How to Win at Blackjack: Top Strategies for 2024

Blackjack, a game that the biggest strategist casino players love. In my opinion, this game is a mix of luck and skills. This article aims to help players improve their chances of winning and enjoy every blackjack session to the fullest. If you are eager to discover more, continue reading!

Understanding the Basics of Blackjack

Since I don’t know your level of experience with blackjack, I need to start from the beginning. It is essential to understand the basics of this game and start as well as possible.

The Game’s Objective

If you have never played this game before, then you may wonder what is the main goal of blackjack. First and foremost, I have to highlight that you are not competing against other players at the table. Your main and only opponent is the dealer.

The point of blackjack is to reach as close as possible to the value of 21 with the cards you get. At the same time, the dealer must not get 21 because that means he/she automatically wins.

What happens if neither of the sides gets 21? In that case, the winner is the side that is closer to 21.

Blackjack Rules and Gameplay

The American version of blackjack has a house edge of 0.61% on average, which is slightly higher compared to the European version, which has a house edge of 0.39%.

So, here is how each round starts:

Set up your initial bet. In some cases, you can start the game with just $1.
Both sides, the dealer and players, get two cards.
The cards you get are immediately exposed, while the host exposes just one of his two cards. That lets you decide on your future moves.

The actions you can take are:

Hit: Ask for another card
Stand: You don’t ask for new cards
Double down: Ask for one yet last card while the bet goes double.
Split: When you get two cards with the same value, you can split them into two hands. In that case, the bet goes double.
Surrender: Give up, and take 50% of your bet immediately.

The last thing you need to know is the value of cards. All signs from 2 to 10 have their face value. J, Q, and K are worth 10 points. Ultimately, A can value either 1 or 11; this game variant gives you the freedom to choose.

The Role of the Dealer

Actions that the dealer makes directly depend on the odds of your rounds. An excellent example of that is the soft 17 blackjack rule. Some casinos may require the dealers to stand whenever they get soft 17 (A 6, for example):

If they hit, there is a big chance they will bust, which is a great thing for players.
If not, the odds are, as you can guess, changing.

All these rules are clearly defined, so read them!

Essential Blackjack Strategies

Many things around blackjack depend on luck. However, this is partly a strategy-based game as well. You need to know which actions to take in every moment. Discover some of the best blackjack strategies!

Basic Strategy Chart

The first time I saw an encyclopedia about marine animals, I thought I would never understand the world in the deep ocean. Today, that’s my passion! Things are the same with the basic strategy for blackjack. The chart may seem challenging initially, but you will figure it out eventually.

The so-called basic blackjack strategy is supported by strict calculations done many years ago. You will see all the possible outcomes in one chart, and which actions you should take. Keep in mind that you need to adjust it based on the number of decks available within the game.

The Importance of Bankroll Management

Another important thing you need to have in mind is the organization of your casino budget. Players must never spend more than they can afford. Each blackjack session must be planned.

If you can spend $200 on blackjack monthly, divide that amount equally for every session. Some online casinos will even let you limit your deposits per day. Using such a tool would be a wise decision.

Knowing When to Hit, Stand, or Double Down

Everyone has their own techniques. I can only share strategies that have helped me make a profit. You don’t have to follow them strictly; instead, you can upgrade them if you find a way to do that.

Here are certain things I regularly do:

Hit a 7 when the dealer has 9, 10, or ace: Whenever the dealer’s hand is higher than 8, don’t hesitate to hit. The best chances you have is when one of your cards is Ace, and the highest odds are when the second card is 7
Don’t split 10s: Why would you do such a stupid thing? The only wise option would be to stand, since your chances of winning are nearly 100%.
Don’t go over 17+: I recommend players stand whenever they have a total value of cards above 17. It is risky to hit in those moments.

Advanced Techniques to Enhance Your Game

When you master the basic strategies for blackjack, you can move to more advanced ones. Here are some wise techniques to apply.

Card Counting Basics

Gamblers should primarily assign a value to every card in the deck. Next, you should keep a running count based on the card values exposed during the play. After generating the information, you should calculate the “true count.” That will let you change your bets (increase or reduce them). It takes time to master this blackjack strategy.

Understand House Edge and Payouts

Compared to most of the casino games that exist today, blackjack has a much higher RTP. Believe it or not, in some cases, it even goes above 99%. This means that the game is designed to keep only 1% of the losses made by players. The rest will be released and divided among the winners.

Furthermore, there are different payouts for blackjack. You should focus on 3:2 variants. In other words, for every $2 you bet, you get paid $3. Avoid 6:5 variants because the odds of winning are 1.2:1 in that case (extremely low).

Side Bets and Their Impact

Some blackjack variants will let you make side bets. In my opinion, the two most essential ones are:

Insurance bet: If the face-up card of the dealer is Ace, they can place an insurance bet if you think they will get blackjack.
Perfect Pairs: If you think that two cards you get will be a perfect pair, bet on this. There is a mixed pair (same rank, two colors), colored pair (same rank and color, but different suit), and perfect pair (same everything).

Tips for Successful Blackjack Experience

As someone who has vast experience with blackjack sessions, I would like to share some additional tips on how to ensure you have a successful blackjack experience.

Table Selection Strategy

As I mentioned previously, you can find many blackjack variants in online and offline casinos. Each has the same goal, but the rules and gameplay are different. Some types of games have more decks, and others give you more options to play, and so on.

If you are a beginner, single-deck variants are more suitable. They come with higher odds of winning, and you can implement the previously mentioned strategies.

The main focus is to use this how-to win-at-blackjack tutorial to your advantage. Indeed, the winnings would not be multiplied as much as they would be with multi-deck blackjacks.

Managing Emotions During Play

I have to remind people that blackjack isn’t a quick game. If you have gotten used to playing slots, forget about that frequency. There are delays between each round as well as each action that you take. Plus, you may end up playing with other people, and each player has between 30 and 45 seconds to decide.

Improve your level of patience by chatting with other players and dealers. Doing that will calm you down and improve your mood. People are usually happy to make jokes during sessions, creating an authentic gambling atmosphere.

When to Walk Away

You are a grown-up person, which is why I assume that you already know the answer. However, if not, let me remind you. If you already made a casino bankroll plan, stick to it and follow your own rules. If you have reached the maximum limit of your spending during the session, leave.

On the other hand, leave when you start feeling nervous. I once went crazy because I lost five games in a row. For that reason, I intentionally pressed hit until I lost the entire balance. Please avoid those scenarios!

Check How to Win at Blackjack According to Situation

If you want to become a blackjack professional, practice flexibility constantly. Each strategy mentioned above requires adjustments.

Here are some other guides you should check:

And Now?

I primarily need to recommend responsible gambling. Never spend more than you intend to. Get familiar with the rules of each blackjack variant and try to adjust all the mentioned strategies in this article for the best results.

Each session should serve as a lesson, especially those that ended badly. I wish you luck!

How to Win at Blackjack: Your Ultimate Guide 2024