Strategies to Use when You Play Online Blackjack

Online blackjack is the most popular casino game in the world, and hundreds of thousands of people log in to their accounts to play it for free or for real money every single day. There are many reasons for its overwhelming popularity, but the professionals will tell you that it is the only "gambling" game in the world with a house edge that can be reduced to less than a half of one percent whenever a perfect strategy is used. Unfortunately, most people cannot memorize this strategy or perfect their card counting skills when they are in a land-based establishment. This is why online blackjack is preferred among those who want to reduce the house edge as much as possible.

The objective is to beat the dealer with a hand that does not exceed a total value of 21. There are many different variations out there and, even in the most traditional form, the rules can vary from establishment to establishment. Even the number of decks that are used fluctuates wildly; while one venue may have a single-deck offering, the next may only have six- or eight-deck options. If you want to improve your odds of winning, the first thing you have to do is find a room that uses only one or two decks and that requires the dealer to hit on 16 and stand on 17.

Once you have found a casino that meets these requirements, the final step involves finding an online blackjack strategy chart that fits the criteria of the room exactly. You can enter in the number of decks in use, the house rules, and the exact variation you want right down to the software provider who created it. Then, once you have it in front of you, print it out and stick to it. It will tell you the best decisions to make mathematically, and this is the only way to increase your chances of winning. You will know exactly when to hit, when to stand, when to double, when to split, and even when to surrender if that option is available to you. You can find charts for traditional 21 as well as more obscure variations such as Double Exposure, Surrender, Switch, and even Vegas Strip which offers up some unique rules.