Common Blackjack Mistakes You Should Avoid to Maximize Odds
Blackjack, like poker, is a game of skill. Computer simulations more than four decades ago mapped out the mathematically correct way to play any hand.
The odds are that unless you are using a basic blackjack strategy card, which tells you how to play each hand in a handy dandy little chart, you are falling prey to common blackjack mistakes.
We're here to shed light on these blunders that we're all too familiar with. Since our tips help ensure you implement the correct strategy, you can cut the house edge down to .5% or sometimes even lower at in-person or online casinos.
CONTENTS
- Best Online Casinos for Blackjack
- Top Common Blackjack Mistakes to Know
- More Tips on How to Avoid Blackjack Mistakes
- Blackjack Mistakes FAQs
BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR BLACKJACK
If you need somewhere to implement our expert tips, check out these best online blackjack casinos:
TOP COMMON BLACKJACK MISTAKES TO KNOW
When you first start learning how to play blackjack, there are common errors that most new players make. Experienced players know that the blackjack table can be much more fun if you understand the correct strategy and avoid the most common mistakes.
Here are the top common blackjack mistakes to know (and how to avoid them):
NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SOFT 17
Soft 17 occurs when the blackjack dealer or player is dealt an ace and a six (or, instead of the six, any combination of smaller cards adding to a six). It's "soft" because an ace in blackjack can be worth either one or eleven. So, in this case, the hand of ace/six is worth either seven or 17.
On some of the best blackjack apps, the rules state that the dealer stands on any 17 regardless if it's hard or soft. At others, the dealer must hit on soft 17. We should look for tables where the dealer stands on all 17s, as this adds about .22% to our Return To Player (RTP).
It will also change how we play some hands. The most common change is that we should double an ace against a dealer's ace-up card in games where they hit soft 17 instead of just standing. Also, double soft nineteen against a six and a soft eighteen against a two. This can be a lot to remember, but know that all of these changes are on your basic strategy chart.
Another common mistake at the blackjack table for newer players is assuming a soft 17 is a good hand. You will hit soft 17 against a dealer two, seven, eight, nine, ten, or ace up-card. You will double against a three, four, five, or six.
CHOOSING TO SPLIT TENS
Splitting tens is another pretty common blackjack mistake. We get it. You have a ten, and four times out of thirteen, you'll be dealt another ten for a total of twenty. And one time in thirteen, you will get an ace as your next card, giving you 21, though not blackjack as blackjack is an ace and face in the first two cards dealt.
Again, if you were counting and got to a true count of +5, the correct strategy would be to split tens, but even professionals don't because it just draws too much heat from the pit bosses. So, rest assured that the mathematically correct way to play your tens is to accept your twenty and save splitting pairs for another time.
NOT DOUBLING IN PRIME POSITION
Besides getting paid three to two on blackjack, one of the big advantages is getting more money on the table when we have a good hand to double. A very common mistake is not using all of the proper double-down hands to get more money on good hands and win big. Many players will fail to double eleven against a dealer's ten or even an ace in a game where dealers hit soft 17. It's also common for players to fail to double a nine against a dealer's three through six.
Most players, especially newbies, miss multiple opportunities to double soft hands against the proper dealer-up cards. In general, a soft thirteen or fourteen is doubled against a five or six. A soft fifteen or sixteen is doubled against a four, five, or six, and a soft 17 or eighteen is doubled against a three, four, five, or six. In games where the dealer hits soft 17, don't forget that you can double that soft eighteen against a two and even a soft nineteen against a six.
ATTEMPTING TO COUNT CARDS IN BLACKJACK
Let's not put the cart in front of the horse. You need to know the basic blackjack strategy for each type of game and the number of decks backward and forward before you even consider counting cards. As someone who puts out card counters every day, I can confidently say that most card counters will never get to the point where they can reliably beat the casino.
