How To Be Good At Online Blackjack

Steve Bourie, author of the American Casino Guide, interviews Michael 'Wizard of Odds' Shackleford about blackjack. Mike answers some of the most common ques. The good news is that it’s not that hard to learn how to play blackjack online, which people sometimes call “21” due to rules of blackjack. Once you learn how to play blackjack online, you’re going to find out that it’s a game that actually provides solid payback to those who play it with the right strategy. While these four rules do not represent 'perfect' Blackjack basic strategy, they give you a great deal of the advantage of a perfect basic strategy and are very simple to memorize.

• How To Be Good At Online Blackjack Card Game
• How To Be Good At Online Blackjack Poker
• How To Be Good At Online Blackjack Games

The Random Number Generator (RNG) is at the heart of the modern online gambling industry and is prevalent in all online games, blackjack included. The RNG’s purpose is to ensure random, i.e. unpredictable outcomes, guaranteeing fairness for everyone involved.

Blackjack is by far the only casino game where players can turn the tables in their favor through the implementation of advantage play techniques such as card counting. This is possible because blackjack is a game of dependent events, meaning that previous outcomes affect the odds of future outcomes. Players use the knowledge of past cards dealt to make better informed playing decisions about the hands to follow.

Is this the case in online blackjack variations that run on RNGs, though? Rather than having a human dealer to shuffle and randomize the card order, online blackjack uses algorithms and mathematical formulas to ensure each card that appears on the virtual felt is dealt at random. This prevents the games from showing bias toward the dealer or the player.

For years, gambling buffs have speculated as to whether or not such games are truly random and unbeatable. Some swear by the unpredictability of randomly generated online blackjack while others believe the games are exploitable.

Here at SuperCasinoSites, we give you the full lowdown on all you need to know about Random Number Generators in online blackjack as well as an answer to the question are such games beatable or not.

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The RNG and How It Works?

The RNG made its entry into the gambling industry as a new way to operate slots. Slot machines previously had physical reels that rotated to determine which symbols would eventually appear and potentially create winning combinations.

Slots gradually developed into more complicated games with multiple paylines and special features. The need to introduce a new way of ensuring random outcomes arose. Physical space was limited on old-fashioned reels and did not allow for the ever-increasing number of symbols and winning combinations in advanced slots.

It is this need that led to the introduction of the Random Number Generator. The RNG is a built-in program that relies on mathematical computations to generate fully random events. Frequently implemented in scientific simulations, it also found its way into the gambling industry with the rise of online casinos.

The RNG can be used to simulate random independent events such as the roll of the dice, the spin of a roulette wheel or the flip of a coin. In the context of online blackjack, the RNG shuffles the cards, ensuring every single hand is randomly dealt and has an unpredictable result.

The software achieves this by generating lengthy strings of random numbers. It has no knowledge of previous results and lacks a predictable pattern. The implementation of RNGs is essential when it comes to ensuring fair and unbiased online casino games, whether it is blackjack, roulette, slots or any other game with an element of chance. They are also used in brick-and-mortar venues for electronic roulette and blackjack, keno, and video poker.

True Random and Pseudo-Random Number Generators

There are several types of RNGs, the first one being the True Random Number Generator (TRNG) which relies on some external input to spit out random results. The TRNG is significantly more expensive to maintain. It is mostly used in the field of cryptography where its main purpose is to spew random cryptographic keys to transfer data safely.

The vast majority of online casinos rely on the so-called Pseudo-Random Number Generators (PRNG). Unlike the TRNG, the PRNG is deterministic and uses complex algorithms to produce unpredictable results in casino games like blackjack. Let’s have a more detailed look at the differences between these two main types of RNG.

One-to-One Comparison between TRNGs and PRNGs

True Random Number Generators (TRNG)

TRNGs rely on different natural phenomena or external sources to produce random numbers. To use a simple example, suppose you place 1,000 microphones in multiple noisy areas worldwide. You can use their combined sound output for the purpose of randomization. The TRNG will use these obviously unpredictable random sounds and translate them into strings of numbers.

This type of RNG lacks a computer algorithm to make computations, which means the numbers its spews are indeed an unpredictably jumbled mess. The TRNG extracts random numbers from physical phenomena such as the movements of a computer mouse, keystrokes, radiation waves, and atmospheric noise.

TRNGs are also known as Hardware Random Number Generators because they use hardware transducers to transform certain aspects of physical phenomena into electrical signals. This physical output is then converted into random digital numbers with the help of analog-to-digital conversion systems.

There are many ways to achieve absolute randomness but most TRNGs usually rely on external sources such as radiation waves. One great example is the HotBits service which creates random numbers by timing the decay of consecutive radioactive pairs, an inherently unpredictable process. This information is detected and fed into a computer straight from a Geiger–Müller tube.

