Beat the dealer with an online casino blackjack strategy
Even though blackjack heavily relies on your luck, you can still improve your chances of winning with a few key tactics. These strategies have been known to give you better odds when you play crypto blackjack games. Here are a few techniques you can try according to your skill level:
Basic blackjack strategy
The beauty of blackjack is that it can be played at any skill level; even beginners can learn practical strategies to help them improve. Here are some strategies you can use as a novice player:
Understanding optimal player decisions
In most blackjack games, you will have the option to do one of five plays: Stand, Hit, Double Down, Split, or Surrender. Here is what each action means:
- Stand — If you’re satisfied with the value of the first two cards you received, you can choose to stand. This tells the dealer that the game can progress on to the next player, or you can start the showdown phase of the game.
- Hit — If you think you can risk adding another card to improve your hand’s total value, you can choose to Hit. The dealer will give you more cards until you are satisfied with your total value or until you hit 21.
- Double Down — If you’re feeling good about the odds of your cards and want to increase your chances of winning a larger pot, you can opt for Double Down. This involves matching your initial bet and gaining one more card from the dealer.
- Split — If you’re dealt two cards of the same value, you can add to your bet and Split your cards. This means for the duration of the round, your two cards will become two separate hands.
Knowing when to hit, stand, double down, or split
To make the most out of your games, you must be selective in what you choose to do per round. This will help preserve your bankroll while minimising your losses.
Hands that have an Ace are known as Soft Hands. Otherwise, they are known as Hard Hands. This means a hand with an Ace and a 4 is a soft 15. Here are a few things you can do depending on your and the dealer’s hand.
YOUR HAND (HARD) | DEALER’S HAND |
| 2 to 6 | 7 to A |
| 4 to 8 | HIT | HIT |
| 9 | DOUBLE | HIT |
| 10 or 11 | DOUBLE | DOUBLE (if more than the dealer) |
| 12 to 16 | STAND | HIT |
| 17 to 21 | STAND | STAND |
YOUR HAND (SOFT) | DEALER’S HAND |
| 2 to 6 | 7 to A |
| 13 to 15 | HIT | HIT |
| 16 to 18 | DOUBLE | HIT |
| 19 to 21 | STAND | STAND |
YOUR HAND (SPLIT) | DEALER’S HAND |
| 2 to 6 | 7 to A |
| 2/2. 3/3, 6/6, 7/7, 9/9 | YES | NO |
| 8/8, A/A | YES | YES |
| 4/4, 5/5, 10/10 | NO | NO |
Advanced blackjack strategies
If you consider yourself a veteran of online casino blackjack games, these strategies will suit your skills much better. These require a great deal of skill, vigilance and know-how around card games to max out their potential.
Card counting
Card counting in online blackjack games may be more challenging but completely viable. Contrary to popular belief, card counting is a perfectly legal strategy you can use in any casino game.
It’s especially useful for games like blackjack, where it’s helpful to know the general value of the incoming cards. That information can help you influence the game and turn it in your favour by changing your playstyle and adjusting your bet.
As a rule of thumb, you’re likely to win when more cards are worth 10 or 11 points left in the shoe. You can keep track of where these cards are with card counting.
Here’s how to do this advanced strategy:
Step 1: Assign value to the cards
In blackjack card counting, cards have the following values:
- 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 - Each is worth +1 point
- 7, 8, 9 - Each is worth 0 points
- 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace - Each is worth -1 point
Step 2: Counting the cards
Every time a card is dealt on the playing table, use the values above and keep track of that number. Make sure you practise this at home until you can do it flawlessly. Use the sequence below as an example:
| CARD DEALT | VALUE | TOTAL COUNT |
| Ace | -1 | -1 |
| 4 | +1 | 0 |
| 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | +1 | +1 |
| 8 | 0 | +1 |
Step 3: Calculate the count
At this point, you should arrive at a tentative count. We can get the true count by calculating it. Most blackjack games play with 6–8 decks of cards; this raises the house edge and makes it more challenging for card counters.
To work around this, you must divide the running count by the number of decks you’re playing with. For example, if the count is +14 and you’re playing with 7 card decks, the true count is +2.
Step 4: Adjust your bet
The higher your true count is, the better your chances are. This is why it’s optimal for you to start with a smaller bet when playing blackjack and raise it as your true count increases.
When your count is positive, you should increase your bet. Otherwise, when it’s in the negatives or neutral, you should lower your bet.
Progressive betting systems
Martingale betting system
This is a negative progressive system, meaning you add one unit to your bet after every loss to try and recoup your lost bets. Negative progressive betting strategies are great for blackjack games because of the high odds you get with each game.
Here’s how to apply this strategy to your games:
| Game | Bet | Result | Payout |
| 1 | 1 unit | Lose | -1 unit |
| 2 | 2 units | Win | +2 units |
| 3 | 2 units | Win | +4 units |
Paroli betting system
This is a positive, progressive betting system where you increase your bet when you win your game. Repeat this until you reach a designated number of wins or until you lose a game. This is designed to maximise your wins while keeping losses at a minimum.
This is a great betting system to pair with card counting since that gives you a much better chance of winning your games. However, simultaneously keeping track of two advanced strategies may be challenging to master.
D’Alembert betting system
This is another negative progressive betting system. It’s meant to chase your losses and recover any lost bets.
Like the Martingale system, you increase your bet when you lose, but unlike it, you only decrease it by one unit when you win instead of returning to your base unit.
This is great for blackjack games, especially since it has some of the best odds at the casino. There’s also the added advantage of preserving your current winnings.
