No, blackjack is not just luck. In fact, a good strategy can have a large effect on the outcome of a blackjack session.
Strategies won’t take the randomness out of the game. However, they may help you make better decisions which lead to fewer losses.
If you play your cards right with blackjack’s most popular strategies, including card counting, you may reduce the game’s house edge to 0%. There aren’t many gambling games that give you a chance to do this.
Why Blackjack Isn’t Just Luck
Many players think blackjack is only luck because you need to place a bet before you get your cards. Therefore, you are automatically subject to the randomness of the game.
However, this does not mean you don’t have any measure of control over the game. After all, you need to decide how you proceed in the game after getting your first two cards. Frequently making the right call here is what separates profitable gaming sessions from a busted bankroll.
Also, blackjack is a mathematically beatable casino game. There are specific outcomes that are statistically likely to happen for depending on your starting hand.
For example, hitting on a hand score of anything higher than 17 is considered a bad idea even if the dealer shows an ace. All you need is anything more significant than a 4 to go bust, which is very likely to happen when you look at probabilities.
For this reason, it is important to learn blackjack basic strategy. The strategy gives you the most likely outcome for every hand you could ever get in the game.
Card Counting is a Hack Casinos Don’t like
Casinos wouldn’t be quick to ban card counters if the strategy wasn’t a hack. While card counting won’t ensure that you win every game you play, it will give you the means to predict when you may win.
If you think you will win in the next round, it is recommended you increase your bet size. However, don’t be overly-greedy because you may alert casino staff to something being up. You won’t get arrested for card counting, but a casino ban isn’t something you want either.
Why You Never Win at Blackjack
Most players don’t win at blackjack for two reasons. Firstly, they fail to strategize. If you are going to play the game without any effort placed on reducing the odds, then expect to be claimed as a victim of the house.
The very least you could do for yourself is use basic strategy to ensure you are making the right calls on some hands. If you don’t do at least this, you deserve to lose.
Secondly, you aren’t patient. We get it: casino games offer a world of riches and success, and you want it now. The thing is; only players who are patient with games like blackjack see great returns.
Sure, you can play it risky on side bets to increase your returns, but these bets have a high house edge. You are more likely to lose these bets than win. Suppose you are okay with that, great. However, don’t expect to have many winning game sessions.
