Blackjack Betting Strategy – How to Win the Most
11 minutes
Last Updated: May 13, 2022
Blackjack Betting Strategy – How to Win the Most
Blackjack is straightforward to learn. Within minutes of observing how it’s played, you’ll be able to jump in the game and test your luck by yourself. But there’s a big difference between just learning blackjack rules and mastering the game. If you’re looking to do the latter, you’ve come to the perfect place.
We’ve created the best blackjack betting strategy guide on the Internet and covered everything you need to know about the tactical side of the game. The strategies and betting tips you’ll learn on this page will help you win and make the most of every bet when playing blackjack.
How to Bet on Blackjack?
Blackjack is far from an overwhelming game. All you have to do is put together two or more cards that add up to 21 or as close to it as you can manage without going over this number. To achieve this, you can make the following gameplay choices:
- Hit (Take another card)
- Stand (Hold your current hand until the end of the round)
- Double down (Double your initial bet but stand after taking just one more card)
- Split pairs (Split a pair into two separate hands, allowing you to win more)
- Surrender (Give up your hand right away in return for half of your wager)
Other than these, there aren’t really any other strategic decisions you can make when playing blackjack. Because of this, the main blackjack betting strategies revolve around the systems you can use to maximize your profits and ensure you win the most with the bankroll you’re betting with.
Can You Count Cards in Blackjack?
Counting cards in blackjack has been immortalized in many gambling movies as a way of beating the casino under the radar. The premise of counting cards is simple and includes keeping notes in your head of each card that comes out of the shoe during one blackjack session.
That said, counting cards in blackjack is extremely demanding and mentally draining. You need to make sure that you’re carefully taking notes of every card while still focusing on playing the game most optimally.
Moreover, although card counting isn’t technically cheating, it’s something most casinos don’t approve of. Doing so will quickly attract the attention of security, which can throw you out of the game if they suspect you’re counting cards.
Overall, many blackjack betting strategies can help increase your winning chances, but card counting is quite tricky if you’re in it for long-term success. With that in mind, let’s move to the main piece of this page.
Best Blackjack Betting Strategies
While there’s no foolproof blackjack betting strategy that guarantees you positive results for every bet, there are several strategies that can help you increase the chances and frequency of winning. Here are some of the most effective strategies you can employ at the blackjack table:
Oscar’s Grind
The interestingly named Oscar’s Grind blackjack betting system is a conservative approach that involves betting the exact amount after every loss and increasing the bet size after every win.
You repeat this strategy until you’re up for one bet size, then revert to your original bet.
For example, let’s say you’ve made an initial $10 be and lost. The next bet will again be for $10. If you win the next time, you’ll bet $20 and keep betting $20 until you win again. When you win, increase your bet to $30.
Once you’re in the plus overall, start with your initial bet again.
This system is one of the smartest blackjack strategies around as it allows you to always maintain control and quickly revert to your original bet if necessary. It’s a system that’s easy to learn but often requires a reasonably large bankroll to sustain through long losing streaks.
The 1-3-2-6 Betting System
While the 1-3-2-6 blackjack betting strategy might not be the most entertaining one to play at, it’s one of the most straightforward ones to learn, and it gives reliable results.
Just like the more famous Paroli roulette strategy, this is a positive progression betting system.
The way the 1-3-2-6 betting system works is in the name of the strategy. The numbers suggest how much you should bet every time you win a bet. So, for example, if you win your first bet, the next bet should be 3x the first bet. If you win again, the next bet should be 2x your initial bet.
You progress with the strategy as long as you’re winning. When you get a losing hand, you revert to your original bet size and restart the system all over again.
There are many reasons why you should consider using the 1-3-2-6 betting system over other blackjack betting strategies. It’s very easy to learn and is one of the less risky approaches. Plus, you can apply it to a long list of other casino games.
The Martingale System
Arguably one of the best-known betting strategies in the world, the Martingale system is also extremely fun to play and makes for great blackjack sessions.
The main basis of this tactic is to offset any losses by doubling your bet every time after a loss. It’s the polar opposite of the previous strategy, as it is much more aggressive and riskier.
As with all other negative progression betting systems, you should only use the Martingale system if you’re fully ready to commit to it until the end. Even when playing at a low-stakes table, the last thing you want is to run out of money before you hit that recoup win.
As losing streaks of ten or more hands are fairly common in blackjack, you’ll need a reasonably sizable bankroll to cover any potential lousy run.
The Martingale system is clearly aimed for high rollers and isn’t the best choice for beginners or casual blackjack players betting on a fairly tight budget.
This tactic is the best blackjack betting strategy to win big amounts of money, as long as you don’t mind going through big swings and can back up significant losses on your way to winning.
How to Win the Most at Blackjack – A Few Additional Tips
If you put in the time and effort into learning the strategies we’ve examined, you’ll know more than most blackjack players. But, aside from the betting process itself, you should also consider a few additional aspects of playing blackjack. These extra blackjack tips will help create a more efficient blackjack strategy:
- Always have a set budget – When betting on blackjack or any other casino game, you should always set a fixed budget for winning and losing. Even more importantly, make sure never to stray away from the budget you’ve selected. No matter how well or poorly your night is going at one point, the budget should be there to keep you from spending more than you can afford.
- Don’t fall for insurance bets – If you’re a beginner blackjack player, it might be tempting to go for the insurance bet. However, insurance bets significantly raise the house edge and put you at a disadvantage. Experienced blackjack players always avoid insurance bets.
- Always consider the house edge – In line with the previous tip, you should always think about the house edge for every bet you make. Although the casino always has the edge long-term, you shouldn’t underestimate your possibilities for lowering that edge based on the decisions you make.
- Master the blackjack betting strategy chart – The term “blackjack” covers more variations than you’ll ever get to play even at the largest casinos. But, all of these variations are based on the same core betting strategy chart. For this reason, it’s crucial to master the general gameplay rules. When you do so, you’ll have a much easier time playing any blackjack game you come across.
- Use bonuses if playing online – Online blackjack brings about many convenient benefits. Some of the most significant ones are the bonuses and promotions you can claim in online casinos. Online blackjack bonuses provide you with free betting money and can be a great way of adding to your budget. Just make sure you read up on wagering requirements and any other relevant terms ahead of time.
The Bottom Line – Should You Use Any Blackjack Betting Strategy?
With all of the above in mind, is there the best blackjack betting strategy worth adhering to? Or are you just wasting your time and taking away from the possible enjoyment you would have if you threw all strategy out the window?
In short, yes, it’s worth it to have a set of blackjack betting strategies you can resort to in every scenario you find yourself in. Plus, learning these strategies doesn’t have to take the pleasure away from the game.
If you try to understand and use the information instead of just memorizing it, you’ll also have fun applying it directly in each round. This will make your wins even more rewarding, as you’ll know it was your decisions that led to success.
Also, it’s key to understand that the goal of the blackjack strategies above isn’t to guarantee you a win every time you play. This isn’t possible in any casino game, so don’t believe anyone who tries to sell you such a story.
Instead, the detailed tips we discussed above aim to maximize your winning chances and minimize your losses in the long run.
Hopefully, if you took the time to read the entire page, you now know the entire blackjack betting system in and out and are fully ready to start playing.
Keep in mind the strategies we shared with you on this page and play responsibly, and you’re bound to have fun and quite a bit of success in your favorite casino card game!
