Aria Casino at City Center in Las Vegas opened in mid December. A few weeks later I finally got a chance to check it out. The hotel is nice if you like a modern look, but I’m not writing to tell you about the ambiance of the resort. I’m a professional blackjack player, so all I really care about is the quality of the blackjack games offered at Aria. Here’s my review of Aria’s blackjack…

Blackjack at Aria Casino – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

My first thought about playing blackjack at Aria was that it’s a new place that will hold mostly higher-end players. Great! That means I can throw some large bets around and hopefully go somewhat unnoticed. When it comes to card counting I’m not just looking for great blackjack rules and good dealer penetration, I’m looking for where I can get the most action on the table without drawing too much attention to myself. I found that Aria was pretty good in this respect. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Aria’s casino chips do not have RFID technology (radio frequency identification) that could potentially track player betting patterns. If you’re wondering what an RFID chip might look like, just head into Wynn Casino and check out a $25 chip. You’ll see that there is a metallic circle near the top-center of the chip which is used for tracking purposes. The main idea of RFID technology is to prevent counterfeit chips, but I also know they can be used to detect a card counter’s betting patterns. So thank you Aria for using normal chips like most of Las Vegas!

Aria Blackjack Rules

Aria is currently dealing 4 types of blackjack and they’re all quite different. Knowing the difference between these games can really help reduce the house edge over an average blackjack player. For a card counter, it’s critical to understand these differences in order to maximize your advantage over the casino. Let’s have a look…

6 Deck Blackjack with Continuous Shuffle – (H17, DAS, RSA, Surrender)

This is clearly the worst blackjack game at Aria. Not only does the dealer hit on Soft 17 (H17), but the cards are continuously shuffled after every hand making it impossible to track cards. This game typically has a $25 minimum on weekends, but drops as low as $10 on weekdays. As a card counter, the continuous shuffling machines make these tables unplayable for me.

6 Deck Blackjack – (H17, DAS, RSA, Surrender)

The 6 deck blackjack dealt from a real shoe is definitely a nice improvement from the continuous shufflers. The games are countable for advantage players and the dealers are dealing through about 4 ½ decks before shuffling. That’s pretty much standard penetration for an MGM property. On these tables the dealer hits on Soft 17, but you can re-split Aces and Surrender. Other MGM properties such as MGM, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay and Mirage will all let you re-split Aces and Surrender on their 6 deck shoe games as well. Although this clearly isn’t the best 6 deck blackjack in Vegas, you could still do a lot worse. Remember, the hitting/standing on Soft 17 rule is the most important thing when it comes to blackjack rules (assuming you get the full 3:2 payment on blackjack). You want the dealer standing on Soft 17 and at Aria some tables do and some don’t!

6 Deck Blackjack in High Limit – (S17, DAS, RSA, Surrender)

There are a handful of 6 deck blackjack tables in the high limit room at Aria. These games are similar to the 6 deckers dealt on the main floor, only with better rules. Here you get the dealer standing on Soft 17 and you can also re-split Aces and Surrender. This is the same high limit 6 deck blackjack as you will find at many of the other MGM properties as mentioned above. The table minimums are set at $25, $50 or $100 depending on the day of the week and which table you’re at, but that’s often the price you pay for the better games in Las Vegas.

Double Deck Blackjack – (S17, DAS, no RSA, no Surrender)

This is the table where I was more than happy to take some of Aria’s money. The double deck blackjack at Aria is excellent. They stand on Soft 17 and you may double after splitting. Although you cannot re-split Aces or Surrender, you can’t re-split Aces or Surrender anywhere in Las Vegas on double deck when they stand on Soft 17. You will only find re-splitting Aces on games where the dealer hits on Soft 17. Whether you’re card counting or not, this is a great game and the dealer penetration is good. This might actually become one of my favorite games in Las Vegas! On weekends you can expect a $100 minimum, but on weekdays I noticed it was dropped down to a $25 minimum (at least during the daytime).

So let’s have a look at the house edge on these 4 blackjack options…

Note: These “house edge” numbers assume you are playing optimal basic strategy at all times, but not counting cards at all. If you’re not playing correct basic strategy, then these red bars will grow. If you’re a good card counter and actually know how to properly use card counting strategies (this is rare), then these red bars will shrink and become a player’s edge.

So what percentage of the blackjack tables at Aria are dealing each of these games? Here’s an approximation of what it looked like when I was there…

Aria Blackjack Review – The Conclusion

All in all I was happy with what I found at Aria and I’m sure I’ll be spending plenty of time there. I don’t like the atmosphere nearly as much as I like Bellagio, Wynn and Encore, but it’s not too far behind. If you have anything to add my analysis of Aria’s blackjack, please feel free to post it below as a comment. If you’re interested in hearing about the betting strategy, cover and play deviations I used while at Aria and the amount of pit boss heat I received from it, then you’ll have to contact me privately. Unfortunately I can’t go too deep into my personal experiences at casinos because I don’t want to be identifiable by casino personnel. Good luck out there!

“The dealer never busts!”

While this statement obviously isn’t true, you will commonly hear blackjack players make this complaint at the tables. So what are the odds that a dealer will bust? That all depends on what card the dealer is showing and what cards are left in the deck. Let’s take a look at the dealer’s probability of making various hands when showing a 6 on a double deck game…

Odds of the Dealer Busting

As you can see, it’s less than a 50/50 shot of the dealer busting. To be exact, the dealer has just over a 42% chance of busting. Keep in mind, that’s with a 6 showing! If you have a weak hand such as a 12-16, you stand against a dealer’s 6 in hopes that he’ll bust. Unfortunately that’s probably not going to happen for you.

