If you have ever stepped inside a brick-and-mortar or an online casino, one thing you’ve probably noticed is that the absolute majority of them offer blackjack and other games based on blackjack rules. And if you like to play blackjack, you’re probably constantly on the lookout for the best blackjack betting strategy.
The main rule of blackjack is to collect cards as closely to the sum of 21 as possible without going overboard, while betting against the house. On our website, you will find multiple articles on various playing strategies for blackjack, but in this one we will discuss how to bet in blackjack to adapt it to your gambling preferences and review pros and cons of each strategy.
Most blackjack playing strategies are designed to advise you on whether it is better to hit, stand, split or take any other action when you and the dealer share a specific card combination. The main purpose of these strategies is to help you win or in the very least lose as little as possible given the current hand.
Blackjack betting strategies are focused on two primary things: minimising the house edge to give you a better chance of winning and managing your bankroll so that you can stay longer in the game even if you hit a losing streak.
In blackjack, like in any gambling game, a lot depends on luck, so employing a betting strategy that can enhance your gameplay is a viable skill every player should master once they’re comfortable with the basic flow of the game.
Blackjack betting systems vary in methods and difficulty. One of the simplest ones is flat betting, where you choose a fixed wager amount and bet it every round, regardless of whether you win or lose the previous one.
This basic blackjack strategy helps you make your bankroll last longer. It is also simple to follow, so it is ideal for newbies who are still mastering blackjack betting.
As your experience grows and you venture into advanced betting, you can try progressive betting strategies or regressive betting strategies and find the one that suits you the best. We will analyse some of the most popular ones in our blackjack betting guide below, so keep reading!
Apart from flat betting, most other betting strategies can be categorised as either progressive or regressive.
Also known as a winning streak strategy, the progressive betting implies that you increase your stake every time you win a hand. They can be quite risky because your wagers grow and you can lose more in the next round. Ending your sessions after several consecutive wins is advised.
Regressive systems are also called a negative progression betting strategy. Here you raise your stake when you lose and go back to the starting point when you win. If you follow this system, the first win will cover all previous losses, but you’re not guaranteed to win a round.
Despite not being the easiest one, Martingale is one of the most popular blackjack betting strategies. The main principle behind it is that you double your bet every time you lose, then as soon as you win a round, you go back to your starting bet. For example, if you started the round with £10 and lost, your next bet should be £20, if you lost again, bet £30 in the third round. Your first win brings back everything you lost in the prior rounds, and if you win the next round again, you’ll have profit.
| Bet | Result | Balance |
| £10 | Loss | -£10 |
| £20 | Loss | -£30 |
| £40 | Win | +£10 |
| £10 | Win | +£20 |
Martingale is a regressive blackjack betting strategy, but it also has an opposite version. Called reverse Martingale or Paroli system, it works in the exact same way, except you double when you win and go back to the initial stake when you lose.
When applying the Martingale system, you should be aware of two things. Number one, as it’s an aggressive system, you’ll need a relatively large bankroll. Number two, it may not work if the casino has stake limits. So if you’re not ready to part with a significant amount in one session or are making your first steps in blackjack betting, look at other systems.
This positive progression betting strategy only works for even money payouts. Select your bet size and place the wager. Continue betting the same stake after every lost round. Once you win, increase your bet by one unit. If you win again, increase your bet size by 1 unit again. As soon as you balance out all the previous losses plus have the first profit, adjust your bet size to the initial stake and start the cycle again.
| Bet size | Result | Balance |
| £10 | Loss | -£10 |
| £10 | Loss | -£20 |
| £10 | Loss | -£30 |
| £10 | Loss | -£40 |
| £10 | Loss | -£50 |
| £10 | Win | -£40 |
| £20 | Loss | -£60 |
| £20 | Win | -£40 |
| £30 | Win | -£10 |
| £20 | Win | +£10 |
While Oscar’s Grind allows for small frequent wins, it heavily relies on a winning streak for you to return all your losses. As with the majority of positive progression strategies, it assumes you have an unlimited bankroll that you can use to first break even and then make a profit.
The numbers in the 1-3-2-6 betting system show how your betting progression should go after every win. Your first bet equals one betting unit (for example, £10), then you increase the bet size after a win to 3 units (£30). If you win again, your third bet will be 2 units (£20), and then another win will bring your stake size to 6 units (£60). If at any point in the streak you lose a hand, go back to the start of the string. Same happens when you reach the end of the progression.
This system heavily relies on several wins in a row. However, it doesn’t require a substantial bankroll to keep playing even if you’re losing for a while.
When implementing this strategy, you need to keep a tally on which cards have already been in the game and which ones are still in the shoe. The most basic strategy here assigns points to each card. For example, in Ben Mezrich’s famous book every card from ten to higher is counted as -1, 7 to 9 go as 0, and 6 or lower are +1.
With each card coming out of the shoe, you make corresponding calculations. If your score for “+” is significantly higher, it means there are more high value cards left in the shoe. Mathematically, that works in the player’s favour, so they can increase their bet to win big.
If the “-” tally is higher, there are more low value cards left in the shoe. This situation gives the dealer better chances, so the players lower their bets.
In real life, counting cards is much more difficult than it may seem. Besides, while it’s not illegal, casino officials have a knack for spotting such players, and if they catch you keeping the card tally at the blackjack table, they will not be thrilled.
So which is the best blackjack betting strategy? Let’s compare pros and cons.
| Martingale | Oscar’s Grind | 1-3-2-6 | Counting Cards | |
| Pros | ✅ One win covers the entire previous losing streak | ✅ Allows playing with small bets
✅ Simpler to follow than some other systems |
✅ You can keep playing with a small bankroll | ✅ Gives certain control to adjust your wagers |
| Cons | ❌ Requires a large bankroll
❌ Player may hit bet limit |
❌ Requires a large bankroll | ❌ Heavily relies on winning streaks | ❌ Taxing on the mind
❌ Unfavoured by casinos |
Like any other online casino gambling, online blackjack games are operated by a Random Number Generator (RNG), which means that the cards are drawn by the mechanism at random, so there is no way for the game to be rigged. To make sure the mechanism hasn’t been tempered with, always play at casinos licensed by a proper authority.
Same as poker or other gambling games, it’s a combination of both. You need skill to enhance your gameplay, manage your bankroll, and make sound decisions to stay longer in the game. But ultimately, luck decides what hand you will get.
Employing a betting strategy in blackjack will help you minimise the house edge to get a better chance at winning, as well as better manage your bankroll so that you don’t suffer avoidable losses.
Each strategy offers something unique and fits a certain type of players. If you’re wondering how to bet on blackjack and which strategy to implement, compare their mechanisms, pros and cons, and choose the one that matches your requirements.
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