One of many people’s favorite online table games is online blackjack. It’s a technical but straightforward game because you only get to stack the cards until they total 21. It shouldn’t surpass this because it becomes your loss and your dealer, the opponent, or the computer, in this context, becomes the winner.
Unlike online slots where you have to guess which color or symbol matches, you hold the chips in blackjack. You’re dealt with two cards when the game starts, with one facing up and the other facing down. If either of the cards is beyond 21 at the start of the game, you’ve lost.
However, this is not to scare you. Many play online blackjack real money to triple or multiply their initial bets, even after the casino takes its cut.
This is because they understand the strategy of the game, and they utilize them correctly while at the table. However, before you learn the strategies, you should understand the rules.
Online Blackjack Simple Rules
Just like any other games, even online slots, there are rules. These rules are what you pay attention to as they determine if you will win or lose. Some of the essential rules include:
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Hit
This occurs when you request another card. You usually do this when the cards assigned to you don’t reach the 21 mark, they’re not close to it, or you need that card to get your win.
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Stand
This occurs when you choose not to take any other card, after which the dealer can play their hands. It’s recommended that you do this only when your cards are close to the 21 mark, as another card, which could exceed your mark, could make you lose the game.
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Split
This simple rule means you can split two cards of the same value. You get to separate your bets to avoid a loss, and it also means you can win in two places.
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Double Down
Double down is done when you want to increase the amount you staked on your initial bet. You’ll also get another card when you do this.
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Surrender
This is what you do when you believe you could lose your hand.
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Insurance
When your dealer card is an ace, you may want to insure. Your insurance is half the value of your original bet, and it’s your way to avoid losing all the money.
Strategies To Win Blackjack Almost Every Time
Now that you know the basic rules of online blackjack, here are some of the strategies to win:
1. Know Your Bankroll Limits
The first thing you should do before signing up for a game or processing a deposit is to determine your limit. Before this, you must have also found a casino that provides the best RTP (return to player) because you really don’t want to lose much of your winnings to the house.
One of the ways to decide your bankroll, the maximum amount you can use to play the game, is to know when your financial life will start hurting from your expenses. This could be your mortgage, family bills, home maintenance bills, or any other. It’ll help if you don’t bet when you exceed your bankroll; setting a limit on what you want to spend will help you with that.
2. Split Your Pair of 8s and Aces
Doing this without caring about what the dealer’s up-card is, is one of the ways to win. This is because their card could be a 9, 10, or an ace, and you’re not exactly an underdog if you split. In fact, splitting means you can make more money. After all, you’re no more a trapped underdog when you’re playing two hands.
For instance, if you have two cards with 8, rather than hitting hard with 16, split your 8s and aces to reduce your loss. This also lets you make money rather than lose it all by hitting 16.
3. Double Down your A-2 Through A-7 when your Dealer’s Upcard Bears Either 5 or 6
There is an assurance of winning more if you double down your A-2 through A-7 — it’s a soft 13 through 18 for you, especially when your opponent’s up-card is either a 5 or 6. However, it would help if you often were mindful of your number of decks.
For instance, with a dual deck blackjack game with H17 and you got an A-3 from the start, you shouldn’t double down when your dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6 and is also against a 4 because it’ll be a loss.
When you have a hard nine, and your dealer’s up-card is two-six, you can double down. You can also do it when you have a hard 10 or 11, but your dealer’s up-card is lower than yours. The latter is best if your first cards are within the range of a 2 and 8, a 2 and 9, a 3 and 7, 3 and 8, 4 and 6, 4 and 7, 5 and 5, or a 5 and 6 and in all these, your dealer has a lower card.
The other instance is when you have a soft 16, 17, or 18, and your dealer’s up-card is just a two-six.
4. Stand When Your Hand can Bust the Dealer’s Card
If your dealer’s up-card is 4, 5, or a 6, stand if you have a weak hand. As earlier noted, you stand when you’re not taking another card, especially if, for instance, you have a hand of 10 and 2. This way, there are chances that you can increase the worth of your cards.
5. Avoid the Insurance
Insurance protects you from 100% loss in some online table games. Online slots have no insurance, but you’d enjoy this luxury in blackjack. However, the turnoff is that although you’d get insurance when it seems your dealer can get an ace, even if there are chances they won’t. If they didn’t, and you’ve taken insurance, it’s your loss.
6. Be Smart With Your Choice of Casino on RTP
Every casino has its RTP and house edge. House edge means the percentage they’ll cut from your win, and the RTP is the percentage you get to keep. The average RTP for blackjack is 99.5% to 99.6% which makes the house edge about 0.4% to 0.5%.
However, choosing a casino with lower RTP and higher house edge means you’d have to part with more money if you win. This is why you should surf through different gambling spaces to choose the best with higher RTP for your game.
Conclusion
There are several strategies to winning table games, and card counting is the most common. However, playing blackjack feels different, especially if you’re playing online.
This is why you should set a bankroll to know your gambling limits, choose a casino with high RTP, and avoid taking insurance during the game. It would also help to stand when your hand can bust the dealer’s card, double down your A-2 through A-7 when you have the chance, and split your pair of 8s and aces.
