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If you’re looking for ways to stop losing as much when you play blackjack, you’re in the right place. In this article, you’re going to learn about six mistakes you’re probably making at the blackjack tables.
There are three ways to win at blackjack more often. The first way is by finding the right mix of rules. The second way is using the right strategies. And the third way is using every advantage that you possibly can.
Below, we’ll discuss the six mistakes you are probably making at blackjack. These are errors that are costly. Learn how to avoid them below.
1 – You’re Playing 6:5 Blackjack
You can make all kinds of mistakes when you play blackjack, but one mistake is worse than the others. And it doesn’t have anything to do with the way you play. It’s all about avoiding the worst blackjack rule of all time.
When you look for blackjack tables, there are many different combinations of rules available. The rule that you need to understand first is how much the table pays when you get blackjack. Some tables pay 3:2, and other tables pay 6:5.
A few tables use a different payment amount, but these are rare. The two most common payments are the 2 I just mentioned.
Casinos take advantage of gamblers who don’t understand how payouts work. Some blackjack players don’t know how much worse 6:5 is than 3:2.
If you bet $50 on a hand and get blackjack, you win $60 at a table that pays 6:5, and you win $75 at a table that pays 3:2. This means you miss out on $15 every time you get blackjack if you play at the wrong table.
You can clearly see why you should never play 6:5 blackjack again.
2 – You Accept Insurance
Winning blackjack players know that insurance is almost always a bad option. Losing blackjack players look at insurance as a way to hedge their bets when they have a good hand.
Blackjack dealers present insurance as a way to break even when the dealer has a blackjack. But this isn’t what really happens when you take insurance.
It’s true that you break even on the hand when you take insurance, and the dealer has a blackjack. But you can’t ignore what happens when the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack.
When the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack, you lose the insurance bet, and you still have to play out your original bet. In addition, you’re at a disadvantage on the first bet because the dealer has an ace, which gives them an advantage even though they don’t have a 10-point card as their second card.
If the insurance wager was offered with better odds, it wouldn’t be a bad bet option. But it pays 2:1 on a bet that only offers 2.25 to 1 odds.
3 – You Copy the Dealer
Blackjack dealers have a specific set of rules that they have to follow. Basically, the rules for the way the dealer plays each hand are exactly the same except for one thing.
The only difference is how the dealer plays when they get a soft total of 17. With a soft 17, the dealer either hits or stands, depending on the rule listed on the table. On all other hands, the dealer stands with any total of 17 to 21 and hits on any total of 16 and under.
Some blackjack gamblers think that this must be a good strategy because it’s the one that the dealer and casino use. But the truth is that this is one of the worst blackjack strategies that you can use.
I’m going to cover more about the best blackjack strategy to use in the fifth section of this article. So, in this section, I’m just going to cover some of the reasons why copying the dealer isn’t a good idea.
The dealer doesn’t have the ability to split when they get a pair, and they don’t have the ability to double down. These are both advantages that you need to use.
The most important thing you need to understand is that the dealer always gets to play his or her hand last. This is a big advantage because when a player busts before the dealer, the player still loses.
4 – You’re Not Getting More Money in Play With an Advantage
In the last section, I mentioned that you need to use the opportunity to split pairs and double down when you can. Sometimes, when you have a pair or a total of 9, 10, or 11, you have an advantage. And when you have an advantage, you need to get more money on the table if possible.
Sometimes, you can split a pair when you’re at a disadvantage to make your situation better. For example, when you have two 8’s you have a terrible hand. But when you split this starting hand into two hands, that each starts with 8, you have a much better chance to win.
When you have a total of 9 to 11 and the dealer has a weak card showing, you have an advantage. You can double the amount of money you have in play by doubling down and receiving one additional card. In the long run, you can make more money by getting additional money in play.
5 – You Don’t Understand Blackjack Strategy
Just about everything that you’ve learned in this article so far has something to do with strategy. Blackjack games have a specific set of strategies that you can use to make more profitable decisions when you play.
Every hand that you play has one ideal way to play out for the best return. Most blackjack players either play using their gut feelings or guess the best way to play. Smart blackjack players understand that each hand can only be played one way if they want the highest possible return.
Proper blackjack strategy is based 100% on the odds and returns. Over time, you have an equal chance of drawing any card in the deck or shoe, so you can run the numbers for every possibility and see what the results are going to be.
The best play is the one that offers the highest return on average. This is complicated if you try to do it yourself, but you don’t have to do it yourself. Past gamblers have used computers to run all of the numbers and have already come up with the perfect strategy for blackjack. You just have to get a chart and use it.
6 – You Refuse to Learn and Use Advantage Play
If you really want to win and are willing to put in a little work to do it, you can learn how to use advantage play when you play blackjack. When you use advantage play the right way, you win more than you lose.
While it’s not the only type of advantage play available for blackjack, the main play is card counting. Card counting isn’t as hard or complicated as most blackjack players think, but it does take a lot of work.
You don’t have to be a genius and remember every single card that’s been played. Instead, you track the cards, low versus high. Then, you bet when more low cards have been played than high cards.
You can learn everything you need to know about advantage blackjack play by reading into the subject. Once you learn how it’s done, all you have to do is practice until you can do it every time you play blackjack online at the best gambling sites.
Blackjack advantage play is one of the few ways you can play with a long-term edge against casinos. You should try to learn it even if it might seem intimidating. You just might be surprised at what you learn!
Conclusion
The casinos build their blackjack games to make a profit. And if you aren’t careful, you’re going to lose your entire bankroll. The biggest mistake that blackjack gamblers make is playing 6:5 blackjack games instead of 3:2 blackjack games.
The way you use strategy is also important for your results. The worst strategy is trying to do what the dealer does. And if you’re the kind of blackjack player that accepts insurance bets, it’s definitely hurting your bottom line.
In order to cover your losses when you don’t have the advantage, you should try to get more money in play when you feel you have leverage over the dealer. And that’s where card counting is your best bet to win against the casino’s house edge.
