Last updated: December 29, 2022
Blackjack is a game of skill and endless potential. The type of game that lets you get started with ease thanks to the simple skills, while also making it possible to master with in-depth strategies.
The big question is, where do you start? Well, right here with the CasinoToday player guide for best blackjack tips is an excellent choice. Here we cover all the best tips and winning tricks plus plenty of useful tidbits that you can use to get started or help you take your gaming experience to the next level.
In the opening chapter, we look at helping you get started with blackjack by touching base on many fundamental aspects. These are essential when learning how to win at blackjack, and you’ll need to know these components to get the most of our tips and tricks.
Whether you know it or not, the aim of the game is not to get to 21. Although, doing so is a good indicator of whether you will win or not. The actual objective of the game is to have a hand that beats the dealer’s hand.
You can meet this objective in two ways:
If your hand value goes over 21, you will have busted (or go bust). If both you and the dealer bust, the dealer either wins or your bet is pushed. Depending on the casino or game variant you are playing.
Understanding the card values in blackjack is straightforward:
You will hear the term hard hands and soft hands a lot. A hard hand is any hand that does not feature an ace, or if it does include an ace – it counts as a one. An example of this would be a 10-8 is a hard 18.
The best way to understand what goes on is remembering that If the ace is going to take you over 21, it will be considered a one.
Therefore a soft hand is one that features an act that counts as an 11. Examples of soft hands include:
When you are dealt a hand, including an ace in the initial two cards, you count the ace as an 11. More often than not, when you hit on a soft hand, the drawn cards will change your soft hand into a hard hand.
Thus, it is impossible to draw an initial hand to bust when drawn as a soft hand.
Don’t get things twisted; the number of decks featured in the game of blackjack will affect your winning chances. Traditionally, games will be dealt with from a shoe; however, you may occasionally find a straight-deck being used.
Games with a single deck are not particularly common as players have much better odds of winning against them, given they include significantly fewer cards.
Typically, games being dealt from a shoe will contain either four, six, or eight standard decks.
This means that there are between four and eight 52-card decks, which means four to eight times the number of cards to draw and count. Thus, making it difficult in terms of counting cards and easier for players to bust.
If you enjoy your blackjack and getting wins is something that you would prefer to have, pay attention to the number (or the approximate size) of the deck you are playing at. Avoid games that the deck is being shuffled consistently, too, as this is returning the discarded cards to the deck faster.
The dealer plays by slightly different rules to players, but this doesn’t mean the dealer can play hands. Instead, these rules specify the actions that the dealer must take – whether to hit or stand depending on their hand.
When Does the Dealer Hit in Blackjack
The dealer will hit and draw another card if their hand has a total value below 17.
Some casinos have specific rules that state that dealers stand on a soft 17. It is better for players if the dealer has to stand on soft 17, so keep an eye out for this rule.
When Does the Dealer Stand in Blackjack
The dealer will stand when their hand total is anywhere between 17 and 21.
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Chapter two of this guide is all about casino betting systems. We look at both positive and negative progression systems and don’t just give you the good side. We expose some of the downsides too. Capping it all off with a summary of what to consider before implementing these systems in your gambling.
Blackjack Betting Systems are Progression Based
These systems are known as progressive-based systems because of the action required following a win or loss. A positive progression system works to increase the number of players’ bet after a win, whereas a negative system includes increasing the bet after a loss.
These systems aim to take advantage of streaks, but these are hard to capitalize on.
As we just mentioned, these negative betting systems are based on changing the amount of bets depending on whether you win or lose a bet. There are four of these negative systems that are most popularly used among blackjack players; this includes:
You will find a rundown for each of these systems below.
Martingale was first used in France during the 1700s. It’s a basic system to implement, and you might have used it already without knowing.
The basic premise of using Martingale is to ensure that you’re always able to recover your losses when scoring a single win.
To get the best output with the Martingale method, you should stick with the same bet. This is because the Martingale system works in a best-case scenario when the parameters are kept the same – otherwise, you just risk amplifying this system’s downside.
Using Martingale in Blackjack
Using Martingale is easy but understanding that you need to start your bets low because if you run into an unlucky string of losses, your bets’ cost will quickly blow out of proportion. We suggest starting on the table minimum; this is because if you lose – your next bet is double that amount. If you lose the next bet again, then you will double your bet amount again and continue to do this until you win.
