Wendy is an expert in online casino reviews, poker, blackjack and slot games, and she has created many informative and factual articles on these topics for various websites in the last two years. She writes for Sportslens and The Sports Daily, among others. She became a part of the Basketball Insiders writing team in December 2022.
All posts by Wendy Prinsloo
Neil is a gambling industry veteran with over 15 years experience as a content writer, editor and speaker at events. He has a Masters degree in English Literature and Philosophy and has combined this analytical inquisitiveness with a passion for sports betting and casino gaming. Neil started his career with Bettingpro.com and helped build not only that site but various others such as LiveTennis.com, LiveDarts.com and numerous other sports informational sites, including GG.co.uk and RacingTips.com He then made the transition to the North American market, working both in the UK and in New Jersey to launch various sports betting and casino sites, including AmericanBettingExperts and NewAmericanCasinos. Working with regulators, Neil has helped to review sports betting sites and also test the regulated betting apps in a professional capacity. He now works almost exclusively in the US market and is one of the main reviewers and fact checkers on SportsLens gambling content. He also speaks at various gambling conferences including ICE, iGB Live and SBC Americas and has contributed to GamblingInsider, EGR Magazine and a number of others in a consulting capacity.
All posts by Neil RoartyAlthough blackjack is a relatively simple card game to understand, players can maximize their chances of winning by following a number of simple blackjack tips and understanding the probability of each scenario to inform their next move.
The basic premise of the game is a player going head to head with a dealer to see who can add up their cards as close as possible to 21, based on their numeric value, without going over. To win you must have a higher score than the dealer without surpassing the number 21, at which point you immediately lose that hand.
In this online blackjack guide, we discuss basic blackjack strategy and help you understand when to hit, stick, split, or double down. To help you maximize your chances of winning further, we’ve also included strategies to reduce the house edge to 0.5%. If you’re new to the game, our blackjack tips will help prepare you for the game.
Things to Know About Blackjack
A blackjack hand begins with the dealer dealing each player, and themself, two cards. One dealer card is left face down with the other on display, while the player cards are distributed face up. You get your card total by adding your cards together. Number cards are valued at their face value, while face cards are valued at 10. Aces are valued one or eleven and their value can change as the game progresses.
There are two fundamental aims to blackjack is to get as near to 21 as you can without going over. The second is to end with a score that is higher than the dealer. If your score is 21 or less but higher than the dealer, you win.
If the two cards you are dealt add up to 21 (it must be an ace and a 10 or higher), it is called a blackjack, which cannot be beaten and can only be tied. If not, the dealer will make his way around the table, giving you two main choices, to hit or to stick. When you decide to stick, you don’t take any more cards. The dealer will deal you another card once you hit, adding it to the number of cards you now have. You’re safe if the total on your new cards is less than 21. You win if it hits 21. You’re out of the game if you’re busted for getting a total above 21.
Although it is technically possible to keep hitting until you get 21 (or bust), doing so is not advised. Because your chances of busting rise as the card’s total does. Additionally, keep in mind that you just need to get closer to 21 than the dealer.
For an improved understanding of the game, our experts have provided some advice on when to hit, stick, split, and other aspects of the game.
When do you Hit?
For the dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace, hit on your ace through to 7. While Ace-7 can be a strong starting hand, it is preferable to hit if the dealer’s up facing card has a greater value than 8, as the dealer is more likely to create a hand that is stronger than 18.
When do you Stick?
In blackjack, the first rule is to stick on a hard 17 or above. Given the limited number of cards that can be helpful, it is advisable to hold the hand rather than attempting to improve it further, regardless of whether the dealer is holding an Ace or 10. Only Stick with 12 on the dealer’s 4, 5, or 6. Otherwise, you should hit because his hole card will probably produce a hand that is stronger than 12 instead.
It’s crucial to understand how to play blackjack hands like 13, 14, 15, and 16 on the dealer’s 2 through 6. These hands are extremely frequent. In the beginning, if the dealer displays 2, 3, 4, 5, or even a 6, it is advisable to stick. The wisest course of action is to hit and attempt to improve your hand if the up facing card of the dealer is higher. Use surrender on 16 when up against 9, 10, as well as Ace if it’s an option.
What is Insurance in Blackjack?
If the dealer’s face up card is an ace, the player may place a side wager on blackjack insurance to protect themselves against the dealer having the ‘blackjack’ hand. The largest stake permitted is often half of the player’s primary wager, and blackjack insurance odds pay out 2/1.
