Wager Mage
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Should I hit or stay on 16?

If you hit the 16, you will win 25.23 percent of the time, bust out 69.31 percent of the time and push 5.46 percent of the time for a net loss of 44.08 percent of the time. By standing on the “hard 16” you will win 29.01 percent of the time and lose 70.99 percent of the time for a loss of 41.98 percent of the time.

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With casino gaming being one of the most attractive recreational activities in the United States and over 500 casinos to choose from, AY About You Magazine would like to help you enjoy your gaming experience when playing blackjack by letting you ask professional player and author of “Ask Dr Blackjack”, Sam Barrington, your puzzling questions. If you have a question about blackjack, please contact AY Magazine or Sam Barrington directly at sbarrington21@aol.com. Your question and the answer will be shared with our readers (anonymously, of course, if desired). For an autographed book just go to www.AskDrBlackjack.com and find out my best tactics for playing. Follow AY About You Magazine to find out the dates and times of free blackjack seminars by Sam Barrington. My last post with AY Magazine had me giving seminars at the Tunica casinos. I have since pulled out of there with the dying casino trend there. At one time they had ten casinos operating there at full capacity. Now, they have six casinos. Increased competition is killing them. When the completion of Oaklawn and Southland is finished, it is rumored another two Tunica casinos will close.

So, let’s get to the questions:

From George in Memphis, Tenn.:

Question: “When should I hit on my 15?”

Sam says: “Always hit a hard 15 when the dealer’s up-card is a 7 through an ace. If you stand on that 15, you will win 25.36 percent of the time and lose 74.64 percent of the time. That makes a net loss of 49.28 percent. Now, by hitting that 15, you will win 29.02 percent of the time and lose 66.46 percent of the time and push 4.52 percent of the time. All totaled up, you are 11.84 percent better off hitting the hard 15.

From Rufus in Little Rock:

Question: “What are the rules on hitting a “hard 16?”

Sam says: “This is a tricky play you have to watch out for or it can cost you a little money. To sum it up, never do it. Just sit there like a lump. The “hard 16” is the worst hand you can get, so as the saying goes. You work with what you got when facing the dealer’s up-card of 7 through an ace. If you hit the 16, you will win 25.23 percent of the time, bust out 69.31 percent of the time and push 5.46 percent of the time for a net loss of 44.08 percent of the time. By standing on the “hard 16” you will win 29.01 percent of the time and lose 70.99 percent of the time for a loss of 41.98 percent of the time.

You end up 2.10 percent better off by “standing”.

That’s the same as winning two more hands out of every 100 times you face that scenario. That’s better than the annual return on a CD, and you can do this hundreds of times a year.

READ MORE: Ask Dr. Blackjack: Doubling Down and Insurance

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Beginner's Corner

The odds and what they mean

The odds represent the publics opinion of each horse's chances of winning a race, based on how they actually bet. A horse's odds reflect how much has been bet on it to win the race. Horses that are given a better chance of winning (favorites) will pay off less than the horses that are not expected to run well (longshots). Odds in the newspaper or track program reflect a horse's morning line odds. Morning line odds are set by oddsmakers and handicappers before the betting actually begins, and are meant to represent the best estimation of what a horse's odds will actually be. Actual odds are posted before each race, and can change constantly until the race begins. The current odds are always posted on television and computer screens and on the racetrack tote board leading up to a race. The posted odds are based on win wagers only. All posted win prices are posted to reflect winnings for each $2 bet. If you are confused by the odds and are never sure what your horse is going to pay if it wins, it is easy to calculate the approximate payoffs by doubling the odds and then adding in the cost of a $2 wager. For example: If the odds are 4-1, a $2 win bet would pay $10 (4 x $2 = $8 + $2 = $10).

When in doubt, you can always consult the following table:

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