Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules
Definitions
- Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules Poker
- Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules Card Game
- Wynn Macau Stock
- Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules For Real
- Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules For Real
Aug 22, 2020 Which Macau Casino Has the Best Blackjack? The Wynn and MGM currently feature the best blackjack odds in Macau. Both of these casinos offer rules that create a 0.09% house edge. I noted earlier how Macau has the best real money blackjack on the planet. Local Rules and Standards. One of the first things to note is that the house edge for Blackjack in Macau ranges from 0.20%, down to around 0.08%. Ultimately, this is dependent on the level of stakes you can afford. The higher the stakes, the better the odds the casino is willing to give you. Macau, China Blackjack Rules & Conditions 2020.Mobile users – Best viewed horizontally (landscape).Desktop Users – Best viewed using Google Chrome browser.
This page shall address the value and optimal usage of promotional, match-play, and non-negotiable chips. Before going further, let me define what each of these chips are.
Match-Play Chips
These are the same as promotional chips, except the player must match the match-play bet with real money. They are often not chips at all, but coupons found in fun books. Usually, the player will keep a match-play chip, in the event of a push. Rules can get complicted with blackjack. A blackjack will always pay 3 to 2 on the cash bet, but may only pay even money on the match-play portion. I believe that paying 3 to 2 on both is the norm. If the player doubles or splits, usually the player will only match the cash wager portion, but sometimes the player must match both portions. Match-play chips are usually restricted to even money bets, including blackjack.
Promotional Chips
Promotional Chips are for one bet resolved only. These chips are sometimes offered in mailers to existing players, as an incentive to return to the casino property. Win or lose, the promotional chip is taken from the player after the bet is resolved. If the player wins, he keeps the winnings only. On a tie, the player usually keeps the chip. In blackjack, the player may double or split with real chips or cash. Usually, promotional chips may only be used on even money bets, which include blackjack.
Non-Negotiable Chips
Sometimes called a 'non-neg,' these act like real chips, except the player may not cash them in. Any winnings generated from these chips are paid in cashable chips, and the player keeps the non-neg chip. There are usually no restrictions on how these can be played. In Macau, these are ubiquitous in high limit baccarat rooms, sometimes known as 'dead chips.'
The following table shows the value of each kind of chip in various games and bets. The values are expressed as a percentage of the face value of the chip. The table assumes the player keeps any chip in the event of a push. For blackjack, the other rules assumed are as follows.
- Six decks
- Double after split allowed
- Resplitting aces allowed
- Surrender not allowed
- Blackjack pays 3 to 2 on all chips
- On a match play, player may double or split only cash portion of wager.
Chip Value Table
| Game | Bet | Match-Play | Promotional | Non-Neg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baccarat | Banker | 46.98% | 48.15% | 97.63% |
| Baccarat | Player | 47.95% | 49.32% | 97.31% |
| Baccarat | Tie | 61.77% | 76.12% | 84.13% |
| Big Six | 1 | 33.33% | 44.44% | 80% |
| Big Six | 2 | 38.89% | 55.56% | 76.92% |
| Big Six | 5 | 42.59% | 64.81% | 74.47% |
| Big Six | 10 | 55.56% | 74.07% | 80% |
| Big Six | 20 | 51.85% | 74.07% | 76.92% |
| Big Six | Joker/Logo (40 to 1) | 50% | 74.07% | 75.47% |
| Big Six | Joker/Logo (45 to 1) | 68.52% | 83.33% | 84.91% |
| Blackjack | 46.2% | 51.4% | 99.15% | |
| Craps | Pass | 47.88% | 49.29% | 97.21% |
| Craps | Don't Pass | 47.9% | 49.3% | 97.23% |
| Craps | Place 6,8 | 51.52% | 53.03% | 97.22% |
| Craps | Place 5,9 | 52% | 56% | 93.33% |
| Craps | Place 4,10 | 53.33% | 60% | 90% |
| Craps | 1-way Hop | 69.44% | 83.33% | 85.71% |
| Craps | 2-way Hop | 72.22% | 83.33% | 88.24% |
