Dispelling myths about blackjack

Any of us who’ve played the game knows how difficult it is to play blackjack for results and how much effort you have to put into it. As in any gambling game, you need to be in control, to operate the stakes and in some cases may even need the ability to count cards. The latter, however, is only true for offline casinos.

As with any other game, there are plenty of myths attached to blackjack. Let’s try to remember and describe the most interesting of them.

Professionalism is the key to success and advantage

No doubt about it! Yes, an experienced player has a better chance to win compared to a beginner, but he certainly won’t have any advantage over a gambling house. Everything is invented and provided before us – vast experience will not even equalize the odds with the casino, let alone gain any advantage. However, if you play with the right strategy, the probability of winning will increase, and quite significantly.

Shuffle machines give casinos an added advantage

These nifty devices are only needed to increase the tempo of the game. The same percentage advantage laid down in the rules remains at the same level, but at the same time, it appears much faster (according to statistics, shuffle machine allows you to spend 20% more deals per hour). But, again, no special privileges for the gambling house.

Beginners interfere with the game and discourage luck

One of the most serious and popular misconceptions. Blackjack is not a team game and no players at the table can influence your winnings in any way. Sure, they’ll make a difference in any one hand (especially if they’re sitting after you), but in the long run (that’s all that matters to a player) they won’t get in your way.

The benefits of side bets and betting systems

Side bets, exactly as in all other types of casinos, have the advantage of a gambling establishment – not less than 2% (in some cases the percentage of benefits substantially higher). However, if you play by the optimal strategy, you can achieve a lower rate of the main bet.

The second issue I want to touch on in this block is the betting systems that help you win at blackjack. There are only three words here – it doesn’t work. It is possible to determine the size of the bet only guided by your own financial capabilities of card counting (if you know how to count cards and do it). All kinds of progressive systems that don’t take into account the factors mentioned above are simply meaningless – d’Alamber, Martingale and Parlay don’t work at all in blackjack. And not just here – in any, absolutely any gambling game they are ineffective, no matter what the internet tells you.

It’s a common myth that the probability of winning in blackjack doesn’t change with the cards coming out of the hole.

The probability changes, and quite dramatically. This is the basis for all card counting systems in the game. In short, the more big cards in the remaining decks, the higher the probability to win in each of the following hands.

Now let’s turn to the not so common, but also questionable myths. So, is it true that if the game is played with one deck with a blackjack payout at odds of 6 to 5, the odds of winning are the same as when playing with six decks?

Provided the other rules are identical, playing with one deck would actually be more profitable. However, it all comes down to the size of the payout – the 6-to-5 ratio doesn’t just negate the player’s possible advantage, it increases the gambling establishment’s advantage, and quite substantially.

Should you agree to equal money to avoid the risk of losing your winnings?

If the croupier offers the player equal money, there is a very serious temptation for him – the desire to win, even if reduced, is very great. Especially if there is a large sum at stake, even part of which seems substantial. But the optimal strategy says the opposite – it is better to give up equal money, because this action is profitable only for the gambling establishment. In the long run, for a long stretch of the game, this tactic is sure to fall away.

Blackjack insurance will not save us

It’s true, by the way – blackjack insurance from the dealer turns out to be disadvantageous and unprofitable for the player in most cases. But, surprisingly for beginners, sometimes people who count cards still make that bet. The reason for this is quite simple – if there are many tens left in the unused deck, it seriously increases the croupier’s blackjack probability and in that case insurance makes sense. Irrelevant to online casinos, because it’s impossible to count cards here a priori.

Is it legal to count cards?

In practice, there is not a single case where a person was sent to jail or paid a fine for counting cards.  But here’s the trouble – despite the fact that there is no direct prohibition, the gambling house takes a very negative attitude to this practice and does not serve players who are suspected to be card-counting. It is not uncommon for casinos to simply introduce additional game rules that make card counting ineffective.

Blackjack is the most profitable game for the player

This, by the way, is quite relevant for real casinos, off the Internet. Adhering to a correctly chosen strategy it is quite possible to reduce the advantage of the gambling establishment to a minimum and even get some privileges, a kind of help on the way to victory. All this does not work in virtual establishments, where card counting, interaction with croupiers and other tricks of the players are impossible.