Do Casinos Lose Money On Blackjack

It’s happened to every gambler.

You enter the casino full of hope and excitement. The machines are buzzing, the tables are hopping, and you want to get in on the action. You have a plan – or maybe you don’t. You put your money in the shiniest slot machine, or you pick a table that looks promising.

That said, some casinos have removed one or two 10-value cards from the shoe, which increases the house edge. Fewer tens in the deck are disadvantageous to the player because it lowers the chances of him getting a blackjack and receiving those higher hand payouts. Fewer blackjack payouts means fatter returns for the house. 11 Blackjack Tips the Casinos Don't Want You to Know. If you think the MIT blackjack team was a laid-back after-school club that enjoyed a good card game, you're wrong. Blackjack master Bill Kaplan organized the team like a startup. He instituted a uniform counting and betting system, put members through intense more. The strategy is simple. Only make minimum wagers until you lose and then double your wager on the next bet to win back what you lost. The Martingale System requires an endless supply of money, luck, or both. I’ve never met a great blackjack player who believed in a betting system.

A few hours later, your pockets are empty, and you’re left wondering what happened.

If you find this happening every time you visit the casino, then it might be time to rethink your gambling strategy and approach. Bearing in mind that the house always has an advantage, you can focus on playing games that give you the lowest house edge.

You can also focus on managing the most important factor in gambling:

Yourself.

Here are a few reasons why you’re leaving the casino with empty pockets or a lighter purse:

You’re Picking the Wrong Games

Picking a game is part of the fun of gambling.

Will this game be the one that gives you that big payout you’re looking for?

Maybe.

If you’re hitting the same machines or table games and consistently losing, it might be time to change things up.

One thing to consider is the house edge. That’s a statistical prediction of how much (on average) you’ll lose on every bet over the long run. In the short run, anything can happen, but in the long run, your average will near the statistical prediction.

Generally, the lower the house edge, the better your chances of walking away a winner.

As table games go, blackjack offers the best odds in the casino. Typically, the house edge is less than 1%, and it’s often lower than that. This assumes that you’re using perfect basic strategy, though.

Video poker machines have a house edge of 3%, and sometimes much less. This also assumes that you’re playing with optimal strategy.

Slot machines have a 5%-30% house edge. You don’t have to worry about strategy when playing slots, though.

Keno has a house edge of 30% or more. There’s no good strategy for keno, either.

It can be intimidating to switch up your game, but it’s worth the effort. You can make the transition easier by staying with a game that’s close to your comfort zone.

Here’s an example:

You usually play slot machines. You switch to video poker. The lower house edge means that over time, it costs you a lot less to play.

If you’re intimidated by social gambling, try to find a table that isn’t crowded.

Or, go to the casino at a time when it isn’t as busy.

If you’re uncomfortable at a specific table, find a different table.

If you must play slot machines, choose machines where you can afford to bet the maximum. Higher bets improve your odds on some machines. Make sure to pay close attention to the denomination and your total overall bet so you don’t get over your head.

If you’re a keno player, keep your bets small. The house advantage is huge. You might win less, but you’ll also lose less.

You’re Picking the Wrong Casinos

Don’t get me wrong–the house edge on games is similar from casino to casino.

Some factors vary, though, and they could help you leave with money in your pocket.

Do Casinos Lose Money On Blackjack Game

When you have a choice of casinos, choose the one with the best rewards program. The definition of “best” varies, but you’ll want to look at how quickly you earn points. You should also think about how much free play you can earn with your points. Free play gives you more money to spend, and it’s always better to gamble with someone else’s money.

Also pay attention to what discounts you get with your card.

Do you get a percentage off from food purchases?

How often do they give you comps like free hotel stays?

If you’re spending money on food and drinks while you’re there, go where you get the best deals, and lower the cost of your overall casino experience.

One factor that varies from casino to casino is the table limits – your minimum and maximum bets. Some casinos may have higher minimum bets on table games than you might be comfortable with. Or, the slot machines may have higher maximums than you prefer.

Before you start playing, walk around and see what bets are offered at what limits.

If it’s more than you planned on gambling, you’ll be better off heading elsewhere.

You Don’t Have a Plan

You wander into the casino. You sit at whatever game suits your fancy. You take money out of the ATM multiple times.

But you don’t have a plan.

Have a plan for how much you’re going to gamble, and how you’re going to gamble it. Ideally, you should withdraw money from your bank before you set foot into a casino. Casino ATMs charge ridiculous fees for withdrawing money.

Don’t take more money than you can afford to lose. Use money that you’ve allocated for entertainment – not money you need to pay the rent.

If you’re gambling with money you need, the whole experience becomes much more stressful. Gambling should be fun, not stressful. Keep your bankroll to a reasonable amount that you feel comfortable with.