In the event it turns out the dealer has blackjack, this may give the gambler the opportunity to tie the hand, even if they lose their initial wager. Before the dealer checks the hole card, which is the card that is initially hidden from players, insurance is given. It is paid out if the hole card has a value of 10, creating a two-card 21 (blackjack).
Image source: Las Atlantis When Not to Take Insurance in Blackjack
The example below demonstrates why taking out a blackjack insurance bet is ultimately a losing move, even in the best case scenario.
- You are playing a one deck game by yourself versus the dealer, and neither of the cards in your starting hand possesses a value of 10. In light of the fact that 16 of the remainder of 49 cards possess a value of 10, your insurance bet has the highest likelihood of success. In spite of this, your position is still unlikely to be viable in the long run.
What is Double Down?
A double down is when the player doubles his initial wager. When you have the option to “double down” in the game of blackjack, you can increase your initial wager by up to 100%. After drawing one more card, the player must then stick. There are three instances during which doubling down in online blackjack is the right move to make in terms of chance.
- While the dealer’s face-up card is a two-six, and you have a hard nine. A hand of two cards known as a “hard nine” consists of two cards that sum up to nine without an ace, such as 2 & 7, 3 & 6, or 4 & 5.
- Your hand is a hard 10 or 11, and the dealer’s face-up card is lower.
- Probability is on your side if the dealer’s card is lower than yours and your two cards are 2 & 8, 2 & 9, 3 & 7, 3 & 8, 4 & 6, 4 & 7, 5 & 5, or 5 & 6. Although you can’t bust, the dealer runs the risk of going over 21 because he must hit till he reaches 17.
What is Splitting?
When a player’s initial two-card hand has two identical cards, the split option is presented. The player has the option to divide the cards into two different hands, after which the dealer will deal one more card to each hand. In order to split in blackjack, a player must make an additional wager on the newly formed hand equal to the wager they made at the game’s start.
- Never Split 10s – When starting with this hand in blackjack, you should always stand, according to basic blackjack strategy. You have a great chance of winning the hand if you have 20.
- Always split aces – In blackjack, it’s sensible to split a pair of aces because there are several cards with a value of 10. If you choose not to split your aces, one will be valued at one and the other at eleven. Only a nine may, therefore, get you to 21 on your subsequent card. Drawing a card with a value of 10 would force you to consider both aces as one, which would return you to 12.
Image source: Las Atlantis Blackjack Tips for Beginners
The game of blackjack requires skill as well as strategy. However, there are both basic and sophisticated tactics you can employ to reduce the house edge and raise your odds of winning. You can discover some advice and tactics to improve your gaming skills below.
Strategy Charts
For new players to learn the game, a basic blackjack strategy chart is quite helpful. Utilize and familiarize yourself with the chart offered in this article before playing blackjack for real money.
Play Free Blackjack First
It’s vital to remember that experience is a key factor in your potential to win large at blackjack, even though it might seem obvious. Therefore, be sure to practice enough before playing at tables where real money is involved.
Take advantage of the numerous online casinos that have blackjack games available for free play. You can practice your basic strategy, learn new variations, explore other wagers, and more for free while also solidifying your understanding of the gameplay and regulations of blackjack. You can understand the rules and get ready to play blackjack against actual dealers at a later stage with the help of this form of practice.
Image source: Lucky Block Choosing a Reputable Online Casino
The importance of selecting the best offshore gambling sites has increased with the explosive rise of online gambling for gamers looking for a secure and engaging gaming environment. When choosing an online casino, the licensing and regulatory status should be taken into account first and foremost. Reputable gaming authorities issue licenses to reputable online casinos.
These licenses prove that the casino follows stringent rules that ensure fair play, the security of customer and personal financial data, and adherence to ethical gaming procedures.
Don’t Immediately Engage in High Stakes Blackjack Games
Playing at blackjack tables with huge stakes can be very alluring, especially when you think of the rewards you could take home. However, joining them isn’t really a good idea if you’re just getting started. In particular, high rollers with a lot of expertise, refined blackjack abilities, and cash to burn are frequently found at high-stakes tables. They won’t be simple foes for someone beginning the game of blackjack and relying on strategy for the first time.
The danger extends beyond merely losing a game. If you’re not careful, you might quickly deplete your whole bankroll. Therefore, it is preferable to begin with low-stakes games.
