1. WIN AT BLACKJACK A LOT MORE THAN YOU LOSE – HERE’S HOW
Since blackjack is the one casino game where skill truly matters, it’s important for players to test
different strategies and start incorporating them into their gameplay. But before you test any of
the blackjack systems out there, there’s a simple truth you must realise – every valid blackjack
strategy is based on logic and maths. Therefore, the best strategy you can adopt right away
would be to leave your superstitions behind, forget about your ‘winning rituals’ and trust only the
numbers. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s take a look at the best tactics you can adopt
to help you win at online blackjack every time you play.
TIP #1: PICK THE RIGHT CASINO
Players often ignore this all-important step, so I decided to start precisely with it. I cannot
emphasise enough how big of a factor picking a good casino site is for your future success at
beating the game. And that process is not even that hard – the trick is to pick a reputable,
well-known casino that features a lot of blackjack games and generous bonuses that you can
use on them. Here are three stellar examples.
1. JoReels Casino
Probably the best casino online that you don’t already know about.
2. Mr Green Casino
Mr Green Casino is a great BlackJack option
3. Company Casino
This lesser known brand really has their act together in the world of BlackJack
2. But how in fact does your choice of casino impact your winning chances? Truth is that not all
online casinos are safe and trustworthy. Moreover, even if you have won fair and square, some
of them might refuse to pay out your winnings. By choosing a licensed and regulated casino,
such as the ones we recommend, you secure yourself a fair chance at winning and, most
importantly, guaranteed payouts.
TIP #2: PICK THE RIGHT BLACKJACK VARIANT
Picking the right game variant is yet another important part of an all-encompassing blackjack
strategy. The most important detail about each game is undoubtedly the house edge – the
lower it is, the better. Here is a comparison between the house edges of some of the most
popular online blackjack games in the UK:
HOUSE EDGE OF THE MOST POPULAR BLACKJACK VARIANTS
BLACKJACK SWITCH – 0.17%
PONTOON BY PLAYTECH – 0.36%
BLACKJACK SURRENDER – 0.38%
BLACKJACK UK – 0.39%
PERFECT BLACKJACK – 0.42%
BLACKJACK PRO – 0.47%
DOUBLE ATTACK BLACKJACK – 0.47%
PROGRESSIVE BLACKJACK – 0.47%
BLACKJACK PEEK – 0.58%
21 DUEL BLACKJACK – 0.62%
As you can see, the house edge of these games is already quite low (just for reference, most slot
games have a house edge of 4%-6%). Still, this is the first thing you should check before trying a
new blackjack game. There are, in fact, some online blackjack games that have a house edge
over 1% and even over 2%. If your goal is to win and not just to have fun, then you should
definitely stay clear of those.
TIP #3: KNOW YOUR GAME INSIDE OUT
Not all blackjack games are made from the same mould. In fact, there are hardly any two
blackjack variations that have exactly the same rules. Therefore, applying the same basic
strategy for different games simply won’t work. Every little detail about the game matters as it
affects the house edge. You can learn about the specific rules of each variant from the help
section of the game. Here is what information you should be looking for if you want to find the
best blackjack strategy for the game you’ve chosen.
How much does a blackjack pay?
How many decks are in the shoe?
Can you double on any two cards or only with specific total?
When can you split your hand and up to how many times?
Are you allowed to double after splitting a hand?
Are you allowed to hit split aces?
Do you have the option to surrender and in which cases?
Does the dealer hit a soft seventeen?
Is there a 5-, 6- or a 7-card Charlie?
Another particularity you should be aware of when searching for a suitable online blackjack
strategy is that there are some blackjack games that bear the same name but have different
3. rules and, consequently, different house edge. This is due to the fact that the games are
provided by different software developers. For example, Classic Blackjack by Microgaming has a
house edge of merely 0.13% while the game of the same name developed by NetEnt has a
house edge of 0.35%. A big difference, indeed.
