Blackjack is a popular casino game that offers you the opportunity to beat the house — IF you play your cards right. As a seasoned player with a degree and 20 years of experience playing in casinos, I’ve written many blog posts on the subject of blackjack. In this post, I share with you 7 beginner blackjack tips that will help you maximize your chances of winning at the game.
1- Understand the Rules of the Game
Before you start playing, make sure you understand the rules of the game. Blackjack has a number of variations, so it’s essential to know which version you’re playing and what the objective of the game is.
I cover the basics for the rules of blackjack in a previous post. But to really maximize your chances of winning, you need to understand the different rules variations and how they affect the game.
6/5 blackjack is an example of a rules variation to look out for. A player’s blackjack (an ace and a 10-point card) pays out at 6 to 5 odds, rather than the standard 3 to 2 odds. This means that if you bet $5 and are dealt a blackjack, you’ll only be paid $6 instead of the standard $7.50 that you’d get with 3 to 2 odds.
This may seem like a small difference, but it greatly increases the house edge and makes it much harder for players to win. With no other rules variations accounted for, this one change adds over 1% to the house edge.
Most 6/5 blackjack games have other unfavorable rules such as the player losing all ties with the dealer and the player can’t re-split aces
2- Learn Basic Strategy
Basic strategy is a set of guidelines FOR the best possible decision in any situation. By learning and using basic strategy, you’ll reduce the house edge and increase your chances of winning.
The house edge on most blackjack games when using basic strategy is less than 1%, making it the best game in the casino for the player. Most players don’t know or use basic strategy, though, so the average Vegas casinos wins about 4% of every dollar wagered at the blackjack tables.
That might not sound like a lot, but look at the effect it has on the average hourly losses for a $5 per hand player:
Assuming you’re playing 60 hands per hour, you’re putting $300 per hour into action. Against a 1% house edge, that means you’re only losing $3 per hour on average. But with a 4% house edge, you’re losing $12 per hour on average.
Same game. Same rules. The only difference is that you’re making basic strategy decisions versus not.
Learning and using basic strategy seems like a no-brainer to me.
3- Never Take Insurance
Insurance is a side bet that you can make when the dealer’s upcard is an ace. While it may seem like a good idea, it is actually a poor bet that increases the house edge.
The insurance bet is an optional wager that the dealer’s hole card is a 10-point card, which would give the dealer a blackjack. If this happens, you lose your original bet but get paid 2 to 1 on the insurance bet. Since the insurance bet is half the size of your original wager, you break even. If the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack, you lose the insurance bet.
The insurance side bet is a bad bet for the player because the probability of the dealer having a blackjack is relatively low. In fact, the probability of the dealer having a blackjack is roughly 31% when the upcard is an ace. Furthermore, the payout on the insurance bet is only 2 to 1, which means that the player would only break even on the bet if the dealer had a blackjack. In the long run, you’ll lose more money by taking insurance.
Some casinos offer “Even money” insurance bet which pays 1-1 instead of 2-1. That’s even worse for the player — the probability of the dealer having blackjack is still 31% but the payout is just 1:1, making the bet a losing bet in the long run. But it’s twice as big a losing proposition because of the lower payout.
The only time you should take insurance is if you’re counting cards and know when it’s profitable to take the insurance bet. More on that later.
4- Use a Card Counting System
Card counting is a technique that tracks the ratio of high cards to low cards in the deck. This information can be used to adjust your betting and playing strategy.
The idea behind card counting is that when there are more high cards left in the deck, the player has a higher chance of getting a blackjack, which pays out at 3 to 2 odds. Conversely, when there are more low cards left in the deck, the player has a higher chance of busting. By keeping general track of the cards that have been dealt, a player can adjust their betting and playing strategy to take advantage of these fluctuations in the odds.
The most basic card counting system is called the Hi-Lo system, in which the player assigns a value of +1 to 2 through 6, 0 to 7 through 9, and -1 to 10s and aces. The player keeps a running count of the cards as they are dealt and uses this information to adjust their bet size. For example, if the running count is positive, you increase your bet, as there are more high cards left in the deck. If the running count is negative, you decrease your bet, as there are more low cards left in the deck.
By doing this, you turn a negative expectation game into a positive expectation game. In other words, you have a mathematical advantage over the house instead of vice versa.
