Free Bet Blackjack Basic Strategy

Image Source: youtube.com

1. Free Bet Blackjack House Edge
2. Play Free Bet Blackjack Online
3. Free Bet Blackjack Online

Basic Strategy of Free Bet Blackjack There are times when playing standard blackjack, where doubling down on a total of 9, 10 or 11 isn’t advisable – a good example being if you have a total of 10 and the dealer has an Ace.

Blackjack Betting Strategies are quite popular, especially since the game has been featured in hit movies likeRain Man, 21 and The Hangover.

No matter what the game, there is one universal rule; if the casino spreads the game, someone has developed the “perfect” betting strategy.

Roulette strategies are perhaps the most prominent as roulette strategies and systems have been offered for sale for centuries.

As a dealer and a player, I have been able to see and try many of the most famous Blackjack Betting Strategies.

Blackjack strategies don’t change around the world but it is interesting to see different perspectives. A good blackjack resource for Canadians is TopOnlineCasinos.ca.

Play Blackjack Live Online

Want to try playing blackjack online for real money? We recommened playing with live dealers at Bovada casino (US friendly)

The Two Best Systems

There are two strategies that every player should use every time they take a seat at or swim up to a blackjack table.

Play to Have Fun

Napoleon was a fan of Vingt-un (blackjack) near the start of the 19th century. For more than two centuries, blackjack has grown in popularity to become the most popular casino table game.Mathematicians have analyzed the game, hundreds of books have been written about it, and a number of myths and legends have been created.

Earning a place in the Blackjack Hall of Fame at the Barona Casino in California is the only honorary award for players of any casino table game. There is a reason that blackjack has remained popular for a couple of centuries; it’s fun! There are many varieties of blackjack. Mr. Green offers a great selection of 15 blackjack games by 6 software providers, including Double Exposure Blackjack Professional Series by Net Entertainment, VIP Blackjack by Extreme Live Gaming, and 6-in-1 Blackjack by Felt.

Spin Palace offers a remarkable amount of blackjack games. There are over 40 blackjack games in total on offer. They also offer practice play which is perfect for sharpening your blackjack skills before you start playing for real money. Most of their games are developed by Microgaming which are very popular in English speaking countries like Australia, New Zealand, UK and Canada. New Zealanders can look to NZOnlineCasinos.kiwi for valuable blackjack strategy info.

Free Bet Blackjack House Edge

Yes, the game has a really low house edge, which makes it appealing, but it is a very social game, so in many cases, the table wins or loses as a group. This builds comradery and makes it fairly common for players to talk with one another. The social aspect of the game is a very important one to most players.

Bet the Right Amount

Image Source: youtube.com

Set up a bankroll before you go to the table. This is your total stake.

As has been mentioned numerous times, blackjack is supposed to be fun. Playing with money you can’t afford to lose (what dealers and players call “scared money”) practically guarantees you won’t enjoy the game.

It is fairly easy to find table limits to fit most bankrolls.

The Martingale – Blackjack Betting Strategies

Image Source: pokerbankrollblog.com

The Martingale system originated in 18th century France and is one of the oldest systems around. The original theory was used to prove that someone with infinite wealth could always avoid a loss in even money bets by doubling the best after each loss. Most likely the first casino game where the Martingale system was touted was roulette, but it can also be used in other areas, such as in stock market trading.

You will often see players use the Martingale system at the blackjack table, doubling their wager after each loss. In theory, this strategy sounds solid. However, blackjack is not an even money game. And additionally, players will occasionally run into a bad streak of cards. At a $5 table using the Martingale system if you lose 8 hands in a row, you will be wagering $1280 on your next hand, so unless you are a legendary high-roller, you are probably better off taking the $5 loss.

2-1-2 (Manhattan) Strategy – Blackjack Betting Strategies

One of the common laments one hears from players is the one where they were “way ahead” but gave it all back. These players are the same ones that usually talk about “playing with ‘house’ money.”

Here is a fact: Once the chips are in your stack, they are your chips, not the house’s.

The second most common lament you will hear is a player talking about missing out on a hot streak. The 2-1-2 strategy helps address both.

