Since the dawn of organised gambling (aka casinos or betting parlours), enthusiastic and entrepreneurial players have been trying to come up with a novel and successful plan for outwitting the house. Today, modern players can take advantage of a variety of sophisticated betting systems that can give them statistical advantages, thus improving their odds over the house, after all when your money is on the line every percent you can reduce the house edge counts.
Of course, at the end of the day all casino games from slots to the subject of today’s article, Blackjack are all down to chance so keep this in mind if you come across guides that promise ‘sure-fire’ results. So, with that caveat out of the way, keep on reading to learn more about the Positive Progression System in Blackjack.
Does Positive Progression Work in Blackjack?
While statistics (which all betting systems rely on) do play a big part in the theoretical likelihood of an outcome, these statistics are never 100%, meaning that there is always x amount in your statistical favour and those against (which you can think of as the casino house edge). This means that no casino betting strategy, even the blackjack positive progression system, can offer guaranteed results. So, why do players aim for positive progressive betting when playing blackjack?
While there is nothing that a player can do to change the maximum RTP and minimum house edge indicated by the game’s mathematical model, the decisions they make when playing can shift the odds in the casino's favour and out of yours, for example, needless risk and tactical blunders commonly made by rookies can turn a winning hand into a losing one or wager more than they should on particular outcomes.
So, although the positive progression blackjack betting strategy is not foolproof and does not lessen the house edge, it could be a useful way to manage your funds when playing the game. One of the big advantages of Positive Progression blackjack betting is that it promotes quick bursts of wagering as opposed to other tactics that aim to profit from protracted, drawn-out games. Though these strategies are designed to help players profit from what they believe to be winning streaks, they may also readily amplify losses if utilised improperly. So, let us move on to examples of positive progression betting when used in blackjack to explore the correct application of this system.
Blackjack Playing Cards
The Ins and Outs of Blackjack Positive Progression Betting
The term "positive progression" refers to a broad range of betting techniques in which participants raise their stakes in winning situations and reduce them in losing ones. But how does this work specifically? The best way to explain further is to provide an example.
The word "unit" is always used to refer to the actual wager placed at blackjack with a betting progression. At the blackjack table, one unit is equivalent to one minimum wager. For instance, one unit is equal to £5 when the minimum wager at a blackjack table is £5. By referring to wagers as units it is easier for players to view their wagers objectively and thus monitor their funds and wagers.
Typically, a progression bet starts at two units, which is twice the lowest wager allowed at the table. Your initial wager at a £5 blackjack table is typically £10. It will be £50 at a £25 table, and so on.
All progression betting strategies, as their name suggests, entail increasing your wager logically as you win. These strategies are meant to increase your bets in winning situations and decrease them in losing ones. This essentially aims to minimise the risk on statistically less-likely wagers, and therefore protect and prolong your bankroll.
Casino Blackjack Tables
Advantages and Disadvantages of Positive Progression
While the positive progression approach has been shown to be effective, there are many who oppose it on the grounds that it is not very effective at raising players' winnings. Some experts claim that positive development is ineffective while playing for an extended period of time and assert that you will always win if you wager the same amount. However, the positive progression technique offers advantages if used for brief sessions.
As previously stated, the betting strategy you employ has no bearing on how the game turns out. As a result, there may be hazards associated with positive growth. For example, if you wager £10 initially and win, the system would suggest that you subsequently wager £20 in the following round. However, if you then lose the next round, you have theoretically lost £10 more than you would have if you kept your wager consistent. Positive progression betting does have an extra thing going for it when used in Blackjack because the statistical outcomes of different hands are quite easy to follow as well as what you should do at each stage, largely thanks to blackjack betting charts. Therefore, to some extent, in blackjack, you can fuse positive progression betting with blackjack guide charts to avoid factors like doubling down on a poor wager and being able to cut your losses when faced with a statistically losing hand.
Positive vs Negative Progression
While positive progression dictates that a player should increase their wager when they win, a negative progression system dictates that the player should increase their wager when they lose - but why? Pro casino players like using negative progression betting because it allows them to more quickly recoup lost money, however, this style of betting comes with the drawback that it can cause you to burn through your funds very quickly. So, while experienced and high-stakes/high-risk players may be pro-negative progression, more casual, newer, or low-budget players will find that the positive progression system is a better way to effectively manage your bankroll.
Players Playing Blackjack
Final Thoughts
Positive progression is a straightforward betting system in which players increase their wager after each win. The theory behind this is that it can help players accumulate winnings while mitigating risk and extending the use of their bankroll. However, as you can see, nothing is ever certain in casino games like Blackjack because they are games of chance, meaning you have just as much likelihood of losing while using positive progression betting strategies as you do by sticking to your guts and wagering the same amount each time. Either way though, betting systems like this are an interesting thing to consider and can be fun to experiment with to spice up your blackjack gameplay.