If the temptation to withdraw more money is too much for you, get money from the bank before you go to the casino, and then leave your credit and debit cards at home.

Once you have your money, break it up into smaller bankrolls. It’s much easier to gamble away $100 if you’ve put $100 into a machine. Break up your bills into smaller denominations to manage your betting. Get smaller denominations of chips so you’re not tempted to bet beyond your means.

If you win, walk away. Don’t put it back. Get in your car and go to the bank. If you must continue playing, decide exactly how much you’re going to play and stick to it.

Most importantly, resist the temptation to deviate from your plan. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world to gamble more than you intended to, or to win a decent payout and give it all back to the casino.

You Don’t Know the Game

Blackjack is a strategy game, so if you don’t know basic strategy, you will hurt yourself in the long run. Knowing basic strategy improves your odds of winning and lowers the house edge. You can familiarize yourself with the game before you go by playing free games at an online casino.

If you prefer to learn in person, go to the casino when it’s not busy. Find a table that’s not crowded, and familiarize yourself with the game.

Although slot machines are random, it’s important to know the payouts on the machine you’re playing. If the payouts aren’t listed on the machine, look for the payout table on the machine itself.

It also never hurts to do a little research. Pay attention to how different slot machines are paying out. Simpler machines have tendency to pay more frequently, though the payouts might be lower. Look for 3-reel machines that are in a denomination you’re comfortable with.

Craps can seem complicated. It has multiple bets that you can make. There are pass line bets, odds bets, and come and don’t come bets. You can familiarize yourself with craps via an online casino, or, better yet, find an experienced player who’s willing to explain the ins and outs of the game.

If you stick with the simplest craps bets, the house edge is surprisingly low.

When betting on sports, do your homework before you bet. How has the team been performing? Who’s not able to play in the upcoming game?

Choose your bets based on logic, and not on your sentimental favorite.
Online

Knowing how a game works helps with your planning. It also makes sure that your odds are the best they can be. That, in turn, increases your odds of leaving the casino with money in your pocket.

You Bet Too Much

It can be tempting to bet big.

After all, if you want to win big, you should bet big, right?

That can happen, but it’s much more likely that you’ll be heading home sooner than you planned because you’re out of money.

Consider how much you’re planning to spend overall.

Here’s an example:

You plan to gamble $300. You could play a dollar slot machine, with a max of $3, and you’ll have at least 100 chances to bet.

Or you could play a $5 machine with a max of $15, and you’ll have 20 chances.

Even though you may not win as much playing the smaller maximum, you probably won’t lose as much either.

You can keep playing longer, and that’s the fun part, right?

Similarly, find a table game with a minimum you can handle. Give yourself the best chance to win. The more hands you can play, the better.

Resist the temptation to increase your bet sizes just because you’re winning. Slot machines are random, and what you won before has no effect on what you’re going to win on the next spin. Dice are also random.

It might seem like the game is hot, but that can change in an instant. Stick to your plan, and keep your betting steady.

With blackjack, if you’re a more advanced player, you may be able to count cards and know when to bet bigger. But if you’re a newer player, resist the temptation to increase your bets.

You Play to Recover Your Losses

You’ve been playing for a while, and you’re down. You’ve got to make up your losses. It can seem like the logical thing to bet bigger.

After all, you need to recover what you’ve lost, right?

This is another time you need to use logic over emotion.

The game doesn’t know you’re down, and it’s not going to pay you any better because you’ve lost some money. The odds are still the same.

To minimize your losses, you need to stick to your plan. Keep your bets at a level that you’re comfortable with.

If you must make a change, move to a different machine or a different table, but not one with a higher bet.

Better yet, take a break. Walk outside, get something to eat, or have a drink. Then return with a clear head and see what happens.

You Don’t Take Care of Yourself

It’s so easy to get caught up gambling. Before you know it, the sun’s gone down (or come up), and you haven’t eaten in hours. Your throat is dry and your head hurts.

To make good decisions while gambling, you need to take care of yourself. If you need to, set alarms on your phone to remind you to get up and get something to eat. Have a drink. Take a walk outside.

Sitting for a long time isn’t healthy, either. Stand up, stretch, and sit back down refreshed and ready to play.

If you’re drinking, keep an eye on how much. Intoxication will not help you make good gambling decisions.

If you’re tired, hungry, and cranky, you can get erratic in your play. Your blackjack strategy might slip. You might not hold the right cards when you’re playing video poker. Most importantly, you stop having fun.

Take care of yourself and keep your gambling experience fun.

Conclusion

Even the most seasoned gamblers can sometimes get caught up in the game. Don’t beat yourself up for coming home empty handed. It happens.

What’s important to consider is your overall gambling.

How much did you win or lose over the past month?

