How to Win at Blackjack

Blackjack dealer giving pile of chips to player after win

Many people want to know how to win at Blackjack, but don’t know where to start. Fortunately, we have put together a handy guide to increase your chances of winning.

Here are some strategies you can use for Blackjack that will shift the odds in your favor:

Appropriate Playing Rules

After entering the casino for playing Blackjack, you should search for the table with the most liberal rules for playing. Some examples of liberal regulations are as follows:

  • If you want to be a winner at this game, you should never play on tables where the payoff is money or 5-6 Blackjack. Search for tables with 2-3 fixes.  
  • At a liberal table, the dealer will stand on soft 17. Players on such tables can double down on any of the two cards. In contrast, players are allowed to double after pair-splitting. 
  • A liberal table will have fewer decks. 

The Insurance Wager

Making an insurance wager is always a mistake. When taking an insurance bet, you give the dealer Blackjack by betting he has a down card of ten-value to go with Ace’s up card. If you win the insurance bet, you will get a 2-1 rare because the winning odds are worse than 2-1.

Optimal Blackjack Strategy

Mathematicians around the world have been studying this game for more than 60 years now. They have discovered that this game should be played with an optimal strategy. And if you don’t know this strategy, you should never play Blackjack. Through this strategy, players minimize the house edge below 1% while playing every hand.

Overlook Your Fellow-Players

While playing Blackjack, you should know that Blackjack is not a team game. The decision made by your fellow players does not affect your winning odds in the long run. Concentrate on your game, utilize basic strategies when appropriate, and ignore your fellow players. 

The Strategy Card

To avoid mistakes, use strategy cards. These casino-legal cards are readily available in the casino, and you can use them to ensure you made the correct decision on each dealing hand. However, most casinos do not allow strategy cards to be placed on tables, but you can hold them in your hand and use it each time you are puzzled. 

Continuous Shuffling is Undesired 

Most of the Blackjack tables use machines for continuous shuffling called CSMs. These machines shuffle cards after every round played. As a result, per-hour hand dealt increases, and players become exposed to bankrolls to the house edge. 

Choose tables where dealers shuffle the cards. Tables with the traditional mechanical shuffling method are also better. In this method, cards are shuffled after they are played 50%-75%. 

Do Not Use Progressive Strategies

Each game in Blackjack is different, never place a bet based on your previous win or loss. It would help if you never put a high bet unless the table has more high-valued cards than the low-valued pack of unplayed cards. 

Don’t Over Drink

Casinos mostly give free alcoholic drinks but keep in mind that drinking much can numb your senses and increase your chances of making wrong decisions. 

Woman at Blackjack table drinking and playing with chips

Keep in Mind “You Are Not Destined to Win”

Players often start increasing their bets after winning one or two games, which is a hazardous strategy. You should know that Blackjack is not just about winning, and you are not always destined to win. Therefore, never start betting high after winning one or two games.