Tips to Becoming a Blackjack Hotshot

Without a doubt, one of the most fun games at the casino is Blackjack. Giving you the opportunity to play for hours on a limited cash flow if played properly, it's no wonder that casinos often feature more Blackjack tables than any other game. In this article, we'll help you to tighten up your game to ensure that you get the best results you can when taking a trip to the tables.

- No matter how tempting it may be, regardless of what the dealer is holding, never split a pair of tens. This doesn't only apply to the ten card; any card with a value of ten, from the actual ten up to kings should not be split. A 20 is simply too strong of a hand to take a risk on when it comes to splitting.

- If you have a pair of aces or a pair of eights, you should split, regardless of what cards the dealer is showing. Splitting aces can result in two blackjacks, which would multiply your funds, and 16 is a tough hand to play. For that reason, whenever you get a pair of eights, split them; there is a good chance that you'll end up getting 18 on at least one of the hands, as opposed to playing off the 16, which is a fool's bet.

- Insurance is for suckers, unless you're counting cards. The odds work against the player when betting on insurance, and for that reason, few people ever choose to take the bet.

- If your hand is between 13 and 16, hope isn't lost, as long as the dealer has a 6 or lower showing. In this situation, you should stay, because the dealer is likely to bust, as are you if you try to hit. While it may be torturous to sit on such a low hand, more often then not, it pays off when the dealer busts.

- If the dealer's shown card is a ten, you should continue to hit your hand until it totals 17 or above. If you stay on any less than 17, you run a significant chance of losing, as you should always assume that the dealer's down-card is a ten, which is the most commonly occurring card in Blackjack.

- If the dealer's up-card is a 4, a 5, or a 6, you should stand on a hard 12. A ‘hard' 12 means that you do not have an ace that you can use as an eleven or a one.

Follow these tips, and you'll find that your blackjack winning potential can go through the roof!