TIP #4: USE A BASIC BLACKJACK STRATEGY CARD
Hopefully, you’ve followed our tips for playing blackjack and have already chosen a specific
game to play, where to play it and you’ve familiarised yourself with all its rules. Now it’s time
to find a basic blackjack strategy card specific to your game of choice which will help you
make the right decision in any situation.
Below, you can see an example of a strategy card that’s especially created for Playtech’s
BlackJack Pro. The image clearly shows how you should play against any given dealer upcard
according to the hand you’re holding. The complete strategy chart for each different blackjack
variation should consist of three parts – one for hard hands, one for soft hands and one for pairs.
The easiest way to find an optimal blackjack strategy chart for the game you want to try is to
generate it yourself using one of the many blackjack basic strategy calculators you can find
online. Using these strategy cards is very suitable for beginners since they are extremely easy to
read and at the same time they are math-based. Still, there are some things that these cards
don’t cover. They don’t tell you what to do with the side bets, how much to bet and whether card
counting could help you. Those are exactly the topics that we’re going to cover next.
4. THE PERFECT BLACKJACK STRATEGY FOR SIDE BETS
As we have already established in the previous paragraphs, strategy cards can be very useful
when playing most blackjack games, especially for the beginners. Yet, as you may have noticed,
they don’t cover any side bets whatsoever. After all, the perfect blackjack strategy is the one that
takes into account all aspects of the game and this includes whether or not to place bonus bets
and if yes – how much to bet.
The truth is that blackjack is a casino game with an extremely low house edge. On top of that,
skilled players are able to reduce this minimal advantage even further by adopting various
blackjack strategies. This is why, in the hopes to increase the house edge and, consequently, the
revenues, the casinos started adding extra decks to the different blackjack variations and came
up with different side bets. And while these side bets definitely add fun and variety to te game,
they make players lose money, slowly but surely.
So, it’s easy to see that the best strategy for blackjack side bets is actually not to place
any! Just stick to the strategy cards until you’ve gained enough experience to start testing more
advanced tactics.
WHAT ABOUT CARD COUNTING?
When most new players hear the words ‘blackjack
strategies’, they immediately think of card counting. While this strategy may still be possible in
some brick-and-mortar casinos (although, in general, it’s against the house rules or at least it’s
frowned upon), it is virtually unfeasible in online casinos where the deck is shuffled after each
hand. The only exception to this rule is live dealer blackjack. So, if you want to try some card
counting techniques while playing online, your only option is to play live blackjack games.
But what actually is card counting and can it really help you beat the casino? Card
counting is a blackjack technique that helps you follow the number of high and low cards in the
shoe thus giving you some insight as to what type of card might come next – a bit of knowledge
that can, indeed, tip the scales in your direction. The easiest card counting system in blackjack is
called Hi-Lo and works like this: for each low card (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) you see you add one point and
for each high card (10, J, Q, K, A) you deduct one. The higher the count, the bigger the chances
to get 10-valued cards, which are generally considered ‘good’ for the player (and bad for the
dealer).
WHICH IS THE BEST BLACKJACK BETTING SYSTEM?
As we have already established, using a blackjack strategy card can help you make the right
decision in any given situation, but it doesn’t answer the important question players always ask
themselves ‘How much should I bet?’ As you probably already know, there are many betting
systems out there, many of which claim to be a sure way to beat any online blackjack game. A
huge part of those systems are progressive betting systems which are based on the idea that if
you’ve lost a number of times, you’re bound to win soon. This, of course, is not true and is often
5. referred to as gambler’s fallacy – a mistaken notion that has claimed many victims through the
ages.
The plain and simple truth is that no betting system on its own can help you beat the
house, but some can help you improve your odds even more when combined with other
blackjack strategies. For example, when using card counting and basic strategy, you can allow
yourself to increase the bet amount when the count is high, as then the strategy cards are
considered to be ‘more correct’ and your chances at winning are higher. But, as we already said,
this can only work if you’re playing live dealer games. The best betting strategy for RNG games,
on the other hand, is to simply bet the same amount over and over again while wagering some
convenient casino bonus – a topic that we’re going to discuss a little bit further down the page.
