blackjack old myths

One of the reasons to put in the time and effort to learn the rules and strategies for the casino table game of blackjack, is so that you can learn the fact from the fiction. Especially when it comes to the myths and tall tales constantly being told around the gaming tables. By putting on your logical hat, you should be able to tell what’s a load of horse. Whatever you do, don’t let any of these fantasies affect your gambling decisions. With so much misinformation, you could get badly burned.

Blackjack Old Myths And Tips

With blackjack being such a popular casino game, it’s surprising that there are still all sorts of misconceptions about this table card game. Today we thought we’d have a look at some of the most common blackjack old myths. And see if they can be debunked.

One of the main problems, particularly when you’re learning how to play blackjack or just starting out on your blackjack journey, is that you will constantly be hearing common myths. In many ways these can affect your better judgement. You can look upon these as a form of misinformation that’s certainly going to keep you from reaching your winning goal. Here at Blackjackchamp.com, we don’t endorse anything that’s holding back a player. This includes common blackjack old myths, as well as stories about card counting. Unfortunately, these can prove to be expensive, particularly for the novice or amateur player. 

Blackjack Old Myths: It Takes Luck to Win at Blackjack

There is always going to be an element of luck when playing blackjack. But, in fact, this is not the most important factor that decides whether you win or lose. We would class this as probably the most common myths about the game. The truth is that by using your skills, you are able to increase the odds of winning into your favour. All that’s really required is a deep understanding of the rules. Along with a commitment to play using basic strategy. Of course, if you are able to count cards, and are also able to find the casino where that’s possible, then with this mix you can reduce the house edge to practically zero.

Only Mathematicians Can Win at Blackjack

We feel that this is one of those blackjack old myths probably evolved from Hollywood movies. You know, the ones which show mathematical geniuses who are essentially savants, being able to win at the casino tables. Yes, we’re looking at you Dustin Hoffman in Rainman! Blackjack certainly doesn’t require a high level of mathematical ability. Providing you can count, add and subtract then you’re good to go. In fact, you only need to be able to count up to 21! 

blackjack old myths
Picture Source: Pixabay

If you’re looking to count cards, then yes, there are some accounting systems such as the Omega II and the Wong Halves, a system that is really for people who have a head for maths. But if as a card counter, you keep to one of the simpler systems such as Knock-Out Blackjack, Hi-Lo card counting and Red Sevens, then you only need to add or subtract a single 1. Let’s face it, even an elementary school child could do that … .though of course, they wouldn’t legally be allowed to gamble in the casino!

You Need a Photographic Memory to Count Cards

Once again another one of these blackjack old myths comes from the movie Rain Man. The idea that you need a photographic memory in order to win at blackjack is illogical. There is absolutely no reason why you need to memorise every card in the deck. By simply keeping a running count then you’re able to keep track of the ratio of high to low cards that remain in the deck. As such, card counting requires nothing more than the simplest of maths and zero use of memory. In fact, you can have free blackjack practice with a deck of cards at home. All you would really need is to be able to concentrate and also make it look as though you are not counting cards.

Remember that counting cards is not illegal. But having said that, the casinos hate it, and as a result the pit boss will have no hesitation in backing you off.

Bad Players at the Table Hurt You

We feel that this is the excuse that someone gives their partner when they return home having completely lost their bankroll. It’s so much easier to blame other players than yourself. We can imagine this situation occurring when you don’t receive the card you need, and yet the player sitting beside you does. But this is foolish in that there is no correlation between what another player receives and what you receive.

 

blackjack old myths
Picture Source: Pexels

In fact, we suggest that you stop thinking about any other players at the table. With the game of blackjack it’s just you and the dealer and you should just be focused on your own hand and the dealers.

Blackjack Old Myths: Always Go for 21

Everybody understands the objective of the game of blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that if you have a 19 for example, your chance of winning will be any less. Now if you think like this during a game, then you have a very good probability of going bust. It’s important to understand basic strategy in order to make the correct move for the cards that are being dealt. An example would be if you see 6 from the dealer and you have a 12. Assuming that you know basic blackjack strategy, then you would know in this situation there is only one correct move. Which is to stand rather than draw down another card. In this case you want the dealer to draw more cards and eventually go bust.

Once again, focus on the dealer’s up card, as well as your own, and make use of basic blackjack strategy with every single move. Be sure to ignore any blackjack old myths.

The House Edge Is Always Low

It is certainly true that one of the most important reasons why players love to hit the blackjack table is that everyone knows that this game has the lowest house out of all other games in the casino. Not only that, but if you know your perfect blackjack strategies, then you can actually get the house edge down to a minuscule 0.5%. But keep in mind that this is not necessarily true at all blackjack tables. So it’s important that, as a player, you’re aware that the house edge in blackjack is only low when they have placed rules favouring the player. And that player is making use of appropriate strategies in conjunction with these.

blackjack old myths
Picture Source: Pixabay

Some of these rules may include such things as finding a blackjack table where you are paid out at 3 to 4 blackjack instead of 6 to 5. That is providing the dealer stands on a soft 17 instead of hitting. But although these rules may look very tasty, they actually have a house edge of 1.5%. So take care at which blackjack table you sit down to play. For the best gambling site for blackjack(non-live dealer ones), we love King Billy Casino. Not only do they offer great odds across all their many variants of blackjack, but all new players receive a tasty welcome bonus of €1,000 to help you get started.

You Need Higher Bankroll to Win

There tends to be a general belief that if you go to the casino with a bigger bankroll, then you have a better chance to win at blackjack. Essentially the thinking does have some logic to it. After all, if you go and sit down to play with a large bankroll, then you can play for longer. And thereby increase your winning chances within the same time frame. We suggest that you look for a table with a low minimum bet limit. We like to find a table with a betting range that begins at $10. This will give you enough ammunition to last a whole evening. As well as being a large enough bet to actually bring in some winnings that matter.

Blackjack Old Myths: Always Take Insurance

As you’re probably aware, insurance can be taken out as soon as the dealer shows an ace. It pays out of 2 to 1. Here at Blackjackchamp.com, we suggest you avoid insurance like the plague. That’s because it only increases the house advantage. So even though it may seem better than losing your retired bet, if the dealer hits a blackjack, then these types of bets will cut down your winnings drastically. At the end of an evening you’ll see that it’s clearly not profitable. So, to reiterate, stay well away from insurance bets.

We’ve covered some of the most common blackjack old myths. Tall stories and bad tips that you can find hanging around the internet and at land-based casinos. But if you put on your logical hat for a minute, you’ll see that many of these are foolish. Nevertheless, in spite of this, these are essentially bad ideas that still persist. And they continue to do blackjack players a disservice. If you play with any of these blackjack old myths as your guide, then you will eventually come undone badly. Before you hit the blackjack tables at an online casino like King Billy Casino, we suggest that you spend time and energy studying. In the age of the internet, there’s no excuse. After all, you have the whole history are blackjack, as well as every technique under the sun, just a simple Google search away.

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