So, a string of losses can be very detrimental.
However, when you win, you will earn back all of your losses and be one unit ahead (your original bet). Once you’ve scored that win, start all over again with your initial bet.
The d’Alembert betting system is widely known as the best (or safest) method of all the progression betting systems. It is negative-based and requires players to alternate back and forth with the values of their bets.
Using the system is simple: whether you win or lose will determine what action you take.
Using d’Alembert in Blackjack
We suggest starting your bet at the table minimum unless you have a significant amount of money to gamble with. With d’Alembert, we refer to your bets in units, with one unit being equivalent to a $5 bet (the table minimum). This makes it easy to understand multiple units.
If you lose your first bet, you will need to add one unit to the amount you bet next. This would mean your second bet would become two units, i.e., $10. If you happen to lose again, you would add another unit onto your bet, so your wager would become $15. Continue adding one unit each time you lose your bet.
If you win your bet, you will lower your wager by one unit. It’s like climbing up and down a ladder, raising and lowering your bets depending on how lucky you are with wins.
Fibonacci is rather complicated compared to the other systems. Again, a negative progression system but also follows the logic of the Fibonacci mathematical sequence. The strategy here follows a series of numbers that would be compared to your betting amount for the gambling context.
However, each number in this series is the sum of the two prior numbers. For example, an easy to understand series for gambling would be 5-5-10-15-25-40, and so on.
Using Fibonacci in Blackjack
The Fibonacci system is more complicated than the other systems and is based on its mathematical sequence. This negative progression betting strategy follows a series of numbers, with each number being the total of the previous two numbers together.
An example of this would be a series of numbers 5-5-10-15-25-40 and so on.
To implement Fibonacci into your blackjack betting, simply base your bet amount on the first number in the sequence – the example we just gave you is easy and works on a table minimum of $5.
When you lose your bet, you increase your wager to the next amount in the sequence. So, starting on a $5 bet, your first loss would make your 2nd bet $5 again, and then $10, $15, $25, and continue until you win.
Once you’ve won your bet, restart back to the beginning at $5.
We’ve covered the ‘31’ betting system even though it is much more uncommon to see being used. This is because the method has a rather unorthodox number sequence behind it that is harder to implement into traditional casino table games.
The series of numbers in this system are 1-1-1-4-8-16 (it totals 31).
Using the ‘31’ Betting System in Blackjack
Start your betting off with the first number in the sequence; if you lose, you move on and bet the next number in the sequence. If you win, you bet double your last bet. If you win again on this doubled-down bet, you start the sequence again from the start. If you lose, you go on to the next number in the sequence.
The problem with this system is that players aren’t typically able to bet $1 at the blackjack tables. This means that you will need to consider the numbers at units rather than bet values to use the system.
So, one unit would be worth the table minimum, which is typically $5.
This approach is fine for the first four numbers, but when it comes to doubling down and betting the four, eight, and 16 units, that is quite a bit of dough ($20, $40, and $80, respectively) for a single bet.
This section explores Oscar’s grind and parlay betting systems, giving you a brief explanation of how they work and what they mean for blackjack players.
The parlay betting progression system is essentially a method used to build up winnings and reuse them for subsequent bets before locking away the profits.
Using Parlay Betting in Blackjack Games
It is a simple system to use. Start with a bet worth one unit – we recommend basing your units on the minimum table amount, which is typically $5. The following example is based on getting lucky, so, If you win your first bet, increase your wager to two units. If it wins again, increase your bet to three units. If you win once more, increase your bet for the final time to five units.
If you win this bet at five units, lock away your 11 unit profit and start all over again with a simple bet worth one unit.
If at any time you lose your bet, ditch your current position in the sequence and start again at one unit.
This betting system was initially used in the game of craps; however, many players have effectively used it in blackjack games. The method is straightforward to implement, having a similar playstyle as Martingale.
Using Oscar’s Grind in Blackjack
Bets are formed around a unit basis. Every time a player loses, add one unit to the amount of the wager. Continuing doing so until scoring a win, at which point the losses will be won back, and players will be a single unit ahead, after which it is then time to restart back at one unit.
