Once you have familiarised yourself with the relatively simple basic rules of blackjack, the next step is to understand how to optimise your chances of success when you play. There have been numerous books written throughout the years with strategies for upping your game.

Whilst blackjack incorporates an element of skill and does not rely on sheer chance, it is important to understand that there is no fool-proof strategy to guarantee success. Yet there are certain steps you can take to get the most out of the game. On this page, you will find useful tips and tactics to help you win at online blackjack.

Choose the Best Casino for Blackjack

Whilst playing blackjack with a particular strategy can boost your chances of winning, there is another vital factor that you need to consider before you even launch a game, and that is where to play. When it comes to playing blackjack online, you are spoilt for choice, with hundreds of online casinos featuring the popular game. You should play at safe, licenced casinos that offer generous bonuses with favourable conditions for blackjack. It is also useful to pick a casino which will allow you to try out the games for free.

Play at a Reputable Online Casino

You should never underestimate the importance of choosing a safe, reliable and reputable online casino. After all, you need to be certain that your sensitive personal and financial data is safe to ensure you are protected against fraud. Furthermore, by playing at legal and UK licenced internet casinos, the fairness and integrity of games has been tested and verified by independent authorities.

If you opt for any old casino that has not met the highest of standards required by the UK Gambling Commission, you run the risk of playing at a rogue casino. This could mean games are rigged, technical security is poor and they could even refuse to pay out your winnings.

Take Advantage of Bonuses for Playing Blackjack

Most online casinos will offer an attractive bonus to encourage you to join. These can offer a great deal for players as they boost your bankroll and allow you to play more. However, not all bonuses are suitable for blackjack players. Most casino bonuses come with certain conditions attached to them. Most significant is the wagering requirement. You will be required to play through the bonus, and in some cases the deposit too, a certain number of times before you can withdraw any winnings made with it.

As blackjack is one of the casino games with the lowest of house edges, you will often find that any money wagered on the game will not contribute fully towards meeting the playthrough requirement. In some cases, blackjack will be excluded from bonus play altogether. As such, make sure you check the terms attached to any casino bonus to ensure that there is a relatively low playthrough requirement and that blackjack has a favourable weighting. You should also consider the minimum deposit required to claim the bonus and how long it is valid for to ensure you get a good deal.

Play Blackjack for Free

A key advantage of online casinos is that many offer the chance to play games for free in practice mode, as well as for real money. If you are a beginner, playing blackjack for free is a great way to familiarise yourself with the rules, settings and gameplay, with no risk involved. It also allows you to try out innovative variants of the classic game and get a feel for their unique rules and features. By playing for free, you can fully prepare yourself to play confidently with real money.

Other Tips and Strategies for Blackjack

Once you have picked the best casino to play blackjack, there are further ways in which you can influence your success. Your choice of game variant is one element. Another is adopting a basic strategy for taking the right action based on your hand. There are also more advanced options such as card counting. Below, you find out more about each of these ways in which to optimise your chances.

Choice of Game Variant

There are so many different blackjack variants available online and the game you choose can have a significant impact on your chances. Whilst blackjack generally has a very low house edge, there are some variants which reduce the house edge even further. The higher the RTP of the game, the better the situation for the player. Some of the most popular blackjack variants with a very low house edge include Blackjack Switch (0.17%), Pontoon (0.36%) and Blackjack Surrender (0.38%).

It is also crucial that you fully understand the rules of the variant you play, as well as following a strategy chart for that specific variant. It is also worth noting that whilst side bets can offer highly alluring payouts, they actually have a much lower house edge attached to them. So generally speaking, for optimal play, it is best to avoid placing them.

Use a Strategy Card

Whilst some actions in blackjack are obvious, like hitting with 11 points, others may not be so clear to beginners. Luckily, you can use a strategy table to help you determine the best action to take. There are various versions of such charts available which vary slightly according to the game variant, rules and the number of decks in use.

The basic principle is the same for using them. The combination of your starting hand along with the dealer’s up card will indicate the right move to make. If you follow the advice on when to hit, stand, split or double down, you can reduce the house edge to a minimum and optimise your chances of winning.

Card Counting

When you mention blackjack strategies, card counting may immediately spring to mind. But what actually is card counting, and can it be used to increase your profits? The technique centres around keeping track of the number of high and low cards in the shoe to try and identify instances where you are more likely to win.

Various card counting strategies have been developed over time. Yet the simplest is the hi-lo system. Here, you attribute a +1 value to cards 2-6, and a -1 value to cards 10 – A (7 – 9 are neutral cards and have no value attributed to them). With a newly shuffled pack, the count starts at zero and you then add or subtract the relevant values as the cards are dealt and keep a running total. When the running total is positive, it indicates an increased advantage for the player. When the total is negative, it is less favourable for the player.

Whilst card counting strategies can be used in land based casinos, albeit discretely, the situation is not the same for online blackjack. When you play a RNG game variant, the deck is automatically shuffled after every round. As such, it is not feasible to count cards. The exception to this rule comes with live blackjack. In this game, the cards are not shuffled after every round, so it does open up the possibility to give card counting a try.

How to Guarantee Success at Blackjack

There are a variety of actions you can take to play blackjack with an advantage. It starts with choosing a safe and reputable online casino with a favourable bonus. Your choice of variant has an impact on your chances. Whichever you opt for, be sure you understand the rules and follow the relevant strategy chart. Whilst card counting is a fairly advanced technique, you can try your luck with the system against real dealers when playing online. Finally, the most important thing to remember is to have fun. No system can guarantee you long term profits, so ensure you set yourself limits and enjoy the entertainment of playing blackjack.