Or the last 6 months?

If you review your gambling and find your losses to be more than you anticipated, consider changing things up. If you’re uncertain of what games you might enjoy, try an online casino to get a sense of how different games work and what strategies work the best.

Do your research. Ideally, do this before you head out to the casino. If you bet on sports, check stats on the internet before you place your bets. Most casinos also have their rewards programs online, so you can see what they offer and take full advantage of it.

Most importantly, stick to your plan. Keep your betting steady, and don’t take out more money to win back what you’ve lost. It’s better to take some time and return with a full stomach and a clear head.

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Ruta Rimkiene

In this article you'll find:

  • A basic Blackjack cheat sheet for beginners
  • An overview of the best Blackjack strategies to play online
  • Useful online Blackjack tips to increase your chances of winning

Let's face it - we've all looked for the best and the most effective strategy to win at blackjack.

More than once.

As a huge fan of Blackjack, I tried countless betting strategies.

I won big, I lost big. Luckily, all of this experience helped me to understand one thing: moderation is the key.

After all I've been through, I want to share my knowledge with you.

My goal is to maximize your winnings and to minimize your losses.

At the end of the day, we are all on the same boat:

We just want to beat the dealer and bring home as much money as possible.

Even though a fool proof blackjack strategy doesn't exist, the info below can help you play smart and win more.

Losing all your savings won't get you anywhere and will only make you hate casinos.

So, let's make the best out of your blackjack casino experience and help each other to you win more.

After all, the most important thing is to have fun. And the more you know, the more fun blackjack gets.

Check Out This Blackjack Cheat Sheet

First things first. Even though the most important thing that keeps you from losing big is money management - and as a poker player I assume you are A PRO at this - you also have to know the basic tactics to deal with cards effectively.

As you know, there are a few decisions you can take depending on your cards and the dealer's open card.

These decisions are:

  • Stand
  • Hit
  • Double
  • Split
  • Surrender

Sometimes, all it takes is basic logic.

Like you don't want to hit (ask for an additional card) if you have a 20, and you don't want to stand if you have only a 3.

However, things are not always that simple.

That's why our experienced team prepared a detailed blackjack chart to show you how to play every hand at blackjack.

Use it to know when it is recommended to hit, to stand, or to do something else.

Yes, you can use this basic blackjack strategy table when you play online blackjack for real money.

Whether you play virtual or live dealer games, you can (or better, you should) base your blackjack play on what's indicated on this blackjack cheat-sheet.

Alternatively, you can use this downloadable Blackjack basic strategy chart.

Hard totals
Dealer's card >2345678910A
Player's hand
17-20SSSSSSSSSS
16SSSSSHHSUSUSU
15SSSSSHHHSUH
13-14SSSSSHHHHH
12HHSSSHHHHH
11DhDhDhDhDhDhDhDhDhH
10DhDhDhDhDhDhDhDhHH
9HDhDhDhDhHHHHH
5-8HHHHHHHHHH
Soft totals
Dealer's card >2345678910A
A,8-A,9SSSSSSSSSS
A,7SDsDsDsDsSSHHH
A,6HDhDhDhDhHHHHH
A,4-A,5HHDhDhDhHHHHH
A,2-A,3HHHDhDhHHHHH
Pairs
Dealer's card >2345678910A
A,ASPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSP
10,10SSSSSSSSSS
9,9SPSPSPSPSPSSPSPSS
8,8SPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSP
7,7SPSPSPSPSPSPHHHH
6,6SPSPSPSPSPHHHHH
5,5DhDhDhDhDhDhDhDhHH
4,4HHHSPSPHHHHH
2,2-3,3SPSPSPSPSPSPHHHH

Key:
S = Stand
H = Hit
Dh = Double (if not allowed, then hit)
Ds = Double (if not allowed, then stand)
SP = Split
SU = Surrender (if not allowed, then hit)

Now that you have a basic understanding the different blackjack actions (which you can practice HERE for free), let's move to the best blackjack betting strategies.

A Conservative Blackjack Strategy: Win Little by Little

If you're a beginner, I completely understand your fear of high stakes.

I also wouldn't want to lose a fortune on my very first game.

Or on my second. And third one.

That would discourage me from playing blackjack ever again - or even visiting Las Vegas.

That's why I suggest you to use a conservative approach when it comes to betting in blackjack.

The main idea is this:

Raise your bet every time you win.

Find Lost Money Free

This strategy is based on the idea that wins and losses come in streaks.

You might lose five times in a row, but then, miraculously, win three consecutive bets.

I know, I know, blackjack is a game of chance, and the outcome is random.

BUT

My long-term experience says that there is a pattern. I just can't explain it logically.

Just look at some random sequences made with the probability theory in mind.

