If we look at history we know one thing for sure; blackjack has been one of the most played casino games for decades.
You might know this game by the name of blackjack; both basically amount to the same thing. It is an interactive and fun game that you can start learning in minutes. Over the years, blackjack has also come to the market in different variants such as Blackjack Pro, Classic Blackjack Gold, blackjack Switch, Pontoon and Multihand Blackjack.
However, the most played is classic blackjack and that’s probably how you’ve come across the game in the casino. What is the best way to make money with blackjack?
Strategies to make money
As mentioned, anyone can learn blackjack and it is a simple game to understand. The goal is to get as close as possible to the value ’21’ with two or more cards, without going over. Within blackjack, you typically play against the bank/dealer/house.
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In classic blackjack, the dealer places one card face up and one card remains closed, the so-called ‘hole card’. As a player you get the first chance to ask for an additional third card when needed and otherwise you can choose to ‘stand’. Although many people understand this principle, not everyone is aware of strategies that will ensure that your chances of winning increase.
Use a Blackjack strategy
By using strategies, you create the lowest possible house edge for the casino and you also increase your own chances of winning. The house edge of casinos ensures that, on average, over 100 equal games, the casino always has a slight advantage in winning more than the player. In blackjack, this percentage is 0.5% if you adequately use a good strategy and is around 5% if you don’t. This difference is very small over several rounds. This difference is very large over several rounds.
Winning at Blackjack through Strategy
Advantages for the player
Not only does the casino have advantages over the player, but also the other way around. For example, a player receives a 3 to 2 bonus when getting blackjack, while “the house” is paid out 1 to 1. In addition, you can split cards and double your chances of winning over the dealer, while the dealer can never split. This ensures that dealers can never maximize their profits, but you, the player, can.
Read up or take a bill
Strategies in blackjack are not difficult to understand, but it does require some practice. If you’re going to use a strategy for the first time, it’s best to use a so-called cheat sheet; this lists all the actions that you, as a player, can best perform in each situation, and it shows the winning chances of the dealer’s various combinations.
In traditional casinos, however, be careful with such cheat sheets, as not all casinos appreciate them. The best thing to do is to read up while you’re at home and practice online first. In fact, many online casinos offer you the opportunity to play blackjack for free and so you can practice the best strategies online.
More interesting Blackjack articles:
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7 tips to learn to play winning blackjack
Minimizing losses
Blackjack
Types of Blackjack
7 tips to learn to play winning blackjack
Minimizing losses
Depending on the type of blackjack you play, there are several ways you can minimize your losses. If, for instance, you have the option to surrender your first two cards and the dealer’s first card, you can still get half of your bet back. This is mostly possible online and not in traditional casinos.
Blackjack is played in traditional casinos with one deck per round. Within this deck are low, high and neutral cards for the dealer; +1, 0 and -1. A low dealer card favors the player, a neutral card favors neither, and a high dealer card favors the dealer.
- Low cards: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Neutral cards: 7, 8
- High cards: 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace
The higher the first card for the dealer, the less likely the dealer is to bust, or go over 21. In that case, there is a greater chance that the dealer will get a high combination to near or on the 21. This looks as follows for each first card combined with the probability of the dealer busting:
- 2: 35%
- 3: 37%
- 4: 40%
- 5: 42%
- 6: 42%
- 7: 26%
- 8: 24%
- 9: 23%
- 10: 21%
- Ace: 12%
This strategy does involve some head count, especially when there are multiple players in the game. But with an overall +, you can generally bet without too much worry and vice versa. This way you keep the house edge low and increase your own chances of winning.
Maximizing your own winnings
Blackjack has a simple basic strategy that can be applied by anyone. In the long run, it ensures that your chances of winning grow in comparison to the chances of losing.
If you are able to stick to this strategy in the long run, you will ensure that losses remain minimal and that profits can be maximized, thus minimizing the house edge. That’s the way!
If you’re not quite sure you’re ready for the real thing yet and you don’t really dare to play for real money yet, don’t worry. Find out where you can play free blackjack to get the hang of the game and to check whether your chosen tactics are working.