You may think that gambling is all about luck. However, it is not like that. Most casinos use math to make money. If you plan to gamble in bitcoin casinos, you also should use math as a tool.
Bitcoin gambling is a relatively new sphere of gambling. Such casinos become more and more popular, as a lot of people invest in cryptocurrencies. If this is your first time playing in a BTC casino, you need to find a suitable one. This means that it should have three main qualities: be reliable, safe, and responsible. While choosing a casino, take a look at our Stake BTC guide to find all information you need to know about bitcoin gambling.
In this article, you will find out how to apply math playing different casino games. You will also find out how to calculate a potential payback and percentage edge from different casino games.
Card Math Method
The best thing about card games is their predictability. You know for sure how many cards there are in a card deck. While playing, use your memory to remember what cards were already used, and what may be in your opponent’s hand.
Card games are basically the fundamentals of math usage for all players. These games are pretty simple. However, they require logic and concentration. Spend some time playing cards with other players to develop these necessary skills. After that, you can move to more advanced games.
Blackjack Math
As Blackjack is a card game, you can use the same tricks and tools as with usual card games. The best thing about Blackjack is that it is fully limited by 52 cards. It does matter how many decks are used, six or eight. Just look at your own cards, and remember that these cards can’t be in a deck or opponent’s hand. After this, you need to follow the game to know exactly when to split or double down.
You also need to take math into account while placing a bet. If you don’t plan to count cards during the game, place the minimum wage possible. However, we recommend you count cards. It may sound too complicated, to count and play at the same time. But, give it a try.
When you start counting the cards, try using the probability theory to figure out how likely it is for you and for a casino dealer to get burst. Experimentally, you can gain basic rules that will navigate you through asking for another card of staying. For instance, if you have more than 17 points on your hands, and your opponent receives a card that adds 2-6 points to their hand, the probability that you’ll win is higher than the probability that the dealer will.
After a little practice, you will be able to predict the results of your opponents’ future moves and win more.
Baccarat Math
Baccarat is a more interesting case. This game is more a game of luck than math. However, gambling is not only about playing, but also placing the right bets. You can use math to understand how much you should bet, and on what exactly you need to bet.
There are three types of bets you can make:
- Banker bet;
- Tie bet;
- Player bet.
Using math and probability theory, it is possible to predict what kind of bet may guarantee you bigger winnings. The absolute best bet to place is a Banker bet. It comes with a house edge of only 1.06%, which is relatively low. You don’t lose a lot of money in this case. Player bet’s house edge is 1.26% which is also not a lot. And it is nothing compared to the house edge of Tie bet. It equals 14.36%, which is a lot even in case your bet wins. So, the best advice is to use math for choosing the bets and predicting possible ways to win.
Fractions and Roulette
Let’s be honest, fractions were not even in the top 10 of your favorite math topics in school. The same here. However, fractions are extremely important when you decide to play Roulette.
We know for sure that Roulette has either 37 or 38 spaces. The number depends on what variation of a game you play. So, by betting on a specific number, your winning chance is 1/37 or 1/38. Not the best odds, right?
The worst thing about Roulette is its full unpredictability. However, you can try to calculate your potential payback. Let’s think about how much you can win if your Roulette table has 37 spaces. For example, you bet $10 on a single number 37 times. With a high probability, you lose 36 times, but 37 is a winning try. This means that you can win $10 you bet plus $350 win. As you invested $370 and won $360 at the end, your payback is 97%. Not bad, right? The same rule works for tables with 38 spaces.
Percentage Edge and Payback
We already mentioned that some games are completely unpredictable. However, you can calculate potential payback from bets and a percentage edge. You are also familiar with several examples we mentioned above, like payouts for Baccarat and payback for Roulette.
So, talking about payback, it is not difficult to calculate. A simple math equation of how much you will spend compared to how much you win will do a trick. Another thing is calculating the percentage edge. To do so, you can use The Kelly Criteria. This is a special arithmetic equation, which helps to calculate the optimal size of bets, which will have a positive edge.
This is how it looks:
Edge = pb-1
where p is the probability of winning; b is decimal payout odds received from betting on a certain number.
This formula is a simplified version of an original equation — however, it’s still useful for calculating the edge.
Summing up, remember that even the most illogical things, like gambling, have a simple logic inside them. Using math and logic will help you predict the moves of your competitors and calculate a potential payback and possibility of winning. Start focusing on cards while playing card games, and use this knowledge playing other casino games.