What Are the Best Online Blackjack Strategies?
Blackjack is one of the most popular and straightforward casino games, loved for its mix of luck and skill. With simple rules and the potential for players to beat the house with the right strategy, it’s no wonder blackjack is a favourite among casino enthusiasts.
However, if you’re looking to improve your odds at winning, simply knowing how to play blackjack isn’t enough — you need a solid strategy. In this article, we’ll explore the best online blackjack strategies that can boost your chances of success.
Learn Basic Blackjack Strategy
The first and most important strategy to master is the basic blackjack strategy. This is a mathematically derived guide that tells you the best decision to make in every possible scenario during a game.
Whether to hit, stand, double down, or split is determined by a combination of your hand and the dealer’s face-up card. Here’s why this strategy is crucial:
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Minimises the house edge: By following basic strategy, you reduce the casino’s advantage to as low as 0.5%.
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Simple to learn: The strategy is laid out in easy-to-understand charts that you can use while playing online.
For example, if you have a hand totaling 12 and the dealer shows a 4, 5, or 6, basic strategy advises standing since the dealer is more likely to bust. On the other hand, if the dealer shows a 10, you should hit to improve your hand.
Practice Bankroll Management
Even the best strategy won’t save you if you don’t manage your bankroll effectively. Bankroll management is the practice of controlling how much money you’re willing to risk in a session. Key tips for managing your blackjack bankroll include:
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Set a budget: Before you begin playing, set a limit on how much you’re willing to lose. Stick to it!
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Divide your bankroll: Don’t go all-in with large bets. Instead, divide your bankroll into smaller bets, allowing you to play more hands and spread the risk.
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Know when to walk away: Whether you’re winning or losing, it’s essential to know when to stop. Quitting while ahead is one of the best ways to walk away with profits.
Use Card Counting (For Live Blackjack)
Card counting is a classic blackjack strategy that can be used to increase your chances of winning, especially in live dealer blackjack games where multiple decks are used. Though online casinos shuffle the cards regularly, card counting can still be helpful in live games. Here’s how it works:
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Assign values: Cards from 2-6 are given a value of +1, cards from 7-9 are 0, and 10-Ace are -1.
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Track the count: As cards are dealt, add or subtract the values accordingly. A positive count means more low cards have been dealt, leaving high cards in the deck, giving you a better chance to win.
While card counting can give you a slight edge, it’s essential to know that most online casinos take precautions, like shuffling the deck often, to prevent this method from being too effective.
Avoid Insurance Bets
Many blackjack players fall into the trap of taking insurance bets when the dealer shows an Ace. This side bet allows you to wager that the dealer has blackjack, offering a 2:1 payout if they do. However, insurance bets are statistically a bad move:
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Higher house edge: Insurance increases the house edge, making it a losing proposition in the long run.
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Not beneficial for most players: Unless you’re card counting and confident the deck is rich in 10s, avoid insurance as a general rule.
Know When to Split and Double Down
Another crucial element of blackjack strategy is knowing when to split and when to double down. These decisions can significantly impact your odds:
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Splitting pairs: Always split Aces and 8s. A pair of Aces gives you two strong hands, while 8s turn a weak hand into two potentially winning hands.
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Doubling down: Double down when your hand totals 10 or 11, and the dealer shows a weak card (4, 5, or 6). This increases your chances of getting a high card, resulting in a strong hand.
On the other hand, avoid splitting 10s or 5s. A pair of 10s is already a strong hand, and splitting 5s weakens your chances of winning.
Play Blackjack Variants with Favourable Rules
Not all blackjack games are created equal. Consider these games when looking for a blackjack variant that might increase your chances of winning.
Lightning Blackjack (Evolution Gaming)
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Unique Multipliers: Lightning Blackjack adds a twist by offering multipliers on winning hands. After winning a hand, you can receive a multiplier (from 2x to 25x) that applies to future hands if you win.
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Dealer Stands on Soft 17: Similar to traditional blackjack, in Lightning Blackjack, the dealer stands on soft 17, which is favourable to the player.
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Why It's Favourable: While Lightning Blackjack follows standard rules with a low house edge, the real advantage lies in the multipliers, which can significantly boost your winnings on future hands. However, keep in mind that a small "Lightning Fee" is charged per round to fund these multipliers.
PLAY EVOLUTION LIGHTNING BLACKJACK
Speed Blackjack (Evolution Gaming)
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Faster Gameplay: Speed Blackjack is designed for quicker rounds by allowing players to make decisions simultaneously instead of waiting for turns. After the first two cards are dealt, all players can decide to hit, stand, double, or split at the same time.
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Dealer Stands on Soft 17: The dealer standing on soft 17 remains in effect, keeping the rules player-friendly.
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Why It's Favourable: Speed Blackjack follows standard favourable blackjack rules (dealer stands on soft 17, doubling after splitting, etc.), but its fast-paced nature allows for more hands per hour. If you're using a solid strategy, this can increase your chances of maximising winnings over time.
PLAY EVOLUTION SPEED BLACKJACK
Conclusion
Mastering online blackjack requires a combination of solid strategy, smart decision-making, and bankroll management. Whether you're sticking to the basic strategy, learning to count cards in live games, or choosing games with favorable rules, the goal is to minimize the house edge and maximize your chances of walking away with a profit.
With the right strategies in place, you’ll not only enjoy the game more but also improve your odds of winning. Just remember to gamble responsibly and have fun!
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