One of the most misunderstood concepts in gambling is this one: play the odds. In gambling, “the odds” always refers to the combined effect of chance, skill and the house edge.
Play the Odds
If you play the odds, then you’re simply betting on the house not winning. If you play to win, then you’re playing to beat the odds.
If you decide to play at a casino that offers free games with no real money necessary to winnings, you can still practice and improve your skills when playing for free. Plus, if you play and win often enough, the casino will start to take real money from your account.
Should You Play Against the House?
You’ve probably heard people say that you should never play against the house, but what does that even mean? At a blackjack table, the house (casino) always has an advantage over the players (you and me). The casino only has to win 52% of the time to ensure a profit, so it’s in the casino’s best interest to have you lose as much money as possible.
Despite this, many people still play against the house. They try to beat the dealer by pressing their luck and hoping that the dealer doesn’t have blackjack. But what if the dealer has an ace or a 10?
In these instances, you are playing against the house, and the casino wins. Therefore, when people say don’t play against the house, they are actually discouraging you from having good luck.