If you’re worried about doing well at Blackjack, perhaps because you’re new to the game, don’t fret – it’s actually quite a straightforward game. In fact, the popularity of online casino games such as blackjack stems from the game’s innate simplicity. There is also a strong element of skill required, which makes it way more satisfying for the competitive gambler than games of pure chance such as craps or roulette. Knowing how to make the right plays can strongly tip the odds in your favor. Here are a few handy hints to get you started:

While there is always a best option at any given point in a game of blackjack, you don’t have to figure that out in the heat of the moment. The statistically most advantageous move in any given blackjack situation has already been mapped out years previously by master mathematicians and printed in gambling manuals and online. If you have an online strategy guide, keep it open in a separate window while you play and refer to it every time you have to make a tricky decision. 

It always pays to make yourself fully aware of the rules of the specific version of blackjack that you are playing. With online games especially, rules can vary from game to game, so check out the rules for each site – 32Red.com has a good, standard version, and is a well-established, legitimate casino. It’s also a good idea to make sure that the strategy chart you are using is calibrated to the specific version of the game you are playing.

Even if you get your strategy totally spot on, the house will still have a slight statistical advantage over you. This house edge does not, however, take into account any bonuses that you might have accumulated. Any bonuses paid to you before you start playing Blackjack can be used to pad out your cash total to the extent that you’ll have money to spare by the time that your bonus is wiped out.

If you stick rigidly to the right strategy and hoard your bonuses, you can at least better your chances of beating the odds by a considerable margin. And if that doesn’t work out for you, you can always just go with your gut and hope for the best! Who knows, you might just get lucky!