• Understand Pairs: In Texas Hold’em, pairs are strong poker hands. Higher pairs like Aces, Kings, and Queens can give you a powerful lead right from the start.
• Suited High Cards: Hands such as Ace-King, Ace-Queen, or King-Queen of the same suit are considered strong due to their potential for Flushes, Straights, or high pairs.
• Unsuited High Cards: Even if not the same suit, high value cards such as an Ace-King or Ace-Queen hold potential due to their likelihood to form a high pair.
• Medium Pairs: Medium pairs like Jacks, Tens, and Nines can be valuable if no higher cards appear on the table, but they need to be played cautiously.
• Suited Connectors: Cards of the same suit in sequence (like Eight-Seven or Six-Five of hearts) have the potential for Straight or Flush, making them a gamble that can pay off.

You’ve learned about the?poker hand hierarchy?and you’ve got the?basic rules of the game?down pat! The next thing you need to build more confidence at the table is the knowledge of which hands you should start out playing.

Best Starting Hands In Poker

It’s your turn to bet in a casino and now you’re wondering if your hand is strong enough to justify a call or raise, or maybe you should fold? Below are the generally accepted top ten starting hole card hands in Texas Hold’em poker. They are considered premium hole cards and are potentially hand-winning.

With these cards, you will certainly want to play the hand, but be sure to consider your position on the table.

1. Pocket Aces (Bullets)

Considered the best starting hole cards in Hold’em, AA are playable from any table position.

2. Pocket Kings (Cowboys)

Considered the second best starting hole cards, KK are playable from any position.

3. Pocket Queens (Ladies) 

Great strength pre-flop but becomes difficult to play post-flop when over-cards hit.

4. AKs(uited) (Big Slick)

This is the fourth strongest starting hand, even against KK and is a significant favorite against the rest.

5. AQs(uited) (Little Slick) 

This hand is strong but can easily be dominated in typical all-in pre-flop scenarios.

6. Pocket Jacks (Fishhooks) 

Many players claim paired jacks are the most difficult top 10 starting hand to play. While being one of the top 10 best starting hands, JJ versus AA-QQ and AKo-AQs is vulnerable.

7. KQs(uited) (Royal Couple) 

While this hand is best suited to make straights and flushes, it can put you in difficult positions when flopping top pair, as you quite possibly will not have the best kicker.

8. AJ (Ajax) 

These hole cards can be difficult to play from early position because you will never get folds from better aces, and you won’t get the value of a top pair. However, it does have value in its ability to make the nut straight or flush.

9. AKo(ff-suit) (Big Ugly) 

The strongest unsuited, non-pair. This hand is easy to overplay and over value in poker tournaments and in ring games.

10. TT (TNT) 

Extremely strong vs two random cards, yet as with JJ, it can be difficult to play.

Now that you’re familiar with the basic rules and best starting hands of poker, you’re ready to take a seat and begin your poker adventure!

Poker Starting Hand Strategies

Mastering starting hand strategies in poker is not only about understanding which hands are typically considered strong or weak, but also knowing how to adapt your approach based on changes in the game’s dynamics.

1. Tight vs. Loose Play: If you’re a beginner, a tighter, more conservative approach to starting hands is recommended. This generally means playing fewer hands and choosing only those with high potential, like high pairs or suited connectors. More experienced players may adopt a looser strategy, playing more hands and skillfully leveraging position and betting strategies.
2. Position Matters: The position you’re in relative to the dealer plays a significant role in determining which starting hands you should play. Being in a late position, where you act after most players, allows you to make decisions with more information, and thus you can play a wider range of starting hands.
3. Know When to Fold: One key to a profitable long-term poker strategy is knowing when to fold your hand. Even if you’ve been dealt a reasonably good hand pre-flop, if the betting gets too high or the flop doesn’t improve your hand, it may be best to cut your losses and fold.
4. Watch Your Opponents: Pay attention to how your opponents are playing. If they’re playing tight, you may be able to win more pots with semi-strong hands. Conversely, if they’re playing loose, strong starting hands become even more critical.
5. Adaptive Strategies: Successful poker players adapt their starting hand strategies based on game flow, table position, and their read on other players. What works in one session may not work in another, so always be prepared to adjust your approach.

Mastering starting hand strategy in poker involves understanding the inherent strength of your initial cards, but it also requires good judgment and adaptability as the game progresses. As with every aspect of poker, practice makes perfect.

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• Card Count: Royal Hold’em is a variation of Texas Hold’em, but with a smaller deck—only 20 cards (10s and higher) are used, making the game faster.
• High-Value Hands: Due to the nature of Royal Hold’em, high-value hands are more prevalent. Don’t be surprised by multiple full houses or four-of-a-kinds!
• Aggressive Play: Given that only high-value cards are in play, aggressive betting strategies can pay off well in Royal Hold’em.
• Critical Position: Poker position is essential in Royal Hold’em, similar to other poker games. Having a late position gives you a significant advantage.
• Importance of Blinds: Given the rapid speed of the game, understanding and strategizing around blinds is crucial for maintaining your stack in Royal Hold’em.

Playing Royal Hold’em can be a lot of fun. Not only do you consistently see big, exciting hands, it’s easy to learn because the rules are so familiar to Texas Hold’em. However, don’t fall into a trap of playing in less than ideal situations. Read this guide to find out how to get your start.

Royal Hold’em appeals to the math-conscious Hold’em player. There are frequent opportunities where pot odds and counting outs are relevant to your decision-making process.

What is Royal Hold’em Poker?

Royal Hold’em Poker is an exciting variant of the traditional Texas Hold’em Poker. The significant difference lies in the deck size. In Royal Hold’em, the deck is stripped down to just 20 cards – all cards below ten are removed, leaving only tens through aces. The game follows the same standard poker rules as Texas Hold’em in terms of the betting rounds and the order of play.

Because of the limited deck size and the high value of cards in play, Royal Hold’em tends to be a faster-paced game with larger hands more frequently obtained, making it a thrilling choice for poker fans. Royal Flushes, Straight Flushes, Four of a Kind – these are all common sights in Royal Hold’em, further amplifying the game’s appeal.

It’s important to note that due to the smaller deck and more frequent high-value hands, strategies for Royal Hold’em can differ significantly from other forms of poker. Making adjustments to your poker tactics – such as playing more aggressively and focusing heavily on position strategy – can significantly impact your success in this variation of the game.

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The Difference Between Royal Hold’em & Texas Hold’em

There are a few key differences between Royal Hold’em and its Texas counterpart. The game is played at a 6-max table only, and uses just 20 cards (a stripped deck of tens, jacks, queens, kings and aces only). This means short-handed pots are the norm, and being aware of position during a hand is highly important.

It’s easy to get carried away with strong hands in Royal Hold’em, but playing them out will give you some insight into correctly folding ‘second best’ hands and not leaking chips into pots you should avoid.

Royal Hold’em: Pre-Flop Tips

Hand selection is key. Because Royal pots are usually won by the best possible hand (or close to it), you should only consider playing premium starting hands like AA or KK. Even AK is vulnerable when you flop top pair only. Depending on your opponents, chip stacks, and whether you are in a ring game or tournament, you should nearly always raise with AA or KK. With AA, you can even re-raise to try to maximize your profit.

Raising in position pre-flop, particularly from the Button, with hands other than AA of KK is fine if everyone else has folded, especially if you perceive the players in the blinds as tight. But be careful — extending your raising range too much when there are limpers, or if there’s a chance to get multiple callers is asking for trouble.

Still, you can include QQ or AK in your raises to keep your opponents guessing. Just remember that calling pre-flop with these weaker hands requires the ability to recognize unfavorable post-flop scenarios and minimize losses by folding ‘trappy’ hands.

Position is important because you want to have control of the betting. Think ahead. Raising in the Under the Gun seat with a poor hand will likely put you in an awkward situation later in the hand.

Royal Hold’em: Post-Flop Tips

Be wary of any hand after the flop which is not either the nuts, or drawing to a hand that will beat the current nuts. Straights are actually very weak hands in Royal Hold’em. Against three of a kind, a straight with no royal flush draw can only ever get a split pot (when the board fills in a Broadway straight to give a straight for everyone).

Counting outs and calculating pot odds is an important part of Royal Poker when considering calling post-flop bets. Awareness of your opponents’ tendencies will give you an idea of their hand strength, and then you can decide if your hand is already strong enough or has enough potential to stick around.

A flush draw is always drawing to a royal flush and is sometimes quite playable. Since the game only uses 20 cards, the chance of hitting a one-card out is better than 1 in 7 if you’re facing a small bet on the flop.

General Strategy for Royal Hold’em

ABC poker will work against bad players. Patience will reap rewards against overly-aggressive players. With the probability to get AA being better than 1 in 32, you will rarely go for long without some exciting action pots.

Making correctly-sized bets and raising when you should will help you extract value from calling hands when you think you currently have the best hand. In Royal Hold’em, your hand strength is much more readable than with a full deck, and observant opponents will be using their analysis and counting their outs, too. Don’t let them make good value calls by being too passive.

Bluffing is possible against opponents who are playing too tight or those who perceive you to be tight. This can lead to some interesting blind vs. blind battles, so it pays to tune up on your Heads Up play. And don’t forget to make some player notes!

Ready to take your seat? Before you join a game, why not check out our poker guides?

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• Poker Blinds: Blinds are mandatory bets made before the cards are dealt in a game of online poker, effectively creating an initial pot and motivating gameplay.
• Two Types: There are typically two blinds, the “small blind” and the “big blind”, with the big blind being double the small.
• Rotating Responsibility: The responsibility for posting blinds moves clockwise around the poker table position with each new hand in most games.
• Stimulate Betting: The main purpose of blinds is to stimulate betting by providing players an incentive to participate and win the ‘pre-formed’ pot.
• Influence Strategy: The position of a player in relation to the blinds significantly influences their game strategy – early, mid or late position.

Have you ever wondered what the blinds are in casino poker? Why doesn’t everyone just play poker for free, and join or leave as they please? In this article, we’ll break down

What Are Blinds In Poker?

The ‘blinds’ are so called because players have to pay them before they see their cards. They are not optional if you want to join a poker game, and not to be confused with antes.

Antes are also a compulsory bet paid by players before their cards are dealt in a tournament, but an ante is usually taken from everyone in every hand. A blind is positional, taken from specific players.

For reference, we should state the purpose of the dealer button, which dictates the position of the blinds in a community card game like Texas Hold’em and Omaha. The dealer button represents the player who, in the “good old days,” used to actually distribute the cards to the other players.

The dealer button is allocated at the start of each hand, and initially two forced blinds are collected:

• The small blind from the first player to receive cards to the left of the dealer.
• The big blind from the second player to receive cards to the left of the dealer.
• If only two players are to be dealt in, the button takes the small blind and the other player pays the big blind.
• Further blinds may be collected from other new players wanting their first hand, or players returning from sitting out.

As their name suggests, the big blind is more expensive than the small blind — usually double. In ring games the blinds are constant, but in tournaments they increase at a predetermined rate. Poker tournament blind levels are usually scheduled for a set period of time, but may be for a number of hands.

Why Are Poker Blinds Collected?

The reason that blinds are collected, particularly in tournaments, is so there is a starting pot for the players to compete for.

In tournaments, the blinds increase in size in order to force players to keep up with the average stack as players are eliminated. If there were no blinds in poker games, the best poker strategy would be to fold everything except premium hands because it would be free to wait. The game simply would not be at all interesting or competitive.

It is important to note that the players who are paying blinds are at a distinct disadvantage for that hand.

• They’re betting without seeing their cards, whereas everyone else is playing for free.
• They must act first in every round of betting in the hand, except for pre-flop.

How Do Blinds Work In Poker?

In order for the blinds to affect everyone equally, there are specific rules which most poker games follow to make things fair for everyone. A well-known and highly respected resource of poker rules and etiquette,?Robert’s Rules of Poker, authored by Bob Ciaffone (who sadly passed away in 2022) has this to say about the button and blind obligations:

 “A new player cannot be dealt in between the big blind and the button. Blinds may not be made up between the big blind and the button. You must wait until the button passes.”

Bob Ciaffone

The reason for this is that having a player pay a small blind in that seat might mean a player has had to pay the big blind in two consecutive hands. That would be a severe penalty. You may be moved to an empty seat between the dealer button and the big blind, but you’ll have to wait until the button has moved to your left before you can take a hand. This applies even in tournaments when you move tables.

Also from Robert’s Rules:

“A player who misses any or all blinds can resume play by either posting all the blinds missed or waiting for the big blind. If you choose to post the total amount of the blinds, an amount up to the size of the minimum opening bet is live. The remainder is taken by the dealer to the center of the pot and is not part of your bet. When it is your next turn to act, you have the option to raise.”

Bob Ciaffone

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This method is used to prevent players from declining to pay their blinds when in the big blind position and then trying to return in a different, more advantageous position for free. They have to pay their dues of a big blind?plus?a small blind, which they have also skipped.

Even if they do come back in the cut off, immediately to the right of the dealer button and in a highly advantageous position, the penalty of paying a small blind as well as a big blind compensates for that.

One of the game dynamics which paying blinds introduces is that players in short-handed games and the final stages of a tournament have to fight to stay alive. Everybody has the same cost each time the blinds get to them.

Stronger players will have the ability to cope with the disadvantages forced on them and exploit the forced bets made by others. The better players will try to capitalize on positional play and not waste chips by limping or calling passively.

More Than Just Paying to Play

Understanding the role and purpose of blinds in poker is fundamental to mastering the game’s strategy and dynamics. Blinds not only initiate the betting action, but they also facilitate game progression and influence player tactics.

Whether you’re just starting your poker journey or refining your skills, being well-versed in how blinds affect the game will elevate your poker prowess. So, the next time you find yourself at the poker table, remember the crucial role of the blinds and leverage it to your advantage. Happy gaming!

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This royal flush of the best poker movies of all time will take you on a cinematic journey where high stakes, bluffing, and intricate strategies are the order of the day. Prepare to explore best poker movies that not only capture the thrill of the game but also delve into the minds of its players, the lengths they are willing to go to win, and the ramifications of their daring gambits.

Whether you’re a poker aficionado or a casual movie-goer seeking a thrilling ride, this list of films promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.

1. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs – The 10 of Hearts

This 2018 Western features a singing cowboy, Buster Scruggs.

“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is an eccentric and compelling anthology film, written and directed by the brilliant Coen Brothers. Premiering in 2018, this Netflix Original grips audiences with its sharp wit, intriguing characters, and eye-catching cinematography.

The film is made up of six separate stories set in the American frontier of the 19th century. Each story, much like the chapters of a book, unfolds independently, with a distinct set of characters and plot. However, they all share an underlying theme, an exploration of life’s inevitabilities and human nature.

The opening tale follows the aforementioned Buster Scruggs, a muscularly cheerful singing cowboy with an unexpected penchant for violence.

After entering a saloon, Buster joins a vacant seat at a poker table and is told that he must play the cards that the other player has abandoned, which turn out to be the infamous Dead Man’s Hand, AA88. Buster refuses to play the hand and finds himself in a one-of-a-kind gunfight.

For those not in the know, the Dead Man’s Hand is rumored to be the hand that Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was killed, which makes Buster’s refusal to play understandable!

“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is a violent and often morbid reflection of the Old West but equally peppered with harmonic melodies and stinging humor. The Coen Brothers’ knack for creating rich and unpredictable narratives manifest beautifully in this film, making it a truly essential watch for fans of their works, is a spectacular exploration of the Western genre for all movie lovers, and one of the best poker movies.

2. Casino Royale – The Jack of Hearts

“Casino Royale,” directed by Martin Campbell, is a thrilling yet sophisticated addition to the James Bond series. Released in 2006, the film marked a significant shift in tone from the preceding films, featuring a more complex and human depiction of the famous spy, played by Daniel Craig in his Bond debut.

In “Casino Royale,” Bond is on a mission to prevent a dangerous banker, Le Chiffre, from winning a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. Through the skillfully directed poker scenes, the movie does more than entertain; it unravels the plot and further develops characters.

The poker game is not simply a game, but a battlefield where mental prowess, bluffing and strategic planning could mean the difference between life and death. The tension around the table is palpable as Bond and Le Chiffre duel not only with cards, but with sharp glances, clever bluffs, and high-risk bets.

“Poker” is more than just a game here; it’s a metaphor for the strategic, high-stakes world that 007 operates in. It serves as an avenue to expose Le Chiffre’s weaknesses and subsequently exploit them, demonstrating Bond’s cleverness and unflappable cool under pressure. In essence, “Casino Royale” uses poker as a tool to drive the narrative and heighten the suspense, earning its ranking in the list of the best poker movies.

3. Molly’s Game – The Queen of Hearts

“Molly’s Game”, directed by Aaron Sorkin, and released in 2017, introduces viewers to a riveting world of clandestine poker games.

Based on the memoir by Molly Bloom, the film tells the tale of a former Olympic skier who, after an unfortunate career-ending injury, eventually becomes the runner of an exclusive, high-stakes underground poker game, attracting Hollywood celebrities, business tycoons, and ultimately, the FBI. Jessica Chastain delivers a compelling performance as the titular character, and she’s supported by a stellar ensemble including Idris Elba and Kevin Costner.

In the film, poker serves not only as the central attraction but also as the instrument that shapes Molly’s transformation. It initially becomes her lifeline post-career shift, but it soon turns into a complex web of power play, legal entanglements, and ethical explorations. The high-stake poker games are painted with a thrilling yet menacing undertone that underlines Molly’s escalating journey.

These poker scenes are meticulously constructed to highlight the psychological stakes at play and to pave the way for the narrative’s dramatic turns. The intricate details of poker are smartly used to give viewers an insight into the characters’ minds, their moving motivations, and evolving relationships.

The infamous, ‘full tilt’ scene is often held up as one of the best poker scenes in movie history and a great example of a common poker mistake, letting emotion make the bets.

“Molly’s Game” is an enthralling examination of ambition, power, and resilience, embedded in the enticing world of private poker games, making it a must-watch addition to the best poker movies club for poker players and non-players alike.

2. Rounders – The King of Hearts

“Rounders,” directed by John Dahl and released in 1998, is often praised as the quintessential best poker movies. The film shines a light on the underground world of high-stakes poker and features knockout performances from Matt Damon, Edward Norton, and John Malkovich.

Damon plays Mike McDermott, a law student and gifted poker player who loses his entire savings in a heads up with Russian gangster named Teddy ‘KGB’ played by Malkovich. Despite this setback, Mike swears off gambling and focuses on his law studies. However, when his old friend Worm (Norton) is released from prison and needs help repaying a debt, Mike is drawn back into the poker world.

In “Rounders,” poker plays a pivotal role, serving as more than mere background entertainment. It is instead the mainspring from which the plot unravels, and the axis around which the characters evolve. The game is a microcosm of life challenges and moral dilemmas, testing Mike’s loyalty, determination, and cunning. The suspense-ridden poker games reveal hidden aspects of characters and offer Mike both a chance for redemption and a pitfall into deeper trouble.

“Rounders” remarkably encapsulates the thrill, strategy, and sometimes bitter realities of poker, making it a high-stake delight for poker enthusiasts and movie lovers alike. The film’s depiction of the game has often been credited with contributing to the mid-2000s poker boom, underlining the impact of its authentic portrayal of the game.

1. Mississippi Grind – The Ace of Hearts

“Mississippi Grind,” directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, and released in 2015, follows the story of two gamblers on a road trip with a dream of changing their luck. The film stars Ben Mendelsohn as Gerry, a down-on-his-luck gambling addict, and Ryan Reynolds as Curtis, an itinerant gambler and charmer who seems to have a bit more control over his habit.

Central to the film is the game of poker, but it isn’t solely about the game itself; instead, it delves into the lives and personas of those consumed by it. Continual poker scenes, naturally occurring in casinos, back rooms, and riverboats, offer opportunities for the character study to unfold. Gerry’s desperation contrasted against Curtis’s seemingly laid-back approach to gambling forms the emotional core of the movie.

In “Mississippi Grind,” poker is a metaphor for the characters’ journey through life – replete with the ups and downs, the bluffs and tells, the wins and the losses. It’s through the game that we see Gerry’s struggles with addiction and Curtis’s nomadic existence. It brings out the characters’ darkest corners, vulnerabilities, and their constant struggle towards something better; it portrays their perennial hope of that next big win which underlies their ‘Mississippi Grind.’

This film is a keen observation of human nature using poker as its vehicle, making it a compelling portrait of the gambler’s lifestyle and the inevitable consequences that ensue.

Poker on The Big Screen

And there you have it – A tour through the transformative world of poker as portrayed in cinema. These films not only masterfully capture the tension, the strategy, and the sheer thrill of the game, but they also use poker as a lens through which viewers can explore deeper themes of human nature, life struggles, and the relentless pursuit of high stakes.

The best poker movies bring to life fascinating characters, from aspiring champions and hard-luck cases to sinister villains and empathetic heroes, each walking a tightrope between triumph and despair in their quest for that elusive winning hand.

Beyond the poker tables and flashy casinos, these films are profound character studies that reveal complex layers of human behavior. So, whether you’re an avid poker player seeking to see your favorite game on screen or a movie enthusiast searching for narratives that delve deep into the human psyche, there’s no bluffing the captivating allure of these poker films. May they serve as your ultimate cinematic ace when you next decide to shuffle your movie deck.

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• Dive into advanced Pre-Flop Raise (PFR) strategies to elevate your poker game and gain a competitive edge at the casino table.
• Explore insights from poker statistics and analysis to understand the impact of PFR poker on hand ranges, aggression levels, and overall gameplay dynamics.
• Learn how to adjust your PFR poker range based on position, stack sizes, opponent tendencies, and table dynamics for strategic advantage.
• Implement sophisticated PFR tactics, such as 3-betting and balancing ranges, to exploit opponents and maximize profitability.
• Master the art of PFR poker by combining technical expertise with psychological insights to outplay opponents and achieve consistent success in your games.

Every possible edge in Texas Hold ‘Em can lead to better outcomes and, let’s face it, the fewer opponents you have the better odds you have of winning. One of the advanced strategies in Texas Hold ‘Em is known as the Pre-Flop Raise (PFR).

What is PFR in poker? A PFR Poker strategy is raising the bet before any community cards are revealed (pre-flop). At the beginning, the only money in the pot is from the big blind and small blind. After the hold cards are dealt, the first round of betting begins when players can bet, check, call or raise.

If you’re learning how to play poker and want to consider PFR, this article should prove the basic details to get you started and what to look out for.

Pre-Flop Raise as a Strategy

There are many reasons why PFR can be an important strategy and impacts gameplay in a variety of ways:

• Strong Hole Cards: The community cards can go any number of ways but if you’re holding two strong cards, you can raise before the flop to indicate and scare away potential opponents and/or build the pot.
• Minimize competition: If another player folds, that’s one less person who could potentially find favorable cards in the flop, turn or river. We’ve all been in the position where we fold bad cards only to discover they could have turned into a winning hand.
• Make Them Pay for the Flop: If you have a good hand, don’t let the others see the flop for cheap. Your Pre-Flop Raise indicates your hand is strong and you deserve to play into the next round.
• Collecting Intelligence: If a player folds, they thought their hand was weak. However, if they call or raise, you now have information that they could be holding a strong hand as well.
• Psychological Warfare: If you PFR aggressively, you’re signaling to the others players that you’re not afraid to play and apply some pressure.

What Does the Pre-Flop Raise Percentage Mean?

To determine the PFR percentage, take the number of hands in which a player raises pre-flop versus the number of hands played. If a player raises 15 times out of 100 hands played, the percentage is 15%.

This is used to assess a player’s style and how aggressive or conservative they are and what strategy you can use against it.

Generally, a PFR percentage above 15% indicates they are more aggressive.

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What is VPIP?

Voluntary Put money In Pot, or VPIP, is a percentage of how often a player bets, calls or raises. This doesn’t include blinds because those bets aren’t voluntary. An example would be if out of 100 hands played, if you voluntarily put money in 50 times, the VPIP would be 50%.

The Relationship Between VPIP and PFR

The way in which VPIP and PFR are related is in regards to poker strategy and how players bet at the beginning of a hand. While VPIP can happen at any time, PFR obviously can only occur before the flop. However, whether you’re the player raising pre-flop or it’s someone else, it is a key indicator on someone’s betting style.

A player willing to raise pre-flop or has a high Volunteer Put money in Pot percentage plays more aggressively. They are willing to gamble more often, re-raise when prompted and pressure their opponents into calling.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is the player with a lower VPIP and someone more likely to call rather than bet. They tend to play hands more conservatively, which means they’ll play when they have a higher likelihood of winning and less likely to bluff.

Raising pre-flop and monitoring the VPIP of other players can provide you with information about opponents’ hands and force them to call, raise or fold in times they would otherwise make a different decision.

Is PFR higher than VPIP? Generally, no. Players are more likely to put money in voluntarily as the game progresses rather than pre-flop.

PFR Values in Different Poker Formats

Depending on the poker format, there are different values that PFR may have.

• PFR in Six-Max Games are tight-knit with only six players vying for the pot (as opposed to a 9-10 player format). Because this is a smaller game, the players tend to be aggressive. There is a tendency for more action and the game moves quicker. Players have a PFR percentage closer to 20-30% with the more conservative players still raising pre-flop around 15% of the time.

• PFR in Full Ring Games are played with more traditional PFR percentages because there are 9-10 players. Unlike in the six-man games, the aggressive players in full ring games have a PFR percentage closer to 15%. The more conservative players will raise pre-flop only about 5-8% of the time.

• PFR in Zoom Poker Games is fast-moving, as the name suggests, which means players who want to stay in will PFR aggressively. In a game in which if you fold, you get moved to a new table, there is a greater incentive to stick around and learn your opponents’ strategies. The most aggressive players can have a PFR percentage close to 30%. The likelihood of moving frequently means you have to change your strategy all the time.

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Exploiting Opponents Using PFR

If you can identify different player types with PFR while playing Texas Hold ‘Em, you’ll be better prepared to challenge your opponents and have an edge with your hand.

4 Types of PFR Players

Although these percentages will vary depending on whether you’re playing a Six-Man Game, Full-Ring Game or Zoom Game, the types of PFR player remains the same. For context, the below percentages are based on a Full-Ring Game.

1. Aggressive Players play just like that: aggressively. They will have a PFR range between 12-20%, so it’s likely they will raise pre-flop in 1 out of 5 games. An aggressive players’ strategy puts pressure on the others and often forces them to either fold (reducing the number of opponents) or call (which raises the poker equity). Aggressive players tend to play when they have a perceived strong hand.

1. Tight-Aggressive Players tend to PFR selectively. Most of the time they’ll do it because they have a strong hand. They’ll occasionally bluff and hope to make a hand in the community cards, or force the others to fold. ?Tight-aggressive players have a PFR between 8-12%.

1. Tight-Passive Players will typically raise pre-flop if they have a good hand so they have a lower PFR percentage at around 5-8%.

1. Loose Players are similar to aggressive players in that they have a high PFR percentage. The difference is that a loose player’s strategy is about playing more hands and being somewhat unpredictable. Loose players will PFR even if they don’t have a great hand and have a high PFR percentage range of 15-20%, sometimes more.

So, how do you combat these varying PFR players? You can adjust the way you play by reading other players at the table to throw them off-balance. If a player is aggressive and calling or raising, get more selective in when you call or raise and ignore the pressure to raise or call.

If the players are more passive, consider raising with more frequency. This applies pressure on your opponents to call or raise, which increases the pot size, or will make them fold so you can take more blinds.

What is a good VPIP and PFR?

A good VPIP and PFR can be dependent on how a player chooses to play poker.

• High VPIP and Low PFR: This type of player tends to call rather than raise unless they have a big hand. They likely won’t bluff and will play the cards, not their opponent.
• Low VPIP and Low PFR: This type of player only plays big if they have a big hand. They don’t mind folding and rarely play big.
• Medium VPIP and Low PFR: A medium VPIP means putting money in about a quarter of the time. They’re more likely a casual player who calls a lot of raises and won’t bet big unless they have a good hand. When they bet, assume they have a decent hand.
• Medium VPIP and Medium PFR: This is the ideal strategy. If you’re not used to playing this way, ease yourself into it. It’s not easy playing a possible junk hand to outwit your opponents.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Over-raising. With a high PFR percentage, you’re opening yourself to other aggressive players who might have better hands once the community cards are dealt. It’s okay to be aggressive, but consider your PFR percentage.
• Raising to see the cards. If you Pre-Flop Raise or call to see the flop cards, you might be delaying the inevitable. There’s no point in losing chips just to see how things play out in the flop.
• Failure to adjust. Poker is all about reading the other players. If you notice you’re at a table with aggressive players, failing to adjust is setting yourself up to make mistakes.
• Playing based on potential. If you overvalue your hand and PFR on the possibilities, you’re playing with hope and not strategy. Learning the difference between exploitative play and GTO play is important in maintaining balance in your game.

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PFR Poker Strategy

• There are many reasons why PFR can be an important strategy and impacts gameplay in a variety of ways. It can help increase the pot, make others fold or be an aggressive move with strong hold cards, to name a few.
• Consider both PFR and VPIP, which is the percentage a player voluntarily puts money in the pot. Both provide insight into a player’s strategy.
• Depending on the poker format, a player may change their strategy.
• There are generally four types of PFR players: Aggressive, Tight Aggressive, Tight Passive and Loose players.

There are many guides that can help players continue their poker education and no shortage of articles like this one that provide insights into overlooked strategies and information to take to the poker table.

One of the best ways to learn is to jump into it. If you’re a regular at a casino, live dealer poker or online poker game, start paying more attention to PFR and VPIP and consider how to take advantage of the players and their preferred methods of play.

• Develop a solid foundation in casino card counting to enhance your blackjack strategy by learning how to mentally track the ratio of high and low cards remaining in the deck.
• Explore various card counting systems, such as the popular Hi-Lo or the MIT methods, to determine which approach aligns best with your skill level and playing preferences.
• Hone your card counting proficiency through dedicated practice sessions that include drills and simulations using free online blackjack designed to simulate real blackjack scenarios.
• Implement effective card counting strategies during gameplay by maintaining focus, staying attentive to the cards being dealt, and making calculated decisions based on your counting system’s signals.
• Enhance your overall blackjack strategy by combining card counting with fundamental playing strategies, such as basic strategy charts.

A key to unlocking constant blackjack wins, a hockey system not worth trying, or just plain cheating? There is no doubt that card counting divides opinion, and there are a lot of myths around this technique. But exactly how do you count cards in blackjack?

On this page, we will break down those myths to bring you the truth about counting cards. Learn how to count cards and understand how this strategy can boost your blackjack gameplay.

How to Count Cards in Blackjack

Card counting in blackjack is a technique that can give the player an advantage by tracking high and low-value cards during a game. When you know how to count cards in blackjack, you essentially have a mental map of which cards have already been used and which remain. At its core, blackjack card counting gives players an extra advantage against the casino’s house edge.

Why Learn Card Counting?

Blackjack is a game of luck, even if it does have elements of skill. However, if you become good enough at counting cards, the game becomes beatable. Sounds great, but what’s the catch? Well, blackjack card counting is incredibly difficult and requires a lot of training and skill, and even then, you may not be able to do it.

Knowing how to count cards in blackjack allows you to control your betting based on which cards you perceive as remaining. It is a deceiving system because the logic of card counting is easy to understand, but doing it in practice is very difficult.

All card counting starts with assigning cards with a zero, positive, and negative value, all of which contribute to the Effect of Removal (EOR). As the name suggests, this provides an estimate of what impact removing a specific card will have on the house edge. 

Legality of Card Counting

One of the most interesting things about card counting is that it is not illegal. In the US, no law says you cannot count cards when playing blackjack. Other countries view it similarly, making it technically “legal” around the world. It is interesting that counting cards is not cheating, as you are not unfairly influencing the outcome of the game.

Even so, you are not going to be greeted with open arms by land-based casinos if they know you are card counting. In fact, you are likely to be thrown out if the casinos suspect you are counting. You’re free to try, but most casinos frown upon it and will ban you if you are caught.

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Basic Concepts of Card Counting

The fundamental knowledge you need to start card counting is understanding the card values in blackjack. If you are unfamiliar with blackjack, it is a casino card game where you play against the dealer. The objective is to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. You get two initial cards and can “Stand” with those two or “Hit” to receive more cards.

Each card in blackjack has a value that you add together to get a hand total. For numbers 2 through 10, the value is the number. Picture cards all have a value of 10, while the Ace counts either as 11 or 1:

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Understanding the Deck

Most blackjack games use more than one deck, which is partially a response to card counting. If you do play a single-deck variant, counting cards is relatively easy as you only track 52 cards. In more common multi-deck games, you need to track more cards, which is why counting cards requires an excellent memory.

Each card in the deck is given a positive, negative, or zero value by the card counter. Which value is given depends on the card, so let’s expand on the table above to see the -/+ values for blackjack card counting:

The Running Count Vs. The True Count

To track cards properly across multiple decks, counters use a running count and a true count. Both of these are important components when you learn how to count cards:

• Running Count: At the core of card counting is the running count, which is the total value of all cards that have been dealt. So, if a 2, 5, King, and 8 are dealt, the running total for the sequence would be +1 (+1, +1, 0, -1 = +1). This is known as the running count, and if it remains positive, it means there are more high cards left in the decks. If it is negative, there are fewer high-value cards.
• True Count: You can now find the true count by taking the running count and spreading it across all decks in the game. The running count only shows the one deck in play at that time, while the true count adjusts the number for all remaining decks. This is done by dividing the running count by the number of decks left.

Step-by-Step Guide to Counting Cards

Knowing how to count cards in blackjack adds an extra element of skill to help you control your betting during a game. Simple in concept but harder in practice, let’s apply what we know so far into a clear gameplay flow.

• Give each card a value. You can choose your own values, but we recommend beginners stick to the traditional card counting valuations (2-6 is +1, 6-9 is 0, 10-Ace is -1). The dealer will now deal cards, and your goal is to adjust your count on each card. There is a constant Effect of Removal (EOR) for each card dealt that dictates if you bet higher or lower.

• Maintain your running count and adjust it on each card dealt. If you learn your values well, you will only need to keep the total count in your mind and not memorize each card. A positive running count means you are gaining an advantage because more cards with a higher value remain. The negative count means you are losing your advantage.

• At intervals in the game, divide the running count by the number of decks to find the true count. Once you know the true count, you have a much better understanding of how well you are doing. If your advantage is significant, you can increase your bets. If you are losing your advantage, consider lowering bets or stopping play completely.

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Tips for Beginner Card Counters

We bet you are surprised by how simple card counting actually is. Even so, it does require you to spend time properly understanding how it works. Below are some tips and resources to help you master counting cards in blackjack more quickly.

• Practice Makes Perfect: Nothing beats repetition, so the more you try card counting, the more efficient and accurate you will become. You can practice at home using your own decks of cards and simulating a game. You can also find online apps that offer automated simulations to learn card counting, while there are also books you can read to learn about different methods and techniques.
• Master Basic Strategy: Basic blackjack strategy charts show you whether to Hit, Stand, Split, or Double on specific hand totals. For example, should you Hit or Stand if you have a 6 + 8 in your hand? Basic strategy helps you make the best gameplay decisions and is something all players should know. Combining it with card counting makes for a potent combination of safe decision-making based on statistical knowledge.
• Learn It All: Before applying any card counting, you will need to study. Firstly, learn how to play blackjack and all card values and gameplay options. Next, make sure you properly understand what card counting is and how it works.
• Manage Your Bankroll: It is easy to sometimes get into a trap of feeling invincible when you are counting cards. While this method can give you a lot of insight and control, counting cards does not guarantee wins. Do not chase losses and manage your budget by only using money you can afford to lose.
• Online Card Counting: Thinking about bringing your newfound counting skills to online blackjack? That may not be possible because virtual blackjack games use random number generators, which means there are no set cards of decks – it’s all random. Live online casino games do use real cards/decks, but they are constantly being shuffled.

Advanced Card Counting Strategies

Once you know how to count cards and are confident, you may want to expand your repertoire into more advanced techniques:

Back Counting

Back counting is an alternative system where instead of counting all cards, you only focus on the cards dealt face-up. It is easier to learn, and you can apply it by following the steps below:

1. Focus on face-up cards: Only track the cards that the casino deals face-up to you and the dealer.
2. Track high and low cards: Track the face-up cards, keeping a simple count of the high-value (10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace) and low-value cards (2-9) that have been dealt.
3. Adjust your bets: If more high cards have been dealt, lower your bets as your chances of a good hand are decreasing. If there are still more high cards left in the decks, consider increasing your wager as you have more chance of a good hand.

Modified Card Counting Strategies

Modified card counting strategies are different methods for card counting that focus on solving unique problems in the standard technique. For example, modifications could be adjusting card values or betting guidance. Let’s take a look at some examples of modified counting strategies:

• Simplified systems: This methodology focuses on reducing the number of cards you need to track, such as the Back Counting system above. The Ace/Five method is another example.
• Balanced systems: Balanced card counting attempts to reduce fluctuations in your bankroll. Instead of big bet value swings, you make more incremental bet adjustments. Try the Omega II method for a balanced counting system.
• Insurance-based systems: Some systems may introduce insurance bets into card counting strategies.
• Multi-deck systems: While standard card counting accounts for multiple decks, there are systems that put more focus on this challenge. The Knock-Out Count method is a notable example.

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FAQs About Card Counting in Blackjack

• Does counting cards in blackjack work?

Yes, but only to an extent. If you master basic card counting, you definitely gain more knowledge about what cards are in play and can adjust your bets accordingly. However, you never control the next card dealt, so blackjack remains a game of luck, and you cannot directly influence the outcome of your hand.

• Is counting cards in blackjack illegal?

It is not a criminal offense to count cards, as all you are doing is keeping track of cards that have been dealt. In fact, it is not even cheating because you are not unfairly trying to trick the game to win. Even so, most casinos do not like card counting – they will dismiss you if you are caught and potentially ban you from returning.

• What is the formula for counting cards in blackjack?

In blackjack card counting, each card is given a positive, negative, or equal value and you tally up the value based on each card that has been dealt. You then divide the “running count” by the number of decks in play to find the true count. This allows you to assess your chances of winning and adjust your bets accordingly.

• Explore key online blackjack strategies to enhance your gameplay experience and increase your chances of winning.
• Understand the unique aspects of playing blackjack online, such as live dealer games and electronic interfaces.
• Utilize tactics like basic blackjack strategy charts and card counting simulations to improve your decision-making skills.
• Take advantage of casino bonuses and promotions offered by online casinos to boost your bankroll and extend your playing time.
• Stay disciplined with your betting limits and practice responsible gambling habits while enjoying online blackjack.

Mastering an online blackjack strategy can give you skills to boost your odds of winning and extend your bankroll. Below, we will introduce you to the best blackjack strategies and how you can use them to increase your skill and confidence.

Online Blackjack Strategy: Key Principles

Any good online blackjack strategy starts with understanding the basics of the game and learning how to play blackjack online. The good news is that learning blackjack is a relatively easy and combines skill and luck for an exciting casino experience.

Blackjack is a card game that involves multiple decks of cards. You play directly against the dealer to try and get a hand as close to 21 as possible without going over while also having a better value than the dealer. Online blackjack is usually played on between one and eight decks of cards, and both the player and dealer start with two cards.

With those cards, you can choose to “Stand” and only use your current two cards. Alternatively, you can “Hit” and take additional cards to potentially improve your hand. Card values determine the total of your cards, with cards 2 to 10 having their face value. Picture cards (jacks, queens, Kings) are valued at 10, and Aces can be 1 or 11. If you have a hand without an Ace, this is known as a hard hand. Hands with an Ace are known as soft hands.

So, how does this all come together during a game of blackjack? Let’s take a look:

1. A round of blackjack begins with the player placing their bet.
2. The dealer now deals two cards to you and two cards to themselves. Both your cards will be face down, and in most variants, the dealer has one card down and one card face up.
3. Check your cards and decide if you want to Stand or Hit.
4. You can also make other decisions, such as Split pairs or Double Down.
5. Most variant rules state that the dealer must Stand if they have 17 or higher and must Hit if they have less than 17.
6. Both player and dealer reveal their cards, and the winner is the one closest to 21 without going over (Bust).

Are Blackjack Strategies Important?

