Is it better to play poker with automatic shuffling or hand shuffling?

I can tell you that if I am given the option to play in a casino with an automated shuffler or one that does not have one, it is a no-brainer for me. I will choose the one that has the automatic shuffler each time. The only major exception would be the WSOP in Las Vegas. During the WSOP they have hundreds of tables at the same time in Rio and I am sure it is not profitable to put a shuffler on all those tables. You really see the difference in game speed when the dealer is shuffling as opposed to the automatic shuffler.

Cash games vs. Tournaments

Most casinos on the Las Vegas Strip have the automatic shuffler for cash games. The best thing for the casino is to invest in the machine because it pays off in the long run. The bottom line is that the more hands are dealt, the more commission will be lost and this is how the house makes money. Many times I have found that when certain casinos have tournaments they do not use the machine. At Caesar’s Palace, for example, the dealers do all the shuffling even though they use the machine for money games. The Venetian, on the other hand, uses the automatic shuffler for his tournaments. Many players will choose Venetian tournaments over Caesars for this reason alone. The automatic shuffler is faster, cleaner, and leaves no doubt that the cards are shuffled correctly.

Hands per hour with Automatic Shuffler vs Live Dealer

Asking for most people will tell you that live dealers average between 20 and 25 hands per hour. Of course, the fastest can deal 30 hands per hour on average. The automatic shuffler increases that number to about 35 hands per hour. It might not sound like a lot, but if you play an 8-10 session this can add up, especially over the course of a week or even a month.

Game integrity

I don’t think you have to worry so much about this on the Las Vegas Strip, but in some smaller casinos around the country I’m not so sure. Every time you introduce the human element, there will be mistakes and dishonesty when it comes to money. Today’s computerized automated shufflers are programmed to shuffle cards in the most random way possible. They don’t have friends at the table or certain regulars who they know will tip them better if they win a big pot. Live dealers, on the other hand, have these temptations every day. It would be easy for a live dealer to manipulate the shuffle to help certain players if they wanted to do that. Believe me, it happens in certain places. Also, the machine is not distracted. Always shuffle the cards in the same way. I admit that if a dealer had the motivation to cheat, then the automatic shuffler won’t stop him. It just makes it more difficult.

Games at home

It used to be that you were out of luck if you wanted to put one of these high-priced machines on your own table. The reason is that the technology is so valuable that the manufacturer would not sell you one. I would only rent them to casinos. He knew he could make more money that way. In 2008, an entrepreneur set out to build his and came up with a version that cost less than $ 500. You can read about it on CardPlayer.com here Shuffler for Home Games

In summary

There are two main advantages for the player when playing poker with the automatic shuffler. One is that the game progresses much faster, so you can see more hands and ideally win more money. The other reason is that the automatic shuffler does a better job of shuffling the cards than a live dealer at making the cards more random. If you are a dealer, the more hands you deal, theoretically the more money you will earn in tips, since that is your main income.