- Blackjack is a fun game and it certainly has changed since Dr. Thorp published 'Beat the Dealer' in 1961 and gave us tips for optimal play at casino blackjack tables. Yet, like all games, the more you know, the better your experience will be.
- Blackjack is one of the casino world’s favourite games. Although - as with all casino games - the odds of winning are in favour of the house, the truth is that blackjack (which is also called pontoon, 21 and a few other names) gives you pretty much the best chance of walking out of a casino with something to show for your time.
Blackjack offers casino gamblers some of the best odds in the casino, especially if you’re a blackjack player who understands the game’s strategy. Blackjack players who win more than they lose combine an understanding of statistics with betting strategy and card counting to turn this classic casino table game into a profitable evening of entertainment.
How to Win More at Blackjack: A Few Important Tips Say NO to insurance. Blackjack insurance is probably the worst thing that could happen. Keep the house edge in mind. You can't expect to win at blackjack every time you play. Choose 3:2 over 6:5 payout. Some casinos decide to cheat a little.
Besides rigorous practice and experience playing blackjack, there are some things you can do to increase your profitability at the blackjack table. Follow these eight tips and you will be well on your way to winning at the blackjack table.
1. Memorize Basic Blackjack Strategy
Casinos sell strategy cards in the gift shop, but if you don’t want to shell out a couple of bucks, there are endless blackjack strategy charts you can find for free online. Do a little research and look for a chart that you like, one that is put together by a reputable source and that you find easy to read.
Now memorize that strategy chart. These charts offer the mathematically best possible play for any blackjack game situation. You can look at any combination of your point total and the dealer’s upcard, and these strategy charts will tell you the play that offers the best percentage chance to win.
2. Don’t Fall for Betting Strategies
It is smart to form your own betting style. This means figuring out how much you can afford to gamble and when you increase and decrease your wagers. This kind of betting strategy is smart.
The betting strategies that you should ignore use your past performance to determine how you should bet. These strategies circulate in email spam and on gambling forums online, and indicate that increasing and decreasing your bets based on a win or a loss will mean you never lose at the blackjack table. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and money if you ignore betting strategies that break the basic laws of gambling math. The cards don’t know if you’ve just lost or just won, so determining your wager based on past wins and losses is downright foolish.
On the other hand, if you can count cards, you’ll be raising and lowering your bets based on whether or not you have an advantage. In that case, you are affecting your potential win rate or loss rate by raising or lowering your bet sizes.
3. Learn the Rules of the Game
We’re not just talking about the basic game play rules for blackjack—every time you approach a blackjack table you should make sure you know the rules of the table. Some blackjack games offer small rule changes and tweaks to alter the way the game works, so familiarize yourself with the most popular rule variations before you hit the blackjack tables in Vegas.
An example of rule variations: outside of Atlantic City, some blackjack games offer a 6-5 payoff on a blackjack, instead of the more common 3-2 payoff. The 6-5 payoff is a much better deal for the casino. If you see a 6:5 payoff table, avoid it at all costs.
4. Have Confidence
Confidence is important in most life situations: going on a date, handling a job interview, and placing bets at a casino. The dealer in a game of blackjack is limited by the dealer’s rules. You aren’t limited, which gives you a definite advantage over the casino. This advantage should give you confidence, which should, in turn, mean better decision-making.
5. Study Card Counting
Card counting is the best legal way to gain a big advantage over the House. Card counting is completely legal, and though it requires a lot of study and practice, it turns the game of blackjack into a positive expectation game, meaning card counters actually have the edge over the casino.
Counting cards is nothing more than a way to figure out how much or how little to wager. Card counters keep track of how many different valued cards are in the shoe and how many have already been played, and place bets based on the quality of the shoe. Card counters say that anyone can learn the most basic card counting method and put it in practice at the blackjack table with about 40 hours of training and practice. Those 40 hours could mean hundreds of dollars for your blackjack bankroll.
6. Study, Study, Study
Make sure the books on blackjack that you choose to read are written by people who know what they’re talking about. You can buy eBooks about blackjack online for 99 cents, but most of the time you’re going to get bad information or details on blackjack you could find for free elsewhere.
There are two books that every student of blackjack should read and learn from: Blackjack Secrets by Stanford Wong and Blackjack: The Real Deal by J. Phillip Vogel. Stanford Wong is famous because one of his techniques is specifically banned in most casinos (the mid-shoe entry), while J. Phillip Vogel is pretty much a regular Joe who found success playing blackjack. Both are excellent for people new to the game or those who have the basic rules and strategy down but want a little extra help.
7. Don’t Get Drunk
Best Way To Play Blackjack And Win
Casinos are known to ply gamblers with free drinks, and most people associate casino gambling with getting drunk. But numbing your mind with spirits or drugs will make you a worse blackjack player.
Online gamblers, with easy access to their personal stash and liquor cabinet, have proven this to be true. And if you’ve ever been on a little hot streak at the blackjack table, you know how quickly a free whiskey sour shows up at your elbow. Casinos do this for a reason–they want you a few drinks in to a bender, so your gambling instincts are slowed and you give some of that money back.
You can always hit the bar after a successful gambling session, so if you feel like it’s time to tie one on, cash in and stay away from the blackjack table.
