Blackjack is one of the classic casino games, whether it’s known as twenty-one or pontoon, everyone seems to know it. You get two cards and you’ve got to get as close to a total of 21 without going over that amount - it’s painfully simple.

If you play blackjack in a casino, then you’ll play against one of the croupiers who will act as the dealer. This adds in a few extra gameplay features that you need to be aware of, such as splitting, hitting and surrendering. To get a full explanation of how to play blackjack, we have a guide available here. Alternatively, if you understand the basics of blackjack but want to learn some of the more advanced points, then we have a comprehensive guide on blackjack terms and slang available here.

However, it doesn’t matter which guide you read, every single one will mention that the dealer has the advantage in blackjack. But what does this mean? What does an ‘advantage’ mean in a card game like this, and why does the dealer have it?

Why does the dealer have the advantage in blackjack?

One of the biggest reasons that the dealer has the advantage is blackjack is because they act last. This might not seem important on paper, but in practise, it makes all the difference.

In blackjack, the players are dealt their cards and act first. This means that the player has a chance to bust and lose their wager before the dealer even does anything with their hand.

As soon as you have a total of 12, then your chances of busting after taking another card are 31%. But sticking with 12 is incredibly risky and almost guaranteed to lose. Why?

Dealers are required to keep ‘hitting’ until they hit either 16 or 17, depending on the casino. As for the dealers, they have a probability of 28.1% of going bust, which is approximately one in four hands.

How can you turn the dealer’s advantage in your favor?

Once you understand why the dealer has the upper hand in blackjack, it’s possible to turn it into your own strategy.

So if the main advantage comes from the dealer relying on you busting before they can act, it’s in your best interest to just not bust. It sounds condescending, but this is where one of the best winning blackjack strategies come in.

Look at the dealer’s hand!

It goes without saying that you should probably stand if your total is above 17, but what about when you land between 12 and 16? Your chances of busting increase exponentially, but it’s also such a low total.

Well, this is why you should look at the dealer’s up-card to decide what to do. If the dealer’s card is 6 or below, then stand - if the dealer’s card is 7 or above, then hit.