Single deck blackjack has the lowest casino edge of 0.16%, which gives the player better odds. Double deck games have a considerably low edge at 0.46%. Most land-based resorts and reputable online casinos use six to eight decks for blackjack. Although this card game is considered gambling, or a game of luck, there is basic blackjack strategy that someone can follow to get the best odds possible of beating the dealer. If you had the decision of taking option A with a 50% chance of winning. Or option B with a 55% chance of winning. If you want to become better at playing blackjack and increase your chances of winning, then what you really have to do is to play the blackjack odds and figure out how you can benefit from following these general rules. It may take a bit of practice to really get your head around it all and start thinking about it in a more. This puts the odds back in the hands of the casino. If a player follows a basic blackjack strategy and a few simple rules the player can reduce the house edge to around 0.5% compared to an average 6%. The Player Advantage. For a player to improve their odds in blackjack, they should follow a few simple rules. ♦️ Stand on 17 and over ♦️. The player is less likely to bust than the dealer. This improves the players’ odds of getting a win. Players are about 60% less likely to bust when compared to dealers. Why it is Difficult to Beat the House in Blackjack. Naturally, the casino whether online or land-based has to improve the odds of winning in the casino’s favor.
Blackjack is a game that may look simple on the outside, but beneath the surface, you’ll find that it’s all about odds and making the correct mathematical decisions. It’s easy to let your intuition take over and base your decisions at the table on that. To be able to play perfectly and master blackjack, it is, however, crucial to understand what the odds are for every scenario you face and only base your decisions on those odds. It’s important to be aware of how the house is getting an edge in the game and what advantages us players have to our disposal, which can be used to lower the house edge.
In the following article, we’ll be covering the basics for the optimal blackjack strategy, known as basic strategy, which makes it possible to lower the house edge a great deal. We’ll take a look at how the house is getting its edge; what our own advantages are; give a few examples on the odds on certain outcomes and show you how basic strategy is applied at the tables. The goal is to create a good understanding of the importance of odds and how the use of basic strategy can help you improve your game when you’re playing for real money.
Blackjack is a game of skill that requires it's players to make strategic mathematical decisions to beat the dealer.
To actually be a successful blackjack player and master the game, it is essential to understand it's odds for each scenario throughout the game and how to make strategic decisions based on these odds.
Unlike other casino games, the outcome for each game of blackjack is determined by the last game. As cards are moved from the deck after each game, the probability of winning changes.
In this article, the discussion focuses on the house edge, player advantage, and the player and dealers bust probability based on cards in a hand.
The House Edge
It goes without saying that the odds for blackjack are in favor of the house; however, the house edge for blackjack is lower than other games.
If a player and dealer were to stand on 17 and over but hit on 16 and under, they would both have a bust rate of 29%.
This would seem even; however, a dealer claims the bet for any player who busts even if they bust themselves. This puts the odds back in the hands of the casino.
If a player follows a basic blackjack strategy and a few simple rules the player can reduce the house edge to around 0.5% compared to an average 6%
The Player Advantage
For a player to improve their odds in blackjack, they should follow a few simple rules.
♦️ Stand on 17 and over
♦️ Split Aces
♦️ Hit on a hand scoring 11 or less
♦️ Hit on a soft 16 or less
♦️ Never split 5s or 10s
♦️ Surrender hand if there is little to no chance of winning (if allowed by the casino)
♦️ Double down when possible (not all casinos allow double down, and some restrict to 10 and 11)
♦️ Remember blackjack pays a player 3:2
♦️ Remember the probability of a game is determined by the last game played, as cards are removed from the deck after each game, changing the odds.
Player's Probability to Bust
To be a successful blackjack player, it's essential to understand the odds and probability of bust to take one more card.
Below is a breakdown of probability based on your hand values. The higher the value, the higher the probability to bust.
♦️ Hand of 11 or less; probability is 0%
♦️ Hand of 12; probability is 31%
♦️ Hand of 13; probability is 39%
♦️ Hand of 14; probability is 56%
♦️ Hand of 15; probability is 58%
♦️ Hand of 16; probability is 62%
♦️ Hand of 17; probability is 69%
♦️ Hand of 18; probability is 77%
♦️ Hand of 19; probability is 85%
♦️ Hand of 20; probability is 92%
Blackjack House Odds
♦️ Hand of 21; probability is 100%
Dealer's Probability To Bust
It is just as essential in understanding a dealer's probability to bust as it is to understand a player's chances.
Below is a breakdown of the dealer's probability to bust with a soft 17 based on the dealer's first card shown.
Dealer Ace: Stand 17% - Hit 20%
Dealer 2: Stand 35% - Hit 36%
Dealer 3: Stand 37% - Hit 38%
Dealer 4: Stand 40% - Hit 40%
Odds Of Winning Blackjack At Casino
Dealer 5: Stand 42% - Hit 42%
Dealer 6: Stand 42% - Hit 44%
Dealer 7: Stand 26% - Hit 26%
Dealer 8: Stand 24%- Hit 24%
Dealer 9: Stand 23% - Hit 23%
Dealer 10: Stand 23% - Hit 23%
Odds Of Winning Blackjack Hand
The dealer has the highest probability to bust on 6.