Betting systems like those we mentioned earlier look quite attractive on paper, but this is not often the case in a practical setting.
The big thing you need to remember about betting systems is that they really only suit niche use. This is because of how risky they can be to implement in your blackjack play.
As these systems work on a progression-basis, getting caught in a string of bad luck can negatively affect players. Prolonged losing streaks will lead to consecutive losses, and for example, with the Martingale strategy, this means large bets.
When you break it down and do the math – the numbers are quite frightening. In blackjack, you have a 52% chance of losing your hand, not including the potential for ties. We can take it further by looking at the chance of losing ten consecutive hands as 0.14%.
Sounds like a minor amount but what this means is that:
When you look at it this way, it is easy to see how quickly things can blow out of proportion with betting systems.
In chapter three, we share our tips and winning tricks for blackjack players. We’ve worked closely with our team of experts to bring you this comprehensive breakdown of all the best nuggets of information that they wish they were privy to sooner!
Playing blackjack is such a straightforward game, but often players can be at fault for trying to overcomplicate things. The first and best place to start when improving your chances of winning at blackjack games is to start with basic strategies.
The game has been studied meticulously by mathematicians for over 70 years. When we talk about optimal play getting the house edge under 1%, we aren’t joking around. It is a proven fact with supporting evidence.
Start with basic strategies and develop a thorough understanding of when to hit and stand in simple games.
Insurance is one of those things that you generally have to take for everything, but making an insurance bet in blackjack is known as a sucker bet for a reason. This bet just doesn’t work out in any aspect.
If you win an insurance bet, you will get paid 2 to 1, but the odds of winning on insurance are much worse than 2 to 1. So, play smart and just take the loss if it does come.
Don’t forget to check the dealer’s card! The game itself and the decisions that you make are entirely dependent upon what hand the dealer has or might have a chance of getting. This is often where players get lost. They think the goal is to get to 21. Therefore they pay less attention to the dealer’s cards.
The first thing you do before you start considering deciding whether to hit, stand, or split is to check the dealer’s face-up card. Is it a bad matchup – typically a two through to six, or is it a good matchup – typically seven through to ace.
What the dealer has makes all the difference in what action players take, not their own hand.
Don’t run in guns blazing when you sit down at the blackjack table! Take it slow and start small to get an idea of how the table is running. Is the dealer ‘hot’ or ‘cold’? Don’t be afraid to switch things up and drop back down to smaller bets if you feel that you are hitting a cold streak or suffering repeated bad luck.
These streaks are common, and although they can’t be predicted, it always seems like they come in bunches, which is why it is great to try and swing with these streaks.
Also, starting small isn’t just something that should be done as you sit down at a table. If a new dealer comes in to take over, then consider dropping back and starting fresh again. It’s like a new game.
Avoid sitting in the first position seat at the table. If you sit further down the line, you will have more time to review your hand and the dealer’s card before making a decision. This is especially great if the dealer is rushing through hands at a faster rate.
Blackjack is a game that can have a number of players seated at the table. This is great if you are a social person but remember that blackjack is not a team sport. Ignore the other players, none of their decisions will affect your hand, and thus it is important to focus on your game and not get caught up in their hand or thinking about any wins or losses other players experience.
This is such an obvious tip, but it’s also something that you rarely see among blackjack players. Don’t think you are too good or be afraid to use a strategy chart! If you aren’t sure what a strategy chart is, we recommend checking out our blackjack strategy guide.
There is nothing illegal with using a chart to help you stay on the right track. These guides will give you a quick and easy reference to playing the right hands – avoiding the costly mistakes!
Remember not to place your chart on the table – casinos don’t like players to place anything on the table, so it is best to hold the chart in your hand.
Our fourth chapter is all about playing blackjack online. We give you the tricks and tips that you need to know – and that we wished we had known sooner! This is where you’ll find out great ways to play and legit sites to play at.
Plus, we give you pointers on what not to do and how you can shoot yourself in the foot if you don’t pivot the way you play.
Online casinos first graced players back in 1995, offering poker games. Since then, things have changed drastically, and now you can enjoy playing online blackjack games. There are plenty of advantages but these come with disadvantages too.
