5 Ways to Win at Blackjack

If you've ever sat down at a blackjack table, expecting to double or even triple your money in a matter of minutes, you've likely felt the frustration of having the dealer whittle away your pile of chips in short order.  Although blackjack has the best odds of any Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or any other gambling destination, you'll still lose your shirt if you have a properly prepared.

Here are five quick ways to increase your odds of winning at blackjack, no matter where you are playing:

1. Study basic card probabilities. There are a number of websites that offer basic blackjack charts -- these charts will give you an idea of how dangerous it is to "hit", based on the hand that you have been dealt, and the car that is showing in the dealer's hand.  Of course, this is not a foolproof means of winning every blackjack hand -- since nearly every casino uses multi-card decks, these charts only give you the best options.  In some cases, you'll have a hand that is a sure bet, only to find that dealer has beaten the odds. That's okay, though, because they gives you the opportunity to curse and scream without having onlookers think you've lost your mind.
2. Don't take "insurance". This is a sucker bet, and more often than not, you will lose money if you take insurance.  The dealer has about a 15% chance of hitting blackjack on any given hand, so it's better to take the risk (and lose the occasional hand) than to waste money on insurance.
3. Resist the urge to "double down". If you're holding an 11, it can be very tempting to double down at the hopes of receiving a bigger payout.  However, unless the dealer has a particularly weak hand, this can easily backfire.  Over the long term, it is more profitable to take a consistent approach to betting -- trying to make quick money off of a double down bet will backfire more often than not.
4. Turn down the casino's "comps". Many casinos offer free alcoholic drinks to gamblers, especially table players. I can tell you from experience that this is to the casino's advantage.  After a few cocktails, it becomes much more tempting to make "Hail Mary" bets that will make your stack of chips disappear very quickly.  Keep in mind, though, that if you abstain from alcohol while at the blackjack table, the pit boss will be watching you very closely to make sure you are not counting cards or engaging in any other strategy that might actually give you an advantage.  So here's the bottom line: Stay sober, but act drunk.
5. Don't rely on superstition. In previous hubs, I've joked about leaving the table when a new dealer takes over -- but this is just a silly superstition. Likewise, joining a "hot" table, or abandoning a "cold" table won't help you win -- it will just help you spread your losses around.  Concentrate on the numbers, and forget about all of the "lucky" tips that inexperienced dolts will give you. In the end, the cards don't care whether you win or lose -- they just fall according to the shuffle.

These tips won't likely get you dragged into the back room of the casino for a sound physical beating, but they will help you naturally stack the odds in your favor -- or at least help you lose your money more slowly.