If you want to become a winning blackjack player, you need to understand the psychology of blackjack and its importance, which is very often under estimated.

Rational Disciplined Play Will Yield Profits Longer Term

A winning blackjack player using basic strategy and card counting can gain an edge over the casino and emerge a winner over time.

While this is an accepted fact and many players know this, they deviate from what is rational and make irrational plays.

Why would they do this? The answer lies in human nature and the psychology that comes into play when money is on the line.

Lets look at some examples of blackjack psychology in action and two common mistakes players make:

1. The Fear of Going Bust

The fear of busting (going over 21) is a common error among blackjack players.

Going bust means you are out of the game.

Many players find it hard to draw an additional card even though it is the right play to make.

Standing on 16 when you should take a hit stops a player going bust. However, thinking logically the dealer has to stand on 17 and above, so the perceived advantage of not going bust is offset by the fact that you cannot win unless the dealer goes bust.

Losing by busting is psychologically worse for many players than losing to the dealer.

If you hit and bust it’s your fault. If you stand and lose, you can say the dealer was lucky and you have no responsibility for the loss.

Players get so preoccupied in trying to avoid going bust, that they fail to focus on the probabilities of winning and losing, when neither player nor the dealer goes bust.

The Gamblers Fallacy and Luck

Many players increase their bet after a loss and decrease it after a win. Called ″the gambler’s fallacy,″ the idea is that if you lose a hand, the odds go up that you will win the next hand, and vice versa.

This of course is irrational, but players fear losing and go to protect the winnings they have.

Other players do the reverse, increasing the bet size after a win and decreasing it after a loss. The logic here is that luck comes in streaks; so if you’re hot, increase your bets!

Why Do Players Act Irrationally When They Should Act Rationally?

There are players who don’t know basic strategy and fall into the above psychological traps. Experienced players do so as well. The reasons for this are normally associated with the following:

1. Players cannot detach themselves from the fact that winning blackjack requires losing periods, they get frustrated and try to get their losses back.

2. They fall into the trap that we all do, in that once ″wont make a difference″ and try another way of playing.

3. A player may have other things on his mind and is not focusing on the game and these blur his judgement and make him mentally lazy.

If You Have a Plan, You need to follow it!

This can be psychologically difficult for many players because it requires mental discipline to focus over the long term, take losses on the chin and remain mentally focused.

Winning at blackjack requires the discipline to execute a plan; if you don’t have discipline, you don’t have a plan!

The psychology of blackjack is an important but underestimated trait in winning at blackjack over the long term.

People always did like to play games and now that we have the internet the world can play together from at home.

Regardless where somebody lives or what time it is there will always be somebody online to play.

Multi player online poker rooms for example are open 24/7 so that any poker player can play her or his favourite poker game online against other players in the internet. Internet poker rooms offer daily tournaments to win cash prizes and even seats for poker championships so that any online player can qualify for the world’s most important tournaments like the Monte Carlo Millions or the World Series of Poker, WSOP that first was played in Las Vegas Binions Horseshoe.

Bingo players also can play at home in virtual 3D bingo halls and chat with other bingo fans in a chatroom.

Online Casino Gambling against a computer is fun, too. The video poker machines that can be found in any real casino can be played from at home. Even for real money. The same is with slots, roulette, blackjack, craps, sicbo and other games we know from casinos. So called flash casinos even don’t need to be downloaded. The casino games can be played instantly in the browser.

Online Gambling surely is not the same as taking a gamble in Las Vegas but players don’t need real cash but can play for virtual money from the casino.

For interesting facts and online casino gambling news please visit our website.

Las Vegas casinos are among the most popular places to visit in the world. Even with competition from casinos on Indian reservations, riverboat casinos and state run lotteries Las Vegas casinos attract more people and earn record amounts of revenue from gamblers. In 2005, there were 38,566,717 visitors that came to Las Vegas casinos that generated $9.7 billion in gaming revenue. Slots remain the top game people play while in casinos followed by blackjack, wagering an average of $626.50 each trip. Most visitors gambled on the Strip with downtown Vegas being their second choice. People love to gamble in Las Vegas and businesses love to open up casinos for them to wager in.

