Blackjack is one of the most popular games in the world to play due to the fact that not only is it easy and fun to play but also because it is one of the few games offered at casinos that hold the potential to give an experienced player the ability to win over 50% of the time with a good strategy. If you’ve been having some trouble at the tables lately and want to increase your odds of winning or simply are looking for a new strategy to try consider a few of these simple tips to help improve your game:
Buying Insurance with a Blackjack
While it’s not common, the time may come about every now and then when you may be dealt a blackjack while the dealer has an ace showing. If you’re sitting at a table that offers a 3 to 2 payout on a blackjack then in this case it’s actually a good idea to purchase insurance on the hand rather than risking it. The reason for this is at a 3 to 2 payout ratio for the blackjack you have by risking 50% of your initial wager on an insurance bet you’ll still be coming out of the round with a 1 to 1 payout win, something you risk losing otherwise if you try playing the round and having it end in a push. In this case insurance grants you a guaranteed win while no insurance means a simple tie – not good odds in terms of your money and the risk associated with it.
Always Double Down
Whenever you have a 10 or 11 (especially an 11) always double-down your bet, especially if you think that you have a high chance of receiving a face card being dealt to you after seeing a large number of low-ranking cards coming out on the table earlier in the rotation. The ability to double-down is one of the greatest tools at a blackjack player’s disposal and should be used as often as possible to double each round’s earning and keep yourself ahead of the House, especially due to the fact that by doing it on an 11 the odds are much more likely in your favor of walking away a winner in the long-run than simply slowly draining your chip stack on minor plays over the course of however long you play.
Split Strategically
While being dealt two aces may be good in some games (like Texas Hold ‘Em) it is in fact one of the worst hands to hold by itself in blackjack as you’ll be sitting with either a 2 or 12 – something that’s hard to work your way out of unless you get just the right cards at just the right time. Instead, by splitting them, you give yourself a chance at getting two blackjacks in a single round, a much more enticing alternative, and even if you don’t you have two hands with a large amount of flexibility to get you close to the ideal 21 mark. The same holds true for being dealt two 8s as you can easily give yourself a shot at two decent hands by splitting rather than a single poor hand totaling 16 by keeping them together. Alternatively never split 10s or face cards due to the fact that you’ll be breaking up an exceptional hand for a chance at a decent hand at best – potentially losing all your bets on a risky gamble at best.
