Published on July 12th, 2022 | by Bibhuranjan

Tips and hacks one should know about online blackjack

Why do people play blackjack? Mainly for two reasons – either to make some money or for entertainment. Blackjack is probably the most played and popular casino game worldwide. It’s easy to learn, fun to play, and offers the highest winning odds.

By learning a basic strategy and a few tips, you can increase your winning odds. If you want to enhance your chances of winning more hands, this article is for you. You will find some of the best tips and hacks you should know about online blackjack.

Playing blackjack online is more convenient. You can find hundreds of online casinos offering the game with distinctive features to attract as many people as possible. The rules for both offline and online blackjack are the same. The only difference between the two is the dealer. In an offline casino, there is an actual human, while in the online version, software deals the cards. However, this difference is being eliminated thanks to the live streaming feature.

Rules of a blackjack game

Understanding basic rules is helpful. By keeping in mind and implementing them, you get better every time you play online blackjack.

Your goal is to beat the dealer.
To win, you need to make a higher hand than the dealer and be the closest to 21.
The card is valued at its face value. The face cards are valued at 10, while an ace can be worth 1 or 11, depending on your hand.
Once you place the bets, the dealer deals two cards each to you and themselves.
In the dealt set of cards, one is face-up, and another is face down. You can access your face-down card. You make the next move after analyzing your two cards and one face-up card of the dealer.

There are four moves you can play after receiving cards.

Stand: in this move, you do not take more cards and are confident of winning the hand based on your pair of cards.

Hit: it means you ask the dealer to deal more cards.

Fold: it means you surrender your hand. You will only receive half of the money you placed as a bet. It’s a savior in the case of terrible cards.

Double: in this move, you double your bet after viewing your two cards and the dealer’s face-up card. This option is only valid after the first two cards.

Split: you can split your cards into two separate hands. In other words, you double your wager.

What are the moves for the dealer?

Learning the moves and practicing them can make you better at the game. However, the dealer has two options as well: stand or hit. If the total of the hand is 16 or less, they must hit. If the total is higher than 17, then they must stand.

Terms of the game

It’s another crucial factor of blackjack. There are four terms commonly used in a game.

Natural hand or blackjack: when the combination of a hand is a face card and an ace.

Insurance bet: it’s a side bet you make on the dealer’s hand. The bet is half of the original bet, and you mostly take this bet when the dealer’s face-up card is an ace. If they get the blackjack, you win the bet; otherwise, you lose.

Soft hand: a hand with an ace card valued at 11, and the total remains below 21.

Hard hand: a hand with an ace card valued at 1 or when there is no ace card.

Tips on how to increase your chances of winning

Playing with fewer decks

The advantage of playing blackjack online is that you have several choices. You can play at a table with fewer decks that have the best winning odds. While in offline blackjack, the game is usually played with more decks. A multiple deck table dilutes aces and cards valued at 10.

12 and 13 are better than you think

Blackjack is a mathematical game in which you have to calculate. Most beginners make the same mistake of playing after they receive 12 or 13. Because it’s a game of known values, suppose you have a 12 or a 13. Whereas you only know the face-up card of the dealer and consider face-down valued at 10, since ten and all face cards are valued at 10. It makes the guessing easy.

Now, if the dealer has 4, 5, or 6 as a face-up card, you can assume his hand as 14, 15, or 16. Here, they have to hit and probably will be busted. So, if you have anything over 11, it’s better to stand.

In the end, it’s a game of probabilities, and you will lose hands based on these assumptions. But, in the long run, it’s probably a better move.

Never split tens

When the dealer’s hand is weak, it’s better to nail down and try to double your money. It’s possible when you split a pair. However, never split 10s. You may be tempted to split a 10 and make two hands, but why risk a strong hand of 20? Splitting 10s is highly risky, with fewer chances of winning.

Double down on 11

Another way of increasing your money is to double down. Some pairs allow you to safely double down with little risk. A hand of 11 is one of them. When you receive 11, double down before taking the third card. The chances of receiving a ten are highly likely. It will make your hand 21 even if you get 8 or 9. Your total would be 19 or 20, which is a strong hand.

Photo by Dusan Kipic on Unsplash

Tags: blackjack, casino, gambling, online blackjack, online casino, play online blackjack

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.