Blackjack Betting Systems

When you first start to play blackjack, whether it is on-line or in a casino, an important thing to appreciate is your money. Nobody likes to lose money and it can be a vicious cycle once you start. There is a popular saying that you can be sure of two things in life and they are death and taxes. If you are playing blackjack then you can add to it: a losing streak.
Now this may seem a little dramatic and there is no need to worry but when you play you will sometimes face a losing streak and you feel that your luck has run out. There are a number of systems that people use to try to halt a bad run.
The Martingale system is the most widely known and it plays like this. After a loss then you double your bet until you win. Now no system is infallible, or we would all use it, wouldn’t we? But the premise of this is, for example, you bet $10, you lose, you then double and bet $20. You lose again then you bet $40 and so on. The big thing with this is if you do win, you break even with a $10 win. To some players this means that they have broken the streak.
This is just one system that is called a progressive betting system and the majority of systems are a variant of the Martingale. They range from “double if you lose,” to “up the bet as you win.” And it is important to the player to understand that no system is perfect.
One has to realize that when playing blackjack it is important to control your spending so you are not losing the plot and playing above your means. Five dollar games will not get a person looking at holiday brochures for the Bahamas.
The Kelly Criterion is a very popular method that is used to keep players’ feet on the ground. The method is that when playing you should bet your percentage advantage over the house multiplied by your bankroll.
A one percent advantage translates into you playing a $1000 bankroll and then betting $10. If you were to win another $1000 then your bankroll is now $2000 so you would now bet $20 when playing. This means that you are playing more intelligently and not in danger of losing it all in one go. The most cautious players go as far as to play half of Kelly. This applies the same method only halved. In the event of you losing a hand or going on a losing run then your bet is adjusted downwards to suit the bankroll. So if that $1000 is now $500, you apply the same technique and the bet is now $5.
Managing your money in a correct manner, and with control, will serve to lengthen your stay at the table and ensure that you are having fun as you are not losing too big and can afford it.