Pay Attention to The House Edge
For those of you who don’t know, the house advantage is the proportion of bets that the casino ultimately wins. The house advantage in basic blackjack isn’t very big, it’s less than 1%. However, a variety of variables affect that figure.
For instance, if you lack knowledge or expertise, the house edge at blackjack might rise to 2%. On the other hand, if you correctly apply the fundamental blackjack technique, it can drop to 0.5%. Rules variations and the amount of decks in play can also affect the house edge. When choosing which blackjack variation to play, keep this in mind.
Additional Blackjack Tips
Check The Dealers Face up Card
Check the dealer’s face up card before you do anything. Is it low (2–6) or optimistic (Ace–7)? What the dealer possesses completely determines the player’s course of action.
Don’t Take Insurance
Insurance is a poor wager no matter what amount you bet or what sort of hand you have. The dealer can only get a blackjack under the ace with 4 of the 13 potential cards. Having blackjack there is a 30.8% chance. An insurance bet is a losing wager if you are only paid 2:1. In some circumstances, insurance is a fantastic choice if you’re an experienced player who uses a card counting strategy.
Use The Surrender Option selectively
Use the option to surrender sparingly. Only a 16 and a 15 are can be surrendered when the dealer has a 9, 10, or Ace. This assumes you’re not counting cards while playing a game with many decks. If you count cards, perhaps you are familiar with all the proper blackjack surrender plays to make the most of this excellent player choice.
Don’t Go All-In
Never take a risk of going all in. Never play a hand without leaving yourself a sufficient amount to double or split. Few blackjack situations are more agonizing than being dealt two aces and lacking the funds to divide them, then having to hit for two face cards and busting.
Learn The Blackjack Table Gestures
Learning the fundamental blackjack table gestures is a requirement. In a busy setting like a physical casino, these enable players to express their intentions to the dealer plainly. They essentially serve as a global language for blackjack that speeds up play, clears up any misunderstandings regarding players’ moves, and lets the casino record events for future reference.
Simple blackjack table movements are easy to pick up. Players can touch the table to hit, wave their cards over to stand, double down by placing more chips next to the wagering box, split by making a V-shaped motion with their fingers, and hit by tapping the table. Before entering a casino, make sure you have mastered these motions.
Never Place a Side Bet
The enormous number of side bets that this casino game of blackjack offers is one of the players’ favorite features. If you use them wisely during play, they might be enjoyable to test out and possibly useful. They are not the most advantageous for novices, though. Namely, side bets all have quite big house margins and can significantly reduce your chances of winning.
It’s possible to find a way to modestly reduce the house advantage, but it won’t be simple. You would need to learn how to employ each side bet’s specialized counting technique, memorize it, and know how to mix it with the fundamental blackjack approach. Eliminating side bets could turn out to be your best option because most beginner players find this process to be overwhelming.
Image source: Las Atlantis Create Your Betting Strategy
By using the fundamental blackjack tip, you may build the foundation for a productive game. You might not be able to succeed, though. You’ll play a variety of blackjack games over the course of your gambling career, deal with various house advantages and rules, and compete against players with various levels of blackjack expertise. Consequently, you want to be familiar with multiple betting blackjack strategies.
The ultimate methods used by the top blackjack players incorporate components from numerous distinct systems. You can create your own approach in the same way if you conduct in-depth study. You should research as many online blackjack techniques as you can, test them out, weigh the benefits and drawbacks, and then pick the one that works best for you.
Counting Cards
Card counting takes a lot of effort and time to perfect, but if you persevere, it can be incredibly rewarding. Your betting strategy can be completed by this system. Because they believe it to be excessively complicated, many players try to avoid it. However, there are a few simple actions needed.
Specifically, you must give each card in the deck a specific value and thoroughly memorize those values. Cards with numbers 2 through 6, for example, may hold a +1 value, while cards with numbers 7-9 could have a 0 value.
You’ll be able to see the cards dealt throughout each round after the game has begun. Keep track of those cards by using the specified values. You can determine how much to wager by carefully counting the cards to determine which ones are still in the deck.
Learn When to Increase Your Bets
Learn how to increase your bets if you feel confident playing blackjack. Your experience will be more exciting, and you’ll have more chances to win. If you’re considering betting, you should consider two important factors: when to boost your wager and by how much.
