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Blackjack Gambling Myths: How To Blame Your Losses

Even though we all know that blackjack has the lowest house edge of all casino table games, there's still a fair amount of luck involved. That's why it's still classed as a game of chance. And where ever Lady Luck raises her pretty little head, we find all sorts of reasons for her appearance, and conversely, her non-appearance. Gamblers, being the superstitious bunch they are, constantly make excuses as to why a certain outcome failed them. Yet deep down, they all know that it's a game based on logic and math. So let's have a look at some f these rather sad blackjack gambling myths.

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Image source: Poliander80 / CC BY-SA via Wikimedia Commons

“The Heater” (aka Playing Streaks)

Yes, we’ve all heard the saying about how history repeats itself. But that’s about learning from the past. Here we have a blackjack player thinking that the past somehow has an influence on the future…of playing cards! Bonkers! Yes, there are streaks in gambling. But that’s just a short term phenomenon. A “Heater” can only be seen after the event. A card counter doesn’t bother looking at past wins and losses. He is keeping a count of the cards that have already been dealt with because, armed with that information, he has a better idea of what’s to come. In fact, as a card counter, you have no other source other than pure math.

Blackjack Gambling Myths: Betting More When You Are “Due”

This is the thinking that if, for example, you toss a coin three times, and each time it lands on heads, then for the fourth throw, you must be due tails. Nope. It doesn’t work like that. Again, as with the above, it’s still stuck in the idea that the past has a hold on the future. Sorry, but slot machines, decks of cards, and dice have no memory. Here’s the truth…you are not “due”. Only the casino is “due”. They already have everything in place to ensure that the odds are against you, no matter how many rounds you’ve played.

Now the reason that card counting is something different is that you are being selective when you place your bets. When the math tells you the odds are in your favor. This doesn’t mean that you’ll win every hand. Just that the odds will, over time, allow you to win more money during those particular hands.

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Leave When You’re Winning

This comes from the idea that each session is somehow independent of another. But in reality, you should look at your gambling as a single giant session over many years. As a gambler, you’ll get lucky sometimes, but over the course of time, you’ll end up losing. To that end, if you’re going to be losing anyways, then why not now? You’ve already paid for the petrol to get to the casino, maybe a hotel and some meals. Whether you’re winning right now, or losing, in the long run, it really doesn’t matter. Remember why you’re at the casino. You can’t win. So, you’re there for the fun, the excitement, and when it’s over, you simply move on. So the right time to leave is when the entertainment value is over.

If you’re a card counter then things are different. That’s because you are able to have more control over the house edge. If you are a “perfect” card counter, then the more hours you play, the larger your bankroll will grow.

Blackjack Gambling Myths: Predicting The “Flow” Of The Cards

This really belongs up there in the “crazy” section. Many gamblers subscribe to the belief that following in the footsteps of some weird Zen shit, the cards have their own “flow”. That there’s some sort of Wah, or Karmic force driving the order that the cards are dealt. Unless you’re a Jedi, then it’s all nonsense. Remember that the cards are shuffled, so everything is random. There’s an almost infinite number of variations that a 6 deck shoe can spit out. The simple fact of the matter is that to be a successful blackjack player, you need to understand the math.

If you keep a count of the cards that have been already dealt with, then you can have a better idea of what might come next. So, if for example, the shoe has a high saturation of high cards, then the advantage shifts over to the player. You will be needing to play a perfect basic strategy at blackjack in order to win. So let’s stop this silly idea that you can “read” the cards or spot a pattern. These are just lame excuses for being bad at cards.

Believing The Other Player “Screwed Up The Hand For Everyone”

The classic, “Hey, he took my card and that’s why I lost”. Yeah, he did. But if you put on your logic hat, then there’s exactly the same chance that you took his card! And that’s why he lost. See…it dumb both ways! The only reason you’re losing at blackjack is simply that the game is designed that way. Look around you when you’re seated at the games table in the casino. Someone has to pay for all those flashing lights, staff, and food and beverage. Yep…it’s you! It’s just human nature to blame others for your losses and then pat yourself on the back when you win. Kinda sad really.

Blackjack Gambling Myths: Thinking Someone Can Always Win

If you mention that you can count cards, there’s always the response that “my uncle always wins at craps”. No, he does not! For sure he loses more than he wins (you cannot beat craps even over the long haul). The point here is that no one always wins. Even the best card counters only can win 55 times out of 100 games. But talk is cheap. Gamblers like to talk about their wins, and yet their losses are forgotten. Keep in mind that watching someone win, doesn’t make them a winner. Only many games over a long period of time can do that.

Blaming The Casino Of Cheating

Dude, the casino doesn’t have to cheat. They are winning anyways. The odds are already in their favor. In the long run, the house will always win. It’s not “cheating”, it’s simply that the house has an “edge” and over time, this will become more pronounced. If you honestly think that the casino is cheating, then you have no idea what an actual casino is, let alone how it works.

Believing The Dealer Was “Just Lucky”

The house will always win over time. That’s the nature of the casino business. So the dealer is going to beat you, over time, and there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s how the casino makes it’s money…from you losing. Remember that “luck” is just “variance”. dealers are not lucky anymore than they are unlucky.

Blackjack Gambling Myths: Progressive Betting Systems

These systems all have fancy names, but not one of them works. There are practical reasons as to why. The main one’s being that you’ll inevitably get a 10 or more losing streak which will completely wipe out your total bankroll. Also, you’ll reach the table betting limit very quickly and won’t be able to bet more. Also, the casinos or the online jackpot sites already have a house edge built-in.

Having Any System For Blackjack

OK…we’ll admit that having a betting system can change the pattern of wins and losses. But there’s absolutely no way that any betting system can change the odds of the game. Of course, deep down every player has a system they follow, because of their personality or the fact that we are creatures of habit. But other than counting cards, there’s no system that works.