5 Ways to Win at Blackjack

There is no’magic’ or’sure-fire’ way to win at blackjack but the right approach can increase your chances significantly. Players must learn the rules of the game well, improve their skills and play with a proper strategy in order to succeed.

Basic Strategy

The fundamentals of blackjack can be taught in just a few hours and once you have the basics down, you’ll be able to play more confidently. The key is to understand what the house edge is and how you can reduce it, which means you’ll be able to take home more money from your bankroll.

A good strategy will help you make the most of your bets, whether it’s playing with a high or low bankroll. It will also help you determine what games you can afford to play and what bet limits are appropriate for you.

Basic strategy will help you know when to hit, stand, double down and split. It will also allow you to count cards in the deck and use that information to increase your advantage.

The Hi-Lo Count

There are many different counting systems used in blackjack, but the basic idea is to count the face up cards and their corresponding values. The Hi-Lo method is one of the most popular, and it allows you to see how often your cards are winning and losing against the dealer’s face up card.

Using this strategy will give you an advantage of a few percentage points over the casino. But it’s not an automatic winner, so you should always use a system that is tailored to your situation and your bankroll.

Early Surrender

In some variants of blackjack, you have the option to surrender your hand before the dealer checks for blackjack. This gives you half your initial bet back, and if your hand looks bad, it can save you some money.

Insurance

Taking insurance, or placing an additional bet when the dealer has a face-up ace, is a big mistake. Only 4 out of 13 possible cards will give the dealer a blackjack under the ace, which means you’ll only be paid 2 to 1 for an insurance bet.

If you’re playing a low-limit game, insurance can be an effective strategy for increasing your winnings, but only if you use the correct system. It’s also a good idea to play only when there are no other players at the table and you can focus on your own decisions.

Wonging/Back Counting

This is an old trick used by some players to reduce their bet spread by only playing when they think there is a player favourable count at the table. However, this technique is now frowned upon by casinos as it can be a dangerous tactic for players.

Splitting Aces

If your hand is made up of two aces, you should always split them, especially if the dealer’s card is between 3 and 7. This will give you a better chance of making a total of 12 that will not bust.