Best Low Rollin’ Blackjack on the Vegas Strip. $5 Blackjack Flamingo - House Edge: 0.56 Paris – House Edge: 0.56 Treasure Island – House Edge: 0.46 and 0.49 $10 Blackjack Bally’s – House. A lot of players tell me that but you have to think. You're only remembering the times you bust after hitting 12, but you're not remembering the times you made a hand after hitting 12. It's just like when players tell me 'I haven't had a blackjack this whole time! ' when I know for a fact that I dealt them 2.
Blackjack can be an easy online gambling game — you just have to be able to add to 21, after all. But there’s much more to the game if you hope to tip the casino’s edge in your favor. Take this gambling advice, follow these best blackjack tips to improve your strategy so you don’t miss opportunities to squeeze some extra bucks out of the casino when the cards are going your way.
On the flip side, these best blackjack tips have cousins on the bad side. These will help you avoid the moves that separate you from your hard-earned cash in the long run. The house already has a built-in statistical edge (those casinos weren’t built by losing money), so keep your head and play smart.
Here are our three best blackjack tips, and three worst. And, we’ll toss in two bonus blackjack tips, too..
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Top 3 best blackjack tips
Mastering basic strategy — If you’re serious about making a few bucks at the table and plan on playing at some decent stakes, mastering basic strategy is a must, and top the every list of best blackjack tips. There are numerous books and websites devoted to the subject, so check them out and know how to play each hand that’s dealt versus the dealer’s up card. Got two nines? You’ll want to split those versus a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9. Stand on a 7, 10 or ace. Following perfect basic strategy can reduce the casino’s edge to about 0.5 percent, the best bet in the casino.
Doubling down — Players who know basic strategy will know when to utilize this option at the tables. Doubling down allows the player to double the bet and receive one card. This is also a good bet in more situations than just holding 9, 10 or 11. For example, it’s usually a smart move to double a soft 17 (ace-6) against a dealer’s 4, 5 or 6. Simply doubling the initial bet may not seem like a big advantage, but in the long run, winning these bets can be the difference between a losing night or a winning night.
Splitting aces — While you never split 10s, splitting aces is absolutely a best blackjack tip. (If you don’t, you lose.) When splitting, you’ll ante up another wager for the second hand, and then receive a card for the first with options to stand or hit. The same continues for the second hand. Some casinos allow for splitting if another of the same card is dealt again. With so many cards valued at 10, odds for a blackjack is high. And with nines and eights also in the shoe, players have a great chance of drawing two winning hands here instead of one. Like doubling down, these types of hands increase profits in the long run and can help turn a losing night into a winner.
Top 3 worst blackjack tips
Splitting 10s — Are you crazy? You’ve hit that great hand of 20, and then want to break it into two separate hands and two separate bets? All this move does is turn a usual winner into possibly two losers. And yet people still make this mistake all the time at the tables. Invariably, the (un)lucky gambler will draw two inferior hands or bust after splitting and the dealer will draw to an 18 or 19. Don’t pass up opportunities to book a win. Take the money and run.
Taking insurance — Insurance is an option for players when the dealer is showing an ace. A player can usually bet half his bet as “insurance” against the dealer having a blackjack. The bet pays 2 to 1, so even if the dealer does indeed have 21, the player ends up at break-even. However, a player who has blackjack and takes insurance will only get paid even money for his if the dealer doesn’t have it. With a blackjack paying 3 to 2 (or 6 to 5 nowadays at many Vegas Strip casinos), ponying up for insurance is a loser in the long run and should be avoided. Insure your car, insure your house — don’t insure your blackjack hand.
Taking a stand — This one is pretty simple to remember: Never stand on a 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 if the dealer has a 7 or higher. The odds aren’t in your favor to win this one and you will lose in the long run (see basic strategy above). Too many uneducated players are passive with these hands, scared to bust. But more often than not, you’re guaranteed a loser — with more money going to the casino.
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Bonus: 2 more best blackjack tips
Don’t go cocktail crazy — A night out at the casino can be fun, but there’s a reason the drinks are free. Getting sauced can be a great way to lose more cash than you planned. Even if playing online, don’t imbibe in too many Bud Lights in the recliner.
Have a plan — Don’t gamble more than you can afford. This may sound obvious, but it’s a best blackjack tip for a reason. Have a set gambling amount and stick to it. Know when to walk away, or shut down that laptop.
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Blackjack Betting Strategies are quite popular, especially since the game has been featured in hit movies likeRain Man, 21 and The Hangover.
No matter what the game, there is one universal rule; if the casino spreads the game, someone has developed the “perfect” betting strategy.
Roulette strategies are perhaps the most prominent as roulette strategies and systems have been offered for sale for centuries.
As a dealer and a player, I have been able to see and try many of the most famous Blackjack Betting Strategies.
Blackjack strategies don’t change around the world but it is interesting to see different perspectives. A good blackjack resource for Canadians is CanadianCasinos.ca.
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The Two Best Systems
There are two strategies that every player should use every time they take a seat at or swim up to a blackjack table.
Play to Have Fun
Napoleon was a fan of Vingt-un (blackjack) near the start of the 19th century. For more than two centuries, blackjack has grown in popularity to become the most popular casino table game.Mathematicians have analyzed the game, hundreds of books have been written about it, and a number of myths and legends have been created.
