When To Raise Your Bet In Blackjack

Players can find many types of poker games at online casinos, and all of them require skill, strategy, and a bit of luck. Texas Hold'em is the most popular poker game in the world, but three card poker is one of the When Do You Raise Your Bet In Blackjack quickest to learn. The only way to increase your expectation is to use a 1-10 unit bet spread, which is sure to get you kicked out of any casino eventually. Still, as long as you can get away with a 1-10 unit spread, you can play with an edge of about 0.57%, or about three and a half times greater than with a 1-5 unit spread. Assuming PERFECT BLACKJACK PLAY, standard rules and a 1-12 bet spread (better rules or pen would have lower risk, worse rules or pen would have higher risk): 200 Units: 40% Risk of Ruin. That means that 4/10 card counters who play this way will be kissing their bankroll goodbye.

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One of the most often asked questions from players about blackjack strategy, is 'how should I bet?' You've got severaloptions and I'll discuss them in this article and offer my recommendation.

Flat Bet Blackjack Strategy

This means betting the same amount all the time. Most players don't like to bet this way because they figure if the dealer wins more hands then them they'll never win any money. Also, playersfeel it's boring betting this way. They prefer the thrill of sometimes betting more in the hopes that when they do so, they will win the hand and make a nice profit.

Here are the facts on the flat betting blackjack strategy. If you bet say $5 on every hand in a standard multiple deck game the house will have an edge of 0.5% against theskilled basic strategy player. That means you will lose on average 0.5% of every wager you make. So if you bet $10 on every hand and average 80 hands per hour you will have made a total of $800worth of bets. The casino expects to earn 0.5% of the $800 or $4.00. Of course, the more likely result is that you'll win or lose much more than $4 after an hour of play. But on average you canexpect over time to lose at the rate of $4 per hour.

Let's take an example of a player flat betting $10 on every hand. It's is a conservative betting strategy that leads to a relatively low theoretical loss rate. The fluctuation in this player'sbankroll will also be low which means the likelihood he'll have a big winning or losing session is not great.

Watch 'Why You Should Never Make the Blackjack Insurance Bet with Blackjack Expert Henry Tamburin' (March 2016)

In this video blackjack expert Henry Tamburin explains why a basic strategy player should never make an insurance bet. He gives details on three different situations that a player may encounterand why he considers blackjack insurance to always be a sucker bet.

Progressive Betting Blackjack Strategy

This is where things get interesting. The Progressive betting blackjack strategy is when players vary their bets in some way from one hand to the next rather than alwaysbetting the same amount on every hand. There are all different types of betting progressions but they all have one common denominator. You either decrease or increase your next bet dependingupon whether the hand you just played won or lose.

Win progressions encourage you to increase your bet size after a winning hand. For example, you make a minimum bet of $10 and if you win, you raise your next stakes on the hand to $20.

There are all different kinds of win progressions. The most common is a 1-2-3-5 progression. This means you increase your bet by the above multiples after each winning hand butas soon as you experience a loss, you start the progression over with a 1 unit bet.

Proponents of win progressions will tell you that you'll win more money if you win 5 consecutive hands compared to the amount you lose if you lose 5 consecutive hands. Of course, what theydon't tell you is that you never know when that 5 consecutive winning hand streak will occur.

There are also betting progressions in which you increase your bet following a loss. These Martingale type betting progressions are dangerous and you should never consider using them.

There are also hybrid betting progressions, which have you increase your bets following a win, but after two or three success wins you lock up some profit and gradually regress your bets. Thecreativity of progressive bettors is never-ending.

First of all, the blackjack strategy for betting progressions does not change the 0.5% house edge one iota. There has never been a correlation between the hand just won (orlost) and your chance of winning the next hand. In other words, using the criteria of the result of one hand (W/L) to base how you bet on the next hand has no scientific validity. So bettingprogressions, in the long run, don't work in the sense that they won't improve your long-term chances of winning.

But here's what betting progressions will do. First off they increase the fluctuation in your session bankroll compared to flat betting. This means you can win more using abetting progression compared to flat betting but you can also lose more. Secondly, betting progressions will increase the amount of money you wager per hour compared to flat betting. If a $10bettor uses a 1-2-3-5 betting progression, his average bet will $20. Over an hour he will average $20 times 80 hands or $1600 worth of bets. The casino's expected win is 0.5% of $1600 or $8. Inother words, a $10 progressive bettor stands to lose twice as much per hour as a $10 flat bettor.

Here's a tip to save you some money in the long run if you insist on using a betting progression. Instead of starting your progression at $10, start at a lower amount (ie. $5). This will reduceyour average bet to $10 per hour and cut your hourly theoretical loss rate in half.

But in the long run flat betting and betting progressions don't work in the sense they won't change the house edge against you and you will lose in the long run. So what betting system works?That, my friends, is card counting.

