The marriage between the Blackjack card dealer in Las Vegas and the card counting player ended shortly after the movie, Casino, came out about ten years ago.  If Bob DeNiro and Joe Pesce didn’t convince you that there is a better way of winning at Blackjack besides counting cards, then I have money I gave to Bernie Madoff to invest for me, and he could do the same for you.

The hit movie, 21, revolved around card counting in casinos as a central theme.  It was a big hit in the States and internationally.  Again, the not-so-subtle message was that if you count cards at the Blackjack table, you should not expect to leave the casino in the same physical condition that you entered it!

With that out of the way, there are some sound philosophical strategies that I have employed in casinos far and wide, and that I now use online on both free online Blackjack venues as well as those that play-for-pay.

Online Blackjack Strategies

There are several strategies that you should employ when you play online Blackjack.  These include developing an online Blackjack game mental attitude from which you should not waver.

• Always Set a Budget, and Never Exceed Those Parameters - Hey, listen, gambling is fun and exciting.  But losing money over and above a pre-game budget is stupid and can have serious financial ramifications for you.  In these tough economic times, set a budget and, before you gain access to play, cut the budget by 10%, just in case.

   

• Don’t Stay on a Losing Machine – If your answer to that strategy is to say that the machine’s luck is bound to change, let me introduce you to my friend, Bernie the Investor.  The online Blackjack machine outcomes are determined by a Random Number Chip in the computer itself.  That means that if you have lost 5 consecutive games, don’t quadruple your bet in the sixth game.  Your chances of winning are no better, no worse than in the first game you played.  The outcomes are random, so if you are having bad luck at a particular machine, take my advice and GET OUT or SWITCH MACHINES!

   

• Your Task is to Get a Higher Total Numerical Hand than the Dealer (Machine) – If you tell me that your task is to get closer to “21” than the dealer, then you are employing faulty strategy.  The machine’s moves are governed by the rules of Blackjack, and the dealer can not make any independent decisions.

   

• Stay in the Game for the Long Haul – If you expect to win by playing only a few hands, then my advice is don’t bother.  The odds on Blackjack are the best in the online casino, so the longer you play, the better your chances are of winning or, at least, breaking even.

   

Enjoy your Blackjack play, and never bet above your head.  Utilize the free online Blackjack venues to hone your game skills.