I posted this earlier today on wizard of odds but copying here too in hope of getting as much good advice help as possible.
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I need some help!
Long time blackjack player here, never learned to count but pretty strict to basic strategy. I really play the game just for fun, fully understanding I'm slowly losing to the casino long term, but for me it's a fair trade for the entertainment value.
The casino where I usually play is local to me and I do not want to be kicked out of it. They know me there and they know my usual playing style is flat bet table minimum until I get up a little, and then I usually use the gain in a Martingale progression until I hit the wall and tap out for the session.
Now it gets interesting: last week sitting at third base with one of my favorite dealers I noticed that as she drags the hole card out of the shoe, she kind of bumps it over the edge of the tray AND I CAN SEE WHAT IT IS!!!!
This is an opportunity for a lifetime for me, I think. Probably the one and only time in my life I'm going to have something like this. So I want to do it right, and make as much as possible until the gravy train runs out. I have read a little bit on Wizards pages about correct strategy for when you know the hole card and I'm prepared to make these weird plays within reason (probably won't hit anything over hard 17 but all the other stuff is doable).
I read also that proper betting in a situation like this is to just flat bet the table max, as many hands as you can, or otherwise just flat bet as much as you can afford. I have enough bankroll to play probably up to $400 unit bet. Maybe more.
Here is my question: if I change playing style, combined with changed bet pattern and I start to win a lot on this game it will look strange to the casino as compared to what they are used to seeing me do. That will possibly lead to them looking closer at what is happening, and correcting this dealer's mistake which will kill the golden goose fast for me. Obviously I don't want that.
Basically my question is, if I play this with my usual Martingale progression, say $25 $50 $100 $200 $400 $800 but still play optimum with the hole card information, am I still playing with an advantage? What would I expect to win in this case and how much am I damaging the advantage by not simply flat betting? Does this increase my risk and would more bankroll help?
I would ideally like to be able to just sit and play this game for hours and hours and hours on end, racking up huge wins and have the casino just chalk it up to one of their usual stupid regular customer Martingale gamblers getting temporarily lucky.
I do not want to try and just slowly milk it as I am afraid it won't last long.
I also don't want to do anything to make my play or the dealer's error stand out any more than necessary either, while still playing it as much as possible and as fast as I can.
Help!