Blackjack strategies are useful but not necessary to play the game. Even so, whether you are a beginner or expert, a basic blackjack strategy is helpful. The goal of an online blackjack strategy is to give you clear instructions on which gameplay choices to make for each card combination you have. In other words, a blackjack strategy tells you when to Hit, Stand, double down, split, and so on.

Common Blackjack Terms You Need To Know About

Before you start using blackjack strategies, it is important to know classic blackjack jargon you will see often:

• Deal: When the dealer gives you the cards you will use during gameplay.
• Hit: If you want to improve your hand, you “Hit” and receive an additional card.
• Stand: When you are happy with your hand, you “Stand” to stick with the two cards you have.
• Split: A pair of cards with the same values, such as two 5’s, can be “Split” and receive cards for two hands, which you must bet the same amount on.
• Double Down: With some card combinations, you can choose to double the bet.
• Insurance: A side bet where you receive a payout if you lose when the dealer has a face-up Ace card.
• Hole Card: The dealer’s card that faces down is known as the Hole.
• Up Card: The dealer’s card facing up is the Up Card.
• Blackjack: The best winning hand, featuring an ace and a ten, jack, queen, or king (21 in total).
• Surrender: A side bet in some variants where you can “surrender” your hand and get 50% of your bet back.
• Bust: If you or the dealer has a hand that is over the value of 21.

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Online Blackjack Strategy: Basic Blackjack Strategy

When using an online blackjack strategy, you will be given a set of instructions on which actions to take with specific cards/hands. In simple terms, a basic blackjack strategy shows you what to do based on the hands you have. This makes this type of plan excellent for beginners who may not be confident or even experienced players who want more structure in their game.

To make blackjack strategies easy to understand, there are blackjack charts available that simplify all the actions you need to take. Blackjack tables are easy to read, and if you learn them, you can easily make the best gameplay decisions during blackjack hands. Below is an example of a basic blackjack strategy as a chart:

As you can see in the simple chart above, it gives clear instructions on when you should Hit, Stand, Double, or Split. You can also see that the action you take is based on the specific cards you have in your hand. If you do not use a strategy, you will be on your own making gameplay decisions on each hand.

When To Hit And Stand

Scenarios when you should Hit or Stand are extensive, but you can use the following rules as a great starting point when learning how to win online blackjack:

• ALWAYS choose to Hit if you have 11 or lower. It is impossible to bust by taking another card, so you will only be improving your hand. Because there are more than 10 value cards (10, Jack, Queen, or King) in blackjack decks, you have a higher chance of getting one and ending on a good hand.
• In most situations, Stand when you have a hand of 17 or higher. This is a solid value on its own, and the chances of going bust if you Hit are high. More importantly, in most online blackjack variants, the dealer must hit on 17. There is a good chance the dealer will bust while you are sitting pretty on 17+.

What About Splitting?

Two cards of identical value, known as a pair, allow you to choose the Split side bet in many blackjack variants. This is a handy option because you can split these cards into two separate hands. The dealer will now provide two additional cards on the original split pair, creating two separate hands of two cards.

You will also need to double your bet, making a matching wager on your second hand. This can be a good option because you can double your potential payout. However, the trade-off is that in many online variants of blackjack, you must stand on both your new hands.

When to split in blackjack is an important skill, and below are some guidelines to help:

• Face Cards: If you have a pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings, or 10s, you should not split. You already have an excellent hand that is likely to win and give you a payout.
• Aces: Two Aces have a value of 11 and 1, giving you a total of 12. You can Hit your normal hand, but we recommend splitting Aces. With 16 cards with a value of 10 in a single deck four 10s, four Jacks, four Queens, and four Kings), you have a good chance of getting a 10 and 21 on both hands.
• 8s: Most blackjack players hate a hand of 16 made. This value is too low to Stand and high enough to make Hitting risky. If you have two 8s, split them and try to make betting hands with your new cards.

Doubling Down in Blackjack

One of the most popular blackjack side bets is the Double Down. As the name suggests, you will essentially double your bet in an attempt to win a bigger payout. You can double down on any hand, but beating online blackjack involves knowing when to double down or not:

• If your hand is a hard 9 (no ace in the hand) and the dealer has a face-up card of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, Double Down your bet.
• Double Down when you have a hard hand of 10 or 11 and the dealer has a face-up card less than 10 or 11.
• If you hold a soft hand (an ace in the hand) of 16, 17, or 18 and the dealer’s face-up card shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, you can Double Down.
• Avoid doubling your bet if your hand is over 11 or if the dealer has an Ace face up.

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Online Blackjack Strategy: Advanced Blackjack Techniques

Online blackjack strategy can expand beyond charts into different methods and techniques for expanding your gameplay and extending your bankroll. We will cover the more popular below:

Betting Systems

While a normal blackjack strategy provides guidance on which gameplay decisions to make, betting systems tell you which betting actions to take. They give information about what size of bet you should make instead of hand strength. Although, that means that betting systems can be more unreliable.

The Martingale is perhaps the best-known blackjack betting system. It is a negative progression, which means you increase bets when you lose. Specifically, in The Martingale, you double bets on a loss and halve them on a win.

Other important betting systems for blackjack players include the Paroli (positive progression, doubling bets on consecutive wins) and the D’Alembert (negative progression, increasing/decreasing bets by a fixed amount). While betting systems are fun, they do not guarantee wins.

Card Counting

Card counting is a controversial technique that involves tracking the cards dealt in a blackjack game to gain an advantage. It has taken a mythical position in blackjack, but it is actually a real technique. Card counting is not illegal in the US, but land-based casinos still tend to ban people they catch counting cards.

Online casinos avoid the topic by using random number generators (RNGs), but live dealer blackjack can be theoretically counted. However, the live casino game shuffles and swaps decks regularly enough to make counting mostly pointless.

Card counting involves assigning values to cards and tracking the running count. A positive count suggests more high-value cards remain, while a negative count indicates more low-value cards. The true count considers the running count in relation to the remaining decks.

Surrender Strategy

Surrender in blackjack is a side bet available on some variants, allowing the player to “fold” their hand early and receive half their bet back. If your hand is terrible, you will only lose half your wager instead of all of it.

How the surrender option works:

1. Player’s Weak Hand: When the player’s face-up card is a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, and the dealer’s face-up is a 10 or Ace.
2. No Further Play: Once the player surrenders, the hand finishes.

Side Bets

Blackjack purists will tell you that they dislike side bets. However, these bets are a part of many online blackjack variants, so we’ll let you decide if you enjoy them or not. Popular and common blackjack side bets include the following:

• 21+3
• Royal match
• Over/under 13
• Super sevens
• Lucky ladies
• Pair square

One of the important things about side bets is the compromise you make for exciting additional bets, which results in a larger house edge. If you are playing for fun, side bets are interesting. If you focus more on winning, you should avoid these types of bets.

Online Blackjack Strategy: Maximizing Wins in Online Blackjack

We put our team of expert blackjack players to work and asked them to compile the following online blackjack tips and guidelines. Below, you can make the most of online blackjack strategy and see the common pitfalls to avoid:

• Always split pairs of 8s and Aces – Whenever you have a pair of Aces or 8s, split the deck to create two separate hands.
• Double Down a hard 11 – You have a great chance of getting a top hand. The only exception is if the dealer must stand on a soft 17.
• Never split 5s or 10s – A pair of 10s is a total of 20, which is a winning hand in most cases. On 5s, it is worth hitting instead of splitting.
• Never take the Insurance bet – While it seems like a good option, the insurance bet significantly increases the house edge.
• Avoid side bets – Side bets also increase the house edge, which is why most players do not play them.
• Strategies are best: Using a blackjack strategy, even a basic one, provides real statistical outcomes for each hand combination.
• Beware of betting systems: Betting systems can be fun, but they do not guarantee wins and can burn through a bankroll if they do not work.
• Watch your bankroll: As always, play blackjack within your financial means and never gamble with money you cannot afford to lose.

Image credit: Kitreel/Shutterstock

Online Blackjack Strategy: Online Blackjack Resources

If you want to expand your blackjack knowledge further, the following resources can help:

• Strategy Calculators: These are tools that assist players by making blackjack strategies more automated. Players input data, and the calculator uses algorithms and stats models to analyze the data and provide recommendations for potential outcomes.
• Training Tools: Using a blackjack training tool can help you boost your hand knowledge and skills of when to Hit, Stand, Split, or Double. Tools provide practice scenarios that let you test strategies in real-game situations.
• Recommended Reading: Check out our other detailed online blackjack strategy guides to learn how to beat online blackjack.

Online Blackjack Strategy: Frequently Asked Questions

• Is there a strategy to online blackjack?

There can be, but it is not necessary. It is possible to play blackjack online with no strategy. However, there are online blackjack strategy methods that enhance gameplay by providing statistic-based gameplay actions and potential outcomes.

• Is online blackjack beatable?

No, blackjack is not a “beatable” game. Yes, you can absolutely win when playing blackjack and even use strategies to increase your chances. However, blackjack is ultimately a game of luck, and the final outcome is always left to random chance.

• Does a basic strategy work on online blackjack?

Yes, and basic blackjack strategy is arguably the best way to play the game. A basic strategy will simply instruct you on when to Hit, Stand, Split, or Double based on the specific cards you have. Information is given in an easy-to-read chart.

• How to consistently win at blackjack?

When learning how to win on blackjack online, you’ll need to understand that blackjack is a game of luck. However, using a basic strategy can give you more control as you have better knowledge of which gameplay actions to take.

Title Image credit: Kitreel/Shutterstock

• NFL Playoffs Structure: The NFL playoffs consist of multiple rounds starting with the wild card round, where teams that did not win their division but have a strong record compete for a chance to advance. The playoffs progress to the divisional rounds, where winners from the wild card round face top-seeded division winners.
• Playoff Seeding System: Playoff seeding determines how teams are ranked and matched up in the postseason. Teams are ranked based on their regular-season records and divisional standings. The seeding impacts which teams have home-field advantage and the matchups in each round of the playoffs.
• Home-Field Advantage: Home-field advantage in the NFL playoffs is a significant factor that can influence game outcomes. Playing at home provides teams with familiar surroundings, supportive fans, and potential climate advantages.
• Single-Elimination Format: In the NFL playoffs, the single-elimination format means that teams must win to advance and continue their postseason journey. Losing a game in the playoffs results in immediate elimination from the tournament.
• Postseason Excitement: The NFL postseason is a thrilling period in American sports, where the top teams compete for the ultimate prize of winning the Super Bowl. As teams advance through the playoffs, the stakes get higher, and the excitement builds towards the championship game.

After a grueling regular season, the men get separated from the boys, and it’s time to get down to the real business. That’s right, we’re talking about the NFL Playoffs.

It’s the goal of every NFL franchise, but only a select few make it to the Playoffs each year, where they fight it out for the right to play in the greatest show in US sports, the Super Bowl.

But how exactly does it all work?

Here we’ll cover everything you need to know about the NFL Playoffs, from the schedule and how it works to reseeding and wild cards.

How Does The NFL Season Work?

The NFL is split into two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference has 16 teams, making a total of 32 teams in the whole NFL.

Each team plays 17 times across an 18-week period, typically starting in early September and ending in late December or early January. After each team has played all their regular season matches, the 14 best teams battle it out to try and win the Super Bowl, the NFL’s overall championship game.

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Divisions and Scheduling

The two NFL conferences are also split into divisions of four teams. These divisions are based on geography and historical rivalry from the pre-NFL era.

The AFC is made up of the following divisions:

• North: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers.
• South: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans.
• East: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets.
• West: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers.

The NFC is made up of the following divisions:

• North: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings.
• South: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• East: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders.
• West: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks.

The NFL scheduling formula means that teams have a slightly different set of fixtures every year. They always play their divisional rivals twice, but the rest of their schedule is changeable.

The formula is as follows:

• Each NFL team has to play the other three teams in its division twice, once at home and once on the road.
• Each team plays one game against the four teams in another predetermined division within its own conference (which is rotated every three years). Two games at home and two on the road.
• Each team plays one game against every team from the remaining two divisions in its conference that finished in a similar position in their divisional standings in the previous season. One game at home, one on the road.
• Each team plays one game against all four teams from a predetermined division (which is rotated every four years) in the other conference. Two games at home and two on the road.
• Each team also plays one game against another team from a predetermined division (which is rotated every four years) in the other conference that finished in a similar position in the final divisional standings in the previous season.

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How The NFL Playoffs work

Played since 1932, the NFL Playoffs are a knockout tournament.

So, if you lose, you go home and it’s back to the drawing board again next season. If you win, you’re one step closer to glory.

Seven teams from each conference fight it out in the Playoffs, with one team from the AFC and one from the NFC competing in the Super Bowl.

The Playoffs only feature the best teams (and usually the best players) in each season, so those golden weeks in the dead of winter provide white-hot entertainment for NFL fans across the globe.

The Playoffs can create unique matchups where even the biggest underdog has a chance.

When Do The NFL Regular Season And Playoffs Take Place?

The NFL regular season begins the weekend after the first Monday of September (Labor Day) and ends in early January.

The Playoffs take place across four weekends from January into February every season. The Super Bowl traditionally always took place on the first Sunday in February.

However, 2020 was the final Super Bowl played on the first Sunday in February for the foreseeable future due to the NFL’s new 17-game schedule.

Super Bowl LVI (2021) was played on the second Sunday in February, and Super Bowl LVII (2022) will follow suit.

Qualification And Seeding

14 teams qualify for the NFL Playoffs. This includes the four divisional champions and three wild cards from each conference.

The four teams with the best record in each conference (NFC and AFC) are seeded one through four. The team with the best record is seeded one, the second-best record is seeded two, and so on.

The two teams with the best record in each conference are then given a bye week (they don’t have to play) in the first round of the Playoffs, which is also known as ‘wild card weekend.’

Teams qualify for the Playoffs as ‘wild cards’ if they have one of the three best overall records (number of wins, losses, and ties) of all remaining teams in their conference.

The wild card teams are seeded numbers five, six, and seven based on their records.

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Wild Cards Explained

‘Wild card’ Playoff teams were first introduced to the NFL in 1970, when the modern league was founded, following a merger of the National Football League and the American Football League.

Wild card teams are the three teams with the best records in each conference who do not win their division. These teams always play on wild card weekend, the week before the divisional Playoffs.

The four division winners in each conference are seeded one to four based on their record, with the #1 seed getting a bye in the first round. Each wild card team plays one of the divisional winners based on their rankings going into the Playoffs.

Each conference is split as follows:

• Division Winner #1 – BYE
• Division Winner #2 vs Wild Card #7
• Division Winner #3 vs Wild Card #6
• Division Winner #4 vs Wild Card #5

So, the better your regular season record, the more favorable your draw is in the Playoffs.

Reseeding In The NFL Playoffs

Throughout the Playoffs, the lowest-seeded team always plays against the highest-seeded team in each round. The higher-seeded team always plays at home too. So, who you play against and where is always subject to change. This is known as reseeding.?

Reseeding is designed to give a significant advantage to the teams with the best regular-season records. It also makes it difficult, but not impossible, for wild card teams to make it to the Super Bowl. Reseeding often impacts the Playoffs and changes the picture for all the teams involved.

For example, both number one ranked teams in the 2022 Playoffs lost in the divisional round. This meant the number two ranked teams now became number one and had the massive advantage of playing at home in all the rounds before the Super Bowl.

NFL Playoff Bracket

The Playoff ‘bracket’ is the Playoff schedule as it stands at the present time. The bracket is subject to change depending on the regular season and Playoff results.

Eager fans start thinking about the Playoff bracket and what it might mean for their team’s ambitions as the season nears a close.

For more NFL guides, check out our article on octopus betting.

Luckily, the NFL has been blessed with some outstanding quarterbacks, but who is the greatest? In this article, we break down the best NFL quarterbacks based on their skills, stats, and achievements. Ready? Set hut!

20. Kurt Warner (1998 – 2009)

The first name on our list, Kurt Warner, is a true NFL underdog story. After a solid but unspectacular college career, he went undrafted in the 1994 NFL draft before playing in the Indoor Football League (IFL) and NFL Europe.

Warner was signed by the St. Louis Rams as cover for Trent Green who had suffered a torn ACL. In each of Warner’s first three NFL starts, he threw three touchdown passes and went on to have one of the best seasons by a quarterback in NFL history.

He threw for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdown passes with a completion rate of 65.1%. He was named NFL MVP and won the Super Bowl. In total, he played 12 seasons for the Rams, Cardinals, and Giants, throwing 32,344 yards and 208 touchdowns.

Warner was a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time MVP, Super Bowl MVP, Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. Warner is certainly worth of being named one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

19. Jim Kelly (1986 – 1996)

Jim Kelly was selected as the 14th overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 1983 NFL Draft. This turned out to be a great move for both the franchise and the player. Kelly led the Bills to a record four consecutive Super Bowls, though was unable to convert these appearances into wins.

He may not be the best quarterback ever, having never won the Super Bowl, but Kelly was an outstanding performer for the Bills, who employed a no-huddle offense and thrilled fans with their attacking play. He played 11 NFL seasons and threw for a total of 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns, both of which are Buffalo records. Kelly was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

18. Terry Bradshaw (1970 – 1983)

Terry Bradshaw was the leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty that dominated the NFL in the mid to late 1970s. During this time they won four Super Bowl championships in six years. Bradshaw was selected as the number one pick in the 1970 draft by the Steelers, but things could have been very different.

At the end of the 1969 season, both the Steelers and the Chicago Bears had identical 1-13 records. So, to decide which team would get the first pick in the draft, they settled it with a coin flip. Pittsburgh won, and the rest is history.

Terry Bradshaw went on to play 14 seasons for the Steelers and threw for 27,989 yards and 212 touchdowns. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, one-time MVP, two-time Super Bowl MVP, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

17. Warren Moon (1984 – 2000)

Warren Moon had a long and successful football career where he played in both the CFL and NFL. Another player who went undrafted out of college, Moon honed his skill by playing for the Edmonton Eskimos. Here he led the team to five consecutive Grey Cup victories.

The same level of team success did not follow when Moon joined the Houston Oilers in the NFL in 1984, but he still made outstanding individual contributions. He lead the Oilers to seven consecutive playoff appearances between 1987 and 1993.

In his 22-year NFL career, he threw for 49,325 yards and 291 touchdowns. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler, one-time Offensive Player of the Year, and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, becoming the first African-American and the first undrafted quarterback to do so. Moon is also the only player who has been inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

He is well-deserving of a place on our list of the best quarterbacks of all time.

16. Otto Graham (1946 – 1955)

Otto Graham is a legend in Cleveland. He led the Browns to an unprecedented seven championship wins in just 10 seasons from 1946 to 1955. Despite playing a lot of his career before the Super Bowl era began, Graham’s impact can not be underestimated.

He still holds NFL records for career average yards gained per pass attempt (8.63) and the highest career winning percentage for an NFL starting quarterback (81.0%). This has helped him be remembered as one of the best NFL quarterbacks.

In total, Graham played 6 NFL seasons for the Browns, throwing 13,499 yards and 88 touchdowns. He was selected to play in 5 Pro Bowls and won 3 championships. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965.

15. Troy Aikman (1989 – 2000)

Troy Aikman was always destined for greatness. A standout in both football and baseball in high school, the New York Mets offered Aikman a contract to join them when he graduated. Aikman turned the offer to play pro baseball down and instead chose to play football for the University of Oklahoma Sooners.

After a stellar college career, Aikman was selected as the first overall pick in the 1989 draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys fans are still thanking their lucky stars that Aikman didn’t choose baseball.

In 12 seasons for the Cowboys, Aikman threw for 32,942 yards and 165 touchdowns. He was selected to play in 6 Pro Bowls, won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, 1 Super Bowl MVP award, and 3 championships. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

14. Bart Starr (1956 – 1971)

Bart Starr is another legend of 50s and 60s football that makes our list. He played for the Green Bay Packers and was a five-time NFL champion, including Super Bowl I and II, where he also collected MVP awards. Starr was outstanding in big games and clutch moments and held a postseason record of 9-1.

In total, he threw for 24,718 yards and 152 touchdowns, was selected to play in four Pro Bowls, and won 1 MVP award, 2 Super Bowl MVP awards, and 5 championships. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.

13. Ben Roethlisberger (2004 – 2021)

Ben Roethlisberger delivered outstanding performances individually and at a team level during his 18 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After being selected as the 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft, he shone in his early NFL career.

He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2004, and in 2005 became the youngest Super Bowl–winning quarterback in NFL history, aged just 23. Big Ben and the Steelers followed this Super Bowl victory up with another one three years later, claiming the franchises’ second title in four seasons.

In his career, Roethlisberger threw for 64,088 yards and 418 touchdowns and was selected to play in the Pro Bowl six times.

12. Roger Staubach (1969 – 1979)

Roger Staubach is the only Heisman Trophy winner to appear on our list of the greatest NFL quarterbacks ever. He followed up his domination of the college game with an outstanding pro career.

Like many of the great quarterbacks on this list, Staubach spent his entire career with one franchise. This stability helped him become one of the most memorable players of the 1970s.

Staubach played 11 seasons for the Cowboys where he threw for a total of 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns. He was a two-time Super Bowl champion, one-time Super Bowl MVP, six-time Pro Bowler, and recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.

Staubach is even one of the richest NFL players in history, having sold a real estate business for $613 million.

11. Fran Tarkenton (1961 – 1978)

Fran Tarkenton aged like a fine wine. Although he was an exceptional college player and had remarkable success in his early NFL career, it was his 15th season in the league that cemented him as one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

In 1975, he was named both the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. He was just the fourth player in league history to do so at the time. He led the league in both completions and touchdowns and took the Minnesota Vikings to the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons.

Despite never winning a Super Bowl, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his era. He threw for 47,003 yards and 342 touchdowns.

10. Dan Marino (1983 – 1999)

Dan Marino is arguably the greatest quarterback (and the highest-ranked on our list) to never win a Super Bowl. He reached the Super Bowl just once. Yet another one-team man, Marino was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1983. He went on to become one of the most iconic and effective players of the 1980s and 90s.

Marino was an outstanding passer, and led the Dolphins to the playoffs in 10 of his 17 seasons. When he retired he held more than 40 NFL single-season and career passing records, and was the first quarterback to throw 400 career touchdowns.

In total, he threw for 61,361 yards and 420 touchdowns, was selected to play in nine Pro Bowls, and won one Offensive Player of the Year award, one MVP award, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.

Marino doesn’t need a Super Bowl win to be remembered as one of the best NFL quarterbacks of all time!

9. Steve Young (1985 – 1999)

Steve Young is known as one of the most efficient and effective passers in NFL history. After starting his pro career in the USFL, he eventually joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985. After a shocking two years with the Bucs, where Young went 3–16 as a starter, he moved to the San Francisco 49ers to act as a backup to superstar quarterback, Joe Montana (more on him later).

Thanks to a long-term injury to Montana in 1990, Young finally got his chance to start for the 49ers. In the subsequent seasons, he was named Offensive Player of the Year and league MVP twice. He led the league in most passing stats for several years, and eventually led the 49ers to victory at Super Bowl XXIX.

In his career, he threw for 33,124 yards and 232 touchdowns. He was selected to play in seven Pro Bowls, won one Super Bowl MVP award and three championships in total. Young was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.

8. Aaron Rodgers (2005 – present)

Aaron Rodgers is one of the most individually decorated quarterbacks in history. He has held more records than most players have made appearances in the NFL. It therefore comes as no surprise that he is widely regarded as one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

Rodgers is the first quarterback in history who has had a career passer rating over 100. He also has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history at 4.52. During his 18-year career with the Green Bay Packers, the biggest surprise is that he only won one Super Bowl.

So far in his career, he has thrown for 59,055 yards and 475 touchdowns. He has been selected to play in 10 Pro Bowls, won four MVP awards and one Super Bowl MVP award.

7. Johnny Unitas (1956 – 1973)

Like many of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, Johnny Unitas is proof that you don’t have to be drafted as the first pick or have a glittering college career to go on to greatness in the NFL.

Unitas was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ninth round of the 1955 draft but never made the team. A year later, he joined the Baltimore Colts where he would enjoy an unbelievable period of success.

In the next 17 seasons with the Colts, he was selected to play in 10 Pro Bowls (a record for a quarterback at the time), won three MVP awards, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, and four NFL championships. In his career, he threw for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.

6. Brett Favre (1991 – 2010)

Brett Favre is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks of all time and a legend of the modern era. But, he didn’t always have universal approval. His first head coach in the NFL, Jerry Glanville, even said it would take a plane crash for him to put Favre into the game.

Clearly, it was never meant to be for Glanville and Farve at the Atlanta Falcons. That all changed when Farve was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1992. Across 16 seasons in Green Bay, Farve became the only player in NFL history to win the league MVP award three seasons in a row. He also led the team to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances at XXXI and XXXII, winning the first.

Favre eventually moved on from the Packers, giving way to Aaron Rodgers. In 20 seasons for four teams he threw for a total of 71,838 yards and 508 touchdowns. He was also selected to play in 11 Pro Bowls, won one Offensive Player of the Year award, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

5. John Elway (1983 – 1998)

John Elway is synonymous with the Denver Broncos as he is the only person in the franchise’s history to be associated with each of their three Super Bowl wins. Two came as a player in 1997 and 1998, and one as the general manager when they won Super Bowl 50.

As a player, Elway was a dual threat. He could easily escape trouble with his running ability while also being an accurate passer. It’s this that helped him become one of the best quarterbacks of all time. In 16 seasons for the Broncos, he threw for 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns. He played in nine Pro Bowls, won one MVP award, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, and one Super Bowl MVP award. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

4. Drew Brees (2001 – 2020)

Despite a successful college career, where he finished in fourth and third positions in Heisman Trophy voting, NFL teams were unsure whether Drew Brees could be effective in the pro ranks. He was perceived as having a small stature and lack of arm strength. Brees was therefore only selected as the 32nd overall pick in the 2001 draft.

He established himself as a starter in his second season with the San Diego Chargers, but would truly find his home when he signed with the New Orleans Saints in 2006. During his time with the Saints, he became a passing powerhouse. He still holds the record for most seasons as passing yards leader in NFL history (seven).

In 20 total seasons in the NFL, he threw for 80,358 yards and 571 touchdowns. He was selected for 13 Pro Bowls, won one Comeback Player of the Year award, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, one Super Bowl MVP award, and Super Bowl XLIV.

3. Joe Montana (1979 – 1994)

As we reach the top three best quarterbacks of all time, it goes without saying that these guys could perform under pressure.

Joe Montana is arguably the best clutch quarterback in history, known for producing his best at crucial moments. This includes a game-winning touchdown pass to Dwight Clark in the 1981 NFC Championship Game vs. Dallas (known as “The Catch”) and a championship-winning 92-yard drive against the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII.

“Joe Cool” held several NFL records when he retired in 1994. He was victorious in four out of four Super Bowl appearances, was named MVP in three, and holds Super Bowl career records for most passes without an interception (122) and the highest passer rating (127.8).

Montana threw for a career total of 40,551 yards and 273 touchdowns. He was selected to play in eight Pro Bowls, won one Offensive Player of the Year award, and two league MVP awards. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

2. Peyton Manning (1998 – 2015)

While some may have hoped to see two Mannings on this list (we see you Giants fans), there is no doubt that Peyton deserves his place amongst the very best NFL quarterbacks of all time. He entered the league after the Indianapolis Colts selected him with the first pick of the 1998 draft.

In his glittering career, Manning amassed a huge number of individual records, including the most MVP awards (five), most touchdown passes in a season (55), and most First-Team All-Pro selections (seven).

Despite winning two Super Bowls (one with the Colts and one with the Broncos), his outstanding regular season stats did not translate to the playoffs, and his career postseason record is just 14–13. Although there have been questions asked of Manning in this regard, he is a hugely gifted player.

In total, he threw for 71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns. He was selected for 14 Pro Bowls, won one Comeback Player of the Year award, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.

1. Tom Brady (2000 – 2022)

It couldn’t have been anyone else, could it? Tom Brady is the best quarterback of all time.

What Tom Brady lacked in talent (he was the 199th overall pick in the 2000 draft) he made up for with sheer hard work, grit, and determination.

He won the most games in NFL regular season history (251), has the most career passing yards (89,214), most touchdown passes (649), most NFL championships of any player (seven), and most Super Bowl MVPs (five). So, no, it couldn’t have been anyone else.

Brady’s efficiency and longevity are testament to his ability as a competitor. But his relationship with Bill Belichick formed the most formidable head coach-quarterback combination in NFL history. With Belichick and Brady at the helm, the Patriots became the most dominant dynasty in the modern NFL. Brady’s accomplishments will probably remain unmatched for as long as the NFL exists.

In his career, Brady threw for 89,214 yards and 649 touchdowns, was selected to play in 15 Pro Bowls, won one Comeback Player of the Year award, two Offensive Player of the Year awards, and three MVP awards.

All hail the GOAT!

Lead Image: Brook Ward/Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0

With bettors pegged to bet $35 billion on NFL games this year, knowing the best quarterback still playing is key. With that in mind, lets take a look at the top 10 in this article, as well as in the game that matters the most – the Super Bowl.

Who are the top touchdown performers in the big show? Keep reading to find out.

Who Has The Most Touchdowns In NFL History?: Most Touchdowns By a Quarterback

Unsurprisingly, the top 10 touchdown scorers in the history of the NFL are all quarterbacks. Jerry Rice has the most career touchdowns for a non-quarterback with 208, but he’s not even close to beating the no.10 on our list.

Note: All stats in this article are for regular-season games only.

10. Eli Manning (2004-2019) – 373

Sorry to ruin the surprise; this isn’t the only Manning brother on this list of the most touchdowns in NFL history (but more on that later).

Former 2x Super Bowl champ and no.1 draft pick Eli Manning sits at number 10 on the list of total career touchdowns. In his NFL career, he clocked an impressive 373 total touchdowns (366 passing, 7 rushing) and 57,023 yards.

9. Matt Ryan (2008-present) – 394

The NFL MVP from 2016, Matt Ryan has had an outstanding career despite never picking up a Super Bowl ring (don’t mention Super Bowl LI).

Up to the end of the 2022/23 season, he has a total of 394 career touchdowns (381 passing, 13 rushing) earning his place on the list of the most touchdowns in NFL history.

8. Dan Marino (1983-1999) 420

Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino is another who makes the the most touchdowns in NFL history list without ever claiming football’s ultimate prize.

At the time of his retirement, Marino had a list of NFL records as long as your arm, but they have been slowly whittled away by the remaining QBs on this list.

In total, Marino recorded 429 career touchdowns (420 passing, 9 rushing).

7. Philip Rivers (2004-2020) – 424

In his time with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, Phillip Rivers started an awesome 224 consecutive games (2006-2019).

This longevity and durability, combined with his passing skill, accounted for a total of 424 career touchdowns (421 passing, 3 rushing). These stats are even more surprising, given how much time he’s spent raising his nine children.

6. Ben Roethlisberger (2004-2021) – 438

“Big Ben” spent his entire 15-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and he enjoyed a lot of success.

Roethlisberger got his hands on two Super Bowl trophies and had great connections with his receivers. He has a career total of 438 touchdowns (418 passing, 20 rushing).

5. Aaron Rodgers (2005-present) – 510

Another one team man, Aaron Rodgers has had a glittering NFL career that includes a Super Bowl ring, a Super Bowl MVP, and 4 NFL MVP trophies.

Rodgers is still active, having recently joined the New York Jets, so he could add to his career total, but at the time of writing, he has 510 total touchdowns (475 passing, 35 rushing).

4. Brett Favre (1991-2010) – 522

Like no.5 on the list, no.4 is occupied by a famous Green Bay Packers QB, Brett Farve.

And like all of the other players on this list, the Super Bowl XXXI champ’s career touchdowns is in a large part thanks to his longevity.

In 20 seasons in the NFL, Farve recorded 522 total touchdowns (508 passing, 14 rushing).

3. Peyton Manning (1998-2015) – 557

The Manning brothers occupy the no.10 and no.3 spots on our list of all-time NFL touchdowns. Not bad for one family.

Like Eli, Peyton Manning was a no.1 draft pick when he entered the NFL and has two Super Bowl rings to his name. He has a career total of 557 touchdowns (539 passing, 18 rushing).

2. Drew Brees (2001-2020) – 596

Only a select few players have spent more time in the NFL than Drew Brees.

“Breesus” as he is affectionately known by New Orleans Saints fans, completed 20 seasons in the NFL and was consistently one of the best offensive players in the league for many years.

The Super Bowl XLIV champion and MVP led the league in passing seven times and in passing touchdowns four times, so it’s no surprise he sits so high on this list.

In his illustrious career, he had a total of 596 touchdowns (571 passing, 25 rushing).

1. Tom Brady (2000-2023) – 677

The number one spot on this list surprises nobody who knows anything about football. If you’re wondering about any NFL record, chances are Tom Brady holds it.

The seven-time Super Bowl champ recently announced his retirement from the NFL for the second time in two years and this time it looks like he means it.

The GOAT is the only man in NFL history to have achieved more than 600 touchdowns.

With (statistically at least) a career total of 677 touchdowns so far (649 passing, 28 rushing), it’s unlikely that this total will ever be matched – especially not by another 6th round pick.

Who Has The Most Touchdowns in NFL History?: Most Touchdowns In Super Bowls

Quarterbacks also dominate the list of most career touchdowns in Super Bowls, but not exclusively.

Rob Gronkowski is the only tight end on the list, and he recorded an impressive five TDs in five Super Bowl appearances thanks to his connection with Tom Brady.

Emmitt Smith, one of the greatest running backs in the history of the league, also secured five touchdowns in just three Super Bowl games for the Dallas Cowboys.

The final non-quarterback on this list is the consensus greatest wide receiver in football history, Jerry Rice. “World” caught an incredible eight touchdown passes in Super Bowls in just four games, coming out as champ in three.

And no prizes for guessing who’s no.1 on this list…

T-8. Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Rob Gronkoswki, Brett Farve (5)

7. Steve Young (6)

6. Kurt Warner (6)

5. Roger Staubach (8)

4. Jerry Rice (8)

3. Terry Bradshaw (9)

2. Joe Montana (11)

1. Tom Brady (21)

For more touchdown-related articles, check out our Octopus betting guide.

Lead image: Dave Adamson/Unsplash

• Dive into mastering blackjack by understanding key rules and embracing fundamental strategies that lay the foundation for a successful gaming experience.
• Elevate your casino gameplay to a higher level by delving into the world of card counting techniques, a skill that seasoned players utilize to gain a statistical edge over the casino.
• Harness the power of effective bankroll management strategies to ensure that your gaming funds are strategically allocated and safeguarded against unnecessary risks.
• Explore the realm of advanced betting systems such as the Martingale or Paroli strategies to fine-tune your wagering approach and capitalize on favorable streaks at the blackjack table.
• Continuously refine your blackjack skills through deliberate practice with free blackjack games, ongoing study, and adaptive gameplay strategies that evolve with your experience and insights gained from previous sessions.

Blackjack is a unique and exciting casino game that involves both skill and luck. It’s a simple game to learn, but one that requires studying and practice to master.

With that in mind, if you’re looking for proven tips and strategies on how to increase your chances of winning in blackjack, you’ve come to the right place!

This article will overview everything from basic blackjack tips to advanced strategies, money management techniques, and more. Read on to learn how to boost your success at the blackjack table.

Essential Blackjack Tips for Beginners

Before you start playing blackjack for real money, it’s essential to understand all of the basic blackjack rules. The objective of the game is to get as close to 21 without going over it and have a higher-valued total than the dealer. To do so, you have to decide when you want to hit, stand, double down, split, or exercise any of the other blackjack side bets.

Regarding basic strategy tips, there are several considerations that you should keep in mind to be a better blackjack player. Here are a few essential blackjack tips for beginners:

• Always stand on a hard 17 or higher
• Always stand on a total of 12 to 16 if the dealer’s upcard is 2-6
• Double down on an 11 hand
• Always split Aces and 8s
• Never split 10s and 5s

If you’re playing blackjack in a live casino venue, it’s also good to learn the hand signals, as this will ensure a smoother and more immersive gambling experience. There are a handful of blackjack hand signals, so we’ll briefly cover each of them below:

• Hit – If you want to add another card to your total, gently tap the table in front of you to signal the dealer that you want to hit.
• Stand – If you’re content with your hand total and want to stand, wave your hand over your cards to signal to the dealer that you don’t want any additional cards.
• Double Down – To double down, match your initial wager with the same amount of chips next to it and hold one finger up.
• Split – If you want to split a pair, you place an additional bet matching your original wager and make a V-shape with two fingers next to your cards without touching them.

Image credit: Netfalls Remy Musser/Shutterstock

Advanced Blackjack Strategies

When you’ve mastered the basic blackjack tips we’ve covered above, you can confidently move to more advanced strategies. In this regard, here are a few advanced tips for playing blackjack.

Using the Basic Strategy Chart

Blackjack is a decision-driven game, so every choice you make directly impacts your success in it. Luckily, the blackjack pros who have come before us have already outlined the optimal ways of playing the game. The best way to play blackjack is to use the optimal strategy chart that helps you make the right decision in every scenario.

A basic blackjack strategy chart considers your cards and the dealer’s upcard to instruct you when to hit, stand, split, double, or surrender. Of course, even this chart can’t guarantee a win every time. But, it can statistically give your hand the best winning chances.

Learning to read a blackjack chart is fairly straightforward, and you can even bring it to the casino. Moreover, many land-based venues even sell these helpful charts in-house. With this in mind, make sure to use the right chart for the blackjack variation you’re playing and never deviate from the basic strategy.

If you’re playing online, you can even play free blackjack in demo mode. This is a great way to practice using the basic strategy chart before you start playing with real money.

Mastering Card Counting

Card counting is arguably the most appreciated advantage technique among blackjack players. And for good reason. With optimal play and a well-practiced card-counting system, you can get approximately a 1% advantage over the casino, on average.

If you’re a beginner, mastering card counting can be challenging, but it’s still possible to master simple and effective card-counting systems like Hi-Lo with some practice. With that said, while card counting is a viable technique to obtain the edge, you should be aware that casinos frown upon this, and it doesn’t work in online games.

Understanding the True Count and Its Impact

Since nearly all casinos use six to eight blackjack decks for their games, counting cards is more complex than it used to be for single-deck blackjack. Primarily, to successfully count cards, you also need to understand the true count and how it affects the blackjack house edge.

In simplest terms, the true count represents the average ratio of high to low cards remaining per deck. For instance, let’s say that the true count is +2. This means that there are two more high cards per deck than low cards, giving you a slight advantage over the casino.

Image credit: Netfalls Remy Musser/Shutterstock

Blackjack Tips: Money Management Techniques

Apart from understanding basic and advanced blackjack strategies, knowing how to manage your money is a vital part of being successful when playing blackjack. So, to make sure you have this aspect covered as well, we’ve prepared a few helpful money management tips.

Setting a Budget and Sticking to It

Setting a blackjack bankroll is the most important part of proper money management. This bankroll should only be up to the maximum amount you can afford to lose without experiencing any financial strain.

Set a total bankroll and a session bankroll that you’ll take with you for individual gambling sessions. Creating these clear financial guidelines will enable you to enjoy your blackjack sessions without worrying about losing too much money or feeling the urge to chase losses.

Managing Wins and Losses

No matter how skilled you become at blackjack, the game still involves a significant degree of luck. This means that wins and losses are two inseparable parts of the game, and you’re bound to experience both. The key is knowing how to manage these highs and lows without letting them affect your bankroll.

The best way to manage wins and losses is to always have a long-term focus and set realistic goals you can target. Don’t let emotions guide your bets when experiencing hot and cold streaks. Always play with a clear head. Don’t allow winning streaks to make you overconfident and reckless. In the same breath, don’t get disheartened by losses and bet when you’re not composed.

Using Betting Systems Wisely

Blackjack betting systems can be a great way to ensure a systematic approach to wagering and aid in bankroll control. That is if you pick the right betting system for your bankroll and betting preferences.

There are many different betting systems you can choose from like Martingale, Fibonacci, Paroli, and others. Make sure you pick a betting system that works for you and use it wisely, but remember that even this methodical strategy won’t guarantee you wins.

