Which is more profitable, poker or blackjack?

[Craps Master]

Which game is more profitable poker or blackjack for the A.P. player?
For this question there is no one right answer. It totally depends on the player for Phil Ivey, or Daniel Negranu, or Doyle Brunson it is poker. For me it is blackjack. The best blackjack players have a 1% advantage the best poker players probably have a 10% advantage after rakes and tipping. Poker probably has the highest advantage among expert players.

I agree that it depends on the player, but probably not the way you think it does. I think for normal people who are willing to work hard at it, poker and blackjack represent similar levels of profitability. For people who are extremely talented, poker becomes substantially more profitable. I suspect, for instance, that Phil Ivey has made more money playing poker in the last five years than any blackjack player in the world in that same period. So, too, with a number of other very talented poker players. And that's just from playing poker. High profile players also make a bunch of money through affiliation with major poker sites and other types of sponsorship/endorsement deals. But, as I said, that doesn't apply to most of us. For most people who work hard and who approach blackjack or poker seriously and don't have problematic habits or shortcomings, they will find that they are similarly profitable. Some may be better at one or the other, but, on average, the profitability will be similar.

 

[Jack_Black]

But first, don't casinos have to make a profit similar to the guy who has a home poker game? He cuts the pot for the deli and other treats he provides for gang, plus he takes a little for himself as payment for providing a place for everyone to meet into the wee hours of the morning.

Casinos have large staffs to pay, utility bills for lighting and heating/cooling their facilities, the cost of buildings and parking lots and their maintenance, and every other cost common to ordinary businesses For that reason, they must have an advantage, or soon they would all be out of business.

The only thing I think anyone can quibble about is the amount of the house edge, and even that does not seem so great as they undergo hard times, such as the recession we are now living through. Not only that, their house edge is subject to the competitive pressures of other casinos. So where's all the evil? Are they making obscene profits? Is all of Wall Street running to invest in this most lucrative of businesses? Not really.

No, the only thing I can really fault casinos for is not advertising more the risks involved for its customers. Every wall should be plastered with the true odds for each and every game offered. But that, of course, would put a damper on business----I think----nobody has ever done it. But if that be the case, the casinos would have to increase their advantage in order to make a reasonable profit. I certainly don't want an increase in the house edge. Hmmmm! Maybe we should outlaw them altogether.

Outlaw those dirty casinos. But should we start with casinos.........or with breweries, bars, distilleries, cigarette companies, candy manufacturers, fast food restaurants, soda pop companies, carnivals, hot dog stands, porn shows, car races, dog tracks, race tracks, hai alai.......heck, why don't we simplify things and make it against the law to make up your own mind! After all, people are so stupid! They seldom make the right choices in life. If we can't trust them to avoid gambling to excess, what can we trust them to do? Certainly not pick an appropriate marriage partner, what with more than 50% divorce rate!

Down with freedom! Yes, that's the ticket! Save the human race! Outlaw freedom to choose! Enforce morality! Make the bastrds tow the line! Long live the collective! Up with the good and down with the bad! Long live the Borg!

Now see what you've started, Jack_Black!!!???

Uhhh, no. I don't see. You've taken a tangent and blasted off into space with it. Do you work for a casino? are you in public relations? you're defending a casino and telling me that they're not so bad. Those poor casinos, they need to take our money to keep their employees paid. You sound exactly like a dealer that hates APs for taking his paycheck away.

and another thing, all those vices you listed indeed do have organizations that are against them. It's called standing up for what you believe in. Now, I'm not gonna join an anti smoking or drinking campaign. Nor am I gonna stop drinking because of MADD or any other group. But I don't like getting duped by a business when I give them my money. I buy a drink, it get's me drunk. I buy fast food, it makes me fat. SO, if I gamble, I should have a fair chance to win. not a 100% chance of losing over time. Casinos advertise, "Come and win at ______!!" "where the winners play!" that is false advertising and they should be penalized.

Also, you defend casinos for not advertising their house edge because it would take away business?! fast food, cigarettes, alcohol all have warning or nutrition labels added. I didn't see much business stopping after the fact.

this is now way off topic.

 

[aslan]

Uhhh, no. I don't see. You've taken a tangent and blasted off into space with it. Do you work for a casino? are you in public relations? you're defending a casino and telling me that they're not so bad. Those poor casinos, they need to take our money to keep their employees paid. You sound exactly like a dealer that hates APs for taking his paycheck away.

and another thing, all those vices you listed indeed do have organizations that are against them. It's called standing up for what you believe in. Now, I'm not gonna join an anti smoking or drinking campaign. Nor am I gonna stop drinking because of MADD or any other group. But I don't like getting duped by a business when I give them my money. I buy a drink, it get's me drunk. I buy fast food, it makes me fat. SO, if I gamble, I should have a fair chance to win. not a 100% chance of losing over time. Casinos advertise, "Come and win at ______!!" "where the winners play!" that is false advertising and they should be penalized.

Also, you defend casinos for not advertising their house edge because it would take away business?! fast food, cigarettes, alcohol all have warning or nutrition labels added. I didn't see much business stopping after the fact.

this is now way off topic.

:laugh:
Actually I said they should advertise their edge, but cautioned that it might result in their raising their advantage.

Occasionally, it is useful to fully explore both sides of an issue. But if you missed it, mine was done in fun. :joker::whip: