The Halfonred blog
Odds, strategy & guides.
What each bet really costs, how to play the tables well, and how the cashier works.
Craps · Odds
Craps 3-4-5x Odds Explained, with Payouts
How 3-4-5x odds work in craps: the max odds on each point, why every winning max bet pays 6x your line, and how it cuts the house edge to about 0.37%.
· 2 min read
Baccarat · Odds
Is the Baccarat Tie Bet Ever Worth It?
The baccarat tie pays 8 to 1 but carries a 14.36% house edge — more than 13 times the banker bet. What it costs over a session, and the 9-to-1 exception.
· 2 min read
Blackjack · Strategy
Soft 18 in Blackjack: When to Hit, Stand or Double
Ace-7 is the most misplayed hand in blackjack. When to double, stand or hit soft 18 against every dealer upcard, and why 18 isn't as strong as it looks.
· 2 min read
Blackjack · Strategy
Should You Split 8s Against a Dealer 10?
Splitting 8s against a dealer 10 feels like chasing a loss, but it loses less than playing 16. Here's the math, and the one rule that changes it.
· 2 min read
Crypto · Cashier
How to Deposit and Withdraw USDC at a Crypto Casino
Step-by-step USDC deposits and withdrawals on Polygon: confirmation times, network fees, address checks, and the network mistake that loses funds.
· 3 min read
Baccarat · Odds
Baccarat Odds: Banker vs Player vs Tie, and the Pair Bets
Punto banco odds explained: house edge on banker (1.06%), player (1.24%), tie (14.36%) and pair bets from an eight-deck shoe, plus the third-card rules.
· 2 min read
Craps · Odds
The Best Bets in Craps: Pass Line, Odds and the Lowest House Edge
Pass line, don't pass, free odds, place 6 and 8, and the field ranked by house edge — and how 3-4-5x odds bring the pass line down to about 0.37%.
· 3 min read
Roulette · Odds
American Roulette Odds, Payouts and House Edge Explained
Every American roulette bet: what it pays, how often it wins and its house edge on a double-zero wheel — plus the one bet that costs more than the rest.
· 3 min read
Blackjack · Strategy
Blackjack Basic Strategy for Six Decks, Dealer Hits Soft 17
Full basic strategy chart for six-deck blackjack where the dealer hits soft 17 and you can double after splitting: hard totals, soft hands and pairs.
· 4 min read