---
title: 'How to Win at Blackjack with Casino Expert Michael ''Wizard of Odds'' Shackleford'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=YkUsN-GNCSY'
video_id: 'YkUsN-GNCSY'
date: 2026-08-05
duration_sec: 785
channel: 'The Jackpot Gents'
---

# How to Win at Blackjack with Casino Expert Michael 'Wizard of Odds' Shackleford

> Source: [How to Win at Blackjack with Casino Expert Michael 'Wizard of Odds' Shackleford](https://youtube.com/watch?v=YkUsN-GNCSY)

## Summary

In this interview, gambling expert Michael Shackleford, known as the 'Wizard of Odds', explains the fundamentals of blackjack, including the object of the game, how the house advantage is calculated, and the impact of rules and deck number. He debunks common myths about betting systems and table position, and offers practical advice for players to minimize the house edge and potentially become long-term winners.

### Key Points

- **Object of Blackjack** [00:48] — The object of blackjack is to get more points than the dealer without going over 21.
- **Casino Advantage Source** [01:03] — The casino gets its advantage because the player has to act first; if both bust, the player loses.
- **House Advantage Calculation** [01:18] — The house advantage is calculated by simulating the game or running through every combination, assuming the player uses correct basic strategy. Under common rules, it ranges from about 0.25% to over 2% for poor games like 6:5 blackjack.
- **Single Deck vs. Multi-Deck** [02:02] — The number of decks is important, but the payout on blackjack is more critical. A single-deck game paying 6:5 is worse than an 8-deck game paying 3:2.
- **Important Rules** [02:31] — Key rules to look for: dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed, and resplitting aces allowed. Fewer decks are generally better.
- **Continuous Shuffling Machine** [03:17] — A continuous shuffling machine shuffles discards back into the shoe, allowing more hands per hour. The odds are slightly better, but the increased hands per hour can lead to higher expected losses per hour.
- **Basic Strategy** [04:40] — Basic strategy is a mathematically correct way to play based on your hand and the dealer's up card. Memorizing it can cut the house advantage to about 0.25% under good rules.
- **Progressive Betting Systems** [05:26] — Progressive systems like the Martingale (doubling after losses) do not work in the long run. Eventually, a losing streak will exceed your bankroll, wiping out all previous wins. No betting system can overcome the house advantage.
- **Card Counting** [07:15] — Card counting is a proven method to gain an edge. When the remaining cards are rich in high cards, the player bets more and adjusts strategy (hit less, double more).
- **Basic Strategy Alone** [07:46] — Basic strategy alone cannot overcome the house advantage, but factoring in comps and other perks can make the player come out ahead.
- **Table Position Myths** [08:30] — Where you sit (first base or third base) makes no difference to the odds. The myth that the third baseman controls the game is false.
- **Other Players' Skill** [09:14] — Blackjack is a game of skill, but only your skill matters. Bad players at the table do not affect your odds in the long run.
- **Full Table vs. Empty Table** [09:44] — Mathematically, the odds are the same, but a full table reduces hands per hour, which lowers expected losses per hour. For comps, a full table is better because you bet less but get the same time-based comps.
- **Insurance** [10:40] — Insurance has a house advantage of 7.7% and is a lousy bet. Always decline it unless you are card counting and know the deck is rich in tens.
- **Best Advice** [11:20] — Seek games with good rules (dealer stands on soft 17), play basic strategy, and use resources like the Wizard of Odds website or the 'Wizard Simple Blackjack Strategy' (16 rules of thumb).

### Conclusion

To be a long-term winner at blackjack, focus on finding games with favorable rules, mastering basic strategy, and understanding that betting systems are futile. Card counting is the only proven way to gain an edge, but for most players, playing with good strategy and taking advantage of comps can make the game nearly break-even or even profitable.