Betting When You Have The Edge (Card Counting)

With card counting, you know when you have the edge based on the change in the composition of the decks and therefore you'll know when it's the right time to bet more. Sounlike betting progressions that are based on whether you win or lose the previous hands, card counting is based on the mix of cards that were played on previous hands. If more small valuecards were played in previous rounds, there are more big value cards left in the unplayed cards, and the edge shifts from dealer to the player. This would be the best time to bet more.

But I'm a realist. Not a whole lot of average blackjack players have the time or mental concentration during play that is required to master one of the popular point count cardcounting systems. These are readily available in blackjack books. But even though millions of blackjack books have been sold since Ed Thorp's classic book, Beat The Dealer (circa 1962) firstrevealed card counting to the masses, the number of players who can successfully win money in the long run at blackjack number in the hundreds and thousands.

So what's the answer to betting at blackjack for the average player? I asked Don Pronovost that same question about four years ago. Don is a software developer that markets blackjack trainingsoftware. He spent the better part of two years and a trillion computer simulated hands looking for the solution to this dilemma. What he developed is Speed Count.

Speed Count is unlike any conventional card counting system. It's much simpler to master and requires much less concentration when you play. And unlike progressive betting systems, Speed Countwill give you a verifiable advantage over the casino You can read about Speed Count in Frank Scoblete’s book, Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution.

Now that you know the scoop on betting at blackjack, I wish you many aces and faces the next time you play.

Henry Tamburin has been a respected casino gambling writer for the past 50 years. He is the author of theUltimate Blackjack Strategy Guide and was editor of theBlackjack Insider newsletter. You can read his latest articles on blackjack, video poker, and his personal playing experiences at https://www.888casino.com/blog/writers/henry-tamburin

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Do you want to bring in as much profit as possible when playing blackjack? To do so, you need to have a thorough understanding of the moves you can make, and when you should use each one. In this guide, we’re going to take a closer look at doubling down in blackjack. Is it a good idea? When should you use it? Keep reading to find out.

The Definition

First, let’s take a look at what doubling down means in blackjack. Essentially, it is a wagering option that gives you the chance to double the value of your initial bet, but you must stand after taking one additional card. Standing holds your total and ends your turn, so you need to have confidence in your hand before doubling down. When this strategy is used correctly, it can help you quickly increase your profits.

When to Double Down in Blackjack

Some players feel nervous about doubling down. After all, it does come with some inherent risk. Since you can’t hit again, if you are dealt a low card, you could risk losing twice as many chips. However, if you keep these tips in mind, it will be much easier for you to determine when to double down in blackjack.

There are three scenarios in which we would recommend doubling down.

1. Hard 9 vs. Dealer’s Low Cards

When you are dealt cards that have a total value of 9, you should double down when the dealer reveals a card between 2 and 6 (not including the Ace). This needs to be a hard 9, meaning that you don’t have an Ace in your hand. The possible combinations could be 4-5, 3-6, or 2-7. If you have A-8, also called a soft 9, you should stand no matter what the dealer reveals.

2. Soft 16 – 18 vs. Dealer’s Low Cards

In this scenario, you need to have a 5, 6, or a 7, along with an Ace, thus giving you a soft total of 16 to 18. When the dealer reveals a card from 2-6, this would be a great time to double down. However, if you have an Ace and a 2 or a 4, it’s better to hit.

3. Hard 10 or 11 vs. Dealer Lower Card

In this case, you’d want to have a hard 10 or 11, which puts you in a great position. If the dealer has a lower total than you, go ahead and double down.

Doubling Down FAQs

Can you double down after hitting?

You can’t hit and then double down. You’ll only get the option to double down after the first two cards have been dealt. At that point in time, you must decide whether you want to try to increase your potential profits by doubling down.

When To Raise Your Bet In Blackjack Game

Can you split and double down?

Players can split their cards into two hands if they are dealt a matching pair, such as 7-7 or J-J. The player must cover the second hand with the same bet size as the first hand, and then the dealer will deal out an additional card to complete both of the player’s hands. Whether or not doubling down on a split hand is permitted is up to the individual casino. Be sure to check the rules, whether you are playing blackjack online or in a physical venue.

Should you always double down with 11?

Since the main goal of blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible, you are in a strong position with a hard 11. If the dealer has a card that’s lower than 10, doubling down is a good strategy. If the casino’s rules state that the dealer must hit soft 17, then you should double down on 11 regardless of what the dealer’s revealed card is.

Do you really have to double your wager?

You don’t necessarily have to double your wager in order to double down on a hand. Many casinos will allow players to double for less, meaning that your double down wager is less than your original bet. This strategy is good for players who aren’t comfortable with doubling down strategies, as it minimizes the amount of money you will lose. On the other hand, it also limits the amount of profit you could earn. If you are truly confident in your hand, we would recommend doubling down on the full wager amount, thus optimizing the amount of profit you gain.

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Pay Attention to the Rules

While our strategies for doubling down should work in most blackjack games, it’s important to pay attention to the casino’s rules. Some casinos allow you to double down with three or more cards, which would open up new possibilities for you. On the other hand, there may be rules that dictate that you can’t double down on soft hands.

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Where to Practice Doubling Down

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