@Stealth, really appreciate the reply. I understand this is difficult to have a real answer. I think me and most people want to know the minimum. So if I have 3k, which is 30 times my maximum bet, how much does one buy in at a time? Also, I never hear about when is it good to leave a certain shoe. Just ride it out till it get profitable betting the same $25 bet the whole time?
If you are at a quarter table buy in for 500, if $10 or $15, buy in for 300.
If you are not counting cards then the only reason to leave a shoe is if you have seen a lot more large cards (10,J,Q,K,A) than small cards. All the other reasons are social and meaningless. The cards are random, and that is the reality unless you are counting cards.
Betting structures can be complex again for the card counters. If a recreational player, then I suggest a system that can not win long term but may help smooth some of the short term ride. A positive progression is one where the first time you win a hand you bet the same amount next hand and then each time you win a hand you add one chip (minimum) and continue doing so until you lose the hand, then start over.
If you experience good variance (luck) you can make a nice win. I do not like flat betting the same thing each hand, it i s a slow death.
These are way over simplifications and should be used with extreme caution. The bottom line is if you are a recreational player then improving your ability to play longer with a given amount of money is important.
Let me end this with the fact that the range of results that can occur in blackjack is so wide that your results for any session is unpredictable. In fact, you can be accurately counting cards and get killed, having done nothing wrong. Its the
law of large numbers and the results in the long term that are your friend.
If you play on long term winning from the casino then you have to learn to count and the associated skills.