Card counting is not illegal, but it’s frowned upon by all casinos. Some casinos will ask players who are suspected of card counting to leave the premises or even ban them from the casino altogether. Many casinos use multiple decks or continuous shuffle machines to make card counting harder or impossible.
Despite these challenges, card counting can be a powerful tool for players who are willing to put in the time and effort to master the technique. With practice, a skilled card counter can gain a significant edge over the house, and potentially increase their chances of winning in the long run.
Card counting isn’t for everyone. It requires discipline, patience, and a good memory. Consider the time and effort it takes to master the technique and the potential risks of being kicked out of the casino or banned before deciding to pursue it.
But card counting doesn’t require you to be a savant like you see in the movie Rain Man, either. You don’t have to memorize the cards that have been dealt or know which cards are left. You just keep up with the ratio via the tracking of high versus low cards.
5- Take advantage of bonuses and promotions
Many casinos offer bonuses and promotions that can be used to increase your chances of winning. Take advantage of these offers, but be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully.
Bonuses and promotions can be a great way for blackjack players to increase their chances of winning at the casino. Many online casinos offer a variety of bonuses and promotions, such as welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, and loyalty programs, that can be used to boost your bankroll and give them more opportunities to play.
One of the most common bonuses offered by online casinos is the welcome bonus. This is a bonus that you get when you sign up for an account and make their first deposit. Welcome bonuses can come in the form of a match bonus, where the casino will match a certain percentage of your deposit, or a no-deposit bonus, where you’re given a certain amount of free money to play with without having to make a deposit.
Reload bonuses are another popular type of bonus offered by online casinos. These are bonuses you get when you make a deposit into your account.
Loyalty programs are also a great way for players to take advantage of bonuses and promotions. Loyalty programs are common with online casinos AND traditional casinos. These programs reward players for their loyalty to the casino by giving them points for every dollar they spend. These points can then be exchanged for free money, free spins, or other rewards.
When using bonuses and promotions, always read the terms and conditions carefully. Online casino bonuses have certain restrictions or requirements that must be met before you can withdraw the money. Most casinos don’t count wagers on blackjack toward fulfilling their wagering requirements. Those that do allow those wagers to count discount their value by as much as 90% for purposes of fulfilling your wagering requirements.
6- Manage your bankroll
It’s important to have a clear idea of how much you can afford to lose before you start playing blackjack. This will help you avoid going over your budget and minimize your losses.
Bankroll management is the process of managing your money effectively while playing blackjack. It’s an essential part of any gambling strategy and is crucial for players who want to increase their chances of winning in the long run.
The first step in bankroll management is setting a budget for your blackjack sessions. This is the amount of money that you are willing to spend on blackjack in a given time period. It’s important to set a budget that you can afford to lose. Then all you have to do is not exceed it.
Once you’ve set your budget, you should determine the minimum and maximum bets that you’re comfortable with. The minimum bet is the smallest amount of money that you are willing to bet on a single hand, while the maximum bet is the largest amount of money that you are willing to bet. The minimum bet should be small enough that you can afford to lose multiple hands in a row, while the maximum bet should be high enough to take advantage of winning streaks.
It’s also good to have a win goal in mind before you start playing blackjack. This is the amount of money that you hope to win from your blackjack sessions. Once you have reached your win goal, it’s a good idea to stop playing and save the rest of your bankroll for future sessions.
Bankroll management changes even more when you’re an advantage player. Your goal becomes to avoid going broke. Things like the Kelly Criterion and risk of ruin become important. I’ll cover concepts like this in a future post aimed at more advanced players.
7- Quit while you’re ahead
The most important thing to remember when playing blackjack is quitting while you’re ahead. If you’re on a winning streak, it can be tempting to keep playing. But it’s important to set a win goal and stick to it.
If you’re a $5 player, for example, a reasonable win goal might be $50. When you’re up $50, quit and go do something else.
Loss limits matter, too. A $5 player might decide that she’s not willing to lose more than $50 in a session. So, it’s not only important to quit while you’re ahead. It’s also important to quit before you get too far behind.
Conclusion
Blackjack is a game of skill and strategy that offers players the opportunity to beat the house. By following these 7 beginner tips, you will be well on your way to maximizing your chances of winning.
Remember to understand the rules, learn basic strategy, avoid insurance, use a card counting system, take advantage of bonuses and promotions, manage your bankroll and quit while you’re ahead. With these tips in mind, you will be able to enjoy a more profitable and fun experience at the blackjack table.
