Blackjack Variations to Avoid if You Want to Be a Winning Player in Mines Games
Online casinos boast dozens of enticing blackjack variations but not all of them are created equal. Some offer less favorable playing conditions than others, significantly reducing players’ winning odds in the long run. Their poor rules go hand in hand with higher house edges that can and will drain your blackjack bankroll the longer you play.
Where gambling is concerned, there is one rule of thumb. It stipulates that the greater the house edge is, the more money players stand to lose, and conversely, the more casinos will profit from them.
In the following article, we are going to share with you some of the worst blackjack games you can find at online casinos. You might want to avoid them if you wish to improve your winning chances and lose less over the long run.
Blackjack Rule Variations Players Should Generally Avoid
Blackjack is easily the best game you can play at online casinos because it yields an almost negligible house advantage of approximately half a percent. It is worthwhile noting this percentage can go up depending on one’s skill level.
Players who follow their gut instincts rather than using blackjack basic strategy typically face a higher house edge of around 2%, sometimes even more. Basic strategy reduces your disadvantage because it tells you when it is optimal to hit, stand, double down, or split.
If you find it difficult to memorize all correct plays, you can always print out a strategy chart to consult with during your online blackjack sessions. Rookie players will find one such chart in Mines Games thorough article on blackjack strategies.
Assuming you have already mastered basic strategy, the first thing you should do before you start playing online blackjack for real money is to check the ruleset. This is because rule variations in blackjack have an impact on players’ overall expected return in the long term.
Some rules will improve your expected value, while others work in favor of the casino. Below, we list some of the most common rules that boost the statistical advantage of the house and reduce the long-term profitability of basic strategy players. The percentages denote the corresponding increase in house edges.
- +0.09% if doubling down is restricted only to hard totals of 9, 10, and 11.
- +0.18% if doubling down is possible only on hard totals of 10 and 11.
- +0.11 if no hole cards are in play for the dealer. This is often the case in variations that abide by the European set of rules.
- +0.10% when hole cards are in play but the dealer never peeks to check for potential blackjacks when showing a ten. This rule is detrimental because players can potentially lose all their wagers, including those from double downs and splits if the dealer ends up having a blackjack.
- +0.10% when resplitting is disallowed.
- +0.14% when doubling down on split hands is prohibited.
- +0.18% if splitting aces is prohibited.
- +1.39% if blackjacks pay at reduced odds of 6 to 5.
- +2.27% if blackjacks pay even money (1 to 1).
- +0.22% when the dealer must draw on soft totals of 17.
- +6.91% when the dealer pushes with the player on totals of 22 instead of busting.
Now that you know which rule variations are generally detrimental, let’s examine four of the worst blackjack variants that we found at online casinos. All of them produce house edges in excess of half a percent and offer poor rules that decrease players’ long-term theoretical returns. These are going to cost you far more money than blackjack games with friendlier rules.
Despite their poorer odds, these blackjack variants still offer better chances of winning compared to other casino games like roulette, online slots, and live game shows.