I live in CO which has limited stakes (max bet of $100). Trying to figure out which would be the most profitable use of my limited time 10-15 hours a week. Assuming your poker skills and counting ability are equally great, which game would you commit your time to. $5-$100 BJ with typical rules or $2-$100 spread limit Texas Holdem.
Not even a contests. Blackjack. But you have to be proficient, and given your max, you would need pretty good rules and pen.
Anybody can count well with practice. You don't even mention any of the bj game conditions, pen, number of players, rules, etc. You're comparing apples to oranges. If you have the same hourly win rate with poker and blackjack it's not even close. You'll get more actual hours of play with poker. Blackjack isn't beatable because it's blackjack. It's beatable because the conditions, if they're right, create a profitable situation. I've played both professionally. Poker is always beatable if you're a skillful player and put in enough hands.
The main advantage of Blackjack over Poker is that once you have spotted a worthwhile game you will have the edge regardless of the quality of the other players. In Poker you might meet strong opposition.
Francis Salmon
your win rate doesn't plummet the more players there are at the table. With poker you don't need to find the dealers dealing the deepest. The pit doesn't swarm you when you win at poker. You can always improve significantly at poker and impact your win rate greatly, not so at card counting. Relief dealers don't come into poker games and give you shallow pen 20 minutes out of every 80 minutes. And on, and on, and on. With a top bj bet of $100 your win rate is significantly throttled.
there is no game without a minimum number of players, in Bj the less players the better.
there is no heat by the pit but you might get beaten up in the parking lot by angry players.
there is a rake that can harm you considerably.
there is a well sized tip expected for every pot you win.
and on and on and on.
Francis Salmon
Best to play poker without a rakeage(sic). You can find those games but you must travel.
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Will a google search give me a good listing? Or do I need to network a bit?
Networking.
Not if:
1. You don't pick your poker tables carefully. Regulars (rocks) or teams (partnerships) can beat you if you are not careful where you play. Not necessarily cheating, they just don't play against each other. There are partnerships and even "corporations" among players in poker as well as blackjack.
2. Even in large casinos,small card rooms are very often traps. Not enough tourists who play poker, too many regulars who do. Years ago, Harvey's South Lake Tahoe was one of those: Large casino, small poker room, MANY regulars.
I still play some BJ at certain places with decent Rules and Conditions. It is a nice diversion from poker if you can watch the cards before you sit down, you have a playable bankroll, and the table is not overcrowded. I will leave it at that.
