Advice for lost Aussie

A

aussiecounter

Well-Known Member
Hey guys,

I've recently confirmed that my local casino, Star City in Sydney Australia, is full of CSMs at all visible tables.

Now, if I lived in any of a lot of other places, that'd be no problem, I'd just drive down the road a while and find another, but the nearest after Star City is in Canberra, which is 3-4 hours drive, and I'm fairly sure that they are CSM only as well.
After that, the nearest casinos are in Queensland and in Melbourne, which are both around 10 hours drive or a 1-2 hour plane trip.

"That shouldn't be a problem," you say, and I agree; I'd be happy to jump on a cheap flight to Queensland for a weekend, but not in my situation.
I'm only starting out counting, and I need somewhere close to practice. After that I wouldn't mind maybe having to fly away to play, although it would probably make it impossible to make a profit from a weekend, with my bankroll.

I'm very confident in my emerging skills/ability, and I have a great opportunity with my job in that my time at work is almost totally my own; I can sit at my laptop in relative privacy and use my own internet connection to do as I please, with only the occasion job related 'distraction'.
Now, the only thing I'm lacking in my endeavour to become a successful card counter is somewhere 'close' to actually try it out.
If I had a casino with a decent BJ game nearby, I could realistically spend at least 4 hours EVERY DAY 'training', i.e., using Casino Verite (thanks Ken), reading up, memorizing indices, and just about anything else, and then hit the casino on the weekend and maybe after a shift at work.
If I had a casino to play at, I have a decent bankroll ready to play with, and I'm prepared to suffer a decent loss that might come when starting.

Right now I'm wondering whether its worth continuing with this, as it seems pretty pointless.
If there is anybody out there who has been in a similar situation, or anyone at all that has any advice for me, please post and let me know, because I'm so frustrated right now. GRRRR!

Also, if anyone has any suggestion of anything else I could do at work to make extra money, let me know:D
 
matteotm

matteotm

Well-Known Member
well my 2cents, LOL as i write this im just about to head off to Star City for some late night BJ is that , living in sydney where you also live I dont entertain the notion of "counting cards" i mean its really an impossiblity. Im not sure how old you are but if you had of been around in 2002 in the 7 years prior to that Star has been operating you could of played under the old shoe before CSM were introduced but now that option is gone. As for making money online i would definately look at ebay, find a market buy in bulk from overseas and re sell on australian ebay. thats what i do and it works, as long as you can find things that are in demand and also are not readily available its easy to sell them for double what you paid for each unit. 100% profit better than 1-2 % advantage for years spent learning to count cards. I mean i just play BS at Star and everythign seems to even out over the course of a few trips as you would expect. sometimes you lose, sometimes you win and there in lies the fun. I find I have alot more $$ luck with my other love horse racing. pick your niche for example i only study (sydney Metro races) ie (wednesday and saturday ) spend a fair amount of time the night before studyign up and eventualyl you will get to know the horses, trainers and everything else and you can outsmart the other punters.. also I recive other inside information which i cannot disclose here! LOL! which helps me win.

Cheers and good luck!
Let us know how you go with it ! sounds very exciting, who knows we might end up playing next to each other at star one night and not even know it LOL
 
Mikeaber

Mikeaber

Well-Known Member
You obviously are infatuated with Blackjack as a player. Have you thought of working part time as a dealer?
 
A

aussiecounter

Well-Known Member
Canceler, I think they are CSMs. Whats an ASM? Automatic Shuffling Machine? What are the differences? What difference is there for counters?

The dealer puts all the 'played' cards into a discard tray at the end of each hand, and then when there is about a deck's worth or so in the discard tray, s/he puts them into the top of the machine.

Mike, I've thought about it, but I don't think I would. I can't imagine that a dealer would get any kind of a decent pay rate.
Anyone know what kind of dough a dealer gets at Star City, or any of the other Australian casinos?

Is there much oil in Nevada? Maybe my girlfriend will get posted to Nevada and then I'll just have to move with her:D That would be cool.
 
matteotm

matteotm

Well-Known Member
To clarify a few things

a) They are definately CSM Machines. After each hand the cards get put to the left and when the pile reaches like 10-20 cards it gets put straight back into the machine. Sometimes they dont even go to the left they go straight back into the machine.

