Surprising Blackjack Facts

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Blackjack is known as a top-ranked casino game, beloved by millions of punters! It is still unclear why many newcomers associate this game with a gang of guys, sitting around the table with strained faces and complex winning schemes in their heads. With a basic strategy and minimal effort, you can face off against the lowest house edge in the casino and walk away with a big jackpot in your pocket. With some basic knowledge, you will see that playing blackjack is an exciting and enjoyable activity!

Basic Tips for Beginners

First of all, your goal is to beat the dealer. The essence of the game is to gain as many points as possible, up to 21. You are dealt two cards face up, and place chips on certain fields of the gaming table (“betting boxes”). After the first hand, players cannot touch chips or place bets. If after the distribution you have 21 points (an ace and a ten-point card), then you have blackjack. If this is the case, you receive a win of 3:2. But if the first dealer’s card is 10, or an ace, then it is conceivable that the dealer will also have blackjack, so that you can take a 1:1 win. If you do not have blackjack, you are offered to choose either to take another card and say “Hit me” or stay with those cards and points you have on your hands (you must say “Stand”).

When you score 21 points, the dealer moves on to the next player. If you take a new card and the number of points exceeds 21, then this situation is called “Bust,” and the dealer dismisses your bet in favor of the casino. If the dealer has 21 points in the first two cards (blackjack), then all players (except those who have blackjack, too) lose. Those with blackjack, remain at their rates if they have not previously chosen to take the win 1:1, or if they have not insured their combination from blackjack. After all the players have taken the cards, the dealer deals cards to himself. The general rule of blackjack is that the dealer must stop when he scores 17 points or higher. He is obliged to take cards until he reaches these points. In the final scoring, only the player’s and the dealer’s cards are compared; the cards and bets of the rest of players do not count.

Origin of Blackjack

The origin of blackjack is murky and secretive. Historians have been arguing for decades, trying to find out the homeland of the game. Some believe that the game similar to today’s blackjack was played in the time of the Roman Empire. This was possible because the Romans were passionate gamblers.

The first written reference to blackjack is in the novels of Miguel de Cervantes, the famous Spanish author of Don Quixote. But the earlier ancestor of blackjack was called Twenty-one.

There is also a Spanish novel dating back to 1601, Rinconete y Cortadillo, in which the main characters play a game trying to score a maximum of 21 points. The appearance of blackjack was later attributed to France and Spain, but this issue is still a matter of conjecture.

Big Five!

Each blackjack card has a numerical value. High cards increase your chance of approaching 21 points, and low cards play into the dealer’s hands. Maybe you will be surprised to learn that you have to look for the fives, since every five removed from the deck adds 0.67% to the expected return of the player. It is enough to multiply this by the number 5 in the 6-block and count your advantage — the fewer fives left in the shoe, the higher your chances.

Is Eleven the Best Hand?

It might shock some newbies, but the third best hand is 11. Why? Because when you’re dealt an 11, you need a 10 to complete your win since the goal is to get 21. Queens and Kings count as 10 points, so you have a high chance of getting to 21. Basically, as long as the dealer doesn’t have an ace facing up, you should always double down on 11.

Confuddling Sixteen

A hand that confounds any new blackjack player is 16. Usually, players would like to avoid it because, with this number of points, it is difficult to calculate your next step. A small hint – you have to make a subsequent decision, taking into account what the dealer’s open card shows, whether you have a hard drive or software 16 and whether the casino offers the surrender option.

Ramshackle Insurance

Insurance is a side bet provided for by the game, but only if there is an open dealer’s card that is an ace. To win insurance, the dealer must have blackjack, and the probability of the aforementioned is an outside chance. The rule of insurance in casinos also differs. Some allow you to place any amount up to half of your original stake for the hand, while others allow you to bet exactly half of your original stake. In an ideal scenario, insurance should be independent of your original stake and not affect what happens to it…but that will be the day! The facts speak for themselves; in 70% of cases, there is a probability of losing insurance. So, is it worth risking your profit?

We hope that all these hints and little tricks will turn your blackjack game into a fun and profitable business! If you are worried about how to apply these tips practically, do not forget that you can always practice online first. Do you wonder where to find blackjack game for real money online? Visit BoVegas Table games section and enjoy different types of blackjack. Play blackjack for real money online and become a true wizard of the game!