Blackjack Myths

Some games will never die in the casino. One of them is blackjack. It’s a centuries-old pastime with a storied history that has seen it become one of the most iconic and popular table games of all time. Its simplicity and accessibility have made it a mainstay of land-based and online casinos alike.

However, whenever you have a game that has lasted so long and endeared itself to so many generations, it’s easy for some misconceptions to creep into the wider blackjack enthusiast’s consciousness. Some of these can be detrimental to players and make them take unnecessary risks when playing.

In this guide, we’ll go over some of the myths that surround blackjack, having developed over the years of the game’s history.

Taking Insurance

When playing blackjack, after the dealer shows you their up card, there’s one scenario in which they can offer you a side - or insurance - bet. If their up-card is an Ace, they will present you with the opportunity of an insurance bet before they reveal their hole card. This means that, if their hole card is a 10 and gives them a two-card 21, you will be paid out on the insurance bet if you placed it. It is paid out at 2/1, and you are usually able to stake up to half your original wager. This would mean that a win in the event of the dealer calling blackjack would see you break even.

Sounds like a no-brainer? Not true. See, there’s a one-in-three chance that the hole card is a 10. That means that there’s a two-thirds chance that it isn’t a 10. Over 100 hands, the insurance will win around 32 or 33 times.

That means that it loses around 67 times. Over that period, with the average wins and losses you would expect in the game, you would actually come out of the session down. It may mean your losses are less than if you hadn’t taken it, but it also means any wins are offset by the side bet.

“Strategy Guarantees an Approach to Winning”

Every casino enthusiast will tell you that they have the best strategy and that it helps them when they’re playing. While you may be able to give yourself advantages in terms of managing your bankroll and minimising losses, there is no way that you can guarantee a win in blackjack.

There is no way of predicting your or the dealer’s hands, and that means that every outcome is entirely based on chance.

Playing Based on Wins & Losses

This next one is often a myth that plays a part in strategy. Many people believe that, say, 10 losses in a row means that a win must follow it. They will chase that losing streak then in the belief that probability suggests they will win their next hand. That’s just not true, though. Probability is a complex thing that is calculated over hundreds and thousands of hands, and it is just as likely that you will lose again. The same goes for hot streaks - don’t base your playing time on winning or losing streaks.

Picture Cards are Next to Each Other in the Deck

This one is a bit nonsensical. Some people believe that the picture cards will remain next to each other in the deck when they’re being dealt. This is obviously not the case, though, given that the dealer shuffles the cards before play, meaning it is just as likely that they will be next to any other card than they will be next to another face card.

Also, if a picture card has already been dealt, it stands to reason that the chances of another being drawn are lower than it was previously, as there is one less card in the deck.

Aiming for as Close to 21

It makes sense, doesn’t it? The aim of the game is to get blackjack or as close to it as possible, so gunning for 21 is always a good tactic. Except, it’s really not. Remember, you are playing against the dealer, and your aim is to beat them, not to get as high a number as possible. Obviously, a higher number means a greater chance of beating them, given that it gives them a harder target to bear, but if you continuously push for a higher number, you’re also upping the chances that you go bust. There’s no science to this, but you should take stock of the cards you have and question whether you really need that next one or if you’re more likely to go bust.

Other Players Impacting Your Hand

When playing at a table at the casino, seeing other players with the cards that you could have used can be frustrating. It’s easy to think then that those players have had an effect on your game and that it’s their fault that you’re not going to win this hand. That’s not the way to think, though. Again, these are shuffled cards dealt entirely at random. There’s just as great a chance that you would not have received that card if they weren’t playing. The random nature of the game is what prevented you from having the perfect hand, not the other players at the table.

Players Should Stand on 17

Now this one sort of ties in with the myth around needing to get as close to 21 as possible. Most dealers will stand when they reach 17 as it’s statistically more likely that you will bust than up your number or achieve blackjack. However, that doesn’t mean that you, as a player, MUST stand on 17. There are always going to be things to take into consideration when making a decision like this. There is such a thing as a soft 17 and a hard 17. These two hands are similar but very different in application. A soft 17 is any hand that includes an Ace that can be either a 1 or an 11. As this hand exists as both 7 and 17, another card can’t bust it. If it’s higher than 4, then the Ace automatically is a 1, and we treat the hand as the 7, meaning standing isn’t necessary. A hard hand can go bust, though, so it would be more constructive to stand on one of these.