## Transcript

that are designed to make you a smarter gambler. My name is Steve Bourie bestselling book in the US on the subject of casino gambling and travel
and the only book that comes with more than one thousand dollars in casino coupons if you want to know more about me or my book be sure to visit my website at in this video I'll be speaking with gambling expert Michael Shackleford
and I ask him all about blackjack We videotaped his interview with Mike in and I'm sure that it will help to answer many of the questions that you have and how you can be a long-term winner at the game What is the object of the game of
The object of blackjack is to get more points than the dealer without going over 21. How is the casinos mathematical advantage determined in The casino gets its advantage in blackjack
because the player has to act first if both now how is the house advantage calculated in blackjack you might ask it's very calculated can be done a number of different ways but basically
to either simulate a game or run through every single combination of the ways the assuming the player plays correct strategy and under most common sets of blackjack rules
with basic strategy the house advantage is gonna range anywhere from about 0.25 percent all the way past two percent for horrible games like those that pay six to five on a blackjack
Is a single deck game always better for the player? The number of decks is very important in blackjack however be careful the casinos know
with single deck games that pay only six to five on a blackjack it's much better to play an 8 deck game that pays 3-2 on a blackjack
than a single deck game that pays only 6-5 in other words what that they pay on a is much more important than how many decks they use and how do they affect the casinos advantage? The rules have a lot to do
with the house advantage in blackjack and the rules vary significantly from casino from table within the casino the most important thing the players to look for if they don't walk away makes no difference what the other rules are
good the fewer the decks the better if you can play a double deck game to look for are does the dealer hit or stand on a soft 17
it's good if they let you double after a split it's good if they let you it's good if they let you resplit aces Can you explain what a continuous
and how it affects the game? A continuous shuffling machine shuffling device that was invented so that
the dealers don't have to shuffle the cards every single time they reach the The way a continuous shuffler works is after the dealer has dealt around they will
shuffling machine there are usually five decks of cards in the shuffling machine and the Machine will randomly place those discards back
into the shoe. Another question I get asked a lot is are the odds a worse in a continuous the odds are a little bit better just a little bit better
in a continuously shuffled game it's mathematically complicated to explain however the player should also keep in mind going to be more hands per hour likely
money that you can expect to lose per hour What is basic strategy? Blackjack basic strategy is a strategy that tells you the mathematically correct way to play
up card it looks like this to use it you would look up your hand going down this way across the dealers up card this for example say I have an ace in a seven or soft 18 a dealer showing
a 10 most players with incorrectly stand on that hand saying well an 18 is but you look at the chart and It'll say say H for hit so the odds favor hitting in Any good blackjack player should memorize this basic strategy
once you memorize this you can cut the house advantage down under good rules to about 0.25 percent considering the comps you're gonna get it's like free entertainment Can a player be a long-term winner
using a progressive betting system?  Well first let me explain what a progressive the most common one is called a martingale and the way that works is every time you lose a bet you double your bet the next time
so let's say you start with a dollar bet you lose then you bet two you lose then bet four and then let's say you win that, you would win 16 so no matter with the martingale as long as you eventually hit a win
you're always going to net one dollar for every single win sounds good no because no matter how much money you have its eventually gonna happen that you hit that string of losses
and you don't have enough money to double again now a lot of players these that these betting systems like this win because most of the time they do but the
day that you can't double your bet that last time everything that you ever won up until that point computer simulations have that no betting system can
survive the long-term they can't not only can betting systems not overcome the house advantage they can't even dent it and please for a book or a website that is selling betting systems these are all charlatans
and scam artists they do not work over the long run How can a player be a long-term winner at blackjack? Probably the most common absolutely does work ther are a lotta movies about it and books about it
the basic principle is is that when the remaining cards in the shoe are rich in the odds favor that player when the remaining cards are rich in small cards the dealer so the players going to bet more
when the deck is rich in good cards and he's going to make adjustments to his to um to hit less and double more in the situations when the deck is rich in the good cards. Can a player be a long term winner using basic strategy?
0.26 percent under liberal strip rules however you can't overcome the house advantage with basic strategy
the casino is always going to have a slight advantage so the player should not count however if the player factors in
comps and tournament invitations and other niceties that the casino gives you much like in video poker you can come out ahead with the basic strategy Does it matter where you sit at the table?
One question I get a lot is does it make any difference where you sit at the whether it be first base or the first player to act or third base the last player the odds make absolutely no difference
another common myth is that the third baseman controls the game for all the players and if he makes a bad play absolutely a myth the odds
are the same no matter how the third baseman plays his cards Since blackjack is a game of skill if you are at a table with a lot of bad does it affect your odds of winning? Blackjack
is absolutely a game a skill however what matters is your skill what the other players are doing makes no at all it's a common myth that bad players at the table
cause everybody to lose absolutely not true you could be playing and its not gonna make any difference to you over the long run Does it matter if you play at a full table or an empty table?
Mathematically speaking the odds don't matter whether you're playing however at a full table you're going to be getting a lot fewer hands per hour
so if you're trying to minimize your expected losses per hour then it's better to play a full table if you want a lot of hands per hour obviously you should be playing by yourself
they go by average bet and time played comp mileage out of your play, play at a full table
because you're gonna be betting less money but still getting the same benefit playing by himself Should a player ever taken insurance? take insurance the house advantage on the insurance
is 7.7 percent it's a lousy bet even if the dealer has an ace up it's still a lousy bet try to get the full 3-2 pay out
now there is an exception for card counters if somehow you know the remaining cards are rich in lotsa tens then insurance can become a good but if you have no idea if you're not tracking for that always
decline insurance What is your best advice for blackjack players? is to seek out games with good rules
preferably the dealer stands on a soft 17 you can look up the house advantage for any set of blackjack rules on my website
and there's lots of other books and sources that give you that information then you should play good strategy this will cut down the house advantage to a very
thin amount if this is too complicated I have something on my website the wizard simple blackjack strategy which is just about 16 rules of thumb
that will get you very close to the house advantage that you could get with the basic strategy for blackjack advice? no problem they don't know but thank goodness
I came in the professional is here leading the way Your best piece of advice rather blackjack players? Never hit on 12 that's never hit on 12 ever never. Absolutely not.
How can people people learn more about you and your work? If you want to improve your odds in any casino game I welcome you to visit my website wizardofodds.com it'll show you the correct strategy to at least a hundred different casino
or you can buy my book gambling 102 which will show you how to play the most Don't forget that you can see more of our educational gaming videos on our just go to youtube.com/americancasinoguide