Blackjack, also known as 21 or vingt-et-un, is a casino banking game. It is one of the most popular and played casino games in the world. There are plenty of reasons behind that, and the main one is the fact that it is not a game of absolute luck. It is a game of math and calculations. Therefore, players who can count cards can often make bank while playing at the Blackjack tables. It is a game of strategy and decision, so you must think hard before you hit, double, or stay.
You do not have to be a mathematical genius or have a mind full of numbers like The Rain Man to be able to increase your odds at the blackjack tables, whether online or at a brick-and-mortar casino. In only a few steps, you will be able to enhance your chances and place bets more effectively at the blackjack tables. Here you can know more about the best blackjack chances and a strategy you can follow for the cards you have and your chances of winning. We will further discuss the house edge and the blackjack odds, all through this ultimate Blackjack Tips Guide.
Top 5 Online Blackjack Tips 2022
Table of Contents
Before going into the strategies, the house edge, and the blackjack odds, we will discuss our top five top tips for Blackjack. Unlike slots or roulette, these tips are effective as the game of Blackjack is quite different from these games of luck. So even if Lady Luck is not on your side, you can still play smart and grab a payout. So, it is essential always to keep those tips in mind whenever you are at the Blackjack tables, whether online or at a land-based casino.
1. Always Understand and Know the House Edge
The house edge is the percentage that exists at all casino games. That works for online as well as land-based casinos. For example, Blackjack has a house edge that varies between 2 and 3% if you are not using a Blackjack strategy. That means that in the long run, any casino is most likely to win by a profit margin of two to three percent of the money you wager. On the other hand, by using some strategies, you can reduce the house edge to your advantage.
2. Counting Cards Boosts Your Chances:
Card Counting in blackjack is often frowned upon in land casinos. They will usually let you keep your winnings but throw you out of the casino. That is not the card with online Blackjack for obvious reasons. However, counting cards is one of the most popular strategic techniques that can increase your winning chances drastically, especially online, with no guards or CCTVs mentoring your every move. Card Counting might be simple, but it requires a good memory and some arithmetic skill. Card Counting gives you a clearer indication of whether the dealer or you are at an advantage. The strategy depends on the remaining number of low and high cards in a deck of cards. That will help you decide whether you hit, raise your bet, or lower your bet.
3. Properly Manage the Bankroll:
This is one of the tips that are common in all casino games. You should always know how to manage your bankroll in the best way. First, you will have to decide how much you are willing to lose without hurting your daily life and other important needs. That is the amount that you are willing to spare, and it is your gambling budget.
If you reach that point and lose it all, take a step back and stop playing. Do not get sucked into the vicious cycle of doubling down to claw back the losses. Instead, relax, play something else, and never wager with money you cannot afford to lose.
4. Insurance – Understand it and Be Wary of It:
Insurance is a side bet that some Blackjack games offer. It is not a wager that is for casual and newbie players. It is only recommended for experienced players and card counters. If you are confident that there are plenty of face cards and 10s in the deck, then you might use the insurance bet. So, you will need a good grasp of the card counting technique so you can increase your odds and find the insurance wager beneficial. It is a side bet that is half your original wager, and you will win it if the dealer has a Blackjack. It usually pays 2:1.
5. Blackjack Betting Systems Are Worth Trying:
Blackjack, being a game of counting and math, has inspired a great range of betting systems and strategies. They include options like the Martingale system. There are other strategies such as splitting and many more. Some players swear they work, but they are not 100% foolproof and not 100% effective. On the other hand, they can certainly increase your chances and enhance your odds at the Blackjack table.
Understanding the Odds and the House Edge
It is essential to know and understand the house edge of every casino and blackjack game before you play. That will render a clearer idea of how much the casino game pays the players. The odds of claiming a payout are also equally important, and it is probably one of the most essential things. The house edge is different according to the rules of each Blackjack game. For instance, Regular Blackjack has a house edge of 0.50%, European Blackjack has a house edge of 0.62%, and Atlantic City Blackjack has a house edge of 0.36%.
These odds and house edge are only applicable if you are playing at a reputable casino. A Reputable casino will not have a game that is rigged against the players and biased towards the casino. They only use games from top developers that go through rigorous testing for RNG fairness on a regular basis. Of course, even if the game is fair and not biased, the house still has an advantage of 2-3%. The ways to decrease the house edge are by playing according to a strategy, counting cards, and following a betting system.