Blackjack Tips: Common Blackjack Mistakes to Avoid

Since blackjack involves a skill element, it’s also possible to make mistakes that can cost you money and hinder your long-term success. Here are the most common ones beginner blackjack players make:

• Missplaying Soft Hands – Soft hands are less likely to bust out, which causes many players, especially beginners, to often play them more recklessly. In this regard, while soft hands provide more freedom in decision-making, be careful not to misplay them and always stick to the basic blackjack strategy.

• Ignoring Table Rules and Conditions – Playing blackjack without a complete understanding of all the rules and conditions increases your chances of making mistakes. If you’re playing online, rules are most often transparently outlined in the game info. If you’re playing in a brick-and-mortar venue, don’t hesitate to ask the dealer to explain any rule or condition you’re unsure about.

• Over-betting and Chasing Losses – When over-betting, you’re needlessly straining your blackjack bankroll by placing larger wagers than you can afford. Moreover, if this leads to a bad run and your bankroll drains quickly, you might feel the need to chase losses. Both of these common mistakes will most often result in money loss, so you should be mindful of them and try to avoid making them.

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Blackjack Tips: Blackjack Etiquette and Best Practices

In addition to knowing helpful blackjack tips and tricks, it’s also good to know some basic etiquette and best practices you should be mindful of when at the blackjack table.

If you’re mainly playing online blackjack, you can apply some of these tips, but they primarily pertain to live casino blackjack games in brick-and-mortar venues.

Interacting with the Dealer and Other Players

Blackjack falls in the middle of the road when comparing the social aspect of casino games. It’s not as social as craps, but there is still some social aspect and interaction between participants.

With that in mind, you shouldn’t feel obligated to engage in small talk with the dealer or other players if you want to be silent and play. On the other hand, it’s completely normal to chat with others and have gambling and non-gambling conversations if they’re interested in engaging with you in this way.

Tips on Tipping

In land-based casinos, especially in the US, it’s customary to tip the dealer when you win. If you’re playing at the lowest stakes, it’s understandable not to tip, as any tip could have a noticeable impact on your EV. That said, even for bets of $5 or $10 per hand, tipping a couple of bucks after a few consecutive wins is common practice.

For players wagering at $20 minimum bet blackjack tables or higher, a customary tip is $5 to $10 or a percentage of a win. When it comes to the latter, this can be anywhere from two to five percent.

Maintaining Composure

Maintaining your composure is one of the most important pieces of blackjack etiquette, particularly when you’re playing in a land-based casino. Understanding and controlling your emotions is essential, as failing to do so can negatively affect your session and ruin the gambling experience for others at the table.

Always be courteous and respectful toward the dealer and other players. Even if you’re experiencing a losing streak, try to stay calm and not let this cause you to act impolitely or unpleasantly toward others.

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Blackjack Tips: Answering Popular Blackjack Questions

What is the Best Strategy for Blackjack?

The best blackjack strategy is outlined in a blackjack chart, which tells you exactly what move to make based on your card total and the dealer’s upcard. A blackjack strategy chart will help you make the optimal decision every time, and you can even use it when playing blackjack in land-based casinos.

How to Consistently Win at Blackjack?

If you’re looking for tips on how to win blackjack every time, it’s essential to know that there’s no way to guarantee winning when playing this card game. That said, to maximize your long-term winning chances, make sure you understand the fundamentals, practice with free blackjack, use a blackjack chart, and manage your bankroll carefully.

Is There Any Trick to Blackjack?

Blackjack is a very straightforward game, although there are a few tips you can keep in mind to play it more proficiently. Some of the basics include always standing when your hand is 12-16 and the dealer is showing 2-6. Additionally, you should always split Aces and 8s and never split 10s and 5s.

What is the 777 Rule in Blackjack?

The 777 rule in Blazing 7s Blackjack is that you win if one of your first two cards is a 7. Additionally, the payout is more generous if both of your cards are 7s and if the dealer is also showing a 7 as their upcard.

• Establish clear blackjack bankroll limits that align with your budget and gaming goals to effectively manage your gambling funds.
• Explore advanced strategies like the Kelly Criterion or the Martingale system to enhance your betting approach and increase the potential for significant returns.
• Implement a disciplined risk management strategy by dynamically adjusting your bet sizes based on the fluctuations in your bankroll.
• Embrace the concept of progressive betting, a strategy that involves systematically increasing your bets after wins and decreasing them after losses.
• Continuously evaluate and refine your bankroll strategy to remain agile and responsive to the ever-changing dynamics of blackjack gameplay.

Playing blackjack online, or at a casino, without a bankroll strategy is a surefire way to ensure you run out of money. A bankroll management strategy helps you track your money, lets you use various betting systems, and many other strategies that can result in more profitable sessions.

In this comprehensive article, we’ll help you create the most suitable blackjack bankroll for your budget, share effective blackjack strategies, and cover various basic and advanced tips for growing your bankroll.

Let’s get into it!

Understanding Your Blackjack Bankroll

Your blackjack bankroll is the amount you set aside only for playing blackjack. Proper money management is key if you want to be successful in this game. A blackjack tip many beginner players overlook the importance of setting a bankroll, this is one of the first things you should take care of before playing for real money.

With that in mind, the blackjack bankroll must be separate from all of your other finances. This should only be the amount you can afford to lose without impacting your other financial obligations in any way.

When discussing basic blackjack money management terminology, we can define two distinct types of blackjack bankrolls.

Total Bankroll vs Bet Size

The first one is your total bankroll, the sum of money you’ve set aside for playing blackjack. The second is your session bankroll. This is the amount of money you’ll use for a specific blackjack session.

Splitting your total blackjack into smaller amounts for sessions enables you to still enjoy the game without worrying about losing your entire budget during a bad session and a run of poor cards.

Additionally, you should factor in the size of your betting units, which are the fixed base amount you will wager per bet. These should be directly proportionate to your session and total bankroll. Understanding the basic terms, we can move to the first step of blackjack bankroll management – choosing the right amount based on your overall budget.

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How Much Should Your Blackjack Bankroll be?

To answer this right off the bat, there’s no universal blackjack bankroll that works for every player. However, when learning the basic blackjack rules, you can choose the right amount for yourself without a bankroll calculator or any other tool.

The easiest way to go about this is to first set the base betting unit you will use when wagering at the blackjack table.

In this first example, let’s say you plan on betting $10 per hand. Your overall blackjack bankroll should ideally be 1000x the betting unit amount, meaning $10,000 in this case. Your session bankroll should be at least 30x to 40x the betting unit amount, but ideally 100x. This means you would take $1,000 for a single session.

With these numbers in mind, it’s fairly easy to calculate the bankroll you need based on the size of the bets you want to make.

Blackjack Bankroll Management Example

For instance, let’s say that you want to set a slightly higher betting unit of $25 per blackjack round.

Using the same principle from the first example, this would mean you need 1000x your betting unit or $25,000 for your total bankroll or 30x to 100x ($750 to $2,500) for your single session bankroll.

Having a sufficient bankroll in relation to your bets minimizes the risk of losing your entire bankroll in a single session or even having a tremendously bad day in the first place.

There are many free blackjack risk of ruin calculator tools available online if you want to dig deeper into this concept, but having 1000x overall bankroll and 100x session bankroll as a rule of thumb is more than enough to start enjoying the game.

Strategies for Blackjack Bankroll Management

Setting your bankroll is just the first step. When you’ve taken care of this, several other strategies and considerations will help you manage it and make the best of the money you have.

Arguably, the most important strategic consideration regarding your bankroll pertains to the bet sizing techniques you’ll use during your session. The simplest bet sizing technique is to use a flat betting system. This involves always betting your base betting unit and never increasing or decreasing your bet size, no matter how your session is going.

That said, if you want to deviate from this basic blackjack strategy and have a more hands-on approach, you can apply a progressive betting system. When it comes to this, you can choose either positive or negative progression betting strategies.

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Blackjack Betting Strategies

The core principle of positive progression betting strategies is to increase your bet size after each win and go back to the initial bet size after a loss. The most popular positive progression betting systems in blackjack include the Paroli system, the Reverse Labouchere system, and the 1-3-2-6 system.

Negative progression betting strategies have a completely different approach of increasing bet sizes after losses and decreasing them after wins. Some of the most used negative progression strategies include the Martingale strategy, the Labouchere system, the Fibonacci system, and the D’Alembert strategy.

All of these betting systems are very straightforward to implement in blackjack. You simply need to add or subtract the appropriate amount of your bets based on the result.

Tips for Sustaining and Growing Your Blackjack Bankroll

If you want to grow your blackjack bankroll over time, you can also focus on minimizing additional things that can negatively affect it. Here are a few things you should pay attention to in order to sustain and grow your blackjack bankroll:

Avoid Common Mistakes

Although blackjack is a fairly straightforward game, there are many ways to play it suboptimally through various mistakes. Here are a handful of blackjack tips for avoiding mistakes that could drain your bankroll:

• Taking blackjack side bets like insurance
• Splitting tens
• Splitting fives
• Playing 6:5 blackjack instead of 3:2 blackjack

When it comes to gameplay-related mistakes, a good way to practice avoiding them is to play free blackjack online and practice without risking your bankroll. Additionally, when you start playing for real money, consider using a blackjack chart to guide you on when to make what decision.

Utilize Casino Promotions and Bonuses

If you’re playing online blackjack, a great way to grow your blackjack bankroll is to take advantage of the casino bonuses and promotions that online casinos offer. From welcome offers to bonuses for regulars and VIP perks, these rewards can come in handy and provide a helpful boost to your blackjack bankroll.

With that in mind, always make sure to read the terms and conditions before claiming a casino promotion. This will enable you to know how much you need to bet and how many times you need to wager through the bonus before turning it into real money and adding it to your bankroll.

Track Your Results

Additionally, consider tracking your results, as this will give you a direct insight into how you perform at blackjack tables. Tracking your blackjack results helps you reach your goals by enabling you to adjust when you notice certain negative patterns that need changing.

This is a vital element of proper blackjack bankroll management but doesn’t have to include extensive data. It can be a simple spreadsheet covering essential information or a free phone app for tracking blackjack results.

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Advanced Blackjack Bankroll Management Techniques

With all of the above in mind, no matter which strategy you use, the blackjack house edge is still against you. That said, card counting might be the only advanced strategy that can actually run the table around and give you an edge.

Through practice and mastering card counting, you can effectively get an edge of around 1% with this technique. Of course, it’s also important to consider that casinos don’t allow this, and you will likely be banned if you get caught counting cards.

Nevertheless, if you want to start counting cards, it’s essential to be aware of the variance that comes with it. The variance represents the difference between the advantage card counting produces and the actual results. Variance goes hand-in-hand with standard deviation and can dent your blackjack bankroll even when you’re playing perfectly. Factoring in these two aspects is essential to any serious player.

Sustaining and growing your blackjack bankroll is no easy task. That said, with everything we’ve covered on this page, you can rest assured that you learned the most effective blackjack bankroll strategies and tips that will help you boost your game and improve your long-term results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Should I Spend on Blackjack?

There’s no set amount you should spend on blackjack, as it all depends on your overall budget. The best practice is to set aside the amount of money that you can afford to lose without enduring any financial strain from your blackjack activities.

Can I Start with a Small Bankroll?

Yes, you can start playing blackjack with a small bankroll. However, it’s essential to properly size your bets according to your bankroll. A good rule of thumb is that your bankroll should be at least 30x to 40x the size of your average bet, while many blackjack players even increase this to 100x or more.

What is the Best Way to Build a Blackjack Bankroll?

The best way to build a blackjack bankroll is to have a long-term focus. Set the bankroll amount you can afford, implement a blackjack bankroll strategy, and play patiently, applying the optimal strategy. Utilize casino bonuses whenever available to boost your blackjack bankroll.

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• A flush draw in online poker is when a player has four cards of the same suit and needs just one more of that suit to complete a flush.
• Recognizing a flush draw is critical as it can potentially lead to a strong poker hand if the fifth card of the same suit is dealt.
• There are two main types of flush draws: the “nut flush draw,” which includes the Ace of the suit, and the “non-nut flush draw,” which does not.
• Deciding when to bet, call, or fold in a flush draw scenario depends on several factors, such as table position, pot odds, and your read on other players.
• A flush draw strategy is a dynamic part of casino poker gameplay that requires careful assessment of risk and reward, adding an extra layer of excitement to the game.

When I used to teach beginner’s poker classes, I liked to kick-off by asking if anyone had already played poker before. A handful of people would raise their hands.

“Keep your hand up,” I’d say, “if you’ve ever heard of a royal flush.”

Everyone’s hand would remain up in the air.

“Now keep your hand up if you’ve ever hit a royal flush,” I’d ask them — and inevitably, almost everyone’s hand would drop straight down. The answer was nearly no one.

So why are we talking about ‘royal flushes’ in an article that is supposed to teach you how to play a flush draw? This is actually lesson #1 — while the promise and possibility of making a flush is always on top of every poker player’s mind, the probability of hitting one is actually much lower.

There’s a thin line between ‘flush draws’ and ‘flush dreams.’

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What is a Flush Draw in Poker?

Let’s start at the beginning. What is a flush draw in poker?

• What’s a flush in Texas Hold ‘em? A flush happens when you have five cards of the same suit. For example, you could have two spades in your hand and the board has three spades.

• What a flush draw in poker? A standard flush draw means you only need one more card to complete your flush. In this case, perhaps you have two spades in your hand and the board has two spades, meaning you only need one more spade.

Different Types of Poker Flush Draws

To truly master ‘what is a flush draw,’ you’re also going to want to understand the different variations.

• Nut flush: a poker ‘nut flush’ is the best possible flush any player can have. Usually this means the ace-high flush, but it can also indicate a ‘straight flush,’ where five cards are the same suit but also consecutive. (Ex. 2-3-4-5-6)
  • A ‘nut flush draw’ refers to the possibility of hitting the nut flush. You will commonly hear players say, “I flopped the nut flush draw!” The nut flush is particularly important because it can beat other players’ lower flushes. A player holding A2 will beat a player holding KQ on 2-7-J-5-6 because they have hit the nut flush. This is very unlucky for Player #2, because they have hit the second-nut-flush! (One rank lower than the nut flush).

• Runner-runner/backdoor flush: Normally people only talk about flush draws when they only need to hit one card of a suit to make their hand. But you can also hit a flush with two cards… although this is much rarer. Perhaps you have 89 and the flop is AKQ. In order to make a flush, both of the next cards would need to be a diamond. It’s a sneaky proposition known as going for ‘runner-runner’ or a ‘backdoor’ flush draw.

Identifying Flush Draw Opportunities – Learning the Mathematics

There are three times when you can spot a flush draw opportunity: before the flop, on the flop, and on the turn.

Before The Flop

If you are dealt two cards of the same suit, you are more likely to hit a flush, right? This is true… but it’s also a trap! Beginners tend to overestimate the value of their hand when they’re dealt two ‘suited’ cards (ex. Two diamonds, two clubs, etc.)

Do NOT play any two cards simply because they are suited

As a matter of fact, ‘suited’-ness only makes your hand 2-3% better.

Playing a hand just because it’s suited will get you in lots of trouble… and cause you to lose lots of money over time. A hand like K7 may look good, but don’t be fooled — it’s a losing proposition.

The biggest rookie mistake a new poker player can make is playing too many hands. For more on which hands you should play, take a look at one of our cheat sheets.

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On The Flop

The greatest chance you will have at making a flush is on the flop. You may even ‘flop’ a flush — but again, this is rarer than you may think.

The likelihood of flopping a flush is 1 out of 118 times.

Ouch. That’s not good. But our memories deceive us — it’s easy to think of that one time you did flop a flush, and play any two suited cards again in hopes of repeating. Don’t do it. That vast majority of the time, your cards will miss.

What you find, however, is that you don’t flop a flush… but flop a flush draw.

This is usually worth sticking around and calling a reasonable bet. What does the math say? If you’re on the flop and only need one more card to complete your flush, the likelihood of it happening on the turn or river card is 36%. That’s intriguing — especially if you can win a big pot. But don’t go broke chasing flushes.

Unless there’s an exorbitant amount of money in the middle — boosting your ‘pot odds’ — you shouldn’t gamble your whole stack trying to hit something that will complete 36% of the time at best (assuming none of the cards that make your flush will make one of your opponents an even higher hand, like a full house).

On The Turn

Let’s say you’ve made it to the turn and you still only need one more card… but now things are getting dicey. It was 36% to hit your hand on the flop because we assumed you would get to see both the turn and river card.

Now you only have one card left to save your hand — and your odds drop in half.

The likelihood now of you hitting your flush has dropped to merely 18%.

Unless you’re getting a great price to see the river card — you only need to call a very small bet — you should often fold here. Sometimes we need to cut our losses.

What about a backdoor flush draw?

If you have a backdoor flush draw on the flop, your chance of hitting it is only 4%. This is why you usually want to ignore backdoor flush draws unless you have other draws with them to improve your mathematical equity.

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How do I Use Flush Draw Math to my Strategic Advantage?

Now that we know the math, there are key gameplay adjustments we can make.

1. Be disciplined in hand selection. Do not play a hand just because the cards are the same suit.
2. Recognize that trying to hit flush draws is gambling (36% at best). Only call bets when you have a flush draw when you’re getting a good price — the bet size to continue is cheap, or the pot size you can win is large enough to make the gamble worth it (‘pot odds’).
3. Play ‘in-position’. When you are ‘in-position’ during a hand, meaning you get to act last, you can often check back and see the next card for free.
4. Learn to bluff. Even if your flush draw misses, effective bluffing can scare your opponents into a fold, and you win the hand regardless.
5. Price-out your opponents. If you believe one of your opponents is trying to outdraw you by hitting a flush, you can bet large to make it very expensive for them.

Final Thoughts: Maximizing Your Flush Draw Opportunities

Most beginners overvalue flush draws. It’s a major leak.

If you’re new to poker, your first priority should be learning exactly which cards to play, a ‘preflop chart’, followed by grasping mathematical outcomes.

What you will find is that suited hands probably played too big a part of your game. While chasing a flush can be tempting, the odds are usually not in your favor.

There are exceptions. Sometimes the bet size is incredibly cheap, or the pot size is so enormous it’s worth the risk. As you get more sophisticated in your poker game, you will also be able to use position to your advantage and play flush draws aggressively — allowing you to bluff your way out of situations when your cards don’t hit.

As a starting point, focus on understanding the different types of flush draws and their chances of hitting so you can make smarter decisions. Be selective with your hands, only chase draws when the odds are good, and use strategic betting to your advantage (and your opponents’ detriment).

Poker is about making the right choices. Knowing when to go for a flush or when to fold can greatly impact your success… and transform your win-rate.

• A sweepstakes casino is a unique online gambling platform that offers casino-style games under US sweepstakes laws, providing an alternative for players in regions with restrictive online gambling laws.
• Instead of using real currency, a sweepstakes casino offers games using virtual currency or “sweeps coins” that can’t be purchased directly but are given as a casino bonus when buying play money or obtained for free through other methods.
• After acquiring and using these sweeps coins to play games, players can redeem them for real cash.
• Popular sweepstakes casino games often include slots, poker, and table games similar to those in traditional online casinos.
• Despite appearing like online gambling, sweepstakes casinos operate within a legal grey area by technically promoting sweepstakes rather than gambling, making them accessible to a broader range of players across the US.

What are sweepstakes casinos? you might well ask. How are sweepstakes casinos different from traditional casinos? How do these special online casinos work?  You’re in luck again. You have questions, we have answers. You need only read on and you’ll be playing your favorite online games for real cash and prizes before you know it.

Two Models: Gambling versus Sweepstakes

Gambling has a specific legal definition in the United States; it means a person is risking money in hopes of some kind of return that will be determined by the outcome of a contest of skill or game of chance. Any activities that fall under this definition – like sports betting or casino games – are highly regulated under U.S. federal and state laws.

Sweepstakes casinos take advantage of a legal carveout most states make for random giveaways such as raffles, drawings, and – you guessed it – sweepstakes.  A sweepstakes casino avoids the legal definition of gambling by fulfilling two conditions.

• The games look and play the same as they would at a traditional casino, but players don’t win money directly as a result of the outcome of the game.
• Sweeps casinos don’t require an initial purchase or deposit as a condition of winning cash or prizes.

Sweepstakes Casinos: An Alternative to Online Gambling

The best sweeps casinos thread this legal needle to offer a realistic online casino experience that approaches – but doesn’t cross – the threshold of gambling. Sweepstakes casinos look like other online gaming environments, with hundreds of slots options, video poker, and your favorite casino table games. And best of all, sweepstakes casinos pay out millions in cash and prizes to players just like a traditional online casino.

If you enjoy playing online casino games with real money at stake, but don’t live in a state with legal online gambling, a sweepstakes casino just might be what you’re looking for.

The best sweepstakes casinos provide the same level of richness and diversity of play as a traditional online casino, and they do it in a consistent, secure, high performance environment. Best of all, sweeps casinos are legal in almost every U.S. state, so you won’t have to cross state lines to get the action you crave.

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How Does a Sweepstakes Casino Work?

In a normal online casino or sports book, a player maintains a real money account balance that funds their wagers and can be withdrawn at any time. To stay on the right side of the law, sweeps casinos create a layer between real money and gameplay in the form of one or more virtual currencies.

Instead of a dollar-for-dollar trade in a traditional casino a sweepstakes casino currency has a specific role and denomination, and more important, it has no direct cash value and can’t be withdrawn.

When you sign up at a sweeps casino, your account is automatically issued a certain amount of gameplay currency, commonly called Gold Coins. You can use your Gold Coins to play a hand of Blackjack or take a spin with a slot game.

Your Gold Coin balance will rise and fall depending on the outcome of your gameplay, but these coins can’t be turned directly into cash. And while you’re issued some Gold Coins just for signing up, you’ll be strongly encouraged to purchase more Gold Coins so you can play longer.

Coins Means Prizes

So how to people win real cash and prizes if you can’t cash your Gold Coins in for money? There is a second currency, known generally as Sweepstakes Coins, that get issued in the form of bonuses and prizes. Again, these coins are not given out as a direct result of your bets. But of course, the longer you play, the more likely it is that you’ll be issued Sweepstakes Coins. ?

When you accumulate enough Sweepstakes Coins, the sweeps casino will give you an opportunity to trade these coins in for cash rewards and cash-equivalent prizes (such as branded gift cards). It’s a little more complicated than a traditional online casino, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly.

Why Play at a Sweepstakes Casino?

Casino gambling is legal in a little over half of the 50 U.S. States, but online gaming is offered in fewer than ten of those states, severely limiting online gambling options for much of the country. But given the legal carveout for sweepstakes and raffles, sweepstakes casinos can legally offer an online casino experience in nearly every state.

You might be concerned that sweeps casino games would feel different somehow. In fact, the games on offer at sweeps casinos are built by the same expert software vendors that design and market the most popular online slots and table games. You can expect the same level of variety and interactivity that you would in a traditional cash casino.

And there’s more good news for sweepstakes casino players. Because the gameplay model is a often unfamiliar to gamblers, sweeps casinos often go out of their way to entice customers to sign up and continue playing. You can expect sign-up bonuses, deposit bonuses, regular gameplay rewards. Plus there are contests, competitive ladders, and a variety of other giveaways and special prizes.

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Know the Game, Know Yourself

While it’s not traditional online gambling, sweeps casinos have some of the same elements of traditional casinos that you should be aware of.

• Do your research before opening an account with a sweepstakes casino. Look for established brands that have a traceable reputation online. Get recommendations from trusted sites to find out which sweeps casinos are the most reliable and secure, as well as which ones offer the best customer perks and bonuses.

• As you would with any other online casino, check the rules carefully before making a deposit. Make sure you qualify to win cash and prizes. Keep in mind that some sweeps casinos won’t tell you in advance that you happen to be disqualified from earning cash and prizes due to your location or some other restriction. Where a traditional casino would identify you as not illegible to play and therefore prevent you from even making a deposit, sweeps casinos are different.
  
  Because the gameplay currency has no direct cash equivalence, sweeps casinos might let you purchase Gold Coins, then only later inform you that you’re not eligible to earn Sweepstake Coins, or not eligible to convert your Sweepstakes Coins into cash or prizes. Most U.S. customer are eligible to participate fully, but there are exceptions, so read the rules and ask questions before making any purchase.

• Before issuing a prize, most sweepstakes casinos require players to submit certain documentation to verify your identity and state of residence. As with the previous point, make sure you meet the casino’s qualifications for winning cash and prizes prior to making a deposit.

• Promotions and bonuses are built to entice customers to play at sweeps casinos. But they’re also monitored carefully; any unusual activity connected to your account (such as making a duplicate account to take double advantage of a sign-up bonus) will often disqualify you from winning cash or prizes.

• Not all states in the U.S. have legal carve-outs for sweeps casinos. Montana, Nevada, Idaho, and Washington are known to have the tightest anti-gambling restrictions. But whether you live in one of these states or not, check the rules to make sure you’re eligible to win cash or prizes.

• As always, play responsibly and play within your means. While the sweeps model varies from the regular gameplay model of gambling, you should take it seriously. Only deposit and play with money you can afford to lose, and if you’ve gotten into personal or financial trouble in the past as a result of gambling, it probably makes sense to avoid sweepstakes (and any other) casinos.

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Sweepstakes Casinos: A Legal Alternative to Online Gambling

If you’re not able to play legally at an online casino in your state, sweepstakes casinos are a great way to enjoy the fun and excitement of slots and table games that match the biggest online casinos in terms of variety, quality, and gameplay.

Sweepstakes casinos pay out cash and prizes like a real casino, albeit through their unique multi-currency model rather than by direct gameplay results.  Like any online gaming, the more research you do on the best sweeps casinos, the better.

Sweepstakes Casinos: Frequently Asked Questions

What are sweeps casinos? These are online apps that offer casino games where players win real cash and prizes via a sweepstakes model, making them legal in many US states that otherwise don’t allow online gambling.

What types of games are offered sweeps casinos? Hundreds of slot and table games are available of similar quality and variety that you’d encounter in any licensed online casino.

How do you get started with a sweepstakes casino? Like a regular online casino, you’ll have to open an account and fill out the normal online paperwork.  

Do I have to make a deposit before I can play? No. Creating an account is free, and you’ll get issued a small number of gameplay coins just for opening an account. What makes sweeps casinos able to operate in most states is that you can play and win without ever making a deposit. Of course, once your free coins are exhausted, you’ll have the option to purchase more gameplay coins via services like Paypal or with Bitcoin or Ethereum.

Are these apps legitimate and fair? Always do your research into the most advantageous and reliable sweeps casinos, but yes, the established sweeps casinos use the same gaming software and Random Number Generators (RNG) as normal online casinos, ensuring fair and unbiased game outcomes.

Is my information safe? Again, established sweeps casinos operate with the same standards of privacy and information security as regular online casinos, using the most modern cryptographic standards.

Can I play on mobile devices? Most sweeps casinos offer games optimized for mobile use.

Do sweepstakes casinos offer bonuses and promotions? Yes, most sweeps casinos offer regular welcome bonuses, frequent player rewards, and referral bonuses, along with tournaments, leaderboards, and other promotions.

Can I play for real money at sweeps casinos? You can win cash and cash-equivalent prizes. But unlike normal casinos, you don’t win money directly as a result of the games you play. You can win money via the sweepstakes model.

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• Blackjack payouts refer to the amount a player wins from a successful hand, often presented as a ratio like 3:2 or 6:5.
• The standard blackjack payout for a natural 21, also known as a blackjack, is typically 3:2. This means a $10 bet would result in a $15 win.
• Some casinos may have tables with a lower blackjack payout of 6:5, which decreases player returns and increases the house edge.
• Other blackjack winning hands typically have a 1:1 payout, meaning if you bet $10 and win, you receive $10 plus your original bet back.
• Understanding blackjack payouts and their impact on your overall blackjack strategy and game value is critical to successful blackjack play.

Blackjack is one of the most popular and exciting casino games in the world, with billions staked worldwide every year. It is therefore important that you get the best value and seek the games that pay out the most when you win.

The good news is that blackjack payouts are much higher than other casino games – provided you make the right plays. And you can make a huge amount of money if you play well.

Blackjack Payouts: How Are They Defined?

The RTP, or return to player, will be declared by most reputable casinos. You will find it under the help button for the game. The RTP is the amount that you would expect to get back for each pound, dollar or euro that you stake. The typical industry average for blackjack is 99.5% which is much higher than for slots or roulette.

The normal blackjack payout for a winning bet is 1:1. However, all casinos offer you the chance to double your stake when you have certain blackjack hands, always 9, 10 or 11 and often any two cards. If you win, you then get paid even money on the doubled stake, so still 1:1.

However, you only get one extra card, so you should only double when the basic blackjack strategy charts tell you to do so. But if you lose, you lose the doubled stake. Blackjack, which is an ace with any of a ten, jack, queen or king, invariably pays 3:2. So if you win, you get 1.5x?times your stake. If you stake ￡2 or $2, you would win an extra ￡3 or $3.

Image credit: Swazall/Shutterstock

Top Tip: Always Check the Blackjack Payouts

While most casinos offer 3:2 for blackjack, there are some that only pay 6:5. Naturally enough they do not advertise this on their front page, and you have to check the rules of the game to find this out.

Unless there is some reason such as a generous casino bonus to play a game that pays only 6:5 for blackjack, you should avoid those games. There are plenty that offer 3:2.

Blackjack Variations And How They Impact Payouts

American Blackjack

American blackjack differs from European blackjack because the dealer peeks when she has a ten face up to check for blackjack before any play.

If an ace is face up, insurance is offered, a bet that the dealer has a ten, paid at 2-1. You can split a pair of the same rank, usually up to four hands depending on house rules. The RTP is usually around 99.6%

European Blackjack Payouts

European blackjack is a little different. There is usually no hole card, or if there is, the dealer does not check for blackjack when she has a ten, so you can lose to a blackjack after you have doubled or split. This means that basic strategy changes.

Also the dealer stands on soft 17 which is an ace and a six, or an ace with any number of cards totaling six. Usually only two hands are allowed, so you cannot re-split if you get another pair. The blackjack payout is slightly less, around 99.5% depending on specific rules.

Progressive Blackjack Payouts

This is a side bet, rather than a separate game. You make a separate bet on the first four cards, your two and the dealer’s two.  It is usually played with six decks, but four and eight are common. You get paid out on the number of aces in those four cards, with the jackpot, which increases until it is won, paid out on four aces of the same color.

The RTP varies with the size of the jackpot. If the jackpot is low, the RTP is a paltry 45% up to the largest I have seen at 60%. That was when the jackpot in New York New York Casino was over $100,000. For the player to have an advantage on this bet, the jackpot would need to be about $2,500,000.

Spanish 21 Blackjack Payouts

Spanish 21, called Pontoon in Malaysia and Australia, the four tens are removed, but otherwise normal blackjack rules apply. There are lots of  “extras” such as bonuses for 678 and 777. Also the rules (apart from the tens being removed) are favorable in that you can double on any number of cards, and late surrender, for example. The RTP is 99.6% to about 99.2% depending on which of the many rules apply.

Image credit: Swazall/Shutterstock

Push 22 Variants

Push 22 Blackjack is a variant of blackjack in which if the dealer busts with a point total of 22, it results in a “push” rather than a win for the player. A “push” means all remaining player wagers on the table are returned as a draw, except for player blackjacks which are still paid. This specific rule significantly increases the house edge and changes the optimal strategy compared to traditional blackjack.

Blackjack Switch

This wonderful game was invented by blackjack (and backgammon) guru Geoff Hall. You play two hands and can swap the top card of each hand. That sounds like a great deal.

If you have T5 on one hand and 6J on the other hand, you would swap and now have 11 and 20, and you can double down on the 11 as well. It comes at a price, of course, and if the dealer gets 22, it will be a push against all hands which have not bust except blackjack. The expected blackjack payout is 99.4%.

Free Bet Blackjack

Another game invented by Geoff Hall which appears in US casinos and increasingly online. The player can get a free double, where he does not have to double his stake, and a free split, where he does not have to add a second stake. However, the dealer again pushes against all hands except blackjack that are still on the table when she has 22.

The return to the player is 98.9%, so this is less attractive than normal blackjack, but sometimes the game in the player’s favor when the chance of the dealer getting 22 drops, but that requires a computer to calculate.

Power Blackjack

There seem to be two version of this game, using the word power. The American version has a game where one can double and change the card he or she gets if desired.

Also one can split on any two cards, doubling the stake. The quid pro quo for the house is that if the dealer gets 22, it is a push against any hand still on the table other than blackjack.

Lightning Blackjack

This is best avoided as the correct play is often counterintuitive, with doubling down on hard totals common. The final totals 18, 19, 20, 21 and BJ get multipliers which increase your winnings by varying amounts, up to 25 times, provided you have the winning hand.  

The game states a return of 99.2% which is about right, but only with perfect play. If you don’t know the unusual actions, you will lose heavily.

Image credit: Swazall/Shutterstock

Finding The Best Returns and Blackjack Payouts

The best games depend on whether you want to play every hand, or are prepared to sit and twiddle your thumbs. The former is the single deck, multi-player game. Microgaming claim that the return to player is 99.69%.

Playing perfectly, one might even do better than that and I think the figure is nearer 99.8%. However, playing basic strategy it is about 99.5%. The game is shuffled after every hand, so there is no need to count!

Top Tip: Blackjack Insurance Can be The Right Move

The insurance bet, always of half your stake, is a bet that the dealer has Blackjack when she has an ace showing. Other sites have said “Never take insurance”, but this is wrong. Certainly it is wrong for a single-deck game.

If two of the 11 cards you can see at the start  are tens, then the insurance bet has a return of 102.4% and should be taken. The advantage for the player is greater if only one or no tens are visible. The insurance bet is often favorite in shoe games as well when the deck is replete with tens.

The Effect of Rule Changes on a Blackjack Payout

Changes in the rules affect the payout expectancy. The most common rules are probably the following, common with Evolution, Playtech and Pragmatic Play, the main providers: Evolution have six-card Charlie and Playtech has double after split.

Typical Rules in Blackjack

• Eight Decks
• Dealer does not check for Blackjack with a ten
• Dealer Stands on Soft 17
• Only One card to Split Aces
• No Double after Split
• Double on any two cards
• Split to two hands only
• One card to each hand on split aces
• Six-Card Charlie

The RTP using the above rules is 99.50% with perfect play on a single seat with shuffling after every hand, which is usual for RNG (random number generated) games. Without the Six-Card Charlie, which means you always win if you have six cards without busting, it would be 99.29%.  The effect of reducing the number of decks from eight is as follows:

• Single Deck       +0.51%
• Double Deck     +0.21%
• Four Decks        +0.05%
• Six Decks           +0.02%

The effect of other rule changes is a bit less. Late surrender, which means that you can get half your stake back if you think you are going to lose, but only after the dealer has checked for Blackjack, is worth about 0.09%. I have not seen early surrender, which means that you can surrender if the dealer has a ten or ace showing, for quite a while, but it would be worth a whopping 0.62%!

In general, single deck games compensate by allowing a double only on 9-11 (-0.09%) and Dealer hitting soft 17 (-0.22%).  But they are still better than the multi-deck games.

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Blackjack Payouts in Shoe Games

Most Blackjack players know how to keep a running count of the number of high cards and number of low cards, the so-called hi-lo count. The aces, kings, queens, jacks and tens score -1 and the sixes, fives, fours, threes and twos score +1. The total count is divided by the number of decks remaining to give a true count. When that is greater than 1, the player has a small edge.

There are games where one does not need to play every hand, typically One Blackjack or Infinite Blackjack, which have an unlimited number of player at the table. If you play only when the count is >+1 and play perfectly you should come out ahead.

However, the casino is not stupid and, particularly in Las Vegas, they ask you to leave, or close your account online. if you are betting a significant amount, especially if you bet a large amount at counts above +5, and play perfectly!

The above was generated by my program playing perfectly over millions of hands.

Different Side Bets And Their Payouts

These are usually bad. I say usually but that does not mean we should never place them. There is a tendency among social players to bet because they have attractive amounts paid out. But they usually have a poor percentage return. They should generally only be tried with a shoe game where the number of each card fluctuates dramatically.  Let us look at some of them:

Perfect Pairs (Any pair)

This popular side bet typically pays 8-1 on the first two cards for the player being a pair, and 25-1 if they are a suited pair. The payouts vary slightly but average 95.9%.

Hot 3 (Lucky Lucky)

This is a bet on the total of the player’s two cards and dealer’s up card being equal to 19,20 or 21. There is a payout of 100-1 for 777. There is rarely an advantage for the player. The RTP is 94.6%. Lucky Lucky is a version of this with higher payouts for 777 suited, usually with six decks and a payout of around 95.3%.

21+3

The 21+3 bet on three-card poker hands for the first two cards of the player and the dealer upcard. It pays a best 100-1 for Suited Trips and again there is rarely an advantage for the player. The RTP is 96.3% so a slightly better bet than the Hot 3.

Bust It (or Buster)

This is a bet that the dealer will bust, and pays more when the dealer busts with more than three cards.  The top payout on some sites for the dealer busting with eight cards is 250-1, but some sites couple the bust with the player Blackjack and pay 5000-1.

It is very hard to calculate the chance of the dealer busting, and the return on this bet is 94.12%. If there are lots of aces, twos and threes in the deck, the chance of a bust with many cards goes up, and the bet can then be favorable.

Crazy Sevens

This is a bet on the first three cards being sevens. If the first one is a seven, you win, and you win more if the first two are both sevens, but the real payout comes from 777 suited, which pays 2000-1. This sometimes has a player advantage when there are few sevens so far in the shoe, but you need to be counting sevens! The RTP is 94.3%.

Maximize Your Blackjack RTP

Your first decision is whether to play a shoe game, when you will need to count and either to vary your bet or sit out to make money, or to play a continuous shuffling game.  If you vary your bet significantly you might hit a bad run and lose heavily. Playing for flat stakes on a single-deck game is the safer option, and the return of 99.8% is close to level.

You will often get loyalty points or free ￡10 or $10 bets as well. Those will dry up, however if you are level on your main bets. Whatever you do, make sure that you play when Blackjack is paid at 3:2 (or better if “I should be so lucky”, as Kylie sang).

• A 4 bet in poker is an aggressive preflop betting move that can help you force other players to fold and claim the pot before the flop is dealt.
• The 4 bet in poker is most commonly found in deep-stacked cash or online poker games, where the players will have a large enough chip stacks to sustain this kind of bet.
• A 4 bet should be saved for your strongest poker hands, like pocket aces, where you are sure that a significant pre-flop bet is going to go your way.
• The primary aim of a 4 bet in poker is to quickly force up the pot value when you’re dealt the ‘nuts’ while also forcing players with weaker hands to fold.

A 4-bet in poker is a raise that follows a 3-bet, and it is usually done before the flop. The first raise is also known as a 2-bet (although the term is rarely used). The next player raising this initial raise is making a 3-bet. Finally, if another player or the player who made the initial raise raises again, this move is called a 4-bet.

The 4-bet is a part of advanced poker strategy and not something most beginner players have in their arsenal. However, to be a winning player in the world of online gambling and move up the stakes, you need to understand the pros and cons of this aggressive move, when to use it, and how to structure it for the best results.

In this article, we’ll discuss many different aspects of a 4-bet in poker, cover what a 4 bet is, when to use it, and how it factors into your overall poker strategy.

What is a 4 Bet in Poker: The Basics

A 4-bet is primarily a preflop move, defined as a raise that follows a 3-bet. It can be done by the player making the original raise or any other player in a hand left to act after the 3-bet.

The 4-bet in poker is usually indicative of a lot of poker hand strength before the flop, signaling that the player is willing to play for their entire stack. Of course, when used correctly, this isn’t always the case, as good players will have some 4-bet bluffs in their arsenal.

Unlike 3-bet, which is a fairly common part of poker strategy, 4-bet isn’t nearly as present, largely due to the fact that many games, especially tournaments, aren’t played deep enough to warrant this move and allow players to use it and still have chips left behind.

A Poker 4 Bet Example

Let’s look at a typical poker tournament situation, similar to the WSOP, with about 60 big blinds effective. This example also applies to online games, like video poker or live dealer poker.

Player A raises to 2.5 big blinds, and the big blind player 3-bets to 9 big blinds.

