When you are playing blackjack or casino games in general, the dealer will usually tell you when to expect a win or a loss. For example, if you bet $10 and the dealer deals you a blackjack, you will know that you are either going to win or lose $10. This is relevant because you can adjust your betting range based on how the dealer acts toward the end of the hand. The question is what is the range of outcomes for a given game rule, betting range, and card valuations (i.e. what is the probability of winning or losing)?
The goal of this article is to give you an idea of how often does the opposite player (i.e. the person you are playing against) have to fold when betting half a pot in blackjack.
Blackjack
In blackjack, the dealer will often ask you to hit or stand on their behalf when their hand hits 21. When they ask you to hit, they are telling you that they have a 17 or more (depending on which state you are in) and want you to try for a higher score. When they ask you to stand, they are showing weakness by asking you to give them a chance to win the hand. Regardless of whether you hit or stand, the dealer will then gesture to either fold or win.
Based on how the dealer acts after you hit or stand, you can adjust your betting line. For example, if the dealer asks you to hit again and you have a 10 on the board, you should probably stay at your $10 bet and wait to see if they ask you to stand or fold. If they ask you to hit and you already have 17 or more, you should probably go ahead and stand on their behalf. However, if they ask you to stand and you have only 8 or 9, you might want to consider lowering your bet.
Roulette
In roulette, you will usually be dealt two cards, one face down and one face up. The down card will be hidden and the up card will be visible to everyone. The object is to bet on the outcome of the up card, knowing that the down card is going to influence the outcome. For example, if you see that the up card is a 7, you might want to bet on a 7 coming up or you could bet on the opposite outcome and win. The roulette dealer will then spin the wheel and either cash out or return your wager. After the spin, there is a reset button that you can push which will determine whether or not you want to continue playing. If you push the button and the roulette ball lands on green, you will hear a noise and the game will continue. However, if the ball stops on red, you will lose and the game will end.
In French roulette, this is where the rule of thumb comes in. You are allowed to place a bet on whether or not the seven will come up. However, depending on the size of your wager, you might only be able to place bets on numbers 0 to 11 (0 being the red, 00 being the black). The dealer will then spin the wheel and you have to predict whether or not the seven is going to come up. In most cases, you will win or lose the amount you placed as a wager. However, you cannot win or lose numbers in ascending order (i.e. you can’t win or lose 13, then 14, and so on). The minimum wage is 10 euros per hour and the maximum is 150 euros per day. The rule of thumb for French roulette is when you hit 21, you must fold (i.e. when the dealer reaches 21 in any game, they must take your wager and leave the table). For more information on French roulette, check out this helpful guide by Crackerjackgames.
Poker
In poker, there are several betting options that you can make. The first thing you will do is decide how much you want to bet per hand. The more you bet per hand, the more you will win or lose. Assuming you play high-quality poker hands (i.e. ones with an objective criteria for a win), your winnings will increase as you increase your bet. For more information on the various betting options in poker, check out this helpful guide by Cardfighter.
Baccarat
Baccarat is a relatively simple game to understand but can be very confusing to play. The goal is to bet on whether or not the ball will settle into one of the diamond-shaped pockets. Each diamond-shaped pocket corresponds to one of the numbers 0, 1, 2, or 3 and the ball will settle into that particular pocket if the total amount of the bets on that number are higher than the required amount in that area. For example, if you bet $10-$12 on 2 and the ball settles into the 2 pocket, you win $16 ($12 plus the $4 required for a 2). If the ball settles into the 0, 1, or 3 pockets, you lose and the game ends.
Knowing how often does the opponent have to fold in the different types of games mentioned above will help you determine the right betting line for your next betting session or tournament. You don’t want to get too aggressive or too passive with your betting, but knowing the limits of each game is critical if you want to play at the highest level possible. Good luck out there.