7 Ways to Beat the House in Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most popular table games in the world and players enjoy it because it requires both skill and luck. It takes numerous game sessions before players can learn the rules and the optimal strategy for playing this exciting game. However, once someone is well aware of what happens after he joins a blackjack table, he can scoop some good winnings. Naturally, there are always some tips and tricks that can help players to increase their chances of winning and hence we prepared for you a list with the top 7 ways to beat the house in blackjack.

Use Card Counting Technique

Card counting is one of the best ways for players to gain advantage over the house. As the name suggests, players should count the cards that have been used in the previous hands and therefore know what to expect in the following sessions. Contrary to what many people believe, you don’t have to have an extraordinary memory in order to use this technique because you are not remembering the specific cards, just the total count. The higher the total count is, the higher your chances of winning the next hand are. However, count counting can be used only if you know when the deck is shuffled and how many decks are used in the game. Therefore, this method cannot be used by online players since at online casinos the deck is shuffled after each hand.

Know the Optimal Playing Strategy

Having an optimal blackjack playing strategy is a must. Playing strategies not only help you reduce the house edge of the game, but they also help you plan your next move. On the Internet there are many charts that show players when is the best to hit, stand, double or split. However, bear in mind that each blackjack variant has a different playing strategy and hence learn the strategy which is made for your favourite blackjack game.

Never Mimic the Dealer

Besides good playing strategies that increase players’ chances of winning, there are also bad strategies that should be avoided. One of those is called Mimic the Dealer and players should never use it. The house edge of blackjack played with this strategy is 5.48% and its rules are very simple: hit on soft 16 or less, stand on soft 17 and never double or split.

Avoid Never Bust Strategy

Never Bust is another bad playing strategy that increases the house edge and ruins the player’s chance of a positive outcome. As the name suggests, the objective of this strategy is to prevent players from busting and therefore it advises them never to hit a hand whose total count is 12 or more. Even though all the other combinations are played in accordance with the optimal strategy, Never Bust can seriously harm your bankroll.

Know When to Split Pairs

When the player is dealt two cards that have the same value he is given the chance to split them. Therefore, knowing which pairs should be split and which should be kept is crucial. For example, cards that should always be split are Aces and 8s. On the other hand, 4s and 10s should never be separated. Some other pairs, such as 6s, 7s and 9s sometimes should be split and sometimes should be kept; this depends on the dealer’s face-up card.

Don’t Place Insurance Bet

Even though insurance bet sounds like something that helps players to prevent losing, it is, in fact, one of the worst things blackjack fans can do. Insurance bets pay 2:1 and their house edge varies from2% to high 15% depending on the number of decks used in the game and the cards played. Therefore, one way to avoid losing money and to beat the house is to never place insurance bets.

Blackjack Variant

One of the most important things you have to know if you are hoping to beat the house in blackjack is the house edge. However, the house edge depends on the rules used in the game or, in other words, on the particular variant. Some variants have higher house advantage, whereas others are more favourable towards players. The more liberal the rules are the bigger chances of winning players have. Some of the variants that are highly recommended are Single Deck Blackjack and Blackjack Switch.

Summary

Beating the house in blackjack takes many hours of practicing the best playing strategy, learning rules and getting familiar with the game. However, once you spend enough time doing these things you will be more than ready to join any blackjack table and make the best out of your hands. All you have to do is follow our tips, be confident in your skills and hope that the luck will be on your side.