By most statistical accounts in 2022, blackjack is the most popular casino game there is. Not only are the rules quite simple to grasp but also it is a fun game with a low house edge and excellent odds for raking in big wins. The game is available at practically any casino, both online casinos and land-based.
Best Blackjack Betting Strategies
A lot of people, particularly inexperienced gamblers, shy away from betting strategies. Their reasoning is that since no strategy offers a 100% chance of success, it ain’t worth it. The thing is, though, are betting systems supposed to guarantee wins all the time? the answer is no, because that’s just not possible. Gambling businesses would have to pack in because then they would be in the red all the time in terms of accounts. It would be unfair on them and by extension on their customers since they would have nowhere to play anymore. Betting strategies, such as those for blackjack that we’ll discuss below, are supposed to give the player an edge. This edge does not assure a win, but increases a gambler’s likelihood for success. And sometimes, they can make a world of difference a player’s fortunes, both long term and short term.
Strategy #1: The Double Down
Risk takers move the world, so the adage goes. Doubling down is both a risky and exciting move to make in blackjack because while it increases your potential profit, it also increases the size of the loss one would take if things went south. So what does it mean? The double down in blackjack is when the player doubles their initial bet in the middle of play. If you elect to do this, you get to double your potential win but can only receive one extra card. If things go swimmingly, then the player wins big. Otherwise, in the event where there the extra card issued is a low one, it can prove very hard to hit 21 or close to 21, which would be a real disadvantage. Nonetheless, used properly, the double down is a great chance to rake in the profits at the blackjack table:
With a 11 card total. When a player already has a total of 11 from their current hand, they have a great opportunity to hit 21 (or close to) with the extra card issued after doubling down.
With a hard 9 or 10. A “hard” hand in blackjack is a hand without an ace. If the dealer is showing a low card at that point, the player can take the chance that their double down card will be reasonably high and likely to push them well towards the magic 21 total.
Blackjack Strategy #2: The Surrender
The surrender strategy is exactly as it sounds. It is a chance for the player to tuck their tail in between their legs and chuck it, rather than suffer a heavy loss in blackjack betting. So effectively, the surrender is not so much a way to profit but a way to save money and live to fight (gamble) another day.
So when’s a good time to concede defeat? Generally, pro gamblers call it in when their hand has less than half a chance to win. Determine this by comparing the cards dealt to you vs. the dealer’s up card. A good example is when the player has been dealt a poor (low) hand and the dealer’s up card is an ace. This would mean they already have an 11 towards the 21 total even before the dealer checks/reveals their hole card. The player could choose to continue but they would be fighting an uphill battle. They would be very likely to forfeit their full stake. And how does the surrender work? When you surrender in blackjack, you give up half of your initial bet to the house. It is not a coward’s play. It is a far more favorable option than to lose your full bet and possibly run out chips to continue playing.
