Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games due to the skill element involved. Unlike slots which rely purely on luck, blackjack gives players the opportunity to reduce the house edge and win consistently with the right strategies at RollXO Casino.
If you want to take your online blackjack game to the next level and maximize your chances to beat the dealer, follow these essential blackjack tips and tricks from the professionals.
Practice Basic Strategy to Perfection
Memorizing basic blackjack strategy should be the first thing you do before playing for real money. Basic strategy tells you the statistically best move to make in every possible situation based on your hand versus the dealer’s upcard.
By following basic strategy perfectly every hand, you can reduce the house edge down to around 0.5% in blackjack. Even the best card counters still use basic strategy as the foundation of their game.
Study basic blackjack strategy charts until you have them committed to memory. You can find these charts for free online from many reputable blackjack sites. Having these optimal plays automated in your head gives you the best chance to make the right decisions on every hand.
Choose the Right Table Rules
All online blackjack games are not created equal when it comes to house edge and rules. Certain rules variations will impact your expected payouts over the long run.
Here are the best rules to look for that give the player better odds:
- Blackjack pays 3:2 (avoid 6:5)
- Dealer stands on soft 17 (avoid hits)
- Double down allowed on any first two cards
- Surrender option
- Number of decks used: 1-2 ideal
Compare the rules between online casinos and always choose the games with the player-friendly options listed above to boost your expected return.
Utilize a Basic Blackjack Betting Strategy
While card counting receives all the attention, you can still lower variance and grind out consistent wins from blackjack with the right betting approach.
Here are some basic blackjack betting strategies to use:
- Flat Betting: Bet the same amount on every hand. This protects your bankroll but provides limited upside.
- Positive Progression: Only increase your bets after wins. This takes advantage of hot streaks but risks bigger losses on cold runs.
- Negative Progression: Increase bets after losses. This recoups losses faster but can lead to busting your whole bankroll on a nasty losing skid.
- Oscar’s Grind: An alternating progression system that limits risk. You only increase your bet after a win if you are still recovering past losses. Once you are back in profit, you go back to the original flat bet amount.
Learn to Balance Your Emotions
Emotional control is vital in blackjack, like any casino game. Chasing losses by betting bigger after bad beats or getting overconfident after winning hands can prove costly.
Make sure you have strict stop-losses in place so you don’t spend more time or money than you can afford to lose. Also set reasonable win goals and be disciplined enough to walk away from the virtual table when you reach them.
Staying calm under pressure and sticking to the optimal strategy decisions rather than playing hunches on impulse will maximize your edge over the long run.
Analyze Your Session Results
If you really want to excel at online blackjack long-term, it pays to analyze your performance after each session to identify leaks and mistakes.
Here are some key stats to record that will help you improve as a player:
- Number of hands played
- Number of hands won/lost/pushed
- Biggest winning/losing streaks
- Bankroll change
- Times you deviated from basic strategy
Identifying any repeated bad habits or strategy leaks allows you to course correct them before they become permanent and costly problems in future sessions.
Know When to Walk Away
Some days you are simply card dead and can’t seem to catch a break no matter what. Other times lady luck is on your side and you ride a heater to a major payout.
That’s the nature of blackjack and why bankroll management and stop losses are so important.
Here’s a quick guide on when to walk away from any blackjack session:
| Reason to Stop | When to Walk Away |
| Hit Stop-Loss | Stop immediately if you lose your predetermined maximum loss amount per session |
| Win Goal Reached | Leave if you win your target amount set before playing |
| Tilt or Fatigue Sets In | Take a break if you feel yourself getting emotionally frustrated or mentally drained |
| Distracted from Game | Step away if you can’t give 100% focus and attention to optimal play |
Knowing when to call it quits gives you the discipline needed to survive the inevitable downswings and preserve your bankroll.
Conclusion
Mastering online blackjack requires using the right strategies and mental approaches combined with plenty of practice. But players willing to put in the effort are often rewarded with generous payouts.
The tips covered above should give you the skills and knowledge needed to crush blackjack online by making the statistically best decisions on every hand and managing your bankroll effectively.
With the house advantage minimized, your skill and determination to play perfect basic strategy under pressure will determine whether you walk away a consistent winner.
