Every great blackjack player has a favorite strategy. Some players swear by card counting. Others use the basic blackjack system. Either way, you can make money in blackjack if your strategy works.

Counting cards is great. But it’s incredibly difficult. That’s why almost every blackjack movie associates card counting with math geniuses. Another problem is that it’s impossible to use card counting online.

Online casinos shuffle cards electronically after every hand, making the process a tad challenging. That being said, you can use certain blackjack strategies successfully online. Learn more below.

What are Blackjack Strategies?

Blackjack strategies are structures you can follow to increase your profitability as a gambler. Also known as systems, blackjack strategies guide you on when to stand, when to hit, and when to double down.

Do blackjack strategies work? Blackjack systems lower the house advantage by up to 50%. If the casino has a 1% house edge, a good system could drop this advantage to 0.5%.

By lowering the house edge, you can win more often than you would win without a strategy. And isn’t that the goal of playing online blackjack for real money?

Best blackjack Strategies and How they Work

We’ve already eliminated card counting as a viable strategy for playing blackjack online. So, what are the best online blackjack strategies?

Basic Blackjack Strategy

Most blackjack players agree on one thing. Basic blackjack is an amazing strategy. Some people say it’s the only system you need to know as a blackjack player. Here’s why.

You can use the basic blackjack strategy online. It's not limited to bricks and mortar casinos alone. Secondly, you don't need to cram its rules. You can download a cheat sheet and use it in Las Vegas or at online blackjack sites—it's allowed.

Another reason to use basic blackjack is that its rules actually work. Unlike most systems, the rules you learn from basic blackjack can make you money. But you have to use them correctly and consistently.

How does basic blackjack work? This system has tons of dos and don’ts. We can’t mention all of them. However, below is an overview of what the strategy says:

    •   Split aces and eights always but never split tens

    •   Stand with a soft 20

    •   Stand on a hard 17

    •   Double down with a hand of 11

    •   Surrender on 16 if the dealer has a 9 to Ace hand

The Martingale Strategy

The Martingale strategy dictates that you should double your money after every loss. This way, you’re assured of recovering your stake the next time you win. Does the system work? In most cases, the Martingale system will cost you money.

Picture this. You bet $10 and lose. You need to spend $20 on your next bet. If you lose two more hands, you’re looking at more than $100 lost to the casino. Now, imagine gambling for a couple of hours. You would need a lot of money for the system to work.

Also, you need to know when to cut your losses or take profits. For example, let's say you recover your $200 stake after an hour of terrible hands. Should you continue to play? Likewise, if you double or triple your money, it's best to take your profit.

The Reverse Martingale System

This strategy says you should double your stake after a win. It assumes that there are times you will have winning streaks and losing streaks. Let’s take a closer look. You start the betting session on $5 per hand. You lose. According to the rules, you should stick to your base unit at this point.

That means bet $5 on your next hand. If you win, elevate the amount to $10. If you win again, go big with a $20 bet. If you’re lucky to have a 5-hand winning streak, you could easily tenfold your bankroll.

Unfortunately, reverse martingale doesn't say when you should take profits or cut your losses. And that’s a big problem. Imagine growing your money from $5 to $200 through a series of winnings. Then you lose all that money when the losing streak kicks in.

Luckily, you can always amend the rules in every blackjack strategy. With reverse martingale, you can choose to take profits after winning three to five hands. This way, you don’t risk losing a lot of money after a loss.

A Steady Betting Strategy

With this system, you stick to your budget whether you win or lose. The benefit is that you can limit your losses. It’s also a good strategy if your goal is to have fun and not necessarily to win a lot of money in blackjack.

A steady betting strategy works well when used alongside the basic blackjack system. Basic blackjack helps you lower your house edge and increase your profits. A steady system lowers your losses.

Unfortunately, most people lose their discipline while using the system far too often. They get carried away by a short winning streak and they increase their stakes. Or, they panic after a series of losses and bet more money hoping to recoup their earlier losses.

Chasing a Winning Streak

This strategy says you can make money by taking advantage of winning streaks. Basically, the system says you should double your stake after every win—similar to reverse Martingale.

But if you lose, you don’t revert back to your initial bet. You bet an amount similar to what you lost. Let’s say you bet $10 and win. Next, you bet $20 and lose. On your third bet, you should wager $20. If you lose again, stick to $20.

Like many systems, this strategy assumes you will always win more times than you lose. But things don’t always go our way. If you’re unlucky, you can burn a lot of money during an extended losing streak.

Your Turn

There you have it—the different types of blackjack strategies. Most of them guide you on the amount of money to spend after a win or loss. The only system that focuses on beating the house is basic blackjack: a strategy you should learn if you want to get better at blackjack.