5 Steps to Playing Blackjack like a Pro
While you’ve most likely heard that blackjack has the lowest house edge of all casino games, what you probably don’t know is that this is only true if the proper blackjack strategy is put in place. Before you disagree with me – yes, the house generally wins over time, but it is possible for you to greatly reduce the casino’s odds by using simple blackjack strategy and have a lot of fun while doing so! So, without further ado, let’s learn how to play blackjack like the pros.
- Use Basic Strategy
Many, many years ago, a few practical mathematicians figured out through the use of computers which moves were statically most effective for every possible blackjack card combination. After successfully simulating hundreds of thousands of hands, they eventually came up with a list of the best possible in-game actions. These charts of ideal moves eventually became known as ‘basic strategy’. Using this perfect play, you will be able to lower the house edge anywhere from just below 1% in 8-deck games to 0.13% in single deck games.
- Avoid Side Bets and Insurance
A side bet in blackjack is like a bonus game that you can play on top of your normal hand and you can generally place a side bet by putting extra chips in an area next to your betting circle. While it may seem like a good idea at the time, side bets actually put players at a greater disadvantage and most side bets are best described as like playing online slots Canada. The same can be said for insurance, which is just another way for the casino to make money.
- Manage Your Bankroll Effectively
Unless you’re adept at counting cards the casino has the advantage in the long run. You will most likely have big wins, but it’s almost impossible to win more hands than you lose over time. Keeping this in mind, it’s important to establish how big your bankroll should be and what your maximum bet should be if you want to keep from running out of money. The average player should have at least 20 times their average bet as their bankroll to have a fruitful blackjack session, as this will allow you perform splits, double downs etc.
- Play Online
Something you may not realise: playing online also increases your chance of success, as all online casino table games have generally better pay out rates than their land-based counterparts. You may be left wondering why this might be. Well, owing to the fact that the online casino industry is highly competitive and the fact that they have lower costs of operation than their land-based counterparts, online casinos are able to offer a better deal – as it were – to their players. You will also be offered welcome bonuses when depositing at reputable online casinos which can substantially boost your blackjack play.
- Understand Blackjack Rule Variations
The house edge in blackjack is affected by small changes in the game’s rules and what may seem like a slight difference can actually have a big impact on how much you win or lose. For example, depending on the number of decks in play, the house edge of the game will be affected rather dramatically. As such, you should only ever play games of blackjack that pay 3 to 2 of your bet.