b) Star City is on the list of best employers to work for in Australia, the pay is very good, including overtime etc because of hours of operation, and if you wanted to take it seriously as a carrer you could work you way up to a pit boss in the blue jackets on decent pay or even to upstairs in the E Room. I think the dealers take home about $20 odd dollars per hour id say there on about 25 or 30k per year or there abouts. But your pay rate depends on the amount of table games you know. Ive heard if you can deal 6 games + you pay is some where around the $40/hour mark. not sure if this is true. But anyway per hour THe Player Vs The Dealer. they would be making more money than you in the long run thats for sure. but wether its more fun on there side of the table I doubt! LOL.
I have thought about it as a carrer but you cant play there if your a dealer, and i think it would ruin my love of the game also from over exposure. LOL
I think its a bit dicey to mix business with pleasure.

c) Didnt get a chance to end up going last night for some BJ. But I won $200 on the sydney races today so I'II be off 2nite to hit the tables

Cheers
 
A

aussiecounter

Well-Known Member
Hey matteotm,

Thanks for your input.

$20 per hour works out as about $40k a year, if you worked for 38hrs a week. I currently earn much more than that, and I do next to nothing to get it, although I do work overtime. So $20/hr would only appeal to me if it was the base rate and there were good penalty rates and maybe overtime on top of that.
Now, $40/hr on the other hand, thats some decent money there. I could definitely pull a few $40/hr shifts on the weekends and some nights, especially after my girlfriend leaves to take up her overseas job.

Hmmm. You've got me thinking now. I'll have a bit of a look at Star City's website, and I think one of the careers websites have a "how much should I be getting paid" feature, so I'll see if I can find that.

Hmmm. Gaming Vacancies at Star City: Trainee Dealer, Experienced Dealers.
I might try to get an info pack off them.

Anyway, this is all good, but back on to the question at hand. :confused: What should I do in regards to card counting?:confused:
 
matteotm

matteotm

Well-Known Member
aussiecounter said:
Hey matteotm,

Thanks for your input.

Anyway, this is all good, but back on to the question at hand. :confused: What should I do in regards to card counting?:confused:
Click to expand...
Yeah thats a good question man, LOL. Save up and move to Sin City LOL!! (Vegas) for and live there for a year. that would be alot of fun! haha

I honestly dont know, its noble that you want to make the effort to count cards, Id say the first step is to find out where it is possible. If i was you i would visit each casino in australias website and email them regarding if they use CSM or not and sus it out and then find out which one is closest and maybe have some weekends away with your girl or the like?

tasmania is not that far away the casino there is near the water in hobart, pretty low-key. then again maybe you would rather try and blend in with the crowd? LOL

No idea! but if you ever do work out an answer let me know Im in the same boat as you.
 
matteotm

matteotm

Well-Known Member
Won $400 (300 profit) from orginal $100 @ $10 table.

got the 100 up to 200 flat betting $10.

then double the $200 by flat betting $25 then left :)
had a top nite!
 
A

aussiecounter

Well-Known Member
Well done mate.

Best I've managed to do so far is to double my money from $100 to $200.
I don't know when the next time I'll manage to get in there will be....
 
C

Canceler

Well-Known Member
Just for completeness

aussiecounter-

CSMs: Are like you described them. (At least from what I've read. I've never seen one, and I hope I never do!)

ASMs (Automatic Shuffling Machines): After the shoe is over the dealer will put all 6 ,or however many, decks into the machine, and remove the other set of 6 decks from the machine. While you're playing with one set, the other is being shuffled.

Counting works with ASMs, but not CSMs.

Some people have been known to be confused between the two types of machines. I was hoping you were one of them, but you weren't.
 
matteotm

matteotm

Well-Known Member
Best Week Of My Life

Ive cleaned up $1.5k over 3 nights flat betting @ $25 TABLE.

SO MUCH FUN. :D!!

Makes me glad i didnt quit blackjack like i was planning in July.

Aussie guess what ?

When i was there on wednesday night I rocked up to the table and to my surprise the CSM machine was BROKEN and the dealer was using the old "SHOE method" and thus "card counting could have been used" I couldnt belive it! .....i was thinking to myself " i wish AUSSIECOUNTER was here... could of put his practise to good use!!"

i did my best to attempt to count the cards but i dont think i had any advantage.

i won the majority of it the next night and then again last night.
 
matteotm

matteotm

Well-Known Member
Took a belting today .

Lost $350 in about 15-20 minutes flat betting @ $25.

Horrible Horrible cards, what could go wrong DID go wrong!.

nothing but 12's , 14's 15 and 16's dealer always showing a picture or an ace. It was like what blackjack would be like if it was played in hell (im sure you have all been there!, as have I). every double down scenario i got either a 3 or a 4 and the dealer made a hand.

I guess its either "your day/night" or its not "your day night"

Im a firm beliver in the first 1-2-3 hands and how they go determining the whole session (every with a large enough BR). any1 agree?
 
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