Atmospheric noise can also be used for this purpose and so can background noises like those in office buildings or laboratories. In the second case, you will have to watch closely for discernible patterns as those can hurt randomness.

Another cool example of a highly functional TRNG is Silicon Graphics’ lavarand generator. It extracted random data from snapshots of the shapes made by the floating material in lava lamps. The data was then used to produce truly unpredictable seeds for a Pseudo-Random Number Generator.

Regardless of what physical phenomenon is implemented for the generation, the TRNG is non-deterministic, which means the number sequences it produces cannot be recreated, intentionally repeated, or predicted in any way.

With that said, certain number sequences can repeat themselves several times but this repetition happens entirely by chance. As for efficiency, TRNGs often lack in this department. Unlike PRNG, they require more time to generate numbers.

Pseudo-Random Number Generators (PRNG)

Many online blackjack variations run on the so-called Pseudo-Random Number Generators (PRNGs) to give randomness a kick. Rather than relying on completely unpredictable physical phenomena, the PRNG uses complex algorithms and computations based on a predetermined set of rules.

The difference here is that the PRNG does not necessarily require an external input to produce random outcomes. All they require is a fixed algorithm and seed numbers to kick off the process of random number generation. Each random number corresponds to a particular card value and suit.

The PRNG is highly efficient at its task because it is capable of producing very long strings of numbers every millisecond. Unlike TRNGs, the PRNG is deterministic, which is to say it can reproduce a specific number sequence at a later date if need be. It is also periodic in the sense that number sequences, no matter how chaotic they appear to be, will sooner or later start to repeat themselves.

It makes sense this periodicity is an undesirable trait in the context of online gambling games such as blackjack. It takes away from the unpredictability of the hands’ outcomes. This renders online blackjack games theoretically exploitable.

In practice, though, the period of repetition of sophisticated casino PRNGs is extremely long and involves billions of hands. This fact alone prevents players from detecting any patterns in the outcomes whatsoever.

The casino software communicates with the PRNG each time it must reproduce a random result. The PRNG then generates a number and feeds it back to the software. Each number is related to a potential outcome or card value and the software displays it accordingly.

Assume, for instance, you are playing blackjack in a landbased casino and you choose to hit. The dealer will simply draw the next card from the top of the deck or shoe. This is not what happens in online blackjack since here cards are not dealt from a “real” shoe.

The casino software would simply instruct the PRNG to generate an arbitrary number, which will determine the value of the card you are dealt next. This process repeats itself after every single hand. Once you finish a round, the discards are reintroduced back into the virtual shoe and reshuffled. In essence, you are always playing from a fresh and therefore, neutral shoe.

The table below is a one-to-one comparison between Pseudo and True Random Number Generators.

Measures Taken to Ensure Fairness in RNG-Based Blackjack Games

Online blackjack utilizes Random Number Generators in place of dealers, which causes some players to question the authenticity of the games. Are they rigged in favor of the house or not? One typical scenario is when a player goes through several hundred hands, loses half or the majority of them, and quickly jumps to the conclusion the game is rigged. It seems the virtual dealer always manages to outdraw them no matter what upcard they show.

The trouble is this scenario is not all that uncommon in gambling, even if you play games like blackjack which combine elements of skill, strategy, and chance. The above-mentioned reasoning is a classic case of confirmation bias.

Us humans have the tendency to look for, interpret and sift out information in a way that reinforces our prior individual beliefs. Some players’ line of thinking is “I am losing a hand after hand so the game most definitely is rigged against me!”. However, a sample size of several hundred or thousand blackjack hands is hardly sufficient when it comes to drawing any such conclusions.

We would like to point out honesty and fair play are not something you should worry about if you play blackjack at reputable, licensed, and properly regulated online casinos. Here is why:

Tests and Evaluations of the RNGs

Tests and evaluations of the RNGs used in blackjack games are performed regularly to make sure the software works efficiently. The available blackjack variations undergo frequent audits by third-party testing companies like eCOGRA, Gaming Laboratories International or Technical Systems Testing.

These are all independent auditors to prevent any conflict of interest. The audits assess the games’ RNGs, using sample sizes that involve millions of blackjack hands. This is the only way to determine whether the outcomes of a given game add up to its built-in payout percentage or not.

Certificate From the Testing Agency

Once an online casino passes the audits successfully, it is granted a certificate from the testing agency to post on its website. This badge of approval indicates the blackjack variations, along with all other available games, are random and therefore, fair. Moreover, online gambling operators are expected to report the results of these audits, along with their games’ payout percentages, to their regulators. If something is amiss, the casino faces serious repercussions.

