all examples of how having more flexibility in your choices increases or decreases the house edge.

You always want to decrease the house edge when you can.

And don’t make the mistake of thinking the 0.1% or 0.2% doesn’t matter.

When you’re dealing with something like the house edge, every tenth of a percent matters.

What if You Want to Count Cards?

If you want to count cards, one of the first things you want to do is find a casino that isn’t using a continuous shuffling machine. You can’t get an edge counting cards if the discards get shuffled back into the deck immediately.

Card counting works because some higher value cards are no longer in the deck, or some lower value cards are no longer in the deck. When the composition of the deck becomes favorable to the player instead of to the house, the card counter raises the size of his bets.

You can’t do that if you’re getting cards from a freshly shuffled deck every hand.

Also, the fewer decks being used, the better it is for the card counter. Every card dealt from a single deck affects the house edge.

But the value of each card is diluted in a pack of cards made up of multiple decks.

Here’s an example:

If 4 aces have been dealt out of a single deck blackjack game, it’s now impossible to get dealt a blackjack before the cards are shuffled again. This is advantageous for the casino, and the card counter knows it and lowers his bet accordingly.

But if you’re playing in an 8-deck game, you have 32 aces in the deck total. The elimination of 4 of those aces doesn’t make nearly as much of a difference.

Conclusion

Tiny differences in the rules have a major effect on the math involved when playing real money blackjack. Generally, you’ll find more flexibility in the games with lower stakes.

You’ll have a hard time finding a combination of low stakes and good rules variations on the Strip in Las Vegas, especially. Try to stick with the casinos Downtown or on Boulder Highway if you’re a low roller looking for a game with good odds.

Oklahoma is just 45 minutes of where I sit in my home office as I write this post. Just over the Texas border, with Oklahoma is the world’s largest casino, WinStar.

WinStar is probably the most well-known casino in Oklahoma, which is itself a newcomer to the American casino scene.

But it’s not a a gambling destination to overlook when you’re planning your next casino vacation.

The History of Gambling in Oklahoma

Gambling in Oklahoma has a recent history.

The Sooner State made horse racing legal in 1982. Compared to Nevada, Oklahoma was late to the gambling party. Nevada legalized gambling in 1949.

Oklahoma would wait another 10 years before making it legal to play bingo for money. If your grandma won money playing bingo before 1992 in OK, it was probably under the table.

In 2003, Oklahoma would legalize the lottery. This was in keeping with a nationwide trend of setting up state-run lotteries. People were driving across state lines to play the lottery.

Oklahoma saw this as a lost revenue opportunity and created their own lottery commission. Now, instead of their residents traveling to Texas to buy tickets, they could spend their lottery dollars in their home state.

Here’s a side note:

The Oklahoma lottery largely funds education within the state and the state’s teacher retirement fund. Most states use lottery profits to fund education, wildlife protection, and other public improvements within their state.

Casinos became legal the same year that lotteries became legal. 2004 was a big year for the Sooner State. There are quite a few requirements for casinos in Oklahoma. I will get into that shortly. All casinos in Oklahoma are required to be located and operated by native tribes.

Laws Surrounding Casinos in Oklahoma

Here are the basic gambling/ casino rules for the state of Oklahoma:

What Is the Legal Gambling Age in Oklahoma?

18-21. The age range depends on the casino. Make sure to check the age requirements before visiting any Oklahoma casino.

Can Anyone Open a Casino?

No. The state mandated that the casinos in Oklahoma must be located on native lands and run by native tribes. This mandate is spelled out that native tribes have an exclusivity agreement with the state and pay 4-10% tax for this agreement.

Native tribes were the primary operators of horse tracks and most of the state’s bingo halls. Once the state legalized casinos, the native tribe racetracks and bingo halls converted to casinos.

In the last year, the governor of Oklahoma has challenged the casino laws saying that as of Jan.1st, 2020 casino gambling is illegal. The 3 largest native tribes, Choctaw, Cherokee, and Chickasaw have pushed back on the governor’s stance and asked for clarification.

Pay close attention to this story as it unfolds. This could be a huge shift in native lands casinos in this country. Oklahoma Governor Stitt has filed a lawsuit to halt operation of native casinos in his state.

Is There Anything Else I Need to Know About Oklahoma Gambling Laws?

Yes, there are a few quirks to Oklahoma’s gambling laws.

The first quirky law every casino has in common – there are ante requirements for all casino games. The ante varies depending on the game. Blackjack tables have a 50-cent ante, and craps and roulette tables have a $1.00 ante. It’s weird, but it’s also part of playing table games in the state.

