Tips for Blackjack Players
Blackjack is the most popular table game at top 10 American online casinos today, and players are always keen for tips to win (or cheat, if you like). Here are a few suggestions for you to maximize your chances of finishing ahead when you play blackjack. In this guide, we'll cover winning by playing blackjack in top 10 USA casinos.
Shun Insurance
In everyday life, insurance is a good thing. When woe strikes, it means you don't lose everything if a sinkhole swallows your house or if your car is destroyed by fire. However, insurance in blackjack means something else. When a dealer has an ace face up then the player will be offered insurance as a side bet, in case the dealer has blackjack. Given how many cards can yield that result, it's pretty tempting, and normally pays out at 2/1 with the stake being half the size of the player's main bet (specifics can vary from one site to another).
But you should shun insurance. Yes, it sometimes pays out. But most of the time, over the course of a session, insurance will cost you more than it makes you. It's a false economy, and the numbers mean it's set to be a net loss over a playing career. This is a good specific tip for blackjack players but it is also indicative of a more general piece of advice worth bearing in mind. Little extra rules or intricacies added by casinos almost always favor the house rather than the blackjack player. Keep things simple, and don't be snared by snazzy variants with rule twists because, most of the time, these just decrease your chances of finishing ahead at USA online casinos.
Blackjack is a really old game and that's to the player's advantage because the simplicity predates major casino chains earnestly striving to minimize the chance of a player coming out on top. Don't let fancy new rules raise the house edge from the very small amount it should be.
To Split, or Not to Split - That is the Question
Splitting can double your loss or win depending how things stack up. There are certain occasions when you should pretty much always split. Aces and 8s spring to mind (the former because you have a double chance of blackjack and the latter because a pair of 8s is a pretty poor hand). The face card of the dealer is something to strongly consider, and this may depend on the value the dealer sticks on (usually 17 but it can vary). Splitting on 5s is generally a bad idea in blackjack (and you'll kick yourself if you get an ace), and the same goes for 10s, but if you're not sure then don't split, because if you do and get it wrong it'll cost you twice as much.
Learning what to do in specific instances of blackjack brings us neatly to the next tip for American online casinos.
Double Down on Hard 11 at USA Online Casinos
A hard hand in blackjack is one that has no ace, or an ace that must be a 1 and cannot be an 11. If you have a hard 11 (4 and 7, say) then you should double down, take one more card and double your bet. An exception may be if the dealer has an ace as their face card, but for everything else the odds will be in your favor if you double down, increase your stake, and take one more card. Obviously, many cards can take you to 21, and even if you get a 9 you'll beat almost anything the dealer can have. Not only that, if the blackjack dealer has a face card of 10 and a low second card, they've every chance of taking a one way trip to Bustville.
Dealer has 9 or Lower? Double Down on 10
Last of our cheat tips covers a plethora of potential blackjack hands, and will land you in profit more than loss most of the time. When your starting hand comes to a total of 10, double down if the dealer's face card is 9 or lower. All else being equal, you'll usually come off best.
We hope budding blackjack players found this little list of tips useful and interesting. Always remember to keep a clear head, and only bet what you can afford to lose in any legal USA online casino.
