You’ve probably heard all about card counting up until now. A controversial yet winning technique, card counting has been widely used in posh Vegas casinos in the 1970s and 1980s. It was quickly banned afterwards since people used it to their advantage to win millions of dollars.
Blackjack card counting chart
Widely known as the ultimate blackjack strategy, card counting is pretty complex and therefore not very reliable for new players. If you’re a skilled player, though, you can apply it to get a better idea on what’s on the table. There’s one thing to remember, though – it is not a bulletproof winning strategy and won’t make you win each round against the dealer.
You do card counting in your hand instead of on the table. While no one can meddle into your mind and learn that you’re using it, it is considered cheating both offline and online. Counting cards in online casinos is even harder, but not impossible.
How to Try Card Counting
- Assign a value of +1 to cards 2-6; 0 to 7-9, and -1 to the ace and the 10.
- Now, start keeping a running count when the dealer pulls a card out of the deck with those values.
- If your count is accurate, you will be able to monitor the value of the remaining cards.
- When the count is negative, you raise your bet. If it’s positive, lower it.
As mentioned, card counting is a very complex technique. Keeping count of the values is pretty hard online, but if you can do it in your head and you know the blackjack rules properly, this is a blackjack strategy that works.
One of the great thing about online blackjack is that you get to practice each strategy for free. You can try card counting and see if it works when you decide to play for cash. Whatever you do, don’t use card counting software. It is illegal and if you get caught, you’ll be banned from the online casino and your profits frozen.
Does It Work Online?
As mentioned, card counting is pretty complex, especially when you take into account that online blackjack variants are controlled by a Random Number Generator. These games use randomized decks of cards shuffled each around which can make it hard to keep a running count.
Since there’s no law that makes card counting a criminal activity, though, you’re welcome to try it. Be wary, though. This blackjack strategy requires your full patience and focus. You should only use it when you’re confident in your capabilities and you must also be discreet and keep an eye on your bankroll.
If you want to improve your chances at winning, we suggest learning the rules of blackjack by practicing for free and trying one of the recommended strategies from above.
Blackjack House Edge and Odds
If you ever played the game of 21 online, you are surely familiar with the term house edge. You’ve probably met it along with terms such as ‘probability’ and ‘math’. They all work together to determine the odds of the game of 21.
In the simplest terms, the blackjack house edge is a statistical way of measuring the casino’s advantage over a player. In blackjack, the house edge is around 2% and lower than 1% when you use a basic blackjack strategy. With that house edge, blackjack is one of the most favourable games for players. It means that the blackjack odds are pretty great from your perspective.
Many factors have an impact on the blackjack house edge. For example, how long you play has an impact and the variants themselves are different too. By using one of the strategies we examined above, you can bring the house edge down pretty low, but you also need to learn the rules properly. If you don’t use a blackjack strategy, the house edge is lower and your odds to win are therefore lower too.
Is It the Best Online Casino Game?
Math-wise, blackjack is one of the best online casino games. Many will make a case for poker, but you can bet more at blackjack and win more as well. Of course, it’s not a game where you will win each hand. Using strategies, however, or counting cards, can make you a much better player and help you win more.
When playing blackjack online for real money, you must always play with a strategy. There’s no perfect blackjack strategy, but at the end of the day, if you don’t use one, you’re better off playing for fun.
While on the subject of playing for fun, it’s a perfect way of learning the rules of blackjack and trying out different strategies. That’s one advantage online blackjack has over its land-based sibling. Remember that there’s no cheat sheet you can use. You just master a strategy and try your best to beat the dealer to the race to 21 and improve your profits.
