A huge part of what compounds the house edge and boosts casino profits even higher are the myriad of false beliefs that gamblers have about blackjack and gambling in general. Distorted misconceptions about what it really takes to win at 21 combined with the built-in house edge make it impossible for non-professionals to win over the long run. Make sure you don’t fall victim to some of the most common myths about blackjack.
1) Bad players can “mess up the flow” and cause other players to lose.
In blackjack, each player is playing against the dealer only. You are not playing with or against the other players at the table. The only thing that determines whether you will win or lose over the long run is how well you play the game. Other players, no matter how well or badly they play, have no effect on how you fare over the long run. Focus on yourself and playing the game with knowledge, skill and discipline. Don’t waste your time and energy blaming other players for your losses.
2) Betting progressions are a sure winning strategy.
Increasing the size of your bets based on whether you won or lost your previous hand(s) is a sure fire way to go broke. Betting progressions are deceptive in that they produce a high percentage of small wins, but sooner or later you will hit a bad losing streak that will wipe out your entire bankroll. Casinos love gamblers who play betting progressions.
3) Card counting is illegal.
Card counting is 100% legal. Most casinos do reserve the right to ask card counters not play 21, but you cannot be arrested and you cannot be detained for playing the game in a smart and strategic way. From a common sense perspective how can it be illegal to look at the cards and then play based on information that is available to every player at the table, all within the rules set by the casino?
4) You have to be a genius to count cards.
You don’t have be Rain Man or a math whiz to learn how to count cards. What’s more important than mathematical ability is a commitment to playing the game with a disciplined approach based on a mathematically proven system. The math involved in card counting is simple arithmetic – the same math you learned in middle school.
5) Card counting guarantees you will win every time you play.
All blackjack players, including professional blackjack players experience extreme fluctuations, good and bad. However, if you have the knowlege and you learn how to count cards skillfully, your wins will outweigh your losses and you will earn a profit over the long run.