When playing blackjack online, we recommend implementing some sort of betting strategy in your game. The reasons for this boil down to one thing: a blackjack betting strategy will aim to offset losses by either depending on a future winning streak or by increasing the betting unit for future blackjack hands.
Here’s the problem with standard gambling games: if they are luck based, the odds of losing money are much higher compared to a gambling game in which skill matters. Blackjack, while dependent on luck, does require a certain level of skill too.
This is precisely why blackjack players choose to incorporate some sort of betting strategy in their game — be it a blackjack basic strategy that is relatively simple to follow, or even an advanced blackjack system.
Which blackjack betting strategy should you opt for: a basic strategy or the very best blackjack betting strategy known to mankind? That is for you to decide. Our job is to lay out each blackjack betting strategy and explain them to our best efforts. Your job is to find the most optimal strategy for you.
Agreed? Let’s kickstart this post with the most basic questions regarding blackjack strategies.
WHAT ARE BLACKJACK BETTING STRATEGIES?
To avoid confusion, let’s start by highlighting the differences between a basic blackjack strategy and a basic blackjack betting strategy.
- A blackjack strategy aims to improve your decision-making capabilities by suggesting when you should hit, stand and split (aces being the most focused card in most blackjack strategies).
- Blackjack strategies can be rather complex, which is why professional blackjack players created several strategy charts to help newbies navigate each decision for every different card combination.Casino players are usually allowed to consult strategy charts as they play blackjack, but we’d recommend making sure to avoid the risk of getting booted out of your casino.
- A blackjack betting strategy solely focuses on one betting unit; thus, focusing on how much you bet per hand rather than how you play blackjack overall.
- As we’ve mentioned earlier, betting strategies look to offset lost hands by either increasing or decreasing the betting unit of future hands. This will be our main area of focus for this post.
WHY SHOULD YOU USE BLACKJACK BETTING STRATEGIES?
What’s the point of incorporating blackjack systems in your play? Apart from paying attention to your decision-making skills, incorporating some kind of betting pattern can lead to a healthy bankroll.
As you’ll see later on, a blackjack betting system looks to capitalise on your winning hands, while looking to make up for every losing hand by either increasing the unit of betting or by decreasing it.
In fact, winning streaks and losing streaks can make or break each of the blackjack betting systems we’ll mention in this post. How? Before we get into that, let’s go over the basic rules of blackjack.
THE BASIC RULES OF BLACKJACK
The aim of every blackjack variant is to draw cards that get you to a hand total of 21, or as close to that as possible. The game is played solely against the dealer, so they will be your only focus while seated at the blackjack table.
After placing the preliminary bet (called the ‘ante’), the dealer deals you two cards and just one for themselves.
You could choose to hit, which means requesting a second card to be dealt to you in an attempt to edge closer to the desired hand value of 21. You could also choose to stand, which means refusing to be dealt another card, thus moving on to the next phase of the game.
If you hit and your hand value soars above 21, you’ll bust and lose the round. If you hit and reach a hand value of, say, 20, a good idea would be to stand, since the chances are that an additional card will make you bust.
If the dealer’s hand is closer to 21 than the player’s is, the dealer wins and the player loses. If the dealer hits a natural and the player’s hand isn’t a blackjack, the player will immediately lose as well. When the player wins, the dealer pays even money. If the player wins with a blackjack, the payout is usually 3:2.
BLACKJACK BETTING STRATEGIES
There are three types of betting systems: the negative progression betting system, the positive progression betting system and the flat betting system. Each of these will differ from one another, as we’ll explain further on.
Nevertheless, we have to clarify that each blackjack betting system we’ll mention from now on is not intended to be some sort of blackjack ‘hack’ with which you could win money easily. There is no such thing as a perfect blackjack strategy that can guarantee anything like that, and these blackjack betting systems are no different.
With that said, let’s dive into these progressive betting strategies to find out how you can toy around with your bet size to stretch your bankroll.
NEGATIVE PROGRESSION SYSTEMS
The premise of every negative progression system is to increase your bet after a loss and decrease it after a win.
This betting system aims to make for lost bets with every high-value win. Having said that, increasing your bet size after each loss can quickly eat up your funds, especially if you happen to be suffering from a losing streak.
POSITIVE PROGRESSION SYSTEMS
Positive progressive systems work exactly the opposite of how negative ones do, in that they require you to increase your bet after a win and decrease it after a loss. This baccarat system looks to capitalise on winning streaks and, conversely, minimise losses as much as possible.
FLAT BETTING SYSTEMS
This system refers to the somewhat mundane practice of placing the same bet value every time. Although this system consolidates a player’s grip on their bankroll in a way that few other systems do, it is quite a boring way to play baccarat.
Most players enjoy switching things up by trying different progression systems, since this type of betting offers no real change to the action whatsoever.
BLACKJACK BETTING SYSTEMS
Choosing the right blackjack betting strategy for you is a matter of testing each betting strategy explained below and seeing what you’re comfortable with. It might take some time to find the best blackjack strategy that complements your style of play, but rest assured that one definitely exists out there.
