Blackjack is a fairly basic game at face value. Try and get the value of your dealt cards to add up to 21, or at least closer to under 21 than the dealer and you win. While most simple blackjack strategies recommend hitting at under 17, unless there’s an Ace in your hand, there are various other strategies that can be played out in the wild. In most casinos, this is the same strategy the dealer follows.
So once you’re consistently playing blackjack and feel like you’re doing pretty well overall, what next? Well, we have a few little suggestions that can help spice up your game and even get more chips back in your hand at the end of the night. Have you tried out these variations, bet styles, and table stakes?
1. Try some different blackjack variations
It is true that the rules of the game essentially remain the same, whether you’ve planned a games’ night with your friends, going to a brick and mortar resort, or an online casino offering table games. However, it is also true that there are different variations of blackjack floating around.
For example, there is progressive blackjack, where there is a progressive side jackpot to win that pays out when a certain hand comes up. There is also blackjack switch, an interesting combination hand game where two hands are dealt to each player, and a card can be switched between the two different hands. There is also pontoon, a version where the dealer cards are always dealt face down and players have their turn before the dealer. In European blackjack, the dealer only gets dealt a single card for the first round, which ultimately leads to a lower house edge on the game, so better chances for players to win instead.
When choosing a new variant to play, make sure that you fully understand all the rules of the game, that you practice for a few round or even hours before you decide to play for real money, and also check that the variant itself is even available to play in your area! Not all variants of blackjack are available to play everywhere, so ensure it’s possible to play before spending your time learning new rules and practicing play.
2. Try side bets or bet behinds
You can always observe a game in real life if you are at a physical casino. Some blackjack games have a ‘side bet’ or ‘bet behind’ system where bystanders can even place bets on players’ hands at the table. These may also be available in online blackjack games too.
Doing these side bets can take the pressure off a little to make the correct move yourself. If you suffer from a case of the nerves when playing blackjack, and become a little anxious when you are making a bet or choosing to hit or stand, then a side bet can be the easy answer to stress a little less.
If you notice that a player is fairly consistently winning, placing a side bet on this player can be a particularly smart move. The player may have a fairly good blackjack strategy in place that is helping them win more often than other players. By following their play, you may even pick up the strategy for yourself and implement it in your next game.
3. Choose a higher stakes game
If you’ve mastered the art of basic blackjack, then it is time to up the ante and head to a table with higher stakes. While lower stakes tables offer a lower risk of large losses, when you play at higher stakes tables you have the chance to win bigger. Not only this, you will be among more well-practiced blackjack players – or at least players with deeper pockets!
When you’re playing at the lowest stakes blackjack tables in a casino, you’ll find that players are typically fairly inexperienced or do not have a lot of chips at the ready to spend. Once you start moving up the tables, players are more well-practiced, serious, and have a fair amount of chips ready to play.
Of course, if you make it all the way to the high roller’s room, you’ll know that you’ve truly made it in the blackjack world. Players at this level often get comped some pretty sweet bonuses, like casino points, restaurant vouchers, room stays, and more.
Just be careful that the amount you’re spending doesn’t seriously outweigh the approximate cost of the perks you are receiving in return. Many a player has gotten caught up in the fun of a wild night and all the perks they’re offered only to wake up in the morning in a comfy hotel bed with a headache and an empty bank account.