Poker Or Blackjack Better Average ratng: 9,4/10 381 votes

Looking back over the years of casino table games, particularly poker and blackjack, you might think they are just games but both require a certain amount of skill and strategy.

Taking the time to get to know these two favourites a little better, will definitely shed some light as to which one will be the best for you.

So we are weighing up the odds and looking at the strategies of each including some features that make the games so likeable.

Sometimes, poker tables can progress at a snail’s pace, which makes it way less exciting compared to the nonstop action at a blackjack table. JUICY COMPS Casino VIP hosts in Las Vegas and throughout the casino industry treat blackjack high-rollers much better than high roller poker players. All of the above blends together to make poker a much deeper, richer and more tense game than blackjack, and the lack of a house edge means that you can win (or lose) big based on your own level of skill. For us, that certainly gives it the edge, but for a certain type of player blackjack will always be their game of choice.

POKER

Poker started out in the seventeenth century with a slightly different game called ‘poque’. It originated in France and they were known to play it with three cards and were popular for bluffing.

When the trend moved to America by French settlers, Louisiana and Mississippi were the first two states to start playing this game.

As it evolved in the 19^th century, they started introducing a 5 card variant that was called ‘poker’ as we know it today.

The most established game of poker was started in 1970; known as the all famous Texas hold’em.

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Odds

If you are looking for a game of chance, poker will be the one. Your game is mostly focused on winning against the players around the table than winning the casino house. However, if you look at the odds in poker the favour will definitely be for the house.

Your chances of winning in a poker game are about a percentage of up to 3% with about an average of 7-8% to break even. That leaves the house in charge with about 90% of winning. Players that have a bit of experience and knows what to look for in each possible hand might change the odds slightly. But do not get too comfortable, as you will be hoping that the odds will change to your advantage.

Strategy

Your skills around the poker table will be the one to keep you going. There are people playing professionally on a level that you might not think is at all possible. Should you be in the position to possess the extraordinary skills, you will not be banned, as it is perfectly legal. How to start winning in poker starts with the following categories:

Learn the basics – To win the game you will need to do some groundwork. Poker is one of the games with the most variations to learn. Know the basic rules and which hand beats what. Take the time to have a look at how each hand will affect your strategy. Also knowing how to read the table and your position around the table.
Advanced options – Some of the more advanced concepts are tight-aggressive, loose-aggressive and they loose-passive. You will need to know the difference and what each one means. Reading each component type will definitely make you the best player in the game.
Apply your skills – Now that you have mastered your new skills, it is time to start practising it for real and apply them to the games you play.
Continue learning – The last leg of being a successful poker player is to keep on learning. You will always find someone that has more skills than you. Keep on reading and improving your knowledge; you will certainly reap the rewards when it comes to high stake games.

BLACKJACK

Strangely enough, blackjack also originated in the 17^th century in France, renowned as ‘Vingt et un’ or more easily as ‘21’.

The game was brought to Nevada in America, where casino owners decided to add an extra twist to the game.

If someone had a hand involving the ace of spaces and either the jack of spades or clubs, they will receive a massive 10:1 payout on their bet.

That was when the name changed to blackjack.

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Odds in blackjack

Poker Or Blackjack Better Games

Comparing all the odds of the table games, blackjack has the best odds of all of them. It has a house edge of as little as 0.20% up to 0.63%, this can be determined by the number of card decks in the game. Your chances of winning can be increased by keeping an eye on the cards knowing when to choose which move.

Keep in mind that if you play for a very long time the house is sure to win. Not only does it acquire a vast amount of concentration and luck, but there is a built-in edge to protect the house as well. In order to beat the edge, you need to have a lot of skills

Strategy

The strategy to playing blackjack is very mathematical. You are constantly working out what your next move is going to be by standing, hitting, doubling or splitting. There are also some advanced ways of winning by watching the cards very closely. This is not seen as illegal, but some might find it very intimidating and you might be asked to leave the table.

So start your strategy by learning the extremely important basics and the different types of games and variations you find in blackjack will definitely give you the upper hand when you are dealt your next hand. There is a vast amount of learning material available to get up to par, but the best way of learning is practising. Blackjack is very tiring and draining over a long period of time and takes quite a lot of effort to get to the top.

BLACKJACK VS POKER

So when you finally have a look at the difference between the two games you will find both of them require a lot of skill and of cause luck, however, if you have the necessary skills and training, you are sure to be a successful player.

It is said by poker players that they need a lot more skill in poker than the blackjack players as there are so many possibilities, but when you have a look at what is the world’s favourite game, blackjack tops the list by far. Poker players will play blackjack and blackjack players will play poker, but ultimately it boils down to individual choice and preference. So, it is up to you to decide.

If you’ve decided to learn how to gamble with cards, you might be wondering whether you should focus on blackjack or poker (especially Texas holdem).

Both card games have much in common, but they have distinct differences that you should consider when deciding between poker and blackjack.

In this post, I highlight the similarities and differences between blackjack and poker and explain how you can decide which game is best for you.

Comparing the House Edge

The house edge is a concept that measures the mathematical advantage that the casino has over the player. It’s an estimate of how much the casino expects to win from each bet over the long run. It’s expressed as a percentage.

If you say that a game has a house edge of 5% it means that the casino expects to win an average of $5 every time someone bets $100 on that game.

But that’s a long-term average. In the short run, anything can happen. It’s critical to remember that.

In online blackjack, the house edge – assuming you’re playing with perfect basic strategy – varies from about 0.3% to 1%. This is one of the lowest house edge figures in the house.

In poker, you’re not playing against the house. You’re playing against the other players. If you and all the other players have exactly the same skill level as poker players, you have no edge, and neither do they. In the long run, you’ll all break even.

