Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games in the world, with good reason. For many blackjack players, it’s more than just a game; it’s also a way to make money. Envavo has doubled down on our effort to help you play blackjack with the best chance of winning with this blackjack strategy guide.
We’ve put decades of experience and acquired knowledge of blackjack strategy into this simple strategy guide. Everything from the basics to a step-by-step, play-by-play walkthrough is included in this free blackjack strategy guide. Please read it carefully and practice what you learn. If you’re serious about winning at blackjack, it’s your responsibility to know the basic rules of the game.
The Best Strategy To Win At Blackjack
Blackjack strategy is typically based on the choices you make before and after you get your two-card hand. You can use many strategies to succeed at blackjack, but our favorite is the basic blackjack strategy.
“Las Vegas is the only place I know where money really talks. It says goodbye.”
— Frank Sinatra.
If you want to play online casino blackjack or visit Las Vegas without sharing the same experience as Frank Sinatra once did, you need to use this strategy.
When utilized to the maximum, the blackjack basic strategy offers a theoretical return to player (RTP) of up to 99.6%, the highest RTP achievable in offline and online casinos.
One can argue that following a strict set of rules isn’t as fun as trusting your gut feelings. We say that the best feeling you can get from playing any casino game is the feeling of winning. That is why we consider the blackjack basic strategy to be the best strategy to win at blackjack.
The Blackjack Basic Strategy
The blackjack basic strategy is a set of rules that, if followed, will decrease the house edge to a nearly negligible level. It’s not a secret – casinos have known about these strategies for decades and work hard to combat them with shuffling machines, cut cards, and other casino perks.
If you want to play blackjack with the best chance of winning, it’s your responsibility to know these strategies. In the image, you can see when to hit, stand, and double down.
It is essential that you understand the difference between a soft and a hard blackjack hand. A soft hand is when one of your cards is an Ace. A hard hand is when you don’t have an Ace.
When To Hit, Stand, or Double Down
The purpose of blackjack is not to get 21. It’s all about beating the dealer, and that is what this strategy is based on. You’ll always want to make sure this is your goal at any time during the gaming session.
You want to hit when the total value of your hand is too low or when the dealer has a great chance of coming close to 21. In the cheat sheet shown in the image, you can look for the letter “H” to know precisely when you should hit.
You want to stand when your hand has a sufficient value or when the dealer is at high risk of busting. A bust is when the total value of a hand supersedes 21. To know exactly when you should stand, look for the letter “S” in the cheat sheet.
You want to double down when you have a good chance at earning a value close to 21 with the next card, and the dealer is at risk of busting. You will know exactly which hands you should double down on by looking for “D+H” and “D+S” in the cheat sheet.
D+H stands for “double down if allowed, hit if not allowed,” and D+S stands for “double down if allowed, stand if not allowed.” There are only a few hands where D+S is applicable.
Additional Rules To The Blackjack Basic Strategy
There are more choices to make when playing blackjack than just when to hit, stand, or double down. Many online casinos in Canada offer insurance and side bets. When playing a low house edge game, a general rule is to avoid everything that is not part of the original game.
There is no casino in the world brainstorming how to cut their share down further from 0.4%. Here are two additional rules you have to follow when using the basic blackjack strategy:
- Never take insurance
- Never place side-bets
- Always split pairs
The Best Way To Play Blackjack At The Casino
Blackjack is like a sport to us. Like an athlete before a big event, we recommend coming prepared, well-rested, and ready to play. The greatest athletes in the world would tell you that they all follow a routine on game day.
With this as our inspiration, we will walk you through the routines you should establish when you play blackjack. By following these routines, you will find the best way to play blackjack at the casino.
1. Get Enough Sleep
A tired brain does not make for a good blackjack player. Before you visit the casino, try to get as much sleep as possible. When on a mission to beat the house, your mind and body must be fresh and ready to play.
2. Eat Nutritious Food
A nutritious breakfast will give you the energy to start your day. If you think that a large stack of pancakes and unlimited coffee is what it takes to play blackjack, you may have been watching too much television. Fruits and vegetables are great for snacks between meals.
3. Plan Your Playing Session
How long will you play blackjack? Do you have a certain amount of money you want to bet on each hand? How much time do you have before you have to end the session? Are there any events planned at the casino or in your personal life that may impact how much time you spend playing blackjack?
4. Make A Budget
It’s always good to know how much money you can (or plan to) spend in any given session. You don’t want to be playing at the casino when your bankroll is empty.
5. Create A Game Plan
When you sit down at the blackjack table, you should know exactly your strategy for that session. With good basic strategy and luck, we would like to see a win percentage of 10%.
6. Warm Up Online
Playing online blackjack games is a great way to warm up before you visit the casino. To get the true feeling of the game, you should do so at one of the best online casinos in Canada. It’s always best to be as prepared as possible when attempting anything in life.
Card Counting: Still A Viable Strategy?
We’ve all heard the stories about people counting cards, beating the casino at blackjack. It’s become the main staple of any casino-themed movie, and most of us have countless questions about it.
The bottom line is that it’s illegal and works, but it’s not as efficient as you think it is. The reason why it’s not as efficient anymore because both land-based and online casinos have started using cut cards in the middle of the deck.
They place it in different spots every time, making it impossible to know the total count of cards and causing the card counting scheme to no longer give you a genuine advantage over the casino.
We introduced this paragraph by asking whether or not card counting is still a viable strategy. The answer is still yes, simply because it allows you to get a better feeling of when the deck of cards is heating up. You won’t know for sure anymore, but the information gained from counting cards will help you become more profitable.
Can I Count Cards In Online Blackjack?
The answer to this question is simple. Yes, card counting works in both land-based casinos and online blackjack for money. The idea behind card counting remains the same no matter where you are playing blackjack.
Those who have watched the movie 21 know that counting cards are possible even if you are sitting at home playing blackjack games online for money. Casinos have yet to figure out a way around this, so the best strategy is to practice as much as possible before you visit one.
Blackjack Strategy FAQ
Can you use a basic strategy card in Las Vegas?
Yes, players are free to bring their own basic strategy cards while playing blackjack in Las Vegas.
How to become a professional blackjack player?
There are many things you need to do to become a professional blackjack player. First, you have to learn the proper strategy for playing blackjack online or at land-based casinos. You also have to be able to count cards.
Can you win blackjack without counting cards?
Yes, basic strategy and luck can give you the edge over the casino for some time. This is what you should opt for if you don't want to learn card counting.
Are blackjack strategy cards allowed in online casinos?
Yes, it's known as a basic strategy card and is allowed in online casinos. It is so common that they budget a profit close to what they would earn if everyone used the strategy.
What are the odds of winning blackjack?
Basic strategy combined with card counting can give about 99.6% in Theoretical Return To The Player (RTP). The odds of winning blackjack are a little lower than 50%.
What is the Blackjack Attack Strategy?
It's an online strategy for blackjack that requires the use of card counting. We believe it's not compelling enough, but you can create your own version if you like.
How to beat Bonus Blackjack?
Bonus blackjack is a blackjack variant where you get bonuses for certain hands. There are no true strategies to beat bonus blackjack, but a basic strategy combined with card counting can give you an advantage over the casino.
What is the Blackjack Pairs strategy?
The Blackjack Pairs strategy is a card counting system designed for multi-deck blackjack games. It's built to recognize the fact that when the deck is rich in ten-valued cards, players can increase their odds of winning by playing pairs.
What is the best betting strategy for online blackjack?
We recommend either sticking to the same bet size every hand or using the Martingale betting strategy if you have a lot of money you can play for.