How to Play Blackjack Better | What Does Split & Double Down Mean at a Fun Casino Night?
Learn how to play blackjack better with expert tips from a professional croupier.
Understand splitting, doubling down & winning more chips at fun casino nights.
If you’ve ever stood at a blackjack table thinking, “Should I take another card?”, “What on earth does ‘split’ mean?” or “Why is everyone shouting ‘double down!’ at me?”, don’t worry, you are definitely not alone. After decades working in real casinos and running Mock Vegas fun casino hire events across London and Southern England, I can tell you blackjack is nowhere near as complicated as it looks. In fact, once guests understand a simple strategy, blackjack often becomes the most popular game of the evening at weddings, corporate events and parties.
Blackjack is always a big hit at Mock Vegas fun casino nights. Brilliant for corporate entertainment, wedding celebrations, birthday parties, fundraising events and Christmas parties because it’s easy to learn, fast-moving and social. Guests constantly ‘help’ each other. “No, don’t take another card!”, “Split the eights!”, “Double it!”. It all becomes part casino game, part team discussion, part comedy performance and total fun. That’s why the blackjack tables are always buzzing at Mock Vegas fun casino hire London and Southern England events.
There are three simple rules to help your game. Remember;
1. Look at the dealer’s card
2. The aim is not to beat the dealer, it is to help the dealer bust
3. There are more high cards than low cards in the shoe
What’s the biggest mistake in blackjack?
That’s easy to answer - trying to get 21 every hand. Players taking another card on 18, 19, which are already pretty decent hands. The dealer must keep taking cards until they reach at least 17. Those are the rules, the dealer has no choice or discretion. So if the dealer’s card (the one in front of them) is 4, 5 or especially 6 that is good news for you, there’s a very good chance they will bust.
Why? Remember - There are more high cards than low cards in the shoe. They will need to take at least two cards to get to 17 or more and they will probably bust.
What does ‘split’ mean?
If your first two cards are a pair you can split them. You double your bet, the dealer will separate the cards and you effectively get two hands out of one. As normal, you can take as many cards as you wish on those hands.
When Should You Split? Remember - look at the dealer’s card. If they have that terrible card, 4, 5, or 6 they are on course to bust. That’s a great time to split your cards, and if they do bust you win double!
There is a special rule about splitting aces. You only receive one card on each ace. That’s it, you can’t have any more. If you happen to get a 10 on one or both of those aces they are not blackjack, they count as 21. Blackjack is only with your first two cards. That means if the dealer gets a blackjack themselves they have beaten your 21’s.
Never Split 10’s! At almost every blackjack table there’s somebody getting excited on your behalf and shouting, “Split them! You’ve got to split them!” No, you haven’t. You already have 20, an excellent hand, so why risk turning that great hand into two terrible hands? After decades dealing blackjack never splitting 10’s is excellent advice.
What does ‘double down’ mean?
Doubling down is exactly what it sounds like. You double your bet and receive one more card only.
When should you double down?
The best time is when your first two cards total 9, 10 or 11 and remember, look at the dealer’s card. If the dealer has one of those bad cards, 4, 5, or 6, that improves your chances of winning. If you beat the dealer or they go bust you win double!
At Mock Vegas events we remind all the players “We are not trying to cheat you out of your pretend money!” Our professional croupiers will explain the game, answer questions, help nervous guest and keep the atmosphere relaxed because unlike a real casino the goal is entertainment, we are not after every penny in your pocket.
Whether we’re providing:
blackjack hire in London
roulette table hire in Surrey
casino nights in Berkshire
corporate entertainment in Hertfordshire
wedding casino hire across Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, Hampshire, West Sussex, and some of Bedfordshire, East Sussex, Kent, Essex, Oxfordshire, Dorset and Wiltshire,
…the atmosphere always matters the most.
A true real casino story about blackjack frustration.
Here’s a true story from my years working in a real casino - a player was having unbelievably bad luck. He would double down and get 20, but the dealer would get 21. He would split, and then bust both hands. This happened again and again, relentlessly. Finally he had 21….and then the dealer got blackjack. He’d had enough. In frustration he grabbed the dealer’s cards and tried ripping them in half. He struggled but he couldn’t because casino grade plastic cards are incredibly tough (the same type we use at Mock Vegas events). He threw the crumpled cards on the table and walked out.
Next day he returned. A new day could bring new, fresh luck. Nope. It was a repeat of the previous day. He would double down and get 20 again, the dealer got 21 again. Split aces, get two bad cards, the dealer won with only 17. Again, it got too much. He took the dealer’s cards, produced a pair of scissors from a pocket, and snipped them in half.
So remember, if you want to improve your chances of winning;
1. Look at the dealer’s card - a weak dealer card improves their chance of busting.
2. You are not trying to beat the dealer - let the dealer bust.
3. There are more high cards than low cards – assume the next card is a high one.
Why Professional Croupiers Make All the Difference
At Mock Vegas we only use professional croupiers with real casino experience. That means your guests get authentic blackjack dealing, expert explanations and advice, relaxed interaction but a real casino atmosphere.
Whether your event is a wedding celebration, corporate event, birthday party, fundraiser or a Christmas party our job is to make sure everyone enjoys themselves.
Planning a Fun Casino Night?
Mock Vegas provides professional:
other games available
fun casino nights
throughout London and Southern England
If you would like advice on the best games for your event, how many tables you may need, corporate casino entertainment or wedding casino hire, please get in touch.
Your guests may not leave as blackjack experts but they’ll definitely leave entertained.