Sure, you’ll be up some of the time, and you’ll be down some of the time, but in the long run – it’s a break-even game.

Here’s the problem, though: If you’re playing in a poker game in a casino setting, the casino takes a 5% rake. They pull 5% out of each pot before it’s delivered to the winner.

So, in effect, poker does have a house edge of roughly 5%.

But you’re never facing 9 or 10 poker players of the same skill level as you. Some of your opponents are probably better at the game than you are, and some are probably not as good.

In fact, if you’re a serious poker player, it’s your goal to have an edge over the other players.

Poker Or Blackjack Better Odds

Both Blackjack and Poker Offer Advantage Play Opportunities

What does it mean when someone says that a game is vulnerable to advantage play?

It means that using the appropriate strategy for the game, a clever player can get a mathematical edge.

In blackjack, you have multiple options for getting an edge. The most common is card counting, but shuffle tracking and dealer tells are also possible routes for getting an edge in blackjack.
In poker, you get an edge by being better at the game than your opponents. You also have a set of skills that enable you to do this.

Those skills are surprisingly similar in some ways but remarkably different in others.

The starting point for getting an edge in blackjack is memorizing basic strategy. That’s the mathematically correct way to play every hand in every situation. It’s easier to memorize than you think.

There’s no creativity in mastering basic strategy in blackjack, and it’s not enough – by itself – to get you an edge.

But if you don’t master basic strategy first, you can’t get an edge at blackjack.

In poker, the analogous strategy is your starting hand requirements, but you have more flexibility in a game of poker. Most sites offer general guidelines for how to play your starting hands in poker, but those guidelines vary based on how your opponents play.

For the most part, mastering starting hand requirements in poker is enough to make you a break-even player in most games. Learning how to play well in the later betting rounds is how you get an edge in poker.

Blackjack Doesn’t Reward Creativity or Psychology

Blackjack doesn’t reward creativity. The dealer plays her hand in a specific way. It doesn’t vary based on her mood or her evaluation of what kind of player you are.

Poker, on the other hand, deals with other players who have various tendencies. In some situations, it’s appropriate to check-raise with pocket aces in a Texas holdem game, while, in other situations, that’s one of the worst plays you can make.

In blackjack, you can try to spot dealer tells, but many dealers don’t have tells. It depends on whether the blackjack dealer cares about the outcome or not. Most of the time, they don’t care. In poker, though, the players do care about the outcomes. After all, they have their own money on the line.

This means that you can bluff someone in poker, but you can never bluff in blackjack.

You can’t do anything creative in blackjack.

Being Great at Poker Is More “Legit” Than Being Great at Blackjack

If you sit down at a poker table and make the best moves mathematically repeatedly, you’ll face no heat at all from the casino. They don’t care. You’re contributing toward the rake – that 5% they take out of every pot – regardless of whether you’re a winning or losing player.

But when you sit down at a blackjack table, you’re entering into a contest with the casino for the casino’s money. If they even suspect you of counting cards and getting an edge, they’ll take countermeasures.

These countermeasures might be as simple as shuffling the deck after every hand. This effectively eliminates any advantage you might be able to get from counting cards.

Other casinos prefer to just back you off the blackjack table. The pit boss will approach you and tell you that you’re just too good a blackjack player for them. They’ll suggest that you try their other casino games, and they’ll make it clear that your action isn’t welcome at the blackjack tables.

In other cases – like if you ignore their warnings to stay away from their blackjack tables – they’ll ask you to leave the casino altogether. If you return after being banned from a casino, you’re breaking trespassing laws.

It’s entirely legal to count cards in blackjack. In my opinion, it’s not even cheating.

The casinos have a different opinion.

They’re absolutely convinced that counting cards is cheating.

Counting your outs at the poker table and betting accordingly isn’t cheating, though.

What It All Boils Down To

Both poker and blackjack offer distinct features that cater to different kinds of gamblers.

It’s not a question of which game is better or even which game has better odds. It’s more a question of which game suits you and your personality better.

The first step in deciding that for yourself is thinking about what your goals are.

Do you hope to make a living from your gambling activities?

You can do that with both blackjack and poker, although it’s easier to make a living playing poker professionally than it is making a living playing blackjack professionally. If you’re a great poker player, you won’t face heat from the casino.

But the casinos are downright unfriendly to advantage players.

On the other hand, do you prefer competing with the casino for their money?
Or would you rather battle it out with your peers?

Most of the time, I’d rather get my hands on some of the casino’s money, but I don’t mind taking the money from the fish at the poker table, either.

If you’re a recreational gambler, it boils down even more to your personal preference.

If you’re not trying to get a mathematical edge over the casino, most of the stuff I’ve just discussed doesn’t matter at all. It all boils down to preference.

Are you interested in trying to outwit other people?
Are you more interested in an almost purely mathematical endeavor?

There’s plenty of math in poker, and it might even be more math-intensive than blackjack, but there’s not much outwitting of other people in blackjack.

A good recreational blackjack player just memorizes basic strategy and makes in-game decisions accordingly without deviating from them.

A good recreational poker player, on the other hand, has the chance to watch what his opponents are doing and try to take advantage of their mistakes.

Another personal preference has to do with whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert.

If you’re interested in interacting with lots of other people while you’re gambling, you’ll probably prefer poker. In blackjack, if you want to interact with other players, you can socialize at a busy table. But if you’re an introvert, you can just find blackjack tables where you’re heads-up with the dealer, and you don’t have to deal with a lot of people.

Poker Or Blackjack Better Odds

My suggestion is that you carefully consider your goals and preferences before deciding. Of course, you don’t have to choose one over the other. I play online poker AND blackjack, and you can, too.