AboutRyan Board Expertise I can answer all blackjack questions ranging from betting, strategy, and basic counting, to ADVANCED card counting systems. I am a professional player and an expert card counter. I have been asked not to play because of my skills at Caesar's Palace, MGM Mirage, Bellagio, New York New York,and numerous overseas casinos.
Experience I am a professional card counter and have been asked not to play by numerous casinos. I have consulted for casinos as well. I currently run a website at www.championshipblackjack.com
Publications www.championshipblackjack.com
Education/Credentials Bachelor's in finance. I am finishing a master's in finance currently.
Awards and Honors Winner of numerous blackjack tournaments.
Past/Present clients I have taught many players through my seminars.
Question Today, I was playing blackjack at The Mirage in Las Vegas.
I had an 18 and the dealer dealt herself two face cards and then another face card, making three face cards in total, clearly a misdeal. I thought on misdeals, we start all over and no one wins or loses -- yet, the pit boss told the dealer to collect my bet and she did. Is this correct? Thank you.
Answer I definitely would have complained. The hand should have been nullified, and if you had really pushed it, you probably could have actually gotten paid.
Casinos will always try to screw you if given the chance, especially if you don't speak up. If they did take you money and act as if the dealer had the twenty, then the ten should have been the next card out in the next round.
I was at a casino once in St. Louis and was playing a $25 table. I had a bet of $400 out, the guy next to me only had $25. I had an 18. The dealer a ten and a four, then pulled a three and took a two. He should have stopped when he hit the 17, but didn't count right and took another card for 19. When he realized, the pit boss told him just to nullify the hand and keep playing. I said I wanted my money. The pit said he couldn't give it to me and the other player (who doesn't know gaming rules, just wanted to keep playing. I refused to settle for anything less than the money. After being told three times, that he couldn't do anthing about it, I told him to call the casino manager. The other guy was getting pissed at me because I was holding up his game (but it's not his $400 dollars). I told the pit boss that I refuse to allow play to remain going until I got paid. I told him I would hold the game up all day if I had to and he should calculate the number of hands they could play in 8 hours with the average bet of $100 a hand, and then take there expected 3-5% and tell me if it was worth not paying me out. After ten minutes (he knew I was now serious)he called the casino manager and got him on the phone. Suddenly we were both paid as winners and the game continued.
My point is this: you need to know the rules because the casino will always try to do what is easy, not what is right.
