Blackjack and Roulette Strategy Guides
Short, exact answers with the numbers behind them, calculated with the same rules you play at House21.
Strategy
The right play for every hand, with the numbers behind it.
Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart for 6 Decks
Free blackjack strategy chart for 6 decks: when to hit, stand, double and split, with soft hands and pairs. Cuts the house edge to about 0.5%.
Updated StrategyHow to Play Blackjack: A Beginner's Guide
Learn blackjack in one round: card values, hit, stand, double and split, soft hands, how the dealer plays and what each win pays, with worked examples.
Updated StrategyHow to Win at Blackjack
No strategy wins every hand, but these 10 tips cut the house edge to about 0.5%. We simulated millions of hands to show what each common mistake costs.
Updated StrategyWhat Is a Soft 17? Soft Hands Explained
A soft 17 is an ace plus a 6. Why you should never stand on it, when to double, and how the dealer's soft 17 rule changes the house edge, with simulated numbers.
Updated StrategyWhen to Split Pairs in Blackjack
Always split aces and 8s, never 10s or 5s. When to split 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s, 7s and 9s, and simulated results showing how much each right split is worth.
Updated StrategyWhen to Double Down in Blackjack
Double 11 against 2 to 10, 10 against 2 to 9, 9 against 3 to 6, plus the soft doubles. Simulated results show how much each correct double is worth.
Updated StrategyShould You Ever Take Insurance in Blackjack?
Blackjack insurance loses about 7.6% of what you put on it. Why the 2 to 1 payout isn't enough, why "even money" is a bad deal too, and the one case where it pays.
Updated StrategyBlackjack Bankroll Management, with the Math
How big should your blackjack bankroll be? Simulated bust-out odds for 20, 50 and 100 bets, the swings to expect, and why stop-loss limits don't change the odds.
Updated StrategyBlackjack Terms: A Plain-English Glossary
Every blackjack term explained in plain English, from basic strategy and bust card to soft 17, true count and wonging, with links to the full guides.
UpdatedOdds
How often things happen, how the cards are dealt, and where the game came from.
Blackjack Odds: Bust Chances for Every Hand and Dealer Card
How often does the dealer bust from a 6? From an ace? Exact dealer outcome odds for every up card, plus your chance of busting on every total. 6 decks, dealer stands on 17.
Updated OddsIs Online Blackjack Rigged? How Shuffling Really Works
How online blackjack shuffles a 6-deck shoe, why losing streaks are normal, and the numbers you can check yourself to see whether a game is fair.
Updated OddsDoes Card Counting Work Online?
Card counting fails against games that reshuffle every hand, but can work with a shoe dealt deep. How the Hi-Lo count works and how much it really changes the odds.
Updated OddsFrom Veintiuna to 21: A Short History of Blackjack
Blackjack goes back to 1600s Spain, got its name from Klondike gold prospectors, and was solved by four Army mathematicians in 1956. The real story, myths included.
UpdatedRoulette
Wheels, payouts and betting systems, tested.
How to Play Roulette
Learn roulette in five minutes: how a round works, every bet on the table, what each pays and your real chance of winning it, on a single-zero wheel.
Updated RouletteEuropean vs American Roulette: Odds and Payouts
European roulette has one zero and a 2.70% house edge; American has two and 5.26%. Every bet's payout and odds side by side, and the one bet to avoid on a double-zero wheel.
Updated RouletteWe Tested the Martingale System on 100,000 Sessions
Doubling your bet after every loss wins 88% of roulette sessions in our test, yet still loses money overall. Here's why, with a 100,000-session simulation.
Updated RouletteRoulette Strategy: We Tested 6 Systems on 100,000 Sessions
Martingale, Fibonacci, d'Alembert, Labouchère, Paroli and flat betting, each played 100,000 times. Which wins most often, and why all of them still lose.
UpdatedHouse21
Rewards, playing with other people, and playing on purpose.
House21 XP, Levels and Daily Rewards Explained
Every way to earn XP and free chips at House21: XP per hand, the 7-day login streak, the comeback bonus, daily missions and how much XP each level takes.
Updated House21Multiplayer vs Solo Blackjack: What Changes
Other players at a blackjack table don't change your odds, even when they play badly. What does change: pace, the swings you feel, and how much fun a dealer bust is.
Updated House21Why "One More Hand" Is Hard to Resist
The psychology behind "one more hand": near-misses, unpredictable rewards and the illusion of control, what the research shows, and simple ways to stop on time.
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