When To Increase Your Bet In Blackjack

One of the most often asked questions from players about blackjack strategy, is 'how should I bet?' You've got severaloptions and I'll discuss them in this article and offer my recommendation.

You either decrease or increase your next bet depending upon whether the hand you just played won or lose. Win progressions encourage you to increase your bet size after a winning hand. For example, you make a minimum bet of $10 and if you win, you raise your next stakes on the hand to $20. There are all different kinds of win progressions.

Flat Bet Blackjack Strategy

This means betting the same amount all the time. Most players don't like to bet this way because they figure if the dealer wins more hands then them they'll never win any money. Also, playersfeel it's boring betting this way. They prefer the thrill of sometimes betting more in the hopes that when they do so, they will win the hand and make a nice profit.

1. This knowledge enables competent players to vary their bet size in proportion to their advantage. When the deck is rich in high cards, the chances of receiving a blackjack with extra payouts are higher. As the deck is depleted from high cards, the edge of the player significantly drops and the odds shift in favor of the house.
2. Increase your bet by 1 unit only after you win; Go back to the original bet after you lose. The 1-3-2-6 blackjack betting strategy is not as exciting as the Martingale strategy, and that's a.

Here are the facts on the flat betting blackjack strategy. If you bet say $5 on every hand in a standard multiple deck game the house will have an edge of 0.5% against theskilled basic strategy player. That means you will lose on average 0.5% of every wager you make. So if you bet $10 on every hand and average 80 hands per hour you will have made a total of $800worth of bets. The casino expects to earn 0.5% of the $800 or $4.00. Of course, the more likely result is that you'll win or lose much more than $4 after an hour of play. But on average you canexpect over time to lose at the rate of $4 per hour.

Let's take an example of a player flat betting $10 on every hand. It's is a conservative betting strategy that leads to a relatively low theoretical loss rate. The fluctuation in this player'sbankroll will also be low which means the likelihood he'll have a big winning or losing session is not great.

Watch 'Why You Should Never Make the Blackjack Insurance Bet with Blackjack Expert Henry Tamburin' (March 2016)

In this video blackjack expert Henry Tamburin explains why a basic strategy player should never make an insurance bet. He gives details on three different situations that a player may encounterand why he considers blackjack insurance to always be a sucker bet.

Progressive Betting Blackjack Strategy

This is where things get interesting. The Progressive betting blackjack strategy is when players vary their bets in some way from one hand to the next rather than alwaysbetting the same amount on every hand. There are all different types of betting progressions but they all have one common denominator. You either decrease or increase your next bet dependingupon whether the hand you just played won or lose.

Win progressions encourage you to increase your bet size after a winning hand. For example, you make a minimum bet of $10 and if you win, you raise your next stakes on the hand to $20.

There are all different kinds of win progressions. The most common is a 1-2-3-5 progression. This means you increase your bet by the above multiples after each winning hand butas soon as you experience a loss, you start the progression over with a 1 unit bet.

Proponents of win progressions will tell you that you'll win more money if you win 5 consecutive hands compared to the amount you lose if you lose 5 consecutive hands. Of course, what theydon't tell you is that you never know when that 5 consecutive winning hand streak will occur.

There are also betting progressions in which you increase your bet following a loss. These Martingale type betting progressions are dangerous and you should never consider using them.

There are also hybrid betting progressions, which have you increase your bets following a win, but after two or three success wins you lock up some profit and gradually regress your bets. Thecreativity of progressive bettors is never-ending.

First of all, the blackjack strategy for betting progressions does not change the 0.5% house edge one iota. There has never been a correlation between the hand just won (orlost) and your chance of winning the next hand. In other words, using the criteria of the result of one hand (W/L) to base how you bet on the next hand has no scientific validity. So bettingprogressions, in the long run, don't work in the sense that they won't improve your long-term chances of winning.

But here's what betting progressions will do. First off they increase the fluctuation in your session bankroll compared to flat betting. This means you can win more using abetting progression compared to flat betting but you can also lose more. Secondly, betting progressions will increase the amount of money you wager per hour compared to flat betting. If a $10bettor uses a 1-2-3-5 betting progression, his average bet will $20. Over an hour he will average $20 times 80 hands or $1600 worth of bets. The casino's expected win is 0.5% of $1600 or $8. Inother words, a $10 progressive bettor stands to lose twice as much per hour as a $10 flat bettor.

