You probably already know how to play blackjack, but do you know how to beat blackjack? Only a few blackjack players know the secrets needed to play winning blackjack.
Not every blackjack game is the same. And if you don't know which blackjack tables offer the best rules, you're not going to win.
You also need to know what to do on each hand and what not to do. These things are what separate the blackjack winners and losers.
Here are five secrets about real money blackjack that the casinos hope you never learn. You can't win without these secrets.
Only Play 3:2 Blackjack Tables
Check the table's blackjack rules. Before you start playing at a table, it's important to find out how you will be paid for a blackjack. If you get a natural blackjack, a 21 on the first two cards dealt to you, a table may pay you 3:2, which is $3 for every $2 wagered. Others will pay you less, such as 6:5, and should be avoided. There is a good rule of thumb to always remember when you are betting on ANY game in the casino: bet more when you are winning and less when you are losing. If you want to gamble seriously, with a chance to make a serious profit, this is the rule of betting that you cannot break. Examples Of Negative Blackjack Betting Progressions. SHORT VERSION In short, the best ways to win Blackjack at casinos are: Stick to the basic guide, relentlessly. You can win with just using the basics, and you won't lose more than it hurts. Scout the blackjack tables to find the most liberal playing rules. Play only on tables where a blackjack pays 3-2 (and avoid all games where the payoff is 6 to 5 blackjack, or worse, even money). Other liberal blackjack rules are the dealer stands on soft 17, players can double down on any two cards, and doubling after pair splitting is allowed.
I'm going to start with a quick example. This example is so important that if you don't learn what it means, you're never going to bet blackjack games.
You have the choice between playing at two different blackjack tables. The first table has better overall rules than the second table, but the first table pays 6:5 when you get a natural 21. The second table doesn't have bad rules, but they're not quite as good as the first table rules. The second table pays 3:2 for a natural 21.
On each table, you have the same odds of getting a natural 21. When you compare the other rules at each table, you see that the return to player percentage on the first table is a little better. But here's what the different return for a natural 21 does on each table.
You're betting $50 on every hand. And when you get a 21 on the first table, you win $60. But when you get a 21 on the second table, you win $75.
Here's what you need to understand clearly. No matter how much better the other table rules are, they can't overcome the difference between the 21 payments. You can't afford to give up the extra $15 in profit for the better 21 payment and hope to win.
Here's a trick that casinos use to get more players to play blackjack on the tables that pay 6:5. The casinos make the table minimum bet $10 on 6:5 tables and $20 on 3:2 tables.
Low rollers want to play with the lowest wager as possible. And this isn't a bad strategy. But you actually have a better chance to win at the $20 tables than at the $10 table. In fact, you're going to lose more at the $10 table in this example than you're going to lose at the $20 table.
You have to play on 3:2 blackjack tables to have any chance to beat blackjack.
The Cost of Insurance
Insurance pays 2:1 when the dealer has a natural 21. When this happens, you lose your opening wager and break even because the rules of the insurance wager ends up giving you the same amount as your opening wager.
The ratio needs to be the same for it to be a good risk. This means that the odds of the dealer getting a blackjack either need to be 8:4 or better, or the pay for the bet needs to be 2.25:1. These are the reasons why insurance costs you money.
Before you move to the next section, there are a few special circumstances when taking insurance is the correct play. Most blackjack players never get in these situations because they don't use the ultimate blackjack secret you're going to learn in the final section in this article.
You just learned that when the ratio of cards is 9:4 that insurance costs you money. But when the ratio falls to 8:4 or lower, insurance becomes a good bet. Learn how to know when the ratio is favorable in the last section in this article.
You Have to Master Casino Blackjack Rules
When you play blackjack, there are two things that influence your wins and losses. The first thing is how you decide to play your hands. I cover this in the next section.
In this section, you're going to learn about the other factor that influences your wins and losses. The rules at the blackjack table play an important part in your wins or losses.
You already learned the importance of the payout for a natural 21. But other rules are important, too. All blackjack rules either help or hurt your overall results.
Whether or not you can split pairs, and how many times you can split pairs, changes your return. What cards you can double down on and when you can double down changes the return.
Whether or not you can surrender changes your return. Whether or not you can double down after splitting a pair also plays a big part in your return.
You need to spend some time learning everything there is about rules to avoid bad blackjack bets. Find out how each rule changes your expected return so that you can find the blackjack tables with the best rules.
Playing Perfect Blackjack Strategy
How To Become Good At Blackjack
When you learn how to find the blackjack tables with the best rules, your job is only halfway done. The second part of the equation is learning the best blackjack strategy.
Do you know the best way to play a hard 14 against a dealer 6? What about against a dealer 9? Do you split 4s?
You can figure out the best way to play each blackjack hand by running numbers based on every possible outcome. This is how they used to do it. Or you can use a computer program to do all of the hard work for you.
But there's an even easier way than this. All you have to do is get a blackjack strategy chart or card. A card or chart has all of the proper plays listed based on computer analysis that someone else has already completed.
Not every blackjack game is the same. And if you don't know which blackjack tables offer the best rules, you're not going to win.
You also need to know what to do on each hand and what not to do. These things are what separate the blackjack winners and losers.
Here are five secrets about real money blackjack that the casinos hope you never learn. You can't win without these secrets.
Only Play 3:2 Blackjack Tables
Check the table's blackjack rules. Before you start playing at a table, it's important to find out how you will be paid for a blackjack. If you get a natural blackjack, a 21 on the first two cards dealt to you, a table may pay you 3:2, which is $3 for every $2 wagered. Others will pay you less, such as 6:5, and should be avoided. There is a good rule of thumb to always remember when you are betting on ANY game in the casino: bet more when you are winning and less when you are losing. If you want to gamble seriously, with a chance to make a serious profit, this is the rule of betting that you cannot break. Examples Of Negative Blackjack Betting Progressions. SHORT VERSION In short, the best ways to win Blackjack at casinos are: Stick to the basic guide, relentlessly. You can win with just using the basics, and you won't lose more than it hurts. Scout the blackjack tables to find the most liberal playing rules. Play only on tables where a blackjack pays 3-2 (and avoid all games where the payoff is 6 to 5 blackjack, or worse, even money). Other liberal blackjack rules are the dealer stands on soft 17, players can double down on any two cards, and doubling after pair splitting is allowed.
I'm going to start with a quick example. This example is so important that if you don't learn what it means, you're never going to bet blackjack games.
You have the choice between playing at two different blackjack tables. The first table has better overall rules than the second table, but the first table pays 6:5 when you get a natural 21. The second table doesn't have bad rules, but they're not quite as good as the first table rules. The second table pays 3:2 for a natural 21.
On each table, you have the same odds of getting a natural 21. When you compare the other rules at each table, you see that the return to player percentage on the first table is a little better. But here's what the different return for a natural 21 does on each table.
You're betting $50 on every hand. And when you get a 21 on the first table, you win $60. But when you get a 21 on the second table, you win $75.
Here's what you need to understand clearly. No matter how much better the other table rules are, they can't overcome the difference between the 21 payments. You can't afford to give up the extra $15 in profit for the better 21 payment and hope to win.
Here's a trick that casinos use to get more players to play blackjack on the tables that pay 6:5. The casinos make the table minimum bet $10 on 6:5 tables and $20 on 3:2 tables.
Low rollers want to play with the lowest wager as possible. And this isn't a bad strategy. But you actually have a better chance to win at the $20 tables than at the $10 table. In fact, you're going to lose more at the $10 table in this example than you're going to lose at the $20 table.
You have to play on 3:2 blackjack tables to have any chance to beat blackjack.
The Cost of Insurance
Insurance pays 2:1 when the dealer has a natural 21. When this happens, you lose your opening wager and break even because the rules of the insurance wager ends up giving you the same amount as your opening wager.
The ratio needs to be the same for it to be a good risk. This means that the odds of the dealer getting a blackjack either need to be 8:4 or better, or the pay for the bet needs to be 2.25:1. These are the reasons why insurance costs you money.
Before you move to the next section, there are a few special circumstances when taking insurance is the correct play. Most blackjack players never get in these situations because they don't use the ultimate blackjack secret you're going to learn in the final section in this article.
You just learned that when the ratio of cards is 9:4 that insurance costs you money. But when the ratio falls to 8:4 or lower, insurance becomes a good bet. Learn how to know when the ratio is favorable in the last section in this article.
