Blackjack is played in casinos around the world and has become a favourite pastime for gamblers. As such, many gamblers want to learn to be the best at the game so they can increase their chances of winning!
Before you play blackjack online for real money, you should first familiarize yourself with some techniques that will help you to get the best chances of winning the game. The following 10 blackjack real money techniques will help you improve your odds of beating the house.
1. Don’t Play a 6 to 5 Game
If you are playing a six-to-five game (the dealer’s hand must beat your hand by two or more points), then you should consider yourself lucky if you win even half of the time. The reason why this happens is that the casino knows that most people play a 3 to 2 odds game. With a 6 to 5 game, the house edge often increases to more than 2% and your winnings wouldn’t be as good either. If you’re going to be playing blackjack, try to stay away from 6 to 5 games.
2. Avoid Taking the Insurance Bet
The insurance bet is the blackjack equivalent of a siren’s song, tempting but perilous. Like a cleverly placed trap, it lowers the expected return and more often than not, leaves the player in a worse position than before.
3. Use a Strategy Card If Possible
Using a strategy card could make all the difference between winning and losing. Keep one on hand to ensure that you make the right decisions when you are playing blackjack. Of course, just check the rules of the casino, since most casinos aren’t going to let players put strategy cards on the table. If this is the case, make sure that you keep yours in your hand!
4. Play Basic Strategy
Basic strategy is a very important part of any successful blackjack player. Make sure that you always know how to correctly split, stand, hit and double hand. This will make it much more likely that you will win. Brush up on your strategy before hitting the blackjack table – you’ll thank yourself.
5. Check The Dealer’s Up Card
It might sound obvious, but checking the dealer’s up card is something that you should do every single time you have the opportunity. After all, the dealer’s up card does affect the outcome of the game. If the dealer has a higher number like a 7 through ace, then that’s a better number than 2 through 6. You’ll need to consider this before making your decision about what you should do. If the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or a 6, then doubling down may be your best bet if you have an a-2 through a-7.
6. If you have a pair of 9s, stand if the dealer’s up card is 7
If you have a pair of nine cards, and the dealer’s upcard was a 7, then you should definitely stand. If the dealer has a 7 up card then there’s a good chance that they have a pat 17. If you have a pair of 9s then this gives you a very good chance of winning since you would have a pat 18. Standing is almost always the better choice in this scenario.
7. Double Down On Hard 11
When you have a hard 11, then you should double down instead of splitting. You are far more likely to win more money if you do this. The only exception to the rule is if you are playing a round that has rules that dictate that the dealer needs to stand on soft 17.
8. Split a Pair of Aces and 8s
Splitting a pair of aces and 8s is a great way to increase your chances of winning. This is something that a lot of people won’t choose to do, but your money loss will be a lot lower if you split 8s against 9s, 10s or aces. It’s a much better strategy in this case than hitting a hard 16.
9. Don’t Split a Pair of Tens or 5s
You should never split a pair of tens or fives. There are no exceptions to this rule. Even if you think that you can get away with it, don’t do it. You will lose more money than you would gain. Splitting 10s does often count as a winning play in many cases, but it’s a better idea to make sure that you keep them together making a 20 in almost all scenarios.
10. Go In With a Plan
Before you even sit down at the table, make sure that you have a plan for how you want to approach the game. Some people go into the game thinking that they’re going to try to win big, while others prefer to take their losses and move on. Either way, having a plan will help you stay focused and not get distracted by silly things that could easily ruin your game in the long run. Know what strategy you’re going to use, have a blackjack chart with you to help you out. If you have a way to put the game in your favour then that’s great – as long as you aren’t cheating!
Conclusion
There are so many different techniques that you can use when playing blackjack. No matter which one you decide to use, just remember that you shouldn’t change your strategy too frequently. Stick to the same plan throughout the entire game. If you switch back and forth between strategies, then you’ll end up losing track of where you are in the game. Also remember – above all else, have fun and gamble responsibly!