The question is sometimes asked, why do people gamble? When you look at the fun and excitement of winning, a lot of people enjoy the challenges of beating the house. After all, if you play smart and come out with a profit, it shows everyone that a person can ″beat the odds″ and win against the big institutions. And gambling itself is a safe form of risk-taking that some players looking for the ″rush of excitement″ can find. Social interaction is another reason as the fun atmosphere encourages people to be friendly and conversational. For some segments of society, like the elderly, this sometimes has an aura of attractiveness. Incentives like casino comps, free rooms and drinks or slot tournaments bring in those who like to be rewarded for their wagering. Plus there are the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars being offered in huge jackpots and progressives as far as the eye can see.

From an investment standpoint, the money made can be staggering. Owners and investors realize that from the long-term point of view, games of chance mathematically speaking are always in favor of the house. For example, slot machines owned by the most profitable Indian Reservation casinos in California earn over $500 a day each for which the casino may have invested $10,000 per device. And with slot machines lasting about 5 years, a machine could earn $912,500 during its lifetime. Multiply this figure by 2,000 slot devices, which a number of the largest Indian casinos have on their floors, and you can see the potential for why investors love gaming establishments. Earnings per machine are less in Las Vegas, where there is more competition but the concept of how money can be made is easily understood. Add to this shopping malls with high-end stores, convention facilities along with catering to business travelers, and things become even more attractive.

Players who frequent casinos can look forward to new, fun and innovative ways to enjoy their action. For one, keep your eyes open for wireless gaming at casinos. In July 2006 the Nevada Gaming Control Board came out with policy standards for wireless gaming to be used at casinos in Las Vegas. This has paved the way for hand-held mobile gaming devices to make it possible for gamblers to play slots and random-number-generator table games at public areas such as restaurants, lounges, pools and convention spaces. At the time of writing the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, its sister property the Palazzo, which is currently under construction on the Strip and the Palms have announced plans to feature wireless gaming. Another hot concept shown at the 2006 Global Gaming Expo currently in development by WMS Gaming is called ″Sensory Immersion Gaming″. The sensory immersion gaming will be a new gaming experience that combines a BOSE 3Space audio system with new, real-time, 3D graphics display. The casino game showcased was ″Top Gun″ which was based on the 80’s hit movie with the same name. This game allows a player to be Maverick, Ice Man or Goose while playing the Top Gun video slot machine and makes you feel like you are in the cockpit flying.

With gamblers looking for fun and excitement coupled with casinos ready and willing to give it to them, anyone taking notice can always count on this relationship to be entertaining and profitable!

There is an interesting background to the Cambodia casinos that lie just across the border from neighboring Thailand, where casino gambling is illegal. Eight casinos are situated in a relatively small area in the city of Poipet in Cambodia. This conclave of Cambodia casinos is in a prime location, a three to four drive from Bangkok and Macao, the two biggest gambling centers in Asia. Cambodia casinos do a thriving business with Thai workers and visitors from Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, with only very few Westerners. The phenomenal income gained from the casinos ranges from $7.5 million to over 12.5 million, and there are few restrictions or registration requirements for casino ownership. Ownership is presumed to be largely Thai; however, investment sources are vague. The borders are officially open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and although visas are supposedly required to cross, there are ways around this, as is true of most border crossings.

The first Cambodia casinos opened in Phnom Penh in 1994, but were forced to close in 1998, leaving only one casino in the capital, the Naga Resort. The Naga, a stationary boat casino, features 150 slots and sixty table games. The Naga casino is open 24 hours with 42 tables of mini-baccarat, four tables of blackjack, 10 of roulette, two of Caribbean Stud Poker, and one each of Pai-Gow and Tai-Sai.

The first casino in Poipet, the Holiday Palace, opened in 1999 and the Golden Crown soon followed. There are 150 slots and five table games at the Golden Crown and 104 slots and 68 table games at the Holiday Palace. The newer Holiday Palace Casino and Resort features 300 slots and 70 table games and the Princess Hotel and Casino, also in Poipet, has 166 slots and 96 gaming tables, including 87 baccarat (the most popular game), Fan Tan, and Pai Gow. In addition, there is the Casino Tropicana, with 135 slots and 66 of the familiar table games, as well as one table of Casino Stud Poker. Another one of the eight casinos in Poipet, also in a hotel, is the Princess Casino with 166 slots and 97 games. The Star Vegas Casino is part of an international resort and hotel complex that features a number of amenities in addition to the casino, which has 10,000 square feet of 130 slots and 88 table games.

