Blackjack Mistakes

Blackjack mistakes can be defined as attitudes or actions that a blackjack player makes which have a negative effect on his long term bankroll. Although most blackjack mistakes are made by new players, even seasoned players slip up from time to time, so here are the main mistakes that you should work hard to avoid...

Reckless Staking
Some players seem to think that they can overcome a losing streak by throwing more money at the dealer. Unfortunately, all they can really be sure of is that this approach increases their chances of making even larger losses.

Online blackjack games generally shuffle the deck(s) used between each hand (check the rules to be sure), so what has happened in previous hands has no effect on what the next hand will be. Betting as if your chances of success are linked to the size of your stakes is a fast-track to losing money, so don’t do it. Read our article on Money Management for more good advice on this topic.

Playing Poorly
Although it’s easy to play each hand of blackjack by the seat of your pants and make up your own strategy as you go along, this isn’t an effective way to play. To really stand a good chance of winning, you need to adhere to a strategy that has proven itself to be effective – take a look at our Blackjack Chart for an example of a useful strategy that is simple to follow and will help you to improve your chances of success.

Not Being Selective
There are many different online casinos and many different blackjack variations to choose from. Not being selective and playing any game in any casino is a mistake that can cost you money. To avoid making this mistake, spend some time finding a online casino that offers you a game with the most favourable rules, and leave the less attractive games for someone else to play.

Unrealistic Expectations
Even if you choose the game with the most favourable rules, manage your money properly and play perfectly from a strategic viewpoint, there is still no guarantee that you will have a winning session. Sometimes we all face an unlucky run of cards, and in those situations the best thing to do is switch to a different casino, a different game or take a break altogether. Better to leave the table and be in a position to return later than it is to pursue unrealistic expectations and lose even more.

The four blackjack mistakes identified here are incredibly common, so no player should beat themselves up if they happen to have made them in the past. However, now that you’re aware of these pitfalls and how to avoid them, you have no excuse for repeating the same mistakes in the future.

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