Even if player A goes for a very small sizing and 4-bets to only 20 big blinds, if the big blind player calls, there will be 40 blinds in the pot, and both players will have a pot-sized bet left behind, not leaving much room for post-flop play.

For this reason, you’ll encounter a 4-bet much more frequently in deep-stacked cash games, where players have 100 or more big blinds to start a hand, allowing for much more maneuvering space.

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When Should You Use a 4 Bet in Poker?

As one of the strongest preflop moves, a 4-bet should be used sparingly. First and foremost, you’ll almost always want to 4-bet with your absolute best poker hand, like pocket aces and pocket kings. These are the best starting hands in, for example, live dealer casino Hold ‘Em, so your goal is always to get as much money into the pot preflop as possible.

Another good value 4-bet candidate is AK suited, as this is the strongest unpaired hand. However, when playing extremely deep (over 200 big blinds), many good players will play this hand as a call, although a lot will depend on the situation and the opponent they’re up against.

You can 4-bet your absolutely best hands against everyone. However, against very aggressive players, you can expand your 4-betting range to include other strong pocket pairs like Queens and Jacks, AQ suited, and AK off.

If you perceive your opponent’s 3-betting range as too wide, 4-betting with these hands is a +EV move, as you’ll be well ahead of them before the flop.

4 Bet Bluffing Considerations

When it comes to bluffing, there are a few things you need to consider:

• Are you deep enough for a 4-bet bluff – As we’ve already discussed, in some scenarios, a 4-bet will commit you to the pot, and if this is the case, you should not be bluffing.
• Is your opponent 3-betting wide enough – If they’re very tight and only 3-betting with the top of the range, it’ll be hard to come up with a profitable 4-bet bluffing range.
• Are you comfortable playing a big pot on the flop and later streets – When you 4-bet bluff and get called, you need to be comfortable with playing a big pot and potentially pulling some expensive bluffs by the river. If your only plan is to win the pot before the flop, you’re not ready to start 4-bet bluffing.

We’ll talk about a 4-bet as a bluffing tool in a minute, but these are some things to keep in mind when figuring out whether or not to go for it, whether for value or as a bluff.

What is 4 Bet in Poker: Common Mistakes & Pitfalls to Avoid

When it comes to poker 4-bets, there are a few common poker mistakes that players fall victim to, and while it may take some experience and practice to eliminate these, it can certainly be done.

The first and perhaps the most expensive one is misjudging the opponent’s 3-betting range. Some players are quick to read their opponents as too loose, leading to them expanding what they believe is a value 4-bet range against that opponent.

The fact of the matter is, if you want to expand beyond the hands we’ve just discussed, you’ll need to have a very specific reason and have a very good read on the particular opponent. If you have a lot of history with them and know they’re capable of 3-betting with absolute trash, then you can do it, but don’t be quick to make such determinations after playing just a few dozen hands against them.

4 Bet Poker Mistakes to Avoid

Some other common mistakes players make with their 4-bets are:

• Using too big of a sizing – When you 4-bet, you are already conveying a lot of strength. You don’t need to go huge unless there is a very specific reason for it (i.e., your opponent will call with a weak hand). Going about 2.2x the size of the 3-bet is usually more than enough to accomplish your goal while leaving you with enough chips behind to play on future streets when called.
• 4-betting too small – Even though you’re representing a big hand, you don’t want to just click back and allow your opponent to call with their entire range. Not only are you giving them great odds, but you’re also not doing anything to try and define their range if your bet size is such that they’ll call with 100% of the hands.
• Failing to account for other players in the hand – Before you 4-bet, especially when doing it as a bluff, you need to consider other players left to act. If there are players with short stacks behind you, you should be less inclined to bluff, as these players can easily move all in, forcing you to call with what stands to be an inferior hand.

4-Betting as a Bluffing Tool

Good players will use 4-bet bluffs as a part of their overall poker strategy, but to do so efficiently, you’ll need to develop a good understanding of this move and get a lot of experience playing against different types of players.

When it comes to 4-bet bluffing, there are two typical scenarios that come to mind:

• Attacking players that you know 3-bet too wide
• Attacking players 3-betting from later positions or from the blinds, where their ranges will naturally be wider

When you recognize one of these spots, you need to figure out what poker hands are good 4-bet bluff candidates. Generally speaking, like with 3-bets, these will mostly be hands containing blockers and having decent potential to flop big, such as small suited pocket aces (A2s – A5s).

To balance this out and make yourself less predictable, you’ll also want to include some other hands into your bluffing range. While there is a lot of theory behind this, some good candidates are middling-suited connectors like 78s or 89s.

These hands have good board coverage and can catch opponents off-guard, as they’ll have a hard time putting you on these types of hands in a 4-bet pot when a board comes favorable for you.

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Value Betting Using 4-Bets

We’ve already discussed that 4-bets are primarily used as a value-betting tool. When you have a big hand before the flop, 4-bet is one of the best ways to get more money into the pot, and you shouldn’t shy away from using it to achieve this very goal.

Some hands are standard 4-bets for value almost regardless of the situation, namely:

• AA, KK, QQ, Aks, AKo (frequently)

When you have one of these hands, you generally don’t mind getting a lot of chips into the pot before the flop is dealt. In fact, save for rare scenarios where stacks are extremely deep, these are the hands that you want to play for stacks against most opponents.

When figuring out what sizing to use, you’ll probably want to use a bigger 4-bet size with hands like AK and QQ and perhaps go smaller with AA and KK. This is simply because the latter is easier to play after the flop, and you will find more favorable boards with aces and kings.

Advanced 4-Betting Tactics

As you start incorporating more 4-bets into your play, you’ll realize there are many aspects to this part of poker strategy that aren’t covered in this article. This is because 4-bet is, by definition, a high variance move, which means you’ll end up playing more big pots.

Once you get the preflop part somewhat solved and figured out, you’ll need to dig into different post-flop aspects, figuring out when to continue with the aggression and what boards warrant checking and exercising some pot control. This can be tricky, as the natural tendency in 4-bet pots is to keep betting.

There is also a lot of meta game that goes into figuring out your 4-bet strategy, especially as you move up the stakes and encounter stronger players. What used to work at lower limits will no longer work, as these players will go beyond the fit or fold approach, even in 4-bet pots.

This shouldn’t scare you away from using 4-bets as a powerful tool that they are. With time, practice, and experience, you’ll become much better at all these different aspects, and any mistakes you make along the way are just a natural part of the learning process.

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• Punto Banco is the most common variation of Baccarat card game.
• The rules are clear and easy to learn, making it a great entry game for Baccarat beginners.
• The goal of the game is to end with a card value of as close to 9 as possible.
• If the value of your cards hits double digits, only the last digit in the total is counted as the hand value.
• Compared to Chemin de Fer and Baccarat Banque, Punto Banco has stricter rules on when the player and banker can draw a third card.

The Punto Banco card game is one of the three main variations of the Baccarat card game that are found at an online casino. It is the best-known and most-played version which is actually very straightforward and easy to learn.

This guide will cover everything you need to know about this exciting Punto Banco Baccarat game. From basic online gambling strategies and rules to more advanced tips and mistakes you should watch out for, this comprehensive guide outlines it all.

Keep reading to learn Punto Banco in just a few minutes!

Understanding Baccarat Punto Banco

Punto Banco is one of the four main baccarat variations, along with Chemin de Fer, Baccarat Banque, and Mini Baccarat.

Like the other variations, Baccarat Punto Banco is a card game comparing the strength of different cards with three possible outcomes:

• The Player winning the hand
• The Banker winning the hand
• A tie if both the Banker and the Players have the same total of points

By comparing Punto Banco vs Baccarat Banque and Chemin de Fer, we can also notice some differences between them. In the latter two variations, players can make choices and have a direct impact on the end result.

In Punto Banco, there are fixed drawing rules, meaning that the players don’t have any impact on the gameplay. The game is played with either six or eight decks.

Punto Banco Scoring

The goal of the game is to get 9 points in your hand or as close to it as possible. The Aces are worth one point, all face cards are worth ten points, and numbers have their face value.

Before the hand starts, you can bet on the Dealer or Player winning or on the tie.

Playing and Betting in Punto Banco

To help you be certain how a Punto Banco round should play out, let’s go over a quick step-by-step example:

1. The Players Place their Bets – Every player at the table chooses their bet. Once everyone who wants to participate has made the wager, the dealer will burn the top card and deal two cards to the Player and two cards to the Banker’s hand.
2. Comparing Hands – The Dealer compares the Player’s and Banker’s hands to see which hand has a total closer to 9. When comparing the two hands, the card totals in each hand are added. If a hand has a total of 10 or higher, the last digit in the total is counted as the hand value. For instance, if the Player’s hand is worth 15, it’s subtracted by 10, and the total is 5.
3. The Dealer Pays Out the Winners – If you bet on the Punto (the player), you will get an even-money 1:1 payout. If you bet on Banco (the banker) and win, you will get a 19:20 payout. This is also an even-money payout minus the 5% house commission. A winning bet on a tie will get you an 8:1 payout.

Punto Banco Card Drawing Rules

Baccarat Punto Banco also has precise third-card drawing rules. For the player, this includes drawing if their total is 5 or less. If they have a 6 or 7 total, they stand. For the banker, the rules are a bit more extensive:

• Banker stands if they have a total of 7.
• If the banker has a total of 6, they draw if the player’s third card is a 6 or 7.
• If the banker has a total of 5, they draw if the player’s third card is a 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• If the banker has a total of 4, they draw if the player’s third card is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• If the banker has a total of 3, they draw unless the player’s third card is an 8.
• Banker draws if they have a total of 2 or less.

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Strategies for Winning And Punto Banco Odds

Since there aren’t any variables gameplay-wise, Punto Banco baccarat strategies are simple to follow. Primarily, the Banker bet is the best one to prioritize, followed by the Player bet. Due to its high house edge and low probability, the Tie bet is best avoided.

With this in mind, also consider that different bets will come with different house edge percentages. For example, the house edge on the Player bet is 1.24%, while on the Banker bet is just 1.06%. On the other hand, the Tie bet comes with a whopping house edge of over 14%.

Balancing Your Bankroll

Besides considering this, it’s wise to set a fixed bankroll before you start playing. There’s no precise amount you should have, but the general rule of thumb is to have a total bankroll of at least 100 to 200 times the size of your average bet. Having a decent bankroll that you’re comfortable risking will put you in the best position to focus on the game without worrying about losing too much money.

Although the Punto Banco card game is very simple, you can implement various techniques for a more systematic approach to maximize your winning chances. Primarily, this includes utilizing a betting system that will optimize your bets.

Additionally, you can try capitalizing on successful streaks and minimizing the impact of losses. With that in mind, don’t try to chase patterns or overanalyze them since all of it is purely random, but this can add some fun to the game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in The Punto Banco Game

In addition to using various strategies to optimize your results when playing Baccarat Punto Banco, it’s also useful to be aware of the most common mistakes many players make. With that in mind, here are some potential pitfalls in Punto Banco you should watch for:

• Not Understanding the Rules – Punto Banco casino rules are fairly straightforward to learn. That said, many players make the mistake of betting without fully understanding all of the game’s rules. Make sure you understand the odds and payout percentages, especially if you want to explore some of the game’s many side bets.
• Choosing Bets With Poor Punto Banco Odds – In line with the previous mistake, the types of bets you place will directly impact your results. For most players who want to steer towards the maximum chance of winning, the simplest Punto Banco bets, such as the Banker and the Player bet, are the best ones to stick with.
• Betting Impulsively – This baccarat variation is exciting, and it can be easy to get carried away and play impulsively. This is why it’s crucial to always play with a clear head and not let your emotions interfere in your decision-making process when making bets.

Advanced Techniques and Approaches For Punto Banco

As you master the basics of the Punto Banco card game, you might want to explore advanced Baccarat strategies that will allow you to take a more hands-on betting approach. This primarily pertains to finding the best betting system based on your personal preferences.

There are many betting systems to choose from, so it’s essential to pick the one that works best for you. In short, advanced betting systems can be divided into two main groups.

Punto Banco Card Game Betting Systems

The first is positive progression systems, which involve increasing your wager after a win. A few examples of such betting systems are the Paroli system and the 1-3-2-6 system.

The second is negative progression systems, which dictate increasing wagers after losses. These include systems such as the Martingale, Fibonacci, D’Alembert, and Labouchere systems.

On a different note, a popular advantage technique like counting cards won’t be very effective in baccarat, especially with the Punto Banco game variation. Unlike blackjack, Punto Banco will produce very linear results, meaning that there aren’t any cards that can significantly sway the outcome in the player’s or banker’s favor.

For this reason, counting cards can theoretically produce a small advantage compared to not doing so, but not substantial enough to deliver significantly higher profitability as it can do in blackjack.

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FAQ Section

1. What sets Punto Banco apart from other Baccarat variations?

The main difference that separates Punto Banco from Chemin de fer and Baccarat Banque is that in the latter two variations, players can make choices during the game. In the Punto Banco casino game, this feature is absent, as the players’ moves are controlled by the cards they get dealt.

2. How can players increase their chances of success in Punto Banco?

The best way to increase your winning chances in Punto Banco is to stick with simple bets with good Punto Banco odds, such as the Player and Banker bets. Additionally, setting an objective and having a bankroll will help you play responsibly and make the most of your money.

3. Is card counting effective in Punto Banco?

No, card counting isn’t very effective in Punto Banco. Due to the game’s rules, the edge you would get by counting cards in Punto Banco is negligible. It’s better to focus on other advanced betting techniques that will help you increase your profitability.

4. Are there any specific rules or customs unique to Punto Banco?

In Punto Banco, the casino banks at all times and there are fixed drawing rules. Moreover, while the Player and Banker designations are still present, players can’t make any drawing choices, so the game is entirely chance-based.

5. How can players practice and improve their skills in Punto Banco?

After learning how to play baccarat, players can practice free baccarat online. This is the best way to improve their skills before playing it at a real money casino, as many online casinos offer the game in demo mode.

6. What are common misconceptions about Punto Banco that players should be aware of?

The most common misconception is that Punto Banco is a complex game and that it’s difficult to learn, which is far from the truth. Another popular myth surrounding casino Punto Banco is that it’s primarily for high rollers. While this was correct centuries ago when it was invented, it isn’t true today.

A Deep Dive into the Strategic Game of Punto Banco

Punto Banco is undoubtedly a glamorous and exciting game that will leave you feeling like James Bond, especially if you play it in the thrilling atmosphere of a live casino venue. Better yet, it’s a very easy game to jump into and you can already start playing it after reading this guide.

Unlike the other two main baccarat variations, Chemin de fer and Baccarat Banque, this one doesn’t require any decision-making on the player’s part. This makes it easy to play with confidence even as a beginner, as everything is entirely luck-based.

With that in mind, make sure to remember the rules, tips, and strategies we shared with you in this article. Equally as important, be aware of the common mistakes, as this will help you ensure maximum profitability when playing Punto Banco.

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• Chemin de Fer baccarat is one of the oldest forms of baccarat still being played.
• The aim of a round of Chemin de Fer object is to reach a total 9 with a hand of two or three cards.
• When the card vales in Chemin de Fer baccarat reach double digits, the first digit is ignored. So the 1-9 numbered cards are worth their face value, while the the 10 and the face cards are worth zero. An ace is worth one.
• Players bet against each other in a real money baccarat Chemin de Fer game, instead of against the dealer.
• In the Chemin de Fer card game, the first two cards are dealt face-down, so the players don’t know which cards their opponent has.
• Unlike standard baccarat, players take turns being the bank, with the dealer, who represents the casino, only being there to facilitate the game.
• When the cards are revealed at the end of the round, the player with the highest total wins.

Chemin de Fer baccarat is one of the three main variations of the casino card game baccarat and is the oldest modern version played to this day. This baccarat variation shares many similarities with Punto Banco, Mini Baccarat and Baccarat Banque, but there are some differences you should know before you start playing.

Albeit not the most popular baccarat variation, Chemin de Fer is still a player favorite in many countries, especially in Europe and Latin America, and is a favorite among online baccarat players because of its quick pace.

This comprehensive Chemin de Fer guide covers everything you should know about this exciting and intriguing game.

Chemin de Fer Baccarat: Understanding The Basics

Although historians claim that the origins of baccarat date back to the 15th century, the earliest reliable information dates to 19th-century France, precisely the time and place where Chemin de Fer first emerged.

Chemin de Fer baccarat is the earliest two-person baccarat variation, as Baccarat Banque was invented as a three-person game, while Punto Banco came after.

Chemin de Fer in French stands for “railway,” referring to the fastest mode of transportation at the time. This is because the Chemin de Fer game was faster and more streamlined than similar previous versions.

Chemin de Fer rules differ from those of Punto Banco, the most popular online baccarat variation. The biggest and most significant difference is that Chemin de Fer involves a skill element. In Punto Banco, there are strict baccarat rules as to when the players can and cannot draw the third card. In Chemin de Fer, players are free to decide this on their own, meaning that their decisions directly influence the result.

Another difference that makes Chemin de Fer more complex than standard Punto Banco baccarat is that the cards are dealt face-down in this variation. This enhances the strategic element of the game, as players can’t see what the Banker’s card total is until the end of the round.

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Playing, Betting, and Etiquette in a Chemin de Fer Game

Chemin de Fer has a very simple and easy-to-follow structure. That said, to make sure you understand how betting works in Chemin de Fer, here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to play Chemin de Fer baccarat:

1. Betting Round – Before the dealer distributes the cards, the players place their bets. This is where Chemin de Fer differs from standard baccarat. In this variation, players take turns as the Banker and play against each other instead of the house. The dealer, who represents the casino, is only there to facilitate the game and make sure everything is in order.
2. Dealing the Cards and Drawing – The dealer will distribute two cards to the Banker and two cards to each player, all face-down. The dealer will then evaluate the totals, and the players will have the option of drawing the third card.
3. Comparing Hands and Paying out Winners – Once all players have decided on their move, the dealer compares the final card totals. A Player hand that has a higher total than the Banker wins the bet. If the Banker’s hand is the highest-valued one, all players lose. If there’s a tie, the bets stand for the next hand.

Strategies for Winning at The Chemin de Fer Card Game

Apart from understanding how a typical Chemin de Fer baccarat round plays out, there are additional strategic considerations you should be mindful of to play more optimally. This primarily includes knowing when to hit and when to stand:

• The optimal strategy is to accept a third card whenever you have a total of 0 to 4 and to never get a third card if you have a total of 6 or 7.
• If you have a total of 5, you can decide either way, although most Chemin de Fer players opt for taking the third card in this situation.

In addition to the gameplay itself, your bankroll management strategy can also have a significant impact on your overall Chemin de Fer experience. It’s crucial to set a fixed bankroll for playing Chemin de Fer.

A simple rule of thumb is to have a bankroll anywhere from 100 to 200 times the size of your bets. In other words, if you’re betting $5 per round, you should have a bankroll of at least $500 to $1,000. You’ll also want to look for table stakes that fit your bankroll.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Chemin de Fer Baccarat Game

Just as it’s important to focus on optimal Chemin de Fer strategies, it is vital to be aware of the potentially costly mistakes that you’d want to avoid when playing this baccarat variation. With that in mind, we want to highlight a few of the most common mistakes Chemin de Fer baccarat players make:

• Straying From Basic Baccarat Strategy – As we outlined above, Chemin de Fer has some general guidelines that help you know when to hit and when to stand. Diverging from this simple baccarat strategy is a mistake that will result in suboptimal returns over time.
• Not Understanding Odds and Probabilities – A common mistake many beginner baccarat players make is not understanding the odds and probabilities of different bets. Knowing the relation of these two game elements is key to ensuring you make the most of your bankroll and avoid placing poor bets.
• Chasing Wins – This mistake is particularly prevalent among beginner Chemin de Fer baccarat players. Expecting to win every hand after a prolonged losing streak or betting in hopes that fortune will turn in your favor can be one of the costliest mistakes when playing this card game. To avoid this, make sure to stick to the bankroll you set and know when to stop playing.

Advanced Techniques and Strategies

Advanced Chemin de Fer players might want to employ more sophisticated techniques that involve exploiting various patterns. When it comes to this, the two most popular advantage techniques are card counting and edge sorting.

When it comes to the latter, edge sorting can be a very effective strategy for getting an edge in Chemin de Fer. However, casinos frown upon this technique and will most likely ban you if you get caught.

On the other hand, unlike in blackjack, the house isn’t as strict when it comes to counting cards in Chemin de Fer. However, the reason for this is that card counting in Chemin de Fer isn’t very effective.

Even though Chemin de Fer players can choose when they want to take the third card, counting cards doesn’t provide any discernible edge. This is primarily because the number ten card and face cards are worth zero points, which diminishes the importance of knowing when they will be dealt.

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Chemin de Fer Baccarat FAQ

1.   What is the Chemin de Fer meaning?

Chemin de Fer baccarat originated in 19th-century France. Translated from French, Chemin de Fer means “railway” or “railroad,” referring to the game’s sped-up gameplay compared to classic baccarat variations.

2.   How does Chemin de Fer differ from other Baccarat variations?

The main difference between Chemin de Fer and other standard baccarat versions like Punto Banco is the presence of a skill element. In Chemin de Fer, players can decide when they want to take the third card. This means that they have direct input on the outcome and don’t have to play according to strict drawing rules.

3.   Is there a strategy to consistently winning at Chemin de Fer Baccarat?

The smartest way to play the game is to use a Chemin de Fer betting system, have a dedicated gambling bankroll, and focus on betting on the Banker or the Player. That said, Chemin de Fer baccarat still involves a significant degree of luck, so no Chemin de Fer strategy is guaranteed to provide consistent profits.

4.   What are the betting limits typically associated with Chemin de Fer?

The Chemin de Fer betting limits primarily depend on the table you’re playing at. In online Chemin de Fer, this can be as low as $1 per bet. On the other end of the scale, the maximum betting limit in live casino venues and online live dealer baccarat can be several hundred dollars or more per hand with additional baccarat side bets.

5.   How can players practice and improve their skills in Chemin de Fer Baccarat?

The best way to practice Chemin de Fer is to play free baccarat online. Most online casinos offer the option of playing these real money games for free in demo mode. This enables players to practice for as long as they want before depositing money and playing for real cash.

6.   Are there any specific rules or customs unique to Chemin de Fer Baccarat?

Chemin de Fer differs from other baccarat variations like Punto Banco in that it involves more skill, as players can decide when they want to take the third card. Additionally, it differs from Baccarat Banque, where the casino always acts as the Banker.

Playing Baccarat’s Fastest Variation

Chemin de Fer is not a difficult game to learn, but it is more challenging than its more prevalent Punto Banco counterpart. This baccarat variation involves a skill element, so it requires practice and a good understanding of all of the gameplay components.

Nevertheless, with the information we’ve provided you with above, you can be certain you’ve covered every important aspect of the game.

With that in mind, before playing Chemin de Fer baccarat, make sure you understand all of the rules, set a fixed bankroll, and pick a betting strategy that works best for you. Doing this will enable you to enjoy the fun and excitement of Chemin de Fer while playing the game optimally.

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• Not all casino games are created equal – some offer better odds for players, such as Blackjack and Craps which are known for their lower house edge.
• Casino games like Blackjack are strategy-based, often offering a house edge as low as 1% or 2% if the player uses optimal strategy.
• On the flip side, other games known for their entertainment value rather than good odds, such as Keno and Slot Machines, often have a higher house edge.
• Games with best betting odds are often more complex. For instance, Poker requires skill and strategy but offers better odds for experienced players.
• While playing games with the best odds can maximize potential winnings, it’s important for players to gamble responsibly and consider the entertainment value of the game.

So if you’re looking for games with the best odds, you want to look for games that have the lowest house edge. Games with a lower house edge pay out more on average over time compared to games with a higher house edge.

Let’s take a look a some of the games that offer the best and worst odds of winning so you’re all set for your next trip to Sin City, or if you’re planning a staycation with a little recreational online gambling.

Casino Games With The Best Odds

1. Baccarat – House Edge 1.06-1.24%

Baccarat is a simple game with a very small house edge for the casino, making it one of the best games to play. All you have to do is bet whether the “player” or the “banker” wins the hand, and if you guess right, you will double your initial wager. 

You should avoid betting on the tie since it has a 14.36% house edge, compared to only 1.06% when betting on the banker and 1.24% when betting on the player.

Read more about baccarat strategy.

2. Blackjack – House Edge 0.5–2%

Although in blackjack you’ll need to understand the rules and a basic strategy, whether you win or not relies on the luck of the cards drawn.

If you’ve never played, it’s a very easy game to pick up.

You’re looking to score 21 or get as close to 21 as possible with your cards without busting, and without the dealer having a higher total.

Read more about blackjack’s house edge.

3. Video Poker – House Edge 0.5–5%

Video poker is played on machines at the casino, against the machine – rather than other players. While this does cut down on some of the skill aspects of poker, like bluffing or learning other players tells, poker still has one of the lower house edges.

You can also play online video poker.

4. Craps – House Edge 0–5.56%

In craps, you’re betting on the outcome of a roll of two dice by one of your fellow players, the “shooter”.

The ways to win are slightly more complicated than blackjack, but you’ll pick it up within a few rolls.

The house edge varies in craps, depending on the bets placed. Always check an individual casino’s odds and payout tables before playing.

5. Roulette – House Edge 2.7-5.26%

Another simple game of chance with pretty good odds of winning is roulette.

The ball rolls, it falls into a numbered slot on a wheel, either you picked the number – or group of numbers, or high and low, odd or even, red or black – or you didn’t.

It is also worth mentioning that there are multiple roulette variations. The most popular is European roulette, which has one zero field on the wheel and features a 2.7% house edge.

On the other hand, American roulette has a double zero field on top, which makes the house edge a whopping 5.26%, so you should definitely avoid it whenever you have a choice.

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Casino Games With The Worst Odds

1. Slots – House Edge 2–15%

Slot machines are hugely popular with casino-goers because they’re easy to play, entertaining, addictive, and – if you get lucky – you can win a lot of money.

There is nothing you can do to improve your win rate, though, as they are totally random.

So if you want to gain an edge over the casino you should consider playing a game where you can actually use a strategy.

2. Wheel of Fortune – House Edge 11%

In Wheel of Fortune, you bet on whether the wheel stops on $1, $5, $10, $20 or a joker.

But even if you bet that the wheel will land on a $1 mark (the safest bet), the house edge is 11%.

Bet on a joker and the house advantage is as high as 24%.

3. Keno – House Edge 20–40%

In Keno there are 80 numbers. The house picks 20 and you win according to how many of that 20 you selected.

Just don’t start looking at the actual mathematical probabilities involved; they will make your eyes spin like one of those slots we just talked about.

This is usually the worst game to play at the casino in terms of your odds of winning, so if you do play, know that you’re unlikely to win. Ever.

Go For Entertainment, Not To Make Money

Look, you’re in Las Vegas to have fun.

Maybe you’ve saved up for a trip of a lifetime and you know the money in your pocket won’t be there when it’s time to head to the airport.

But it’s definitely worth looking out for games that’ll help your cash go a bit further.

• The premise of the Iron Cross Craps strategy is that you have only one roll to win, making it a one-hit-and-down setup.
• The Iron Cross Strategy involves placing bets on the 5, 6, and 8, along with a field bet, to cover more potential outcomes.
• This strategy offers frequent wins, but while losses are less common, they can be more substantial.
• The Iron Cross betting strategy works just as well in online craps as it does in a local casino.
• Remember to set a betting limit to manage potential losses, as with all craps betting strategies. The Iron Cross is an exciting approach, but it doesn’t guarantee a win.

The Iron Cross craps strategy involves making use of the Place bets and the Field bet to give you a high chance of winning on every throw of the dice. Given the sheer number of bets and variety of possible strategies, the Iron Cross is one that’s easy to master.

In this article, we’ll review what the Iron Cross is all about and we’ll review the steps, the math, and answer the most important question: is the Iron Cross a good craps strategy to deploy in at the casino?

What is The Craps Iron Cross Strategy?

The craps Iron Cross strategy is popular because it is set up to cash in on a hot shooter. The Iron Cross craps strategy covers multiple numbers, so it produces regular, small wins. In a casino game like craps, where the house holds a small advantage, many players get more enjoyment if they can play longer and get frequent small wins instead of aiming for a unlikely jackpot win.

If that sounds like it’s a betting style that suits you, the craps Iron Cross betting method might be a good fit. You need only learn two basic bet types: Field bets and Place bets.

The goal is simple: use a combination of these two bets to cover every throw of the dice on the craps table except a 7. Specifically, we’ll use the Place bets for 5,6, and 8. Then we’ll use the Field bet for 2,3,4,9,10,11, and 12. As long as the dice don’t equal 7, you’ll make money on every throw.

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Craps Iron Cross Strategy: Place and Field Bets Overview

Because Place and Field bets are a little bit off the beaten path in terms of craps bets, it’s good to do a quick review of the more popular bets in craps.

This baseline gives you a jumping-off point for understanding where and how the craps Iron Cross strategy differs from standard gameplay and betting approaches.

• Pass Line/Come Bet: While these bets are not part of the Iron Cross, learning them is to understand the essential flow of the game. Most people bet on a version of the Pass Line and/or Come bets. When you place these bets, the next roll results in one of three outcomes: a 7 or 11 wins (paying even money), a 2,3, or 12 loses. In either of those two outcomes, the Pass Line/Come bet is concluded.
  
  However, should the first roll of a Pass Line/Come bet be any other number (4,5,6,8,9, or 10, collectively known as points) the bet changes and is now subject to a brand new set of rules. Your wager is now affected by two numbers: if the dice come 7, your Pass Line/Come bet loses, but if that point is rolled before a 7 appears, it wins and pays even money. The wager stays alive until one of those two outcomes.

We’re lumping these two bets in together because they behave the same way; the only difference is that players place Pass Line bets at the beginning of a shooter’s turn. Craps players place Come bets during the shooter’s turn.

Many players like to have wagers on several points at a time. By doing so, they stand to profit when a hot shooter comes along (someone who throws point after point without throwing a 7). Establishing points via Pass Line/Come is a valid option, but what if you don’t want to wait? Read on!

• Place: These bets mimic the Pass Line and Come bets that have passed and are tied to point throws. That is, they win if their point appears before a 7, they lose on a 7, and are unaffected by any other throw. However, there are a few important differences.
  
  When you make a Place bet on a number, you’re selecting the specific point rather than taking what the dice give you, as you would on a Pass Line/Come bet. Also, that wager is active immediately on that number; there is no need to pass through the first stage of rules on Pass Line/Come (that win on 7 or 11 and lose on 2,3, or 12).  

Payouts on Place bets vary with the number you select and are another difference with Pass Line/Come bets. For 6 and 8, you win $7 for every $6 wagered. For 5 and 9, you win $7 on every $5 wagered, and for 4 and 10, you win $9 for every $5 wagered.

• Field: this is a simple single-roll bet that pays off when the 8 least common numbers come up on the dice. Place this wager before any throw and you’ll win even money on 3,4,9,10, and 11. Most casinos will pay 2-to-1 on the Field bet if 2 or 12 appear. Field bets lose on 5,6,7, and 8.

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Executing the Craps Iron Cross Strategy 

The first part of the Iron Cross craps betting strategy involves making three simultaneous Place bets on the 5,6, and 8. Remember, Place bets stay in effect until their number hits or a 7 hits. Should any of these numbers come up your bet wins; you’ll collect your chips and re-make the bet if necessary.

Once a dealer recognizes you’re maintaining these active Place bets, they’ll only hand you your profits on a win, leaving the original wager in place as the roll continues.

Adding in the Field Bet

Once you’ve made Place bets, you’re ready for the second part of the Iron Cross craps strategy: the Field bet. This is one of the few wagers the player can make without the assistance of the craps dealers. Field bets win or lose on every throw of the dice, so be ready to replace losses.

The amount you wager depends on the minimum bet at the table. Start with the minimum bet size for the Field bet and the Place 5 bet. But you’ll want to make Place bets on the 6 and 8 in $6 increments, so these wagers will always be a little bit bigger.

For example, at a $15 minimum table, you’d place $15 bets on the Field and Place 5, then for the Place 6 and 8, you’d make $18 wagers, which is the closest multiple of 6 that meets the minimum bet requirements.

Example Craps Iron Cross Strategy Game Flow

You’re at a $10 minimum bet craps table. Here’s how an Iron Cross might play out. Note that when you win, some dealers leave your original bet alone and just slide your profits to you. If they return your original bet as well, you’ll need to remember to replace that wager before the next roll.

Before the dice are out, that is, before the stickman has pushed the dice to the shooter (which is an indication he or she is free to roll) you place a $10 wager directly onto the Field bet.

Then you take $34 in chips, push them in front of you in the Come bet area and tell the closest dealer on to place the 5,6, and 8. The dealer puts $10 on Place 5, and $12 each on Place 6 and 8.

1. Roll is a 5. Your $10 Field wager loses; you’ll need to replace it with another $10 in chips. Your Place 6 and 8 bets are unaffected but your Place 5 bet is a winner. The dealer will slide $14 in profits to you. So far you’re ahead $4 ($14 minus the $10 on the lost Field bet.)
2. Roll is a 2. All Place bets are safe, and your Field bet is a double winner! (Remember 2 and 12 get paid out 2-to-1). The dealer slides $20 in chips to you.
3. Roll is an 8. The Place 5 and Place 6 are unaffected, and the Place 8 is a winner, netting you $12. Your $10 Field bet loses so you replace it. This throw earned you $2.
4. Roll is a 10.  Place bets are unaffected. Your Field bet is a winner, netting you $10 for this throw.
5. Roll is a 4. Place bets are unaffected and the Field nets you another $10.
6. Roll is a 7. All four of your bets lose and are raked. For this sequence, you made $46 against $34 in wagers, resulting in a $12 profit.

Players using $10 Pass Line/Come bets to establish points would have gotten hit hard in this sequence. An initial Pass Line bet would have gone to 5, followed by a losing Come bet when the 2 appeared.

Players who kept betting the Come would have gotten $10 bets established on the 8,10, and 4 before seeing all bets wiped out by the 7 before any of the points had paid off.

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Advantages of the Craps Iron Cross Strategy

If you followed the example above, you can see that best outcome is when Field numbers appear because the result is pure profit. And when the Place bets win, it’s at least enough to cover the lost Field bet. Here are some positives about the Iron Cross craps strategy:

• Wide Coverage: With a Field bet plus Place bets on 5, 6, and 8, every outcome is covered except for 7.
• Frequent Wins: There are 36 possible combinations using two dice; six of those result in a 7. That means when you play the Iron Cross, 30 of 36 rolls (83.3%) have a positive outcome.
• Fun: Frequent wins makes for engaging and exciting gameplay.

Variations of the Iron Cross Craps Strategy

There are several variations of the Iron Cross strategy that players can explore:

• Pressed Place Bets: Instead of taking your profit on a Place bet win, you can tell the dealer to “press it.” That’s craps language that indicates to the dealer that you want to use your winnings to increase the size of your bet.
• Differential Place Bets: Because the Place 6 and 8 have a smaller house edge, some players like to bet a little more on these two bets.  At a $10 table you might have $18 each on Place 6 and 8.
• Other Bets: Advanced players might enhance their wins on Place 6 and 8 by also betting Hard 6 and/or Hard 8 bet, which pay a bonus when the number comes up as a double (e.g. if 6 is rolled as 3-3). ?Just remember Hardway bets have a big house advantage, so they’ll add some flavor to your game, but they won’t help your odds of winning.

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Disadvantages Of The Craps Iron Cross Strategy

While the Iron Cross strategy has several advantages, it’s no craps panacea.

• Overall House Edge: no betting strategy or sequence can overcome a game where the individual bets have a house edge. The Iron Cross is a gameplay strategy to maximize the craps experience, but it is not a strategy that will make money in the long run.

• Field Bet: To put a finer point on the house edge question, any strategy that relied on the Field bet should be met with skepticism. The house edge on a standard Field bet is 5.56%. However, some casinos offer 3-to-1 on either 2 or 12 (but rarely both) instead of the standard 2-to-1, cutting the edge down to 2.8%.

• Limited Big Wins: The Iron Cross betting approach is more likely to deliver small, frequent wins versus other multi-number strategies which can deliver bigger profits on a long roll.

In a qualitative comparison, the Iron Cross strategy stands out for its frequent wins and engaging gameplay. However, quantitatively, strategies involving pass line and come bets with full odds offer a lower house edge and higher potential payouts, making them more favorable for long-term play.

Win More Stacks With The Craps Iron Cross Strategy

The Iron Cross strategy offers an engaging way to play craps, appealing to players who like seeing a steady stream of chips come their way, however small the stacks are.

While it provides a sense of momentum and excitement, it also comes with disadvantages such as the house edge and limited potential for big wins. But as long as you know the pros and cons before you play, you might just find the Iron Cross to be the perfect intersection of risk and reward!

Title Image Credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

• A 3 bet is the 3rd bet in a poker round, when a player raises on the 2 bet in poker, or the initial preflop raise.
• This happens when one player bets, another player raises, and then either the original bettor or another player makes another raise. This second raise constitutes a 3 bet
• In Texas Hold ‘Em and Omaha Poker, the blinds are considered the first bet, which is why the second raise is a ‘3 bet’
• For example, if one player raises to $15 before the flop, and the other player makes it $45, the player raising to $45 is making a 3-bet.
• Preflop betting is a huge part of poker strategy. This guide will take you through exactly what poker 3 bet is, how the value of your poker hands factors into your decision making, and how to build and implement a three bet in poker strategy.

A 3 bet in online poker is a a raise made after another player has made a raise already. Although the expression is often used to describe pre-flop action, a poker 3 bet can also happen after the flop.

During a poker game, 3 betting is an important part of poker strategy, from video poker to live dealer poker, allowing players to increase their aggression levels, resulting in winning more pots when bluffing and scooping bigger pots with the best value poker hands.

Figuring out when to 3 bet in poker, how to size your 3 bet poker properly depending on a situation, and what poker hands to pick can be tricky, but it is essential on your path to becoming a successful and profitable poker player in the long run.

What is a 3 Bet in Poker: The Basics

If you’re new to the game of online poker, the definition in the introduction will give you an idea of a 3 bet is and how it works. However, the definition alone doesn’t explain what makes this bet different from other bets and why it’s so important to develop a deep understanding of this concept.

There are several main goals that we want to achieve when placing a 3 bet in poker, and we can accomplish two or more of these with a single bet:

• Taking control of the betting – When you 3 bet in poker before the flop, players who stick around will usually call, giving you control of the betting on future streets.
• Hand protection – When you have a strong hand, 3 bet poker helps you reduce the number of players to the flop, making it easier to realize your equity.
• Isolating weak players – You can use 3 bet poker to target weak players and attack their raises, ensuring you play them heads-up by removing other players from the pot.
• Making you harder to play against – If other players know that you are capable of 3 betting, they’ll be less likely to attack your blinds, and when they do, they’ll have to fight harder for the pots.

Like with every other aspect of poker strategy, such as ICM in poker, finding a good balance is crucial. You want to 3 bet at the right frequency and with the correct poker hands to make the most out of this move.

Most players don’t do it enough, but there are also those who make one of the top 10 mistakes in poker, 3 betting too often, leaving them exposed to observant opponents who’ll take advantage of this tendency.

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What Does 3 Bet Mean in Poker: Purpose & Strategy of a 3 Bet in Poker

A 3 bet in poker is one of the most powerful moves when it comes to pre-flop betting. In many lower-stakes games, players don’t know how to properly respond to it, and very few have balanced 4 betting ranges. This means that a good 3 betting strategy can give you a big edge.

By attacking a pre-flop raise, you’re conveying a message that you have a strong hand, allowing you to pick up the pot right then and there or proceed to the flop with an advantage.

On high-card boards, you’ll have a range advantage, and on lower and middling boards, you’ll still have some coverage because of a balanced poker strategy that doesn’t include just the best poker hands.

When deciding whether to play 3 bet poker or not, there are a few things to look at:

• The raiser table position – A player raising from a late position will usually have a weaker range, which means you can attack it with a wider scope of poker hands. Conversely, an early position raise conveys more strength, which should lead to a tighter 3 betting range.
• Your hand – Your hand is important when deciding whether to 3 bet. Some of your strongest holdings will want to 3 bet almost always, while other poker hands are good candidates for light 3 bets, especially against late position openers.
• Stack sizes – It’s important to be aware of all relevant stack sizes and poker chip values when making a pre-flop 3 bet. If there are particularly short stacks still to act or the original raiser doesn’t have many chips behind, you should usually tighten your 3 betting range.

