Oklahoma Blackjack starts today

OK Blackjack

Will do! - if I'm ever in town!!

 

Hey Ken, I'm in Texas about 20 minutes from the OK border, and I've been really excited about the addition of card tables, too. I believe that the WinStar casino in Thackerville will open tables on or around Feb. 17. If the wbsite posts any upcoming tournaments, I'll be sure to let you know.

 

Miami, Oklahoma - Feb. 5th.

Called the Casino in Miami, Oklahoma and said they were going to start Feb. 5th. Thy told me that there were other Casino's that would start before them. So does anyone know exactly how they will operate? No more one on one with the dealers? Any info is appreciated.

Take Care
Capt.BlackJack

 

BlackJack has started in Oklahoma

Let the games Begin. Blackjack did start at the Cherokee casino on the 27th.

It is Vegas style blackjack with a little Oklahoma twist. In order to make it legal Oklahoma the casino requires an ante from each player at the table prior to each hand being dealed out. Ante cost is 50 cents for bets <$50 and 1$ for bets >$50. I am told the ante goes to the house and that is all they plan to take. The money won by the house from the blackjack tables goes back into an escrow pool to be given back out to blackjack players as prizes.

It's possible the player pool could becom a sizable amount that would allow for some interesting prizes in tournaments if they decide to do so. No word on tournaments yet.

I'll keep you posted.

Here is the link to the Cherokee Casino near Tulsa, OK.
www.cherokeecasino.com

good luck,
BlackJackOK

 

That is how it was

The reservations can only take the ante's for the house, all other money won must be paid back in gifts, or prizes to the players.

What got them in trouble last time was that they only allowed players with 40 or more hours of play at that casino in the tournaments. It was free to those players but, anyone esle couldn't even pay to get in.

Everybody that lost money should be able to get in to make it fair not just locals. If an entry fee is offered then I'll go check them out but, I am not putting in 40 hours at any casino with or without a ante.

Think about it 40 hours at .50 per hand win or lose. Thats about 40 hands per hour (40 hand X .50 per hand = $20.00 X 40 hours = $800.00) and that is what it cost besides what you do on the tables.

 

40 hour rule information is incorrect.

I have been to Indian Casinos in the Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Lawton area prior to the shutdown of the tablegames in early 2003. And I found only one casino that had the 40 hours of play requirement to play in their tournament, which was the Cherokee Casino in Tulsa.

The rest of the Casinos were split between having free weekly or quarterly tournaments. They all required only one hour of play, if any, to enter.

The weekly tournaments were for cash prize of approroximately $5,000 split between the top 6 or 7 finishers. Many of the weekly tournaments did not require prior play.

The quarterly tournaments were ususally for $100,000 to $350,000 or more split between the top 6 or 7 finishers. Regular customers clearly have an advantage over someone who had play only one hour. As a player in the quarterly tournament you receive one dollar in play chips for each hour of play, plus you can purchase an additional $50 in tournament chips for cash. The locals normally have 40 to 200 hours of play and will purchase the additional 50 in cash. So their starting bankroll may be 3 to 5 times as large as someone who has played only a few hours in the casino. Only one player with the highest dollar amount after playing 20 to 30 hands advances from each table.

Of course the casinos see no problem in giving an advantage to regular customers over someone they see only on tournament day. But at least they will let anyone who has played at least one hour to entry. There are alot of Casinos in Las Vegas I have played alot in, but won't let me enter their tournaments.

Blackjack in Oklahoma was not shut down because of the 40 hour rule at the one casino in Tulsa. The real reason was to force the tribes to enter into revenue sharing agreements with the State.

The 50 cent to $1 ante per hand at the regular play is true. The ante will cost you $20 to $40 per hour to play, depending on the speed of play and how many players are at the table. The cost of playing 5 or 6 hours at an Oklahoma Casino could buy a plane tickets to alot of other casinos.

I won't go into the slot situation, except to say the house hold is 20% and more depending on the game. Another reason to avoid the Oklahoma Casinos.

Poker has started at a few of the Oklahoma casinos with many more to start in the next few weeks. I don't know what the house charge will be.

 

Just what I was told

The part about getting in trouble (allowing only players with high hourly
totals of play in their tournaments) was told to me by the National Indian Gaming Cousel. I can only assume they knew what they were talking about.

I do know that I was told personally by 6 of the casinos in Oklahoma, that I needed over 40 hours to play in their tournaments. It might have been wrong information but, that is what was told to me.

