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Basic strategy is a must for anyone who plays blackjack, be that with friends, at a USA online casino or at a bricks and mortar casino. Quite simply, basic strategy is the only way to play blackjack if you care about the nickels and dimes – and dollars!

Basic strategy is the name given to the method of playing blackjack that gives players the best mathematical chance of winning. Basic strategy, which is usually expressed as a chart, tells you precisely what decision to make in any given situation in blackjack and applies equally to online blackjack, mobile blackjack and indeed any form of the great casino card game.

Basic strategy tells you, based on the value of your two cards and the dealer’s one revealed card, whether you should hit, stand, split, double, surrender or take insurance. Some of those decisions are easy – never take insurance; always, and we do mean always, split eights – but others are more complex: for example should you hit a soft 18 to a dealer showing a nine (the answer is yes, assuming standard rules apply and four to eight decks are being used)?

Basic strategy, which was “invented” by four keen minds who were serving in the US army at the time, varies according to the precise rule variants the casino you are playing in uses but in general most decisions remain the same. It’s easy to find basic strategy charts and when you’re playing at an online blackjack site, referring to the guide is a quick and easy way to give yourself the best odds of winning.

Any blackjack ruleset has a house edge but in order to achieve that house edge you MUST follow the rules of basic strategy. Whilst it may not always seem the right call, the fact is that basic strategy has been mathematically and scientifically tested and it really does give you the greatest chance of success.

Of course, when you hit on a 16 you may well bust and lose that individual hand, but over time you will win more hands by doing as basic strategy tells you than you will following your gut, listening to your friends or anything else. So, in short, if you like to play blackjack online and like winning, make basic strategy your new friend.

People play at US online casinos for different reasons but winning is important to all of them. Even players who play for fun must have at least one eye on making a profit because there isn’t much fun in losing every time you hit the slots or tables. A staking plan is essential for a serious casino player but even for those who just like a few spins of the roulette wheel it can help them make a profit and, also, help them avoid making any big losses.

The Martingale System is one of the most famous casino staking plans around and is usually applied to roulette (betting on colors) but can be used for other games. In theory it is risk free but, as discussed in our Martingale feature not even the best US online casinos offer the conditions needed for the theory to come even close to working in practice.

Martingale is, however, a form of negative progression staking, which means as you lose bets, you increase the stake. The idea here is to recover former losses but as a general rule we advise against any negative progression system, including Martingale, Grand Martingale and the less well known D’Alembert. They amount to chasing losses and also mean you are betting your highest when your finances are weakest and it doesn’t take a casino genius to figure out that neither of these things are too wise.

The opposite sort of system sees you increase stakes when you are winning and this is certainly preferable. In some games, for example blackjack, where what has gone before can affect the future probabilities, there could even be a sound argument for this, but at the very least it holds some value because your stake is remaining, to a degree at least, proportionate to your bankroll. However, it’s all too easy to get greedy and knowing when to stop is vital, as it’s very easy for a profit to turn to a loss with big bets.

Our preferred staking plan for all online casino games is a level stakes system. Take your bank, divide it by the number of hands/spins you would see as the minimum required to have a decent session playing and then simply wager that amount on each hand, spin or roll. This system guarantees you avoid any huge losses and that you stick to a budget – two things crucial to enjoyable and successful casino play. So the next time you play at a USA online casino keep this in mind so you have the best chances of winning by the end of your gaming session.

Martingale is a staking plan that is most closely associated with roulette but can actually be used for other popular US online casino games such as blackjack or baccarat. In fact, just about any bet that pays odds of evens or thereabouts and has a roughly 50% chance of success is suitable for Martingale.

What is the Martingale System?

The Martingale System is a negative progression staking plan. This means that after a losing bet you increase your stake. In the case of Martingale you double the stake after each loss, reverting to the base staking unit after any win.

Why is it so Popular?

The system, which was invented in France in the 1700s, remains popular to this day, with many players believing they have hit upon a foolproof way to make money that cannot lose. Because you double your stake, any win, even after a long string of losses, means you are in profit overall and so players believe they can always dig themselves out of any hole by doubling the stake until they win.

Does it Work?

The short and sweet answer is no, Martingale DOES NOT WORK. That is the case if, by work, we mean provide a risk free way to make money from online casino games such as roulette or blackjack, or other games available at the best US online casinos that have similar odds/payouts.

Why Martingale Doesn’t Work

Martingale cannot overcome the fact that in roulette the house has the advantage. The zero (never play double zero versions of roulette!) gives the casino an edge of 2.70% and whatever numbers you bet on and whatever stakes you use, in the long term that is what the casino will win from the player. All Martingale does is shift the pattern of winning and losing, such that you may have lots of small wins before one huge loss wipes them out… and then some.

If you had infinite time, money, stamina, courage and a casino with no limits, Martingale would work and you could always double your stake. However, in reality almost all players will hit a losing streak that means they run out of cash at some stage and are hit with a huge loss. This WILL happen and so our advice is simple – whether playing roulette or any other casino game, don’t use the Martingale System!