Understanding House Edge In Blackjack

Unlike when playing with friends, if you choose to go to a land-based or online casino to play cards, the essential thing to understand is that you are dealing with a business that has overheads and is there to make a profit.

The old saying ‘the house always wins’ is true whether you are playing roulette, slots, poker, or blackjack. Casino gambling is a form of entertainment with a price tag attached to it. Playing cards at the casino is the least chance-based type of gambling, and genuine skill comes into it. However, there is still a price tag attached, and even the most skillful card player needs to understand that the businesses behind casinos have a profit motive. Understanding house edge means you acknowledge there is going to be a price to pay for the fun you can have in one of these establishments.

In addition, there is no denying that a novice is going to make more mistakes and be more profitable for the casino owner. An experienced card player will have learned all kinds of strategies and tricks to minimize their contributions to the casino’s bottom line and maximize the winnings in their wallet. House edge is the percentage the casino wins in a particular game. This varies on what game is being played and the player’s experience. It is estimated that this is around 2% for an inexperienced player, and this drops down to just over 0.5% for players who have mastered ‘card counting’ or what cards have already been played.

To put it simply, the casino will earn US$2 for every US$100 staked. This is a long-term calculation; you might experience extreme short-term wins and losses. These swings create the adrenaline rush that makes playing cards so exciting and, sometimes, so agonizing. You might find you end your evening elated when you are a few hundred bucks up and then experience a bad run of luck that sees you lose it all in a couple of hands the next time you visit. House edge is not about short-term swings and roundabouts but the long-term accumulation of the wins and losses that create profits for the operator. Without them taking their cut, there would be no reason for them to offer the games in the first place or to continue to allow punters to play.

You only have to watch the 2008 movie 21 to know that casinos take a dim view of people who manage to beat the ‘house edge’ and win more than they are ‘supposed to’. The plot follows a group of MIT students who use math and some unconventional teamwork to make themselves very rich and very unpopular at Las Vegas’s casinos. Their tactics lead to investigators being hired and the players being banned from everywhere. However, they cannot resist trying again, but this time in disguise.

You, too, can increase your chances of improving the odds in your favor when playing blackjack, without needing to be a math genius. However, you will still need to follow a serious blackjack strategy. Unlike the MIT team you won’t need to be a master card counter wearing a disguise, you can simply get some get some help from the swathes of advice available on a site like Casino.org to help you maximize your chances at real money online blackjack casinos.

By understanding where you stand in the game, you will recognize when to split and when to double down and massively improve your chances of winning. There is quite a bit of learning and process to follow, but there are plenty of aids and charts to assist you and help you optimize your play in almost all situations. There are clear, logical steps to take, and you will not need to be an MIT graduate to take advantage of the strategies on offer.

The profit margins on blackjack are some of the lowest on offer in casinos. However, because the game is popular and easy to understand, the establishments make their money by attracting large numbers of people to play. They bank on the fact that, for most people, it is just a bit of fun, and these people do not go in for strategies. They twist when they should stick because, sometimes, there is as much thrill in the expectation of the win as there is in the win itself. For many, blackjack is definitely more a game of hope than expectation. Even with their first two cards adding up to 17, an inexperienced player will be unable to resist the temptation of asking for just one more.

Blackjack is a game where the advantage rests with the dealer, and the player acts first. The player can bust himself without the dealer really having to do anything. Even if the player sticks or stands, the dealer still has a chance of winning the hand. In addition, variations in the game across different establishments can tip the house edge even further away from the player’s advantage.

One of the influencing factors is the number of card decks the dealer is using. The house edge is lower in single rather than multiple-deck games. That is because it is easier for players to remember and keep track of the high and picture cards in play. The larger the number of cards in play, the more cards need to be remembered. While card counting is officially frowned upon, it is the basis behind a successful blackjack strategy.

Whether you want to be a casual player for the thrill of it or fancy yourself as a bit of a card shark, it is worth learning some basic blackjack strategy so you can enjoy the game even more. You can master variations that will help reduce the house edge and cut down on your losses. The great news is that you do not need to pay to do the learning, as there are plenty of places to play blackjack for free while you brush up on your techniques. With some sound strategies under your belt, you can go through the virtual casino’s doors like a pro!

*Photo by eGamingImagery/Pixabay

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