Blackjack Betting Strategy

By John Schwartz

Blackjack players must first accept the fact that they’re not likely to win or lose more than a few hands in a row (if they play the game using the ideal strategy for every hand). If you sit at any blackjack table long enough and track the wins and losses, after 100 hands or so you’ll discover that the number of wins and losses are roughly equal. Losses will often slightly exceed wins, but they’re usually very close.

An interesting pattern emerges when you track wins and losses, and this forms the basis of a winning blackjack betting strategy. Wins and losses tend to form in groups or clumps. It’s very rare for wins and losses to alternate in a 50-50 split. More likely is that the house will win 2 or 3 in a row, then you’ll win 2 or 3 in a row (or vice versa). This clumping pattern has been well documented for decades by experts who study gaming results closely.

An excellent betting strategy to apply to blackjack’s tendency toward clumped wins and losses is an easy one to learn. Just remember a simple number sequence: 2-1-2-3-4-5 and that you must leave any table where you lose four hands in a row.

The sequence of numbers refers to units of wagers based on the minimum bet at the blackjack table you’re playing. For example, if you’re playing a $5 minimum wager table, 2-1-2-3-4-5 corresponds to the following wagering sequence: $10-$5-$10-$15-$20-$25. Important: this sequence assumes you’ve won each previous bet in the sequence! If you win six blackjack hands in a row (every bet in the sequence), you return to the beginning and continue. If at any point in the sequence you lose, you return to the beginning as well. If you lose four hands in a row, get up and find another table – even if you just sat down. The dealer is too hot at the one you’ve been playing!

So, why does this blackjack betting strategy work? Take a close look at the sequence of wagers. If you win 2 normal hands in a row (a common occurrence), you’re up $15. If you lose the next one (again, a common occurrence), you’re still up $5. If you win three normal hands in a row (less common, but still likely to happen several times), you’re up $25. If you lose the next hand (the odds favor it), you’re still up $10.

The idea is to bet in a progression that both plays into the clumping pattern mentioned earlier and minimizes your losses if you lose a hand along the way. Even if you get to the end of the sequence and lose the $25 wager, you’ll still have earned a net win of $35 on that sequence!

It’s very important that you have the discipline to stick to the betting strategy at all times, including the directive to immediately leave any table where you lose 4 hands in a row. Find another table where the dealer isn’t so hot.