How to Win at Live Blackjack - conversationswithjessica.com

The casino industry has many games worthy of being called the most attractive or the most played. However, few of them gain popularity that not only lasts hundreds of years but also makes them an icon of pop culture.

In today’s article, we will talk about the iconic Blackjack or 21 Blackjack, a gambling game that, with the right strategies, could make anybody win a lot of money. Many of us are familiar with this game because we have already seen it as part of films such as “21 Blackjack” or “The Hangover,” an easy game but with a few aces under its sleeve.

The origin of Blackjack is not defined per se, but it can be traced back to several European games from the 16th century. The closest written reference to 21 Blackjack is a short story about a Spanish game, “Veinte y uno.” We can argue that it is very similar to two European gambling games: “Sette e Mezzo” or seven and a half and “Vingt et Un,” or twenty-one. Both of these games have the objective of reaching the final value without breaking the ceiling amount of twenty-one. By the XX century, Blackjack became one of the most played games in casinos during the time when gambling was legalized.

Table of Contents

Basic Blackjack Rules

The rules of Blackjack are fairly easy, and anyone can start playing it in a matter of minutes. However, we need to understand that in this game, we don’t play against other players like in poker but against the house. That’s something we should keep in mind.

We will divide the section of the rules into two: important rules and complementary rules.

Let’s start with the most significant section. Here are the important rules of Blackjack:

The aim of a player is to have a higher hand than the dealers or the sum of 21.
Do not exceed 21. If you do, it is called a “Bust.” You lose.
If your two faced-up cards’ sum is already 21, you automatically win.

Well, now it is time for some complementary rules:

Everyone at the table places a bet except the dealer. The dealer announces whether to start betting or close the bets.
The dealer will give 1 face-up card to every player and 1 face-down card.
If the sum of your cards is not 21, the dealer will ask you if you want one more card or the necessary ones to complete 21 or to come closer to 21. If you need more, you must say “Hit.”
There is no limit on how many cards you can hold in one hand as long as the sum of them is under 21. Everything depends on your Blackjack strategy.
If the dealer “busts,” everyone who is still playing in the round wins.
In the game, just a higher number than the dealer’s one wins. If another player has the same sum of cards as the dealer’s, he will also lose.

For you to understand the role of each card in the game, here are some Blackjack card values:

Cards	Value
Any card from 2 to 10	Same value as the number of the card shows
Jack, Queen, King	10
Aces	1 or 11

The Role of Probability in Blackjack

It is common knowledge that a lot of people love table card games to the moon and back. However, it is pretty much gambling since you can’t be certain about the card you will get next. Sometimes everything depends on simple luck which can either make us win or make us bust. Nevertheless, we can track the chances of winning and losing through math or the studies of probability.

Probability shows how likely it is for us to win a game, from sports bets to any other game. For example, to win at Blackjack, we need to consider luck and the chance of getting the card we are waiting for.

Let’s dive into the probability of Blackjack odds. As far as we play with 52 cards, it is not quite hard to count our winning chances: the probability of winning is 42.22%. However, the chance of the house is a bit higher.

Hand value	Probability of getting it
21	4.8%
17 – 20	30%
No Bust	26.5%

Now, let’s take a look at the bust probability. Here we will see our chances of getting busted if we get one more card or say “hit.” We need to be very careful since a simple hand gesture in a physical casino could mean “hit.”

Hand Value	% Bust if You “Hit”
12	31%
13	39%
14	56%
15	58%
16	62%
17	69%
18	77%
19	89%
20	92%
21	100%

Basic Strategy in Blackjack

Even though this is a card gambling game, we can use some probability methods to learn more information about the next hand. So, let’s look at some strategies that could make our chances of winning even higher. They are the same ones that you can apply to any physical casino or iGaming platform.

If you choose an iGaming platform, make sure it is licensed and recognized by the authorities. One of the good representatives of the sphere is the 1xBet website and its 1xBet casino live games. This platform guarantees a safe environment and fair games, as well as the chance of live or computerized games.

Now, let’s dive into strategies that you can easily apply to any game and make a part of you own unique betting system:

Some commonly used strategies are the Martingale System and D’Alembert System. These systems double the bet after every loss, so you ultimately get back your original bet plus the extra money. It is recommended that you use them as long as you have a good bankroll management system.
Try card counting in Blackjack. Some individuals are blessed with a genuine memory that helps them remember which cards were on the table. If we know that every game starts with 52 cards, 2 different colors, and 4 different groups of every color, we can easily deduct which could be the next card. However, be careful using this strategy because some casinos can be against such methods of playing.
If your hand is 19, stand. In this way, you have a higher chance of winning.
It is not recommended to double down in Blackjack since you can lose the money if your hand is weak.
Try splitting pairs in Blackjack of 8 or double Aces. This means you have two chances of winning, so the dealer can bust you in one, but the other still has a chance of winning.
Practice the strategies and the management in Blackjack simulators, which you can find and are free to play.

Psychological Factors in Blackjack

The psychology behind this iconic game is pretty interesting since it makes us believe the next card will be the number we need. That is why we must be very careful. This phenomenon is called “Gambler’s fallacy.” We all have many occasions in our lives when we believe that the next card or game will be the winning one since we have already lost and the bad cards or bad luck have left us. Unfortunately, gambling doesn’t depend on our beliefs or feelings. While playing, try to always think rationally. If you lose the amount of money prepared for this hobby, you should stop and take a pause.

When playing Blackjack, psychological factors can affect our success. Stay calm under pressure, avoid impulsive decisions, stick to your plan, and mostly stay disciplined when facing a losing streak and don’t break your bankroll management.

Bankroll Management

All betting and gambling games should be considered as a hobby and not as a main source of income. However, the excitement of playing and the emotions that the process gives us are incomparable, therefore we need to put as a priority the bankroll management. This is not only for beginners but also for all skilled players.

Bankroll is the money you are willing to invest in any kind of game inside the iGaming platforms. It is not necessarily the money you deposit but the overall money you can spend for this attractive hobby. With good management, you can truly enjoy Blackjack since it doesn’t affect your real-life finances. You can spend, win, or lose some money, not just in one sitting but during multiple games across the week. This way, you will both spend your money wisely and prolong the time during which you will have funds to bet and play.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistakes are common and absolutely normal. We all are humans. However, here is some advice on how to avoid the common mistakes we might make while playing this lovely card game:

Having no strategy could be fatal since you could lose more money than the sum you win.
Luck runs out, so playing 21 too long is bad since all “important” cards could be played, and you could face bust or underscore.
Misunderstanding the concept of soft 17. This is a strategy when you get an Ace and a 6; with this combination, you can hit or stop, and nothing will happen because no matter if you get a 10 or a low card, you can play around with the combinations with an ace since this one can be 1 or 11.

Conclusion

Mastering Blackjack is pretty easy, but not fast. It requires discipline and a bit of time to understand all the rules, which are pretty straightforward but sometimes tricky. There is also the mathematical side that will help you with chances and probabilities. With a good strategy, players can put the odds on their side and win double their original bet.