Usually, you can see some sort of streaks, and this can be applied to blackjack too.

So, all you need to do is raise your stakes little by little - but only when you win.

You can use our list of the best casinos to play blackjack online and test this strategy for free. Don't forget to use our strategy charts when learning how to win.

An Aggressive Approach to Blackjack: the Martingale Strategy

Now we're talking.

The Martingale blackjack strategy is my favourite.

This is a blackjack system that helps me win often - but only when I have a lot of money to invest on my games.

If you don't have at least $500 to gamble online - don't use it.

If you do - keep reading and get ready to have fun.

The Martingale strategy is completely different from the conservative blackjack approach.

You have to be brave to use this one.

It basically goes like this:

You double your bet… every time you lose.

Now that sounds like a downer.

How can you ever win if you keep losing - and losing more and more as you keep playing?

Listen.

Even if you lose lots of money on several consecutive losses, everything changes when you win.

As you've been doubling your bets, the one that brings you victory makes your bankroll grow to the point of covering the amount you lost before that happened.

However, there's one thing to keep in mind. One very important thing.

Once you go over your initial bankroll, STOP.

The Martingale blackjack strategy doesn't work when it comes to long gaming sessions.

There have been cases when I lost all my money, and that happened because I was greedy.

The best approach is to play blackjack often and stop immediately when you get some extra cash.

This way, you will benefit greatly in the long run and won't be left penniless at the end of the day.

You are very likely to win at least one hand per round of blackjack - and that's all you need when applying the Martingale blackjack strategy.

Just keep in mind that you need a big initial bankroll for this one.

You need to have enough money to keep doubling the bet until you finally beat the odds.

If you feel like it, you can practice this strategy on different blackjack variants to see, which one works best for you.

In case your betting limits are low - don't worry. The next blackjack strategy guide is for you.

1-3-2-6 Blackjack Betting System

The 1-3-2-6 blackjack betting strategy doesn't sound like the most exciting thing ever - especially after you've read about the Martingale strategy - but it can still help you a lot.

Most importantly, it doesn't require to have an enormous bankroll, so that's a plus.

So, what do the numbers in the title of the strategy stand for?

Your bets after you win a hand of blackjack.

In other words, you trigger this system after you win - and cut it once you lose.

This way, you won't lose all your money at once.

Once again, this blackjack strategy is based on the idea that winnings come in streaks.

Also, it gives you a systematic approach to your bets. You don't make your bets randomly and that gives you control over the game. Everything goes as planned - step by step.

Let's take a look at an example of the 1-3-2-6 blackjack strategy.

Say, your initial bet is $10. If you won blackjack game four times in a row, your betting pattern would look like this:

$10-$30-$20-$60

Of course, let's not forget that you would immediately cut this sequence if you lost.

You would then return to your original $10 and wait for another win.

You might ask, does 1-3-2-6 blackjack strategy really work?

Well, it helps.

It helps you manage your bets, not to overspend, and gives you an advantage when you hit a hot streak.

Even if your winnings might look like rookie numbers at the beginning, you'll have an advantage in the long run.

You can play blackjack for free at this Casino to see if this strategy works for you in reducing the house edge.

How to Win More at Blackjack: A Few Important Tips

Even though we all want to win at blackjack every time we play, it's impossible.

Luckily, you can maximize your winnings and make blackjack odds more favorable with a few simple tips that are as important as an effective blackjack betting strategy.

So, here's what you need to do to be a successful blackjack player:

  • Say NO to insurance. Blackjack insurance is probably the worst thing that could happen to this casino game. It's useless, money-draining, and should be thrown out the window immediately. Don't use it!
  • Keep the house edge in mind. You can't expect to win at blackjack every time you play. That's because it has a house edge which ensures that the casino has an advantage in the long run. The best method to avoid the house edge is to stop playing as soon as you win extra money.
  • Check the rules of blackjack every time you play. It comes as no surprise that such a popular game like blackjack has tons of different variations. Each of them has slightly different rules. Check them out before you make your first bet.
  • Choose 3:2 over 6:5 payout. Some casinos decide to cheat a little and make the payout 6:5 instead of the usual 3:2. Playing at such a casino means that you won't win as much as you should. Avoid casino sites, mobile casinos, and live casinos with bad payouts for blackjack players.

And now it's time to test all these best blackjack strategies in real life.

Also, use these tips and study the blackjack action strategy table. After a short while, you'll find yourself winning more and more.

However, the most important method to win at blackjack game is, once again, moderation.

No blackjack strategy will help you if you waste your winnings playing blackjack all day long.

You must quit as soon as you make even the smallest profit, or otherwise everything will go to waste.

If you play small, your winnings will accumulate, and you'll win big in the long run.

And that's the most important thing of all.

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