You Have to Master Casino Blackjack Rules
When you play blackjack, there are two things that influence your wins and losses. The first thing is how you decide to play your hands. I cover this in the next section.
In this section, you're going to learn about the other factor that influences your wins and losses. The rules at the blackjack table play an important part in your wins or losses.
You already learned the importance of the payout for a natural 21. But other rules are important, too. All blackjack rules either help or hurt your overall results.
Whether or not you can split pairs, and how many times you can split pairs, changes your return. What cards you can double down on and when you can double down changes the return.
Whether or not you can surrender changes your return. Whether or not you can double down after splitting a pair also plays a big part in your return.
You need to spend some time learning everything there is about rules to avoid bad blackjack bets. Find out how each rule changes your expected return so that you can find the blackjack tables with the best rules.
Playing Perfect Blackjack Strategy
How To Become Good At Blackjack
When you learn how to find the blackjack tables with the best rules, your job is only halfway done. The second part of the equation is learning the best blackjack strategy.
Do you know the best way to play a hard 14 against a dealer 6? What about against a dealer 9? Do you split 4s?
You can figure out the best way to play each blackjack hand by running numbers based on every possible outcome. This is how they used to do it. Or you can use a computer program to do all of the hard work for you.
But there's an even easier way than this. All you have to do is get a blackjack strategy chart or card. A card or chart has all of the proper plays listed based on computer analysis that someone else has already completed.
The Ultimate Blackjack Secret
If you want to know the ultimate secret to beating blackjack, you're in luck. You can beat blackjack in the long run, and it all starts with what you've already learned in this article. But you have to do one other thing to get over the top.
The ultimate blackjack secret is learning how to count cards. Counting cards is easier than most blackjack players think. Most players think it's going to be too hard, so they never try.
You can learn how to count cards in a few hours. And you can learn how to do it good enough to beat the casinos if you practice enough. You might need to practice for 100 hours, but once you master counting, you're going to make money when you play blackjack.
In other words, even if it takes you 100 hours to master card counting, it's worth it in the long run because you're going to profit from your new skills for the rest of your life.
Take a look at the KO counting system and the Red 7 counting system. These are both good systems that are easy to learn and use. Start learning how blackjack card counting works and begin practicing today.
Use These Gambling Secrets to Win at Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the easiest casino games to play, but it's hard to beat. It's an impossible game to beat if you don't know the right secrets.
Beating blackjack starts with how much the casino pays for a natural 21. If they don't pay 3:2, you can't win in the long run.
The next secret is that you should skip the insurance wager close to 100% of the time. Some blackjack rules are better than others, and if you don't know which ones are the best, you can't win.
Use the ultimate blackjack secret revealed in this article to beat blackjack games consistently.
Sometimes I write really philosophical articles about why you should play blackjack, and how building character is a reason for playing blackjack. And sometimes I write silly articles mocking blackjack system salesmen. But this article is a list of practical, hard-core blackjack tips. These are some practical ideas about how to become a better blackjack player and how to win at blackjack.
12 Hard Core Blackjack Tips - A List
Re-learn basic strategy once a year.
Play blackjack at 5 new casinos this month.
Read 2 new blackjack books a year.
Stop playing blackjack online.
Stop playing blackjack for a month.
Find 3 blackjack forums where people ask questions. Write 20 thoughtful, detailed answers to their blackjack questions.
Create your own blackjack book by collecting your favorite online blackjack articles into a file on your computer. Review this blackjack book periodically.
Play a blackjack session well below your typical stakes.
Play a blackjack session well above your typical stakes.
Find a friend or relative who doesn't know how to play blackjack, and teach that person how to play blackjack, basic strategy, and card counting.
Track your wins and losses in a blackjack journal.
Launch your own blackjack website or blog.
12 Hard Core Blackjack Tips - Elaborations
Constant and never-ending improvement should be your goal playing blackjack. The basic principles and math behind the game of blackjack don't really change much, but your skills as a player can and do change. If you want to become really good at blackjack, then you need to focus on changing and improving. You're either getting better at blackjack or getting worse. Focus on getting better at the game. That's how to win at blackjack.
Re-learn basic strategy once a year. Why? Because basic strategy is the foundation of all other blackjack success. People who want to earn a blackbelt in karate must master only seven basic moves. The ones who succeed are the ones who focus on these fundamentals. The ones who fail want to learn something new all the time. Focus on mastering the fundamentals, and basic strategy is the most fundamental of all blackjack skills.
