Playing blackjack

Blackjack has been around for a very long time, and you must have played it or watched as your friends threw the cards around. Better yet, you may have come across some strategy videos on online blackjack. Before delving any further, it is imperative to know that different variants of blackjack have a different house edge. The lower the house edge, the more likely you are to win. Simple logic! Blackjack switch has the lowest house edge at 0.17%.

Gambling strategies can substantially reduce house edge and increase your win ratio in the long run. However, we have to agree on one thing; most casino strategies are purely theoretical, and unless tested successfully on an actual platform, winning will forever remain to be a pipe dream. Such strategies can seem actionable on paper, but in a real sense, they are mundane on a real platform.

Unless a game is rigged, there is never going to be a definite outcome from both strategy and chance games. There is always going to be a random element that will always be stacked against you. However, today will are going to teach you how to improve your edge when playing online blackjack.

What is the casino's edge in blackjack?

Blackjack is a game where your decisions matters. If you deploy the basic blackjack strategy, you can reduce the house's advantage to less that 1 %. But if you play randomly, the house edge has to be described with two figures.

In blackjack, do other players' actions affect your game?

No. Sometimes you hear players blame other players for making wrong decisions and therefore give the dealer a 21 he was not supposed to get. But remember that this player is just as likely to make the dealer go bust. In the long run, other players' actions don't matter.

Can I count cards in online blackjack?

No. The cards are randomly shuffled before each hand being dealt.

What is a blackjack tournament?

A blackjack (elimination) tournament works like a poker tournament. Instead of playing with real money, you play with chips, and your goal is to stay in the game as long as possible (not get eliminated). In regular blackjack, your opponents' actions don't affect your decisions, but here they do. Study our article about blackjack elimination strategy to get the most out of your blackjack tournaments.

Tip #1 stop trying to count cards

Whenever players think of a blackjack strategy, they always jump to card counting.  Card counting is usually possible when you witness the shuffling of the deck or when you know the frequency of card shuffling. Assuming that a deck is shuffled after some hands, let’s say 5, can be the worst mistake you ever made. Most online casinos shuffle cards after each hand, and hence card counting cannot come in handy. However, it may apply to some brick and mortar casinos.

If you are gifted in card counting, we would recommend you to try your techniques in live dealer blackjack. Card counting involves following the number of low and high cards giving you a clearer picture when predicting the card that might follow.

Tip #2 Avoid placing side bets if you are a beginner

Unless you are a professional blackjack player, side bets are always not a good idea. As you well know, black jack has very low house edge which is frowned upon by casino owners. To increase their edge and eventually improve their bottom-lime, online casinos started offering extra card decks and came up with side bets. Although the side bets improve the entertainment aspect of the game, they make players haemorrhage money; a slow but steady process. You may not notice the losses at first, but later on, you may be forced to revise your gaming techniques. Therefore, avoiding side bets is a standalone strategy for inexperienced players.

Tip #3 Sound money management

The “I can only make a profit” mentality is always detrimental to your gaming career, especially if you are a blackjack player. Revenge playing can only contribute to the accumulation of more losses, and well, no one wants that. It is advisable to have daily profits and losses limit. After either limit is reached, you are supposed to call it a day. There is no need to try and recoup your losses by increasing your stake significantly.There is that chance that your decision-making capabilities will be veiled by the adrenaline surging inside you.

Last Word

Playing blackjack is fairly easy, and if you keenly follow the tips above, you can easily improve your winning edge. It’s important to refrain from revenge playing and to always stake a fraction of the money in your gaming account. It beats logic to stake the entire amount in your playing account at one go. If you happen to lose, there is no way you can recoup your losses unless you make another deposit.