Across the Cambodian border at Asmech/Surin is one casino, the Casino O Samet, with 100 slots and 50 tables of baccarat. In addition, the Koh Kong Casino, in the province of Trat, is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with 100 slots and four table games. A smaller casino, Le Macau Casino and Hotel, opened recently at Bavet on the Vietnamese border.

Las Vegas casinos are among the most popular places to visit in the world. Even with competition from casinos on Indian reservations, riverboat casinos and state run lotteries Las Vegas casinos attract more people and earn record amounts of revenue from gamblers. In 2005, there were 38,566,717 visitors that came to Las Vegas casinos that generated $9.7 billion in gaming revenue. Slots remain the top game people play while in casinos followed by blackjack, wagering an average of $626.50 each trip. Most visitors gambled on the Strip with downtown Vegas being their second choice. People love to gamble in Las Vegas and businesses love to open up casinos for them to wager in.

The question is sometimes asked, why do people gamble? When you look at the fun and excitement of winning, a lot of people enjoy the challenges of beating the house. After all, if you play smart and come out with a profit, it shows everyone that a person can ″beat the odds″ and win against the big institutions. And gambling itself is a safe form of risk-taking that some players looking for the ″rush of excitement″ can find. Social interaction is another reason as the fun atmosphere encourages people to be friendly and conversational. For some segments of society, like the elderly, this sometimes has an aura of attractiveness. Incentives like casino comps, free rooms and drinks or slot tournaments bring in those who like to be rewarded for their wagering. Plus there are the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars being offered in huge jackpots and progressives as far as the eye can see.

From an investment standpoint, the money made can be staggering. Owners and investors realize that from the long-term point of view, games of chance mathematically speaking are always in favor of the house. For example, slot machines owned by the most profitable Indian Reservation casinos in California earn over $500 a day each for which the casino may have invested $10,000 per device. And with slot machines lasting about 5 years, a machine could earn $912,500 during its lifetime. Multiply this figure by 2,000 slot devices, which a number of the largest Indian casinos have on their floors, and you can see the potential for why investors love gaming establishments. Earnings per machine are less in Las Vegas, where there is more competition but the concept of how money can be made is easily understood. Add to this shopping malls with high-end stores, convention facilities along with catering to business travelers, and things become even more attractive.

Players who frequent casinos can look forward to new, fun and innovative ways to enjoy their action. For one, keep your eyes open for wireless gaming at casinos. In July 2006 the Nevada Gaming Control Board came out with policy standards for wireless gaming to be used at casinos in Las Vegas. This has paved the way for hand-held mobile gaming devices to make it possible for gamblers to play slots and random-number-generator table games at public areas such as restaurants, lounges, pools and convention spaces. At the time of writing the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, its sister property the Palazzo, which is currently under construction on the Strip and the Palms have announced plans to feature wireless gaming. Another hot concept shown at the 2006 Global Gaming Expo currently in development by WMS Gaming is called ″Sensory Immersion Gaming″. The sensory immersion gaming will be a new gaming experience that combines a BOSE 3Space audio system with new, real-time, 3D graphics display. The casino game showcased was ″Top Gun″ which was based on the 80’s hit movie with the same name. This game allows a player to be Maverick, Ice Man or Goose while playing the Top Gun video slot machine and makes you feel like you are in the cockpit flying.

With gamblers looking for fun and excitement coupled with casinos ready and willing to give it to them, anyone taking notice can always count on this relationship to be entertaining and profitable!

Several years ago while losing at Blackjack, I was told by a floor supervisor that I didn’t have enough “points” to get a free buffet for my wife and I. “What!” I exclaimed. “I just lost five hundred dollars at this silly game and you’re saying that’s not enough to feed us?” I became indignant; then sullen; then I began to analyze just how casinos decide who gets comp’ed. The result of my research is below. Please profit from it -so you and your wife don’t ever go hungry:

1. Use Your Player Card. A Player card issued by a casino is intended to “track your play.” As you move through a myriad of slot machines (and table games) it records information on how much you bet, when, and low long was your “session.” This information is then sent to the main Customer Service computers that award you either “comp points” or even cash. The whole idea is simple and it really does work. If you play for seven hours on a dollar slot machine and lose five thousand dollars, you had better have been using a player card. If not, the casino never “sees” your play, and won’t give you the comps you’re entitled to.

