Blackjack, one of the most popular casino games, is a game that involves a combination of chance and skill. Players place a bet and are dealt two cards. They then decide whether to “stand” (not draw any more cards) or “hit.” If they beat the dealer’s hand, they win and are paid an amount equal to their original wager. If their hand totals less than 21 or the dealer has a higher hand total, they lose and their bet is swept away. A player may also choose to double down after receiving their initial two cards, doubling the size of their original bet and only winning if their initial hand beats the dealer’s.

In the past, blackjack was the king of the casino tables. It even enjoyed a revival after the movie 21, based on the real-life exploits of MIT’s card counting team, brought the game to a new generation of players. But nothing lasts forever and now, on many Vegas tables, the game is taking a back seat to more lucrative games like baccarat. Competition from other casino table games and the prevalence of side bets on the blackjack felt have also whittled off some of the game’s edge for the players.

Novice players are often misguided in their play of the game, and they suffer from a lack of understanding of how the game works. They tend to make poor decisions about which hands to hit or stand, and they don’t understand how the odds of their hand beating the dealer’s vary based on the situation.

Expert players have a much deeper understanding of the game and know how to adjust their strategy based on the circumstances. They also realize that math, which is terrifying to novices, can be friendly to them in the context of blackjack, where it determines which plays are most likely to yield the greatest advantage.

Using basic strategy, you can increase your chances of winning at blackjack by as much as 8 percent. And that’s a big deal in a game where the house has a built-in advantage of about 5 percent.

If you’re looking to learn the basics of the game, the Leelanau Sands casino has a full selection of blackjack tables, which are located in the gaming area of our main floor. We encourage you to take a look and talk with our friendly dealers if you have any questions about the rules of the game. They’ll be more than happy to help! If you’d prefer to practice your skills before hitting the casino floor, we offer free online blackjack. Just head to our gaming page and click on the blackjack tab. Good luck!