 

OK Blackjack

Hadn't been to a local store yet, but heard an advert on the radio this AM for the Firelake Casino in Shawnee - just SE of OKC - offering "Vegas Style Blackjack"

Chips

 

Miami, Oklahoma

Was going to head to Miami this morning, but called first before I left and they told me this coming Tuesday at 5pm will be when BlackJack starts. Also asked her about Tournament Play and she told me full blown BlackJack will be available. Not exactly sure what she meant exactly but I'm taking it as regular BlackJack. Any thoughts or suggestions. Also does anyone know how the Ante works? Does it vary with the size of the bet?
Thank You!

Take care...
Capt. BlackJack

 

50 cent ante for bets up to $50, $1 for

for bets over $50. Table limits generally $5 to $100 and $25 to $200.

You should not play unless you plan to play in their quarterly tournaments. Even than, it is questionable, since the tournament rules are tilled heavily in favor of the regular customers. Read above post about that.

However, A few items you should verify about the tournament(s) before you play.

1. How many hours of play are required to qualify for the tournament?

Prior to the state forcing the tribes to shut down their tables untill they signed an agreement to share revenue with the state, only the Cherokee Tribe required more than one hour of play.

2. After qualifying for the tournament, can you enter by phone or do have to sign an enter list or form?

Most, if not all, required that you visit the casino and sign an entry form or list, a couple of days before the tournament starts. Not very convenient for out of towners. A few of the small weekly tournaments will let you enter the same day of play.

3. Will the quarterly tournament(these can have prize money of $250,000 and higher) be a one day or two day tournament?

The higher the prize money the more likely it will be a two day tournament. Again not very convenient for out of towners.

I have called a few to the casinos and they said the blackjack tables and tournaments will be run the same as before, but only a couple have actually started play with more starting this week.

A side note the tribes seem ok with the idea of sharing revenue with the state, but they are real upset with the idea that the state of Oklahoma now has the right to audit their books. That should provide some interesting stories in the future.

 

All or some?

Will all the Oklahoma casino's offer blackjack or only the bigger locations? I know WinStar is only about an hour away for me. I have never been since they only handled machines, but when table games start up I WILL have to drop by.

I know a few dealers that have worked for me at my "For Fun Las Vegas Night" parties that were hired as dealers up there. For fun dealing they are great, but live money...LOL. Their weak and if the casinos are going to put them on live games I'm going to get me as much of that action I can get.

Pushing on losses, paying ties, exposing hole cards, even if they charge an ante the odds may be in my favor for the first few weeks with dealers like this in action.

And to answer anyones question about woundn't I feel bad about taking advantage of them. Hell No! If it was a clerk at a store or restuarant I would say something, but a casino I woundn't feel bad one bit...LOL

 

OK Blackjack??

Think I'll keep going to NV for a while. Two article in the Daily Oklahoman

http://www.newsok.com/article/1418570/?template=news/main



http://www.newsok.com/article/1418564/?template=news/main

Chips

 

Sorry for the thread necromancy, but are conditions any different in Oklahoma now?

 

If you mean do they still charge an ante to play table games in Oklahoma the answer is yes.

They have a lot of casinos with various table games. Occasionally, they might not have an ante for a day, week or month as a promo at some casino.

The 2 casinos closest to DFW never have promos like that.

Larry

 

Just a couple of other oddities about Oklahoma table games.

They do have craps at some of the casinos I have been in. However, some kind of state law does not allow dice, so they use cards with the 36 possibilities. No way to controll the bones if that is your thing.

I saw a roulette wheel with cards all the way around it and a stop that looked like you were playing wheel of forturn.

They have the ante on these games also.

 

Haha interesting. Reminds me of when I visited an area where bingo was the only legal form of gambling. Those awesome slot machine designers managed to make software that played bingo in the background, but translated your winnings as an artificial slot machine game shown to the player. Convincing enough to stock a casino full of these slot machines and no one knew the difference.

Anyways, is there any heat to speak of in OK?

 

I don't really know if they have heat. When I found out they had an ante when BJ started I didn't play. I don't believe you can actually beat their normal game with relatively low table limits 5-100 or 200. 25-500. It is not uncommon to see no mid shoe entry. The biggest casino Winstar has mostly CSM tables.

I just believe the ante is too high a percent to play the game.

That being said I have no doubt that it they think you are dangerous to them, they will ask you to leave.