Randomness in the Blackjack Games

Finally, randomness is of utmost importance for casino operators as well. It preserves the integrity of the blackjack games and ensures the casino generates sufficient expected value to continue operating. Remember you are already playing against the house at a small disadvantage, roughly 0.50% in blackjack games with more favorable rules.

There is no need for online casino operators to cheat you and risk losing their licenses in the process. They have already secured their cut from the virtual blackjack tables thanks to the built-in house edge. Casinos face a heavy financial penalization and license suspension if an audit determines their blackjack games are rigged.

The Attributes of Exploitable Blackjack Games

Now that you have understood what the RNG is and how it is implemented in online card games, we shall return to our original question, namely “Can you beat the RNG in online blackjack?”. And more particularly, is this feat achievable through the implementation of techniques like card counting. To answer this question, we must first examine the attributes of profitable, i.e. beatable, blackjack games.

Favorable House Rules

To begin with, you need to find blackjack variations with favorable rules that reduce the house edge enough so you can beat the game. Some of the things you need to consider in advance include the payouts for blackjacks, the number of decks, and the doubling and splitting rules.

The more liberal the rules are, the lower the house edge becomes. The rules of some variants are poor enough to render the games unbeatable. Other rules like Late Surrender are favorable to players and decrease the casino advantage.

Games that offer reduced payouts of 6 to 5 for blackjacks have considerably higher house edges and should be avoided at all costs. Luckily, the majority of online blackjack variations pay for naturals at standard odds of 3 to 2.

Good Penetration

The second attribute of beatable games is good enough deck penetration. For the uninitiated, the term designates how deep the dealer would deal into the shoe before reshuffling the cards. The deeper the penetration, the more information a card counter gets as to what cards remain to be dealt.

The main issue with RNG-based blackjack is that it gives advantage players no penetration whatsoever. This renders techniques like card counting completely useless. RNG blackjack is equivalent to live-dealer games where Continuous Shuffling Machines (CSMs) are used. The software automatically reintroduces the discards into the shoe and reshuffles everything after every single hand. This is an instant put-off for versed blackjack players.

It is impossible to beat a game where the cards are shuffled after each round. To use card counting to your advantage, you need good enough penetration. An example of adequate penetration is a six-deck game where the dealer shows you around five decks before reaching the shuffle card.

With RNG-based games, you start each round from a neutral, newly reshuffled shoe. Respectively, you base your playing decisions on limited information since you only get to see the cards dealt to your hand and the upcard of the virtual dealer. The best you can do against the RNG is stick to perfect basic strategy, in which case, you are still playing an unbeatable game with negative EV.

How To Be Good At Online Blackjack Card Game

Hands Played per Hour

Speed is a double-edged sword when it comes to online blackjack. RNG games play at an exceptionally fast speed, which may appeal to players who prefer greater dynamics. Since you play against the software, there are no other players at the virtual table to slow you down while making their decisions.

The main trouble here is this increased dynamics can be extremely costly in the long run because you end up playing significantly more hands per hour than you would in a traditional landbased casino. There is no natural pause in the game for reshuffling, either. The RNG knows no rest, tirelessly reshuffling the virtual shoe round after round.

Consequently, you play a greater number of hands at a disadvantage, which ultimately causes you to lose more money to the house edge in the long term. Each result is unpredictable and entirely independent from the rest. Every round starts from a neutral shoe that favors neither the player nor the virtual dealer.

You can benefit from playing more hands per hour only if you count cards in a game with decent penetration and this is not something RNG-based blackjack offers. Here, the more you play, the bigger your hourly losses will get.

Conclusion

Some players assume that Pseudo-Random Number Generators (PRNG) in online blackjack are beatable due to their determinism and periodicity. They reason such games are exploitable because sooner or later the sequence of numbers will begin to repeat itself.

While it is theoretically possible to use this “pseudo” randomness to your advantage, very few people are capable of achieving it in practice. The algorithms in RNG-based blackjack are simply way too sophisticated so predicting the outcomes of the hands borders on the impossible. Furthermore, the software undergoes regular audits. Rigged or hackable blackjack games will never slip through the net during testing.

I’ve been interested in how casino and gambling games work for as long as I can remember. I remember rolling dice and recording results on paper when I was somewhere around 10 years old. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this curiosity helped me learn many things over the years.

If you look at gambling the right way and learn how the games work and look for strategies to help you win, it can be a wonderful educational experience. This process can definitely make you smarter.

Here are five ways that blackjack can make you smarter.

The Basic Rules and Game Play

When you learn to play real money blackjack the odds are good that you already know basic math. But this doesn’t mean that learning the basic blackjack rules and game play won’t make you smarter.

Your mind is an amazing tool, and you need to use it to keep it sharp. The more you use your brain, the better it operates. When you play blackjack you learn to quickly add numbers. You also work with at least one variable number when you have an ace because it’s worth either 1 or 11.

