What are the Basics of Betting on Blackjack Online?

Are you wondering how to beat the edge in blackjack?  Here is the first rule.  There is method to everything, including playing blackjack at the online casino South Africa.  Adopt the best method and you will end at least one or two gambling sessions in the black!

Blackjack is a Game of Percentages

Blackjack is all about percentages.  The percentage the online casino South Africa takes as the edge.  The probability percentage of hitting a natural blackjack.  The percentage of the game rules that are in your favour.

When you have a basic idea of the percentages in blackjack, and you understand how to leverage this information, the chances are your overall win rate will improve at Springbok Casino.  What we are basically saying is there are ways to lower to the edge inherent in all the games at the online casino South Africa.

Understanding the Edge in Blackjack

Understanding what the edge is and how it impacts your bankroll is the first step to finding method.  In essence, the edge is the cost imposed for making bets at the casino.  It is a kind of hidden fee that is derived from certain rules.

In blackjack, it is the rule dictating the ‘player draws first’ that generates easy money – not for you, but for the online casino South Africa.  How does the draw impact your pocket?  Well, if you draw first, your hand potentially busts first too.  When that happens, you lose your bet… irrespective of whether the dealer busts too.

Blackjack is the Low Edge Casino Game

Now, there is no way of mitigating the effects of the draw-bust scenario.  You can however choose to play blackjack games with the lowest house edge – the same goes for other spinoffs of the game.  At Springbok Online Casino South Africa, the variations with the lowest advantage to the house happens to be our standard Blackjack game and the Blackjack + Perfect Pairs variant.

What the Edge Means in Context of Blackjack Bets

In both these casino games, the edge is just 0.54%.  The easiest way to get a sense of the edge in action is to show you the actual cost within the context of your bet.  Say, for instance, you bet R2 per hand.  Of that bet, an average of around 1 cent (2 x 0.54% = 0,0108) is spun off as a ‘fee’.

When you extrapolate the equation to R10 per hand, the monetized version of the edge rises to around 5 cents (10 x 0.54% = 0,054).  High stakes gamblers who play at the R500 hand limit theoretically contribute just R2.70 per bet to the casino kitty.

Calculating Theoretical Losses Based on Hands Per Hour

Now when you consider you play an average of around 209 hands per hour, and probably gamble for approximately five hours, the advantage to the house gets a bit more interesting.

With a bet of R2 per hand in play, you will wager a total of R418, of which R2.26 is the theoretical edge.  Multiply that by five and the potential loss is R11.30.  Increase the bet size to R10 and the total outlay is R2,090 and the theoretical advantage to the house is R56.45.

Adopt the Basic Blackjack Strategy to Lower the Edge

That is not to say every time you play Blackjack or Blackjack and Perfect Pairs at Springbok Casino you will lose 0.54% of all your bets.  Remember that the theoretical losses are based on the assumption that you lost each hand during the hour of play, which will never be the actual case.  You will always land wins in between the losses – and there are ways to win even more!

When you learn how to play the games perfectly, as per the basic blackjack strategy, you can further lower the already low house edge, or even negate it altogether.  When you do that, you can beat the edge in blackjack and end the gambling session with a spring in your step – and more money in your Springbok Casino account!

What you have learnt today is that the edge in RTG Blackjack and Blackjack and Perfect Pairs is nominal.  Hence, they are the ideal real money games to play at the online casino South Africa.

Not all casino games are as generous.  There are instances when the edge is more than 3%, 4% or even 5%.  The lesson here is to choose your gambling options with care!

The Rules in Blackjack Determine the Win-Loss Ratio

Besides the edge, the rules inherent in blackjack are a key determining factor in whether you win or lose more frequently at the online casino South Africa.  Not all casinos have the same rules for blackjack.

Odds for a natural blackjack can and do vary from a favourable 3:2, to a not so favourable 6:5.  Fortunately, blackjack pays 3:2, a win 1:1 and insurance 2:1 in all the variations of blackjack available at Springbok Casino.  Now those are the kinds of odds you should be gunning for!

Which Blackjack Rules are Advantageous to Players?

What other rules are considered advantageous to players?  Here is a snapshot of a few of the player-favourable rules, some of which apply to the blackjack games at Springbok Casino:

• Single or double decks of cards in play
• Double down permitted on any two initial cards
• Surrender allowed
• Double down permitted after the split
• Split aces can be re-split
• Dealer stands on soft 17

Key Blackjack Rules at Springbok Online Casino South Africa

The truth is it is unlikely you will find games that have the full quotient of rules listed above.  The best you can hope for is a good mix consisting of a greater percentage of player-favourable rules.

At Springbok online casino South Africa, our Blackjack and Blackjack + Perfect Pairs are played with six decks in the shoe and the dealer hits on soft 17.  You can however double down on any of the first two cards you are dealt and double after the split.  You can split up to three hands at a time, but re-splitting of aces is not allowed.

Why not register an account at Springbok Casino right now and put what you have learnt about rules, edge and percentages in blackjack to the test?