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Speed of single Deck Blackjack: Shuffle Time, Dealing Time and Rounds per Hour

This is just an informal little study of how fast single-deck blackjack is dealt in casinos at Reno, Nevada. A stopwatch was used to measure the actual time taken to shuffle the cards and to deal to various numbers of players. The guys in the field timed a total of 42 shuffles and 167 rounds of play for a variety of dealers at a variety of casinos. 

The results are shown in table number 1.

The time recorded for the shuffle is the total elapsed time from the instant the dealer broke the deck to the instant the first card was dealt on the next round. Shuffle time thus includes time for cutting the deck and burning a card. Shuffle time also includes time for anything else that interrupted the dealer during the shuffle; the most frequent such interruption was for making change. One dealer blew her nose during the shuffle, so her nose-blowing time is included. Without any interruptions, the mean shuffle time would be just under 20 seconds. With interruptions included, the mean time for the 42 shuffles that were observed was 23 seconds.

Table Number 1: Average Times for Shuffling and Dealing Single-Deck Blackjack In Reno

# Players                              Sample Size (Rounds)                    Mean Time (Seconds)

1                                              46                                                          17

2                                              21                                                          23

3                                              23                                                          32

4                                              19                                                          33

5                                              29                                                          45

6                                              21                                                          50

7                                              8                                                             59

Dealing time was from the instant the first card was dealt to the instant the first card was dealt on the following round or to the instant the dealer broke the deck for a shuffle. There were sometimes short delays, primarily for a player to buy chips; the clock was always running during these delays. The players' first two cards were dealt face down. The players could double down only on ten or eleven. All samples were taken at casinos that offered insurance. If a dealer ran out of cards before finishing a round, that sample was aborted (got to love science, right?).

Dealing time depends on the speed of the dealer and the speed of the players. Individual hands also differ; e.g. if the dealer has a natural, the hand is over quickly. This study was done back when dealers checked hole cards under 10s.

Mean dealing time increased approximately linearly with the number of players. The average round of single-deck blackjack in Reno took about (7n + 10) seconds, where n is the number of player hands.

It appears that the average dealer's hand took 10 seconds, or longer than the average player's hand, which was 7 seconds, but this interpretation is incorrect. You cannot separate the time for the dealer's hand from the time for the first player's hand. The mean combined time for the dealer and the first player was 17 seconds. Each additional player took 7 seconds on average to play a hand. However, you cannot say that the first player averaged 7 seconds to play a hand. The reason is second and later players were studying their hands while the dealer was waiting for the first player to make a decision.

The first player did not have this extra time.

And now, onto the estimates of rounds per hour; using the empirical estimates for Reno single deck games of 23 seconds per shuffle, 17 seconds for the dealer and the first player, and 7 seconds for each additional player, you can estimate the number of rounds per hour for various numbers of players and various numbers of rounds between shuffles. These are only averages of course; the actual number of rounds per hour you will get in a casino will vary somewhat from table 2. In particular, if you find a fast dealer and play fast yourself, you can get considerably more rounds per hour in a head-on game.

A player of average speed with a dealer of average speed in a head-on game with seven rounds between shuffles gets about 177 rounds per hour. When another player joins the game there will probably be about five rounds between shuffles, and the speed will be cut to about 126 rounds per hour. When a third player joins the game, there will be at most four rounds between shuffles; the players will be getting about 98 rounds per hour.

Table Number 2: Average Rounds per Hour for Single-Deck Blackjack in Reno

Player Hands                      Rounds between Shuffles

            1              2              3              4              5             6              7              8

1          90          126         146         158         167         173        177         181

2          77          101         114         121         126         129

3          67          85           93           98

4          59          73           79           82

5          53          64           68

6          48          57

7          44          51

When the table fills up, rounds per hour will be cut in half again.

Besides slowing play down dramatically, increasing the number of players at a table has another harmful effect: It means fewer rounds between shuffles, and that means playing a larger percentage of the hands with freshly-shuffled cards. The 51 hands per hour at a full table are split - half directly after shuffles and half where you get to see some cards before making a bet. At the head-on game, the 177 hands per hour include about 27 that happened right after shuffles and 150 where you get to see some cards before making a bet. If you disregard the first hand after each shuffle, one average hour at a head-on game yields as many hands as six hours at a full table. If you play quickly, the ratio might be higher than six to one.

The implication of all of this cool science is of course that you are much better off with a dealer to yourself than at a full table.

