Top 5 online blackjack tips, tricks, and hacks for beginners

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games. It’s fast, fun to play, and you have a reasonable chance of turning a profit by following some simple strategies.

Here are five of the best blackjack tips.

1) Be happy to stand on hands like 12 or 13

Most new blackjack players would keep taking another card if their starting hand was something like 12 or 13. But this is an elementary mistake.

You must understand that blackjack is a game of known quantities. While you know your hand – in this case, 12 or 13 – you only know one of the dealer’s cards, his upcard. Given that his facedown card is most likely to be valued a ten since tens, jacks, queens, and kings are all that value, then we can guess his most likely starting hand.

Let’s say the dealer shows a 4, 5, or 6. Now, we can assume his hand is 14, 15, or 16, and he will be forced to take another card, which will very possibly send him bust.

When armed with this information, it is prudent for a player to stand on anything as low as 12. Why risk taking a card and going bust, when it’s a fair assumption that’s what the dealer will do?

Of course, sometimes the dealer will not go over 21, and you will lose the hand, but the correct play in the long term is to stand on any hand over 11 if the dealer shows a weak opening card. The exception to this rule is if you have a pair. Split all pairs except 10s, where you should stand, and 5s where you should double down.

If these numbers already look a little confusing, it’s a good idea to download a blackjack strategy chart and check out our article on blackjack terms.

2) Don’t split tens

One of the fundamental blackjack tips to win in the long term is to get more money on the table when you sense the dealer is weak, and you are able to add more chips. One way to do this is to split when you have a pair.

Beginners might be tempted to always split tens since it is possible they could make a blackjack or at least have two high finishing hands. Although that’s possible, and you would have twice the amount of money on the table, you should never split tens.

Even if the dealer has a weak card like a five, don’t split tens. You already have a strong hand, 20, so why risk more money to potentially lose it all if the dealer goes on to get lucky? Chances are you already have the winning hand, so leave it at that.

3) If you have 11, double down

Another way to increase your money on the table at the right time is to double down. That means that after receiving your two cards, you can double your bet before you proceed and take a third card.

When you have a starting hand of 11, always double down, no matter what card the dealer shows, unless he has an ace. While holding 11, it’s more likely your next card will be valued a ten, so you will finish with 21. Perfect. Even if you hit an eight or a nine, you will end on a hand of 19 or 20.

There are other combinations of starting hands you can double down with, depending on the dealer’s upcard. Refer to your blackjack chart for details.

4) Never take insurance

On some online blackjack tables, you will be offered a blackjack insurance bet if the dealer shows an ace. The idea is that this bet will offset your losses if the dealer makes a blackjack.

While that might sound like a good idea, it isn’t. Not in the long run, anyway. The odds of the dealer making blackjack do not justify the price you must pay and the return from insurance.

5) Bet within your bankroll and stay cool

This is not so much about blackjack tricks, but about commons sense that will improve your overall game. As is important with all your casino gaming, or betting in general, always bet what you can afford.

If you have only $100 spare for gambling in the foreseeable future, don’t bet $25 a hand on blackjack. The natural swings of the game mean it is likely you will lose your money fast.

However, if you bet $1 a hand, you can sustain a run of bad luck without risking all of your cash. Once you start building up your bankroll, you can slowly raise your stakes.

Lastly, stay cool. One of the best blackjack tips is to accept early on that it is a game of luck. Even if you think you are nailed-on to win a hand, the turn of a card might have other ideas. Losing in unlikely situations is part of blackjack, and you always remember the bad beats over the times you got lucky to win a hand.

So remain calm, or you might become stressed, and that will begin to affect your decision making, which is not a good thing.

Try these tips for playing blackjack today

You can take these five solid blackjack tips for beginners and try them out at BetAmerica Casino. You can play the online table games for free, but it’s real money only on the excellent live dealer tables. When you make your first deposit, be sure to take advantage of the new player welcome bonus.

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