Blackjack is easily one of the most popular online casino games. It’s a fairly easy game for newbie gamblers to understand, and there’s a wealth of betting strategies that can be utilised. Still, it is not uncommon for people to make mistakes when playing online blackjack. We shall go through some of the more common of them. Hopefully, you can avoid them.
Not setting yourself limits
The fast-paced nature of blackjack means that it is quite easy to blow through a ton of cash without even noticing. There is a reason why casinos, both online and offline, really want you to play blackjack.
Blackjack, as with all casino games, should be played sensibly. You should only ever put money on the line that you can afford to lose. Set yourself a gambling budget that won’t impact any other part of your life. Go into the game expecting to lose, and we can guarantee you’ll be happier for it.
Chasing losses
Not your day at the blackjack table? That’s cool. It happens on occasion, even to the best of us. The key to being successful is to know when to stop playing.
A lot of blackjack players chase their losses. They seem to think that the next hand they play is going to be a winner, even after they’ve lost countless times already. Guess what? It probably won’t be. When you chase losses, you start to become much more emotional in your gambling. When you become emotional, you’re far more likely to make stupid mistakes.
So, if you’re on a losing streak, the best thing you can do is to step away from the table for a little bit. It’ll help.
Not having a viable betting strategy
Blackjack is one of those rare online casino games where you can develop a semi-solid betting strategy. Now, there is still no guarantee that you’ll win. Trust us. There is no way a casino would introduce any game where you can win every time. That would be rather foolish. Still, knowing what you can do with the cards that you see can help.
For example, you may have heard of the concept ‘double down’ in blackjack (see the CasinoMeister blog for more information). This is when you double your bet if you have a particularly strong hand.
If you look hard enough – actually, you probably won’t have to look too hard – you’ll find countless betting strategies for blackjack. For example, you’ll find strategies that will tell you to hit on certain card combos, split on some and double down on others. Learn them. If you can nail the various online blackjack strategies, you’ll lose a lot less.
The people who tend to make the largest losses when playing blackjack are those who have a very scattered approach to their gambling. They just bet on whatever feels right. Don’t do that – the online casino will love you.
Making insurance bets
It sounds sensible to make an insurance bet, doesn’t it? A little bit of protection against a loss? Well, think again. Good online blackjack players will never, ever make insurance bets. The house edge on them is too great, and you’re not protecting yourself against anything. You’re just throwing money down the drain.
Not all games of online blackjack will allow you to make an insurance bet. But, if they do, make sure that you don’t touch them with a bargepole. It’s one of the worst mistakes you can make.
Mimicking other players
If you’re playing live blackjack, it might be tempting to watch how the other people at the table are doing. Don’t do that. You’ll be tempted to mimic them. If you want to stand the best chance of winning the hand, then you need to focus only on your hand. Ignore everybody else at the table. They have their own hands to worry about.
Of course, if you’re not gambling, then feel free to watch people. You might pick up on a few strategies that you can incorporate into your gambling.
Playing multiple tables at once
If you’re at a real-life casino, you can only sit at one table at a time. When you’re gaming online, there is no limit to the number of tables you can play on at once. As a result, you’ll often see gamblers play at multiple tables. Don’t do this.
While we can see the allure of gambling at multiple tables, you are just splitting your concentration. It is hard enough playing one hand of blackjack and making the right decision. Throw multiple tables into the mix and you’re just going to get insanely confused. Maybe try playing on a laptop that can only handle having a few tabs open at once to prevent you playing too many games at the same time. It could be a simple solution!
Not understanding blackjack
Yep. That’s right. You’ll be surprised at how many people play blackjack without actually understanding the game fully. Sure, it looks simple, but it is a game with a lot of nuances that you should understand before you put your money on the line.
If you’re serious about playing blackjack and winning money, read books on blackjack. Or, at the very least, watch a decent YouTube video from a professional player about blackjack. The more you understand about the card game, the better.
Playing for a long time
The longer you play blackjack, the more prone you are to making mistakes. It happens. You get tired. We tend to keep our blackjack sessions to an hour. You might prefer less than this. It stops you from making poor decisions, and it’ll make it a whole lot easier for you to take stock of your bankroll.
Follow these tips and maybe up your win rate
This is not a complete guide to mistakes people make when playing online blackjack. People make a lot of mistakes when playing this game. If you can bear these in mind when playing, your win rate could shoot up. You won’t win every time, but you may win more often.
