Gambling Tips

Play Blackjack Like a Pro

Blackjack basic strategy is the key to getting yourself the best possible odds and maximising your profits online. These tables show the statistically correct action to take in any blackjack situation. While some of the actions that they appear to suggest may seem 'wrong' to you, they are not and over time you will always be better off following the table

Each casino is differs slightly so the way you play it is differnt. For example some casino's allow you to double at any time and some allow you to double after splitting, while other don't. What this means is that the optimal playing strategy is slightly different depending on the software used.

In casinos, people rarely play correctly, with most failing to give enough weight to the card the dealer is showing. The dealers card is vitally important. With the dealer showing a 6 you would stick on 12, while with the dealer showing a 7, you would hit on a 16. Obviously not going along with the table may work in the short term, but over time you'll always be at a disadvantage if you don't follow it.

Card counting at online casinos does not work as the deck is shuffled after every hand.

When you click on to the casino bonus offers page you are told which software that a particular casino uses and when playing just look up the corresponding blackjack table here.

Microgaming    |    Playtech    |   Odds On    |   Boss Media    |   Cryptologic    |   Real Time Gaming

Microgaming

• HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair
• H= Hit (another card)
• S= Stick (stand- no more cards)
• P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)
• D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)
• DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK
• Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.
• House Edge is 0.13 - 0.3606% (depending on game and software version).

Playtech/iGlobal Media

• HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair
• STICK on ALL 17-21 if there is no ace or pair.
• H= Hit (another card)
• S= Stick (stand- no more cards)
• P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)
• D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)
• DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK
• H/R=Surrender if allowed, otherwise hit
• Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.
• House Edge is 0.47%

Odds On

• HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair
• H= Hit (another card)
• S= Stick (stand- no more cards)
• P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)
• D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)
• Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.
• House Edge is 0.73%

Boss Media/Cryptologic

• HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair
• STICK on ALL 17-21 if there is no ace or pair.
• H= Hit (another card)
• S= Stick (stand- no more cards)
• P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)
• D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)
• DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK
• Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.
• House Edge is 0.46% for multideck, 0.11% singledeck

Real Time Gaming

• HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair
• H= Hit (another card)
• S= Stick (stand- no more cards)
• P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)
• D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)
• DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK
• Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.
• House Edge is 0.58%