How To Win At Blackjack 2024

Rules of the Game

You might be surprised to find out you've already read the basic rules of 21. The rules are straightforward, but having them at your fingertips gives you an edge over the house. There are cases of casinos banning players for being too skilled. Regardless of the style the house picks, pitch or shoe, standard blackjack rules apply to betting and overall gameplay. Your objective is always to beat the dealer without going bust.

Your actions and strategy in the blackjack game depend on the dealer's face-up card, and the idea is to improve your hand value or keep your current hand value. For these actions, you can make any of the five blackjack moves: 

• Stand - you are satisfied with your current hand and don't need any more cards.
• Hit - you want another card to improve your hand value or reach 21. However, beware of the possibility of busting by going over 21.
• Double down - you double your original bet for one additional card.
• Split - is only possible when you get two cards of the same value. It allows you to separate the hand into two equal bets and receive two new cards, playing with two hands against the dealer.
• Surrender - lets you save part of your bet by giving up part of your initial wager.

In order to choose the right actions, you will also need to understand some of the basic rules of the game: the card values, what happens when you “bust” and the difference between “hard” and “soft” hands.

Bust Blackjack Rule

Busting occurs when the total card value of a hand exceeds 21. It's a "break" as the bet is won or lost, and the game moves to another betting round. Whoever busts loses the bet to the opponent. For example, if the dealer has a hand of 10-6 but draws a 7, it's a bust as the total of 23 is greater than 21. In this case, you would win against the dealer (unless you also go bust).

Soft and Hard Hand Rules

In blackjack, a hard hand either has no ace or includes an ace but you cannot receive another card without busting. For example, a hand with 10 & 8 cards, or 5, A,10,&2 cards, is worth a hard 18. On the contrary, a soft hand is any hand with an ace where you can count the ace as either 1 or  11. So, a hand with A & 5 cards gives a soft 6 or 16. In this scenario, you are not at risk of busting if you take another card as the maximum card value in blackjack is 10 and you can count the ace as a 1: A, 5 & 10 is 16.

Knowing the difference between hard and soft hands is essential in blackjack as the playing strategy differs, even if the hand total is the same.

Blackjack Card Values

The value of the cards is as follows: 

Basic Blackjack Strategy

Blackjack Strategy helps you to optimise which actions you take in which scenarios. When you play blackjack, the game is between you and the house (dealer), not against other players, as in poker. So, the dealer's, not other players' hands, determine your win or loss.

The most basic blackjack strategy involves hitting with a hand total of 16 or less and standing with 17 or more. Here are some other common blackjack strategies that can help determine your moves:

• Card counting: Monitoring cards to try to predict the probability of different outcomes.
• Basic strategy: Rules based on mathematical calculations that guide the best action to take in any given situation. (Eg. standing on 17 or more.)
• Surrender: Giving up half of your bet and hand when faced with a challenging situation.
• Double down: Doubling your bet for one more card when you anticipate a chance of winning.
• Split: Separate a pair of cards into two hands when permitted by the rules to increase the chance of a win.
• Insurance: A side bet offered to you when the dealer shows an Ace, placed in case the dealer has blackjack.
• Soft hands: Choosing the ace value (1 or 11) that maximises the player's chances of winning.

Blackjack Card Counting

Card counting determines when the advantage is in the player's favour. The player can increase their bet when the benefit is high or reduce or avoid betting when the advantage is with the dealer. By varying their wagers this way, card counters aim to gain a positive edge over the casino. High-value cards (tens, picture cards, and aces) often benefit the player more than the dealer, while low-value cards (twos through sixes) benefit the dealer. The remaining cards (sevens, eights, and nines) are considered neutral, not impacting the player or the dealer much.

However, card counting does not apply to online blackjack, where a random number generator (RNG) issues the cards.

How Blackjack Card Counting Works

Card counting works by tracking the ratio of high-value to low-value cards in the deck as the game progresses. Low cards in the early rounds increase the concentration of high cards in the deck, giving players an advantage. So, you bet more, increasing your chance of blackjack or winning with a double-down. Conversely, if the deck has more low cards, it benefits the dealer, who must hit hands between 12 and 16. Card counters assign values to cards to track the ratio and determine when to bet. Here is how you do it:

1. Assign a value of (+1) to 2-6 cards and (-1) to 10-A cards.
2. Start counting after the shuffle and add the values to each card drawn.
3. If the running count is positive, increase your bet, as the undealt cards have larger value cards.
4. If the running count is negative, decrease your bet as the undealt cards have more small cards.
5. Bet more on positive counts and less on negative counts.

Blackjack Bankroll Management

"Bankroll management" is managing your money to ensure you have enough to play and perhaps take some profit home. It's a practice widely applied in gambling, whether poker, online slot machines, or any other casino game, and it helps you play through slumps. To manage your bankroll, you place your bets based on the following:

• Risk of ruins
• Specific betting units
• Daily Limits
• Table limits

The risk of ruin is the chance of losing your entire bankroll. Table rules, bet size, and skills decide this outcome.

How to Manage Your Bankroll

First, you need to decide how frequently you'll play blackjack. Based on this frequency, determine the number of bets, bet size, per-session bankroll, and overall daily spend in line with your risk of ruins.

In the game, maintain mental acuity and use the following rules for managing your blackjack bankroll:

• Ensure you have sufficient funds and distribute them evenly
• To extend your playtime, play with at least 100 betting units.
• Utilise a Hit/Stand chart for optimal gameplay and improved odds.
• Limit your blackjack play to a few hours to prevent exhaustion.
• Stick to a consistent betting strategy, such as betting a single unit.

Go for a break-even game with a low house edge that doesn’t push much pressure on your blackjack bankroll. If you stick to these bankroll management strategies, you’ll manage your funds and have fun at a blackjack table.

Blackjack Tips and Tricks 

One thing that makes blackjack stand out among other casino staples is the player's ability to make decisions that affect the outcome. Card counting is out of the equation for online blackjack players, but the other strategies come in handy. Here is how you can enhance your winning chances: 

Explore Player Advantage

A skilled player can significantly reduce the casino's built-in advantage with the right strategies and techniques. When playing blackjack, players have certain advantages over the dealer, including:

• Bonus Payoff for a Blackjack: Players receive a 3 to 2 payout on a blackjack hand, while the dealer only gets a 1 to 1 payout.
• Doubling Down: Players can double their wager in favourable situations, while the dealer cannot.
• Splitting Pairs: Players can split pairs, while dealers cannot.
• Hitting and Standing: Players can stand on totals of 12-16, while dealers must always hit on a total of 16 or lower.

Also, play on tables with favourable rules, and take advantage of comps and promotions. 

Reduce the House Edge

Using proper hitting and standing strategies, players can reduce the house edge by about 3.5%. Additionally, adequate doubling and pair-splitting strategies can further reduce the house edge by 1.6% and 0.4%, respectively.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

You may already know what to do to enhance your winning chances, but you won't if you make the following mistakes:

• Hit on a soft 17: Another card is highly likely to bust your hand value.
• Place an insurance bet: The potential payout is not worth the risk as the odds are low for the dealer to get blackjack.
• Try to Count cards: RNG deals with the cards, so counting has no bearing. 
• Splitting 4s, 5s, or 10s. Splitting these pairs diminishes the chances of success. 
• Doubling bet too often: Doubling down puts more money at stake while risking a bust. There's no point in risking more often. 
• Assuming all blackjack games are the same. The rules for various variants vary, and you may lose money for making such assumptions.
• Ignoring the payout ratio. Always check the payout to know the game to avoid. For instance, you never play a 6:5 blackjack table, as the casino has a decisive edge.
• Consistently flat betting. Flat-rate betting denies you the opportunity to magnify your wins when the opportunity strikes and cut your losses when the risk is high.