Best Blackjack Strategy and Pro Tips

Blackjack is a very popular card game in Canadian online casinos. It is the best player-friendly game because it has the lowest house edge. Whether you are playing blackjack for the first time or not, relying just on luck is not the best plan. In fact, learning different tips or a blackjack strategy to apply can go a long way to boost your chances of winning big payouts. 

Of course, there is a set of rules you must follow to play and win a blackjack game. But since it’s a skill-based game, you must apply strategies to boost your chances for bigger wins. So the good news is that there are numerous tips from professional blackjack players you can count on. Keep on reading to find out the most reliable betting systems, winning tips and tricks, and useful strategies

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Card Counting in Blackjack 101

Card counting is a common technique that many blackjack players use to track high and low-value cards. This way, they can know when to raise or lower their stakes and when the advantage is in their favor. Actually, high-value cards are more beneficial to the player than the dealer and this method proves it. 

Card counting works in a very straightforward way. Basically, the number of high and low cards is the same after the cards are shuffled. However, the number ratio of the remaining cards changes after dealing with the first rounds. Therefore, if low cards are dealt in the first round, that means the remaining cards have more high-value ones. Of course, this is the best time to raise the bet. 

Card counters assign a tag to every card to determine whether the remaining stack has more high or low cards. Simply put, high cards are in the players’ favor and vice versa. Because the card counting strategy is rather demanding, players often work in teams. The one who monitors and counts cards is the spotter, while the one betting is the controller. Every count after a shuffle starts with zero.

Blackjack Strategy and Pro Gaming Tips

Most Popular Blackjack Strategy

There are many strategies you can use to optimize your winning opportunities in blackjack. But here are the most common and reliable systems you can apply in any blackjack variation:

Surrender Strategy

Surrender is the most popular and also misunderstood betting strategy in blackjack. This system allows players to give back cards to the dealer. In return, the casino returns half of their wager. If the odds of winning a hand are low, the surrender strategy is very helpful. But because this favors mainly players, main real money casinos don’t offer this option. 

But if your casino does, players can surrender in the following cases:

  • If the dealer has 9, 10, or Ace and the player has a total of hard 16.
  • If the player has a hard 15 and the dealer has 10 as the upcard.

Split Strategy

Splitting is another common move used by blackjack players. Players are allowed to split if they have two cards of the same value. That means that they get two new hands, thus increasing the chances of winning. Pros always recommend:

  • Always split Aces and Eights
  • Never split 4s, 5s, and 10s. 
  • Players can split a pair of 9s if the dealer’s card is a 2 through 9, except for 7.

Double Down Strategy

The double-down strategy can be applied in virtually any 21-game. In this case, a player can make a second bet that matches the ante after the first cards are dealt. This results in the dealer giving the player one card only. Of course, the player wins if the hand is better than the dealer’s. Doubling down is allowed when:

  • You have a hard 11 and the dealer has an upcard;
  • Your hand is a hard 10, and the dealer has a 2 through 9;
  • It’s a hard 9, and the dealer has a 3 through 6;
  • You hold a soft 16, 17, and 18, and the dealer has bust cards.
  • Never double down if the dealer has an Ace and when your hand value exceeds 11.

Hit and Stand

Many people are familiar with hitting and standing in blackjack. Nevertheless, these hands get complex when the tricky values of 14 to 17 come into play. But a good strategy should help you to know when to hit or stand. 

Always hit when:

  • You have a total hand of 8 or less, and the dealer has an upcard. 
  • Your total is 9 to 11 against the dealer’s card.
  • You have a soft 13 to 19, and the dealer has an upcard.

Always stand when:

  • You have 17 to 20, and the dealer has an upcard.
  • You have a hard 13 to 16 against the dealer’s bust cards.

More Strategic Blackjack Tips:

Besides learning how to use bonafide strategies, there are a couple of additional tips that may help. For instance, if you are playing a blackjack game and the dealer hits a soft 17:

  • Always double 11 against the dealer’s Ace;
  • Double soft 18 against the dealer’s 2, too;
  • For soft 19, always double against the dealer’s 6;
  • Always surrender 15s, 8s, and 17s against the dealer’s Ace.
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Blackjack Strategy for Single Deck Games

The secret to increasing your odds of winning in blackjack is playing games with the least number of decks. Moreover, the number of decks greatly influences the basic strategy. Below are the most significant differences to consider for the single-deck game strategy:

  • A fewer number of decks means fewer Aces;
  • There are more opportunities to double down for a single-deck blackjack;
  • You can often stand on stiff hands in single-deck than in multideck blackjack games.

Strategy for 4 and 8 Deck Games

Seasoned blackjack players know that many decks give casinos an upper hand in a game. Nonetheless, knowing how the casino gets an edge when playing with 4 to 8 decks will help you play smarter. Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • The casino’s advantage stops increasing after the fourth deck; 
  • The more decks, the fewer advantage you have.
  • Choose 6 to 8 deck games that allow standing on soft 17 and doubling after splitting.
Pro Tips for Blackjack

More Ways to Improve

There are many ways in which players can improve their gaming sessions. Besides the above strategies for blackjack, here are a few extra tips:

Practice for Free

One of the advantages of playing blackjack online is that you can play for free without depositing any money. Actually, there are many real-money online casinos in Canada that offer free blackjack games. This is a great opportunity for players to practice and learn how the casino game works before risking their cash. Moreover, players can test different strategies and pick the one that suits them best.

Learn Bankroll Management

Money management skills are a basic requirement for every blackjack player. If you are a beginner, make sure you spread your wagers carefully to avoid big losses. Of course, it’s better to start with low wagers to help you find your way through the game and minimize risk. Moreover, bankroll management skills will help you understand whether you are losing or winning and stay responsible.

Understand Blackjack Basics

Blackjack is both a game of skill and chance, and it comes with a bunch of rules. Before joining any blackjack table, you should learn the ins and outs of the game. Your strategy can only be effective if you understand the rules of playing blackjack in the first place. So, ensure you know the different moves, odds, and payouts in different games.

Time to Test Your Blackjack Strategy

Blackjack is a fun-filled casino game that requires mastering the rules before playing. But in addition to having one of the lowest house edges, players can employ different strategies to increase winning opportunities. Moreover, many online casinos in Canada allow players to try different blackjack variations in free mode before betting with real money. We highly recommend choosing a casino that is fully licensed, secure, and with lucrative bonuses. If you want to find a good match for you quickly, check out our reviews.

FAQ

No. Blackjack strategies may slightly vary depending on whether you are playing a single deck game or a multi deck blackjack game.

Yes but each casino is different. Many casinos allow players to use blackjack strategy charts and cheat sheets to maximize their winning opportunities at the table.

Card counting is a legal technique used by players to beat the house edge in casinos. However, many casinos don't allow players to use it anymore.

Because blackjack game variations can vastly differ, so there’s no single best approach to fit all games.

Unfortunately, you cannot count cards at online casinos because the games work differently. Cards are reshuffled after each hand is dealt in online blackjack.

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