2. Blackjack Tips. When you come to a blackjack table, give your card to the dealer. He’ll pass it back to a floor supervisor who will enter your player ID number into his pit computer. He’ll also record your buy-in amount, and how much you are betting per hand. Not each hand, but an average hand. If you want to increase comps, buy-in for large amounts, and start with at least $25. per hand. Twenty-five is the minimum amount the house will start to give you comps. Now later on, when he turns away, you can lower your bet(s). Unlike slots, you can get away with this move.

3. Stay Put. If you don’t get enough time at the table, you won’t earn many comps. I learned a long time ago that ten or fifteen minutes sessions at table games go virtually “unseen” by the comp people. If you must change tables, mention to the floor supervisor that you’re moving “a couple of tables down.” That way, he’ll record your play as a continuous session. Going from pit to pit is a good way to lose your comps. If the floor manager who started your session can’t find you after awhile, he’ll clock you off the session and you’ll never get decent comps, no matter how much you bet. Casinos like long sessions, at high rates of play.

4. Chit-Chat with the Floor Manager. If you’re playing a table game and the floor manager is around, he’s watching your play. He’s looking for how much you’re betting and whether or not you’re winning or losing. But did you know that a floor manager (often mistakenly called a Pit Boss) is given the latitude to comp you and your wife by his own decision? If you’ve talked to him (or her) and struck up a friendly conversation, he’s probably ‘gonna give you that buffet comp, just because he likes you. Ask him some questions. Ask for his advice. Let him know you are interested in whatever he has to say. Sometimes he’ll feel sorry for you and use his discretionary power to award you a comp. This is especially true when you stray off the reservation and play in a hotel casino you’re not staying in. You may have to ask for the comp, but it a cinch he won’t give it to you if he doesn’t know you.

5. Make Contact with Casino Hosts. Depending on the level of your play, a Casino Host (sometimes called Casino Marketing Reps) are good people to know. They can offer you reduced air fares, set up lines of credit, reduced or free rooms, take food and beverage bills off your tabs, and generally make you much more liable to come back. They can even use their influence to get show tickets or rooms in other cities. You may not consider yourself a high roller, but the casino still wants your play. Establish a relationship with a Casino host, by name, and call him before you plan your trip. (I started a relationship with a Casino Host at the Mirage and it has served me quite well.) He might even upgrade your room or comp the whole thing. As you may have guessed, a Casino Host rewards you according to your play, so don’t get unrealistic expectations about your level of comps.

I know Vegas is a wonderful place to stroll. There are so many things to see and do. How could you possibly stay in one joint? You can’t. The casinos know that, too. But if you want maximum comps, be disciplined enough to return to your “home casino.” Lots of little sessions spread all over town do not equal good comps. Besides, if you’ve “done Vegas” before, it’s tiring running around all over the place. Stay in one casino and you’ll reward yourself with more comps.

The internet has changed our lives in many exciting ways, including of course the way we gamble. These days, gambling no longer means making the often hours long trip to the casino. Playing a great game of blackjack can be as simple as turning on your computer and logging on to your favorite online gaming web site.

The internet is also a great place to learn the game of blackjack, including the various card counting strategies that make up such a big part of the game. There are many online blackjack games that can be played for free, and these practice games are a great place to start for the beginning blackjack player, or for the experienced player trying out a new betting strategy.

Another great thing about playing blackjack online is that there are many free strategy coaches and card counting coaches to teach you the ins and outs of the game before you start gambling with real money. Blackjack is one of those rare casino games where a savvy player can tip the odds in their favor, and online blackjack is a great way for the smart player to earn some great returns.

Whether you are a new player learning the fun and excitement of the game of blackjack, or an experienced card shark looking for some fun and excitement, the world of online blackjack certainly has a great deal to offer.

There is a huge myth around card counting that has built up that it is a road to riches.

The reality however is different. The odds of making a lot of money are poor regardless of how good a card counter you are.

Let's find out why.

Card Counting Odds

The best odds you can are about 1.5% in your favour.

This is over the LONG term and by long term we mean thousands of hours of playing.

When you consider you can play games of pure chance and place bets at almost even is it worth the extra effort?

We will come to the best way to make money in online gambling in a moment, but let's look how most people don't even get 1.5% in their favour when they play a game of blackjack.

How Casino's cut the odds

The odds are not great on single deck games and the odds go against the player even more when casinos use multiple decks and there are a number of other rules casino's throw in to cut the odds.

We have all heard the stories of card counters would be banned by casinos but this is simply a myth.

For example, an online casino can't see what a player is doing and quite frankly they don't care if you card count or not.