Here are the best blackjack strategies out there when it comes to adjusting the bet size after a certain number of outcomes.
THE FIBONACCI SYSTEM
Let’s start off with a negative progression betting strategy. As the name alludes, this strategy is based on the Fibonacci sequence (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 and so on). In blackjack, the initial zero is ignored.
In order to implement this strategy, the first bet placed must be worth one unit, that is, the first number in the sequence. If it is unsuccessful, the second bet should remain the same, that is, one unit.
If still unsuccessful, the next number on the sequence must be factored into the bet (2), which means that the third bet must be worth two units. This must continue until the bet is won, in which case the player must move back two numbers in the sequence.
Pros of the Fibonacci system:
- Helps you play more blackjack games by preserving your money.
- Implementing this blackjack betting strategy is relatively simple.
Cons of the Fibonacci system:
- Doubling your bet or splitting your hand will stray away from the even-money principle.
- The process is quite slow.
THE MARTINGALE SYSTEM
Still on the topic of negative progression systems, the Martingale betting system is commonly used in other casino games such as roulette, baccarat and craps, less so in blackjack. With this said, this system can be used in blackjack, as you’ll see below.
The Martingale betting strategy is one of the least complicated blackjack strategies out there. All you have to do to incorporate it into your play is double your bet upon each loss and return to the original bet after each win.
For example, if you try a bet of €1 and it loses, according to the Martingale system, your next bet must be €2. If that loses as well, the following bet must be €4, and so on. If the bet wins, you should return to your baseline bet of €1.
Pros of the Martingale system:
- With some luck, this is a basic strategy that can help you recoup past losses.
- It is a basic betting strategy that can be used by new blackjack players.
Cons of the Martingale system:
- Some online casinos might impose a maximum bet amount on its blackjack games, which might hinder your efforts at doubling your bet.
- If luck is not on your side, the Martingale system can be problematic — unless you don’t have a massive bankroll to support the risk of losing streaks.
THE LABOUCHERE SYSTEM
Now is when things get hairy. The Labouchere system revolves around the idea of setting a bet objective and dissecting it in relatively achievable sums.
What exactly does that mean? The best way to explain it is to use an example. Let’s say that our objective is to win €20. We must now split that €20 into a handful of new numbers, for example, 5-4-1-2-4-4. If we manage to win the amounts in this sequence, we’ll have reached our objective (5+4+1+2+4+4=20).
The way we should go about betting is by first placing a bet that combines the leftmost and rightmost numbers in the sequence we mentioned above. In this case, our first bet on a blackjack hand must be €9 (5+4). If our bet is successful, we can eliminate the two numbers from the sequence and move on to the new leftmost and rightmost numbers and bet accordingly on our next hand.
What happens if the bet is lost? In that case, we must add our lost bet to the rightmost side of the sequence, which would then look like this: 5-4-1-2-4-4-9. As a result, our next bet would be €14 (5+9).
As with every blackjack strategy out there, the Labouchere system has its advantages and its disadvantages. Although it can help you set a clear objective of how much you would like to win, things can get quite complicated if the bets don’t go your way. The sequence would thus stretch into quite a handful of numbers, making it seem even harder to reach your predetermined objective.
Moreover, players with a smaller bankroll might find it very hard to use this strategy, since there wouldn’t be enough money to cover much of a sequence if the first bets end up failing.
Pros of the Labouchere system:
- Helps you set a clear objective of how much money you would like to win.
Cons of the Labouchere system:
- Can become very complicated if you lose the first few hands since the sequence would be very hard to keep up with.
- Losing streaks can turn a profitable game into a non-profitable one, which is why we’d advise you to stop playing with this strategy and start over if the sequence becomes too elongated.
THE D’ALEMBERT SYSTEM
Similar in simplicity to the Martingale system is the D’Alembert system. This is another negative progression system that tries to make up for your losses by increasing the bet after each loss.
Here’s how it works: you must first choose your first bet. Every time your bet loses, you should increase it by one unit — only to revert it to your original bet once you win a hand.
For example, if you opt for a baseline bet of €5, a loss would see you bump your bet to €6. This would continue until you win, after which your bet must return to the original value of €5.
Pros of the D’Alembert system:
- Players are always in charge of their bankroll.
- Very simple to implement.
Cons of the D’Alembert system:
- Might be hard to recoup all of your lost money.
- The table limit might easily be reached should a prolonged losing streak occur. In this case, players should start off again with a small bet and work their way up.
- This system doesn’t offer a way to lessen the house edge.
OSCAR’S SYSTEM
Oscar’s Grind, also known as Oscar’s system, is a betting system that is said to have been put together in 1965, and its name alluded to the slow practice of the system itself. This blackjack betting strategy can also be used in roulette and baccarat.
Here’s how this strategy works: you must first start with a low betting unit (€1, for example). When you make a profit that amounts to your original bet (€1 in this case), your sequence will end.
