|
Ameristar Casino. Slots Per Pull $10 (6 slots); Table Games (65 total), 3 Card Poker (5 tables), Blackjack (39 tables) $5.00 to $500 bets, Caribbean. We feature reputable bitcoin casinos that offer authentic blackjack, with fast deposit and cash-out options. Top 5 Blackjack Online Casinos Betchain Bitstarz Cloud Bet mBit Casino Spin Finity Runner Ups Bitcasino 7 Bit Casino (USA Players Welcome) The Keys to Playing Bitcoin Blackjack Online Blackjack, the 21-points card game is one of the oldest casino.
KANSAS CITY BLACKJACK REPORT
IS IT WORTH PLAYING?
By JPB
JPB has been playing blackjack and counting cards part-time since 1996.He plays throughout the country but primarily in Missouri. He has been a Green Chip member ofBJ21.com for four years and one-time winner of thePost-of-the-Month. JPB is a professional engineer with three engineering degrees and works as a consulting engineer.
Introduction
Skilled blackjack players that are tired of being harassed, backed-off, and read the trespass act (or worse) may find solace in the Kansas City casinos where a card counter cannot be barred. Nor can the casinos enforce a betting limit that is applied unilaterally to a card counter (the limit must apply to the entire table). Both Harrah’s and Ameristar were fined for trying to impose such limits.
The casinos in Kansas City are, however, allowed to reduce table limits, reduce penetration, and even preferential shuffle (although only Ameristar uses the preferential shuffle), but these countermeasures are generally applied infrequently and inconsistently. In addition, pit bosses are not particularly skilled or driven to identify and harass card counters as in Las Vegas.
Logistics
There are four casinos in the greater Kansas City area: Harrah’s, Ameristar, Argosy, and Isle of Capri, plus the Frontier Casino in St. Joseph, which is about 50 miles north of Kansas City. The Kansas City casinos are all located in the north side of the K.C. metro area and all within about 15 miles of each other. No two casinos are within 3 miles of each other so that casino hopping is possible, but the logistics are not like Las Vegas or Atlantic City where one can find a casino next door.
Missouri Casino Blackjack Rules
- Entrance to the casino requires a player’s card. Obtaining a player’s card requires a driver’s license or equivalent identification. I am not aware of the casinos sharing information regarding card counters with other casinos or with anti-card counter organizations such as Griffin. If you are concerned about withholding your identity, use your player’s card to gain entrance, buy your chips at the cage, and then decline the pit bosses offer to rate your play. Your play at the table will then be anonymous.
- Casino patrons are allowed a $500.00 maximum buy-in every two-hour block of time. Blocks are on the even hours (6-8, 8-10, 10-12, etc.) This buy-in limit can prove a formidable handicap for the basic strategy player and card counter alike. Get a pair of 8s against a dealer 6, and obviously the correct play is to split. But not if you have already bought in for $500 and do not have any chips left. It does not matter how many Benjamin’s you have crammed into your pockets. Money play is prohibited. The buy-in limit is even more problematic for the card counter trying to use a healthy bet spread (say $25-250). The monster count finally comes along, and you only have $300 in chips left (you should keep enough chips for a possible double down, split, or double after split) so you can only justify a $100.00 bet. High-stakes players need to horde chips!
- Finally, unlike any other commission, the Missouri Gaming Commission has unambiguously legislated that card counting, not involving a mechanical device, is not illegal, and that the casinos cannot prohibit a skilled card counter from playing blackjack. Do not lose any sleep on behalf of the casinos. The combination of the buy-in limit, generally crowded tables, and mediocre rules effectively deters most of the high-stakes, skilled players. Furthermore, counters that are used to using a modest spread (8:1 on 2 deck) to avoid heat, are able to only gain a small advantage over the house due to the conditions described.
Kansas City Casino Blackjack Conditions
2-deck table minimums are generally $10 or $25 with maximums of $500 or $1000. 6- deck table minimums range from $5-25 with a typical $500 maximum. Other pertinent conditions are summarized in the table below.