They know with multiple decks, unfavourable rules, and the fact that the player advantage (which is small) is over thousands of hours of playing and this means without errors etc.

Does this mean I should not play blackjack?

Not at all, were simply pointing out if you are playing to make money rather than have fun don't play it.

If you enjoy the game go ahead, but keep the above in mind.

It is not the road to riches that many players think.

If do play blackjack

If you do play use a simple card counting system (the more complicated systems change the odds very little and players tend to make more errors) and don't rely on your winnings to pay the rent!

If you want to win in online gaming poker is the game to play. How many stories do you see of people making big money playing blackjack? Not Many.

How many poker players make huge consistent winnings? Check out the internet and you will find a huge amount.

If you enjoy blackjack play it.

If you want to make money rather than waste your time studying card counting and playing with a small odds over long time span move tables and put your efforts into becoming a good poker player and you will make a lot more money.

A blackjack basic strategy cuts the casino edge and most players know this, but what most players do not grasp is that not all casino blackjack games are the same.

Where you play the game, can increase or decrease the effectiveness of your basic strategy dramatically.

Here we will look at blackjack basic strategy and its advantages and how it is affected by favourable and unfavourable rules.

How a Blackjack Basic Strategy Increases Your Odds of Success What does the basic strategy get you in terms of cutting the casino edge in blackjack?

The casino’s initial edge in the game is about 5.75%, but by using a blackjack basic strategy, it is possible to reduce the casino edge to around 0.5%. Here is an illustration of how:

Initial casino Advantage 5.75%

Hitting and standing -3.25%

Doubling -1.5%

Pair splitting -0.5%

Casino Advantage with Strategy 0.5%

Increasing Your Advantage Further - Look for Favourable Rules

You can increase your advantage using blackjack basic strategy further by picking a casino with favourable rules, and avoiding those with unfavourable rules.

Here is an overview of the advantages gained in relation to specific rule variations and how player’s odds are decreased, or increased.

Favourable Rules to Player

Early surrender +0.62%

Late surrender Single deck +0.02%

Double down after splitting +0.13%

Drawing to split aces +0.14%

Re splitting of aces +0.03%

Double down cards any number +0.20%

2:1 payoff blackjack +2.32%

Unfavourable Rules to Player

no doubling on hard 11 -0.89%

no doubling on hard 10 -0.56%

no doubling on hard 9 -0.14%

no doubling soft hands -0.14%

dealer hits soft 17 -0.20%

dealer takes no hole card -0.13%

2 decks (v single) -0.35%

4 decks (v single -0.51%

6 decks (v single) -0.60%

pairs no re splitting -0.05%

Correct Implementation + Favourable Rules = Optimum Advantage with Blackjack Basic Strategy

Mathematical simulations of millions of hands have shown the effectiveness of the blackjack basic strategy and it is the basis of all card-counting systems.

Many players don’t however, play it to its maximum potential, as they don’t play with favourable rules. If you don’t, you are missing great longer-term profit potential. Don’t make the same mistake, play smart and be lucky!

Blackjack is perhaps the only game played in casinos where the players can beat the dealer at least sometimes, if not most of the times. One way players do it is by carefully analyzing the remaining cards, placing variable bets, and making judicious decisions on when to stay or buy. The overall strategy and the planning come usually through experience of playing the games for years together.

One can come across literally hundreds of Web sites, which offer many programs to calculate the best strategy. Most of them offer free downloads from their sties. You can test these strategies against your preferred counting method. One reason why casinos promote blackjack, even when the dealer stands to lose, is because most people don’t have the proper strategy to beat them. So, while these players continue to lose money, casinos are happy to fill in their coffers. The basic strategy which is used in beating the dealer involves keeping track of the cards. One should always know which cards are still in the show. What this means is that you should have at least the basic card counting skills. Another important thing to do, if you want to beat dealers, is to know when to place minimum stakes and when to bet high. One cannot hope to win against dealers without a sound strategy based on these basics, in the long run.

Experienced gamblers are well versed in mathematical formulas and the laws of probability, using them to their advantage to beat dealers. One can acquire the required knowledge by surfing through the Internet and find out more about making the right decisions. Anyone who wants to gain mastery over blackjack to the extent of beating dealers can go through these online resources and find out more in detail, about the various strategies involved. Blackjack is immensely popular because most of these strategies are fairly easy to master, with a little bit of practice.