Blackjack, also known as simply “21,” is arguably one of the most popular casino card games in the gambling industry. One of its main selling points is that it’s simple and easy to learn and not to mention it doesn’t take too long to finish a round. Also, it’s practically accessible for everyone since you can Play online or in real casinos. However, the main selling point of blackjack is that the house advantage is not massive.
You can even say that the players and the house have the same odds since all of the people involved are at the mercy of lady luck that dwells in the cards. With how simple the game is, the strategies and tips surrounding it are also simple to learn, even for a beginner looking up some things to make themselves have a bigger chance of winning big.
If you’re not very good at math and think that you need to be adept in equations to incorporate strategies in blackjack, then you’d be wrong. You don’t need to be a genius or anything like that. Nonetheless, we won’t be talking about strategies in this article. Instead, we will be discussing some things you need to know before you go ahead and streamline blackjack into your betting career.
Blackjack has Low House Advantage
You have probably heard of the saying, “Vegas wasn’t built on winners.” If you don’t know what that means, it’s pointing out the fact that even though there are a lot of people who have won big time in casinos, at the end of the day, the casinos still profit out of players that lose because they are just made that way.
That may be the case, but not all games in the casino are made that way. Blackjack itself has a low house advantage. How? Well, the players and the house are dealt with cards randomly. This means that the house, just as the other players, has the same odds of being dealt with anything from the deck. Yes, that means that you have the same chances of winning as the house itself.
Not only that, there are some things you can do to make the advantage of the house even lower. Of course, this depends on the strategy you employ in the game. This is especially true if you are good at counting the cards, which many strategies are about.
Study the Basic Strategies First
Even though luck is a significant turning point of this game, there are some basic strategies you have to master first before you start playing. The three things you should also learn to take note of when playing are the essential playing elements, how the dealing occurs, and the value of each card.
Also, there will be times when you will be dealt with soft hands or hard hands. When that happens, you need to know what to do. It could also help you gauge when to do a split. In general, there are many possibilities in this game, and you need to know what to do with each one of them.
Learn the Table Rules First
More often than not, most beginners in blackjack don’t bother to check out the table’s minimum and maximum betting limits. This is especially true when they are in a casino, and they have waited for a long time for an empty table. Well, no one can blame them.
However, you need to scope out the table first if you want to last long in a specific table. When scoping out the betting limits of a table, make sure to check the standard game first and see if they have incorporated some kind of special rule. Check which cards you can split and the ones you can double down on. Also, some tables limit the number of times you can do a split or double down, so you should check on that too.
Learn Card Counting
Card counting is commonly portrayed in Hollywood movies as something only elite players can do. However, that’s not the case at all. You can do it on your own with enough practice and concentration. However, some people, especially beginners, question the legality and application of such a technique.
A quick and straightforward way of explaining what card counting is that it’s a system that helps you track how many high-ranked and lower ranked cards are left in the dealer’s shoe. They suggest that the higher cards left in the dealer’s shoe, the more chances you will win. This would also mean that you will have an increased chance of hitting blackjack, which you can use to win more often and significantly in the game.
Conclusion
If you’re planning on learning blackjack so you can play with your friends or try your luck in the casino, there are a lot of things you need to learn first. Thus this article exists. However, much of the things here are relatively simple and are meant for beginners. But you can very well use this knowledge to further improve your awareness of the game and learn more about blackjack.