ace of hearts in one hand

THE MOST FAVORABLE GAME IN THE CASINO?

Blackjack has one of the lowest house edges in the whole casino world, which makes it a great game for players that want to have a profitable session. But there’s a catch (there’s ALWAYS a catch)! You need to play optimally to bring the edge that low. If you’re not up on strategy and you don’t know the best plays to make, you’re not going to see the same profit potential. If you stick to solid blackjack strategy, however, you’ll get a single deck blackjack house edge of just 0.076%!

BLACKJACK STRATEGY

We’re not going to throw a complicated chart at you. Here are the few things you need to know to get a really strong strategy base in blackjack for hands with no aces or pairs:

  • 17 or above: stand.
  • 13-16: stand when dealer shows 6 or less. Otherwise, hit. This is the same when you have 12, but you need to take hits on dealer 2s and 3s (getting complicated, we know, but this is optimal).
  • 10-11: double down, unless dealer is showing an ace or ten, then hit.
  • 9: double when dealer shows 3-6, otherwise hit.
  • 5-8: hit.

Hands involving aces and pairs get their own rules.

If you have an ace:

  • 19-21. Stand.
  • 18: this is the hardest one. Double down if dealer has 3-6. Stand if dealer has 2, 7, 8. And take a hit if the dealer has 9, 10, or ace.
  • Let’s make the rest easy to memorize. This isn’t perfect, but if you have 17 or less on a soft hand, double down when the dealer has 4-6, otherwise, take a hit.
  • If you have two aces, split them.

If you have a pair:

  • 2s and 3s: split them, unless dealer has 8, 9, T, A, then hit.
  • 4s: same, but take hits also when the dealer has 2-4.
  • 5s: double down unless the dealer has a ten or ace, then take a hit.
  • 6s and 7s: split, unless the dealer has 8, 9, T, A, then hit.
  • 8s and As: split ‘em.
  • 9s: split ‘em, unless the dealer has 7, T, or A, then stand.
  • 10s: just stand.

It’s not that bad! Take time to get it committed and you’re more than 90% of the way to perfect blackjack!

Oh yeah, one more special rule:

Insurance: don’t. It’s that simple.

WHAT ARE YOUR ODDS OF BUSTING ON A HIT?

The below graphic shows what your odds are of busting on the next hit if you have a given total. For example, if you have 11 or less, you can’t bust on the next card dealt. But with a 12, you have a 31% chance of busting if you take a hit. At 13, the percentage of busts climbs to 39%, and so on. See below:

WHICH VARIATIONS OF BLACKJACK GIVE ME THE BEST ODDS OF WINNING?

At Ignition Casino, we offer a number of versions of blackjack. The main factor affecting your odds of winning is the number of decks used. Fewer decks make it easier to track the count of how many tens are left in the virtual shoe. For this reason, here’s the ranking of standard blackjack versions, by favorability:

There are three other variations to know about:

European Blackjack

The big difference here is that your decisions are made before the dealer receives a second card. The dealer also must stand on soft 17s instead of hitting as in the American version of blackjack. The house edge is slightly higher here (around .5%), as a result.

Zappit Blackjack

This version of blackjack lets you get rid of trouble hands: 15, 16, and 17. When they appear, just press the Zap button and you’ll be dealt a new hand. No more agonizing over the hard decisions from the bulleted strategy lists above. Just get rid of hard hands! The house edge with Zappit Blackjack is a bit over 1%, making it better than European Blackjack, but not as strong as Single Deck Blackjack.

Perfect Pairs

Perfect Pairs adds a side bet to your blackjack session. If you make the side bet and get dealt a pair, you get a payout according to this listing:

Mixed suit pair – 6:1.

Same-color pair – 12:1.

Same color and suit – 25:1.

If you’re making the side bet, the house edge here is higher than the other variations. Play when you want some added novelty, but don’t rely on this bet to be a magic bullet for your long-term strategy.

Pontoon

Pontoon is a classic English blackjack variation that adds the ability to score a “pontoon” by getting five cards without busting. Amazingly, the house edge on this version is quite low, close to the single and double deck ranges. Keep this on your short list of favorable games to play when you’re in the mood for blackjack!

KEY FACTORS AND FINAL THOUGHTS ON BLACKJACK

As you’re playing blackjack, keep an eye on 1) whether blackjack pays 3:2 or not (you don’t want to see a 6:5 payout), 2) whether the dealer hits on soft 17 or not (you’d rather they stand). Also, don’t be shy to consult strategy charts when needed – when you’re playing online, you’re welcome to keep your game sharp!

Good luck at the tables!