This is because the same exact math that tells a card counter how much to bet and when to deviate from basic strategy is also available to the casino surveillance. If pit bosses see you moving your bet with the count or making plays that only a card counter would make, they will not only ask you to leave but send out an email with your pic and description to every casino in about a hundred-mile radius.
It would be a shame to spend months of hard work to be recognized as a card counter and then get escorted out of your favorite casino. Then, all of your comps and offers zeroed out. And then find out you were persona non grata at every other casino nearby as well. Then, every time you walk into a new casino, they escort you back out before you even make it to the casino floor because they've got your picture passed around with facial recognition software.
USING INSURANCE BETS IN BLACKJACK
Two of the deviations that most often give a card counter away are (1) standing on a 16 against a ten only when they have a large bet out and (2) insuring a big bet regardless of what they have in their hand. A true count of +3 means you should insure whatever you have against the dealer's ace.
But normal players either always insure or only insure when they have an excellent hand. Insuring a twelve when you have pushed in four times more than you usually bet will result in a call to surveillance to have your play evaluated.
All in all, though, taking Insurance is a sucker bet for the basic strategy player. Think of it this way: there are thirteen possible cards the dealer might have under that ace, from another ace down to a two. The odds that it is a ten-value card is 4/13, and 9/13 it is not. Bet a dollar on each probability, and you will get 2 to 1 four times for $8 but lose $9 on the other times, for a total house advantage of almost 6%.
MAKING SIDE BETS
While Insurance is, strictly speaking, a side bet, it is far from the most egregious. The pair square bet carries more than 10% house advantage, and the Twenty-One Plus Three Top Three bet is over 9%. The best sucker bets (er, side bets) you might find are still going to be around 3%, like the full-pay version of 21+3 or the royal match side bet.
HAVING NO BLACKJACK STRATEGY
Another very common mistake is not having the correct strategy available at all. If you don't have a plan, the dealer wins. Print out the correct blackjack strategy and use it. The dealer doesn't care. Or better yet, learn the correct strategy for the game you play the most so you don't need to hold up the game to see which hands need to be split or doubled.
SECOND-GUESSING PREVIOUS HANDS
What has happened in blackjack has happened—it's in the past. You made the insurance bet when you knew better because you were just convinced the dealer had blackjack? That was a terrible strategy, but it's behind us now. Don't let those mistakes get in the way of playing a good, clean game in the present.
Also, no matter how well you play, sometimes you might run into some bad luck. Even with perfect play, blackjack can be challenging with lots of standard deviation. Even if you have reduced the house advantage to under 1%, you can still lose ten hands in a row or 40 units in a two-hour session.
But you can't let that kind of run throw you off how you play. The math doesn't change just because you are losing or even losing a lot. Stick with your plan, play the way you know you are supposed to, and wait for it to turn as long as you're staying within your budget. Or better yet, take a break, go get some dinner or a drink at the bar, and let your head clear.
PLAYING BLACKJACK TOO LONG
Blackjack dealers get a break every hour because all that adding and mental calculation takes a toll. It is the same on the other side of the table. If you play too long, you are going to make mistakes. Like the dealer, you get tired, and your brain gets foggy. Take frequent breaks, and after a few hours, have lunch or dinner and return in a couple more hours.
Worse than playing too long is playing when you have had too much to drink. Too much alcohol leads to bad decisions and even worse bankroll management.
We aren't saying you can't drink and have some fun. But if you have had enough and are starting to play hunches again or bet more than you already agreed on, it's time to take a break. Better yet, don't let yourself get to that point in the first place because it is hard to convince yourself that it's time to quit.
CHOOSING TOO MANY BLACKJACK VARIANTS
Few blackjack variants have as low a casino house edge as regular blackjack. In fact, most of the blackjack variant games were introduced by the casinos to give them a bit more edge. Some variants like Switch Blackjack or Face Up 21 do still have house advantages between .5% and 1%, but if you attempt to learn the correct strategy for too many games, you will probably make errors that you wouldn't have if you stuck to just regular blackjack.
