No matter how much experience you may or may not have at the Blackjack table, there are many different ways for you to increase your edge and start seeing better returns.

Unlike casino games like Bingo, Craps, Keno, Roulette, and slots, which rely purely on how lucky you are at any given point in time, 21 is, at its heart, a game of skill. Researching the game, practising, and implementing these hints and tips will soon start making a huge difference in how much you win and how often.

Know the Variation’s House Edge

Regular online blackjack games for real money have a house edge between 2% and 3%, Atlantic City 21 is even lower, at 0.36%, and the European version pushes up to 0.62%, so you can see why doing your homework and finding out what you’re working against is crucial.

Although games at reputable online casinos are never rigged to treat players unfairly, the nature of gambling is that the house always operates at an advantage, and minimising this by knowing which variations to play is the first step a good gambler makes.

The house edge can be described as a percentage that is worked out for all casino games, both online and land-based ones. Blackjack generally offers one of between 2% and 3%, but if you know Basic Strategy you can bring this down to just 0.5%.

Play Basic Strategy

If you love playing 21, memorising the correct way to double down, hit, split, and stand is a non-negotiable. The great thing about playing online is that you can use a printed-out Basic Strategy chart while you enjoy it or keep it open on a second screen until you’ve got it committed to memory.

You’ll find rules like standing when your hand totals anything between 12 and 16 and the dealer has anything from a 2 to a 6. You’ll also always hit when your hand has this value but a dealers is between a 7 and an Ace. Always split Aces and 8s and double down when you’ve got 11 and the dealers hand is worth between 2 points and 10.

Experiment With Different Betting Systems

Thanks to the fact that we’ve been playing it since the 1600s, Blackjack’s seen numerous betting systems springing up around it. These include the Martingale, where you double your bet every time you lose and then drop it back down to its original size when you win. Doing this will see you eventually make your money back if you can stay in the game long enough.

Then there are also strategies like splitting, and knowing when to do this can make a huge difference to your gameplay.

Some players swear by these systems, and you may find your bankroll improves when you start implementing them, but you must remember that no single system is 100% effective.

You’re gambling, after all! Anything fool proof would be fun for a little while, but the novelty would wear off and the enjoyment of leaving the outcome up to fate to decide is almost as important as the wins themselves are.