5 online blackjack secrets to improve your chances of winning

You can greatly improve your chances of making a profit when playing blackjack by following these five golden nuggets of advice.

1. Follow basic blackjack strategy

You need only be sensible with your blackjack game to reduce the house edge from around 4% to less than 1%. That means watching the dealer’s upcard and adjusting your play. If the dealer looks strong with, for example, a 10, then you can assume the other card is a 10, so be more aggressive in your own play to get closer to 21.

If the dealer looks weak, with a four, five, or six showing, they are more likely to bust, so you don’t need to take that extra card to get closer to 21. You can even stand on 12, sit back, and watch the dealer bust — hopefully.

You can also broaden your double-down opportunities if the dealer looks weak, and split more often to get extra money on the table in these favorable spots.

For example, if the dealer shows a six and your two cards total eight, don’t just hit and take another card. Double down, and then stand.

2. Download a blackjack playing sheet

One of the most beneficial actions you can take is to download a blackjack hands chart from the internet to play at an optimum level. This will tell you whether to hit, stand, double down, or split for every possible starting hand, as it relates to the dealer’s upcard.

Referring to this chart while playing at BetAmerica Casino will greatly increase your chances of making a profit. You can even take one of these into a live casino and refer to it when you play, so long as you don’t slow down the game.

3. Don’t split tens

A common mistake made by rookies is to split when they have two 10s, often regardless of what card the dealer is showing. You already have 20, which in the vast majority of cases will be a winning hand. Why double your bet by splitting it into two hands? Sure, you might end up winning both, but you could end up losing both.

Getting two 10s  is a time to be sensible and stand on your total of 20. Then you can watch the action knowing you will probably win, unless the dealer lucks out by taking additional cards to get to 21.

4. Avoid paying insurance

When the dealer’s upcard is an ace, you will be offered blackjack insurance. If you pay extra for the insurance, and the dealer’s second card is a 10, which makes an unbeatable blackjack, you will win at 2-1. However, the math shows that paying insurance is a negative play over the long term, and it costs you profit.

It’s best to refuse the insurance and, if the dealer have blackjack, just soak it up as part of the game and move on.

You should also avoid side bets. As fun as they are, these will also eat into your profit over time.

5. Use sound bankroll management

This element applies to any gambling game.

You should only play with what you can afford. Otherwise, your playing style and decisions will be affected by fear. Playing casino games is meant to be fun, so don’t be reckless.

The best advice is to give yourself a gambling bankroll. If you have set aside, say, $200 to play over time, then adjust your stakes accordingly. In blackjack, it would be advisable to only ever bet around 5% of your current bankroll. So, start betting $10 a hand. If your roll reduces to $150, bring your stakes down to $7.50 a hand. But if you do well and your roll jumps up to $500, you can now bet $25 a hand.

Betting too much of your bankroll at a time opens you up to significant losses. Let’s say you have the same $200 starting roll but start betting $40 a hand. One run of bad results (only five!) will wipe out your roll fast, and you can no longer play. Sticking to a solid strategy prolongs your play, and you can only make a profit if you have money left.

Another secret to winning blackjack is to avoid betting systems, especially progressive betting (like the Martingale Strategy). With these types of systems, if you lose a hand, you double the stake on the next hand and keep on doing so until you eventually win. While this looks like a good plan on paper, the stakes can easily skyrocket, and you can run out of cash.

Try these blackjack secrets for yourself

Sign up with BetAmerica Casino today to try out these strategies for yourself. Practice using our secrets, and you could significantly increase your chances of making a profit. You can even play for free before making your first deposit (remember to claim your welcome bonus). Good luck at the tables!