First, there is no mathematical foundation for “hot” or “cold” streaks at the blackjack table. Mathematicians will tell you (truthfully) that there is no such phenomenon. Blackjack players know they exist.

As a player you want to capitalize on a good run of cards and this strategy has some merits. Start with a 2 unit bet. If you win you reduce the bet to one unit. If you win that bet you increase to 3 units. Once the dealer wins you go back to your original 2 unit bet.

A run of 10 hands could look like this:

Wager Result +/-

• 2 W +2
• 1 W +3
• 2 W +5
• 3 W +8
• 4 L +4
• 2 W +6
• 1 L +5
• 2 W +7
• 3 W +10
• 4 L +6

With the 2-1-2 strategy, players will win a bit more with a hot run yet not sacrifice all of their winnings.

Play Free Bet Blackjack Online

Oscar’s System – Blackjack Betting Strategies

Oscar’s System was proposed in the 1960’s in a book by mathematician Dr. Allan Wilson. It is a fairly decent system. The goal of the strategy is to win exactly one unit per series.

The player starts a series by betting one unit. After a win, the player adds a unit; after a loss, the next bet is exactly the same as the previous one. That’s it.

Here are two examples:

Wager Result +/-

• 1 L -1
• 1 L -2
• 1 W -1
• 2 W +1

Series complete

Wager Result +/-

• 1 L -1
• 1 L -2
• 1 L -3
• 1 W -2
• 2 L -4
• 2 W -2
• 3 W +1

Series complete.

Playing Multiple Spots

Many players feel that playing multiple hands increases their odds of winning. Playing multiple spots can be exciting, but it does absolutely nothing to increase your win rate.

Most of these systems fall under the heading of progressive bets. While these are among the most common, they are by no means the only strategies out there. It is perfectly fine to sit at the table and make the exact same wager every hand. While this strategy is a bit boring for me, if it works for you that is what counts. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking out a deck of cards and developing your own strategy as well.

Blackjack Betting Systems in the Long Run

Free Bet Blackjack Online

Ok so we’ve covered the popular blackjack betting systems here and highlighted how they are used but are any of them really useful in the long run? The answer is a resounding NO (this article goes into great depth as to why).

While you might make great short term wins, any betting system will not be a formula for success in the long term. To truly gain an advantage against the casino you must start with learning basic strategy and then moving to card counting.

There are plenty of resources to get started. We recommend:

• BlackjackInfo’s Blackjack School – A comprehensive free resource that covers both basic strategy and card counting principles.
• Blackjack Apprenticeship – Run by Colin Jones, a professional counter who featured in the blackjack documentary Holy Rollers, this site provides a paid course offering video training material, private coaching and more.
• WizardofOdds – The wizard has some great strategy charts but only for 4-8 decks. If you need more customized charts then BlackjackInfo has a good strategy chart builder.

Members Feedback

Wizard Recommends

• €1500 Welcome Bonus
• €100 + 300 Free Spins
• 100% Welcome Bonus

Introduction

Free Bet Blackjack is a blackjack variant by game inventor Geoff Hall. The twist to this one is the player doesn't have to risk his own money when splitting or doubling (most of the time). It is like playing with a generous boyfriend at the table who makes all the supplemental bets for you and lets you keep the winnings. What is the catch? Like in Geoff's other game, Blackjack Switch, if the dealer gets a 22, all bets left standing push.

The game opened for business on June 20, 2012 at the Golden Nugget. I went down for the game's debut and found the table full of people enjoying the game. The strategy is simpler and offers more doubles and splits than conventional blackjack. Gamblers who find the basic strategy of conventional blackjack too complicated to memorize may take relief in the simplicity of Free Bet Blackjack.

