I just returned from Las Vegas, where, on one visit to a casino, I lost 16 consecutive hands. During my session, I played at 4 different tables, and never once even pushed. Rather than play a 17th hand, I just simply quit in frustration.
I was wondering if anyone else has had such a bad streak, and, conversely, if anyone has won that many in a row.
The chances of such a streak without intervening pushes are a little less than two in a million. Of course, with thousands of people playing millions of hands of blackjack each day across the country, it happens just about every day to someone.
Bootlegger........thanks for the reply. I have, on numerous occasions, lost 7 or 8 in a row, but I have never won that many hands in a row. Even though I am only a BS player, I would like to think the win streaks would be there, too. For some reason, I generally plummet quickly (lose several hands in row from the start) and then spend most of my time rebuilding the bankroll.
Bootlegger........thanks for the reply. I have, on numerous occasions, lost 7 or 8 in a row, but I have never won that many hands in a row. Even though I am only a BS player, I would like to think the win streaks would be there, too. For some reason, I generally plummet quickly (lose several hands in row from the start) and then spend most of my time rebuilding the bankroll.
Unfortunately, that is just the way blackjack works. Although your expectation is only slightly less than break-even, your chances of actually winning the hand is rather lower due to the fact that much of your wins will be composed of blackjacks & double-downs, which you probably count as just one win in a sequence. Naturally, your win streaks are shorter than your losses but you tend to win more money on a win streak.
I managed to lose seventeen hands in a row once, it does happen I'm afraid. You will get some monster wins to partially compensate however.
That is nothing. The Milk Maid los 25 in a row once top that.
Actually, I erred. I multiplied the win percentage and not the losing percentage. Such a streak occurs 5.7 times per million.
But hey, if you can beat odds like that, why not play the lottery? :-)
I was sitting at a 2-1 blackjack table and lost 19 units in a row without pushes. There were some splits and doubles I would assume but do not remember. I then won one and lost two. With a limit of $25 on the bonus, I was down $500 in about 20 min. and I only had an hour to take advantage.
The good thing is at the end of the hour I was $50 over expectation because I was lucky for the rest of the hour.
Mrs. Helpful once won every hand in an 8 deck shoe with only 2 other people playing. I don't know the number of hands but it was amazing to see it happen. Of course she started with a $5 bet and never increased over $25 during the streak. It did include about 4 pushes and she was very happen with the win. That bankroll lasted for the entire trip,5 days and she came home with the profit. All that with only BS as an ally,now she is learning to count.
try 60+ with some ties.
Some years ago...
at Imperial Palace, I won 21 in a row. It was during a period when I was on a (nasty word) progression kick that caused me to raise my bets after winning.
In those 21 hands I went from a $10 start to the max bet ($500) at about bet 15 or so. Wound up with a cashout of some $2100 and even then losing that last $500 one stung.
It was a nice run and they do happen.
RR
I lost 15 in a row; but I stayed on and ending up winning that session.
even though the woman couldn't find her glasses (which were on a chain around her neck) and therefore couldn't even see the cards so she didn't even know what she had when she made hit/stand "decisions".
This drunk won every hand for two shoes while I was getting hammered. During this run the drunk was doing things like standing on totals < 12, doubling down on 16, splitting tens, really ridiculous plays.
I don't remember exactly how much the drunk won but it was several thousand dollars because in addition to not knowing what cards she had she also didn't know what her bets were and some hands she was betting four or five black chips.
Needless to say I was thorougly disgusted.
Steve
on at least two occasions. Now that was fun!
Cheers,
sargon
these things happen. bad players may win once in a blue moon. do you really think after seeing her play she could possibly be a winning player overall? so why begrudge her some good luck and good cards? play your own cards and don't worry about the rest, same as when your good decisions are drawing flak from the losers because they're not working and setting up good dealer hands.
playing single deck at the old Nevada Club in Reno, back in about 1980. The dealer was giving 8 rounds head on, and I started the streak at the beginning of the deck. The dealer commented that I had won all the hands, and we then paid close attention to the next hands after the shuffle. Too bad I was betting only 2 to 10 back then!
The original poster was talking about a losing streak with no ties. If you factor in ties, I think the number would be closer to 21 such streaks per million.
For losing 16 consecutive hands in a row without pushing I've got this:
.478^16 = .000007428 or 1 in 134634, therefore
1000000/134634 = 7.43 times for the million.
Let me know if you disagree.
Regards
Z
I used .47^16. That figure came out to .00000567. When you are going to the 16th power, those decimals do make a difference. :-)