Blackjack also helps you improve your reasoning and critical thinking. Do you double down or just hit? Do you split the pair or play them together? Do you take insurance or decline?

All of these decisions require the use of available information. Most blackjack players don’t put much in the way of accurate thought into these decisions. But the truth is that you have access to all of the information you need to make the best decision.

Many blackjack players take insurance because they don’t understand the numbers and odds. Some players know they shouldn’t take insurance, but they don’t understand why. But you can run a simple odds calculation to understand why insurance is a bad wager.

Instead of taking my word that insurance is bad, run the numbers to prove it. This is valuable beyond just learning why insurance is a bad wager. This is valuable because it teaches you to think things through and figure them out yourself.

If you don’t know how to start, here’s how to prove insurance is bad.

The dealer is going to have a blackjack when they have an ace showing 4 out of 13 times on average. This means the ratio is 4 to 9, or 9 to 4. Compare 2 to 1 to 9 to 4 and you see that 9 to 4 is worse than 2 to 1.

2 to 1 is the same as 8 to 4. You can multiply both numbers by 4 without changing the ratio. In order for this to be a fair wager the dealer needs to get a blackjack at the rate of 8 to 4 or better, or the wager needs to pay 2.25 to 1 or better.

Now your job is to use the same kind of thought process and actions on other blackjack situations. And then you can take this beyond blackjack to other things in your life.

Understanding the Casino House Edge

This is important when you play any gambling game so that you understand why you usually lose when you gamble. But blackjack has a low casino house edge compared to most other games, and the edge is changed based on the rules.

When you compare this to other games with a higher casino edge, like slots at 3% to 13%, you can see why blackjack is better. But you need to understand how much better. And this is easy to see when you understand how the casino edge works.

When you know the casino edge you can determine how much you can expect to lose on any casino game. You just need to know how much you risk. Here’s an example of determining your expected losses for blackjack and slots.

You’re playing blackjack against a .5% casino edge, betting $20 per hand and playing 54 hands an hour.

Your expected loss every hour is .5% times $20 times 54. Your expected loss is $5.40.

You’re playing slots on a machine with a 6% casino edge, betting $2 per spin and taking 523 spins every hour.

You use the same method here. 6% times $2 times 523 is an expected loss of $62.76.

As you can see, once you understand how to use the casino edge numbers you can make improved decisions when you gamble. Blackjack is not only better than slots; it’s over 10 times better.

Calculating Online Casino Bonus Value

How do you know when a mobile or online casino bonus is a good deal? If you don’t already know, most bonuses aren’t as good as they appear. In fact, it’s rare to find a bonus that actually helps you win.

You can use the information you learned in the last section to determine if a bonus is a good deal or not. Here’s how you do it.

You deposit $500 and receive the bonus of $500, for a total of $1,000. You have to play a minimum of $50,000 to clear the bonus.

Now you use the casino edge to see what your expected loss is on $50,000 worth of blackjack play.

You look up the rules and find the blackjack game has a casino edge of 1%. 1% times $50,000 gives you a total expected loss of $500. This means you can expect to lose $500 while clearing the bonus.

In this example it means that the bonus is basically a break even proposition. You should have somewhere around your original $500 left after clearing the bonus.

Strategy Decision Making

In order to play with the lowest casino edge, you need to use blackjack strategy. And the way to determine the best strategy is based on the odds of what can happen with each decision you make.

For example, if you have a pair of 8’s, you can play the hand as is or split it into 2 hands. If you play the hand as is, you have a hard 16. This is the worst hand you can have, and you have a high chance of busting.

If you split the 8’s you start 2 hands with 8. You have good odds of getting a card that’s better than an 8 on each hand, so the best strategy is to split the 8’s.

This is an easy example to understand, but some hands are more complicated. But every hand can be played using the best strategy based on odds. You should get a strategy chart and work out the odds for each hand to see why each strategy decision listed on the card is correct.

Card Counting Systems

You can use a special strategy called card counting to get an edge when you play blackjack. This is important in itself, because this isn’t possible with most other casino games. But it’s even more important to learn the process because it helps you think about gambling in a different way.

How To Be Good At Online Blackjack Poker

How To Be Good At Online Blackjack Games

You bet more when there are more high cards remaining and bet less when there are more low cards remaining. When you do this correctly it gives you a slight edge over the casino.

Conclusion

I started teaching my kids how to play blackjack at a young age. I knew that it was going to teach them math skills without them thinking of it as learning. Starting with the basic rules and game play they learned how to quickly add small numbers.

Moving on to using odds to make strategy decisions, and then teaching them the basics of card counting helped them in many different ways. Neither child plays blackjack in casinos now that they’re grown, but the things they learned playing will help them in many areas of their life.

These same things can help you. It’s not too late to benefit from the game of blackjack.