Blackjack Strategy

As online blackjack is partially a game of skill you can influence the end result by implementing a basic blackjack strategy. There are literally dozens of tactics, tricks and tips that have been employed by blackjack aficionados over the years, some with more success than others. Mathematicians, statisticians and seasoned card sharps have all contributed to an endless debate as to the best blackjack betting strategy to use online. To help you improve your bet total we explore basic black strategies that work a treat.

Make Informed Decisions

Together with a defined game plan you can improve your win frequency by making informed decisions. Where you choose to gamble online, how you manage your bank roll and which blackjack variants you elect to play are all significant options that can make a substantial difference to whether you win or lose. New players will benefit by browsing our blackjack basic strategy at eCasinosonline.com before applying it to free blackjack games available at our recommended online casinos!

Browse Blackjack Rules

Before you select an appropriate basic blackjack strategy you should familiarise yourself with the rules of blackjack, particularly the blackjack dealer rules. Whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17 and how many decks of playing cards are used in the particular variant will make a difference to the tactics you choose to employ.

Basic Blackjack Strategy Chart

One of the best blackjack tips we can impart is for you to use the basic blackjack strategy chart before migrating to a more complex betting strategy. It formulates player decisions based on the cards in hand together with the value of the dealer’s up card. Although there’s no guarantee you will beat the dealer every round, there’s a strong possibility you’ll win on a regular basis. The colour coded chart indicates exactly when you should hit, double down, pass or split. As online blackjack is played in the privacy of your own home you don’t have to memorise all the moves. You can print the basic blackjack strategy chart and refer to it whenever you want. According to this expansive blackjack basic strategy you should always:

Double down when you have 10 or 11 points.
Hit when you have a point’s total of 8 or below.
Surrender or pass when you have two 10 value cards, a point’s total of 17 and an Ace and an 8.
Split Aces and 8, never split 5 and 10 and split 2, 3, 7 and 9 in most cases.

There are also orchestrated moves you should make based on the value of your cards compared with the dealer’s up card:

Stand on 13 or above when the dealer shows 2 or 3.
Stand on 12 or more when the dealer has 5 or 6.
Stand when your point’s total is above 17 and the dealer has 7 or more.

Best Blackjack Betting Strategy According to Level of Play

You can also use a simple blackjack betting strategy that becomes slightly more complex as your playing prowess improves. Notwithstanding your blackjack ability all players should implement the following moves:

Hit if your point’s total is 3 to 11.
Hit on 12 to 16 if the dealer has more than 6, otherwise stand.
Stand on 17 to 20.
Hit if the dealer has more than 8 and you have an Ace or 7, otherwise stand.

Once you are more experienced you can introduce the split action as follows:

Split on all pairs apart from 4, 5 and 10.
Hit on a pair of 4.
Hit on a pair of 5 if the dealer has a 10 or Ace, otherwise double down.
Stand on a pair of 10.

Then it’s on to the expert blackjack betting strategy where you complement the hit, stand and split actions with the following double down tactics:

Double down if you hold 9 and the dealer shows 7 or less.
Double down on 10 if the dealer has 10 or under.
Double down on 11.

Blackjack Basic Strategy Tips

Always elect to play at a licensed online casino offering generous welcome casino bonuses that can be used in blackjack games. Read the blackjack rules and find a suitable strategy and then play the game in the fun mode wherever possible before getting to the serious business of betting. Limit your game time as all basic blackjack strategies are most effective over the short term, and never go over your betting bank roll.

At eCasinosonline.com we highlight reputable gambling destinations, current casino bonus codes and free games in all the best loved genres so that you can fine tune your basic blackjack strategy and beat the dealer time and time again!