Blackjack Dollar Sevens
A description and mathematical analysis of a Blackjack side bet.
By Andrew MacDonald, Senior Executive Casino Operations
and Pryna Ypma Business Analyst
Adelaide Casino, 1996
Introduction | Game and Tournament Rules | Submission A | Submission B | Rules: Dollar Sevens Tournament | Mathematical Analysis | Comparison to Caribbean Stud | Conclusion |
| Event: | Sevens Multiple Site Tournament |
| Issue: | To jointly promote Dollar Sevens Tournament with other Casinos, hence making it a multiple site Tournament. The structure outlined here is of the proposed Tournament. However, some rules may need to be altered to accommodate the regulatory bodies of other participating Casinos. In the event of another major Casino wishing to participate in the Dollar Sevens joint promotion the structure would then revert to the submission below. |
| Contractual Agreement Between Participating Casinos | |
1. The following Casinos agree to participate in a joint promotion of the Blackjack side bet known as Dollar Sevens which culminates in a Sevens Tournament.
Casino Trading Name ACN
1. Adelaide Casino 008 055 150
2.
3.
4.
5.
etc.
2. The rules for Blackjack Dollar sevens and the Sevens Tournament shall be as provided in the attachment or shall reflect those conditions as approved by the respective Casino control authorities.
3. The Sevens Tournament shall be a joint promotion between participating Casinos.
4. Each participating Casino agrees to provide the Blackjack side bet Dollar Sevens on all their public area (common gaming) Blackjack tables.
5. Each Blackjack table which incorporates the Dollar Sevens side bet must display up to date point of sale signage displaying the first prize associated with the Sevens Tournament.
6. Each participating Casino agrees to support Dollar Sevens and the Sevens Tournament for a minimum period of one year; renewable each year.
7. Casinos within Australia may participate in this joint promotion and any non participating Casino may enter the joint promotion at any time.
8. A major participating Casino will be defined as being able to secure 49 Sevens Tournament entrants in a 90 day period and who has agreed to the conditions herein.
9. A minor participating Casino will be defined as not being able to secure 49 Sevens Tournament entrants in a 90 day period and who has agreed to the conditions herein.
10. Minor participating Casinos shall send Sevens Tournament entrants to a major participating Casino to play in the Tournament heats.
11. Sevens tournaments shall be conducted every 90 days or at a later time if insufficient entrants exist at that time.
12. A Sevens Tournament shall be conducted when the pre-agreed number of entrants exist.
13. A multiple of 49 entrants shall be used to determine the total entrants in the Sevens Tournament. Each 49 entrants shall be reduced to 1 “heat” winner who shall participate in the grand final with a chance to win the major prize.
14. Heats shall be conducted at major participating Casinos. Minor participating Casinos shall send any entrant to the nominated major participating Casino and will pay to that Casino $8,552 for each entrant sent, to cover prize money disbursements.
15. The Sevens Tournament final shall be conducted at one of the major participating Casinos selected at random. Heat winners will be sent to the final venue with the heat venue providing $250,000 for each finalist sent to the final venue, to cover prize money disbursements.
16. All prize monies shall be disbursed in accordance with the Sevens Tournament schedule.
17. Entrants from minor participating Casinos and heat winners shall have their airfares and accommodation paid for by the respective Casino, from which they won.
18. Final prize money shall be based on the total number of finalists. Last prize shall be $55,000 with each placing above that incrementing by further $5,000 up to and including second place. All residual funds shall be paid as first prize along with a Sevens Tournament trophy.
Example
| 5 finalists: total pool $1,250,000 | ||
| 1st | $1,000,000 | |
| 2nd | $70,000 | |
| 3rd | $65,000 | |
| 4th | $60,000 | |
| 5th | $55,000 | |
| Total Sevens Tournament entrants 245. |
19. Each participating Casino shall provide a conservative estimate, for each 90 day period, of the number of Sevens Tournament entrants that they will provide.
20. On the basis of this estimate the total prize pool shall be determined along with the first prize amount.
21. The Tournament shall only be conducted when the total number of entrants is obtained.
22. Each participating Casino shall provide a weekly list of Sevens Tournament entrants to the President of the Australian Casinos Association. The President shall tally all information and inform all participating Casinos of the weekly total and the cumulative total since the last final was held. This information shall be passed on to the relevant regulatory body for each Casino.
23. Each major participating Casino will co-ordinate activities prior to conducting Tournament heats.
24. Entrants may be moved between venues to balance numbers.
25. The major participating Casinos shall be responsible for the costs associated with Tournament organisation at their own venue.
26. The final winners’ name and details shall be notified to each participating Casino by facsimile at the conclusion of the Sevens Tournament final.
27. The degree of advertising relating to the final winner shall be at the discretion of the individual participating Casinos.
28. A decision not to renew this agreement shall be conveyed to the President of the Australian Casinos Association at least 3 months prior to expiry. All participating Casinos shall be informed of the new number of Casinos and the likely revision to entrants and prize monies on offer. This information shall be passed on to the relevant regulatory body for each Casino.
29. A minimum of two major participating Casinos shall be required in order for this joint promotion to continue.
Additional Rules
1. Where a player does not take his/her allocated seat at the specified time, the table minimum bet will be deducted from the chips allocated to him/her by the dealer after gaining consent from the Tournament Director or his/her nominated delegate. A similar deduction will be taken for the first five hands. If the player has not taken his/her place at the commencement of the sixth hand, his/her position will be declared cancelled and their right to remain in the competition will be forfeited.
2. Where a player leaves the table during the course of a game, the table minimum bet will be deducted from his chips for the first five hands of his/her absence by the dealer after gaining consent of the Tournament Director or his/her delegate. If the player has not returned at the commencement of the sixth hand, his/her remaining chips will be exchanged for cash chips and the player will take no further part in the competition.
3. Where a player who has been absent from the table rejoins the game, he/she is to be informed by the dealer of the deductions made during his/her absence.
4. A betting marker will be used to indicate the betting sequence. This will ensure that each box becomes the first to bet sequentially (ie every player has the opportunity to bet last and therefore see what every other player has wagered for that round).
5. A count will be held at the end of each shoe. The Inspector will record the chip holdings of each player.
6. At the end of the last shoe, the chips will be counted by the dealer and Inspector, then recorded. The table winner will be determined and their chips recorded. The chip holdings will be agreed upon and signed by both Inspector and patron. These results will be given to the Tournament Director or nominated delegate who will check chips when players resume places for the final.
7. A players chips will be kept visible at all times in readable stacks. Any attempt to hide chips may result in disqualification. In this instance, the player will have their remaining Tournament chips exchanged for cash chips and the right to further participation in the Tournament forfeited. This action will be at the discretion of the Tournament Director or nominated delegate.
8. There will be no device for calculating chip holdings allowed on the tables eg (no pen, paper or calculator). Any attempt will result in disqualification. The entrant will have their remaining Tournament chips exchanged for cash chips and the right to further participation forfeited.
9. Tied results in Heats or Final.
(a) In the event of a tie for any Heat the winner will be determined by the dealing of additional hands until the tie is broken. Only those players who are tied will continue the contest in this case.
(b) In the event of a tie in the final, the first prize winner will be determined by a play off over one shoe. Should the tie remain unbroken at the end of a shoe, the first place winner will be determined by the dealing of additional shoes until the tie is broken. A tie for second, third place etc will result in the same procedure being applied.