Best Three Casinos to Visit in Oklahoma

This is my list of my favorite casinos and casino resorts to visit in the Sooner State. They are in no particular order. Some of the casinos you’ve heard of and some of the casinos are off the beaten path.

WinStar – Thackerville, OK

Let’s get this one off the table. WinStar is Oklahoma’s, America’s, and the World’s largest casino. WInStar is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation.

This truly mega casino opened its doors as the WinStar Casino the same year that Oklahoma legalized gambling in casinos. 2004 was a game changer for the native tribe gambling establishments.

WinStar renamed itself as the WinStar Word Casino and Resort in 2013. This same year it beat out Foxwoods Casino, a native lands casino in CT, as the largest casino in the world.

WInStar boasts 370,00 square feet with a poker room made up of 55 tables, over 8,500 gaming machines, over 100 gambling tables, keno, and a high roller suite.

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If you’re looking for entertainment options, WInStar is home to the Global Events Center, a concert venue that has over 3,500 seats. Famous acts make tour stops on a regular basis.

I was able to see one of my favorite TV actors, Jerry Seinfeld, do his standup act there in the summer of 2019.

If you’re a foodie like my husband and I, you’ll be looking for dining options. WinStar World Casino and Resort offers options for all tastes and budget options.

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Wanting a classic steak house experience?

Check.

Want a quick bite to soak up last night’s revelries before hitting the casino floor?

Check.

Your kid only eats spaghetti?

Blackjack Rules At Choctaw Casino Atlantic City

They’ve got Italian food too.

Don’t forget that WinStar also had its own PGA designed golf course. If you’re a fan of the Netflix hit documentary, Tiger King, it’s just a short drive to visit Joe Exotic’s former zoo.

WinStar is unique in its size and location. It’s just over an hour drive from the Dalls-Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the largest cities in America. This also makes traveling to the mega casino resort a breeze.

If you’re new to gambling in Oklahoma casinos, then WInStar World Casino and Resort is a great place to start.

Don’t get lost, though.

My son’s college roommate was there for a bachelor party and was lost for four hours. With a dead phone. And a little tipsy.

You’ve been warned.

Choctaw Casino and Resort – Durant, OK

Choctaw Casino Blackjack

Choctaw Casino and Resort in Durant, OK is the flagship location of the Choctaw Nation’s chain of casinos and resorts. The Durant location is located on 50 acres belonging to the Choctaw Nation.

As required by Oklahoma gaming laws, Choctaw properties are managed and owned by the tribal nation. The profits go to improvement projects for the native nation.

The Durant casino and resort has a 218,884 sq. Foot casino floor. You can play one of the over 4,800 gaming machines, place a bet (with an ante of course) at any of the over 80 table games. Choctaw Durant also offers a horse racing sportsbook.

There are a variety of dining and entertainment options. The resort features multiple pools with cabanas that can be reserved.

Are you thinking of making it a family trip?

The resort offers bowling, shopping, a movie theater, and an arcade.

The Choctaw Casino and Resort is a great option for families that are looking for a a family getaway with adult gambling and entertainment options.

Just like WinStar, Choctaw Durant is only a 1.5-hour drive from DFW airport.

Artesian Hotel Casino – Sulphur, OK

The high-end experience at Artesian Hotel Casino is a fantastic option for an adult-only weekend getaway. Located in Sulphur, OK, the casino and hotel is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation as per Oklahoma gaming laws.

The Artesian is much smaller than the other two casinos resorts on my list. The boutique hotel and casino opened April 2013. The casino floor is 15,000 square feet of gaming featuring high roller rooms, baccarat, blackjack, and poker.

Artesian Hotel Casino is an excellent romantic weekend getaway option. You can book a spa day, like my husband did for our 25th wedding anniversary, at their award-winning spa, the SOLE’SERNITY.

Their dining options are reminiscent of country club offerings with a flushed-out wine list. The three dining establishment offer everything from a gourmet eggs benedict to a house-aged rib eye. My personal favorite drink offering is the Tennessee Fir Mule at the Fountain Club.

The hotel rooms are splendid with décor. The rooms range in size and amenities. They remind me of a less loud version of the W Chicago.

Much like the other two casino resorts on this list, this hotel and casino is a short drive from DFW airport, clocking in at about 2 hours. For me, a spa and gambling getaway is worth the slightly longer drive.

Conclusion

I hope you have better grasp of the casino offering from Oklahoma’s diverse gaming industry. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what Oklahoma’s gambling landscape has to offer.

There are 60 casinos in Oklahoma. All of them are owned and managed by native tribes. The fact that the tribes redistribute the profits to improvements within their communities is a feel-good win for me as well.

I would love to hear your feedback and questions. Leave a comment below.