When players are losing at Blackjack, they usually blame something or someone else for their loss. They don’t consider that their losing streak may have something to do with the fact that they don’t have any idea about basic Blackjack playing rules or strategies or have become a victim to Blackjack myths. It is easy to blame that nerd who is killing the table with their brilliant plays. If you’re serious about winning at this casino game, the first thing you should do is stopping falling for Blackjack myths. Truth must be separated from friction; otherwise, winning at Blackjack isn’t possible. Don’t make an excuse for your loss; instead find out about Blackjack myths that could be the reason behind your loss.
In this post, we are going to debunk some top Blackjack myths to ensure you don’t fall a victim to them.
1. Getting as Close to 21 as Possible is the Game’s Objective
Some casino marketers and authors over-simplify Blackjack’s objective which is why this myth has become so prevalent. The truth is that the objective of the game is to actually beat the Blackjack’s dealer by:
- Having a greater final total than dealer (OR)
- Ensuring that you don’t bust before the Blackjack’s dealer busts
These are two ways to beat the hand of the dealer and win the Blackjack game. If you try getting as close to the total of 21 as possible, you are more likely to bust.
2. I Am Sure To Win
Some players think that if the dealer in the game has won five consecutive hands, their chances of beating the dealer in next hand are high. That’s a very wrong assumption.
The truth is that cards don’t care that a player has consecutively lost five hands. The probability of the player winning or losing the next hand isn’t affected by whether they lost, won or tied the last hand or the previous five hands.
3. Playing At Tables Where Dealer is Cold is Ideal
Sometimes a player loses hands after hand to the dealer who is consistently outdrawing them by just one point, while sometimes; they get a dealer who busts hands after hand resulting in several wins for them. So, many players assume that it’s better playing on the Blackjack table where dealer is cold instead of playing with a ‘hot’ dealer.
The truth is blackjack dealers get lucky sometimes and do nothing wrong which is why they are able to beat the player no matter how solid a player’s hand is. Although it is easy to determine if dealer is cold or hot right this moment, players cannot predict whether they’ll be cold or hot in the next turn. That’s because cards are not aware of what happened before and don’t care. Just because a player lost five hands consecutively doesn’t mean they are likely to win their next hand. Likewise, picking Blackjack tables where dealer appears cold is useless.
4. I Lost Because a New Casino Player Entered the Game Mid-Shoe and Change the Cards’ Order
Sometimes players are enjoying a solid winning streak. Then, James Clueless enters the Blackjack mid-shoe adding one more hand to the current round and dealer starts destroying everyone. James should be blamed for the loss, right? Not really.
The truth is when the fortunes of players turn bad, they need someone to blame. There wasn’t anything special or sacred about total hands before poor James joined in to play. Moreover, there wasn’t any guarantee that the players would have maintained their winning streak if he didn’t join the game. Cards’ order doesn’t matter at all.
5. Always Assume That the Blackjack Dealers Possess Value of 10 in Hole
There are several ranked cards that count as 10 in the game (the kings, queen, jack and tens). Players usually assume that dealer will always have a value of 10 in hole and play accordingly.
Out of the total 52 cards, there are only 16 cards in a Blackjack deck with a value equal to 10. That means there is about 31 percent chance of a dealer having a 10 while 69 percent chance of them having another card in hole. If a player plays their hands assuming that dealer holds a card with the value of 10, it’ll lead to costly mistakes. Instead, they should play their hands with the basic Blackjack strategy as it factors the possibility of all cards that the dealer can have in hole, how often they’ll get each different card and what cards the dealer can get in case they hit again.
6. Winning Blackjack Is Extremely Difficult Because It’s All About Luck
Many players think that casinos hold mathematical edge over casino players in all games including Blackjack which is why winning requires luck.
In reality, there’s luck involved in Blackjack, but players can override it with their skill. Players must make decisions based on hand that’ll be dealt by the dealer and their decision will determine the hand’s outcome. Learning strategies and card counting will allow them to have a mathematical edge over the dealer. When players continue playing the game and learn the strategies, they start playing skillfully and are able to override luck.
7. Always Insure Good Hands against the Ace of Dealer
Some people advise that if a dealer ends up having a Blackjack, then the player should insure their good hand to avoid losing their money.
That’s a very wrong advice. When a player has a good hand, it is the worst time for taking insurance. Assume that a player has a 20. They are holding two cards of 10-value that dealers needs for the player to win their insurance bet (remember the player can only win their insurance bet when the card in hole of the dealer is a 10-value card, giving the dealer a blackjack). Because the player has two cards that dealer requires for having a blackjack, the dealer’s odds of getting blackjack then are worse. The player’s 20 has a greater chance of winning; therefore, they shouldn’t mess that up by opting for insurance.
8. Standing When You Have Soft 18 Is the Best Strategy
People say that 18 is an ideal hand, therefore a player shouldn’t mess it.
The truth is, soft 18 is only a good hand if the dealer ends up showing a 2 up card or 7 up card. But against dealer’s up cards that are weak like 6, 5, 4 or 3, it is better to just double down. The player doesn’t do it to improve their position, but to place more money when dealer is likely to bust.
9. Card Counting Isn’t Legal
Several media outlets report that people who do card counting are penalized and thrown out of casinos.
Using brains to play Blackjack isn’t illegal. Card counting isn’t anything more than using the brain for tracking cards as they’re played. The casinos prefer having players that are better at losing than players who know the tricks of winning the game.
10. Photographic Memory Is a Must for Counting Cards
People who have seen the movie titled, ‘Rain Man’, think that photographic memory is required for counting cards.
Traditional counting of cards doesn’t require photographic memory. Players can count cards even when they don’t have a great memory provided they know the right techniques of card counting.
11. You Can Overcome Edge of the House with Progressive Betting
Many players think that betting progression like positive progression in Blackjack where the player increases their bet after a win and decreases after a loss will allow them to take advantage of winning streaks and leave them with a profit.
Mathematically speaking, progressive betting cannot give any kind of edge to players. That is why you should avoid progressive betting strategy.
There are many myths in the gambling world and Blackjack, like many other casino games, has become their victim. As a gambler, you shouldn’t pay attention to all the myths associated with Blackjack. We have revealed the top Blackjack myths to make you aware of the things that can affect your chances of winning the game. If you wish to successfully beat the dealer majority of the times, avoid all the Blackjack myths and focus on sound mathematical strategies and techniques that have proven to be effective.
Before you go to a real casino and play Blackjack, we recommend you master the basic strategies of the game and practice them. Learning about strategies is one thing and implementing them is another. Therefore, it is best to play the game with your friends and family members first before you head to a real casino. If you wish to improve your skills in Blackjack by playing with your friends or family members, organize a casino party. At a casino party, you won’t have to worry about losing and you can play Blackjack as much as you want as funny money (fake money) is used in the party. Call 4S Casino Party if you wish to organize a fun casino party with Blackjack and other casino games.
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