In addition to these general considerations, you should always think about any specific reads you have on the player whose raise you’re attacking.

If you know someone to be opening a very tight range in general, you’ll want to deviate from your standard pre-flop poker strategy and skip on some of the weakest theoretically correct 3 bets. By the same token, against players who open too frequently and have a wide opening range, you should be looking for opportunities to 3 bet in poker.

That said, always try to think beyond the pre-flop. If you know someone is sticky and will often call a 3 bet to see the flop, you should increase your frequency when in position and avoid some of the marginal 3 bets when out of position.

What is 3 Bet Poker: Types of 3 Bets

We’ve already talked about some of the main goals we want to achieve when 3 betting. With these goals in mind, 3 bets can be divided into three main groups:

• Value 3 bets – These are 3 bets done with the strongest part of our range, like big pocket pairs, AK, and AQ. What exactly our value poker 3 bet range looks like will depend on the position where the raise is coming from, and any reads we have on the player. For example, pocket 9s are a value poker 3 bet against a button open, but we can’t raise with them for value against a reasonable UTG (under the gun) raise.
• Bluff 3 bets – Certain poker hands play very well as bluffs before the flop. Some of the best bluffing 3 bet candidates are small suited aces because of their ability to flop flush and straight draws, which allow you to put a lot of pressure on your opponent.
• Semi-bluff 3 bets – When talking about semi-bluff 3 betting poker hands, we’re talking about post-flop situations. With certain drawing hands, you’ll want to go for a 3 bet poker to put the maximum pressure and try to win with aggression while still maintaining some equity if you get called.

What is a 3 Bet in Poker: Important Factors to Consider

Armed with the answer to ‘what is a 3 bet in poker?’ what its main goals are, and the three major types of 3 bet, we can now move on to the most important part: the implementation.

It is one thing to say that it’s good to 3 bet because it helps us improve our aggression and win more pots. It is an entirely different thing, though, to figure out when to 3-bet in poker and what are some of the most important factors to pay attention to besides the one we’ve mentioned earlier.

Poker Game Dynamics

Game dynamics will play a huge role in how you construct your 3 betting ranges. While you can use GTO charts as your starting point, you shouldn’t be following these blindly, especially in lower stakes and live games, where players often have pronounced tendencies that you can take advantage of.

When figuring out your pre-flop strategy for a particular poker table at a casino, you should first figure out how that table plays overall. Are general tendencies more passive or are they on a more aggressive side? Are players opening a lot of hands, are there many callers before the flop, etc.?

This also applies to games of online poker, live dealer poker, or video poker. The same poker strategies apply to digital games as much as local casino games.

This information will help you create an idea of what their tendencies are and what their hand ranges look like. Based on this knowledge, you can make adjustments to your 3 betting strategy, adding or removing hands and deciding if including some of the marginal poker hands makes sense or if you should stick to a tighter, more straightforward approach.

Player Stack Sizes

Likewise, you should also be aware of stack sizes, especially in tournaments, where this is one factor that changes constantly.

Perhaps the player to your left has been on a 50+ big blind stack for the entire poker tournament, but they had just lost a huge hand, and now they are down to just seven or eight big blinds. This is something you have to consider when deciding whether to 3 bet light, as you’ll be committed to calling that player’s all-in once you 3 bet.

In cash games, you won’t often have to deal with short stacks, but you should be careful when entering pots against extremely deep-stacked opponents. When 3 betting in these situations, you need to have a solid plan for future streets and a general idea of how you want to proceed in a pot when you miss or make a marginal hand.

It doesn’t take that much for a pot to balloon out of control, and it usually starts with a 3-bet before the flop, so you must always be very aware of all stack sizes and seriously consider them when making your decisions.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid When 3 Betting

Playing aggressive poker at a online casino isn’t just effective. It’s also fun and exciting, so it’s not hard to fall into the trap of taking things too far. To help you avoid these situations, here are a few common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid when it comes to 3 betting:

• 3 betting too much against early position opens – Unless you have a very specific reason to think otherwise, you should respect early position opens and only go after them with very strong poker hands. This is especially true when you are in an early position as well and have several players to act after you. Many players tend to forget about other people involved in a hand and focus only on the original opener, which can be a costly mistake to make.
• Not balancing properly – When 3 betting, you have to make it difficult for your opponents to put you on a hand. If you’re 3 betting only with your strongest poker hands, good players will quickly pick up on it. Instead, you want to use what’s known as a “polarized” range, which includes your best hands but also a decent number of weaker hands.
• Using a bad sizing – It’s very important to use a proper size when 3 betting. While there is no one magic number, you want to make the 3 bet big enough so that it’s not an automatic call for your opponent with their entire range. This is especially true when 3 betting out of position, as you almost never mind picking up the pot on the spot. When playing deep-stacked, good players will often use big 3 bet poker sizes to make it harder for their opponents to call and to send a clear message that if they do call, they might end up playing for the stacks by the river.

For example:

If you’re playing 200 big blinds deep and face a cutoff raise in the big blind, you will often want to 3 bet with a hand like Ah5h. But if the cutoff opens to 3 BBs (big blinds), you should 3 bet to at least 10, and maybe even 12 big blinds.

Anything smaller will make it an easy call for a player in position, and that eliminates a big part of the reason you’re 3 betting in the first place, i.e., to win the pot without going to the flop.

Advanced 3 Betting Tactics

The concept of 3 betting in poker is a vast and very important topic, so this article, as long as it is, doesn’t nearly cover all of the different angles and nuances there are to this move.

With that in mind, we’ll quickly go over some advanced 3 betting tactics that can help nudge you in the right direction as you look to improve and solidify your pre-flop strategy.

Creating a Balanced 3 Bet Poker Range

We’ve mentioned a few times in this article the importance of a balanced 3 betting range, but what does this mean exactly? There isn’t a one-fit-all answer to this question, as what your 3 betting range looks like will depend on stack sizes, positions, and player tendencies.

Generally speaking, though, you want to have a range that has your good poker hands balanced out with enough weaker hands so that your poker strategy isn’t too predictable.

For example:

If you’re 3-betting hands like AK, AQ, KQs, and pocket pairs down to pocket 10s for value, you will want to include hands like KQo, A2s – A5s, and some suited connectors into your 3 betting range to create a good balance.

Paying Attention to Poker Hand Frequencies

In addition to figuring out a solid range, you also need to think about frequencies. If a hand like KQo is in your 3-bet bluffing range, this doesn’t mean you’ll want to 3-bet with it every time. Maybe you’ll do it 70% of the time and fold it the remaining 30%. To balance this out, you’ll sometimes just call with your strongest poker hands like pocket Aces.

Combining 3 Betting With Other Post-Flop Strategies

In the ideal world, your opponents would be folding to all of your 3 bets, and you’d be printing money. In the real world, however, this doesn’t happen, and you’ll often have to play in 3 bet poker pots across multiple streets.

When devising your 3-bet poker strategy, you always need to have this in mind. The moment you make a 3 bet, you should be thinking about different scenarios and how you want to tackle them. What sort of boards will you be continuing on, what board textures are best to check on, and what, if any, opportunities there are to go for a check-raise?

When planning all this, you’ll have to think about more than just your hand. Your opponents’ ranges, tendencies, and stack sizes will play a huge role in how you devise your post-flop strategies in 3 bet poker pots, but those fall outside of scope of this particular article.

What is a 3 Bet In Poker: Your Questions Answered

• Is a 3bet better than an open raise? – The benefits of a 3 bet in poker over an open-raise is that a 3 bet will often force players with weaker hold cards out before the flop, reducing competition for the pot. With a good 3-bet, you might also pick up the entire pot preflop, which you cannot do with an open-raise.
• What is a linear 3 bet poker range? – A linear 3 bet range is a list of poker hands, in descending order a value, that are strong enough to 3 bet on. A linear 3 bet range is one composed exclusively of value-bets.
• What hands should I 3bet with? – As noted, there isn’t one straight answer to this question. It will depend on table dynamics, stack sizes, and whether you’re using polarized or linear betting ranges. Familiarizing yourself with all aspects of pre-flop betting is the best way to decide on which poker hand to three bet on at any given time.

Adding 3 Bet Poker to Your Poker Strategy

A poker 3 bet is one of the most powerful weapons in a player’s pre-flop betting arsenal. Knowing when to 3 bet, what hands to do it with, and how to properly size your 3 bets to get value and deny your opponents’ equity is essential to your long-term success in poker.

While we covered many important aspects of the 3 betting poker strategy in this article, the bulk of your knowledge and understanding will come from practice and analysis. Don’t be afraid to test different things against different players and then spend some time analyzing these spots.

A little free video poker is a great way to practice your 3-betting without spending a dime!

With time and practice, you’ll be able to pick up many interesting trends and flaws in both your and your opponent’s game, allowing you to improve and perfect your 3 betting poker strategy.

When used correctly, this can be one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox. Most players, especially those new to the game, are afraid of a poker 3 bet, whether when they have to face them or when they’re the ones who should use them. Break away from this pattern, develop an understanding of this important porker strategy concept, and you’ll quickly see significant improvements in your results!

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• Ghosting is a form of cheating in online poker where a highly ranked player plays using the account of a less skillful player. This is also called multi-accounting.
• Since players in online poker are normally ranked to make matchmaking fairer. Ghosting allows more experienced and skillful players to take advanced of newer, less experienced players.
• Ghosting online poker can also mean a more experienced player coaching a less experienced player on how to play their hand during an online poker game.
• World class-players such as Bryn Kenney, Ali Imsirovic and Jake Schindler have all been accused of ghosting in order to easy money off other players.
• This article will fully explain what ghosting is in online poker, live dealer poker, or video poker, why it’s a problem, and how to avoid getting caught out by this form of cheating.

If you’re looking to learn about ghosting in online poker, you’ve come to the right page (and no, it’s not when someone you know suddenly cuts off all communication on social media without any explanation). In the world of online poker, ghosting refers to a skilled player taking over for a less experienced user during gameplay.

This sneaky tactic has been on the rise in recent years, prompting operators to take action. Keep reading to learn more about poker ghosting and the measures being used to combat it.

What is Ghosting in Online Poker ?

Cheating in poker can take on many forms, with many high level poker cheating scandals to prove it. However one of the most potent forms is online poker ghosting. In simple terms, ghosting involves a player with higher skill replacing a less skillful player during gameplay.

This could be just for one hand or for extended periods. The most dangerous form of poker ghosting happens in online poker tournament play.

A group may have a tournament specialist ready to jump into the game when another player in the group reaches a higher stage in the tournament, such as the final table. When this happens, the expert will enter the game and use their ability to get the best results and potentially win the tournament.

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Why is Online Poker Ghosting a Problem?

Poker is one of the few online casino games where skill is an element of gameplay. An experienced or high-skill player will make more intelligent betting decisions, play the best poker hands more accurately, and be more subtle with bluffing.

Any group of players who can call upon such a skillful player will give themselves an unfair advantage. Of course, if the skilled player were to join the tournament at the start, that would be fine. Instead, cheating occurs when the skilled player replaces another without the other participants knowing. That is why all top online poker platforms ban ghosting and deem it to be cheating.

Online Poker Ghosting ‘Stables’

On the surface, ghosting would not be a major issue in poker if it was a casual occurrence. However, because ghosting is possible in online poker, there is a real danger, and it is becoming increasingly common. In fact, there are professional-level poker players who have put together “stables” of mediocre players that they stake. Vice versa, less-skilled players have recruited experts to be their ghost player.

Stables will send the weaker players into the initial stages of big-money online poker tournaments. These players may still be good enough to get through early rounds and build big stacks. When the stable player manages to go deep into the tournament, the ghosting poker expert will take over and compete in the latter stages or final table.

So-called “grindhouses” have become increasingly common, hosting dozens of players who will literally grind online poker tournaments in attempts to go deep into the competition. This has become enough of a problem that some estimates suggest the grindhouses are making millions by cheating.

The situation was thrown into the spotlight when legendary tournament player Bryn Kenney was alleged to be operating a stable of players.

Types of Online Poker Ghosting

Poker ghosting can happen in several ways beyond stables and in tournaments. Below are the types of ghosting that online casinos prohibit:

• Joining an online poker room in the middle of a game and allowing someone else to play for you.
• Agreeing to play for someone else during an online game or tournament.
• Contacting an experienced player and having them give you poker tips during gameplay. This form of poker ghosting online is almost impossible to detect.
• Using two accounts simultaneously during the same game to trick opponents into thinking there are two players.

Risks and Consequences of Poker Ghosting

Poker ghosting is a massive issue for online poker rooms, be they video poker, live poker dealer or fully virtual games, not least because it is extremely hard to detect when it is happening. Even if the site can detect ghosting, proving it is even more difficult. That’s because many poker players have unique styles of play that they change interchangeably. In other words, it is hard to know if there are two different players or just one player using distinctive styles.

While finding concrete proof that someone is ghosting rather than simply playing differently is impossible, online casinos don’t need proof. These operators are free to ban players whenever they want and for any reason. If they even suspect a player is poker ghosting, that player is likely to lose their account and be banned.

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Why Should You Avoid Ghosting Poker Players?

Online poker casinos are also turning to simple campaigns to warn players to avoid ghosting. For novice players, the idea of drafting an expert player to win a tournament can be appealing. Likewise, skilled players creating stables of players who go deep into competition could make gathering prize money easier.

However, the reality of poker ghosting is that it hurts the poker room, but more importantly, it harms your fellow players. It is not only considered cheating and a bannable offense by poker operators but also unethical. If you are handing your deep tournament performances to a better player, you will also not be learning the theory, like ICM in poker, improve your own game.

Your skills will never improve, and you will never experience the excitement of playing at a real money poker tournament. Of course, if you are caught or suspected of ghosting, the poker room or casino will ban you and block your account. In cases where someone is caught multiple times, sites may even share information, making it hard for you to have accounts with any online poker provider.

Detecting and Reporting Ghosting Behavior: Protecting Yourself Online

To help find cheaters, poker sites are increasingly turning to AI, which will automatically search for anomalies in player style. Because of how hard it is to definitively spot ghosting poker techniques, it can be difficult for players to get involved with detecting ghosting. Even so, there are some things you can do:

• If you encounter a player more than once in a tournament and their playing style is drastically different, this can raise some concerns.

• Is there a player on your table who seems to be of much higher skill than anyone else? Remember, poker ghosting involves drafting a top player to complete a tournament.

• Do you see the same player winning multiple tournaments over a short time? Admittedly, the online poker room will likely spot this before you.

• You can report your suspicions to the online poker operator. Whether it is through live chat or email, your report should include the player’s name, the games you suspect cheating, and dates.

Avoiding This New Style of Online Poker Cheating

Ghosting poker techniques are an increasingly common form of cheating and have become more dangerous for poker rooms and players. Remember, ghosting in poker is harming other players, so never be tempted to engage in this method. Doing so could also lead to you being banned from the poker room.

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• A “gutshot” in online poker is a hand in which a player is one card short of a straight, but the missing card is in the middle, not at either end.
• This is also known as an inside straight draw or belly buster, where the player needs to draw one of four cards to complete the straight.
• Gutshots are considered weaker poker hands because they have fewer outs (cards that will complete the draw) compared to open-ended straight draws.
• Betting or calling on a gutshot is often considered risky, but it can pay off if the situation is right, especially if this unexpected move can be used to mislead opponents.
• Understanding when to pursue a gutshot — considering factors like pot odds, implied odds, and your opponents’ tendencies — can elevate your poker strategy.

If you’re playing online poker, live dealer poker or video poker, or sat at your local casino, a poker gutshot draw is the weakest one out there, as you only have four outs that can help you. Yet, many beginners, who are just starting to learn poker, tend to overestimate a single gutshot and will often put way too many chips into the middle with this type of hand.

For this reason, it’s important to talk about poker gutshot draws and explain math and other strategic considerations behind them. Generally speaking, this is not a strong hand, but if you know how to play it correctly in different situations, it can be a profitable one.

What is a Gutshot Draw in Poker?

A gutshot straight draw is a straight draw that can only be completed with a specific card (four outs). For example, on a board of 3S 4D QD, a player holding 6H 7H has a gutshot, as only a five will complete the draw and turn it into a made straight.

Another example of a gutshot draw would be holding KA QS on a 9H 3H 5C board. In this example, you need one of the four Jacks from the deck to complete your draw, and this is what it is referred to as a single gutshot.

There are also double gutshot draws, but we won’t be covering them in this article, as their math is essentially the same as for open-ended straight draws. For example, if you have 6C 9C on a 5H 7H 3C, you can complete the draw with eight cards – four 8s and four 4s, which is the same number of outs you have in an open-ended straight draw.

It is important to be aware of gutshot draws on the board and cards that can potentially complete them on turns and rivers. Poker beginners often miss these and end up paying their opponents when they hit because they fail to recognize a straight-completing card.

As already mentioned, a gutshot in poker is one of the weakest draws you can have. Your odds of making your draw from flop to turn are just 8.5%, and the odds of hitting one of the four cards you need by the river are 16.5%.

These low percentages indicate that you should never play a big bet with just a gutshot draw if you believe the only way of winning the pot is by making your hand. In these scenarios, when facing any bet that is 50% of the pot or larger, you should just fold and move on.

Interpreting Gutshots in Poker Play

For beginner players, a gutshot can be a rather confusing hand. Without understanding the math we’ve just explained, it’s hard to understand why these hands aren’t worth chasing after. After all, if you make your straight, you can get paid, right?

The problem is, compared to all other draws, a gutshot straight is the least likely one to come in. For example, an open-ended straight draw will fill in almost 32% of the time by the river. The odds of completing a flush draw are even higher at 35%.

Some of these hands, flush draws especially, also have other “backup” features, such as hitting a top pair that might also give you a winner. Gutshots usually lack these properties and hitting a top pair when you have a gutshot can often be a bad thing, as that same card could complete the opponent’s straight draw.

To illustrate, if you have 7C 8C on a 4C 6H JH board, when you improve to a top pair with an 8 on the turn, that same card completes the potential open-ended straight draw from the flop (any 5-7 combo), and depending on the action, this combination can easily be in your opponent’s range.

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Playing Gutshot Draws Effectively

The first part of this article mainly focused on explaining what a gutshot is in poker and why you need to approach these hands very carefully and conservatively. However, with the right gutshot poker strategy, you can make these draws work for you.

There are a few things that you need to consider when you flop a gutshot draw:

• Am I in or out of position?
• Can I only win a hand by making a straight?
• If I make my hand, will I be able to win additional chips?

First of all, when you are out of position in poker, and you have a gutshot draw, I’d say that if you believe your only options are call or fold (when facing a reasonably sized bet), you’re always better off folding. Calling to try and hit an unlikely draw out of position isn’t a profitable strategy.

Sometimes, however, a gutshot straight draw can be a perfect hand to use as a check-raise bluff. On small and relatively connected boards, you’ll often have a range advantage as a player defending from the big blind. In these spots, using gutshots as semi-bluffs can be a valid strategy.

The main idea behind the move is to get your opponent to fold as you can credibly represent a strong hand. However, if they don’t, you still have some equity to fall back on.

For example, you face a hijack open and call from the big blind with 7S 8S. The flop comes 4H 5C 9D. When you check and they continue betting, you can credibly raise, as this is the board where you’ll have more sets, two-pair, and top-pair combinations. When you do get called, you can still hit a 6 to complete your draw.

Of course, it is important to find the right balance. You aren’t supposed to check-raise with 100% of your gutshots, and when you are in position, you can often just call and see what develops on the turn or river. When and if they give up, you can take a stab at the pot, depending on the texture, player tendencies, stack sizes, etc.

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Common Mistakes With Gutshot in Poker

We’ve already covered some of the most common mistakes with gutshot poker draws, but it’s good to try and list them all in one place for reference:

• Calling big bets, especially out of position
• Investing too much money with non-nut draws
• Continuing in the pot when you miss your draw and hit a pair instead
• Taking an aggressive approach when the opponent is on a very short stack
• Not getting enough value from made draws

You need to assess every situation individually and decide what the best course of action is. It’s easy to go on autopilot and fall into the trap of playing automatically, but check-raising against an opponent who only has six or seven blinds left is usually not going to work.

Likewise, if you’re going to chase a gutshot, whether by calling or by playing aggressively, you need to have a plan to extract the maximum value when your draws come in. Because these hands do not materialize often, you must make the most out of them whenever they do.

Advanced Techniques for Handling Gutshot Draws

Successful poker players don’t look at any individual strategy in a vacuum. Instead, they study and implement it as a part of a broader game plan, and this is exactly what you should be doing with your gutshot poker strategy.

The approach of let’s call or raise and see what happens is not the correct one. Instead, you need to take a few moments to make your decision, and during that process, you’ll want to figure out how to play out the rest of the hand.

If you go for a check-raise with your gutshot, you’ll want to have a plan on what happens when different cards hit. Likewise, if you call a bet, you should have an idea of how to play out future streets.

For example, if you call with a gutshot on a 4S 5S JD board, what do you do if turn pairs a 4 or a 5? These are cards you can credibly represent, so these can be good opportunities to take over the betting lead or put in a turn check-raise.

This way, you’re not relying on just the luck of a draw to win the pot but are instead giving yourself other opportunities to take it down.

Of course, factoring in general population tendencies and any specific reads you have on a player will be very useful. You should be less inclined to take an aggressive approach against an opponent that you know is sticky and will not fold easily.

At the same time, this is the type of opponent that you want to try and make your draw against even if you aren’t getting immediate odds, as you know they’ll be willing to put more money into the middle when you hit.

These are just a few simple examples of how you can adjust your gutshot poker strategy. There are many different scenarios and many different types of players you’ll encounter, but as long as you keep in mind the basic principles of this hand, you should do just fine.

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Gutshot in Poker Examples & Hand Analysis

It’s always easier to understand certain theoretical concepts when looking at real-life examples, so here’s an interesting hand played by Jonathan Little featuring a gutshot straight draw.

• Jonathan starts off with AC 2C in the hijack and makes a standard 2.5x raise (blinds are 200/400). The button. The big blind call and the flop come 7D 4H 3C, giving him a gutshot and a backdoor flush draw.
• After the big blind checks, he decides to continue for 1,700, and only the button calls. The turn is the 9C, bringing in the flush draw as well. This is where the backdoor potential kicks in – the hand isn’t just a gutshot, but it also has many cards that will allow it to keep betting.
• Now Jonathan bets 2,600, and the opponent calls once again. The river is the QC, completing the flush. Little goes for a massive bet of almost 19,000 into the pot of 12,500 to really put the opponent to the test.

This is a great example of playing a gutshot aggressively all the way through, realizing the full potential of the hand, and taking advantage of favorable turn and river cards.

If, however, Jonathan had a hand like AS 2S or AS 3S in this spot, without any backdoor opportunities, he’d probably take a much more cautious route, likely checking the flop against two opponents and giving up to any reasonable aggression.

Tips for Improving Gutshot Play

There are a few different ways to improve your gutshot poker strategy, but running simulations with these scenarios and looking at the numbers that come up is probably the best one.

When you do it enough, you’ll develop an understanding of how to tackle different board textures and play from different positions, realizing how often you should be bluffing with what types of hands and what hands are best played passively.

It goes without saying that seeking tips and advice from more experienced poker-playing friends can also help immensely. Since these can be very tricky spots, don’t be afraid to pick their brains and ask them what they think, as they can open your mind to some new possibilities that you’d never think of on your own.

The Gutshot Draw Unveiled: Elevating Your Poker Game with Strategic Insights

Gutshot straight draws are one of the most frequently misplayed hands in all of poker. Beginners make the mistake of overvaluing these hands, leading them to lose a lot of chips in spots where they had absolutely no need to do so.

Hopefully, this article will help deepen your understanding of the gutshot poker strategy and teach you how to get the most out of these draws. When navigated correctly, these hands can be profitable, especially against weaker competition that won’t be able to wrap their head around your play.

Keep on playing and studying, analyze different spots, and take advantage of different poker tools to help you develop the right strategies for gutshot straight draws, and it won’t take you long to start playing better than a large percentage of players in these spots.

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• Buying in bulk: Purchasing more scratch cards increases your chances of winning compared to buying a single card.
• Understanding the odds: Detailed information about the odds is usually printed behind the card, helping you choose ones with better winning odds.
• Varying your choices: Instead of sticking to one type of scratch card, try experimenting with ones of different values and themes.
• Checking unclaimed prizes: Some lotteries disclose information about unclaimed prizes. Stick to cards that still have large prizes available.
• Second-chance games: Don’t throw away non-winning scratchcards. Some lotteries offer second-chance drawings where you can enter non-winning tickets for another shot at a prize.

Scratchcards are a fun way alternative to casino games like poker or blackjack, and to try and earn some quick cash without having to spend too much when purchasing them. Just like the lottery, they are based on pure luck. But there are actually ways you can improve your chances of finding winning scratchcards.

We may not be able to show you how to win scratch offs every time you play, but we can show you the scratch off tickets worth buying and these tips will certainly help improve your odds!

1. Don’t Buy The Cheapest Ones

The number of scratchcards available these days is mind-boggling, and it can be a bit of a minefield for those who aren’t familiar with them.

There are so many different designs, prices, prizes, and brands that it can get very confusing or hard to make a decision, so keep your focus when buying scratchcards to enhance your chances of winning.

If you’re looking for how to find winning scratch off tickets, we know it might be tempting to opt for the cheaper tickets and some people will often buy a number of these. However, they’re cheap for a reason. The prize pool is lower.

You would be better off buying higher-priced scratch offs but buying fewer. Quality over quantity is very true when it comes to finding scratch off tickets worth buying.

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2. Check The Small Print

This might sound more like advice you would heed when you’re taking out a loan, but it also applies for finding winning scratchcards.

The small print can often tell you what your odds are of winning on that specific card. So it makes absolute sense to read it. Who would want to opt for longer odds over shorter odds?

Also, it’s crucial you check your state’s lottery home page. They will have information about the remaining prizes. It’s estimated that in more than 10% of scratch off tickets sold, there are no longer any major prizes left in the game.  By comparing prizes left on the lottery site, you can get a much better sense of whether these are scratch off tickets worth buying.

3. How to Win Scratch Off Tickets: Buy In Bulk

One tactic some scratch card players swear by is buying their scratchcards in bulk to find scratch off tickets worth buying.

They’ll purchase about five scratch offs from the same game in a single trip to the shop, as opposed to buying just one single scratch card and then making several trips over a period of time to buy another from the same game.

Some believe that if you buy in bulk, then the odds of hitting a win increase, since the manufacturers often place a win frequently throughout their scratch offs.

So if you bulk buy scratchcards in one purchase, the chance of hitting one of those planted winning scratchcards is going to be higher than if you bought the same number of scratchcards over a period of several purchases.

You should only do this if your budget allows this, though.

4. Play Them Like Slots

You’ll find there are some slots players who loiter around machines to wait until players go on a dry spell or a number of players fail to hit a jackpot prize. The long drought can mean that the slot machine is about to hit.

If you try this method, you’ll need to hang around a store or outlet that sells the scratchcards for a bit of time and that could be something you’re not entirely comfortable with – or have the time for!

Maybe start a conversation with the store keeper or ask the vendor if they have had any winning scratchcards being bought lately. Be subtle, but it could be the key to a big win.

Image Credit: Icatnews/Shutterstock

5. Keep Your Old Tickets

No, this isn’t for a feeling of nostalgia. There is a damn good reason for this.

You might breeze through a scratch card and think it’s a loser. But don’t throw it away! You never know, you might pick up on a mistake you might have made at a later date.

In some cases, jackpots are never won, so the manufacturer requests losing tickets to pick a best loser. It can happen.

Don’t be the dummy who threw away a winning ticket!

6. Submit All Losing Tickets

Similar to the above: The only way you can be absolutely sure you haven’t won is if you have your ticket officially checked.

Whether it’s a missed winning combination or there is simply an error on the card, you could be eligible for some sort of payment. There is always the chance you might have missed something.

Image credit: Viktoriia Ablohina/Shutterstock

7. Study The Scratchcards

Yes, there is actually a process called the “Singleton Method” that’s used by experienced scratch card players as part of their strategy for how to win scratch offs.

They analyze the layout and design of a scratch card to pick up on patterns that can give clues as to whether a scratch card has certain numbers, symbols, or combinations that can lead to a win.

Most scratch card manufacturers have caught onto this strategy and a large number now design their scratchcards to work against it.

But there are still a few who’ve not yet taken steps to address it. You can use it on the type of scratch offs where numbers are visible on the side, so it’s a method still worth pursuing.

Image Credit: Yau Ming Low/Shutterstock

8. Be Strict With Your Budget

You might not win more or less by this tactic, but it’s a safety buffer to keep you from losing too much money.

Set yourself a weekly or monthly budget and make sure you stick to it, so your finances don’t spiral out of control.

9. Pick A Game And Stick To It

This just seems to make logical sense. If you stick with a game and keep playing it then you will either win, or every losing ticket you play will be one more losing ticket out of the equation.

However, if you spread your spending over a number of games, then you could just endlessly hit losing scratchcards.

So pick a game you like and stick to it. In the long run, it’s a much better strategy.

It’s All About Lady Luck

We may not have been able to show you how to win scratch offs every time (if there was one simple trick, everyone would be doing it and companies would stop creating them!), but we have shown you some methods and strategies you can use to enhance your chances of winning.

Ultimately, it does come down to chance, but there is no harm in improving your odds of success.

In a case that has quickly become one of the most infamous cases in gambling history, Katrina Bookman entered Resorts World Casino in New York and hit a win for almost $43 million!?

But when she came to withdraw what would have been record slot winnings, she was informed by a casino employee that the slot machine had malfunctioned, and she had won nothing.

What could have become the biggest slot machine jackpot in US history soon became an unparalleled ordeal for Bookman…

The Katrina Bookman Story: What Actually Happened at the Casino?

On that fateful day over six years ago, Bookman headed to Resorts World Casino in New York.

She was playing Sphinx Wild, a popular slot game by a reputable software provider, and put just 40 cents into the machine.

It’s impossible to imagine how she must have felt when the machine alerted her to a jackpot win of $42.9 million.

Hitting the big time that day in late August 2016, Bookman saw the luck for her whole family change – earmarking $1 million for her aspiring barber son. Envisioning his dreams of a family barbershop come to fruition, she could barely wait to tell him the news.

“You Didn’t Win Nothing“

However, the slot machine’s alarm bells were no match for those in Bookman’s head when she joyously went to collect her winnings.

Turning her away empty-handed, casino management asked her to review the venue’s “official ruling” and return the following morning. Disturbed, as she turned to return home, she overheard a staff member saying Bookman “didn’t win nothing.”

After a sleepless night, Bookman returned to Resorts World Casino clutching the winning ticket.

To her horror, she was instead offered a complimentary steak dinner and the alleged $2.25 Sphinx Wild winnings she was owed, thanks to a machine malfunction.

This would be a heartbreaking result for anyone, but it was particularly hard news for Bookman – raised in foster care, homeless as a teenager and later a single mom to four kids – to take, as she hasn’t had it easy in life.

“I kept thinking about my family. The struggle I’ve been through; it’s hard to cope,” she told WABC in a tearful interview.

For someone who could really do with a break, the machine’s malfunction seemed particularly cruel.

Katrina Bookman: The Court Case

Bookman turned the casino down and instead took them up on a date at the Queens County Supreme Court, where she aimed to sue Resorts World Casino, partners Genting New York LLC, and software provider IGT for $42,949,672.76 in damages. 

What would have been the largest slot machine jackpot in US history was fast becoming a record-breaking nightmare.

Bookman, who was denied the full payout, cited that the torment of the saga affected her nervous system and left her “embarrassed, anxious and depressed.” 

Her attorney Alan Ripka challenged the accused, arguing that she was entitled to $6,500 (the maximum slot machine win) at the bare minimum. “The machine takes your money when you lose. It ought to pay it when you win,” retorted Ripka.

However, the defendant refused the claim, instead apologizing to Bookman for the inconvenience the ‘malfunction’ had caused. 

“You can’t claim a machine is broken because you want it to be broken,” Alan Ripka told CNNMoney.

“Does that mean it wasn’t inspected? Does it mean it wasn’t maintained? And if so, does that mean people that played there before [Bookman] had zero chance of winning?”

The New York State Gaming Commission said the machine had been displaying a disclaimer that read: “Malfunctions void all pays and plays.”

Checking out Resorts World’s casino floor games menu, the legendary Sphinx Wild machine is still earning its keep to this day amongst the thousands of titles in the New York complex.

Not only that – there are even updated variations of the slot now available, such as Sphinx and Sphinx 3D.

Where Is Katrina Bookman Now?

Unfortunately, there was no happy ending for Katrina Bookman. After delays to the case due to Covid, a judge at Queens County Supreme Court eventually ruled in favor of the defendants.

The reality was, the machine malfunctioned and the machine did display the following warning message to all players:

Malfunctions void all pays and plays

Can a Casino Just Refuse to Pay Out?

If there is a genuine malfunction with the machine, then, sadly, yes.

In a historical example of a similar trial, Pauline McKee, a 90-year-old grandmother from Illinois, was spinning her way to slot heaven on the Miss Kitty game at the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo.?

To her astonishment, she rang in a slot jackpot of $41 million. 

Enjoying casino games throughout her life, the seasoned gambler was skeptical but had high hopes of being proven wrong.

Much like Bookman, McKee was damningly told that she had not won a dime close to the supposed jackpot due to a slot machine malfunction, so the argument was taken to the Iowa Supreme Court.

Unfortunately, the defendant (Isle Casino Hotel) won the case, claiming that on-screen rules state that ‘Malfunction voids all pays and plays.’ 

Though devastating, real-life examples are sometimes necessary to remind gamblers that random number generators (RNGs) operate the wins of slot machines.

You can’t predict their outcome, with big losses just as likely (if not more) than massive jackpot wins.

Plus, with daily wear and tear, this makes occasional technical malfunctions just as likely as moderate jackpots that do pay out. 

Regardless, we hope fortune shines in Katrina Bookman’s favor and this high roller hell doesn’t taint her fighting spirit.

For more slots scandals, check out our article on Brian Christopher.

Lead image: Katrina Bookman via WABC

And cheaters!

With such huge payouts available, it’s no wonder that slot machines have always been a game of cat and mouse between cheaters and the house.

Let’s check out some of the naughty tricks used by slots cheaters over the years. We don’t recommend ever trying them yourself, though!

1. Cheat Code

Gambling authorities are there to ensure that the gaming industry is operating correctly and fairly.

Engineers design the best casino games so that they can be monitored and audited while also delivering quality gameplay. But what happens when an engineer decides to rig the codes for their own advantage?

The infamous slots cheat Ronald Dale Harris – an engineer from The Nevada Gaming Commission – did exactly that. He sure knew how to manipulate a slot machine!

For years, he cheated machines by knowing the source codes. It wasn’t until his partner had a big win in the casino – $100,000 on a keno game in 1995 – that the scam was discovered.

2. Shaved Coins

This scam using shaved coins doesn’t really exist today, but it’s still interesting to know about.

As technology advanced, slot machines began to use a light sensor to register payment. In a large number of machines, the optic sensor worked separately from the physical comparator.

Basically, that meant that if a shaved coin was sent down at the same time as an object that matched the shape and size of the required stake coin, the shaved coin would be returned whilst the other object would land in the machine and start play.

3. Fake Coins

Another method of slots cheating present throughout history was the use of fake coins.

Fake coins were used by con artist Louis “The Coin” Colavecchio to scam casinos for years until his arrest in 1998.

He was released in 2006 and quickly re-started his cheating. It was a matter of months before he was unsurprisingly sussed again.

4. Magnet

We often get asked how to cheat a slot machine with a magnet.

Let’s get one thing clear: it’s not actually possible to cheat modern day slot machines with a magnet, since they’re all programmed by computer software and aren’t magnetic.

However, people used to be able to cheat with a magnet on the older machines, when they were made of metal.

To cheat at slots using a magnet, you could spin the reels and then use a strong magnet on the outside of the machine to stop them spinning when you saw your winning combination.

Cheaters would then remove the magnet and claim the payout.

This wasn’t the most subtle cheat but, if done well, people could easily win lots of cash!

5. Yo-Yo

This slots cheat was all about the technique.

A string is attached to the coin, the coin is sent into the machine until it triggers the start of the game, and then the player brings the coin back up using the string.

Nowadays, this technique is all but redundant thanks to the march of technology.

It’s a real classic though and, if it worked, you could have seen a big win for free.

6. Light Wand

Tommy Glenn Carmichael is one of the most notorious slot cheats in gambling history. He is responsible for the light wand.

Magicians such as David Copperfield, Dynamo and David Blaine might have the ability to create the illusion of something happening, but Carmichael would use his light wand to make jackpot wins magically appear out of thin air.

The light wand would effectively blind the optical sensor on slot machines so it couldn’t work out how many coins had been deposited into the machine, meaning it wouldn’t know when to pay out or how much.

This meant Carmichael could manipulate a slot machine to his advantage, by turning small wins into massive payouts.

7. Piano Wire

This is an oldie but a goody in the world of how to cheat at slots.

A group of men worked together at the Caesars Boardwalk Regency casino in Atlantic City back in 1982. One man opened the targeted slot machine and attached 20-inch long piano wires to the whirring guts of the game.

The wires could then be used to jam the clock that measured the wheel rotations, allowing the group to manipulate the spins.

They hit the $50,000 jackpot but, unfortunately, their whole scam had been filmed and the winning player was arrested before he left the premises.

8. Top-Bottom Joint

This is one of the most cunning methods of cheating at slots and was popular with scammers in the 1970s and 1980s.

They used a special tool that was split into two parts. A top (a metal rod with its end bent in the shape of a “q”) and a bottom (a long wire).

By putting the bottom in through the coin chute and the top through the coin slot, the cheats were able to jam the machine and force the game to release all the coins it had stored.

Big wins galore!

9. Monkey Paw

It’s that man Carmichael again. He was a total genius, in cheating terms.

He was the creator of the “monkey paw”. After testing out new methods on a video poker machine, he eventually built the correct contraption. It was amazingly simple.

He got a guitar string and attached it to a bent metal rod. He would thrust it into the machine’s air vent and wriggle it around until he clicked the trigger switch for the coin hopper.

Cue the avalanche of coins.

10. Bill Validator Device

A simple yet very effective slots cheat.

This is a little device that is wrapped around a bill to fool the slot machine into thinking it is accepting a $100 bill when in reality it is just accepting a humble $1 bill.

11. Computer Chip Replacement

Dennis Nikrasch changed the slots cheating game with this idea.

He bought a slot machine and messed about with it in his garage to figure out its flaws.

He worked out the computer chips inside the machines could be re-programmed to be manipulated to pay out jackpots on tap.

Nikrasch ordered a load of these chips, hired a team of scammers, got hold of a bunch of slot machine keys and started a reign of scamming that would bleed casinos dry for years.

And he did it all just by switching the independent chips for his manipulated chips.

12. Software Glitch

Software glitches have been manipulated by cheats for decades.

By playing a certain pattern of stakes and games, players could confuse the machine and trigger a glitch that pays out the jackpot.

Many slots cheats benefited from this over the years but now many jackpot winners are also being denied their winnings because of it.

The most famous incident happened in 2015 when 90-year-old grandmother Pauline McKee from Illinois won $41 million on a Miss Kitty slot machine at the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo.

She tried to sue the casino initially in 2012, but her final appeal was rejected three years later. Unfortunately, historical instances are the reason the casino won this case.

And it’s no wonder they’re so popular. It’s possible to win thousands from a small bet, with no skill required. But the question we all want to know is: how do you pick a winning slot machine and find the ones that pay out the most?

Unlike games of skill, like poker or blackjack, it’s important to remember that slots are totally random, however, some players believe there are a few things you can do to gain an edge over the casino, which we will share in this article today.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

1. Pick Slots With The Highest Return To Player (RTP) Percentage

If you’re looking for slot machines that are most likely to hit, a good starting point would be finding ones that have the highest percentage of RTP.