Play blackjack at 5 new casinos this month. Why? Because playing blackjack at new casinos means you'll be dealing with different table conditions. And dealing with different table conditions will help you to improve your game. You'll challenge your mind and learn something different. You'll become more flexible and expand your repertoire of blackjack skills.
Read 2 new blackjack books a year. Why? Because if they're good blackjack books, you'll gain new insights into the game. And because if they're bad blackjack books, you'll be able to recognize the mistakes. Knowing what not to do when playing blackjack can be just as important as knowing what to do.
Stop playing blackjack online. Why? Because you can't count cards online. So if you're playing online, you're always playing with a disadvantage. If you want to play blackjack really well, then avoiding negative expectation situation is a critical habit to develop. Live blackjack is radically different from online blackjack. Become good at live blackjack.
How To Be Good At Blackjack Online
Stop playing blackjack for a month.Why? Because you probably need a break anyway. After your month-long vacation from blackjack, you'll be more eager to play, you'll be more relaxed, and your game will improve because of the time off you took. Boredom breeds mistakes, and if you never take a break from playing blackjack, then you'll get bored and make mistakes.
Find 3 blackjack forums where people ask questions and write 20 detailed posts answering these questions. Why? Because writing about blackjack and answering questions will clarify your thoughts on some of the finer points of blackjack strategy. The best way to master a skill is to teach it to someone else. And the act of having to write about blackjack strategy will force you to think about blackjack strategy. And thoughtful blackjack play is winning blackjack play.
Create your own blackjack book by collecting your favorite online blackjack articles into a file on your computer. Review this blackjack book periodically. Why? This will expose you to some of the new ideas about blackjack on the Internet. You'll learn to discern the good advice from the bad advice. Creation and synthesis will force you to think about your game. The examined life also applies to a blackjack player's life.
Play a blackjack session well below your usual stakes. Why? You'll be able to test your discipline levels. Most mediocre blackjack players play more carelessly when they're playing for stakes that don't matter to them. Your goal is to be an excellent blackjack player. Demonstrate the discipline to play perfect blackjack even when you're playing for stakes which don't mean much to you.
Play a blackjack session well above your usual stakes. Why? This is another test of your discipline level. If you're playing over your bankroll, you might make incorrect decisions or conservative decisions you wouldn't make if you were playing your usual stakes. You'll get to know your own tendencies better at the blackjack table by doing this. Physician, heal thyself. Know yourself.
Find a friend or relative who doesn't know how to play blackjack, and teach that person how to play blackjack, basic strategy, and card counting. Why? Because teaching other people how to play blackjack will force you to think about the game. Mastering a skill becomes easier when you're forced to teach that skill to someone else. Besides that, blackjack is fun, and teaching someone how to play will remind you of how much fun it is to play blackjack at an extremely high level of skill.
How To Be Good At Blackjack For Real
Track your wins and losses in a blackjack journal. Why? Because in blackjack, wins and losses are how you keep score. If you're losing consistently, session after session, month after month, year after year, then something is wrong. You cannot manage what you don't measure. By tracking your performance in a blackjack journal, you're measuring your performance.
Launch your own blackjack website or blog Why? If you haven't figured it out yet, I think that thinking about the game will improve your skill level. And writing about the game of blackjack will force you to think about the game of blackjack. This will put you ahead of 99% of the blackjack players out there, because that's how many blackjack players DON'T think about the game.
12 Hard Core Blackjack Tips - Applications and Meaning
If you read through that list of blackjack tips and the elaborations on each tip, you'll pick up on a few themes. The main themes are that your blackjack game should be constantly improving, and improvement comes from thinking about the game. What I want for you is to be constantly learning and improving as a blackjack player. Excellence is worth pursuing, in blackjack and in life.
How To Be Good At Blackjack Real Money
And the techniques for becoming excellent in blackjack apply to your entire life. Thinking about what you do, making rational decisions, helping others. These things all help you become a better person, not just a better blackjack player. These are the things that will demonstrate for you how to win at blackjack.
Take action on one or more of the hard core blackjack tips in this article, and see for yourself if your game doesn't improve.
How To Get Really Good At Blackjack
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