Betting and Using Your Bankroll Wisely at Bodog Casino
What are the most important things to learn when first figuring out how to play online Blackjack? The rules of the game come first, of course. Next, you need to figure out the right strategy based on the situation: when to hit, stand, split, double down and surrender in order to beat the Dealer. But what if we told you bankroll management is even more important than knowing which plays to make when figuring out how to win at Blackjack games?
It’s a fact. You can whittle down the house edge to the minimum with a flawless Blackjack card strategy, but if you don’t pay any attention to your bet sizing or roll, you might run out of money a lot more quickly than you expected. If you fail to manage your bankroll effectively, all of the advanced strategy and insightful plays in the world won’t matter. Luckily, there are ways to avoid this common pitfall when playing Blackjack games at our online casino. At Bodog, we provide six easy steps you can take to keep you active and entertained at the Blackjack tables, starting with dividing your bankroll into betting units.
Divide Your Roll Into Units
When you play Blackjack games for real money, you need to go into the session with a financial game plan that starts with creating betting units out of our bankroll. This is the fundamental step for any game that you play at the casino, whether live or online right here at Bodog Casino, so you may already be familiar with it.
An easy strategy to protect your bankroll is to divide your roll into units of 100 or more. If your bankroll is $500, for example, you could divide it into 100 units, which would result in you making $5 bets with each hand. This is a conservative approach that prioritizes longevity over big wins.
Set a Time Goal for Your Session
If you’ve got your Blackjack strategy down pat, you’ll know what the house edge is for the game you’re playing – and you’ll be able to calculate how long you can expect to play on a certain bankroll, on average. You can’t control how the cards come out, but you can set a goal for how long you’d like to play. A time period of approximately 90-120 minutes will help you stay focused and minimize the number of mistakes you make at the table and maximize how much money you win.
The benefit of setting a time goal when playing Blackjack games is that it doesn’t fall under the influence of win streaks or bad beats; it’s completely objective. When Blackjack players bust their bankroll, it’s usually because they’ve chased losses, which often makes a bad situation worse. Setting a time limit on your session will prevent you from falling prey to this inclination.
Even if you’re marching along just fine, without chasing losses nor increasing bet sizes when you’re feeling lucky, a time limit will keep you feeling fresh. Overly extended sessions at the table can lead you to feel groggy and what’s the fun in that? Blackjack card games are designed to be equal parts thrilling and strategic, so setting a timer will help maintain the thrill of the game.
Have an Average Bet
Chasing down losses by increasing your bet size is one of the worst things you can do at the casino. The antidote is to have an average bet that you use for each round. This can be determined by taking your bankroll for the session and dividing it by 20; the product of this equation is the average betting unit. For example, a $400 bankroll divided by 20 results in $20 bets. Maintaining $20 betting units can help you survive losing streaks, while also winning decent sized payouts.
Stick with the program and your time-based goal; bet the same amount on every hand, and you’ll be more likely to meet your goal without going on tilt, which we’ll discuss shortly. Of course, if you happen to be counting cards, the average bet strategy isn’t the best way to play Blackjack games. In this case, you’d want to increase your bet size when the deck is favourable, and lower your bet size when the deck is against you. But counting cards won’t work online, and it might get you barred from your live casino, which would really ruin your long-term plan of becoming a Blackjack master.
Use Optimal Blackjack Game Strategy
Knowing the optimal time to hit, stand, double down and split will stretch out your time at the table. Blackjack games have a reputation of having very low house edge; it can be whittled down to under 1.00% for most games. The low house edge means you get a lot of time at the tables with very little cost. In order to enjoy the benefits of low house edge, however, you must optimize your play by following basic game strategy.
Learning Blackjack strategy is simpler than you may think. Experts have already done the math to figure it out and the results are accessible. Simply follow the directions on strategy charts, making sure to use a set of charts that reflect the rules of the game you’re playing (i.e number of decks in the shoe and whether the Dealer hits or stands on soft 17). Based on your hand and the Dealer’s up-card, the charts advise when to hit, stand, double down, split and surrender, with one chart dedicated to hard hands, one for soft hands and one for splits. There are many reputable sources online for Blackjack game strategy charts, so download one, print it out, and keep it visible during your Blackjack sessions. Your bankroll will thank you for it.
Control Your Emotions and win more games
The best time to play Blackjack games online is when you’re feeling relaxed and focused. Like poker, playing Blackjack on tilt can lead to poor decision making, which can jeopardize your bankroll. If you start your session in a good head space, but find yourself getting emotionally affected by a bad run of cards, get up from the table and try to relax yourself. Maybe go outside for some fresh air and reset. When you resume, assess your reactions at the table, and if you’re still fired up, put the cards away and end the session early.
Keep An Eye on Your Money
It’s easy to lose track of how much money you’ve won versus lost at the table, so keeping an eye on your bankroll is an important part of managing it effectively. At Bodog, it’s easy to do that because your bankroll is visible on the game screen while you play. With every win and loss, your bankroll is immediately updated to reflect its new value. If you look at it and see that it’s lower than you’d like, you can always cut your losses and end your session prematurely, so that you can start again when the cards are more favourable.
Bankroll management may not be as sexy as counting cards, but it’s an essential component of Blackjack strategy. If you keep track of how much you’re spending, you’re more likely to succeed in your journey to Blackjack stardom. Follow these online Blackjack tips, and you’ll have more control over your roll, and give yourself more time at the table.