Unlike some other games, calculating the odds of blackjack isn’t straightforward – this is due to a couple of reasons:
- Blackjack requires inputs from the player: it isn’t a game that’s purely luck-based where you have fixed odds of winning like slots. How you interact during a game of blackjack directly affects your chances of winning. This makes calculating the odds at each step during the game that much more complex.
- Blackjack has a lot of possible outcomes: depends on the starting hand of you and the dealer, the odds fluctuate wildly. If you start with an ace and a king, your odds of winning are close to 100%. It will be very unlikely for you to win. If you have a 5 and a 9, you’re much more likely to lose. Taking into account all this variation while calculating the odds can be quite difficult and needs an experienced player.
You have to take these two points into account before playing. Also, keep in mind, due to the rules of the game, when playing, the dealer always has a more statistical likelihood of winning. On average, the dealer wins 52% of the games over a long period of time, and this is what’s making the casino money.
This is only the average, however, and it doesn’t tell us anything about how individual games play out. If you go smartly about this, you might be able to consistently win. It isn’t impossible, and people have won millions of dollars playing blackjack before. You just need to be experienced and keep the odds in mind.