Blackjack Tips FAQ
Do Players have an Advantage over the House?
Like any casino game, it is impossible to predict the outcome of any hand. On the other hand, there is a lot of strategy and skill involved in a game of Blackjack, even if the prime factor is luck, as it is a card game, after all. So even if you are skilled and follow a strategy, you can still lose several Blackjack hands in a row.
However, your odds against the house can increase through several ways. The first one is perfecting card counting. It is a skill that will significantly increase your chances and lower the house edge. Unfortunately, counting cards is more of a land-based casino blackjack edge, as it is quite difficult to count cards online. The reason behind that is that depending on the software, some online Blackjack games shuffle the deck after every hand. So, every new hand is coming from a full deck of cards, which defeats the purpose of card counting. Although there are some games that do not do that, it is quite hard to find out.
Another way to decrease the house edge is to simply pick a Blackjack version that has a lower house edge, like Late Surrender blackjack games. Couple that with a few basic strategies, and you can deplete the edge that the casino has.
How to Play your Blackjack Hands More Efficiently?
While playing a game of Blackjack, every decision you make will have a significant impact on the game. For example, your decision to double, split, stay, or hit will greatly affect your bankroll and the result of the blackjack hand. Let us see an example through a couple of scenarios.
Example Number One:
Your hand is a 9 and a 5, totaling 14, while the dealer’s card is a 4.
In this case, it is best to stand. There is a big chance that both you and the dealer will “bust” if you take another card. It is generally best to Stand when you get a hand with a total of 12 to 16, and the dealer’s card is between 2 and 6.
Example Number Two:
Your hand is an 8 and a 5, totaling 14, while the dealer’s card is an 8.
In this case, it is best to hit. You have a low total, and there is a big chance that the dealer will get a high total and beat your hand. It is generally best to hit when you get a hand with a total between 12 and 16, and the dealer has a card that is between 7s and Aces.
The probability of winning a game of Blackjack changes with every card that is removed from the deck of cards. For instance, in the first example, the chance that the dealer will go bust on the next card is 19.98%. You will have a hand totaling 14, so the chance of going bust on the next card is equal to 46.93%. Therefore it is best to stand and not ask for more cards.
On the other hand, in the second example, the probability of the dealer getting a total between 18 and a Blackjack on the next card is 40.81%. On the other hand, you have a total of 13, and the chance of going bust on the upcoming card is 40.81%; therefore, you should hit and get another card.
Blackjack Card Counting Explained
Card Counting is a beneficial technique in Blackjack, read also our ultimate guide to blackjack card counting. The main idea is to use math and calculations to work out whether the hand is likely to be in favor of the dealer or the player. Then, according to the prediction, you can decide whether you want to bet higher or lower. You can track how many large and small value cards were used and how many are still in the decks. If you succeed in card counting, the strategy can decrease the house edge by 1%.
The Hi-Low Strategy
It is the most popular card counting technique. It works by giving a value of 1, 0, or -1 to each card that you can see. When you give a card a value, that is called “tagging” a card. It’s a simpler strategy, rather than a detailed counting of every card, as that would require an inhuman command of arithmetic and memory skills.
– All small cards with values between 2 and 6 get tagged +1. When they are removed from the deck, you will be at an advantage.
– Other non-face cards (7, 8, and 9) get tagged with 0. Their removal from the gameplay does not have an impact on you, so they do not get into the count.
– 10s, Aces, and Face cards get tagged -1. So, their removal from the gameplay puts the house at an advantage.
Using “tags,” will let you know if you are at an advantage or a disadvantage with each card removed from the deck. According to the count, you can decide whether to bet higher or lower.
Can you Count in Multiple Deck Blackjack Games?
It is not impossible, but it is a bit more complicated than single-deck games. You will run your count normally according to the above rules. However, since it is a multiple-deck game, you will need to “normalize” the count by dividing the running count by the number of un-played decks of cards. That will give you the “true count,” which you can use to decide whether you are at an advantage or a disadvantage.
On the other hand, card counting is nearly impossible at online Blackjack. That is, unless the rules state they don’t shuffle decks between each hand. It can get a bit tricky knowing that piece of information, but some games make it clear. You can also practice and play our free online blackjack card counting game.
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