TIP #5: TEST IN DEMO MODE
Now that you have a complete overview of an all-encompassing online blackjack strategy, you
probably feel ready to finally start playing. But before you go and bet real money, it’s highly
recommended that you first test your skills with play money. Don’t forget to use the
strategy card that we presented to you to secure yourself the best odds.
Something else that you can do while playing in demo mode is to practice your card-counting
skills, even though in all RNG games the shoe is virtually shuffled after each hand. After all, there
are no demo versions of live blackjack, so your only option is to practice on their computerised
versions.
TIP #6: SYNC YOUR BONUS AND BLACKJACK STRATEGIES
Some of the biggest advantages of playing on the Internet vs playing at land-based casinos are
undoubtedly the generous bonus opportunities that online casinos offer. Even if the casino has a
slight advantage in any given game, playing with extra money that isn’t actually yours and being
allowed to keep the winnings surely gives the players some edge. When it comes to
blackjack, combining the already low house edge of the game with a solid math-based
strategy and a suitable bonus is the most certain way to beat the casino. Of course, every
bonus comes with its terms and conditions that are sometimes favourable but other times – not
so much.
First of all, there’s always a wagering requirement that you have to fulfil before you can withdraw
the winnings generated from the bonus. This requirement in most cases is set at 20 to 40 times
the bonus plus the deposit amount. Furthermore, it’s important to take into account the fact that
blackjack games don’t contribute at 100% toward the wagering requirement due to the fact that
they have a pretty low house edge and give the players great winning odds. Usually, the
wagering contribution for the game is set anywhere between 5% and 10%, the higher it is, of
course, the better. Other important details you should take into account are the validity period of
the bonus and the minimum deposit required to claim it.
All that said, let us present to you an easy-to-claim bonus that is perfect for beginners and
offered by a casino that has a great array of blackjack games by many different software
providers – Sky Vegas. At the moment, they offer a £40 bonus to all new players that make a
small £10 deposit at the casino – a pretty sweet deal, if you ask me. If you agree with me and are
ready to start playing for real money, then click the link below and you’ll be safely redirected to
the official website of the operator:
Sure enough, this is not the only available bonus offer that is suitable for playing blackjack online,
in fact, most UK casino sites give you the opportunity to wager bonus money on all their
blackjack games. So, if you want to find more great opportunities to play blackjack with bonus
money, then make sure you choose one of our top 3 casino’s.
6. FINAL THOUGHTS AND ADVICE FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS
In conclusion, the best blackjack strategy you can adopt is the one that fully corresponds to the
game variation you’ve chosen to play. Be careful to only use a game plan that has been created
for the particular type of blackjack you’re playing. Otherwise, you won’t be able to achieve the
results you expect.
Beginners, find yourselves a strategy card for the variation you play and stick with it. Combine it
with a good bonus and you can expect a moderate return in the long run. Your number one
priority should be to practice and learn. The more experienced players can, on the other hand,
test their card counting skills against some unsuspecting dealer at a live casino of their choice –
remember, you can see them, but they cannot see you! Furthermore, to make sure that you get
the whole picture as to how to beat this game, you can also take a look at some game strategies
analysed.
Last but not least, don’t forget to have fun! After all, it’s a game and its main purpose is to
entertain you. Not getting too stressed about winning is a good tactic as it will help you keep a
cool head and make better decisions while playing.
Remember, it’s a good idea to be savvy about where you play.
So here’s our top 3 for BlackJack
1. JoReels Casino
Probably the best casino online that you don’t already know about.
2. Mr Green Casino
Mr Green Casino is a great BlackJack option
3. Company Casino
This lesser known brand really has their act together in the world of BlackJack