How to Win at Blackjack: Best Tips & Strategies to Beat Blackjack

Basic Playing Strategy

The basic playing strategy, or the optimal playing strategy, is the best way to play blackjack according to mathematicians. The higher the house edge, the smaller the chances for the player to win.

This strategy allows the player to minimize the house edge to less than 1% — only if the player uses this approach to play every hand. More on that later on.

Set Win Card Counting

Most blackjack players recommend beginners to avoid counting cards. Although it looks effortless on the movie screen, it will not significantly increase your chances of winning.

If you are not familiar with the system of counting cards, here’s what you need to know — it allows you to know whether the next drawn card is going to be high or low.

Blackjack is a mathematical game, which means it’s easy to win if you count cards. But almost all online casinos use RNG-based software, which makes card counting useless. The software immediately recognizes when the player is counting cards.

Land-based casinos are a bit different. If you’re bold enough, you could try card counting, but we still do not recommend it. It could get you in a lot of trouble and most casinos will ban you from playing again if you get caught.

Liberal Playing Rules

Choose to play at tables with liberal playing rules — even if it means you will have to scout the tables for a while. Sit at a table where blackjack pays 3-2 and steer clear of the tables that pay 6-5.

Other liberal playing rules include blackjack tables where the dealer stands on soft 17. These tables allow the players to double down on any two cards, which is allowed after pair splitting. If the table allows for surrender, that’s even better for the player.

Keep in mind that fewer decks are better. A blackjack table that uses a single or double deck will give the players higher chances of winning. Avoid tables that offer a six- or eight-deck game.

Conservative Playing Strategy

If you opt for the conservative strategy, which is also the safest one, you will win little by little. This is a great tip for beginners who don’t want to bet a lot.

The basic idea behind the conservative strategy is to bet a bit more every time you win. The main idea is that wins and losses come in streaks. So, for example, if you lost five hands, you could win the next three.

Additional Helpful Tips

There aren’t a lot of by-the-book tips for blackjack since it is one of the least complicated games to play in a casino. However, there are many simple and straight-to-the-point tips that could help you maximize your success rate while playing blackjack.

Go through them carefully.

• Don’t make the insurance wager; it’s a sucker bet. In other words, if you have a blackjack and the dealer offers you even money — decline it.
• Bet more when there are more high-value cards versus low-value cards in the unplayed deck of cards.
• Avoid playing at tables with a continuous shuffling machine. CMTs shuffle cards after each round, which serves the casino more than the player because it results in more hands dealt every hour.
• Decisions of other players and their cards do not affect your hand. Remember that you are playing against the dealer — not other players at the table.
• Most importantly — quit while you’re ahead. If you’re on a winning streak, it’s better to cash out than to risk it all by betting big. Be smart.

Always Split Aces and Eights

This is a simple and probably the best strategy to keep in mind — always split aces and eights. Some players don’t split these two cards when the dealer’s upcard is 9, 10, or ace — that’s where they are wrong.

Players who do not split aces and eights think that it’s unnecessary to bet more money when you split the cards. However, by playing two hands (by splitting the eights), you will start each hand with an eight — rather than starting one with a 16. The chances of winning are higher with two hands of eights than with one of 16.

Double Down on a Hard 11

If you’re playing a single-deck game, you should always double down on a hard 11. In this game, the dealer must hit a soft 17. So, you must double down when the dealer hits an ace.

That means winning fewer hands overall when you double down, but also winning double when you hit.

Remember that it doesn’t matter how many hands you lose — it matters how much money you end up with when you leave the table.

Do Not Split a Pair of Fives or Tens

It doesn’t matter whether you have a pair of fives or a hard ten — it’s the same thing. Keep in mind that the game will work to your advantage if you take one more card than split the fives and play two separate hands.

Also, keeping the tens as a twenty has higher odds than splitting them.

Hit a Hard 12 Against the Dealer’s 2 or 3 Upcards

It may sound odd, but it works in the long run. Most players are afraid of getting a ten or a picture card, so they pull out when they hit 12. If you hit 12, only four cards can bust you: ten, jack, queen, and king. However, five cards can help you form a winning hand — five, six, seven, eight, or nine.

Ergo, we recommend hitting against the dealer’s two or three upcards. Your chances of winning are higher if you hit than if you stand.