The question that has been going around for centuries is whether Blackjack is a game of skill or luck. Some online casino Blackjack players will say that it is pure luck because of the way the cards are randomly dealt while others believe that using a Blackjack strategy means using a skill and this will possibly lower the house edge no matter what hand is dealt.
Playing Blackjack online is mostly a game of skill with a little bit of luck thrown in. The lucky part is which cards a player is dealt and the skill part is having the knowledge and skill to play the cards to minimise any losses and to make a profit where possible. For players who do not make use of a Blackjack strategy the game for them is based on luck while those players using a strategy will say it is a game of skill.
Blackjack Strategies
Players have two issues to consider when trying to play blackjack. They can play Blackjack with lower than the 3:2 payouts which will offer them extra features and they must decide if they want to make use of the insurance option if the dealer has an Ace. By doing this player’s give the advantage back to the casino but players will be guaranteed an even payout.
Another Blackjack strategy to consider is doubling. Online casino players will usually have the chance to double at least one out of every 10 hands (9.6%). Players will need to win a good amount of the doubled hands, because of the money that is at risk with this type of bet which does not always happen and can have a bad effect on the bankroll. The good news is that the stats say the odds are favourable for the player.
The use of split pairs is another Blackjack strategy which requires skill. Split pairs happen once in about 39 hands (2.6%). If using a good Blackjacks strategy 67.5% of these are a win while 32.5% break even or lose money. This strategy may seem unusual as splits usually have a loss, but the losses are usually less when the split pair is used than other types of Blackjack plays and the casino’s edge is lower.
Players will often have to rely on strategy and although there are some losses, more wins are attributed to skill than luck when playing Blackjack.
Using a Strategy to Beat the Casino
Being a successful online Blackjack player will depend on a number of good hands which is important as these good hands will result in a win, but keeping in mind that Blackjack is a card game that has odds of 3:2, the payouts from these winning hands will usually lower the house edge by quite a substantial amount. Statistics show that Blackjack games where 8 decks are used, players will usually win once out of every 22 hands or about 4.5% of the time. These statistics also apply to the dealers, but it is the Blackjack players which receive the extra 50% of their bet whereas the dealers only receive what they bet. If players multiply the 50% by the frequency of winning a hand, the result is 2.25% less than the house advantage.
If players find themselves in the position of winning more than 22 hands, the payouts can increase and the house edge will fall in favour of the player. Unfortunately if the reverse happens and players get less than 4.5% it puts a strain on the bankroll.