8. Watch Your Bankroll
Part of knowing when to quit is preparing some bankroll strategy before you hit the casino. Set aside a certain amount for gambling, and when you’ve hit your maximum losses or maximum winnings, step away from the table. All gambling sessions have peaks and valley, so make sure and build in a certain amount of flexibility to your bankroll, but don’t let it be so flexible that you lose your shirt.
A blackjack player who follows all eight of these hints should find themselves winning more often at the blackjack table than a gambler who doesn’t. There is a huge advantage in learning basic blackjack strategy, keeping a running card count in your head, so follow the eight guidelines above and turn your blackjack gaming into a more profitable enterprise.
Blackjack is a classic casino card game that’s been around for hundreds of years now. Everyday people from around the world enjoy playing at these tables in hopes to bring home more cash than they started with. It’s a simple game to learn and it’s also very fun to play. You can literally just sit down at a table with a dealer and start playing right away. The game has a pretty good house edge, usually somewhere around 0.5% which is one of the lowest you can find at a casino. Not only can you play at the physical casinos, but you can also have fun playing online. If you’re new to the casino, it’s also a great game for new comers as the rules are fairly simple and doesn’t require too much strategy.
Once you understand the rules to Blackjack, and before you start playing, you should definitely go over some strategies that can improve your overall gaming experience. There are different ways in which you can lower the house edge even more, and that’s by simply making the correct decisions at the right time. One of the main reasons why so many players lose is because of not knowing what to do in certain circumstances. Sure, there’s luck involved, but the decisions you make are a huge key factor in determining whether you will be a winner. The Blackjack optimal strategy is in your hands, so be sure to continue reading below to learn more.
21 Card Game
21 card game or simply known as “21” is a classic casino card game where the main objective is to get a better hand than the dealer. In order to do that, you need to get a hand that is worth more points that the dealer’s, without going over 21 points. Once you have gotten a good understanding of the game and learned all the rules, next thing you should do is go over the strategies. Speaking of which, below are some of the most common.
- Split – if you are ever in a situation where you are dealt two aces or two eights, it’s a good idea to go ahead and split them. Never split fives or tens.
- Hit – it’s always a good to hit when you have been dealt a soft 17.
- Stand – always stand when you have a 17 or higher.
- Insurance – in the long run, it’s best to not take insurance.
- Double-Down – is a great opportunity, and a way to bring the house edge down.
- Surrender – it is said that you should only surrender when you have a hard 15 and the dealer has a 10, or when you have a hard 16 and the dealer has a 9,10 or ace.
- Side Bets – are usually not worth going for, and the casino’s advantage is higher than without them.
Blackjack Basic Strategy
As far as the amount of decks used, it’s usually best when there’s less, however it doesn’t make a huge difference, and the most common you will see are four and six. Overall, there are tons of strategies out there you can find, however since the game involves probability, most of them are a waste of time. Rather than looking at the game as one long session, it’s best to look at each hand individually. Below are some basic guidelines to follow.
- For each hand you win, go ahead and increase your bet by one chip.
- If you lose a hand, go ahead and bet the same amount as your previous hand.
- If you make profit in the end, go ahead and put them to the side.
- Never play when you’re in a rush. If you’re ever in a hurry, it’s best to play when you have more time, especially when it’s a good idea to take breaks.
- Don’t drink alcohol. Keep your head clear, especially when playing with real money.
- Set a limit. Don’t bet more than you can afford, and don’t try to make up for your losses. Before you start, make up your mind on how much you’re willing to spend.
- Don’t let your emotions affect your game play. If you’re losing, shake it off and focus on the next hand.
How to Win at Blackjack
Want to learn how to win at Blackjack? Once you have learned the basic rules to the classic game as well as some strategies, you should go ahead and widen your horizon by checking out some other variations, such as European and Progressive Blackjack. These are just a couple different versions, but they are both very popular. By learning some of the different versions, this can help increase your game play so that you can become a well rounded player.
European Blackjack is another variation to the classic we just spoke about. In fact, the main objective is the same, which is to get a higher score than the dealer without going over 21. This is the most popular variation and is mostly found at the casinos scattered across Europe. One of the differences is the dealer doesn’t get a second card until all the players have finished making their moves. The game is also played using two decks of cards. You also can’t surrender your cards. If you want to double-down, you can only do so if you have a hard total between 9 and 11. You can split up to three hands, except for aces. The dealers have to stand when they have a soft 17. If you and the dealer end in a tie, you get your initial bet back. The house edge is usually lower, too.
Progressive Blackjack is just like the classic version, except there’s a side bet you can take advantage of. This progressive jackpot keeps growing for each side bet. Keep in mind that the side bet has no impact on the outcome of your hand. Each time you or someone else places a side bet, a certain percentage goes towards the jackpot, and continues to grow until someone gets lucky and wins. The size of these jackpots can get big, therefore the more people who play and the higher the bets, the larger the potential pot will be.
In the end, you can never stop learning on how to become a better Blackjack player. The more you educate yourself on the game and practice, the better your outcome will be. Don’t forget, as much as you may want to come close to 21, the main objective is to beat the dealer. This means you can even win with a low score as the dealer can bust, therefore strategy takes a big part in the game. More importantly, it’s all about having fun. Win or lose, you should always walk away with a smile on your face. To start playing Blackjack now and practice some of these strategies, go ahead and give our games a try here at Caesars Casino for free.