If you are playing online blackjack, it's not that big a deal as you can simply print out the correct strategy and use it because there is no live dealer trying to hurry you up. But still, be mindful to not cast too wide a net in blackjack games when you are first starting out.
IGNORING THE BANKROLL AND CHASING LOSSES
Probably the most common mistake among new and experienced players is getting angry about too many duds in a row and starting to chase their losses. This can be an expensive mistake as you bet increasingly larger wagers in an attempt to compensate. And there's a good chance you won't play your hands correctly.
No one likes to lose, but if you can't take a deep breath and stick to your bankroll requirements? Well, gambling may not be for you.
MORE TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BLACKJACK MISTAKES
We've covered our online blackjack tips and tricks to avoid some pitfalls when you first begin to play blackjack, as well as common mistakes that even experienced players can make. Some more points to remember include:
- Have a bankroll and average bet worked out ahead and stick to it.
- Use a basic strategy chart to tell you how to play every variation of each hand.
- Watch for double down opportunities, especially with soft hands, as we can get more money on the table when it is to our advantage.
- Stay away from Insurance and other side bets.
- Don't play too long or drink too much.
- Don't let losing hands or dumb mistakes distract you from making correct playing decisions.
BLACKJACK MISTAKES FAQS
Fixing the most common blackjack mistakes is not a difficult task. We just need to make a few basic fundamental changes to tighten up our game. Chief of these is that blackjack players need to be using a basic strategy card for correct play. You will win more money, and using the correct strategy can significantly cut the house's advantage over you (even by several percentage points, depending on how many common mistakes you are making now).
We've answered some of your frequently asked questions about the most common blackjack mistakes below, but remember, if you split aces and eights against everything, skip the insurance bet, look for the blackjack tables that pay three to two on blackjack, and bet more money on those double downs that you are supposed to be doubling, you will already have made real progress.
WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT DO IN BLACKJACK?
When playing blackjack, you shouldn't take insurance, split tens or fives, or hit if your hand total is more than hard 17. There are tons of other "don'ts" to know, which you can find by referencing a basic strategy chart.
WHAT IS THE GOLDEN RULE OF BLACKJACK?
I have a couple of golden rules to share. The casinos have the gold, so knowing that they make the rules is first and foremost. But we have options. If we don't like their rules or the games they've decided to offer, we have plenty of other choices when it comes time to play blackjack. We don't have to settle for bad rules or poor customer service. Secondly, always use a basic strategy card as it can reduce the house advantage to well under 1%. The correct strategy is based on the math of the game, not some gut feelings.
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE IN BLACKJACK?
Playing blackjack games that pay six to five on blackjack instead of searching for a game that pays three to two is another costly mistake. Don't fall victim to casinos that want that extra 200 to 300% advantage over the lower-limit players. Play online blackjack, or if in Las Vegas, head downtown. If you're in a smaller market, drive the extra twenty minutes. But try to avoid this 6/5 game if at all possible.
IS THERE A GOOD BLACKJACK BASIC STRATEGY?
Basic strategy is the only strategy. However, it can change a bit depending on each blackjack game's rules and the number of decks. Fortunately, it is easy to find blackjack basic strategy charts for each type of game, and you are free to use them when you play either online blackjack or at brick-and-mortar casinos.
WHEN SHOULD YOU NEVER HIT IN BLACKJACK?
Never is such a big word. But if you are just playing straight basic strategy without counting cards, you should never hit a thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen against a dealer two through six. And, of course, you should never hit a hard 17 or higher against any upcard higher than seven.
IS BLACKJACK SKILL OR LUCK?
While blackjack involves a bit of luck in the short run, say a few hundred hands, your play and betting strategies over many thousands of hands will make all the difference. Even professional-level players lose more than 40% of the time on just a few hours of blackjack. But in the long term, it's playing the hands the way the math tells us to that can help us win more.