| EZ Baccarat | Banker | 48.27% | 49.42% | 97.72% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | Even money | 42.11% | 47.37% | 90% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | Column | 57.89% | 63.16% | 92.31% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | 6-way | 73.68% | 78.95% | 93.75% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | 5-way | 71.05% | 78.95% | 90.91% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | 4-way | 78.95% | 84.21% | 94.12% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | 3-way | 81.58% | 86.84% | 94.29% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | 2-way | 84.21% | 89.47% | 94.44% |
| Roulette (double-zero) | 1-way | 86.84% | 92.11% | 94.59% |
| Roulette (single-zero) | Even money | 45.95% | 48.65% | 94.74% |
| Roulette (single-zero) | Column | 62.16% | 64.86% | 96% |
| Roulette (single-zero) | 6-way | 78.38% | 81.08% | 96.77% |
| Roulette (single-zero) | 4-way | 83.78% | 86.49% | 96.97% |
| Roulette (single-zero) | 3-way | 86.49% | 89.19% | 97.06% |
| Roulette (single-zero) | 2-way | 89.19% | 91.89% | 97.14% |
| Roulette (single-zero) | 1-way | 91.89% | 94.59% | 97.22% |
Strategy
Match-Play Chips
If restricted to even money bets, then the player will get the most value betting Match Play chips on the Banker bet in EZ baccarat, at 48.27% of face value. If that game isn't an option, then the second best bet to use a Match Play chip is the Player bet in baccarat, at 47.95% of face value. If unrestricted, then the player should make a long-shot wager, preferably on a single number in roulette.
Promotional Chips
If restricted to even money bets, then the player will get the most value betting promotional chips in blackjack, at 51.2% of face value, give or take depending on the table rules. If unrestricted, the player should make a long-shot wager, preferably on a single number in roulette.
The following basic strategy table is for promotional chips, under the rules above. If the player is faced with a real money only decision, as a result of splitting, he should revert to conventional basic strategy. The row for a soft 21 is for a 2-card soft 21 after splitting tens, not a blackjack.
Non-Negotiable Chips
Whether restricted or not, the player should bet these in blackjack, where the value is 99.6% of face value, give or take depending on the table rules. If restricted to baccarat, as is the case in Macau, they are best used on the banker bet. I have in-depth coverage of the non-negotiable chips in Macau on my companion site, Wizardofmacau.com.
Other Coupons
The free ace coupon may be used as an ace, in lieu of the first card dealt, in blackjack. According to my blackjack appendix 14, the expected value of an ace as the first card is 50.4% of the amount bet, assuming liberal six-deck rules (dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed, re-splitting aces allowed). These statistics are on a per hand basis, and include pushes. The probability of a push in blackjack is 8.5%. I have not calculated the conditional probability of a tie, given the first player card is an ace. Assuming the push probability is still 8.5%, and the player keeps the coupon on a push, the value of a free ace is 55.1% of face value, under the same liberal rule assumptions.
First Winning Blackjack Pays 2 to 1
The probability of a winning blackjack is 4.53%, in a six-deck game. On average, they come along once in 22.06 hands. The house edge under liberal six-deck rules is 0.29%. So, the player can expect to lose 22.06 × 0.0029 = 0.064 bets waiting for a blackjack. The coupon obviously is worth half a bet. So, the value of a 2 to 1 blackjack coupon is 50% - 6.4% = 43.6% of the amount the player may bet per hand.
First Winning Suited Blackjack Pays 3 to 1
The probability of a winning suited blackjack is 1.13%, in a six-deck game. On average, they come along once in 88.26 hands. The house edge under liberal six-deck rules is 0.29%. So, the player can expect to lose 88.26 × 0.0029 = 0.256 bets waiting for a suited blackjack. The coupon is worth 1.5 bets (the 3 to 1 payoff less the 1.5 you would get normally). So, the value of a 3 to 1 suited blackjack coupon is 1.5 ’ 0.256 = 1.244 bets, or 124.4% of the amount the player may bet.
Further Reading
For an outstanding in-depth treatment of these and other types of chips and coupons, I highly recommend the 21-page paper 'Beyond Coupons' (PDF) by James Grosjean. Grosjean and I have some disagreements about the strategy and value of the value of match play and promotional chips in blackjack. I have the greatest of respect for Grosjean, so I could be wrong about those.
Written by: Michael Shackleford
Standard Macau Rules
Blackjack in Macau has changed a lot between my first visit in 2007 and my second visit in 2009. As with most games there, the rules are becoming consolidated. The rules which most casinos follow are as follows.
- Six decks
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Player may double on any first two cards, including after splitting
- Player may split to up to four hands, except aces may only be split once
- Player may take early surrender, except against a dealer ace (worth 0.24%)
- Continuous shuffler in use. Some casinos will let a small pile (about 52 cards) build up before putting them in the shuffler.
The house edge under these rules is 0.16%.
Following are some rule variations encountered in Macau.
- Player may re-split aces: This good rule is followed at the MGM and the Wynn. It lowers the house edge by 0.08%.
- Five decks: Some casinos may use five decks, rather than six. I'm told the Hotel Lisboa uses five decks, but the Grand Lisboa uses six, for example. Using five decks, as opposed to six, lowers the house edge by 0.01%. Due to this small effect, I do not keep track of who uses five and who uses six, but assume everybody uses six.
- Player loses all bets when splitting and dealer gets a blackjack: This unfavorable rule is followed at the Galaxy casinos. The player may still double safely, and only lose his original bet if the dealer gets a blackjack.
- Player may split to only three hands: This unfavorable rule is also followed at Galaxy casinos.
The following table shows the rules and house edge at all six casino concessions in Macau. Please report any errors.
Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules Poker
| Macau Blackjack House Edge | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concession | Resplit Aces | Lose Splits to Dealer BJ | Max Hands by Splitting | House Edge |
| Galaxy | No | Yes | 3 | 0.20% |
| Melco Crown | No | No | 4 | 0.16% |
| MGM | Yes | No | 4 | 0.09% |
| SJM* | No | No | 4 | 0.16% |
| Venetian | No | No | 4 | 0.16% |
| Wynn | Yes | No | 4 | 0.09% |
* See exception for Pharaoh's Palace below.
Note: I have an uncomfirmed report that the Wynn no longer uses a discard pile, and the Venetian does. I'm awaiting a confirmation, but until then I'm going by the last known rules at the time I was last in Macau in August 2009.
The following two tables show the basic strategies in Macau. Use the one of the left for any casinos other than the Galaxy properties, and the one on the right for Galaxy casinos.
Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules Card Game
Pharaoh's Palace Rules
I'm told the Pharaoh's Palace still deals blackjack with an old and unusual set of rules. I believe many SJM casinos used to offer these rules, but most have converted to the standard game. However, a reader tells me you can find the following set of rules at the Pharaoh's Palace. I do not know if every game follows these rules, or just certain tables.
Wynn Macau Stock
- 5 decks.
- Dealer stands on soft 17.
- Player may double only on 11.
- Dealer does not take a hole card. If dealer has blackjack player will lose entire bet, including additional wagers for doubling and splitting.
- Double after a split allowed.
- Player may surrender on any initial two cards, except against a dealer ace.
- The player may choose to win half his bet with any five-card hand, except against a dealer ace. This option is not available after splitting.
- A player 7-7-7 or suited 6-7-8 in his initial hand will immediately pay 3 to 1. Splitting will void this rule.
- Resplitting aces is allowed.
- Continuous shuffler.
Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules For Real
The house edge under these rules is 0.00%. Following is the basic strategy under these rules. I title the strategy 'Lisboa Blackjack,' because when I first made it, the game was still available at the Lisboa.
Wynn Macau Blackjack Rules For Real
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