[pokieguy-blog]

Finding the Best Pokie Banking Games Part 2

ISLE OF PEARLS - This is a variation of the Empire pokie where you go down instead of up. To get the bonus, a pearl diver needs to descend at least 70 feet before time runs out (100 seconds). The strategy is to bet the maximum credits per spin on the pokie when you find a game where the diver has gone at least 30 feet and there are at least twice as many seconds left on the timer as there are feet remaining for the diver to descend. Cash out when it is obvious that the diver will not reach 70 feet before the time runs out.

JUNGLE KING - This pokie is the opposite of Isle of Pearls, where the Jungle Man needs to climb up a vine a distance of 70 feet within 100 seconds. The strategy is to bet the maximum credits per spin on the pokie when you find a game where there are at least twice as many seconds left on the timer as there are feet remaining for Jungle Man to climb. Cash out when the distance counter resets to zero.

MERLIN - This is another clone of the Empire pokie with Merlin trying to reach a castle before time runs out. The strategy is to bet the maximum credits per spin when you find a game with at least twice as many seconds left on the timer as there are units remaining for Merlin to travel. Cash out when the distance counter resets to zero.

PIGGY BANKIN - The original banking pokie game and it caused quite a stir among the experts and analysts when this three-reel pokie machine was first introduced. It also established WMS Gaming as a major competitor in the pokie machine business. The strategy is whenever you get three blank spaces on the pay-line your bet is added to the contents of a piggy bank. Then, when the Break the Bank symbol lands on the right-hand payline, the contents of the piggy bank are yours. Bet one credit per spin when you find a $1, $2 or $5 game with at least 25 credits, or a nickel or quarter game with at least 30 credits in the bank. Cash out when you break the bank on this pokie.

BIG BANG PIGGY BANKIN - A newer version of the Piggy Bankin’ pokie game. The strategy is you have to get three “Break the Bank” symbols (or wild equivalents) to win the banked bonus. Bet one credit per spin when you find a game with at least 50 credits in the bank. Cash out when you break the bank.

RED BALL - This three-payline nickel pokie machine displays two 3 by 3 matrix squares alongside the video reels. The idea is to fill one of the squares with red balls and the other with black balls. Under each square is a number indicating the amount of the payoff bonus for completing that square. The strategy is to bet one credit per line per spin (a total of three credits) when you find a game with at least a 20 under either square or at least a 15 under both. Cash out when the pokie game no longer meets the above conditions.

SHOPPING SPREE - This pokie game banks frequent shopper points, and the banked bonus is paid when 50 points are accumulated. The strategy is to bet two credits per spin when you find a game with at least 30 frequent shopper points already registered. Cash out when you win the bonus.

SUPER 7s - This five-payline pokie game is found on Game King pokie machines and the banked items are square sevens, that is, each seven is inside of a square. The strategy is to bet one credit per line per spin (a total of five credits) when you find a game with at least three square sevens showing. Cash out when you win the bonus.

TEMPERATURE’S RISING - The idea is to raise the temperature on a large red thermometer to the bonus level on this pokie machine. The heat goal depends on the particular machine version, but is plainly shown. The strategy is to bet one credit per spin when you find a game where the amount of the bonus is greater than the number of degrees needed to “break” the thermometer. Cash out when the bonus is won.

TRIPLE CASH WINFALL - This is a money version of Double Diamond Mine pokie, where coins fall on one of three stacks. The strategy is to bet one credit per spin when you find a game with nine coins in one stack, eight coins in two of the three stacks, or at least seven coins in each of all three stacks. Cash out when the game no longer meets any of the above three conditions.

TRIPLE DIAMOND BASEBALL DIAMOND - Ballplayers move around the bases as you hit a single, double, triple or home run on the third reel of this pokie machine. The runs are accumulated and are paid out when you get a home run. The strategy is to bet one credit per spin when you find a game with at least 25 accumulated runs plus the runs shown over the base-runner’s heads. Cash out when the base-runners are cleared by a home run.

WILD CHERRY PIE, WILD CHERRY BONUS PIE - Through a rather convoluted process on this pokie, a total of 54 cherries has to be accumulated in a nine-section pie. The strategy is to bet one credit per spin when you find a game with at least 44 cherries in the large pie. For Wild Cherry Bonus Pie, bet one credit per spin when you find a game with at least 48 cherries in the large pie. Cash out when the pie is filled and the bonus is paid.