Below we check out some of them.
Online casinos that offer blackjack games will typically be safe and secure to play at. However, given these sites are hosted outside of the USA, there are certain components that you need to look for when determining whether a site is reputable or not.
One of the most straightforward ways to determine whether a site is safe and secure is to first look at the gaming license that the online casino operates under.
While this won’t guarantee anything, it does create guidelines and standards that the casino must adhere to in order to maintain their license.
All casinos are different, and when you become familiar with playing at them, you will better understand what to spot. To help give you a headstart, we’ve shared some of the aspects we look for when finding a safe and reputable online casino:
On top of this, be sure to check out our casino reviews to see firsthand what to expect. We do all the heavy lifting for you and share the results and our feedback on what works and what doesn’t, plus plenty more worthwhile information along the way.
Have you wondered how online blackjack games work? It’s quite simple, really, and these games are developed based on a random number generator (RNG) algorithm – which does exactly as the name suggests.
These algorithms are what allow games like blackjack and the slots to generate unique outcomes on every round. The RNG aspect might sound negative for players because it removes a sense of control, but this is far from the truth.
RNG’s make it so that the casino doesn’t have control over the game – ensuring fair play.
The software developers who create blackjack games focus on the player experience—making it easy to use and simple to follow. Whether you play on your computer (with a mouse) or a mobile device using the touchscreen, it is as simple as setting your bet amounts and choosing whether to hit or stand once being dealt a hand.
Part of the reason why many players enjoy blackjack is the social and casino environment. Sure, playing online doesn’t feel the same, but certain games do a brilliant job of replicating this.
These games are known as live dealer games, and they are the perfect blackjack game for players who want to enjoy the social side of gambling games.
In these online blackjack games, players will enjoy a different playstyle with dealers playing the game live on camera! This gives you the chance to interact with the dealer and other players through the webchat.
Online casinos that offer these live games will typically provide access to this software through third parties. Some of the most popular developers of live blackjack games include Evolution Gaming and Vivo Gaming.
Better yet, thanks to the advances in technology – you won’t need to download any software to access these games. You can play with multiple native-language dealers directly from your computer or mobile device straight from the browser.
Realistically, it is not possible to count cards in online blackjack games. This does create a bit of a disappointment for players because card counting is a popular technique.
So, why is it not possible to count cards? Online blackjack uses RNG algorithms’ which effectively means that the number of cards in the ‘shoe’ is infinite. It is just like how multi-deck games reduce your edge because of the higher number and frequency of less player-friendly cards.
Even though you can’t count cards, you can still win. Consider playing with optimal strategy and make the best choices instead.
In the last chapter of this blackjack tips and tricks guide, we cover one of the most critical aspects of any gambler’s success – how to properly manage your bankroll. You might be thinking, “I’m good”, I know how to look after my money, but unfortunately, that’s not what managing a bankroll is all about.
Often it is the minor things that players are undone by, which is why we’ve saved the best for last because we cover many of the minor things, some of which you might never have considered yet.
In casino games like blackjack, bankroll management is the first step to having successful sessions playing – with success being based on avoiding going bust or running out of money to play with.
It’s really important, and really simple too. When it comes to managing your bankroll, there are three components:
Now that we’ve cleared all that – let’s get started!
Below you will find five of our quick and actionable tips that you can start using immediately for better results across the table!
The quicker you come to terms with the fact that some people are more well off financially than others, the better. This isn’t as much a problem for online blackjack players, but if you visit the casino to play, then chances are you will come across a variety of different players.
Whether wealthy or playing with a few bills, playing small stress-free bets or dropping big-time bets on the table – if you try to keep up with or impress other players, you will slip up quickly.
It’s actually been found to cause players to ditch their gameplan and knowledge altogether. Therefore it is something that our experts are really adamant about.
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to keep up with the Jones’; focus less on worrying about other players and more on your game.
Your best way to maintain a profitable gambling session is to put all your concentration into your own gameplay and strategies! You won’t make money thinking about others, whether it’s their money or bets.
Setting yourself limits and goals is a critical aspect of developing a healthy bankroll and responsible gambling choices. Although setting limits sounds negative, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Limits are an excellent way to keep yourself from jumping headfirst into a hole.