Here's a tip to save you some money in the long run if you insist on using a betting progression. Instead of starting your progression at $10, start at a lower amount (ie. $5). This will reduceyour average bet to $10 per hour and cut your hourly theoretical loss rate in half.

But in the long run flat betting and betting progressions don't work in the sense they won't change the house edge against you and you will lose in the long run. So what betting system works?That, my friends, is card counting.

Betting When You Have The Edge (Card Counting)

With card counting, you know when you have the edge based on the change in the composition of the decks and therefore you'll know when it's the right time to bet more. Sounlike betting progressions that are based on whether you win or lose the previous hands, card counting is based on the mix of cards that were played on previous hands. If more small valuecards were played in previous rounds, there are more big value cards left in the unplayed cards, and the edge shifts from dealer to the player. This would be the best time to bet more.

But I'm a realist. Not a whole lot of average blackjack players have the time or mental concentration during play that is required to master one of the popular point count cardcounting systems. These are readily available in blackjack books. But even though millions of blackjack books have been sold since Ed Thorp's classic book, Beat The Dealer (circa 1962) firstrevealed card counting to the masses, the number of players who can successfully win money in the long run at blackjack number in the hundreds and thousands.

So what's the answer to betting at blackjack for the average player? I asked Don Pronovost that same question about four years ago. Don is a software developer that markets blackjack trainingsoftware. He spent the better part of two years and a trillion computer simulated hands looking for the solution to this dilemma. What he developed is Speed Count.

Speed Count is unlike any conventional card counting system. It's much simpler to master and requires much less concentration when you play. And unlike progressive betting systems, Speed Countwill give you a verifiable advantage over the casino You can read about Speed Count in Frank Scoblete’s book, Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution.

Now that you know the scoop on betting at blackjack, I wish you many aces and faces the next time you play.

Henry Tamburin has been a respected casino gambling writer for the past 50 years. He is the author of theUltimate Blackjack Strategy Guide and was editor of theBlackjack Insider newsletter. You can read his latest articles on blackjack, video poker, and his personal playing experiences at https://www.888casino.com/blog/writers/henry-tamburin

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Blackjack is a lot of fun, and casino gamblers can’t seem to get enough of this amazing game. Unfortunately, a lot of blackjack gamblers fail to maximize their time at the tables.

That’s where we come in. On this page, you’ll learn how to become a more profitable blackjack gambler. Don’t waste another second of your time without implementing these tips.

Take these seven simple steps to increase your blackjack winnings, and you’ll be at the tables longer. More importantly, you’ll be keeping more of your hard-earned cash in your wallet when playing blackjack for real money.

Only Play Blackjack Games With Friendly Rules

Blackjack tables are pretty standardized across the board. Still, some casinos or tables offer much friendlier games for the player than others.

Chief among these are games that pay 3:2 on blackjack. The 3:2 tables are the most common games. Unfortunately, I see tables that only pay 6:5 on blackjacks more and more frequently. Your best option when you see these tables is to walk on by and find a better table.

Paying 6:5 dramatically increases the house’s advantage because you’re getting significantly less payout each time you hit blackjack. Remember, stick to games that pay 3:2, and you’ll increase your winnings.

Finding blackjack variants where the dealer stays on a soft 17 will also improve your odds at the blackjack table. It takes the house’s ability to catch up to better hands. That slight difference will swing the odds in your favor. When it comes to casino gambling, you want every advantage you can find.

Doubling down and splitting can also dramatically increase your blackjack winnings. When you find games that allow you to double down on any hand or double down after a split, you’ve found a friendly game.

Also, games that allow players to split any two cards can greatly improve your take. Keep in mind that it’s not uncommon for casinos to offer games with different rules. So, be sure to take a quick stroll around the casino floor, as opposed to sitting at the first table you see.

Being diligent about finding the game with the best rules every time you step into the casino is a surefire way to increase your blackjack winnings.

Learn and Implement the Basic Gambling Strategy

Stop treating blackjack like a guessing game. Every time I am at the casino, I see the same thing. Players attempt to channel their inner psychic when it comes time to decide on whether to hit or stay.

Without any prior thought or strategy as to how the game has played out, they suddenly believe they can accurately predict the next card to be dealt. This strategy “works” maybe 20% of the time. Overwhelmingly, it blows up in the player’s face, and their chips become the casino’s again.

What if I told you there’s a basic system for blackjack that reduces the house edge to a very manageable 1%? Actually, the basic strategy knocks the house advantage below 1%. That makes blackjack one of the most player-friendly games in the casino.

