Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Playing Blackjack

How To Play Blackjack Like A Pro Even When You’re Not 

If you want to win money at a casino then you should be playing Blackjack – you have the best odds against the house in this game. 

However, you might find that you aren’t winning as often as you like. It is probably because you aren’t following the tips below. Let us teach you how to play blackjack.

Blackjack is a card game that is believed to have been invented in France in the 18th century but might have roots in a game played by the Ancient Romans. 

The aim of the game is to score 21 or to get closer to 21 than the dealer. You only play against the dealer, not the other people at the table. 

While Blackjack does rely slightly on luck, if you understand the theory of the game you can seriously improve your odds of winning. 

Here are 6 rookie mistakes to avoid making. 

#1 – Thinking You Can Get Away With Card Counting

Maybe you have watched a lot of casino movies and think it’s possible to get away with cheating the casino. After all, card counting isn’t illegal so how much trouble can you really get into?  

You should never count cards in a casino. 

You will get banned for life if you do it in person and online blackjack games are designed to prevent you from being able to do so. 

Casinos have a zero tolerance policy for people who count cards. 

#2 – Not Knowing What A Good Hand Looks Like 

Everyone knows that 21 is the best hand in the game. 

But do you know what the second and third best hands in the game are? 

Well, you might have guessed that 20 is the second best hand in the game. But what you might not have realized is that 11 is the third best hand in the game, not 19. 

Although, we wouldn’t complain if we had an 18 or a 19. 

11 is such a good hand because you can take another card and not have to worry about going bust. 

#3 – Not Knowing What A Bad Hand Looks Like  

If 21, 20, and 11 are really good hands then what does a bad hand look like? 

Well, the worst hand you can get in the game is a 16. This is because the dealer has an average hand of 17 or higher. That means a 16 isn’t enough to win on average and you have a high chance of going bust if you take another card. 

When you have a 16, you’re better off taking an extra card on the chance that you don’t go bust, rather than sticking with 16. 

#4 – Playing At Tables With Big Buy-In Or Flashy Jackpots 

This is a rule that applies to every part of the casino, not just the Blackjack table – but it is still very important to remember it. 

The areas that offer the biggest jackpots, ask for the biggest buy-ins, and look most exciting are the parts of the casino where you are most likely to lose money. Online, this could be the games on the front page of the website. 

Try and stay away from these areas and you will be less likely to lose money. 

#5 – Not Splitting A Pair of 8s

Remember that we mentioned that 16 is the worst hand you can get in blackjack. 

The good news for you, is if your 16 is actually a pair of 8s then you can split it. You can split any pair, but 8 is most worth doing. 

This will give you a much better chance of scoring 21 or at least beating the dealer’s average of 17. 

This is the kind of move that will set you apart from the less experienced plays, this shows that you understand how the game works and how to win. 

#6 – You Don’t Take Playing Seriously 

There are a few things that set players who know how to win out from players that want to win but don’t know how.

Firstly, they don’t get drunk or high while they play. 

Secondly, they take regular breaks so that they can keep their focus up for longer. 

Thirdly, they have a budget for their evening, and they don’t go over it. They also don’t put their winnings back into circulation – this is a surefire way to leave with less money that you came in with.