Flat-betting is the preferred blackjack tip for players who like to play it safe and never offer themselves a chance to win larger rewards. However, some adventurers overextend themselves and instantly lose all of their money. Systems for betting can be helpful in this situation. You can manage your blackjack bankroll with ease if you choose the appropriate one.
Pick the system that best suits your needs and tastes after doing some research and learning how they operate.
Look For Signs
Another approach for blackjack players to outsmart the dealer is by using dealer tells. Your ability to foresee the dealer’s hole card is their main objective. The tactic entails observing the dealer’s conduct and facial expressions for clues. In most games, players pay close attention to how long the dealer examines their hole card along with how much they need to raise the card to reveal its value.
For instance, stiff cards (2-6) are frequently mistaken for Aces, therefore dealers usually take additional time to check that they have correctly assessed their worth. Dealers typically give face cards a cursory glance since they are simple to distinguish from other cards.
Dealer tells are not, however, used by all croupiers. These kinds of indicators are uncommon in well-trained dealers. You must seek out tables with inexperienced dealers if you want to apply this blackjack tip effectively.
Wagering on Some Other Player’s Hand
You can place a wager on another player’s hand at a blackjack table to perhaps win some money without actually playing the entire game. Back betting, betting behind, and playing the back line are other terms for this strategy.
Back-bettors watch the other players at the table until they make a move, at which point they follow the action. Regular players place their wagers at the front and the back of the wagering box. Up to three people’s wagers can fit in each box. These wagers cannot total more than the game’s maximum wagering amount.
When double and splitting are involved, back-betting also gives you some flexibility. Furthermore, back bettors are not required to follow the sitting player’s decisions if they believe them to be unwise. Overall, this style of betting may be able to help you earn some money, particularly if you bet behind an experienced player and can notice their errors. It’s not nearly as entertaining or useful as standard games, though.
Avoid Using Progressive Strategies
Progressive betting techniques are methods for managing one’s bankroll that advise users to gradually increase their wagers throughout the course of a game. They vary from each other in terms of when and by how much you should increase your stake.
Progressive betting tactics might be effective in some circumstances, but it is normally preferable to stay away from them. They are ineffective when combined with splitting as well as doubling down bets, they can cause you to lose your entire budget very fast, and they won’t function at tables with smaller maximum betting limits.
Blackjack Strategy Table
The fundamental blackjack basic strategy chart is below. Print it out and keep it in front of you while playing, or simply open it on your computer screen.
Overview
- Hit – H
- Stand – S
- Double down – D
- Split – SP
- Never Split – NS
Player Hand Dealer Hand Hard Totals 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 5, 6, 7, 8 H H H H H H H H H H 9 H D D D D H H H H H 10 D D D D D D D D H H 11 D D D D D D D D D H 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 – 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 -16 S S S S S H H H H H 17, 18, 19, 20 S S S S S S S S S S Soft Totals 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A A-2(13), A-19(20) H H H D D H H H H H A-4(15), A-5(16) H H D D D H H H H H A-6(17) H D D D D H H H H H A-7(18) S D D D D S S H H H A-8(19, A-19(20) S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A A&A SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP 2&2, 3&3 SP SP SP SP SP SP H H H H 4&4 H H H SP SP H H H H H 5&5 – NS D D D D D D D D D D 6&6 SP SP SP SP SP H H H H H 7&7 SP SP SP SP SP SP H H H H 8&8 SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP 9&9 SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP S S 10&10 – NS S S S S S S S S S S How to Improve Your Chances When Playing Blackjack
Image source: Lucky Block You may increase your chances of winning when playing blackjack for real money by following the advice provided by our experts.
- Set a gambling budget – The first guideline of responsible gambling is to establish a budget by determining how much you are able to lose. Sticking to your spending limit and then stop once you have reached it.
- Limit your alcohol consumption – If you’ve had a few too many drinks, making sensible decisions at the table and tracking limits becomes harder. Keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum, especially in physical casinos.
- Avoid distraction – If your money is on the table it is important to concentrate on the game at hand. Therefore, try to avoid distractions around you and fully focus to maximize your chances.
- Take frequent breaks –Leaving a blackjack table occasionally can assist in clearing your head and refresh your mind. Regular breaks will keep you focused and help you to make better decisions.
- Know when to stop – You shouldn’t just stop if you reach your budget limit but also because spending too long playing a gambling game can be damaging to you. Play for a fixed amount of time and then stop, whether for a break or to end your play for the day.
