How Much Should You Bet In Blackjack
Blackjack is famous for the low house edge, which can go below 0.50% when the game is played according to the optimal strategy. If you place a side bet, you can put your balance at danger since the house edge is much higher. For instance, the 21+3 side comes with a 3.2386% house margin.
For the longest time, blackjack was only available in two formats: land-based and online casinos.
- Here are the facts on the flat betting blackjack strategy. If you bet say $5 on every hand in a standard multiple deck game the house will have an edge of 0.5% against the skilled basic strategy player. That means you will lose on average 0.5% of every wager you make.
- Insurance is a side bet which you can take when the dealer's face up card shows an Ace. The worth of insurance bet should be half your blackjack bet. So if you placed a $100 blackjack bet, your insurance bet should be $50. If the dealer wins, you lose your bet but get paid on the insurance. On a $50-bet, you.
The latter have provided another variation of the game called live dealer blackjack. This type blends the best of land-based and online blackjack into one.
It brings a live blackjack experience to your smartphone or tablet. Live dealer gaming also presents a unique option called “bet behind.” I’ll discuss bet behind more in depth along with if it’s bothering with.
How Does Live Blackjack Normally Work?
Again, live dealer blackjack combines the best elements of the land-based and online experience. It runs through an online casino but presents itself like brick-and-mortar style gambling.
Here are the key elements of this game:
- Human dealer
- Real table
- Real cards
- Virtual chips (make bets through virtual options)
- Chat function (communicate with the dealer)
- Tipping (many live dealer outfits offer this option)
- Available on smartphones, tablets, PCs, and Macs
If you wanted to play real money online blackjack previously, you could only do it through software-generated tables. Although still fun, these games don’t offer the same human element as live casinos.
Now, you can essentially carry around a brick-and-mortar casino in your pocket. No travel is involved when you want to enjoy live blackjack. Instead, you simply pull out your smartphone, find a table, and take a seat.
The Problem with Live Dealer Blackjack
The live version of blackjack offers a happy medium between land-based and online (software-generated) play. However, it still shares a crucial problem with brick-and-mortar casinos—seats are limited.
Blackjack tables fill up quickly in land-based venues on busy nights. This scenario is especially true of low-stakes games.
The same thing happens with the live dealer variation. Live casinos must employ real dealers and can only offer so many tables as a result.
When this happens, you can exercise one of a few options:
- Don’t play
- Visit another live dealer gaming site
- Wait for a seat to open up
- Use bet behind
Of these, going to another live casino seems like the best choice. When you log on to play this game, you aren’t doing so to wait around like you’re at a brick-and-mortar casino. As I’ll discuss next, though, bet behind gives you yet another way to handle this situation.
Bet Behind Lets You Play No Matter What
Bet behind refers to an option where you gamble on other players’ hands. It’s especially popular when most/all tables are full, but it’s available no matter if you’re seated or not.
Live casinos aren’t the first ones to think of this idea. Land-based gambling establishments have allowed “back betting,” as they call it, for decades.
Many gamblers still don’t realize, though, that they can wager on other players’ action. In contrast, live dealer blackjack sites do a great job of clearly indicating that bet behind is available.
To recap, here’s an example of when you might use this option:
- You visit a live casino.
- Your favorite blackjack dealer’s table is full.
- You select the bet behind option under a seated player.
- You wager $25 on their hand.
- Your $25 rides on whether the player wins or loses.
Blackjack With Side Bet Games
Pros of Bet Behind
Bet behind is popular for a few different reasons. Here are the main perks to wagering on other blackjack players.
You Don’t Need to Worry About Finding a Seat
Finding a live blackjack seat can be a headache—especially during peak hours. Bet behind ensures that you don’t need to fret over finding an open table.
You can jump right into the action regardless of if there’s an available seat or not. Again, you can continue making this wager even if you’re already playing.
Always Sit at Your Favorite Dealer’s Table
If you play live casino games enough, you’ll eventually develop a favorite dealer or two. And while it never hurts to try a new croupier once and a while, you’ll want to play with your favorite most of the time.
Of course, this same croupier may be popular with other gamblers for one or more reasons. Assuming they’re particularly popular, then you’ll experience more trouble finding a seat.
Bet behind solves this problem by letting you visit and bet at a dealer’s table regardless of if any seats are available. You can join the chat, place wagers, and feel a part of the game.
Get Double the Action
When you use bet behind while already seated, you can get more action at once. Your money will be split between your own play and another gambler’s performance.
This betting strategy may sound pointless. After all, you could merely raise your own stakes or open two separate tables.
However, this strategy also lets you better focus on your own play. If you’ve scouted out the other player and believe they have skills, then you’re making two good bets in one round.
Cons of Bet Behind
I think that bet behind is largely a cool idea. As the following drawbacks show, though, it’s not totally perfect.
