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.
Wynn Macau Blackjack Minimum would end up depositing funds to play for real money. Even if he doesn’t end up playing for real money, he Wynn Macau Blackjack Minimum would still make a deposit to cash out his winnings. Macau is known as the “Monte Carlo of the Orient” and is home to some of the best blackjack games in the world and with more than 30 casinos available, players will find they have many options when it comes to placing their blackjack bets. In addition the city also has horse racing venues, greyhound racing and other gambling opportunities.
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.
| 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.
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.
- 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.
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.
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Macau features the biggest baccarat scene in the world. Some casinos in this Asian gambling mecca fill 80% of their floors with baccarat tables.
Of course, blackjack is no slouch in Macau either. This special administrative area of China actually offers the best blackjack odds anywhere in the world!
Even with these great odds, though, you’re still at a slight disadvantage to the house. Your only chance to win consistent profits is through card counting. But is card counting even possible in Macau?
After all, you never hear anybody talking about all the money they’ve won counting cards here. I’ll discuss this matter by covering more on Macau blackjack games and what the counting scene is like.
What Are the Typical Macau Blackjack Rules?
Again, this region boasts outstanding blackjack odds. Unlike most gambling destinations throughout the world, Macau isn’t afraid to offer great rules and a low house edge.
First, I’ll go over the rules for a standard blackjack table:
- Six decks
- 3:2 natural blackjack payout
- Early surrender on dealer’s 10 (but not ace)
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Double down any two cards
- Double after splitting (DAS)
- Split up to four hands
- No re-splitting aces
These rules lead to a 0.16% house edge. I don’t currently know of any game, online or live, that can compare in terms of sheer odds.
Of course, a few blackjack games throughout Macau can differ slightly. Here are rule nuances that you may encounter in some casinos:
- Five decks (rather than six) – Lowers house edge by 0.1%
- Re-split aces – Lowers house edge by 0.08%
- Split up to three hands (split once) – Increases house edge by 0.01%
- Losing all wagers after splitting if the dealer has a natural blackjack – Increases house edge by 0.11%
None of these rules impact the house greatly one way or another. Nevertheless, you should still keep nuances in mind when playing in different Macau casinos.
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. Well, these two casinos are the best of the best.
The catch, though, is that both the MGM and Wynn require $50 stakes on most tables. You stand to lose more with these high stakes even with the tiny house advantage factored in.
Assuming you’re perfectly comfortable wagering $50 per hand, though, then you’ll definitely like what these casinos boast regarding the odds.
What Other Macau Casinos Feature Quality Blackjack Scenes?
Besides odds, you should also consider the quantity of tables when choosing a Macau blackjack casino. More tables give you extra options when looking for the perfect stakes.
In all, Macau boasts over 30 casinos along with racinos as well. Here are some of the more popular blackjack hotspots:
- Altira Macau
- Casino Lisboa
- Casino Oceanus
- City of Dreams
- Galaxy Grand Waldo
- Galaxy StarWorld
- Greek Mythology Casino
- MGM Macau
- Ponte 16
- Wynn Macau
Will You Beat Macau Blackjack Through Card Counting?
Card counting is the most famous advantage gambling method in the world. It sees you track cards as they’re dealt and assign them point values.
You bet more money when the count is positive (i.e. more aces and 10s) and wager the table minimum if the count is zero or negative (i.e. more twos through sixes).
The goal is to capitalize on the times where you stand a better chance of getting natural blackjacks. If the count is positive, the dealer also has higher odds of busting when drawing to a hard 17.
You don’t need to pour a lot of time into learning card counting. Instead, you simply need the proper skills and conditions to successfully count cards. Unfortunately, Macau doesn’t have the right conditions in any capacity. Every table in the region features a continuous shuffling machine (CSM).
A CSM keeps shuffling cards as the dealer inserts decks into it. The croupier never has to stop the game to shuffle as a result. More importantly, they don’t need to go deep into the shoe either. This aspect is what makes Macau card counting impossible.
You need good “deck penetration,” which is the amount of decks dealt before the dealer shuffles, to properly count cards. After all, your count is unlikely to mean much after one to two decks of a six- to eight-deck shoe.
Macau tables don’t allow hardly any penetration due to the CSMs. Simply put, you can’t make guaranteed profits here.
Why Is Macau Staunchly Against Counting?
Macau is the only major international gambling destination that features a continuous shuffling machine at every table. But why?
Much of this situation has to do with the excellent rules. Macau games already give you a strong chance to win. Casinos would get absolutely drilled if they let you count cards on top of things.
As a skilled counter, you can gain between a 0.5% and 1.5% advantage over North American casinos. But these tables also feature house edges ranging from 1.0% to 2.0%.
With a Macau game, where you’re doing with a 0.16% house advantage, you might grab a 1.5% to 2.5% edge over casinos. They don’t want any chance of this happening. Therefore, every gambling establishment employs CSMs to ensure that you can’t get the upper hand.
Can You Still Win With Macau Blackjack?
You can’t become a professional blackjack player in Macau. However, you still stand a great chance of winning in any given session thanks to the low house edge.
You can quickly pick up these nuances just by looking up a Macau blackjack strategy chart. You merely need to search for this term and look in the Images area of whatever search engine you’re using.
Wynn Macau Poker Room
Macau basic strategy charts are in demand due to the popularity of this gambling destination as a whole. Therefore, you’ll have no trouble finding one.
You should look over this chart for at least a few minutes before heading to the tables. After all, casinos don’t like you slowing down games by looking at your chart too often.
Assuming you play with perfect blackjack strategy, then you can achieve the aforementioned 0.16% house edge. This puts you at a near coinflip situation with the casinos.
Conclusion
Macau is no card counter’s paradise. In fact, it’s the worst place on earth to count cards due to all the CSM.
Is Wynn Macau Open
That said, you should steer clear if you’re an advantage gambler. But if you’re a recreational gambler, then Macau is the perfect place to be!
It offers better rules than any land-based or online casino. You’re looking at a 0.16% house advantage at the average table.
You can go even lower than this at 0.09% in the Wynn and MGM. Do note, though, that both of these casinos require higher minimum bets.