By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Thank me later for these Blackjack tips, based on many convention years’ experience, sometimes painful:
— Loiter, looking for a new shoe, then sit-out the first hand. If no Aces appear, grab a seat.
— If no Aces appear in the second hand, up your bet.
— Decline Insurance, statistically a sucker bet.
— No matter WHAT the dealer is showing, ALWAYS-ALWAYS split Aces and 8s.
— Stand, Hit, Split, or Double-Down on-the-assumption-that the dealer’s hole card is a 10.
— If you’re dealt a hard 17 or higher – or A,8 or A,9 – or 10-10 – always Stand.
— Those “free” drinks they bring get REAL expensive if you’re losing while waiting for your refill.
— The shoe can be kind… or cruel. Keep playing as long as you’re winning… but DO NOT think of winnings as “playing with their money.” It’s yours. If you lose two consecutive hands, bug-out.
Safest bet in ‘Vegas? DON’T. And DO-tell if you’d like to grab a cuppa cawfee if you’ll be there for NAB.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “The Local Radio Advantage: Your 4-Week Tune-In Tune-Up,” and “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn