Blackjack has long been the card game of choice for intellectuals, mathematicians, and those who like a real chance to beat the house. It is a game that requires skill, practice, and persistence to master. But even if you don’t consider yourself an expert, you can improve your odds of winning by learning how to play and by using proven strategies to your advantage.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when playing blackjack is that your objective is to beat the dealer. This is accomplished by the dealer not drawing a hand value that goes over 21 or by having a higher total than you on your first two cards (called a “natural”). This is a simple concept, but there are many misconceptions about what beating the dealer in blackjack actually means.
There are also a number of side bets that can be played in blackjack to increase your payouts and your chances of winning. These include insurance, doubling down, and surrendering (when available). These options are not always available in every casino, but they are worth exploring to see what kind of effect they have on your odds of winning.
Generally, blackjack is a game that requires skill, practice, persistence, and a bankroll that can withstand wild variance. However, you can minimize your losses and maximize your wins by following these basic strategies:
Avoid Buying Insurance
If you play blackjack for a long time, you’ve probably heard the advice to never buy insurance. This is because the odds are slightly against you, and you’ll likely lose more money by paying for insurance than you will win back in your insurance payouts. Nevertheless, some players still buy insurance because it gives them peace of mind and makes the game more fun.
Novice Players Miss Golden Opportunities
Novice blackjack players will almost invariably play their hands too conservatively. They’ll hesitate to hit when they should, and they’ll also fail to double down or split pairs as often as they should. This can end up giving up a lot of money to the house, whereas expert players will take full advantage of any opportunity they have to boost their winnings.
The best way to learn a blackjack strategy is to study it on paper, and then play the game while trying to remember the correct actions for each situation. Creating flashcards with different hands and saying the correct playing strategy out loud can help you better solidify the information in your memory. Then, when you’re ready to play for real money, don’t deviate from the provided strategy. This will defeat the purpose of using a blackjack strategy.