Rules

The rules have changed since the game launched at the Golden Nugget. It is my understand that the rules below are now the norm. The game is based on standard blackjack, with the following rules:

• Six decks
• Dealer hits soft 17's
• Blackjacks pay 3 to 2
• Double after split allowed
• Double on two cards only
• Re-split pairs up to four hands, including aces
• No surrender

The game introduces two major rule changes:

1. 'Free Doubles' on hard totals of two-card total of 9, 10, or 11. Regular doubles are still allowed on all other two-card hands. With a 'free double,' the player's original wager is matched with a 'free bet' button and the player receives one additional card. At the end of the hand:
   • If the dealer wins, the player loses his original wager only.
   • If the hand results in a push, the player gets back his original wager only.
   • Otherwise, if the player wins, the player gets back his original wager plus winnings equal to double that wager.
2. 'Free Splits' on all pairs except 10's. With a 'free split,' the player's two cards are divided into two one-card hands. The player's original wager is placed with the first hand and a 'free bet' button is placed with the second hand. The player plays out each hand one at a time and is entitled to a 'free double' or 'free split' on both hands. For winning hands, each 'free bet' button is replaced with real chips equaling the original wager. On hands resulting in a player loss or push, the dealer takes back the 'free bet' button.
3. Dealer pushes on 22. If the player has 21 or less and the dealer busts with 22, then the player's wager is a push.

Basic Strategy

Strategy depends on whether you are playing a real money bet or a free bet. There is a difference because a push is just as bad as a loss on a Free Bet, thus causing a more aggressive strategy. The following three tables show the strategy for a real money hand, free bet hand, and pairs respectively.

If you remember just one thing about the strategy, accept every free double and free split opportunity.

House Edge

The house edge under the standard rules above is 1.04%.

Rule Variants

Following are the effects of some possible rule variants. The effects are the change in the player's expected return. The figures below with a (SH) were taken with permission from Discount Gambling. The ones with a (Wiz) were calculated by me. It is interesting that the greater the number of decks, the better the odds for the player, which is the opposite of conventional blackjack. I assume it is because there is more free-splitting with more decks, due to a lesser effect of non-replacement.

• Free doubles with three or more cards (DG): +0.66%.
• Dealer stands on soft 17 (DG): +0.31%.
• Late surrender allowed (DG): +0.21%.
• One deck: -0.14% (Wiz).
• Two decks: -0.06% (Wiz).
• Eight decks: +0.01% (Wiz,DG).
• No re-splitting aces (DG): -0.08%.
• No free re-splits on a pair of fours (DG): -0.27%.
• No re-splitting 2-9: -0.32% (DG).
• No double or free-double after a split (DG): -0.70%.
• Blackjack pays 6 to 5: -1.36% (Wiz).

Pot of Gold

I have heard reports that some casinos offer a side bet called Pot of Gold, which is based on the number of Free Bet tokens the player accumulates per initial hand. The Washington Gambling Commission lists two Pot of Gold pay tables. Following is my analysis of both of them. These tables were based on a random simulation. The lower right cells show a house edge of 5.77% on pay table 1 and 4.64% on pay table 2.

Pot of Gold — Pay Table 1

Tokens	Pays	Probability	Return
7	1000	0.000002	0.002026
6	300	0.000027	0.008140
5	100	0.000194	0.019445
4	60	0.000847	0.050799
3	30	0.003866	0.115973
2	10	0.013488	0.134884
1	3	0.148155	0.444466
0	-1	0.833420	-0.833420
Total	1.000000	-0.057686

Pot of Gold — Pay Table 2

Tokens	Pays	Probability	Return
7	100	0.000002	0.000203
6	100	0.000027	0.002713
5	100	0.000194	0.019445
4	50	0.000847	0.042333
3	30	0.003866	0.115973
2	12	0.013488	0.161861
1	3	0.148155	0.444466
0	-1	0.833420	-0.833420
Total	1.000000	-0.046426

The player can lower the house edge on the Pot of Gold by splitting fives instead of doubling, at the detriment of the primary wager. If the player splits fives the house edge on the Pot of Gold will be 2.75% under Pay Table 1 and 1.48% under Pay Table 2. Splitting fives, instead of doubling, will increase the house edge on the base wager by 0.15%.

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Geoff Hall, the inventor, for his cooperation with the rules and sharing the math report. This report is based on a combination of work between Stephen How and me. We are in close agreement on the house edge. The basic strategy and some of the effects of rule variations are the work of Stephen How.

Internal Links

• Original rule card. Please note that doubling on three or more cards is no longer allowed but free splits of fours is. Overall, the old rules were better, of course. Table game rules seldom get better for the player.

Outside Links

• Free Bet Blackjack page at Discount Gambling.
• Free Bet Blackjack Facebook page.