Some of the greatest mathematicians on the planet spent decades decoding the game and working out the absolute best way to play every single hand based on the dealer’s up card.

That’s right, the casinos are aware of basic strategy. They don’t even mind if you use the chart at the table as long as you aren’t slowing down the game by looking for the perfect play on every single hand.

Learning and implementing basic strategy has been the single most important aspect of increasing my blackjack winnings. It will do the same for you, blackjack is a numbers game, and all of the math has been done for you.

Avoid the Insurance Bet

One of the worst bets in any casino is the insurance bet in blackjack. I had a neighbor that was a casino dealer. He used to say, “There are sucker bets, then there’s the insurance bet.”

The insurance bet is a wager that the dealer has a card with a value of 10 to pair with their ace. The bet pays 2:1, which sounds fair enough at first, but it doesn’t pass closer inspection. If the dealer has a blackjack, that’s great.

You’ll lose your original wager but win the insurance bet. However, when the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack (which is an overwhelming majority of the time), you’ll lose the insurance bet. Then, you’ll still have your original wager to play out, and over 50% of the time, you’re going to lose that bet also. So, now you’re out $40 instead of $20.

I don’t believe the casinos are out to get anyone. They don’t need to be; the odds are stacked immensely in their favor. However, they also aren’t going to start offering wagers where they lose money. It’s counterintuitive to everything that makes the well-oiled machine known as the casino industry tick.

Don’t forget, insurance is a casino sucker bet. Politely decline and move on. Sometimes, the dealer will have a blackjack, and you’ll need to learn to accept that. Avoiding insurance won’t win you money, but it’ll keep the money you’ve won where it belongs.

Don’t Fall Victim to the Gambler’s Fallacy

The gambler’s fallacy is the fallacious logic that because a particular event has occurred a disproportionate amount of times in the past, it’s suddenly more or less likely to happen going forward.

You could just as easily win 10 hands in a row than lose 10 in a row. Stay away from the idea that you’re due for a win. Stay consistent on your bet amount, and hopefully, you’ll stay in the game long enough for those bad runs to even out.

Remember that by playing basic strategy on every hand, and staying away from the insurance bet, the house edge is under 1%. You’ll have your run of wins. But if you double down or go on tilt, you may be out of the game before they come.

Always Play for Casino Rewards

You should never sit down to a casino game without having your player’s card swiped. The player’s card allows you to earn casino comps based on how much you’re putting into action every hour.

The comps you can earn playing blackjack won’t necessarily put cash back in your pocket, but the comps you earn could save you on meals or rooms, which gives you more cash to use in the casino.

You can even find the occasional cashback perk during certain times. Although the percentages are incredibly small, every dime you get back will help offset losses slightly.

If you’re unfamiliar with the player’s card, ask any casino employee, and they can point you in the right direction. Sometimes, you can even earn some pretty cool gifts or perks for simply signing up.

Learn to Count Cards

Counting cards in blackjack is the most concrete way to increase your winnings. I don’t necessarily advocate card counting and haven’t personally taken any steps to learn the practice. However, by grabbing a book on the subject and doing some intense practice, you can pick it up relatively easily (from what I’ve been told).

That’s Hollywood for you! I’ve personally never had anyone share that as their experience. Maybe in old-school Vegas, but it’s not as common in family-friendly Vegas 2.0. You will certainly be kicked out of the casino and you probably won’t be welcomed back. Your picture could also be shared with other casinos, and it may be hard to find a game.

Still, there isn’t a better way to increase your blackjack winnings than to gain such an advantage over the house.

Hole Carding

Hole carding can be extremely helpful. Your goal here is to spot the dealer’s hole card.

When To Increase Your Bet In Blackjack Poker

Spotting the hole card lets you know exactly what the dealer has. I’m sure you can understand how this can be tremendously advantageous.

Usually, the dealer needs to be pretty weak with their form. This is the only time it’s ever okay to buy insurance.

Since you’ll already know that the dealer has a blackjack, insurance is a no-brainer.

Conclusion

When To Increase Your Bet In Blackjack

Take these seven simple steps to increase your blackjack winnings. Above all, remember that gambling is meant to be entertainment.

When To Increase Your Bet In Blackjack Card Game

You probably won’t win every time you sit down, but if you enjoy the game, it’s a win! We hope you’ve enjoyed this tips and will begin to implement them into your gameplay. Good luck!