X-FACTOR - The X factor is a payout multiplier pokie machine that starts at 2X and can build as high as 10X. Whenever you choose to use the multiplier, it resets to 2X. The strategy is to bet the maximum credits per spin when you find a game with an X factor of at least 6X. Cash out when the multiplying factor has been used.

Well, that should give you a good foundation in pokie know-how.

[pokieguy-blog]

Sorry for Not Posting

I have been dealing with some things in my life. I will be back soon.

Cheers

[pokieguy-blog]

Finding the Best Pokie Banking Games

Banking games are a type of pokie game in which the credits or points (as the case may be) or some other form of game specific assets are gathered up as the game is played. They are built with the idea of encouraging players to keep on playing until they inevitably gather the banked in bonus. And banking pokie games can have the same payout table bells and whistles of line pokie or multiplier pokie games.

A bit of useful information for playing some of the more popular pokies banking games is laid out below. The playing advice is as current as I could figure it, but be aware that manufacturers frequently modify their machines and you should try to verify that the pokie game you are considering is the same one as described. Applying the following suggestions does not guarantee that you will be money ahead every time you play an advantageous pokie machine, but only that your long-term average will be profitable. And before I forget I just want to direct your attention to the best place to find information about online pokies and where you can try your hand at playing them.

BINGO

This is exactly like the game using cardboard bingo. The video screen of this pokie displays five reels that represent the five columns on a standard bingo card. Most of the time, the machine plays like any five-reel video game, but every so often a bingo ball appears on one of the columns and the pokie machine will draw a bingo number This continues until the selected bingo configuration is completed, whereupon a bonus round determines how many credits have been won. Study the paytable on the pokie machine to learn how to identify the various bingo configurations.

So the strategy is to bet one credit per spin on one payline if you find a game in which the bingo is at least half finished. Although Bingo has five paylines, the bingo ball does not have to fall on a line to be valid. Cash out when the banked bonus is won.

BOOM - This pokie game banks firecrackers and awards the bonus when 50 are accumulated. Although it is a five credits-per-payline, nine-payline game, don’t ever bet 45 credits.

The strategy is to bet one credit on one payline when you find a game with at least 30 firecrackers lined up across the top of the screen. Cash out when the banked bonus is won.

CHUCK WAGONS - In this pokie game of racing chuck wagons, if Your Wagon reaches the bonus area before Their Wagon finishes, you collect the banked bonus. The race distance is 70 miles. The strategy is to bet maximum credits per spin when you find a game in which Your Wagon has gone at least 30 miles and Their Wagon is at least 25% behind Your Wagon. Cash out when the banked bonus is won.

DIAMOND THIEF - This is a rather complex three-reel pokie game with the ultimate goal of filling all nine compartments of a case with diamonds, six diamonds per compartment, for a total of 54 diamonds.

The strategy is to bet one credit per spin when you find a game that needs no more than five diamonds to completely fill the case. Cash out when the banked bonus is won.

DOUBLE DIAMOND MINE, TRIPLE DIAMOND MINE - In these pokie games, a bonus is paid when ten diamonds are accumulated in any of the three mineshafts. The strategy is to bet one credit per spin when you find a game with nine diamonds in one shaft, eight diamonds in two of the three shafts, or at least seven diamonds in each of all three shafts. Cash out when the pokie game no longer meets any of the above three conditions.

EMPIRE, EMPIRE KING - In these pokie games, King Kong has to climb the Empire State Building a certain number of stories within a certain time limit. In Empire, the first bonus level is 70 stories; in Empire King, the bonus level is 90 stories. Study the paytable to get the details. The strategy is to bet the maximum credits per spin when you find a game with at least twice as many seconds left on the timer as there are stories remaining for King to climb. Cash out when the distance counter resets to zero.

FISHIN’ FOR CASH - This is a fishing version of Double Diamond Mine pokie. Whenever a fish appears on the payline, it is reeled in and piled on one of three stacks. The strategy is to bet one credit per spin when you find a game with nine fish in one stack, eight fish in two of the three stacks, or at least seven fish in each of all three stacks. Cash out when the pokie game no longer meets any of the above three conditions.

GREASED LIGHTNING - This is a version of the Chuck Wagons pokie, where ’57 Chevys are raced instead of chuck wagons. The strategy is to bet maximum credits per spin when you find a game in which Your Car has gone at least 30 miles and Their Car is at least 25% behind Your Car. Cash out when the banked bonus is won.

Scroll up my articles for part two of this piece on pokies.