Blackjack is one of the most fun casino games and it can keep you entertained for hours, while allowing you to gain some profit from it as well. Unlike most casino games, such as the roulette, blackjack is not as unpredictable and doesn’t rely only on luck. Skill can improve your odds, maximizing your profit and decreasing the advantage of the house. While luck is important, knowing the blackjack basic strategy will help you win more in the long run than relying on pure luck.

First of all, it’s important to choose a reputable casino, one which gives you a fair chance of winning, get a good bonus and get acquainted with the game before you start playing larger sums. Next, when you start playing blackjack, you need to be patient. Throwing yourself in impatiently will just allow the house to win.

The first rule you should know is that you should never take insurance, no matter what the cards are. You might be compelled to take it when you have lots of money on the table, but it’s better that you don’t, because it costs more than you will win and in the long run, you will just lose money by using it.

Some players are so afraid of busting that they don’t hit once they reach 12. That’s a wrong strategy because it gives the house a statistical edge. The same happens if you use the house’s rule of hitting when below 17.

The basic strategy, which statistically gives you the highest chances of winning, is not hard to learn: you just have to remember this:

• When you have a total less than 11, hit.
• Between 12 and 16, hit if the dealer’s card is 7 or higher, stand otherwise.
• Hard 17 and higher, stand.
• Soft 18 and lower, hit
• Soft 19 and higher, stand.

Depending on the type of game, the basic rules for splitting are the following:

• Always split aces and 8s.
• Never split 4s, 5s and 10s
• Split the rest only if the dealer’s shown card is less than 6.

If doubling is available, you should also use it for increasing your odds. The perfect strategy for doubling is the following:

• Always double aces and 10s.
• Double soft 13-18s only if the dealer’s card is 5 or 6.

Since this is a game where chance is involved, once in a while you could break it and win, but remember that in the long run, you’ll be better off by playing this basic strategy.