If you love playing casino games, either on the Strip or, as the case may be, on the toilet from your phone, the chances are you love playing blackjack. The age-old card game is based on one from France that is even older. It is consistently voted the most popular casino game, and the reasons for that are clear.
Blackjack is a game that everyone knows how to play – or at least, they think they do, more on that in a moment. The game is simple, yet unlike roulette or slots, there are decisions to make that affect the outcome, so it is not only down to chance. Playing the right strategy makes a low house edge even lower, so there is a lot to like.
However, playing blackjack well is a little more nuanced than you might think. The following tips are worth checking out even if you think you know all there is to know about the game of blackjack.
All Blackjack Games Are Not The Same
You’ve played at one blackjack table, you’ve played them all, right? Wrong. Whether you’re playing online or in a land-based casino, every table has its own rules. The most important is to make sure the table pays 3:2 for a natural. Some pay only 6:5, which has a brutal impact on the house edge, so give those a wide berth. Dealer stands on soft 17 is another rule worth looking out for as it places the player at a slight advantage in the long run.
Basic Strategy Makes A Massive Difference
Chances are you have heard of basic strategy. It sets out the optimum calls contingent on your hand and the dealer’s upcard. But have you taken time to learn it? Most blackjack players hit, stand and split pairs according to gut feel and instinct. The thing is, basic strategy is the result of painstaking mathematical analysis and it works. Play according to instinct and the house edge is about three percent. Use basic strategy and it reduces to around one percent.
Card Counting Is Easier Than You Think
Far be it for anyone to criticize Rain Man. It’s one of the great movies of the 80s. But it gave a whole generation the entirely wrong idea about card counting. You don’t need a specially wired brain, all it takes is a very simple system and you’ll whittle that house edge down even further. One important point for online casino players is that you will need to play your blackjack at a live dealer table for card counting to be of any use. You can find plenty of recommendations at www.gamblingsites.com if you are not sure which live dealer casino to use.
VIPs Get Special Perks
It sounds like a statement of the obvious, but today’s casino players are so accustomed to bonus cash and free spins raining down on them that they don’t bother to join the casino’s loyalty scheme. That’s a big error for blackjack players, as the freebies do not come so thick and fast here as they do for slots players. Join the club, though, and you will receive rewards over time.