This is because the higher the RTP percentage, the more likely the slot machine is to pay out.

RTP, or payout percentage, is calculated by the amount an individual machine has paid out over its lifespan in relation to how much money has been paid in.

So, as an example, if a game has an RTP of 94% then the theory is that if you put $100 into the slot machine then you could expect an estimated return in winnings of $94 (over a long period of time).

The very best payout slots can have an RTP as high as 99%.

Obviously, that’s a rough guide and is not the case for every player.

2. Scan Message Boards And Threads Online

The likes of TripAdvisor forums and Reddit often have slots players sharing their experiences of trips to places such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Macau.

These players will then often highlight slots at casinos where they have enjoyed decent payouts.

You can also pick up handy tips and tricks from other players along the way.

3. Use Casino Comparison Sites

If you don’t want to spend time trawling threads looking for real money slots with the best payouts, a great place to look is on comparison sites like ours that offer independent?slots reviews.

You’ll be able to see all the info you need to help pick your next game, from the number of paylines and reels to the RTP percentage and date of last win.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

4. Research Game Developers To Find Out Which Ones Offer High RTP%

Another tip some players recommend is to research different game developers to find the ones that offer the best RTP percentage. It won’t take long before certain trends start to appear.

You’ll notice there are slots by the same developers constantly being mentioned, certain casinos being identified as possessing loose slots, and slot machines by name that have proven to be big earners for players.

Online software developers Playtech and NetEnt among others are renowned for releasing slots with high RTP percentages.

5. Avoid The Games That Hardly Ever Pay Out

On the flip side of tip #4, it will also be worth taking note of the slots that are notorious for not paying out.

The more slots you can add to a blacklist of bad earners helps to narrow down the slots that can be labelled for their higher payouts. A number of slots have been highlighted by players as games to avoid due to their low payout percentages.

The likes of ‘Wish Upon a Jackpot’ by Blueprint Gaming, ‘Adventures in Wonderland’ by Ash Gaming, and ‘King Kong’ by Cryptologic frequently appear on such lists.

Instead, you should look up the ones that do pay out most by reading up on the biggest slot machine wins to spot patterns.

Spoiler alert: 80% of the winners on the list were playing on the?Megabucks slot machine!

Image Credit: Shutterstock

How Do Slot Machines Work?

Slots are simple to play: You insert money, spin the reels, and wait to see if you won anything. But inside the machine it’s a bit more complicated than that.

Slot machines work by using a complex piece of software, known as a random number generator (RNG). This determines the result of every spin. When you spin the reels, the RNG ensures that whatever outcome it produces is totally random.

Some people might sit and play slots for hours on end, winning nothing, while someone else may come along and win on their first go.

You are more likely to win on a game with a smaller jackpot over these huge progressives, however, it’s still possible to get lucky and scoop a massive cash prize off of just one spin.

Sometimes the only way to find out what works and what doesn’t is to get out there and spin those reels yourself.

From huge opulent poker rooms to thousands of slots, these supersized casinos are mini gambling towns in their own right.

Join us as we take a look at the top 10 largest real money casinos in America.

1. Winstar: Thackerville, Oklahoma (600,000 Square feet)

Words like stupendously large just don’t convey the immenseness that is the Winstar Casino. Located just minutes from the Texas border, Winstar isn’t just the largest casino in America, it’s the largest casino in the world.

With 600,000 square feet of gaming space, almost 9,000 slot machines, and over 150 table games, the Chickasaw Nation has built a phenomenal mousetrap for the 7.5 million people in the Dallas Fort Worth metro area.

Like all of the mega-casinos on our list, they’ve made gambling the star attraction, but you shouldn’t overlook the world-class golf, spa, top-of-the-line concerts, and luxury dining and hotel experiences. If you can’t make it, however, check out our review of the Winstar Online Casino.

2. Mohegan Sun: Uncasville, Connecticut (364,000 square feet)

Huge casinos need a constant stream of players to continue to thrive. When the tribes began negotiating gaming compacts in Connecticut 30 years ago, it was obvious from the outset that, with more than twenty million people within a two-hour drive, these casinos would need to be big.

With 364,000 square feet of gaming, Mohegan Sun did not disappoint.

Mohegan Sun boasts 6,400 slots, over 350 table games, a state-of-the-art sportsbook, and stadium betting on baccarat and roulette.

The tribe didn’t scrimp on amenities, with hiking trails, golf, tennis, pickleball, and lots of other fun outdoor activities on offer. There are also countless restaurants and more than 1,500 hotel rooms to meet your needs.

3. Foxwoods Casino Resort: Ledyard, Connecticut (340,000 square feet)

Foxwoods is sort of the bookend to the Mohegan Sun property in that they are similar in their massive gaming square footage but only 13 miles apart.

The Mashantucket Pequot tribe has about 340,000 square feet of gaming space spread across six casinos within a casino. These are comprised of about 5,500 slots and 260 table games.

Foxwoods is also known for its state-of-the-art shopping experience, with almost 100 high-end luxury shops on the property.

In addition to the 2,500 hotel rooms and the usual amenities like golf, the resort offers premier zip-lining and go-carting experiences that draw risk-takers of all ages.

4. Yaamava Resort and Casino: Highland, California (290,000 square feet)

Run by the San Manual band of Indians, the Yaamava casino story is one of almost constant growth and rebirth in the 40 years since it opened.

The casino currently boasts 290,000 square feet of gaming space, with more than 4,400 slot machines and 150 table games. While it only has 400 hotel rooms on the property, the nearby towns of San Bernadino or even Riverside have many overnight stay options.

Other recent additions include a world-class 3,000-seat concert venue, which draws many LA-based bands when they are not on tour, along with a half dozen restaurants and some high-end retailers.

While this resort doesn’t yet offer the amenities that many other properties with similar-sized gaming spaces on our list of the largest casinos in America do, it is in the heart of the Los Angeles metro area and a whole lot closer than the 4-hour trip to Vegas.

5. Thunder Valley Casino: Lincoln, California (250,000 square feet)

This large American casino is operated in Northern California in a joint effort between the Miwuk and Maidu Indian tribes. It is located near Sacramento, California. The 250,000 square feet of gaming space is jampacked with 3,500 slots and 150 table games. 

The hotel only has 400 rooms, and though there is a spa and entertainment venue that holds over 4,000 guests, the spotlight here is more on local play than driving tourist visits.

That being said, it is a beautiful property with plenty of dining options, and just about any game or slot you might wish to play.

6. Hard Rock Tampa: Tampa, Florida (240,000 square feet)

The Hard Rock Tampa, on the other hand, is a true destination resort in the sun. Three pool areas total over 200,000 gallons of water, and one pool area alone has 60,000 square feet of swimming space. 700 lounge chairs, almost two dozen cabanas, and two DJ booth setups round out the poolside attractions.

You can choose from almost 900 hotel rooms and more than a dozen dining options, as well as hit their award-winning spa or top-tier concert tours. That’s before you try your luck at one of their 6,000 slots and 200 table games spread across a well-thought-out casino space of 240,000 square feet.

The Seminole Tribe bought out Hard Rock International at a bargain basement price in 2007, and now have cafes in more than 70 countries, an exclusive brand name to build on, and casino resorts in almost another dozen locations.

This means that your Unity tier card not only works in Tampa, but Atlantic City, and all the other Hard Rock locations, as well as the Mirage. That’s a big deal to people who like to use their tier points and comp credits at more than just one location, and gives the Seminoles the ability to cross-sell to various locations.

7. River Wind Casino: Norman, Oklahoma (219,000 square feet)

The metro area of Norman, Oklahoma, is home to a surprising 1.4 million people, and the Chickasaw-owned River Winds Casino is there to meet all their gaming needs.

It has 2,700 slots, over 20 table games, and a 17-table poker room. Unlike some of the Tribal Casinos located a bit closer to the Dallas—Fort Worth area, the RiverWinds, despite its still very impressive 219,00 square feet of gaming space, is not a mega-resort. In fact, it only has 100 hotel rooms.

They do have partnerships with Panda Express, Burger King, and perennial favorite IHOP for a quick bite, or a buffet and a British Fish and Chips place for something a bit more upscale. Other amenities include a 1500-seat theater, and a gift shop located conveniently near the exit.

8. Choctaw Casino: Durant, Oklahoma (219,000 square feet)

In its 219,000 square feet of gaming space, Choctaw Casino currently has over 7,000 slots, 120 tables, and a large poker room.

Being several hours from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and less than 30 minutes from the largest casino in the US (Winstar), this resort has taken a different look at amenities, creating not one but two huge nightclub/live concert venues, including a Gilley’s Road House.

You can also find over 20 restaurants, ranging from fine dining at Salt and Stone to Texas barbeque, which you’ll need to eat with your fingers.

You will find more than 1,700 hotel rooms, including Vegas-style suites, as well as amenities seldom seen at big US casinos like horse riding, fishing, bowling, hiking, and, of course, a world-class spa to relax in.

9. River Spirit Casino: Tulsa, Oklahoma (212,000 square feet)

Situated in the northeast corner of Oklahoma, the River Spirit Casino is near Tulsa, which boasts about 1 million people in its metro area. It can also draw people in from Kansas and Missouri who are looking for some casino excitement. 

The Muskogee Tribe has 3,100 slots and about 70 table games in their 212,000 square feet of gaming space. 

The tribe has added 483 luxury hotel rooms so far and is making plans for more. Their concert venue can host 2,500 guests and their restaurant choices number over a dozen. The amenity list includes a pool, and convention center.

10. Encore Casino: Boston, Massachusetts (210,000 square feet)

Strictly speaking, this casino, owned by the Wynn group, is located in Everett, MA, and is the only non-tribal casino to make our list of the 10 biggest casinos in America

At approximately 210,00 square feet of gaming space, it is still a massive space filled with 3,400 slots and over 160 table games. This integrated mega resort cost 2.6 billion to build in 2019.

Developed on just 34 acres, this casino doesn’t feature many outdoor amenities due to space constraints, but it makes up for that in 5-star luxury that one would expect from any Wynn property.

The 671 hotel rooms are all lavishly appointed and designed to meet the needs of very discerning clients. There are thirteen restaurants and the entire property is almost a museum space as it is filled with millions in paintings and sculptures.

A Round Up Of The Largest Casinos In America:

1. Winstar: Thackerville, Oklahoma (600,000 Square feet)
2. Mohegan Sun: Uncasville, Connecticut (364,000 square feet)
3. Foxwoods Casino Resort: Ledyard, Connecticut (340,000 square feet)
4. Yaamava Resort and Casino: Highland, California (290,000 square feet)
5. Thunder Valley Casino: Lincoln, California (250,000 square feet)
6. Hard Rock Tampa: Tampa, Florida (240,000 square feet)
7. River Wind Casino: Norman, Oklahoma (219,000 square feet)
8. Choctaw Casino: Durant, Oklahoma (219,000 square feet)
9. River Spirit Casino: Tulsa, Oklahoma (212,000 square feet)
10. Encore Casino: Boston, Massachusetts (210,000 square feet)

There are more than 1,000 casinos in the US, so it takes a true behemoth to make the biggest casinos in America shortlist.

With all of the casinos constantly expanding, this list may look very different in a few years, especially as new gaming legislation is passed in states like New York, where the population within a few hours’ drive is easily in the tens of millions.

Perhaps, despite the intense competition in Las Vegas, someone will finally build a mega-resort that puts Sin City back on the top ten biggest list again. Combining the Wynn and Encore properties in Las Vegas only gets us to 195,000 square feet of gaming, so still a little room for improvement.

While bigger isn’t always better, these casinos show the true diversity of gambling in America. From slot halls to five-star luxury, they cover the gamut of the American gambling experience and showcase the reach of gaming growth over the past several decades.

From Norman Oklahoma to Boston, from Riverdale California to Tampa, casinos continue to thrive.

Cheapest Blackjack in Vegas: What You Need to Know

• While they aren’t as easy to find as they used to be, there are still $10 blackjack tables in Vegas and even $1 blackjack in Las Vegas, if you know which casino to look in.
• However, the cheapest blackjack in Vegas isn’t always the best value. You need to take into account the blackjack house edge to understand exactly the value of each hand you play.
• The best value blackjack in now found at casinos offer online blackjack and you can use our casino reviews to find the best value casino games online.
• Take advantage of the local, nose to the ground, insight in this guide to help you find the best value and cheapest blackjack tables in Las Vegas.

The days of cheap blackjack even in downtown or local casinos is quickly coming to an end unless you want to play an electronic version of Las Vegas Casino games table games or perhaps a stadium game.

Cheapest Blackjack Tables in Vegas

Now, that is not to say that you can’t still find some $5 blackjack in Vegas or even $1 blackjack in Vegas, downtown, up in North Las Vegas, or just off the Strip, but it does mean that cheap doesn’t always mean you are getting value.

A $1 blackjack in Vegas game where you have to pay 25 cents every hand as a blind isn’t good value. A $1 game where you get even money on blackjacks and can’t double after splits isn’t good value.

Even a $5 game that pays 6/5 on blackjack in Vegas will be much more expensive to your bankroll than a $10 table that offers 3 to 2 blackjack in Vegas in even the very short term. So, while we will tell you where you can find the cheapest blackjack tables in Las Vegas, we will also make sure we discuss whether those tables represent any real value.

Cheapest Blackjack in Las Vegas: How to Scout The Best Tables

Let’s talk a bit about how a casino shift manager decides what blackjack limits to offer. It really comes down to supply and demand. If it is 4:00 a.m. on a Tuesday, I will need a lower limit than if it is a Saturday night with a prize fight in town.

If my casino doesn’t have a hotel, is a little run-down, or is set further away from the action, all of that will also affect how much I can set my blackjack limits and still hope I will get play.

Seasonality Matters When it Comes to the Cheapest Blackjack in Vegas

As does the season. In Las Vegas, even though it will light your hair on fire, the summer is still busier than the winter. We just had seven days in July over 115 degrees Fahrenheit, but hey, come out whenever.

But also, some casinos would rather have no play at times than set the wrong precedent and attract the wrong kind of customer, which is unfortunate but the reason why you might see a $5 game early morning in the off-season at a place like the MGM Excalibur or Circus Circus on Las Vegas Boulevard but never at the Wynn, Caesars Palace, or the Bellagio.

People’s perception matters. Chanel will never sell a $50 purse, and many strip properties would rather be caught dead than offer a “cheap” table limit.

Cheap Blackjack Tables on the Strip

We can narrow down where we might look for $5 and $10 games on the Strip proper by looking at where they have been offered in the past, and then looking at times when we can expect play to be slow, i.e. midweek and early morning.

Some likely spots are Excalibur, Luxor, Circus Circus, and Slots of Fun. By looking at Trip Advisor, other travel forums, and even Reddit, we know that $5 real money blackjack games have been spotted at these places in the past six months or so.

We try to steer away from sites that offer surveys or reviews when we look for cheap blackjack tables in Las Vegas. We don’t know if they go to these casinos more than once a year, whether they go at 4 a.m. on a Wednesday or 7 p.m. on a Friday, and so we don’t know if they are seeing the lowest minimums that that casino offers or just what is offered while they are on the property writing down their findings.

Just Call And Ask

If you don’t feel like making the trek to either end of the Strip, you can call these casinos and ask about current minimums. I actually get calls asking about table limits all the time, but be aware that it wouldn’t be unusual if you called in the early evening for them not to know what the table minimums are going to be early the next morning.

We suspect that you could find these $5 blackjack games in Vegas in the early winter at some of these properties when hotel rates plummet, and no conventions are in town. Still, you are probably looking at at least $10 games during the morning and afternoon, going to $15 by early evening during the rest of the year. At least, that has been our experience.

Take in Account the House Edge and Odds

Knowing the house edge and the blackjack odds of each game in critical to getting the best value for your bet. There are some 6/5 games mixed in with 3/2 blackjack at these levels, so pay attention. Games that pay only 6/5 on blackjack are several orders of magnitude worse because of house advantage.

A good double deck with stand-on soft seventeen and double after splits could be as low as 0.22%, while the same version of the 6/5 game might be 1.5% or 500% worse.

Most games at prestigious casinos in the middle of the Strip will have $15 blackjack on the main floor, yielding to $25 or higher towards evening if demand calls for it. So, if you genuinely have your heart set on playing $5 blackjack in Las Vegas, either be prepared to work the properties at the edge of the Strip or be ready to venture downtown or off the Strip.

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Cheap Blackjack Tables in Downtown Las Vegas

We’ve personally seen $5 games downtown as well, but even here, they can prove elusive and shifting. The Golden Nugget casino generally has a $5 game, but they require a $2 side bet, or they offer it in games that may have blackjack in the name but aren’t truly blackjack.

There have been sightings of 6/5 $5 blackjack at the Plaza early morning as well. But probably the most reliable place to look for $5 blackjack is at the Downtown Grand Casino, and yes, they still have the $1 blackjack game as well.

$10 blackjack in Las Vegas: Fremont Street

Now, if you are looking for $10 blackjack in Las Vegas, then Fremont Street is a neon gold mine, though again off-peak hours are the best time to be panning for nuggets. We have seen 3/2 blackjack games with ten minimums at El Cortez, which recently had a $20 million remodel, which is probably still our favorite downtown casino, even on a weekend night.

You can also try the California Casino, Main Street Station, the Plaza, and Fremont.

You may notice that many double-deck games don’t allow double-after-split. This increases the house edge on these games to 0.6%, which is almost exactly the same as the house edge on the six-deck games that allow double-after-split.

So, feel free to play either one. As always, stay away from 6/5 blackjack games and give any table that requires a side bet a wide berth.

Cheap Blackjack Tables for Las Vegas Locals

Away from the bright lights and easily walkable gambling halls found along the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street, many other casinos exist. These primarily cater to locals, though certainly a certain breed of tourist also seeks them out. You can still find not only some of that old Las Vegas charm but also some of that old Las Vegas value.

The Oyo Casino

Many of these places are not dozens of miles from the tourist epicenters but, in many cases, just a few blocks away. Take Oyo, which also has one of those infamous $1 blackjack in Las Vegas tables you can tell all your friends back home about, as well as $5 3/2 blackjack. Is it in a sketchy area? Yeah. Is there what we will euphemistically call a seedier element? Sure. But did we mention the $3 shots and $10 beer buckets?

Ellis Island Casino

Another casino that offers great value and is strip “adjacent” is Ellis Island. Just a couple-minute walk from the Paris/Horseshoe monorail station, Ellis Island is the epitome of a great value local casino. Here, not only will you find some of the best $5 blackjack in Las Vegas, but fun, friendly dealers and decent free entertainment.

We highly recommend either the prime rib or the $9.99 steak and eggs if you stop in for a bit of gambling. We should probably mention they have $5 craps games as well?

Southpoint Casino

Another great place for gambling value is just a few miles south on I-15. Southpoint Casino offers both $5 and $10 double-deck blackjack with standard rules and 3/2 on blackjack; you should be able to find these table limits regardless of when you visit. Some rooms have a nice view of the strip properties in all their nighttime glory, and they have 64 bowling lanes open until 2 a.m.

Other places to find $5 blackjack in Las Vegas at off-strip properties include any of the Station Casinos, especially Palace Station or potentially the Silverton. However, the last time we were there, it was all $10, except for 6/5 games.

Finding the Best Value Blackjack Tables in Vegas

There is still cheap blackjack on the Strip and downtown, although the cheapest blackjack tables in Las Vegas remain in local-friendly off-strip properties, often only a few minutes’ drive from the tourist action.

The next time you are in Las Vegas, just ask the cab drivers, dealers, or cocktail waitress where they like to play, and you may be rewarded with a little hole-in-the-wall gem even we don’t know about.

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It’s not a surprise that the two largest American TV markets also have two basketball teams. New York City is the largest TV market, and the Big Apple is home to the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Los Angeles is the second largest TV market, and they have the L.A. Lakers and L.A. Clippers.

Let’s take a look at the rest of the top 10 NBA teams by market size

1. New York Knicks / Brooklyn Nets

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• Media Market: New York City-Newark, NJ-Stamford, CT
• TV Market Share: 7.6 million
• Population: 19.2 million

The metro region around New York City is comprised of the “Tri-State Area” that includes suburbs in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. With a population over 19 million, there’s multiple teams for every major sport.

The NBA market has the Knicks and Nets. The MLB has the New York Yankees and New York Mets. The NFL has the New York Giants and New York Jets. The NHL has three teams with the New York Rangers, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils.

Even though the Nets have never won an NBA championship and the Knicks have not won a title in over 50 years, the two NBA franchises in Gotham are some of the most valuable NBA teams thanks to their juicy media TV market of nearly 7.6 million and arena locations in Midtown Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn, making them top of the NBA teams by market size rankings.

2. Los Angeles Lakers / Los Angeles Clippers

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• Media Market: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
• TV Market Share: 5.9 million
• Population: 12.8 million

The L.A. Lakers are the most popular sports team in Southern California. And when Hollywood stars want to catch a pro sports team, they’ll be spotted sitting courtside in celebrity row at a Lakers game. Only the Boston Celtics won more NBA titles than the Lakers, who have been a premier NBA franchise ever since Dr. Jerry Buss bought the team in the late 1970s.

The media market in the Los Angeles area is gigantic with nearly 13 million residents and a TV market share that’s almost six million, which is why the City of Angels can sustain two NBA teams and why they are some of the richest NBA teams in the league.

The Clippers are the second team in L.A., and even though they’re not as popular as the Lakers, they’re still ranked #5 as the Top 5 Richest NBA Teams and worth over $4.65 billion.

The SoCal TV market is so huge that it could’ve supported three NBA teams. In the early 2010s, the Sacramento Kings were up for sale and one prospective buyer explored the possibility of relocating the Kings to Orange County, California where they would play their home games in Anaheim in the shows of Disneyland. When the Kings were eventually sold, the new owner vowed to keep the team in Sacramento.

3. Chicago Bulls

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• Media Market: Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL
• TV Market Share: 3.65 million
• Population: 9.2 million

Chicago is known as America’s “Second City” and the heart of the Midwest. Michael Jordan led the Bulls to six championships during the 1990s, and their dynasty imprinted Chicago as an elite basketball town in the NBA. Their sprawling population dips into southern Wisconsin and northeastern Indiana. The Bulls have a huge reach in the Midwest thanks to a TV market of 3.65 million viewers and a population of over 9.2 million.

4. Philadelphia 76ers

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• Media Market: Philadelphia, PA-Camden, NJ-Willington, DE
• TV Market Share: 3.17 million
• Population: 6.2 million

The City of Brotherly Love is the fourth-largest TV market and just a smidge ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth with 3.17 million viewers. By itself, Philadelphia only has 1.5 million residents, but a massive suburban sprawl surrounds the city extends into two neighboring states. The “mini-tri-state” area includes most of Delaware, southern New Jersey, and eastern Pennsylvania.

If you live in some parts of “South Jersey,” basketball fans get access to TV stations in both NYC and Philly which means they can watch the 76ers, Knicks, and Nets.

5. Dallas Mavericks

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• Media Market: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
• TV Market Share: 3.13 million
• Population: 8.1 million

Everything is big in Texas, especially the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex that encompasses over eight million people. The Dallas Mavericks have the benefit of playing in the fifth-largest TV market and fourth-largest metro area in terms of population.

Football is a religion in Texas, so basketball is not the primary sport in the Lone Star state. The Mavs have stiff competition during football season particularly on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday evenings are designated for high school football statewide (that’s when the term “Friday Night Lights” was coined), and there’s no shortage of college football teams to fill up the TV schedule on Saturday. Of course, all eyes are on the Dallas Cowboys on Sundays. However, as soon as football season ends, the Mavs become the biggest game in town.

Pro hoops fans in the Big D had a lot to cheer about this past season. The Mavs won the Western Conference title and advanced to the 2024 NBA Finals, before their magical run ended when they lost to the Celtics in the championship.

6. Houston Rockets

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• Media Market: Houston-The Woodlands, TX
• TV Market Share: 2.77 million
• Population: 7.5 million

Like Dallas, basketball fans in Houston must compete with the insane popularity of football in Texas. The Rockets have struggled in recent years, but the franchise is highly valued thanks to their robust TV market and population of over 7.5 million and steadily growing.

Houston saw a small boost in population when displaced residents from New Orleans relocated to Houston after Hurricane Katrina. Right now, Houston’s TV market reaches nearly 2.8 million homes.

7. Atlanta Hawks

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• Media Market: Atlanta-Roswell-Sandy Springs, GA
• TV Market Share: 2.73 million
• Population: 6.3 million

The Atlanta Hawks are thankful that Atlanta is the largest TV market in the South, because they find themselves in steep competition with baseball and college football. The beloved and popular Atlanta Braves will always being their primary sports team in Atlanta, but the state of Georgia is also in the heart of college football country.

As a result, SEC games are the highest-rated sport on TV. Georgia recently won two college football championships, but the Hawks are lucky they have a sprawling population of over six million to support them.

8. Toronto Raptors

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• Media Market: Toronto-Hamilton-Niagara Falls, Canada
• TV Market Share: N/A
• Population: 6.2 million

When looking at metro population figures in the U.S. and Canada, Toronto is the third largest overall behind New York and L.A. with 3.2 million people. The greater Toronto area, which extends to the border at Niagara Falls, reaches over 6.2 million.

The Toronto Raptors are the only non-American NBA team. Vancouver used to have a franchise, but the Grizzlies relocated to Memphis in 2001. Even though ice hockey is the most-popular team sport in Canada, basketball fans love the Raptors.

Canadian markets are not tracked by Nielsen ratings, but we estimate that Toronto’s TV market is no lower than #8 on our list and could be as high as #7 when compared to their American counterparts.

9. Boston Celtics

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• Media Market: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA
• TV Market Share: 2.6 million
• Population: 4.9 million

The Boston Celtics are the current NBA champion, and the franchise now holds the record with 18 titles. Boston is a frenetic sports town, and the greater New England area loves their Boston sports teams including the Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, New England Patriots and the Celtics.

The Celtics’ regional reach encompasses all of New England which includes the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and Connecticut.

The actual Boston metroplex is only 4.9 million, and their local TV market is only 2.6 million strong. However, New England has over 15 million people. That’s a lot of wicked-loyal fans.

10. Golden State Warriors

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• Media Market: San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
• TV Market Share: 2.58 million
• Population: 4.5 million

The Bay Area in Northern California is really a sprawling megalopolis linked by three diverse cities anchored by San Francisco with Oakland to the east and San Jose to the south. Silicon Valley is a part of the southern-most part of the Bay Area, so this media market has one of the highest concentrations of wealth and nerd power on the planet.

The Bay Area has roughly 4.5 million residents, but many of them caught basketball fever over the last decade and support the Golden State Warriors. Steph Curry, one of the best point guards of all time, led the Warriors to four championships since 2015, which helped boost the team’s and valuation as a franchise.

The Warriors used to play their games in Oakland but recently relocated to a new arena in downtown San Francisco. Despite the upswing in interest brought about by the Golden State Warriors’ success, they, for the moment still bring up the tail of our NBA teams by market size rankings.

Small Markets and Expansion

The New Orleans Pelicans play in the smallest American TV market in the NBA and they’re ranked #53 overall. Memphis, home of the Grizzlies, is the second-smallest TV market in the NBA and ranked #48.

The Tampa-St. Petersburg metro area is the largest metroplex in America that does not have an NBA team. They are ranked #12 overall, but there’s no indication there will land a future franchise with two teams already in Florida with the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

The Seattle-Tacoma metroplex is the second largest TV market without an NBA team and ranked #13. Seattle, located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, had the SuperSonics before the team was sold in 2006. They relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 and rebranded as the Thunder.

One of the biggest open secrets in the NBA is that Seattle will be one of the cities that lands a new franchise team when the league eventually votes to expand from 30 to 32 teams. Las Vegas is the other city, but their TV market is only ranked #40.

The other largest American TV markets that do not have an NBA team include Raleigh-Durham at #22, St. Louis at #24, and Nashville at #26. Nashville has been on the shortlist of potential expansion teams, but they’ll have to wait another decade or longer before a new NBA team arrives in Music City, USA.

Montreal is the second-largest city in Canada and its population would be sixth overall if you combine the U.S. and Canada. Montreal could be considered for an NBA team if the league eventually grows to 36 teams by the late 2030s. So while these are the current NBA Teams by market size, this list looks set to shift in the near future.

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• Heads Up poker is a thrilling form casino game played between just two players, requiring a unique strategy and understanding of your opponent’s tendencies.
• Position is paramount in Heads Up poker. The player on the button acts first pre-flop but last post-flop, creating strategic implications.
• The range of poker hands you play should be wider in Heads Up poker. Even hands considered weak in full-ring games can be strong heads up.
• Observing and adapting to your opponent’s patterns in video poker or at the casino and playing style is essential to success in a one-on-one match.
• In Heads Up poker, aggression often pays off. Players need to be prepared to bet and raise frequently to exert pressure on their opponents.

Are you looking to play – and master – heads up poker? You’re in the right place. Brace yourself for one of the purest, most iconic, and volatile forms of No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em.

How to Play Heads Up Poker: The Basics

To get started with the poker table positions:

• Place a ‘button’ marker in front of one player. This can be any object — an empty deck of cards box, a cup, an eraser, a lucky rabbit’s foot. As long as it’s easily visible to both players, you can use it as your button.
• The button player will act as the ‘small blind’. Player two will act as the ‘big blind.’
• If the game is $1/$2 for example, the player on the button would pay $1 and their opponent would pay $2 before any of the cards are dealt.
• The button player acts first preflop, and the big blind acts last post flop.
• Rotate the button each hand.

What is The Difference Between Heads Up Poker And Ring Games

The main differences between heads up and ring games are as follows. Typical ‘ring games’ will have a full table of players. (Online poker tables are usually six-handed and live casinos generally seat 8 or 9 players per table.)

Because you are not waiting for an entire table of people to make their decisions, heads up poker is much faster. You will see many more hands when you play heads up than when you are in a full ring game. Strategically, ring games require patience. Heads up requires aggression.

Breaking Down the Poker Jargon

‘The button player acts first preflop, and big blind acts last postflop’ — huh? What does this mean?

I’ll simplify the poker jargon for you. Here’s an example.

1. You and your friend are playing $0.25/$0.50 heads up poker.
2. You are on the button which is always simultaneously the small blind and pay $0.25.
3. Your friend in the big blind pays $0.50.
4. You are each dealt your two private hole cards face-down. In this scenario, you are dealt a fantastic pair of aces!
5. You raise to $1.50.
6. Your friend calls the $1.50. Since they already have $0.50 invested, they only need to contribute $1.00 more.
7. The flop — three public, face-up community cards — is dealt. In this case, the flop reveals: 26A
8. Wow! You’ve hit three-of-a-kind! But it’s your friend’s turn first. You must wait for them to make a decision. Your friend opts to check (no bet).
9. Now it’s your turn. You bet $2.00.
10. Your friend folds.

Do you see how you made the first decision before the cards were dealt? But after the cards were dealt, it was your friend’s turn first? This is the sequence of heads up poker… and then you rotate positions after the completion of the hand.

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Practicing Your Heads Up Poker Skills

What if you’re thinking, ‘Help! I’m still lost!’ or ‘I don’t have any friends!’ Don’t fear — technology is here.

Free video poker is a great way to practice and learn how to play heads up poker without worrying about all the set-up, sequencing, and positioning. The apps will take care of that for you.

I highly recommend beginners start digitally when possible. A computer will deal cards at least 3x faster than a human, so you will master the gameplay mechanics at a much higher speed. You also don’t need to waste brain space on small blind/big blind logistics. These come much more intuitively when cards are automatically dealt to you and this prevent confusing mistakes.

Even if you have a friend who is excited for two player poker, you may still want to start by playing versus each other on video poker. Shuffling cards and counting bets manually gets old quickly.

Why is Heads Up Poker Strategy More Aggressive?

Good question — let’s explain this conceptually. When you are seated at a table with eight other players, there is a good chance someone has been dealt a very good hand. Perhaps even two people have. Or three. There is a high likelihood that your hand will be beat. Again, you need to best all the other players.

Compare this to when you play heads up, where you are only faced with one opponent. Is it more or less likely your hand will win?

Much more likely. Why? The reason is that you only need to beat one player as opposed to eight players.

How Does This Impact Your Poker Strategy?

Since it’s less likely to have been dealt the worst hand before the flop, you can adjust by playing a wider variety of cards. As it’s less likely for either of you to have made a very strong hand after the flop, you can call bluffs more often and bluff more yourself.

As a theoretical example, you should generally not try to bluff five people. Someone is bound to have a very strong holding. But bluffing one person? That is a much easier task. In heads up, you only need to convince one person to fold as opposed to an entire table.

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What is a ‘Good Hand’ in Heads Up Poker?

Even though the heads up poker rules are still the same, what qualifies as a ‘good hand’ differs wildly.

Building upon the section above, if you want to defeat, let’s say, three opponents, you need to feel pretty confident in your holding. You need to have really strong cards that can best multiple people.

When playing heads up, however, a measly pair is often a pretty good hand. You only need to best one other person, and their cards might not have hit anything. This means the definition of a strong hand changes. Something as simple as a pair is often good enough to beat one random hand, but rarely good enough to beat several.

A Casino Game is Not Your Home Game

A cautionary tale — before you learn how to play poker in heads up format. Many people start learning how to play poker by practicing in a two player format with their family or friends — then they go to a casino and get torn apart. They are dumbfounded as to how they keep losing.

This is because what constitutes a good hand has changed. Yes, a high pair or three-of-a-kind will probably win against your dad or sibling when playing one-on-one. But don’t be surprised when you go to a casino betting on your pair of kings — only to find your opponents flipping over straights and flushes.

Beware of learning how to play head up poker as your starting point because the threshold for a good hand is much lower. What is good enough to win against two or three players will likely not cut it versus a big group. Keep this in mind when you transition from playing heads up at your kitchen table to live at the casino.

Why Should You Learn to Play Heads Up Poker?

I hope I’ve sufficiently scared you in the previous section. Too many people lose their money and have a terrible first time transitioning to a casino because their idea of relative hand strength is skewed. They ‘overvalue’ their hands.

For this reason, I actually recommend beginners do not start by playing heads up. You can use those same apps, computer programs, and online casinos to practice playing full ring poker at home. Should you even learn to play heads up poker at all? Honestly, it depends.

If your ambition is to play recreational home games or cash games at a casino, learning how to play heads up poker may do you more harm than good. Heads up poker reinforces bad habits and false feedback that too many hands are valuable when they’re not. Playing heads up poker may lure you into a false sense of security where you overvalue your relative hand strength.

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The Benefits of Learning Heads Up Poker

There are just three major reasons why I would recommend playing heads up:

1. People skills: Since you are only battling against one other person, you are more able to capture a ‘tell’ or get a read. (This includes playing online by the way — even when you cannot visually see your opponent, timing tells do exist.) Heads up poker can sharpen your ability to read another and maintain your own poker face.
2. Creativity and bluff frequency: If you’re nervous about playing poker and the idea of bluffing makes your stomach drop, then heads up is a great way to practice. The lower likelihood of your opponent having a strong hand encourages you to play more creatively and make bold moves. Bluffing heads-up is less risky than in a full-ring game due to fewer players potentially holding strong hands.
3. Tournaments: If you intend to play poker tournaments, you need to know how to play heads up. Tournaments play down to a winner —- when the field narrows to the final few players, you want to be comfortable playing in the bluffier, looser style in order to close the deal.

Taking Advantage of Heads Up Insecurities

Many local casinos have daily tournaments which will usually not play down to a winner. Instead, the players will propose a ‘chop’ — dividing the winnings proportionately by chip stack. For example, the person with the biggest stack will earn close to the first place payout.

Most players will favor a chop deal because they are afraid to play heads up. You can exploit this. They will likely not have experience or confidence in playing heads up poker. Just knowing the two basic strategic principles will give you a huge advantage:

1. Play more hands: You are much more likely to have a good hand when faced with fewer opponents.
2. Bluff more frequently: Your opponent is much less likely to have a hand good enough to call you with.

Lowering your threshold of what constitutes a good hand underlines all heads up strategy.

Also keep in mind that when someone proposes a chop, it’s not decided by a majority vote. Everyone at the final table could vote in favor of a chop except one person —- and the deal is off. It only takes one objection. Since so many people are insecure about playing heads up, you can use this to your advantage.

Win Without Actually Playing

I once found myself at the final table of a daily poker tournament at a local casino. With six players remaining, I was fourth in chips. The others suggested an ‘ICM’ chop, offering me a payout close to fourth place. I countered that I was happy to agree to a chop… if I was offered second-place prize money.

They laughed, then they screamed. They were furious — how could I propose such a thing? How could I be so audacious? Well, I knew that their eagerness to make a deal and resistance to playing heads up was something I could use to my advantage. A few minutes later, they reluctantly agreed.

Their fear of playing heads up and my confidence in the format allowed me to successfully drive a hard bargain, and secure a juicy second place prize.

Image Credit: Blezzer/Shutterstock

Final Strategy Shift: The Math Changes

We now know that everything in heads up poker strategy is driven by the fact that it’s less likely you’re up against a strong hand. This means you should play more hands and bluff more frequently. Since your opponent will likely employ the same heads up poker strategy changes, you might want to call down their bets lighter.

You also need to be aware that the math shifts too.

When you play heads up, you want to avoid chasing too many draws like flushes or straights. The reason why is that your ‘pot odds’ are almost always going to be worse.

An Example of The Math Changing

Let’s say someone bets $10 and four people call. There is now $50 in the middle just from the flop round alone, and you are faced with a decision with a flush draw. Should you call the $10? Absolutely — you are calling $10 to win a pot of what will be over $60 (their $50 bets + your $10 + any preflop money). That’s a great price!

A flush draw will complete around 36% of the time — so you’re getting great odds to draw. (Read more on poker probabilities in my cheat sheets here or purchase my book A Girl’s Guide to Poker.)

Since more people participated in the hand, there’s more money in the middle. You are thereby more incentivized to ‘chase’ your big draw. Because if you win, you will 6x your money! That should entice you to take the 36% gamble!

But now let’s say you’re playing heads up, and your opponent has bet $10. You now have to call $10 to win a pot that so far totals maybe a little over $20 (their $10 + your $10 + preflop bets). A 2x return on your money isn’t as appealing as a 6x return now, is it? In this case, the 36% gamble doesn’t look as fun at all.

Instead focus on ‘made hands’ that are already completed rather than draws. Because, hey, as you now know, when you play heads up poker, even a pair can be pretty good.

• Poker table positions, sometimes known as poker poses, are vital as they influence your decisions and potential profits in a game. They can broadly be divided into early, middle, and late positions.
• Early poker positions, like the small blind, big blind, and the under the gun poker position are less desirable as they offer less information about other players’ actions.
• Middle poker positions provide a bit more information than early positions, but players still need to be cautious about the actions of those in late positions.
• Late poker positions, like the button and the cut-off, are the most beneficial as players have the most information at their disposal before they need to act.
• The understanding and effective use of poker table positioning can help players make more calculated bets, poker bluffs, and overall strategic decisions, improving their chances of success.
• Playing free video poker is an excellent way to experience playing from all the different poker positions and sharpen your game!

Poker table positions refer to where each player is seated at a casino poker table. A player’s position at the poker table determines when they can act during the game.

The same applies when playing online poker or video poker. Each seat at the table corresponds to a different position. Understanding the concept of position in poker is absolutely critical to your success in the game.

In this guide, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the different poker positions, what they mean to your game, and how to play from each position.

What Are The Poker Table Positions?

At a typical poker table, there are nine different positions – determined by your proximity to the ‘Dealer Button.’ Poker table positioning rotates clockwise after each hand is finished, meaning you will have the opportunity to play in all positions around a poker table. You might hear or see the positions abbreviated as poker slang too (ex. in poker Under the Gun is “UTG”).

1. SMALL BLIND (SB)
2. BIG BLIND (BB)
3. UNDER THE GUN (UTG)
4. UNDER THE GUN + 1 (UTG+1)
5. MIDDLE POSITION (MP)
6. LOJACK (LJ)
7. HIJACK (HJ)
8. CUT-OFF (CO)
9. BUTTON (BU)

Remember that these are all in relation to where the Dealer Button is located (it will usually look like a small circle… in Canada, they call it the ‘puck’!). Small blind is immediately left of the Dealer Button… BB is to their left… UTG is to their left… UTG+1 is to their left… and so on.

