Blackjack has long been one of the most popular games to play at the casino – whether that is land-based or online.
One of the reasons why this is the case is because blackjack has a very low house edge. It is therefore up there with the best value casino games.
Various blackjack strategies have been pushed forward over the years, but what are some of the best ways to win at blackjack? Let’s take a look.
Know the blackjack basics
Blackjack strategy charts are easily available and there are no rules against using them while at the blackjack table, whether that is virtual or at a bricks and mortar casino. These charts show the best move, mathematically speaking, for whatever cards have been dealt initially to both the player and the dealer. To sum it up, players should always stand on 17, regardless of what the dealer has. Another card should also always be taken if the total value stands at eight or below, which is obvious.
It gets trickier when the dealer’s hand is taken into account. For example, if the dealer has a six it is advised to stand on 15. But if the dealer’s card is an eight, hitting is the advised move.
It might sound complicated but blackjack is one of the casino games that it is the quickest and easiest to understand, with a strategy chart definitely useful for newcomers to the game.
Just keep in mind that online casino games will usually have a time limit by which a decision has to be made.
Use a staking strategy
In blackjack, there are a number of casino betting strategies that can be useful. It is worth pointing out, however, that no blackjack strategy is ever a guarantee of any success.
Some blackjack players have had a lot of joy through using such strategies, though, which means a lot of people may benefit from them.
One staking strategy that is often used for blackjack is the Martingale strategy. In this plan, players double their stake every time they lose a hand, while maintaining their betting at the same level if they win. The idea behind the Martingale strategy is that winning runs will rack up profit, but the downside is that stakes can soon get very large if players suffer a few losses in a row at the table.
The Martingale strategy may therefore only be useful for those who have a large bankroll with which to play blackjack at online casinos.
Don’t bother with insurance
Most online casino blackjack games have an insurance option, which offers a layer of protection against the dealer recording a blackjack. But this is a poor value option that will usually result in players losing cash, so those who are serious about playing online blackjack should ignore the insurance option when it is offered.
Put it like this: why would casinos offer insurance if it was not in their best interest to do so?
Casinos typically set the rules of games such as blackjack in their favour. Players should be careful not to fall into the traps that they set – and insurance is certainly one of these traps.
Choose 3:2 over 6:5
Blackjack games usually have similar rules, but they sometimes have slight differences.
For example, some online blackjack games payout at 6:5, but 3:2 payouts are widely available and should be taken instead. It might not sound like a large difference between 3:2 and 6:5, but it all adds up when playing a lot of hands at the blackjack table.
Getting the best odds is a rule everyone should follow in all types of betting, not just in blackjack.
Know when to stop
Like any other form of gambling, one of the best ways to win at blackjack is simply knowing when to walk away.
When players are on a roll, it can be very tempting to try to ride it to even bigger profits. But luck can turn in an instant and it is very easy to lose all that cash and end up down overall.
This is why picking the right moment to stop playing is so important. This is down to instinct as much as anything, but players may also benefit from having a set goal in their mind.
Walking away once this amount of profit has been banked is a sure way to win at blackjack.