Should you start off with a bet of €1 and win €1, congrats! Your sequence ends because you’ve profited the sum of your original bet. If your first bet of €1 loses, this strategy states that you must wager the same amount (€1) until your net win is €1.
If your sequence ends with a win totalling to your original bet, this strategy states that you can increase your bet unit by one.
Pros of the Oscar’s system:
- It is a pretty basic strategy that can really pay off with a hot streak.
Cons of the Oscar’s system:
- It can easily eat up your bankroll if you encounter a losing streak.
THE PAROLI SYSTEM
This positive progression betting system isn’t very hard to grasp; in fact, it simply looks to take advantage of a winning streak. Once you’ve nailed down what decisions to make regarding your hand, all you need to do is adjust your betting unit.
To implement this blackjack strategy, all you have to do is determine a standard bet and double it after each win until three consecutive wins are obtained. If your bet is lost, return to the standard bet. If you win three times in a row, return to the standard bet as well.
For example, if we start with a predetermined bet of €5 and we win, our next wager would be €10, and if that is won, we would bet €20 in the subsequent round. Should we lose the bet at any point in time, we’d revert back to the standard €5 bet.
Pros of the Paroli system:
- Can prove to be very lucrative if you experience a hot streak.
Cons of the Paroli system:
- Losing streaks can be very destructive to your bankroll. This makes it far from the best strategy to play online blackjack.
- This strategy sacrifices the money you make from every winning hand in order to boost your eventual profit, but this doesn’t bear fruit.
THE PARLAY SYSTEM
Similarly simple in principle is the Parlay system, which features the doubling of successful bets and a return to the original wager when a loss is suffered. This continues until the player reaches a target win goal, after which the system resets and the betting unit of subsequent hands will be reset as well.
For example, if a starting bet of €5 is successful, the next round should see double the bet (€10). If another win is achieved, the bet would then be €20 (10+10). Should a bet lose, the player would then return to the €5 bet.
Pros of the Parlay system:
- Every winning hand funded through profits is essentially a profit, and the Parlay system depends on this situation.
Cons of the Parlay system:
- Can prove to be an ‘all-or-nothing’ system that can easily backfire.
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN BETTING STRATEGY
Creating your own basic strategy is far from easy, but it is definitely possible. To find the right betting strategy, you must keep your bankroll in mind at all times. This means that establishing a clear pattern on when you should stand or hit is one of the first things you should do.
After that, gauge your success and toggle your betting unit accordingly. Feel free to adjust your betting unit depending on the hand you’ve been dealt. You can create your own blackjack basic strategy this way, and whenever you run into a hurdle, evaluate what went wrong and what went right.
The best blackjack betting strategy out there started from somewhere, right? So why not give it a shot for yourself?
TIPS FOR CHOOSING BLACKJACK BETTING STRATEGIES
With all things considered, what is the best blackjack betting strategy for you: the Martingale system, Oscar’s Grind or something else? Here are a few tips that can help you identify the best blackjack betting strategy for you:
- Evaluate the size of your bankroll
- Evaluate what strategy you consider entertaining
- Evaluate its success
- Evaluate how the system affects the house edge
- Evaluate what you want from the system itself
Once you have a clear idea of the above, you will quickly disc
WHAT IS THE BEST BETTING STRATEGY FOR BLACKJACK?
Seeing as there is no perfect blackjack strategy guide capable of beating all the blackjack variations out there, all we can really do as blackjack enthusiasts is toy around with the best blackjack strategies and try to minimise the house edge.
All the blackjack betting strategies we mentioned in this post have their pros and cons, so it’s ultimately up to you to decide what you’re comfortable with.
Do know that the results of each and every blackjack betting strategy we mentioned above can depend on the size of your bankroll. If your bankroll is small, we would advise against pursuing risky blackjack systems like the Oscar’s Grind.
All in all, there are no one-size-fits-all strategy tips. Your best bet is to have fun while playing blackjack and following a basic blackjack strategy to kick things off. Once you’ve racked up some experience in your blackjack game, feel free to step things up and try one of the strategies we explained above.
PLAY ONLINE BLACKJACK AND LIVE BLACKJACK AT ENERGYCASINO
Looking to play blackjack and test your blackjack basic strategy? One of the best online casinos where you could do just that is EnergyCasino! We’ve got each and every blackjack game under the sun in which you could try your perfect basic strategy.
“Any other casino game apart from blackjack?” Most definitely. We’re one of the few online casinos that offers thousands of slot games and dozens of table games, including roulette, blackjack (online blackjack and live blackjack), as well as baccarat, poker and craps.
Last but not least, most casinos don’t offer half the sports betting section we do. Sports fans can keep their finger on the pulse of all the most popular sports in the world while also enjoying a wide array of betting markets at their disposal.
That way, sports lovers at our Casino can mix fantastic odds with as many betting markets as they wish. We’ve got multiple deposit methods to choose from, so pay us a visit whenever you want to push the bar of gambling higher than ever.
In short, EnergyCasino offers you the best environment where you could play blackjack games in a safe and enjoyable manner!