The Poker Positions Explained

Let’s get into a little more detail with each of these poker position names to answer the question, what is position in poker?

SMALL BLIND (SB)

This player sits directly to the left of the button and places a mandatory bet before the flop, known as a BLIND bet. It’s called a blind bet because it must be placed without viewing your cards. The SMALL BLIND bet is smaller than the BIG BLIND bet. For example, in a $1/$2 poker game, the SMALL BLIND must put in $1 preflop.

Small Blind Strategy: Play the SMALL BLIND very conservatively, as it is a significant disadvantage to be in this position. Fold frequently.

BIG BLIND (BB)

This player sits directly to the left of the SMALL BLIND and places a larger mandatory bet before the flop.

Big Blind Strategy: In cash games, play this position conservatively and fold unless you have a very good hand, as you have to act first after the flop. In tournaments, you may need to play a wider variety of hands since the big blind can represent a significant portion of your chip stack.

For example, if you have 10,000 chips and the big blind is 2,500 chips, folding before the flop would be costly, so players often ‘defend’ their big blind with a wider range of hands.

UNDER THE GUN (UTG)

This player sits directly to the left of the BIG BLIND and must act first before the flop. All eyes are on them and it’s a high pressure predicament — hence the term “under the gun!”

Under the Gun In Poker Strategy: The UTG player is at a disadvantage because they must decide to raise or fold preflop without knowing what the other players will do. Making good decisions is easier with information about opponents’ hands. Even after the flop, the UTG player still acts relatively early. Fold often and only play the top 10% of your best poker hands.

UNDER THE GUN+1 (UTG1)

This player sits directly to the left of UTG and faces similar pressure as UTG due to the early position.

Poker Under the Gun+1 Strategy: Play tight and lean towards folding. Aim to play only the top 10-15% of hands, folding all others.

MIDDLE POSITION (MP), LOJAK (LJ), HIJACK (HJ)

Positions from MIDDLE POSITION through HIJACK are played similarly in poker.

Middle Position – Hijack Strategy: You can play approximately 20-25% of hands from these seats. Middle table positioning can be challenging due to being sandwiched between players, making it hard to extract value when you hit a hand.

For instance, if you bet after the first player checks on the river and another player is yet to act, it becomes obvious you likely have a strong hand like a straight or flush. To counter this, some advanced players choose to re-raise from these positions to encourage folds from players behind and avoid being trapped between opponents or “stuck in the middle.”

CUT-OFF (CO)

The CUT-OFF (CO) is the seat just before the button, making it the second best of the positions around a poker table.

Cut-Off Strategy: Unlike earlier positions where folding is often the safest choice, in the CO you should lean towards raising if no one has raised before you. There are only three players left to act after you, making it less likely one of them has a very strong hand.

Compare this to the UTG player who has to worry about eight people potentially waking up with a premium holding. In the CO, you can, and should, raise liberally.

BUTTON (BU)

The BUTTON (BU) is the best position in poker, marked by a circular button-shaped object.

Button Strategy: If no one has raised before you, feel free to raise with approximately 50% of your hands (some players even raise more than 60% of their dealt hands in this scenario!). Players are more likely to re-raise (three-bet) from the button because they know they will have positional advantage throughout the hand.

Not only do you face fewer opponents behind you, but you also maintain position over them throughout the hand, as the SMALL BLIND and BIG BLIND act before the button post-flop. Your positional control continues.

In addition to encountering fewer threats, you generally have opportunities for larger payouts when on the BUTTON because you can dictate bet sizes when other players check to you. These are some of the standout reasons why it’s the best position in poker.

How to Remember Poker Position Names

The poker position names have more logic than some people may think. For instance, blinds are named as such because players place these bets without seeing their cards, essentially betting blind. Similarly, in poker UNDER THE GUN seems to have got its name because of the high risk of making mistakes from that position.

My favorite of the poker position names — and a great tool for having the poker positions explained — is the series of HJ, CO, and BU. Many people are not aware that these poker position names are sequential.

• The BUTTON typically raises.
• The CUT-OFF, knowing this, acts before them and raises first, CUTTING THEM OFF.
• The HIJACK, also aware of the plan, HIJACKS their move and raises ahead of them!

It’s a playful way to remember these poker position names while also teaching an important lesson about strategy.

Image Credit: Kitreel/Shutterstock

What is The Best Position in Poker?

A simpler way of looking at the positions around a poker table is they are ranked in reverse order. Here they are from the worst to the best position in poker:

• SMALL BLIND (SB)
• BIG BLIND (BB)
• UNDER THE GUN (UTG)
• UNDER THE GUN + 1 (UTG+1)
• MIDDLE POSITION (MP)
• LOJACK (LJ)
• HIJACK (HJ)
• CUT-OFF (CO)
• BUTTON (BU)

Again the emphasis falls on the BUTTON. It’s an extremely profitable table position both due to reduced threats from players behind them and the ability to get paid off greater amounts. This makes it, arguably, the best of the positions around a poker table.

Remember that when everyone checks to you while you’re on the BUTTON, you have the advantage of choosing the bet size. The same logic applies if someone bets before you and you decide to raise — you have the advantage of acting after them, allowing you to control the betting amount.

How To Group Poker Table Positions

Plainly speaking, hearing terms like LOJACK and HIJACK at a poker table is quite rare. Usually players group the poker position names into three general terms: EARLY POSITION, MIDDLE POSITION, and LATE POSITION.

Strategically this makes things easier. Play tight in EARLY POSITION, standard in MIDDLE POSITION, and loose in LATE POSITION.

These are not hard lines, some are borderline or debatable, but this is how they’re organized:

Early Poker Position

• SMALL BLIND (SB)
• BIG BLIND (BB)
• UNDER THE GUN (UTG)

Middle Poker Position

• UNDER THE GUN + 1 (UTG+1)
• MIDDLE POSITION (MP)
• LOJACK (LJ)

Late Poker Position

• HIJACK (HJ)
• CUT-OFF (CO)
• BUTTON (BU)

Image Credit: Rawpixel/Shutterstock

Why Is Poker Positioning So Important?

Instead of focusing on the advantages of being ‘in position,’ it’s crucial to understand the drawbacks of being ‘out of position’ in poker.

Playing out of position poker puts you at a disadvantage.

When you’re out of position, you lack the advantage of seeing your opponents’ actions first, leading to more uncertainty and guesswork. You’re playing with incomplete information about your opponents’ hands and intentions, while they have a clearer picture of your actions.

Do your opponents love their hand? Hate it? It’s more unclear — you’re playing poker with less information. But they have that information on YOU.

If You’re Out of Position You Have Less Control

The bigger issue of being out of position in poker is the loss of control. You can’t easily check back or take advantage of betting when opponents check to you, which affects your ability to dictate the pace and size of the pot.

Controlling bet sizes may sound trivial — but is actually critical. Not every hand can be a winner in poker. You must ensure that your wins compensate for the hands you lose, which requires maximizing your profits with strong hands. If you’re not getting sufficient value from your good hands, you’ll go broke with your weak hands.

A true measure of an expert player isn’t just winning, but winning by a significant margin. Playing out of position poker makes achieving these high win rates nearly impossible.

Why? Because it strips away control. The BUTTON is revered as the best position in poker because it puts you firmly in control of the action.

Poker Table Positions FAQ

To make sure you have a complete understanding of the various poker positions and their importance, here are some of the most common questions about poker table positioning and the answer you need:

What is Position in Poker?

Position in poker refers to where a player sits in relation to the dealer button. It is a major strategic factor in poker games as it affects the order in which players act during hands. The later you have to act in a round of betting, the more information you have about your opponents’ actions, making it a more advantageous position.

What is Out of Position in Poker?

In poker, being “out of position” means that you have to act before your opponent during a betting round. This is typically a disadvantage as you have to make your decisions with less information about your opponent’s hand compared to if you were in position.

What is Under the Gun in Poker?

“Under the gun” is a term in poker that refers to the player who must act first in a betting round. This position is immediately to the left of the big blind in games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha. Being under the gun is considered challenging as it requires a player to act without any knowledge of how others might play their hands. 

What is The Hijack Position in Poker?

The hijack position in poker is the place two seats to the right of the dealer button, or one seat to the right of the ‘cut-off.’ It’s called the hijack because this position often ‘hijacks’ the advantageous late positions of the cut-off and the button by making a raise, thus putting pressure on them.

What is Lojack in Poker?

The “lojack” position in poker is the place three seats to the right of the dealer button. This spot is typically referred to as the early-middle position at a full poker table. Being in the lojack, you have more information from the actions of the early position players, allowing for more refined decision-making.

Putting Yourself In Position To Win

The ultimate goal in poker is not just to win, but to win by a good margin. When you’re in a strong position, you have more opportunities to outsmart your opponents and capitalize on your strong hands. It’s about playing smart, using your position wisely, and knowing when to push your advantage.

So, whether you’re new to poker or looking to improve your game, understanding and using position effectively can make or break your career. It’s not just about the cards you’re dealt — it’s about where you sit at the table and how you use that to your advantage.

If you’re still getting a feel for in position vs out of position poker, that’s OK — and totally normal! Leveraging the positions around a poker table takes time. Just be aware that even if poker positions remain a blind spot for you, that doesn’t mean their power doesn’t exist.

If you’re just beginning to learn poker strategy, our poker cheat sheets are a great place to start!

Think of the famous poker adage: If you don’t know who the sucker is at a poker table, it’s you. Similarly, if you don’t know if you’re being exploited by playing out of position in poker, you are.

• A push in blackjack or online blackjack signifies a draw, when both the player and dealer have hands that hold the same total points.
• It can occur if both the player and dealer have a “blackjack” (Ace and 10-value card), or if they have equal total points from 17 to 21.
• If a push occurs, the player’s initial bet is returned and no money is won or lost.
• Push rules can differ among blackjack variations, casinos, and live dealer poker. Some casinos have a “dealer wins on push” rule, which is unfavorable to players.
• Understanding a push is vital due to its impact on blackjack odds and strategy. A push situation may influence how a player chooses to play certain hands.

If you’ve ever played blackjack, you have experienced a push (where you and the dealer end up with the same hand value and so your wager is returned to you). A push can feel disappointing, but it’s an important part of the game.

This article will provide all the details you need to know.

What Is A Push In Blackjack?

Different land-based and online casinos might vary rules at their blackjack tables, but the rules around a push are the same everywhere. It’s a tie, so your initial wager is returned to you.

Here’s a gameplay example of a common push in blackjack:

1. You place a $20 blackjack bet.
2. You receive two cards and the dealer’s hand is one face-down (or hole card) and the other face-up.  
3. You have 10-6, giving you a hand value of 16.
4. The dealer’s up-card is a jack (valued at 10), so you hit (that is, take an extra card) and get a 2, giving you 18.
5. You elect to stand.
6. The dealer’s hole card is turned over; a 4. The dealer has 14 and must hit.
7. The dealer gets a 2. With 16, the dealer must hit again.
8. The dealer gets another 2 and stands by rule.
9. You and the dealer both have 18, so it’s a push. Your initial $20 bet is returned to you.

In the above scenario, your hand resulted in a push. But remember, blackjack is between individual players and the dealer. Other players might have won or lost against the dealer’s 18.

Can Other Bets Push in Blackjack?

If a player is dealt a pair and opts to split (that is, double the wager and use each card as the starting point for a new hand) each hand is played and evaluated independently.

A player being dealt two 8s should almost always split. That means placing another equal sized wager on the table and playing out each hand. If one hand drew a 10 and the other drew an ace, the former would have pushed against a dealer 18 and the latter would have won.

Some players tip dealers by placing a small additional wager on the table.  These gratuity bets share the fate of the main bet, win, lose, or push. On the other hand, side bets – increasingly popular in many casinos – either win (rarely) or lose (usually).

How To Act (with a) Natural

In blackjack, player and dealer hands are compared strictly according to their final total value, regardless of the makeup of the hand. However, the rules don’t treat all 21’s the same. Getting dealt an ace and a 10 card is known as a natural or the eponymous blackjack. Although they never face each other, natural 21’s have certain advantages over 21’s made from three or more cards.

If you’re dealt a natural and the dealer shows any card 2 through 9, you get immediately paid 3 to 2 on your initial wager (a payout rate known colloquially as time-and-a-half, a profit of $75 on a $50 wager).

Likewise, if the dealer has natural, all player hands other than a natural lose immediately. In neither case is dealer or player given a chance to hit, adding cards in hoped of drawing to 21 and pushing against the opponent’s natural. ?

Ace (hopefully not) In The Hole

With an up card of 10, the dealer uses a special mirror on the table to peek at the hole card in order to check and see if they have a natural. If the hole card is an ace, the dealer has a natural.

That card is revealed and the game is over. All player hands lose unless a player’s hand is also a natural, in which case it’s a very frustrating push.

The Unkindest Blackjack Push Of All

The chance of an ace in the hole is around 8% for the dealer. But when the dealer shows an ace, the chance of having a ten card (ten, jack, queen, or king) in the hole is around 31%.

With such a high probability of a dealer natural a special process kicks in. Before peeking, the dealer offers players holding a natural an immediate win. But there’s a catch: the payout is even money rather than time and a half.

Players declining the dealer’s offer must sweat out what comes next. The dealer peeks and if it’s not a 10 card, the hand is a winner and the player is paid off at 3 to 2. But should the dealer turn over a dreaded 10 card, it’s a natural versus natural push and the player’s perfect Blackjack hand has gone to waste. 

Here’s a gameplay sequence example:

• You place a $50 Blackjack wager and are dealt ace/king. A natural!
• The dealer’s up card is an ace. Argh!
• Before peeking at the hole-card, the dealer offers you the option of taking an even money payout for a profit of $50, which you decline.
• The dealer peeks, sees it’s a queen.
• The dealer flips the queen to complete the natural. Instead of a $75 profit if the dealer had seen any other card in the mirror…instead of a $50 profit if the player had taken the even money payout…it’s a soul-crushing push.

Image credit: Steve Estvanik/Shutterstock

Blackjack Push Probabilities

The probability of a push on any given hand is around 8.5% overall. Here’s the breakdown by specific hand:

• A dealer and player both getting a natural only happens once in every 429 hands, or a probability of 0.23%.
• Player and dealer both draw to 21: 2.3%
• Player and dealer both have 20: 2.5%
• Player and dealer both have 19: 1.5%
• Player and dealer both have 18: 0.7%
• Player and dealer both have 17: 0.5%

Those probabilities are approximate; the exact numbers depend on the specifics of the game. Here are factors that can affect the probability of a push:

• In general, fewer decks means a slightly higher push probability.
• Overall odds of a push increase slightly where the dealer hits on soft 17.
• Player tendencies and adherence to basic strategy can change the chance of pushes occurring. For example, players who hit (rather than stand) on soft 17 and or stand (rather than hit) on 12 versus a dealer’s Deuce will push slightly less often.

A Blackjack push is a good news/band news situation. Your hand, which may have been anywhere from decent to very good, didn’t win. But be thankful it didn’t lose either.

Hopefully you’re now better prepared to face a Blackjack push, and on your way to being a better player.

• The vig comes from the Russian word vyigrysh and refers to the commission charged by a sports book on all bets.
• The vig is also known as the juice, cut, edge, or rake. In casinos, it also known as the house edge.
• The term ‘vig’ has also entered popular culture as the periodic payment owed to a loan shark.
• Knowing what the vig is for each sportsbook and how to calculate the vig is important to understanding how much money you stand to make on any bet.

Vig – short for vigorish – refers to the house edge that is built into every sports bet. It’s essentially a small commission that ensures the sportsbook makes money no matter the outcome of the bet. Understanding how gambling vig works is essential for making sports bets because it impacts the long-term success of your wagers.

Origin and Meaning of Vig in Gambling

Vigorish, vig, juice, cut, edge, rake; no matter what you call it, they all mean the same thing. The vig gambling term is thought to be derived from the Russian word “vyigrysh”, which means “gain” or “winnings”. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, its earliest known appearance in print was in the 1960s.

The shortened “vig” can also refer to the interest owed to a loan shark. Picture this: I borrow money from Big Tony and forget to pay back the vig. The next thing I know, he’s threatening to break my knees. Unsurprisingly, this usage was popularized by the Italian-American Mafia.

How to Calculate the Vig

Every sportsbook bet already has the vig embedded in the odds. If you’re a casual bettor, online gambling for a bit of fun, there’s no need for you to calculate the vig, especially if you’re choosing your sportsbook based on how much you like the site instead of the quality of the odds.

However, if you’re a seasoned sports wagerer who is betting for long-term profit, calculating the gambling vig can help you make informed betting choices and (hopefully) increase your overall profit. The vig can vary between sportsbooks, so it’s good practice to compare sites and opt for the lowest edge.

Below is a formula that you can use to calculate the vig yourself.

• (Favorite odds / (Favorite odds + 100) x 100) + (100 / (Underdog odds + 100) x 100) – 100

The Vig in Online Gambling

The vig looks different at an online sportsbook compared to a casino. At a casino, it’s hidden away within the game’s RTP. You’ll need to open up and scroll through the paytable to find the RTP amount. As discussed above, the sportsbook vig is a little more obvious, as it’s embedded in the odds of every bet.

There’s not much difference between the vig at online sportsbooks/casinos and brick-and-mortar sportsbooks/casinos. Just like their digital counterparts, retail sportsbooks will build the vig into the odds. Similarly, every brick-and-mortar slot machine arrives at the casino with a built-in RTP percentage, while games like American Roulette and Caribbean Stud also have a predetermined RTP.

Image credit: Kitreel/Shutterstock

Types of Vig in Gambling

Spread Betting Vig

A spread bet is the difference in the predicted points between two teams. The favorite is represented by a minus number, and has to score more than the spread for your bet to win. Meanwhile, the underdog has a plus and must lose within this number of points or win. Spreads on games like baseball often have a decimal (0.5) to avoid pushes, as many baseball games end with less than two runs between the teams.

Spread bets differ from over/unders as they focus on the difference in points between the two teams rather than predicting if the total number of points scored will be above or below the specified threshold. The spread bet vig is built into the odds, which typically range from -120 to +100. It’s important to remember that the odds and the spread are two separate entities.

Moneyline Vig

A moneyline is a bet on the result of the game. Since there is only one possible outcome – a win or a loss – they are one of the most straightforward sports bets available. Like all other bet types, the moneyline vig is built into the odds.

Though moneyline bets are perhaps the most simple, research has proven that they can also be the most efficient and prosperous. Since you’re wagering on a pretty black-or-white outcome, odds for moneyline bets – which already have the vig included – can be crazy, with some underdogs reaching into the thousands.

Sportsbook Vig

Every sportsbook bet incorporates a vig. The vig, to both the sportsbook and its bettors, is the most important part of the operation. It can determine whether or not you can sustain a long-term profit, and it ensures that the sportsbook doesn’t lose money when bettors win big.

Casino Vig

It’s very unlikely that you’ll come across the term “vig” at an online casino. Instead, casinos use the phrase “house edge” to describe the advantage that the house has over the bettor. Unlike a sportsbook vig, which is determined by the sportsbook itself, the house edge is already built into the game by the software developer.

Every game has a house edge, whether you’re playing slots, blackjack, or roulette. Most casino players are familiar with the Return to Player (RTP) percentage, which is the theoretical amount the casino will return to players over thousands of slot spins or game rounds. The RTP reflects the player’s perspective on how much they may win back, and the house edge is the remaining percentage. For example, if I select a game with a 95% RTP, then the house edge is 5%.

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Impact of Vig on Gambling

Not all sportsbooks will apply the same vig to the same bet; you’ll often find a noticeable difference between sites. That’s why it’s important to understand exactly how big of an impact vig can have on your bet. Don’t take it for granted that you’ll earn the same amount from every sportsbook!

The vig is a consequential factor to consider if you’re betting with a strategy. Let’s take a look at how different vigs can impact a $100 wager.

• +100 odds = $100 potential profit
• -105 odds = $95.24 potential profit
• -110 odds = $90.91 potential profit
• -115 odds = $86.98 potential profit
• -120 odds = $83.33 potential profit
• -125 odds = $80 potential profit

Strategies to Mitigate the Vig

Unfortunately, you can’t escape the vig. Just like you pay for goods in a shop, you’ve got to pay the sportsbook for the pleasure of using its platform. Ultimately, players must accept that it’s an inherent and unavoidable part of sports betting.

That said, there are some strategies you can implement that might help you lower the financial impact of the vig.

• Compare lines across sportsbooks. For example, let’s say I see two sportsbooks offering the same bet, but one has +115 odds, and the other has +120. I’ll get $5 more for betting with the second sportsbook if my $100 bet pays out. Though it’s only five bucks, these little differences can have a big impact over time.
• Look for reduced vig. Sportsbooks often run reduced vig promotions during popular games to draw bettors away from their competitors. Seeking out these reduced vig offers can lessen the sportsbook’s cut of your wager.
• Improve your win rate. This one sounds like a no-brainer, and obviously, it’s impossible to guarantee a win every time. But by improving your win rate – even on smaller bets with only a few cents or dollars of profit – you will end up at the stage where you’re beating the vig.
• Claim a bonus. Beyond reduced vig, most sportsbooks, like online casinos, offer a range of promotions like bonus bets, odds boosts, bet insurance, and more. Claiming a bonus will allow you to try bigger bets and score bigger wins. They’ll also give beginners the opportunity to try wagering and understand the vig before spending real cash.

Unlocking the Vig: How It Shapes the Dynamics of Gambling

All in all, vig is a very significant part of the gambling landscape. Looming over your shoulder like Monday morning on a Sunday night, the vig is an unwanted but inescapable part of your sportsbook experience. You can’t run, you can’t hide – the vig will always be there.

Therefore, it’s essential to implement a few tactics to keep its impact to a minimum. Comparing lines across different sportsbooks, searching for reduced vig offers, and keeping your eye out for sportsbook promotions will help mitigate the vig in the long run. Hopefully, this page has cleared up the big question of what does vig mean in gambling.

Title Image credit: Wpaddington/Shutterstock

• GTO Poker (Game Theory Optimal) and Exploitative Poker are two prominent strategies employed by professionals in both live and online poker. Both have distinct advantages depending on the situations and opponents.
• GTO Poker leverages mathematical models and game theory to make optimal decisions in every situation. It aims to create strategies that are unexploitable even by skilled opponents.
• Exploitative Poker, on the other hand, focuses on taking advantage of the opponents’ weaknesses and tendencies. It relies heavily on observing patterns in opponents’ play and then tailoring your strategy accordingly.
• The choice between the two often depends on the player’s skills, understanding of the game, and most importantly, the playing style of their opponents. A balanced approach can often be most beneficial.
• Ultimately, neither strategy is inherently “better”, but understanding and being able to implement both can give a player a substantial edge in diverse poker scenarios.

When thinking about the best approach to winning poker, there seems to be a lot of confusion about what Game Theory Optimal (GTO) in poker is, and whether it’s a better option than exploitative play in poker.

In reality, you don’t need to choose one of these options, but rather understand the basic principles of GTO play and when it should be applied.

In this article, I’ll try to go over every important detail to clear up any confusion, and I’ll start by explaining what GTO is and how it works in real-life scenarios.

What is GTO Poker?

Let’s start with the basics: What is GTO poker?

Game Theory Optimal (GTO) is basically when you attempt to play mathematically perfect poker, so that your opponents make mistakes against you. This strategy balances your value hands and poker bluffs in a way that leaves you unexploitable. 

Since the phrase has the word ‘optimal’ in it, people often think that GTO in poker is a perfect approach that is better than anything else out there. But that’s not always true.

First of all, the GTO poker model revolves around the style of play that makes you unexploitable.

It means that if you were playing a true Game Theory Optimal, your opponents couldn’t find any way to take advantage of your style. No matter what they do. At best, they could break even.

On the flip side, though, the GTO poker approach is fairly rigid as it doesn’t allow for any adjustments. You’ll be following the same strategy against all opponents no matter what they do. So, while you can’t be exploited, you won’t be exploiting others, either.

GTO is often used in poker played in online casinos, because games like live dealer poker or video poker makes it harder to read your opponents.

The best way to explain this is through a simple example. If the GTO poker model dictates that perfect 3-bet size in a certain scenario is 13 big blinds, you’ll be 3-betting to that size regardless of who your opponent is.

Even if you’re up against a loose maniac who’ll gladly call a 30 big blind 3-bet when you have pocket Aces, you’ll not deviate from your standard strategy, and leave money at the table against that particular player.

So, clearly, there are some upsides and downsides to this approach, but before jumping into the details, I want to address another topic.

No-Limit Hold’em Hasn’t Been Solved Yet

If you hear the word ‘optimal’, you immediately think of something perfect. However, there is still no such thing as a perfect poker strategy. No-Limit Hold’em is a game with many variables, and is yet to be solved, especially in non-heads up games.

Besides, even if there were a complete solution to NLHE, it would be way too complex to memorize for a normal human being. There is absolutely no way you could learn by heart what to do in every single situation.

If you had that kind of memory, you could probably earn much more money doing something else instead of playing poker.

So, GTO is very useful for learning basic principles and understanding why certain plays make sense. It’s good for building a solid strategy that you can implement against tough opponents.

But it’s not necessarily the best way to play poker in every possible scenario.

The Main Issues With GTO in Poker

The biggest problem that comes to mind when talking about GTO poker is actually learning it.

If you want to adopt this style of play, you’ll have to spend many hours analyzing different situations, working with solvers, reading strategy books and watching training videos.

But you won’t be able to remember all of that information and play a GTO strategy all the time.

However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t study a mathematical-based approach. It can help you learn a fundamentally sound strategy for almost all scenarios, and is the perfect starting point against any competition.

That being said, GTO in poker isn’t always the most profitable one because it doesn’t take into account players’ stats, tendencies, or reads in live games.

For example, if you’re up against a very loose player who opens many hands preflop or makes huge c-bets on flops every time, playing GTO in poker won’t make much money against this particular opponent. You need to adjust to their style and take advantage of their mistakes.

Of course, you’d still be winning by sticking to GTO in this scenario, just not as much as you could.

Exploitative Play in Poker: Reading Into People’s Tendencies

The exploitative play in live poker has been around for much longer. In fact, some of the best in the game had used this style to win heaps of money over the years, long before the idea of GTO poker took hold.

It’s important to understand that exploitative play still means you have to play very strategically sound and solid poker. You still have to make good hand selection before the flop, be mindful of your position, and pay attention to pot odds.

But then you go one step beyond.

This is a style of play where you open yourself to being exploited but make more money by targeting your opponent’s mistakes instead of balancing your ranges.

Many weaker players are unable to readjust to these changes, so playing a GTO style against such an opponent would mean leaving money on the table.

Example of Poker Exploitative Play

Let’s look at an extreme example.

You sit down at a 2/5 table, and you don’t know any of the players, but you saw that one guy open-shoved five times in a row. Two times he got looked up and showed ATo and T9s. You can now be pretty certain this player is here to gamble.

This is where GTO considerations go out of the window, and you snap them off with pocket tens, AQo, or even weaker holdings. Their showing range is just so wide that it makes no sense to stick to GTO and keep folding as if they were playing normal ranges.

The same applies to a completely contrasting scenario.

If you’re up against an ultimate nit who never bets big without the nuts, you can safely fold even some of your strongest hands when facing such bets on the river from this particular opponent.

While this would open you up to being exploited by competent players, it’s fine to do against someone who pretty much has just one gear.

Of course, situations are rarely this clear cut in real life.

Sometimes, you can make bad assumptions or misread the situation and only hurt yourself trying to adopt exploitative play.

So when you’re not sure how to exploit your opponents, GTO play is your best option.

Are Poker GTO And Exploitative Poker Mutually Exclusive?

There also seems to be some confusion among players about having to choose either one or the other style and stick to it, which is completely false.  

As already mentioned, learning GTO basics is vital for learning solid poker strategy foundations.

After all, if you’re going to vary your styles and exploit your opponents, you need to understand where they’re making mistakes, which you can’t do without knowing the right strategy yourself.

Learning GTO (at least to some extent) is also very useful for situations where you find yourself at tough tables or against unknown players. For example, you could be seated at a tough table in a poker tournament with players that are better than you.

Here, resorting to GTO might be your best option as an exploitative poker strategy would probably hurt your chances of winning.

So, these two concepts are not mutually exclusive, and, ideally, you’ll want to learn both.

This will make you a much tougher opponent overall as you’ll be prepared to tackle different scenarios and able to adjust to new situations at the tables. Once again, you don’t need to try and learn the entire GTO by heart.

It would be an overkill and pretty much impossible to do. What you want to do instead is analyze some frequent scenarios to understand the balanced play in these spots.

This should give you a pretty accurate idea of what to do in similar situations to keep your ranges balanced and your play close to GTO.

More On Exploitative Poker Play: Adjusting & Readjusting

Like game theory optimal strategy the exploitative approach has its drawbacks, too.

While GTO has its foundations hardcore math, poker exploitative play is more about guessing your opponent’s tendencies. As you probably know, conclusions made at a poker table aren’t always perfect or even correct at all.

Earlier in this article, I gave an extreme example where switching to an exploitative approach would be +EV.

But, in real life, things usually aren’t as simple. You’ll have to make much thinner reads and find smaller leaks in players’ styles that you can use to your advantage. A problem with making these adjustments is that you often don’t have enough information.

Seeing someone play a few dozen hands can give you some idea about their tendencies and inclinations in particular spots, but you shouldn’t overvalue that type of info.

With a small sample size, it could still just be a coincidence.

For example, you could see a player 3-bet several hands in a short span. Your initial thought might be that they’re probably doing it with a wide range of hands and that you might adjust to it by opening fewer hands or starting to 4-bet them as a bluff.

However, it’s entirely possible that they’re just running hot and have been dealt with some really good hands in a short time span.

While the exploitative style can definitely be more profitable, you need to make sure the information you’re basing your adjustments on is solid. Don’t be too quick to draw conclusions.

Be Mindful Of Other Players During Exploitative Poker

Another drawback of the poker exploitative play is that it opens doors for you to be exploited.

For example, you could adjust to a loose opponent who opens many hands preflop by 3-betting them light in position.

Against that particular player, your play is perfectly reasonable and will result in profit in the long run. However, you can face some problems if you’re not playing heads up. If there are some other competent players at the table, they might take notice of what you’re doing.

If a good player realizes you’re isolating a weak opponent too often, they might come after you. Since you’re 3-betting light, you won’t be able to do much when they start 4-betting you.

So, when making your adjustments, it’s not just the player you’re targeting that you need to consider. You also have to think about others involved in the game and what they might do.

If you notice one or two of them are starting to change their style to attack your adjustments, you’ll need to recalibrate your strategy.

You don’t have to deal with any of this when using GTO, which is why this approach is so powerful. You just know what you’re going to do and don’t care about what others are doing.

Always Mix Things Up

So, to wrap this discussion up, will you be better off playing GTO or an exploitative poker strategy?

The answer is… both!

Neither is better. Each serves a different purpose and depends on what kind of games you play.

In tough lineups, the GTO approach will usually work better as you’ll leave very little room for your opponents to take advantage of your plays.

In weaker games where your opponents aren’t paying as much attention and aren’t adjusting to your changes, you’ll make more money playing an exploitative poker strategy.

Since most of the time you’ll find yourself in situations with both weak and strong players at the table, you’ll be best off knowing both strategies.

That way, you can vary your style as needed and play exploitative strategy against weaker players to take full advantage of your mistakes and adopt the GTO approach against strong opponents to make sure they never get the upper hand.

Becoming a Professional Poker Player: Top Tips from a Pro

• Pick your poker game and stick to it – The best Poker pros specialize in one variation of poker. Most player choose Texas Hold ‘Em, but you can make a career playing Omaha poker or another variation.
• Learn it inside out – Once you choose your game, learn it from back to front, until you can recount pre-flop charts in your street.
• Put money and time into improving continuously, and take care of your soft skills – Don’t rest on your laurels. Always look for ways to improve your game and focus on your poker soft skills (which we’ll cover in this article).
• Don’t just focus on tournaments – Large scale tournaments, such as the WSOP, do attract a lot of pro poker players, but you can make a good living playing poker in an online casino. Online poker, live dealer poker, and video poker are, after all, still poker.

What’s Included in This Guide

• My story and what I learned on the way
• Step 1: Pick Your Poker Game and Be Consistent
• Step 2: Master Your Game & Know Your Odds
• Step 3: Invest in Your Education
• Step 4: Keep Learning
• Step 5: Take Care of Your Soft Skills to Stay on Top of Your Game
• Step 6: Manage Your Money Carefully
• Pros and Cons of Being a Professional Poker Player
• Becoming A Professional Poker Player – Is It For You?

How do You Become a Professional Poker Player

Do not fool yourself: becoming a professional poker player in today’s competitive environment is not easy, but if you take it seriously, it can be well worth the efforts.

I had many ups and downs over the years, but playing online poker professionally was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life, and I never regretted choosing this path. However, if I had to start all over again, I would do many things differently to save years of wasted time and a ton of lost money on the way.

I am sure that you can easily avoid many of the poker mistakes that I made and speed up your progress. So, if you have a couple of minutes to read it through, I will be happy to share how I became a professional player and what I learned on the road.

How to Become a Pro Poker Player: Getting My Start

I started playing poker around 2008 when I was introduced to the game by my friends. At that time, it was hard to imagine how big the poker world really was, and that it offered much more than my home games with buddies.

But even that was enough for me. I fell in love with this game and never looked back.

Of course, there is no need to say that the beginning of my career was far from optimal. I played random sessions of Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs), Progressive Knockout, and Sit-and-Go Tournaments (SNGs) online, plenty of cash games with my friends, and was not studying the game at all.

In the beginning, I loved competing with others and enjoyed the feeling of winning. With all honesty, it was not about the money. However, very soon, I realized that I could easily make much more playing poker than in a part-time job during my study years, and this idea fascinated me a lot.

At the time, I was struggling both financially and mentally because my father has just passed away. Poker helped take my thoughts off my situation, so I started grinding through days.

Starting Become a Pro Poker Player

The more I played, the more I liked the game. Unlike the “real” life, poker gave me control of everything. I could play when I wanted, what I wanted, for as long as I wanted – and I loved it.

When I look back, I think that I was incredibly lucky to discover this game. I am a very competitive person, and the ability to play with different pro poker players, adjust my strategy, and overcome them was very pleasing, probably even more so than money.

However, I have to confess that the beginning of my career was basically a gamble.

I had a very narrow understanding of the game and was not spending much time learning the strategy. Luckily for me, players weren’t that good back in those days, and I was making a very decent living even playing poorly.

And then I got lucky! One day changed my whole career.

In one of the live poker tournaments, I got to meet a professional poker player, and it changed my whole view of the game. He was talking in terms of ranges, breaking down poker math, poker ICM, and other concepts I barely knew existed.

That was the moment when I realized that there is so much more to the game. After that, I started studying like never before and rapidly improved my game.

Travelling the Poker Tournament Circuit

I joined a group of pro poker players, and we started traveling the world playing live cash games and occasional tournaments.

We visited WSOP in Las Vegas, many European Poker Tour stops, and other destinations in poker circuit. Now, I can easily say: meeting that PRO at the tournament was the best thing that ever happened to me in regards to poker.

I started getting coaching from one of the best pro poker players in my country, and my development boosted even more. We touched not only the strategy part, but also topics such as concentration, controlling emotions when bluffing, and other areas of the mental game, which once again made me realize how much I didn’t know.

After a year of traveling around and playing through the night in various local casinos, I decided that I didn’t want to do it anymore. Thus, I left the live games circuit and concentrated on playing at online casinos.

This is my path, but you can make much better decisions with a wide range of information available today.

If you want to play poker professionally, you can avoid a lot of my mistakes and speed this process by years. So what should you do? Let me try to answer this question by listing five steps that can drastically help you on your journey.

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How to Become a Professional Poker Player Step 1: Pick Your Poker Game and Be Consistent

At the beginning of my career, I tried playing different games simultaneously. I was launching MTTs and cash games at the same time, or even playing live cash and a table or two on my laptop.

Obviously, all of this looks ridiculous when I look back, and I believe it was one of the biggest roadblocks for improving as a player.

If you jump from one game to another, most likely, you will never become very good at either of it. Therefore, your primary job is to decide what you want to play and stick with that decision.

That being said, it does not mean that you can’t play cash games with your friends if you chose to play MTTs. Not at all, but you have to stick with one format as your main game and put all your concentration to it.

So how do you choose the game? Well, surely not based on possible income! You should pick the game which suits your situation and one you actually enjoy.

• If you do not want to play extremely long sessions or do not have the luxury to sit in front of your PC for hours without taking a break, MTTs are probably not for you.
• However, if you love the changing environment, different dynamics, and have all the time for playing – tournaments are a great choice.
• If you require the flexibility to manage your time, then you should probably choose cash games.

All of the formats have pros and cons. So do your homework, choose what works for you and most importantly, stick with it.

For example, if you decide to play tournaments and spend time to study ICM strategies, learn optimal approach on the bubble, master different stack depth play and vital adjustments for different situations, jumping to cash games would not be very wise.

Sticking to one game will help you improve much faster because you can concentrate on learning what matters the most and gather your experience at a much better pace.

If you gain an edge in one format, it is much easier to keep it than learn a different game.

This is where I struggled a lot. I was jumping from one format to another for a couple of years, and it was holding me back. Now, I can easily say that the moment I chose my game and put all the effort to improve in that area, my results skyrocketed, and you likely should follow this path as well.

How to Become a Pro Poker Player Step 2: Master Your Game & Know Your Odds

When you know what you’re going to play, concentrate all your efforts into mastering it. Obviously, you should start by learning the rules if it’s is a new game, but soon after that, your next step should be conquering the math.

No matter what you play, poker is a game of math, and if you do not know your numbers it will be very hard to reach any kind of success, maybe even impossible.

How to become a professional poker player – five essentials you need to know about your chosen game:

• Learn the odds of hitting a winning hand when you are behind.
• Figure out how to compare it against pot odds you are getting so you can make an educated decision if you need to continue with your holdings.
• Understand how implied odds work and the extra value they can add to your hand.
• Learn to count combos and frequencies so you can put your opponent on a range.
• And most importantly: learn to think in terms of ranges, not specific hands.

Assigning your opponent a specific hand instead of a range of cards is one of the biggest mistakes you can make, and one that almost everyone makes at the beginning.

When you understand frequencies and know how likely your opponent is to have one holding or another, you will be able to assign them a realistic range of cards and avoid the most common mistake.

You can easily do that if you observe all the action.

Start by analyzing the preflop situation and assign your opponent a specific range based on their position, the action they took, and bet sizing. Don’t worry if you struggle at the beginning, the more you play, the better you get at figuring out the exact holdings each of your opponents are likely to have.

After that, narrow down that range based on every action they take on following streets. If you do that correctly, at the end of the hand, you will always know where you stand.

You either have to call or raise their bet if your hand is ahead of their range, or fold if you are behind. As simple as that. This is where I made my second mistake, which wasted a lot of time and money.

I was simply playing and sticking with my assumptions without analyzing other professional poker players, or trying to put them on a range. So please, do not repeat my mistakes.

Never underestimate the value of fundamental knowledge, since it will always be your bread and butter when making decisions ?– and the most reliable source of information.

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How to Become a Professional Poker Player Step 3: Invest in Your Education

When you know your odds and the game inside-out, you should easily be winning in lower stakes games and can practice a lot without burning your bankroll.

However, if you’re looking for how to become a professional player, I guess you have much higher goals than that. This is great because your ambitions and goals will help you reach long-term success.

To boost this process, you have to invest in your education. I mean it literally. Obviously, you can get a lot of resources for free, but it will never be as good and most likely without any structure.

If you stick to reading random articles, watching Twitch streams or YouTube videos, it will probably never help you reach anything meaningful. I am not saying this just because I have a training site myself, but this proven to be true for many professional poker players, including myself.

Investing in Poker Coaching

My real progress started when I invested in my first coach, and big results came soon after that. I know plenty of such examples.

All top professional athletes and high performers require coaching and constant training. So, just like with anything else in life, you should not expect to reach exceptional results without investing in yourself at the beginning, and maybe even more so in poker.

