Blackjack is one of the easiest games to play at an online casino, and also one of the most enjoyable. It is great to beat the dealer time after time, but it is even better to make money. What hands actually make you money though?

When you play blackjack you really need a 19, 20 or 21 to win, or you need the dealer to bust. Getting a 17 or an 18 is just not going to do the job. For example, let’s say you stand on 17 when playing blackjack. You will lose most of the time when the dealer shows any card except a 6. So what can you do about this rotten hand of 17? You can hit the soft 17, but other than that, you are pretty much stuck.

What about 18? You would think you would be in better shape when you have 18. You are, but not by that much. You make money when the dealer shows a 2-8, but you lose against the 9, 10, or Ace. That is why you want to hit the soft 18 against a dealer’s 9, 10 or Ace.

What about 19? This hand should be much better right? It is definitely better, but still it does not guarantee you a win. If the dealer shows an ace or a 10 you are still in trouble. In the long run you will still lose money against those two cards.

When you have a 20, then you finally have a strong hand. Against any dealer's up card including an ace, you will make money in the long run. And you already know that a 21 is going to win almost every time in blackjack.

Posted: Mar 4, 2009