The best way to understand limits is to think of them as goals, though, not limits or ceilings. These goals and limits aren’t just bad either; there is more to it than simply saying – “if I lose $50, I’ll stop”.
Following this best practice sets you up for success and gives structure to your gaming. To help make it easier for you, we’ve included below the goals and limits that we like to create before playing blackjack:
The goals/limits above are smart – simple, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.
It’s a simple concept, but so many fail to do this. Regardless of how much money you have available in the bank, only gamble with money you can afford to lose. This is the best way to stop yourself from hurting those around you that rely on you.
After all, gambling isn’t about how great you are at the games, but rather how great you are at managing your money.
The best way to ensure that you only gamble with money that you can afford to lose is to ask yourself whether you are ok if that money is gone.
If you lose your bankroll in the entirety, will you or the people that rely on your support be disadvantaged? Will you struggle to pay your bills or maintain your responsibilities?
When you think about these aspects of your gambling bankroll, if you thought yes, this would cause a problem, or yes, I do need this money, then that is money that you can’t afford to lose.
Be responsible and don’t gamble with what you can’t afford to lose.
Have you had a big session and scored a decent amount of winnings? Consider this, don’t spend it, don’t save it for a future holiday. Keep it aside and use it on your next bankroll.
It sounds crazy, but this is one of the underrated techniques that many players use, especially those who like to enjoy their trip to the casino as a mini getaway in itself.
This tip revolves around not using or spending any of the money that you win, or otherwise any of the money that is on top of your starting bankroll. There is an effortless way to ensure you do this too. All you need is a post envelope!
Take this envelope with you, either keep it in a bag or in your hotel room if you are using the accommodation. When your session is over, place any of your winnings or leftover money into this envelope and seal it up for next time.
It helps you to maintain consistency and makes your next gambling session a lot easier to afford as you may already have the entire bankroll or a significant portion of it ready to use.
Following up on setting limits and goals – real winners know when to stop. It’s easier said than done, but you need to work on this aspect of your bankroll management. One of the most problematic components of gambling is losses.
How you handle your losses will be a significant deciding factor in whether you build some decent winnings or otherwise fall into a hole that is hard to climb out of.
Whether you are ahead with your cash or falling behind rapidly – there comes a time when you need to stop, and it’s best to know how to see that moment.
Once you know when to stop, the next part is even more challenging. That is knowing you should stop and make yourself stop playing.
That concludes our guide to the best blackjack tips and tricks! You might have been overloaded with information about the game here and there, but these are valuable pieces of advice that we wish we had earlier at the end of the day.
We hope that you have enjoyed working through the five chapters of this blackjack guide. No doubt, you will have picked up a few helpful tips and tricks to increase your chances of winning with this excellent game.
As we look back to summarize this guide, we know that we’ve focused heavily on simple yet effective pieces of blackjack information hoping that these small pockets of knowledge become easy to digest and implement.
Having walked you through the basics of playing blackjack games, we are confident that you won’t have any of the small hiccups that are so common for beginners and veterans alike.
You can take advantage of our online blackjack tips and dive straight into some of the most reputable websites currently available and what else – we make it easier than ever with our easy-to-follow list of recommendations right here.
For those of you who are a little more confident, why not give it a go trying to find an excellent site using our criteria of what to look for – which we set out in chapter four.
Above all else, we hope that you have taken on board all the information we dissected concerning the well-known betting system strategies. Remember that sometimes things aren’t as they seem, and this is true for these betting strategies, so take it with a grain of salt when you consider implementing our tips alongside those betting systems.
Blackjack might not be the game for everyone, but for players that love the challenge of mixing skill and luck – it’s a perfect choice. If you are interested in learning more about playing blackjack games, we recommend reading our how to play blackjack guide, plus check out our strategy guide and our breakdown of card counting.
Jerome oversees our editing and content team and absolutely loves blackjack. So much so that he was a professional player for more than a decade before joining us at Casino Today. He’s written several books, mostly on the subjects of card counting and the different blackjack systems he employed over the years. He also runs a successful YouTube channel where he showcases different blackjack scenarios with beginner tips on how to beat the dealer.