A good course can help you save a lot of trials and errors time, and even money on the way. So I would recommend gathering as much information as possible, even if that means investing in several paid programs at the beginning.

How to Become a Professional Poker Player Step 4: Keep Learning

When you start playing and winning in serious games, do not make the mistake of thinking you know it all. It will never be the case.

There is no such thing as “happily ever after” in poker. It is a very challenging and dynamic game, meaning that the moment you stop improving, you will be falling back – and others will be quick to catch up.

You have to understand that if you are beating the games today, it definitely does not mean you’ll be beating same games tomorrow if you stop where you are.

Poker changes all the time. With many learning resources becoming available every day, pro poker players are getting better and better, new ones are joining the action, and they are hungry for the win.

How to become a professional poker player by keeping your skills sharp:

• Always analyze your game.
• Observe other players when playing.
• Mark hands that you are uncertain of how to play and discuss them with your friends or a coach.
• Join a training site or get a coach if you want to take it seriously.
• On top of that, work with poker solvers to learn game theory optimal (GTO) strategies.
• Use trackers and take poker notes to fine tune your play and identify population tendencies.
• Figure out the most profitable adjustments versus different professional poker players.

This list goes on and on. Basically, just try to become the best version of yourself every single day, and you will become excellent.

How to Become a Pro Poker Player Step 5: Take Care of Your Soft Skills

Many professional poker players lose a lot of money due to tilting, emotional decisions, or simply lack of concentration during the games. I like to call these “soft skills”.

You’re only human, so while it’s not possible to completely stop these issues from affecting your games, you have to make sure you do everything you can to reduce them.

If you end up spewing one buy-in every session because of sub-optimal play, the results at the end of the month will not be something you want to see. Most of the time, this part could be a deciding factor between crushing the games and barely surviving.

Most professional poker players think that it is enough to prevent tilting or avoid playing when they’re feeling bad. While this is important, it is just a very small part of the whole picture.

How to be a Good Poker Player Through Soft Skills

To perform at your best, you need to have a lot of energy and concentration. Be sure to:

• Get enough sleep.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet.
• Prepare for your poker sessions.
• Remove distractions when playing.
• Observe all available information.
• Know when it’s time to quit playing.
• Stop chasing loses.

On top of that, never rush to make a decision.

Take your time and evaluate all available information, put your opponent on the range, and think through all the hand before making your final decision.

Remember that every time you make a sub-optimal play for any reason, you are simply leaving money at the table. And to be honest, I was struggling with this part long after I started playing poker.

The thing that helped me the most was realizing that I need to build structure into my life and grow habits that would help me along the way.

If you have to fight with yourself every time you need to study or play, your efforts will not last very long. So, do yourself a favor and think about how you can introduce some systems that will prevent you from playing when you shouldn’t, and help you perform at your best when you play.

Playing poker professionally is a long-term journey.

If you are better than your opponents, you will win in the end. Mastering the soft side of the game will help you do exactly that – become a better player than most of your opponents.

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How to Become a Professional Poker Player Step 6: Manage Your Money Carefully

It’s quite a self-explanatory topic, and everyone knows how vital it is to manage finances well. Yet MANY pro poker player fall short because of a lack of discipline in this area.

There are a few things I highly recommend for anyone looking play poker professionally:

• Separate your poker bankroll from everyday cash.
• Have enough buy-ins to outlive variance (based on the game that you play).
• Do not withdraw money too often.
• Have savings to cover living expenses for at least six months.
• Be ready to move down the stakes if needed.

I know many good pro poker players who busted all their money just because they weren’t able to follow these simple tips – do not become one of them.

Also, never think that you can outsmart the variance or that it will not hit you. Based on your win rate, the variance can be huge, probably bigger than you ever imagined.

This graph is based on calculations of possible variance over 100,000 cash game hands where you have 2.5bb/100 win rate. Each of these lines represents a possible outcome, with different probabilities of happening.

You can see that after 100,000 hands you can be down a couple of hundred or thousands of big blinds, even if you should be winning. At the worst-case scenario, you can be down as many as 80 buy-ins.

The same can be said about tournaments, SNGs and other formats. If you’re a winning player, it doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed to win over a short period, so it’s better to be ready than sorry.

This is why it is vital to have funds to cover your living expenses and big bankroll to outlive the swings. Do not cut corners in this area.

Pros and Cons of Being a Professional Poker Player

We already covered how to become a professional poker player and avoid many mistakes on the road, but before making your final decision, you should understand what life in this line of work is really like.

Depending on your experience, you may think that winning in poker isn’t that hard. But to reach a high level of success, you need to devote a lot of time to playing and studying the game. As the saying goes:

“Poker is a hard way to make an easy living.”

I couldn’t agree with it more. From a distance, the life of a poker player may look like a dream, but no one sees how much effort goes into reaching that level.

Playing poker professionally is completely different from playing poker for fun, and you need to understand those differences.

The game is not about huge scores that you see on TV or in the movies, but much more about showing up every day and putting the grind on the tables.

Let me list what I consider to be the pros and cons of being a professional poker player:

PROS

• Freedom – You can do what you love for a living, without anyone bossing you around. On top of that, you can be flexible with your schedule and build it around your life to fully enjoy it.
• Competition – The game is very challenging and hugely exciting. You’ll be able to compete with other professional poker players and constantly improve, which is a good recipe for an interesting career.
• Traveling – If you reach higher levels, you will have the opportunity to travel the world and enjoy all of the experiences without spending any of your money. How cool is that?
• Money – Last but not least! Poker can give you the resources to live a wonderful life and offer almost unlimited earning potential. Moreover, you get to keep all the rewards to yourself, which is very unlikely to happen in other areas.

CONS

• Mentally draining – Even though this game is really fun, it can quickly become emotionally taxing if you are not fully prepared in all parts of your game. Variance can be brutal, and it will likely hit you very hard at some point in your career.
• Exhausting – It’s not as easy to consistently put long hours into playing and studying as it it may seem. Most likely, you will need to put in much more work than you think to succeed. On top of that, when you find yourself a longer downswing with breakeven stretch or even loosing for a couple of months, it can become very tiring. You need a lot of discipline to stay at the tables.
• Social stigma – Poker can be seen as pure gambling by anyone outside the game, which is why it may not be accepted well by your friends and family. I had this problem at the beginning of my career, and it took years for my family to realize that it was a serious job – just like anything else.

So before making any decisions, be sure to weigh up all the pros and cons and see if it suits who you are, or who you want to become.

How do I Become a Professional Poker Player – Is It For You?

Now you can decide for yourself if this is something you want to do for a living. Poker is not for everyone, and there is no shame to admit it. But if you choose to go down this path and commit yourself to the game, it can be very rewarding.

Obviously, you need to be very honest with yourself and understand why you want to pursue it. Do you want to play just because you are tired of what you’re doing, or because you have a genuine passion for the game and want to become the best?

These are two completely different answers. If your only goal is to make money, you will have a very hard time finding motivation when things don’t go your way.

I believe that it is close to impossible to reach long-term success in poker if you do not have the passion and commitment for the game. Either take it very seriously or look for other options.

But as long as you have the passion, are willing to put hard work and understand realistic expectations for the game, you will be fine!

If you love poker – just go for it, and you will learn everything else along the way.

If you’re new to poker and don’t know where to play, we suggest checking out Casino.org’s list of recommended online poker sites. We have tons of reviews you can read to find the one that’s most suitable for you.

If you want to be good at reading your opponents when playing poker, you need to make use of all the information available. Everything from bet sizing, behavior, and even the time they take to make a decision, can be important in figuring out your opponent’s holdings.

Let’s take a look at the most effective ways to read your opponents in all types of poker, from live dealer poker to video poker.

The Most Important Part: Putting Your Opponents On A Range

No matter if you’re playing live or online poker, the most important part of reading your opponents is putting them on a range.

The ‘range’ is the various possible hands they could hold, so putting them on a range means trying to figure out what those hands could be. As the hand plays out and your opponent makes more decisions and takes more actions, you can use this information to narrow down their range.

It’s a vital skill to master.

But instead of thinking about ranges, many players try to guess the exact hand of their opponents on the river. This approach doesn’t work.

Good players don’t make blind guesses; they use a methodical approach. Even though it requires a lot of practice, you can learn to put your opponent on a range by following these four simple steps.

Step 1:  Analyze preflop actions

If you want to put your opponent on an accurate range of cards by the river, you should start your work preflop.

The first thing you need to consider is your opponent’s position.

They will be playing completely different hands from under the gun (UTG) and button (BTN), so it’s vital to assign them a realistic range.A player who is raising from the first position will not have 63s in their range, so is very unlikely to have strong holdings on the flop with 633.

However, a player on the BTN can easily have such hands, and way more other 3x holdings, so you need to play differently against these ranges.

Knowing the position is not enough. You also have to identify your opponent’s type.

If they’re passive, they could be playing just 15% of hands from the cutoff (CO), while an aggressive opponent could be opening 35% or even more. The same thought process should be applied for other situations when someone limps, or you face a 3-bet.

When you evaluate your opponent’s position and playing style, you can already make an educated guess of what hands they could be playing.

Step 2: Narrow down the range based on flop action

The next step is quite straightforward. Using information from the flop action, you can narrow down their range.

You can learn what your opponent should do in any given situation by studying game theory optimal (GTO) strategy and then adjust these ranges based on your observations.

This will help you understand what hands your opponent should be checking or betting and then reduce their likely holdings accordingly.

Step 3: Evaluate additional information

To narrow down the range even further, you should look at all the other information available to you. Things like your opponent’s poker stats, bet sizing, or even physical tells can say a lot about their holdings. The table dynamics will give you a ton of additional insights.

This is a huge part of learning how to play poker, so we’ll come back to it later on in the article.

Step 4: Keep reducing their possible holdings on the turn and river

Just like you did in the second step for the flop play, you can continue reducing your opponent’s possible holdings based on their actions and community cards on the turn and river.

It’s worth saying that lots of people have a similar playing style and share similarities that are easy to notice and exploit.

An example would be that they don’t adjust to the situation. If you notice someone checking top pair with a weak kicker on the flop, they’re very likely to take the same action with similar holdings in other hands as well.

So after seeing it once, you’ll be able to remove these holdings from their range in similar spots.

You can quickly get a feel of player tendencies and use this information until you notice that your particular opponent adjusts their play, and then react accordingly.

Learning to put your opponent on a range instead of guessing a specific hand is the best way to read other players.

However, you can make even better decisions if you take into consideration all the additional information available to you.

How To Read Opponents in Online Poker Games

Given that you don’t physically see your opponent when playing online, there are only a few things you can consider.

You should closely monitor bet sizing and how long your opponent takes to make decisions.

Let’s start with the first one.

1. Look at bet sizing

Although probably the best indication of your opponent’s strength, this information is massively underused in games.

Players are very unlikely to change bet sizing and their betting patterns, so if you notice how they play their strong and weak hands, and what sizing they use in different spots, it could be a serious tell.

Even though this is very player dependent, here are two common situations:

• Using tiny bet sizing
  Players are unlikely to bet small as a bluff. Of course, they can do that with medium-strength hands, but you will rarely see complete air when facing such a bet. For the most part, they are simply trying to see a cheap showdown.
• Over betting
  This is very player dependent but more often than not people try to choose over bets with strong holdings. This shouldn’t be applied against regulars who balance their ranges.

However, if you see someone using truly big sizing, especially on dry board, they are more likely to be value betting.

Most players understand that your range is polarized in these situations, where you either have a strong hand that is going to call no matter what or a weak one, which will be folding even to a smaller bet – so it makes no point to over bet as a bluff.

These are just guidelines but could be a good starting point when observing your opponents.

2. Observe how much time they spend making decisions

Many players leave a lot of valuable information on the table by not considering the timing of others.

Some actions can be a very good indication of your opponent’s hand strength:

• Instant check
  Almost always an indication of a weak hand. It shows that your opponent didn’t have to spend any time to think through the decision, which is very unlikely to happen with a strong holding.
• Instant bet
  Can indicate strength, except for a c-bet. When a player instantly decides to continuation bet, they’re less likely to have a strong holding, but in most other cases you should be aware of this information.
• Instant call
  Most of the time it indicates that your opponent has a medium-strength hand or a draw, and they want to see another card without even thinking about raising or folding.
• Checking after taking a lot of time
  Very unlikely to have a strong holding. From my experience, a bet in this situation will take down the most, the majority of the time.
• Betting or raising after taking a lot of time
  This is very strong. I rarely see players bluffing with this line, and the reason they take more time is to appear weak, so you shouldn’t be fooled by this action.
• Calling after taking a long time
  Generally indicates more strength. We can follow the same logic as in the previous point that players tend to take more time to look weaker and encourage another bet from you.

It goes without saying that this could change depending on the players, so you shouldn’t base your decision on this information alone but instead consider it along with other information.

Moreover, some players may try to fake these tells and act the opposite, so observe your opponent and be open to adjusting your strategy.

How To Read Opponents In Live Poker Games

While there are only a few ways to read your opponents when playing online, you can get a lot of additional information in live games.

That being said, there’s not much difference between online and live games regarding sizing and timing tells, so the same logic applies as covered in the online section.

However, there are a lot of other factors to consider that I’ll split into two different parts – physical and verbal tells.

Physical Tells

1. Physical tells that indicate strength

• Player hesitates and then bets or raises
  A very reliable tell that indicates a lot of strength on your opponent’s part. They wouldn’t want to appear weak when bluffing and wouldn’t send such signals.
• Double-checking hole cards before betting postflop
  In my experience, a player is very unlikely to be bluffing with this line of action. Also, players rarely have suited hands when double-checking, so that’s worth noticing.
• Playing with chips in an unusual way
  Indicates that your opponent is relaxed and less likely to be bluffing. Of course, if they always play with chips in a specific way, ignore this, but if they usually sit quietly and out of nowhere start doing some tricks after betting, they’re probably not bluffing.

2. Physical tells that indicate weakness

• The pretending-to-plan-to-bet-when-waiting act
  Whenever you see players reaching for chips when you’re thinking of betting, you can be sure that they do not have a strong hand. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to fold to your bet but they’re very unlikely to have better than a one pair hand, so you can continue betting and barrel them off in most cases.
• Counting chips for betting and then checking
  Strong indication of a weak or medium-strength hand. By this action, your opponent tries to appear strong and discourage you from betting while most likely just hoping for a cheap showdown.
• Unnecessary movement
  This attracts attention and indicates a weak hand. If you notice someone putting chips in the pot by slamming it hard, hear loud announcements of call or bet, see extra arms or shoulders movements, you could be facing a weak hand and an opponent who is just trying to look scary. This also includes shuffling cards or doing anything else that draws the attention you actually wouldn’t want when having a strong hand.

As a general rule of thumb, players are weak when they try to show strength and are strong when showing weakness.

Verbal Tells

1. Verbal tells that indicate strength

• Talking while in hand
  Indicates that the player is relaxed and less likely to bluff. Of course, when someone asks how many chips you have and the player answers, it doesn’t count. But if the player starts talking while you’re thinking without any particular reason, they’re probably trying to convince you that they’re just friendly and you should play with them.
• Announcing they don’t have a strong hand
  If you think about it, why would anyone ever say something like this when bluffing? In reality, this is quite a reliable tell that indicates your opponent’s range is very strong. The same goes for naming the exact hand. If a player says that they don’t have JT on 987 5 2, you can almost be guaranteed that they have at least a 6x or even T6 and are trying to make their range look weaker, so you’ll call.
  Pretty much any announcement of a weak hand ever actually means they have a weak hand or even a draw.
• Asking for action
  Whenever you hear a player saying something like “you are committed,” “if you have it, you have it,” “let’s go,” or anything that encourages you to play, they’re likely holding something good.

2. Verbal tells that indicate weakness

• Joking when waiting for action
  Smiling and laughing is an indication of a weak hand from a player who is waiting to act (not necessarily true for player who is betting themself), but it’s even more likely to be true when a player is joking. Again, the reasoning is very similar. They would not risk attracting attention and discouraging action with a premium holding, so they’re more likely to be weak when joking or making funny statements.
• Verbally announcing checking
  Indicates a weak hand because they want to appear confident to prevent you from betting. The louder the check is, the more likely the player has a weak holding. The same could be said about verbal announcements of “calling”. When they have poor holding, they’ll do everything to indicate strength, which is very unlikely action with a really strong hand, because they would not want to discourage the action.

Everything can be logically explained, so always try to remember this and make better decisions.

Important Takeaways

• Generally, acting strong = weak hand, acting weak = strong hand.
• Tells are more useful when playing against recreational players.
• Some players try to give false tells, so be aware of this possibility.
• Use everything as an additional source of information, don’t blindly follow one thing.
• Bet sizing and timing tells can be used both live and online.
• Putting an opponent on a range is by far the most reliable way to predict their possible holdings.

Regardless of your general strategy and how tight you like to play, you simply have to poker bluff every now and then. Your opponents need to know that you’re capable of it – otherwise, you’ll become too predictable and too easy to play against.

Bluffing in Poker: What You Need to Know

• Some players hate bluffing and just don’t want to take the risk. They believe that “tight is right,” and you should only play your strong hands.
• This approach may be good in some very specific cases and certain super-soft games, but it won’t cut it in any serious lineup.
• Luckily, like everything else in poker, the fine art of bluffing is something you can learn.

While you shouldn’t expect to become the best bluffer in poker overnight, reading through these tips and applying them in your games will certainly help you get better at it.

1. Detach Yourself From The Money During a Poker Bluff

When you sit down to play bluff poker, you shouldn’t be thinking in terms of real-world money. The chips you have in front of you are just big blinds, and you should see them as such.

It takes time to develop this mindset, but it will help you immensely to become better at bluffing.

When you’re thinking about pulling a poker bluff, you need to clear your mind of any such notions.

For example, in a $2/$5 game, betting $200 may seem like a lot of money. But, if you think in terms of it big blinds and you’re betting 40 BB to win 150 BB pot, it’s much easier.

I understand that this is easier said than done and it takes a lot of practice, but it’s really important.

You’ll never be able to pull a good poker bluff if you associate every bet with something you could buy with that money instead. It’ll make you hesitant to pull the trigger, and even if you do end up doing it, your opponents might pick up on the fact you’re doing it reluctantly.

The only time you should think about actual money is when you know this could be a factor for your opponent.

If you know that they think in terms of cash and are in the state of mind described above, this is something you can use to your advantage. These players are often prime targets for a large poker bluff as they just won’t call you and risk a lot of money with a non-nut hand.

2. Learn How To Tell A Story as a Poker Bluffer

If you really want to become an expert poker bluffer, you need to understand that your bluffs must make sense.

Being brave and not caring about money is all well and good, but any decent player will call you out when your story doesn’t add up.

So, before you decide to go for bluff poker think about what you’re trying to represent. Weaker players don’t seem to have a good grasp of this concept.

For example, you open from UTG, they flat call in the big blind, and the flop comes A A K. They check, you bet, and then they raise you.

This story just doesn’t make sense.

You have a huge range advantage on this board, and they only have a few solid hands in their range that connect with that board and don’t 3-bet before the flop. As a bluffing spot, this is one of the worst you could pick, and a good player will often call you on the flop even with air, just to take it away on the turn.

Make sure you know what kind of story you’re trying to tell first and foremost, think about whether it makes sense, and then proceed to the execution phase.

For example, you could check on a turn that completes a possible flush draw with the intention of raising your opponent’s bet. That story is much more believable and will put your opponent in a tough spot, especially when you follow through with a bet on the river if they do call the turn.

Sometimes you’ll tell a perfect story and still get picked off. This doesn’t mean that you’re bad at bluffing. Some players just hate folding.

While your poker bluff won’t work all the time, if you pick your spots carefully, you can add a lot of chips in your stack by pulling the trigger.

3. Control Your Body Language

This one is exclusively dedicated to live poker, but I just can’t leave this point aside.

Controlling your body language is easier said than done but definitely something you need to work on if you want to become an expert bluffer in poker.

Physical tells play an important role in live poker, and if you have too many of these, experienced players are very likely to get a read on you.

But what if your hands are shaking or you start to breathe harder when you’re bluffing? What can you do about it? It’s not like you can really control these things.

First of all, you should be aware of your table presence and figure out if there are any changes that happen when you’re bluffing. When you get this part right, you can start working towards eliminating them or minimizing their effects.

One good way to go about it is to have a fixed posture when you’re involved in an important hand.

For example, keeping both hands together and close to your mouth will help hide many recognizable tells. It’ll be hard to see if your hands are shaking, and other players won’t have a clear view of your throat or your chest.

Of course, you have to do this when you’re not bluffing as well. Simply find a certain posture that you’re comfortable with and stick with it every time you get involved in a significant pot.

While this won’t get rid of all tells, it will certainly make it much more difficult for your opponents to pick off any solid reads.

4. Be Aware Of Your Table Image During Your Poker Bluff

Knowing how other players perceive you is quite important in general, but it’s essential for constructing your bluffing strategy.

I know players who poker bluff so rarely that they can pretty much get me off any hand that’s not the nuts. Then there are some players I’ll happily look up all the way till the river with a second pair and no kicker.

Image is everything.

If you want to be good at bluffing, you need to develop an image of someone who’s more than capable of bluffing but isn’t crazy loose. That way, you’ll always keep your opponents on the edge of their seats and guessing.

However, you can’t always plan for how a session will go down.

Maybe you’ll get several great bluffing opportunities in a row, and this might make some people think you poker bluff all the time. Or, you may have been card dead, so you appear as a rock who never gets involved with anything but nuts.

Try to see things from your opponents’ perspective and adjust your play accordingly.

If it feels like they might have you pegged as a crazy LAG, it might be a good time to step back a bit and pass on some bluffing opportunities.

You have to consider the fact that you’re much more likely to get looked up in this scenario, so the profitability of your poker bluff will have decreased significantly.

5. Learn To Pick The Best Spots

When you’re thinking about bluffing, you need to have something going your way. Either the situation is favorable, or the player you’re facing is likely to fold to a bluff (ideally both, of course).

Learning how to pick your bluffing spots is one of the essential skills you’ll need to develop.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple guide to this.

Online poker is such a fluid game that you can’t just have one strategy and stick to it no matter what. In some games, you’ll have heaps of great bluffing spots. Sometimes, you’ll be pretty much forced to play it straight and bluff very rarely.

Some general tips on this topic include:

• Don’t bluff calling stations – they don’t fold enough.
• Avoid bluffing players who are tilting.
• Always be on the lookout for scare cards: over-cards, cards completing obvious draws, etc.
• Bluff more against shorter stacks – they don’t have enough chips to speculate.
• At the same time, avoid super-short stacks. They might be too committed.

As you can see, there’s a variety of factors you need to think about when picking your bluffing spots.

For example, scare cards are one of the best friends of every good poker bluffer, and they give you a lot of opportunities to continue your aggression and force your opponent to fold.

Of course, you will rarely be in a perfect scenario where you can tick all of these boxes, but making educated bluffs and considering these elements will help you a lot.

6. Avoid Bluffing In Multi-Way Pots

Some of the biggest and craziest poker bluffs that ever happened – happened in heads up pots. You’ll almost never see a seasoned player pulling a massive bluff against two, three, or more players.

And for good reason.

With multiple players involved in a hand, pulling off a successful poker bluff becomes increasingly difficult. There is just so much you need to figure out before you proceed, and the likelihood of someone having a good hand increases as well.

Of course, you can still take small stabs at a pot when no one has shown an interest – but don’t get too involved.

If you try and get called by two or more players, it’s time to throw in the towel.

There are so many better spots you can take advantage of that there is no need to waste your chips in unfavorable situations.

7. Toy With Different Bet Sizes When Bluffing

One of the things experts are really good at is toying with different sizes to throw their opponents off and confuse them.

For example, if someone’s expecting a normal bet of about half the pot but is instead faced with an oversized wager of 1.2x the pot, they’ll find themselves in unknown territory.

They’ve probably made plans for a normal bet, but now they have to rethink their strategy completely.

You also need to understand that your bluff poker moves can’t look too weak or constructed in a way as to price in your opponents. Players who are bad at bluffing will frequently bet something like 15 percent of the pot on the river and then will complain about getting called with a weak hand.

You can get away with mixing in some small bets now and then, but do understand that these are simply much likelier to get called.

If you want to bluff, you can’t be afraid to commit chips. If you’d bet about half pot for value, you have to bet the same when you’re bluffing. Otherwise, you’re just making it too easy for any observant opponent.

That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t experiment a little.

In different lineups, different things could work quite well. So, it’s fine to test various bet sizes to see what happens as long as you are up against recreational players, who likely don’t know how to react to such changes.

Let Your Journey To Becoming An Expert Bluffer in Poker Begin

If you’re new to poker and have aspirations of becoming a pro at bluffing – you should be very careful.

Big bluffs may look awesome on TV, but when it’s your money going across the table, it is an entirely different story.

I’d say that you should instead aspire to become an all-around good poker player, and bluffing should just be one part of your overall strategy.

The thing is, you don’t want to be known as the bluffer in your game. The only thing that title will bring you is that people will be looking you up lightly, forcing you to bleed your chips if you are actually bluffing too much.

The best bluffers are the ones you don’t think of as bluffers. These players are super hard to play against because you never know where you’re at with them.

So, if you want to become an expert bluffer, this is what you should aspire to.

Everyone can throw their stack away time and time again in a desperate attempt to win a pot. The best know exactly when to put their chips at risk and when to give up – and that’s what makes them the best.

Brush up on your knowledge even more with some light reading:

The same applies to your opponents. While you’ll occasionally come across straightforward players who only bet when they have the goods, a vast majority are capable of pulling a bluff at least now and then.

It’s your job to sniff out these bluffs and catch them with their hand in the cookie jar – but you’ll need to learn how to spot them first.

So if you’re facing a bet and aren’t sure what to make of it, these tips on common poker bluffs should give you a good starting point.

1. A Flop Continuation Bet Poker Bluff

If you’ve been playing online poker for any length of time, you’re probably aware of the continuation bet as its one of the most common poker bluffs.

This is a play when the player chooses to bet on the flop after raising preflop, and many of your opponents will do that whether they connect with the board or not.

While c-bets work very well and are a powerful weapon in your bluffing toolbelt, you can’t just bet every flop without thinking about it. This may work against very weak players who play fit-or-fold poker, but it won’t work against thinking opponents.

They’ll consider your preflop range and how that range corresponds with the flop texture. When trying to pick off a c-bet bluff, you should be doing the same.

Some players will use this move too frequently and you can easily exploit that.

For example, if someone has raised before the flop from an early position and the board comes with low to middle connected cards, their flop bet is more likely to be a bluff. The board texture is much more likely to help other players, especially if blinds are still in play.

Always be on the lookout for the players who continuation bet too often. This is definitely one of the more common poker bluffs out there, and many players don’t know how to balance it properly.

Once you figure out someone is automatically betting almost every flop, you can counter them by calling their bets in position or mixing in an occasional check-raise to force them to give up on whatever equity they might have after throwing some more money into the pot.

2. The Button Raise Poker Bluff

Even bad players know that you’re supposed to raise with all sorts of hands from the button to try and steal the blinds, which is why this is one of the most common poker bluffs out there.

Of course, it’s hard to talk about complete bluffs when discussing a preflop situation, but if you’re raising with a hand that you shouldn’t, you’re essentially bluffing.

So if you notice a player who is opening any two cards, you can add way more hands in your 3-betting range and call medium strength holdings from the big blind.

If your opponent is playing way too wide in this spot, they will have a very hard time defending against your 3-bets.

On top of that, if you structure your calling range properly and have a lot of decent hands against their wide and weak range, you’ll have many opportunities to take down the pots.

So while the player on the button has a huge advantage of position, if you notice them playing way too aggressive, you can easily punish them for it.

3. Bluffing To See Where They’re At

Although you won’t find this type of bluff with competent pros, recreational players seem very fond of this move, making it one of the more common poker bluffs.

This type of bluff is usually marked by a fairly small sizing.

As a poker bluff, it’s not a very good one as it doesn’t price other players out, and it reopens the action for anyone who might have a strong hand and has decided to play it tricky.

This play usually isn’t too hard to sniff out as the player making it is often quite honest about it.

The whole bluff is designed to buy the pot in the event everybody else has whiffed completely and are happy to give up, or at least to see the next card with a hope to improve very cheaply.

So while you will not see this move from experienced players, you’ll often face such bets even in multiway pots from someone new to the game, so you should not be afraid to play back.

4. The Instant-Bet Poker Bluff

When you check to your opponent and they instantly fire a fairly sizable bet, you might be facing an instant-bet bluff.

This is a common poker bluff, especially among live or video poker players, and the idea behind it is to confuse the opponent and not give them time to think.

Of course, you can have as much time as you want because the speed with which they bet doesn’t dictate your action – but this play does work sometimes.

The instant-bet bluff can be quite effective against inexperienced players who’ll feel pressured into making a quick decision. They might respond by auto-folding their cards without taking the proper time to think about the hand.

So when you face such a bet from your opponent, always try to break down the entire hand to see if they can represent a very strong hand.

More often then not, they are just trying to look intimidating, so you can pick a couple of extra pots based on that.

5. A Donk-Bet Poker Bluff

Most of the time in poker or live dealer poker, you’ll want to check the action to the original raiser and let them continue with the aggression.

There is very little advantage to betting into them on the flop to let them know you have a good hand and allow them to get away cheaply. Hence the play was dubbed a donk-bet.

While good players do use the donk-bet as a part of their overall strategy, you won’t see it very often since it is much harder to balance and put into overall solid strategy.

Bad or inexperienced players, on the other hand, will frequently donk-bet. And more often than not this will be done as a bluff.

The logic behind the move is to try and win the pot right away instead of having to deal with a continuation bet and everything that comes after.

You’ll find that some players simply refuse to give up on their donk-bet bluffs even after being repeatedly put in tough spots because of it.

With the original raiser having a position and range advantage, for the most part, they can choose to play however they want – call or raise with hands that have good equity and let the bluffer throw away some more money on the turn if they’d like.

So when you notice a recreational player donk betting on the flop, don’t rush into folding.

6. The Turn Stab Poker Bluff

As discussed earlier, firing a continuation bet on the flop is quite common.

So, when the player who’s supposed to bet on the flop decides to check behind, it opens doors for another common poker bluff, the turn stab.

This is another one of those bluffs that will work fairly frequently, especially against weaker players.

Good players know how to balance their check-back ranges by checking some of their strong hands. However, recreational players usually have absolute air or the nuts in these spots.

Since it’s really hard to flop the nuts, the turn stab bluff works quite well.

Even if the in-position player calls the turn, it’s possible to take them off of their hand with a river bet depending on how the board runs out.

So, if you don’t have this one in your arsenal, you should definitely start looking for good spots to add this play and always be ready to bluff-catch against other players.

7. The Min-Bet Poker Bluff

Again, this is one of those bluffs you’ll probably encounter frequently but only from less experienced players.

It usually happens on the river where they’ll try to buy the pot with a tiny bet.

Although this is a funny-looking bluff, it can be quite tricky, especially when you don’t have a hand with any real showdown value.

The problem with this bluff is that you have to be quite certain that it is, in fact, a bluff.

In that case, you can raise and win the pot. However, if it turns out to be a small value bet, you’ll be in the world of hurt when they jam on you.

The reason why pros don’t resort to this bluff as much is that a good player will simply make a call with a wide array of hands as they know they’re getting the right price.

So if you find yourself in this situation and see that your opponent’s story doesn’t add up, you should be calling fairly wide and can even consider raising if you are holding complete air.

8. The Squeeze Poker Bluff

If there is one thing that’s really changed about poker over the years, it’s the fact games have become much more aggressive.

Long gone are days where most people were sitting around the table, waiting for the nuts. These days, players are looking for good opportunities and are less worried about the quality of their holdings.

The squeeze bluff has become one of the most common poker bluffs, to the point where even inexperienced players resort to it quite often.

When there’s a raise and a few callers ahead of you, there is plenty of dead money in the pot and only one player (the original raiser) to really worry about.

So, why not raise and try to squeeze everyone out to win those sweet poker chips in the middle?

Again, this is a preflop play, so it may be hard to categorize it as a pure bluff, but when done with a weak hand, you aren’t expecting to have the best cards if you get any action.

The purpose of this bluff is to put everyone else to the test and force them to fold hands that are likely ahead and maybe even have you dominated.

For the most part, this move works great since people tend to be over-folding in these situations, so you can surely take advantage of that.

Don’t be scared when someone else is squeezing and don’t give up too easily. Unless you’re at the table full of really inexperienced players, you’ll see this play quite frequently.

9. The Triple-Barrel Poker Bluff

Although not as common as other bluffs on this list, the triple-barrel bluff is usually very effective and quite difficult to deal with.

When a player is determined to win a pot and they fire on the flop, the turn, and the river, calling them down without a very strong hand is a tough task.

It’s a good thing that most players don’t have it in them to go for a triple-barrel bluff frequently as that would make the game much harder overall. The only way to deconstruct these bluffs is by approaching the hand in a very methodical and calm manner.

Start by thinking about their likely preflop range and go from there. By betting all three streets, they’re representing a very strong hand. How likely are they to have a strong hand given the preflop action and the board structure?

Of course, any physical tells that you might have picked up along the way, and any previous knowledge of the player’s tendencies can come in very handy as well.

You better be quite sure someone is even capable of making this bluff before you decide to call them down.

10. The Overbet Poker Bluff

It’s only logical to conclude this list of top poker bluffs by the one that’s probably the hardest to deal with.

The overbet bluff is mostly applied on the river when your opponent decides to blast away with a really large bet – usually well over the size of the pot.

This type of bluff is not as uncommon as you might think. Loose players, even some very good ones, love to use it to put the maximum pressure on their opponents.

Of course, they’ll balance it out by polarizing their ranges and also sometimes betting huge when they have the virtual nuts.

What makes this bluff so hard to deal with is the fact you’re getting really bad odds on the call. So, you have to be sure you’re being bluffed to make the call, and it’s not easy to be sure when you have a mediocre hand and are facing a huge bet.

As a general rule of thumb, you shouldn’t be calling too many of these bets. Keep your hero calls for those times you’re up against a total maniac or a really good player that you believe is capable of making such play with air.

Keep in mind that this kind of bet will pretty much never be a medium hand. They’ll either have the nuts or nothing, so your hand strength is not as important as you might think.

Common Poker Bluffs And How to Use Them

If you play poker, you’ll have to deal with bluffs on a daily basis, and I hope that this article will help you recognize and deal with the most common spots.

There is so much to say about bluffing in poker that it’s impossible to explain in one article, but you have to start somewhere.

At the same time, keep in mind that your opponents might be privy to this knowledge as well. If you’re getting ready to fire away with air, think about these common situations.

If your play is screaming “bluff” then maybe you’d be better off cutting your losses and saving your chips for another, more favorable spot.

The Essentials

• A philanthropist of picks and parlays, Dan Gamble AI, also known as DanGamble, is like the Robin Hood of the sports betting industry. Not only does he take from the rich (sportsbooks) and give to the poor (bettors), but he does so anonymously.
• As an AI engineer, he uses predictive models based on past data to pick potential winners in the future.
• Though he goes by the name of Dan, the engineer in question posts all of his predictions from an unnamed account. Rather than a real name, ‘Dan’ is actually a reference to the ChatGPT DAN prompt, “Do Any Thing”. Without a face or name attached to the account, Dan Gambles AI remains a total enigma.

How is he Using AI for Sports Betting?

Dan Gamble AI has designed a unique algorithm with which he can predict the outcome of various sports events and consequently build a data-backed bet sheet.

First, he decides which sport to focus on. Depending on the time of year, this will be the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc. He also determines what type of bet he is looking to predict, such as prop bets, parlays, and Over/Unders.

Dan then feeds this information into his AI algorithm. After receiving the necessary prompt, AI rapidly analyzes years of historical data to give detailed forecasts on the outcome of a specific event. In a way, it is similar to historical horse racing (HHR) games, which use historical racing data to determine wagering outcomes.

Once he has collected the data and used it to make his predictions, Dan places his bets on bet365. Whether this is down to personal preference or a strategic partnership is not entirely clear, but he regularly encourages his followers to sign up and claim a bonus using the links in his Instagram bio.

bet365 isn’t the only sportsbook he’s advertised. Back in February, DanGamble posted an Instagram slideshow highlighting the different sign-up bonuses available at BetMGM, Caesars, and BetRivers. During the NBA playoffs in April, the Dan Gamble AI Twitter account encouraged users to tail his parlay on DraftKings and claim the sportsbook’s welcome bonus.

Image Credit: Davizro Photography/Shutterstock

Is he Able to Pick Winners?

Most of Dan’s AI Sports Picks focus on prop bets and Overs/Unders. However, he also has a history of successfully picking winning teams and individual player bets. If you ever need visual evidence that his picks are winners, check out the Dans AI Sports Picks Twitter and Instagram accounts. All bets that pay out are posted with his signature celebration: “BAAANG.”

Dan’s AI algorithm has a track record of predicting winning prop bets, though it’s obviously not foolproof. While Dan does the work and posts his predictions online, it’s up to his followers whether or not they choose to tail the bets.

During Dan’s impressive MLB run of winners in July, one follower chose to put his faith in one of Dan’s 3 leg parlays. The parlay predicted a home run for Jeimer Candelario, a home run for Shohei Ohtani, and 2+ bases for Christian Walker.

The first two hit, and the cash out was over $6,400. Dan reposted the bet sheet, asking what his other followers would do in this case. Although the original bettor asked for his advice, Dan refrained from offering any. 

Ultimately, the follower decided to see the parlay through, and it paid off. His original $350 wager cashed out at an eye-watering $16,036. So yes, it’s fair to say that Dan’s AI sports picks can produce winners!

How Consistently is Dan’s AI Model Correct?

Though he has only been active online since June 2023, Dan’s AI predictions have already proven highly successful. According to his Instagram bio, Dan’s AI Sports Picks had a 73% hit rate on the NFL last season. That’s almost three out of four predictions coming true.

He also had quite a mind-blowing run during the first half of the 2024 MLB season, particularly with his “Pick of the Day” predictions. Six out of seven of his mid-July “Pick of the Day” players were winners, 11/13 of his June selections cashed out, and 8/9 of his May predictions rang true.

While the algorithm does have an impressive success rate, there is never a guarantee that these predictions will be correct. AI can forecast outcomes based on data and trends but doesn’t factor in variables like human error or injury.

On January 17th, 2024, Dans Gamble AI took to Twitter (X) to express his disappointment over numerous failed NFL predictions.

“No denying it was a tough weekend, but we’ve cashed in plenty during the NFL season. Three weekends left of Football, let’s make sure they’re good ones. For now, it’s time to bounce back on a 10-game NBA slate…”

Do You Have to be an AI Engineer to do What he is Doing?

Successfully predicting the outcome of a sports event may seem like an awfully complicated process. However, Dan Gamble AI often posts about the prompts and instructions he uses, and they’re not quite as complex as you’d imagine.

Some of Dan’s AI sports picks strategies include:

• Analyzing historical data to calculate player minute projections
• Using various data points to rank player props and produce an AI Edge score out of 10
• Predicting stat lines on points, rebounds, and assists for key players
• Calculating which players rate highly on alternate lines and which will go Over/Under

Of course, you need to know what you’re looking for when using AI for prediction betting. While you don’t necessarily need to be an AI engineer, you need to thoroughly understand how sports betting works, including sports odds, bet types, game rules, and markets. You also need to know how to leverage AI for sports betting predictions.

AI technology used to be available only to IT engineers and mathematical geniuses, but it’s gradually becoming more accessible to the general public. Sites like ChatGPT can help the everyday Joe back his bets with statistical data and trend forecasts (if you know how to use them).

Is AI going to be picking our winners for us in the future?

Dan Gamble AI isn’t the first person to use artificial intelligence for sports betting predictions, and he certainly won’t be the last. Jimmy Sports Picks, Joey’s Sports Bets, John Hyslop, Quentin Locks, and Dr. Profit are just a few of the other gambling figureheads encouraging people to put their trust in AI.

As AI advances and becomes more mainstream, it’s likely that more bettors will begin to use AI for their own sports betting predictions. Until then, you can tail one of the AI engineers and see if their calculations ring true. After all, Dan’s AI Sports Picks announced that 2024 will be his “most profitable NFL season yet”.