Now let’s have a look at how card counting could help you take advantage of changing probabilities. If you’re counting accurately you will know when the deck is rich in high cards. Let’s make a rough example by looking at a double deck game with half of the 2-6’s removed. Now what are the odds of a dealer busting when showing a 6?

Busting Probability Increased

So now you have a better than 50/50 shot of getting the dealer to bust. Not only are you a little safer standing on a 12-16, but doubles and splits are looking extra lucrative against a dealer’s 6.

To be fair let’s have a look at the opposite situation. What does it look like if you remove half the face cards and half the aces from a double deck game?

Busting Probability Decreased

The odds of the dealer busting a 6 are pretty low here. Just imagine how small the chances are of busting a 2 or 3!

So what’s the moral to the story? You can’t just sit back and expect the dealer to bust for you. Odds are that the dealer’s going to pull a hand even when showing a 6. However, good blackjack players will know when the dealer is more likely to bust and will increase their bets accordingly. Along with adjusting your bets, you should be adjusting how you play some of your hands to fully maximize your edge over the house.

Casino comps are a great, but are they really free? Chances are you’re losing a lot of money at the tables in exchange for those so-called “free” comps. Unless you’re card counting, and you’re effective at it, the casinos know you’re going to lose more and more money over time. You may get lucky in the short run, but in the long run they know they have you. Let’s take a look at what’s really going on in the casino comp system and how you might be able to take advantage of it.

When it comes to giving out player comps, casinos usually value your worth using a pre-set formula. Every casino company is a little different, but the parameters generally go something like this…

(hands per hour) X (house edge) X (average bet size) X (number of hours)

= Theoretical Player Loss

Casinos assume you will not be playing optimal basic strategy when gambling. Therefore they expect your loss-rate to be somewhere between 1% and 2%. For most blackjack players this assumption holds true.

Let’s explore this calculation further by plugging in some numbers. Let’s say you’re playing around $100 per hand over a 4 hour stretch one evening. Let’s also assume this particular casino uses a 1% theoretical edge and 75 hands per hour to calculate player ratings. Here’s how you’re looking in the eyes of the casino’s comp system…

Hands per Hour X House Edge X Avg Bet X Hours Played = (75) X (.01) X (100) X (4) = $300

The casino values your 4 hours of play at $300. For comp purposes they’re willing to kick back a certain percentage of that amount (usually 25%-30%) in free rooms, food, chips, entertainment or cash. That’s about $75-$90 worth of comps for your 4 hours of action.

Make no mistake about it, the casinos are not your friends. Your value to them is strictly a dollar sign. The longer you play and the higher your average bet, the more they will cater to you. Understanding how the comp system works is the first step in taking advantage of the system. Now you can begin to capitalize on this knowledge and get far more than your fair share of casino comps.

Tips for Getting More Comps While Risking Less:

Here are some great tips (for non-card counters) that you can use to exploit the comp system by appearing to be worth more to the house than you actually are…

Tip #1 – Play games with good odds
The house edge can be very different depending on where you’re playing. For example, the 6-deck games (S17, DAS, RSA, LS) at MGM Grand in Las Vegas have a house edge of only a quarter of a percent while the single deck games (H17, DAS, 6:5 on blackjacks) have nearly a 1.5% house edge. That means the house edge is 6 times as bad for you on the single deck game as on the 6-deck game!

Hint: For the very best odds, find a table where the dealer Stands on Soft 17 (S17), you can double after splitting (DAS), re-split Aces (RSA) and surrender (LS). Most importantly, avoid any game where the blackjack payout is 6:5 rather than 3:2.

Tip #2 – Play correct basic strategy
Playing optimal basic strategy will put your losing rate much lower than what the house will assume for comp purposes. You might get comped as if you’re losing at a rate of 1% (.01) when in reality you’re playing basic strategy on a good game where the house edge is only around .2% (.002). Games like the Mirage double deck in Las Vegas have this small of a house edge if correct basic strategy is being played.

Tip #3 – Play at a crowded table
Playing at a crowded table will really slow the game down. This means that you will be playing far less than the 75 hands per hour that the casino is banking on. Maybe you’re only playing 50 hands per hour because of how slow the game is moving, but you’ll be earning comps at the 75 hands per hour level!

Tip #4 – Take frequent breaks
Maybe you want to take a break for 15 minutes or so. Well don’t pick up your chips and get clocked out of the game, leave your chips at the table. This tactic keeps you clocked in as if you’re still playing. They’ll be comping you for time spent having a drink at the bar!

Tip #5 – Adjust your bet size at the right time
You may have noticed that the Pit Boss will come by from time to time and write down what he perceives to be your average bet size. That’s a perfect time to throw a little extra out there. Of course you only want to bet within what you can afford and you don’t want to get carried away with this strategy, but adding a second chip to your bet won’t cost you much. An appearance of having twice your real bet size will get you twice the comp value. As soon as the Pit Boss notes your bet size and walks away, drop your bet right back down.

Tip #6 – Exaggerate your losses
When you leave a table you may want to pocket some chips and appear you lost more than you really did. This won’t change the formula they use to evaluate your comp level, but it could certainly sway a decision on whether or not you’re getting your room covered for the weekend.

There are many strategies to increasing your comp value while risking less and these 6 tips should get you off to a great start. The overall concept is very simple. Look let you’re betting more, losing more and playing longer than you actually are. Use these tips and you can actually earn more in comps than the casino will ever get back from you at the tables.