All 2-deck games are no mid-shoe entry. Penetration varies by dealer somewhat at each casino, but other than the 2d at Harrah’s, one should not expect to ever see exceptional penetration.
Casino | # of decks | Rules | House Advantage (%) | Avg. Penetration | Game Rating | |
Conservative Spread | Aggressive Spread | |||||
Harrah’s | 2 | H17, D8+, no DAS, no RSA | 0.64 | 0.6 | B- | A |
6 | H17, DAS, RSA | 0.56 | 1.5 | C | B- | |
1 | Superfun 21 | 0.94 | R of 6 | Depends on number of players at table. | ||
Isle of Capri | 2 | H17, DAS, RSA | 0.35 | 0.9 | C | B |
6 | H17, DAS, RSA | 0.56 | 2.0 | D- | D | |
Argosy | 2 | H17, DAS, RSA | 0.35 | 0.9 | C | B |
6 | H17, DAS, RSA | 0.56 | 1.5 | C | B- | |
Ameristar | 2 | H17, D8+, no DAS, no RSA | 0.64 | 0.9 | D | C |
6 | H17, DAS, RSA | 0.56 | 1.4 | C+ | B | |
Frontier (St. Joe) | 6 | H17, DAS, no RSA, LSR | 0.54 | 1.8 | C- | C+ |
Notes:
H17= Dealer hits on soft 17.
D8+= Doubling only allowed on 8-11. No note means double allowed on any 2 cards.
DAS= Double after split.
RSA= Resplit Aces
LSR= Late surrender
Conservative spread = 8:1 or less for 2 deck; 10:1 or less for 6 deck
Aggressive spread = 12:1 or greater for 2 deck; 20 or greater for 6 deck and/or 'wonging' on negative counts.
Penetration= number of undealt decks located behind the shuffle determining card
R of 6= 2 rounds to 4 players; 3 rounds to 3 players; 4 rounds to 2 players; etc
RFB (Room, Food, and Beverage) & Other Non BJ Considerations
Newcomers will notice that unlike most gaming markets, alcoholic beverages at the table are not free (they are not even discounted). This shortcoming can be a big negative for some players but should be less of a problem to the card counter who typically drinks lightly or not at all at the tables. All of the casinos have hotels except Isle of Capri. Each casino has a buffet with Argosy and Ameristar being the best. Ameristar is the biggest casino with movie theaters, a concert/show theater, a kids play place, and multiple fast-food and full-service restaurants. Comps at Ameristar, Argosy, and Harrah’s are all banked. Comps appear to be slightly more generous than in most casino markets. Harrah’s leads the group in promotional offers and give-aways. All four casinos offer decent cash back coupons by mail to regular players.
Conclusion
The conventional wisdom among the card counting circles is that the level of heat is proportional to the quality of the game. Using this adage, the Kansas City casinos should have the worst blackjack in the country. Not true. Although the Kansas City blackjack games have mediocre rules and penetration, the games are more attractive when taking into account the fact that a more aggressive bet spread can be used due to the lack of heat. Be forewarned, however, that the aggressive spread will increase your expected win rate but not without a cost – increased risk. Lots of money can be lost in the short run. But at least the card counter does not have to worry about being barred or backroomed!
This issue of Blackjack Insider brought to you by...
Kansas City Casinos
Cha-ching! A look at Kansas City’s Casino Scene
It doesn’t take Lady Luck to find a good time among Kansas City’s multiple casino options. All but two of KC’s six gambling establishments are riverboat casinos, hence the locally coined nickname “the boats.” Expect your fair share of Vegas-style embellishments—including fabulous dining and national entertainers—yet with the welcome addition of KC’s good ol’ fashioned Midwest hospitality. Feeling lucky? We’ll meet you at the boats!
Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City
By the Numbers:
- 142,000 square feet of gaming
- 2,900 slot and video poker machines
- 59 table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, Let It Ride, Mini-Bac, EZ Pai Gow and Fortune Pai Gow Poker
- Betting allowed up to $10,000 on select table games
- 184-room hotel
- Nine restaurants
Originally called Station Casino when it opened in 1997, Ameristar took over in 2000 and has since grown it into one of the country’s largest casinos—and one of Kansas City’s most awarded. It was designated as the 2012 'Best Casino” by Ingram’s Magazine, the 2011 Kansas City Magazine’s “Best of Kansas City” readers’ poll and 2011 Best Casino in Home in the Northland Lifestyle magazine’s readers’ poll. It also was awarded Best Steakhouse, Best Buffet, Best Live Poker and Best Tournaments in the 2012 Casino Player Magazine’s “Best of Gaming” awards. With betting allowed up to $10k on select table games, this is the place to be for all you high rollers.
Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa
By the Numbers:
- 62,000 square feet of gaming
- 1,500 slot and video poker machines
- 32 table games, including craps, roulette and more
- 258-room hotel
- Five restaurants
Located just five minutes from downtown Kansas City, Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa was KC’s first riverboat casino. It opened in June 1994 and actually took guests for two-hour gambling cruises along the Missouri River. From 1996 to 2005, Argosy docked for good, and underwent a number of multimillion-dollar renovations, doubling the size of the gaming floor, adding the 258-room luxury hotel, spa and meeting space—not to mention earning a few architectural accolades along the way.
Harrah’s Casino and Hotel
By the Numbers:
- 63,300 square feet of gaming
- 1,400 slot and video poker machines
- 47 table games, including the only World Series of Poker room in Kansas City
- 392-room hotel with 69 suites
- Four restaurants
- Home of the VooDoo Lounge concert venue and nightclub
Harrah’s holds two big distinctions among Kansas Citians. For starters, it was the second-ever riverboat casino in town. And if that’s not enough to pull you in already, wait till you hit the Voodoo Lounge. From the area’s hottest DJs to national touring rock bands and more, VIP treatment and fun abounds.
Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway
By the Numbers:
- 100,000 square feet of gaming
- 2,000 slot machines
- 52 table games
- Five restaurants
What’s this? The area’s first land-based casino! (And it just so happens to be in Kansas, if you’re paying attention.) Instead of overlooking the beautiful Missouri River, the Hollywood sits next to the Kansas Speedway, with views of every turn. Also located next to the popular Legends shopping center, you’ll find plenty of activities, dining and places to stay to keep you entertained—including Cabela’s and Nebraska Furniture Mart. What better way to spend your winnings?
Isle of Capri Casino
By the Numbers:
- 38,000 square feet of gaming
- 1,260 slot and video poker machines
- 40 of the latest table games, including roulette, craps, blackjack, as well as 8 additional live poker tables
- Four restaurants
- 2,932 square feet of event space
Kansas City’s most “modest” casino—as far as size goes, anyway—is located just a few minutes from the downtown area. Isle of Capri Casino offers all the slots, poker machines and table games you can ask for—including eight live poker tables for you six-card and Texas hold ‘em fanatics.
7th Street Casino
By the Numbers:
- 20,000 square feet
- Three levels
- 600 slot machines
- Two restaurants
While far from being the largest casino in KC, this Kansas-side gem is unique in a number of other ways. 7th Street Casino is operated by the Wyandotte Nation—a tribe that once made its home in Wyandotte County, Kansas. Located in the heart of KCK, it occupies a former Shrine building which also happens to be across the street from the historic Huron Cemetery, a Native American burial ground. By virtue of the building’s historic nature, the atmosphere has a way of harkening back to Kansas City’s rowdy early 20th-century reputation.
$5 Blackjack Kansas City Chiefs
Casinos in KC
Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City
Phone: (816) 414-7000
$5 Blackjack Kansas City Poker
Visit Website