7 Tips and Strategies for Playing Blackjack Online
Online blackjack is, on average, more favorable than the land-based version. It typically provides better rules and higher return to player (RTP).
However, you shouldn’t blindly play online blackjack and expect to win more often. Instead, you want to use strategy and fully capitalize on mobile blackjack’s superior odds.
The following tips will help you find the best blackjack odds and get the most out of your bankroll. They cover everything from finding blackjack bonuses to controlling the game speed.
1 – Look for High Blackjack RTP
Blackjack RTP determines how much money you can expect to win with this game in the long run. Simply put, you want to search for and stick with games that offer high payback.
Online blackjack makes this search easier than land-based casinos do. After all, many online developers list the payout percentage in the info screen.
Assuming you’re not stuck on a particular casino, then you can run basic searches. You might, for example, Google “online blackjack highest RTP” and go to the relevant websites.
Alternatively, you could search for “online blackjack lowest house edges.” Upon learning these figures, you can subtract the house edge from 100 to find the RTP (e.g. 100 – 0.7 = 99.3% RTP).
In either case, you simply need to research payout percentages to find the best-paying games. Just a little bit of research can do wonders for your long-term winnings.
2 – Study Blackjack Strategy
Finding online games with favorable rules and high RTP is only part of the equation. You also need to learn strategy to achieve the highest payback for any variation.
Fortunately, blackjack strategy isn’t as complex as it seems. While this game involves countless situations, it also offers various tools that’ll boost your skills.
A blackjack strategy card provides an excellent starting point. Found all over the internet, strategy cards show the perfect decision in every situation.
The key with these cards, though, is to ensure that you’re using the appropriate resource for the relevant game. For example, you don’t want to use a Downtown Vegas card for an Atlantic City rules game.
If you find an exotic online blackjack variation, then you might be able to locate a card specifically for it. You just need to run searches to see if one is available.
A blackjack trainer provides another simple route for learning the ropes. It’s a program that indicates when you make correct and incorrect strategy decisions while playing. Over time, you should gradually eliminate your mistakes by using a trainer.
Of course, you can always combine strategy cards and trainers. No matter which route you go, though, you’ll want to learn strategy for a given variation to achieve optimal payback.
3 – Cash in on Blackjack Bonuses
Online blackjack is unique in that it provides an opportunity to earn bonuses. These bonuses are separate from the common loyalty rewards that both online and land-based casinos give out.
You need to make a deposit to begin earning a blackjack bonus. The casino will then match your deposit up to a certain percentage.
Here’s an example on how this works:
- An online casino offers a 100% match bonus worth up to $500
- You deposit $250
- You’re now eligible to earn a matching $250 bonus
These deals aren’t always listed as blackjack bonuses. Instead, they may be under the broader label of a “table games bonus.”
Regardless of the name, you get an opportunity to earn extra money through these offers. The key is to understand the terms and conditions before going after a deal.
Some online casinos are stricter than others in this area, especially regarding the rollover (a.k.a. playthrough). Rollover determines how much you’ll need to wager before cashing anything out from the bonus.
Online slots rollover usually ranges from 40x to 60x the bonus amount. Since blackjack is a higher-paying game, though, its playthrough requirement often ranges from 60x to 100x.
4 – Budget for a Bankroll
As with any other form of gambling, you want to be responsible when playing mobile blackjack. The goal is to only risk what you can afford to lose.
The best way to ensure that this happens involves going through your finances before playing. You want to find an appropriate amount that can be dedicated towards your online blackjack bankroll.
Here’s an example on doing so:
- You earn $3,500 per month after taxes
- You have $3,000 in monthly bills and expenses
- 3,500 – 3,000 = $500 in expendable money
- You decide to dedicate half of this ($250) to a blackjack bankroll
Upon coming with a bankroll amount, you might also consider stop-win and stop-loss limits. A stop-win limit helps you bank winnings after a hot session. A stop-loss limit, meanwhile, helps convince you to quit when the losses pile up.
Here are examples on choosing stop-win and stop-loss points:
Stop-Win Limit
- You have a $250 bankroll
- You set a stop-win point of 30%
- 250 x 0.3 = 75
- You’ll stop playing after winning $75 in profits
Stop-Loss Limit
- You have a $250 bankroll
- You set a stop-loss point of 20%
- 250 x 0.2 = 50
- You’ll stop playing any session after losing $50
5 – Choose the Appropriate Stakes
You can take bankroll management even further than just deciding how much can safely be risked. You might also consider running calculations to determine what to bet.
Here’s an example on doing so:
- You bet $5 per hand
- You play approximately 150 hands an hour
- 150 x 5 = $750 in hourly wagers
- The average RTP for your favorite games is 99.5%
- 750 x 0.995 = $746.25 in hourly winnings
- 750 – 746.25 = $3.75 in hourly losses
- You have a $75 bankroll
- 75 / 3.75 = 20
- Your bankroll will theoretically last for 20 hours
If you don’t like the amount of time that your bankroll will theoretically last, you can always run another calculation. You simply plug the relevant numbers into the example above to eventually find the appropriate stakes.
6 – Don’t Play Too Fast
One of online blackjack’s greatest qualities is that it lets you control the game speed. Unlike at a land-based table, you decide when hands are dealt and when to take a break.
This convenience is perfect for when you don’t like how restrictive live blackjack can be. On the other hand, though, it also tempts you to play faster.
The best blackjack apps don’t require a human dealer to deal cards to the entire table. Instead, it deals cards and collects chips instantly.
This lack of downtime provides a chance to play hundreds of hands per hour. Contrast this to the 60 to 100 hands that are played each hour at land-based tables.
You might be perfectly fine with logging hundreds of hands an hour, especially if you’re only wagering $1. Assuming you’re dealing with a tight bankroll, though, you may want to slow down the game speed.
7 – Consider Focusing Exclusively on Online Blackjack
As mentioned before, mobile blackjack usually offers higher RTP than the brick-and-mortar version. It also features lower stakes and a stress-free environment to play in.
Taking everything into account, you should consider focusing on online blackjack. You stand a better long-term chance of winning than with the mobile version.
An alternative route, though, involves playing at live dealer casinos. Live dealer blackjack lets you play through a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
At the same time, it streams action from a live studio and uses a human dealer. With that said, you get the best of both worlds with live dealer blackjack.
Online Blackjack Is Beatable
Online blackjack has a built-in advantage over the land-based variety. It offers many different high-paying variations and lets you access them with little time wasted.
However, you want to do more than just hope that you choose an online game with high payback. The tips above will help maximize your chances of winning with mobile blackjack.
You can improve your winnings even more by taking advantage of blackjack bonuses. These bonuses add extra money to your bottom line once you meet terms and conditions.
The other tips are also helpful for winning more in online blackjack and preserving your bankroll. That said, you should refer back to these tips if you’re interested in playing online blackjack or just looking to improve your winnings.
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