I've read 2 black jack books so far and mastered some of the topics, but one very easy question, just to verify how I understood it.
If a system has an expected advantage of lets say 1.5% under certain cirumstances, it means I make an average of 1.5% per hand of my basic bet!?
If 100$ is my basic bet, 1.5$ per hand !?
Jimmie
At your max bet you probably have a 1.5% advantage. Therefore on that bet ($100) you expect to make $1.50. On lower counts, you have less of an advantage and will be betting less. In those situations you will be making less. .75% advantage, $50 bet, $.37 expectation. Negative counts, even smaller bet, negative expectation.
It is the distribution of all these expectations and the number of hands you play that will determine your overall expectation. The book Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger has an excellent explanation of this principle.
Here is what I understand.
If the system gives a 1.5% advantage, then you should average a 1.5% profit on the total of all of your bets. It would break down as perhaps a 3-4% advantage when you are putting out the max bets to a negative situation perhaps -.3% at a neutral count to further minus if you play negative counts. I believe at a true count of about +1, in a decent game you are playing even with the house.
Ok, thats how I understand it as well. I think Shaggy got confused by "certain circumstances". By that i didn't mean the cards on the table but the rules of the casino, betting spread and shuffling.
Your approach is a simplistic way of looking at it. But yes, your "systems" overall advantage (whatever that means) may be 1.5% then you stand to make 1.5% * (average bet) * (number of bets).
Consult Blackjack attack for a more accurate measure of advantage.