Earning a place in the Blackjack Hall of Fame at the Barona Casino in California is the only honorary award for players of any casino table game. There is a reason that blackjack has remained popular for a couple of centuries; it’s fun! There are many varieties of blackjack. Mr. Green offers a great selection of 15 blackjack games by 6 software providers, including Double Exposure Blackjack Professional Series by Net Entertainment, VIP Blackjack by Extreme Live Gaming, and 6-in-1 Blackjack by Felt.
Spin Palace offers a remarkable amount of blackjack games. There are over 40 blackjack games in total on offer. They also offer practice play which is perfect for sharpening your blackjack skills before you start playing for real money. Most of their games are developed by Microgaming which are very popular in English speaking countries like Australia, New Zealand, UK and Canada.
Yes, the game has a really low house edge, which makes it appealing, but it is a very social game, so in many cases, the table wins or loses as a group. This builds comradery and makes it fairly common for players to talk with one another. The social aspect of the game is a very important one to most players.
Bet the Right Amount
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Set up a bankroll before you go to the table. This is your total stake.
As has been mentioned numerous times, blackjack is supposed to be fun. Playing with money you can’t afford to lose (what dealers and players call “scared money”) practically guarantees you won’t enjoy the game.
It is fairly easy to find table limits to fit most bankrolls.
The Martingale – Blackjack Betting Strategies
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The Martingale system originated in 18th century France and is one of the oldest systems around. The original theory was used to prove that someone with infinite wealth could always avoid a loss in even money bets by doubling the best after each loss. Most likely the first casino game where the Martingale system was touted was roulette, but it can also be used in other areas, such as in stock market trading.
You will often see players use the Martingale system at the blackjack table, doubling their wager after each loss. In theory, this strategy sounds solid. However, blackjack is not an even money game. And additionally, players will occasionally run into a bad streak of cards. At a $5 table using the Martingale system if you lose 8 hands in a row, you will be wagering $1280 on your next hand, so unless you are a legendary high-roller, you are probably better off taking the $5 loss.
2-1-2 (Manhattan) Strategy – Blackjack Betting Strategies
One of the common laments one hears from players is the one where they were “way ahead” but gave it all back. These players are the same ones that usually talk about “playing with ‘house’ money.”
Here is a fact: Once the chips are in your stack, they are your chips, not the house’s.
The second most common lament you will hear is a player talking about missing out on a hot streak. The 2-1-2 strategy helps address both.
First, there is no mathematical foundation for “hot” or “cold” streaks at the blackjack table. Mathematicians will tell you (truthfully) that there is no such phenomenon. Blackjack players know they exist.
As a player you want to capitalize on a good run of cards and this strategy has some merits. Start with a 2 unit bet. If you win you reduce the bet to one unit. If you win that bet you increase to 3 units. Once the dealer wins you go back to your original 2 unit bet.
A run of 10 hands could look like this:
Wager Result +/-
- 2 W +2
- 1 W +3
- 2 W +5
- 3 W +8
- 4 L +4
- 2 W +6
- 1 L +5
- 2 W +7
- 3 W +10
- 4 L +6
With the 2-1-2 strategy, players will win a bit more with a hot run yet not sacrifice all of their winnings.
Oscar’s System – Blackjack Betting Strategies
Oscar’s System was proposed in the 1960’s in a book by mathematician Dr. Allan Wilson. It is a fairly decent system. The goal of the strategy is to win exactly one unit per series.
The player starts a series by betting one unit. After a win, the player adds a unit; after a loss, the next bet is exactly the same as the previous one. That’s it.
Here are two examples:
Wager Result +/-
- 1 L -1
- 1 L -2
- 1 W -1
- 2 W +1
Series complete
Wager Result +/-
- 1 L -1
- 1 L -2
- 1 L -3
- 1 W -2
- 2 L -4
- 2 W -2
- 3 W +1
Blackjack Tips Card
Series complete.
Playing Multiple Spots
Many players feel that playing multiple hands increases their odds of winning. Playing multiple spots can be exciting, but it does absolutely nothing to increase your win rate.
Most of these systems fall under the heading of progressive bets. While these are among the most common, they are by no means the only strategies out there. It is perfectly fine to sit at the table and make the exact same wager every hand. While this strategy is a bit boring for me, if it works for you that is what counts. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking out a deck of cards and developing your own strategy as well.
Blackjack Betting Systems in the Long Run
Tips For Playing Blackjack
Ok so we’ve covered the popular blackjack betting systems here and highlighted how they are used but are any of them really useful in the long run? The answer is a resounding NO (this article goes into great depth as to why).
While you might make great short term wins, any betting system will not be a formula for success in the long term. To truly gain an advantage against the casino you must start with learning basic strategy and then moving to card counting.
There are plenty of resources to get started. We recommend:
- BlackjackInfo’s Blackjack School – A comprehensive free resource that covers both basic strategy and card counting principles.
- Blackjack Apprenticeship – Run by Colin Jones, a professional counter who featured in the blackjack documentary Holy Rollers, this site provides a paid course offering video training material, private coaching and more.
- WizardofOdds – The wizard has some great strategy charts but only for 4-8 decks. If you need more customized charts then BlackjackInfo has a good strategy chart builder.
- HolyMolyCasinos.com – Offers a how to guide on the rules and how to play blackjack as well as other popular casino games.