You Don’t Get to Make Strategy Decisions
Strategy is a major part of blackjack. Every decision that you make—hit, stand, split, double down—impacts the house edge to a degree.
You’ve chosen to play blackjack because you want this challenge. Bet behind, however, takes away from this concept.
Sure, you can observe players and use your blackjack strategy knowledge to pick a good horse. But they ultimately make all of the playing decisions.
You’re at the Mercy of the Player
You can choose a player to bet on through one of two means:
- Careful observation
- Taking a wild guess
The first option gives you the better chance to win. Again, you can watch somebody play and get a feel for if they know the game.
The second method is a pure gamble. You might as well play slot machines if you’re just going to wildly guess.
In either case, though, you’re still relying on the gambler to come through. Even if you think that you’ve chosen a good player, they could suddenly start making bad decisions and prove you wrong.
Little Point in Playing Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most-strategic games in the casino. If you’re well-versed in strategy, you can work the house edge down to 0.5%—rules permitting.
Bet behind takes away from this dynamic, though. In a way, it feels like the casino version of horse or sports betting.
How Much Should You Bet In Blackjack Real Money
I’ve used bet behind for fun, but I like testing my own skills more than anything. That said, I’ll never rely exclusively on this betting option.
Is This Feature Right for You?
Bet behind has hung around live casinos for years now. Therefore, it’s proven to have staying power in the online gambling world.
Whether or not you fall in love with it, though, depends upon your personality. Assuming you play blackjack to challenge yourself and use stimulating strategy, then you may think that bet behind is completely stupid.
In contrast, you might find that this option presents a fun new element. It lets you wager on the game when no seats are available or simply make a side bet while you’re playing.
Conclusion
Personally, I don’t think that bet behind should’ve become the gamechanger that it is today. On the other hand, it definitely serves a purpose by helping you enjoy action in situations where you’d otherwise just be waiting.
Additionally, I like trying bet behind to spice up the action. This option is especially appealing if I notice another good player at my table and want to capitalize on their skills.
In summary, I suggest that you try bet behind at least once. Maybe you won’t fall in love with it, but you’ll get a new experience out of the deal.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Online casinos offer a plethora of Blackjack variants. They vary in the main rules they use and side bets they offer. While Blackjack side bets provide players with an opportunity to win higher payouts while adding more excitement to the gameplay, they also involve more risk than the original wager. In this article, we will discuss the math behind Blackjack optional bets and whether they are worth your time and money.
Getting Rich Quickly
On our gaming portal dedicated to the game of Blackjack, you can learn about different side bets. We have covered the most popular side bets as well as lesser-known ones like Match the Dealer and Super Sevens. Once you start reading about these side bets, the first thing you will learn is that they pay prizes that are bigger than those paid by the standard Blackjack bet. When you beat the dealer, you get paid 1:1. The biggest payout you can expect on the main bet is when you get natural, and it stands at 3:2 in the game variants you should play.
As for side bets, the payouts go from 9:1 on the 21+3 side bet all the way up to 5,000:1 on the Triple 7s bet when you get three suited 7s. When compared with the prizes that the Ante can earn you, the side bets seem quite tempting. However, when you see the house margin they come with, you can understand how risky they are. Although the house edge varies depending on the number of decks in play, it is much higher than the one of the main bet.
The Math behind Blackjack Side Bets
So, if you dream of getting rich quickly, you may go for side bets. Yet, it would help if you did not forget the risk they involve. Blackjack is famous for the low house edge, which can go below 0.50% when the game is played according to the optimal strategy. If you place a side bet, you can put your balance at danger since the house edge is much higher. For instance, the 21+3 side comes with a 3.2386% house margin. As for the Triple 7’s or Super Sevens, the house edge is even higher, sitting at an abysmal 11.40%.
To play a round of Blackjack, you need to place the main bet, while the side bet is optional. So, you have to risk a certain amount by default and playing the side bet requires more money. Although these side bets may not seem that big, over a while, they may add up to an amount which you could use to play more rounds and build your balance slowly but surely.
What Should You Do About Side Bets?
How Much Should You Bet In Blackjack
All Blackjack games come with side bets included. Whether they are Perfect Pairs, 21+3 or Lucky Ladies, all these side bets offer prizes of a higher value that may seem too good to be true. Theoretically, you can win big, but in practice, they can drain your bankroll. The truth about Blackjack side bets is that they are more about luck than skill.
How Much Should You Bet In Blackjack Card Game
How Do You Gamble In Blackjack
If you like taking risks, you can play them from time to time. Wager the minimum amounts now and then and who knows? If you get lucky, you can give a boost to your balance in a single round. Click here to visit some of the best online Blackjack casinos and enjoy games to your liking!