The Martingale Blackjack Double Down Strategy: Explained

Gamblers from New Zealand may see the Martingale Blackjack double down strategy as a quick and easy way to maximise their payouts. We will have a thorough look into the Blackjack Martingale system and how it will affect your game performance.

What is the Martingale Blackjack System?

The system refers to an applied version of the wider gambling strategy. The Martingale originates in 18th century France and has garnered popularity for being a simple and effective betting system.

Already familiar with this strategy?

You can take a look at our other guides on Blackjack instead, such as the Double Deck Blackjack strategy guide which elaborates on a well-research betting system or the page where we create an analysis on how the Blackjack insurance works.

Is it legal to use the Martingale system for casino betting?

It is one of the most legitimate wagering strategies out there. NZ players may be familiar that approaches such as card counting are prohibited at land-based casinos. However, it will not be the case for this Blackjack Martingale system.

The strategy also became a popular option for NZ Blackjack players that engage in live dealer casinos NZ. The attraction behind it is that the approach applies to many table games featured on such gambling websites.

• How to Start

You pick your appropriate table and check what the lowest betting amount is. You then wait for your turn to place your initial wager.

One essential of this strategy is to start with the minimum allowed bet.

You then wait for the dealer to impart the cards. You have completed the starting step for the betting Blackjack Martingale system.

• Play the Round as You Normally Would

The applied strategy only relates to your betting variation. Since it is a general gambling approach, it will not inform your decisions during the card game round.

Thus, you should take the actions that maximise your possibilities for a successful hand.

• For Successful Rounds, Return to the Initial Bet

So, you had both the skills and the luck in the round. Still, this Martingale Blackjack system requires that you do not get ahead of yourself.

The Martingale Blackjack strategy will only function if you return to your initial bet for the next round. This choice is necessary no matter the payout you received for a winning hand.

NZ gamblers may find it tempting to raise the stakes following a larger payout. Nonetheless, when using Martingale in Blackjack, any deviation will bring some issues.

What happens when you randomly raise your stake?

1. You deviate from the steps in the Blackjack Martingale system and will have difficulties further sticking to the plan.
2. Unsuccessful follow-up rounds will lead to real money losses that this Martingale Blackjack strategy cannot cover easily.

• When Losing a Round in Blackjack Double Down

You may find it odd, but a few explanations will convince you. This counter-intuitive proposition has a mathematically justified motivation behind it.

But, before getting to the reasoning behind the applied Martingale Blackjack strategy, let us take a look at the double down Blackjack game bet.

What does double down mean in Blackjack?

The wager is not necessarily a decision that is specific to the game. In this context, the Blackjack double down bet simply refers to placing double your previous stake for the next round.

Note that the only essential double down Blackjack decision is at a round-to-round level.

However, our NZ readers should understand what all the types of Blackjack double down money bets mean. These represent a risky decision and may hinder the strategy’s performance.

When can you double down in Blackjack?

Here is the scenario in which the in-round double down Blackjack bet is allowed. The dealer offers you the two initial cards. You are confident that one more follow-up dealt card will give you a great hand.

You ask to place a Blackjack double down bet. This decision will increase your stake by 100%.

You are obliged to stand after taking the extra card.

Blackjack double down after hitting

This bet is not generally allowed in any version of the table game. The double down Blackjack option only permits for the decision initially after the initial cards are dealt.

Blackjack double down after split

Firstly, you split your hand when you have two matching cards. Now you are officially playing with two separate hands.

Multi-hand versions can allow you to play with up to 25 hands in one game.

Note that you already doubled your original wager since each hand will require a stake. Once you receive your cards, you may be allowed to place a Blackjack double down bet.

Both splitting and doubling down during the round will be detrimental to this Blackjack Martingale system. It will only add more to your stake and complicate your gameplay.

Why place Blackjack double down bet on a losing hand?

The justification is that when doubling your subsequent wager, a winning hand will mean that you have covered your cumulative loss. This action is the essence of the Martingale Blackjack strategy.

An Example of The Martingale Blackjack Strategy in Action

1. Your initial bet is NZ$5.
2. You lose the hand.
3. You start the next round with a NZ$10 wager.
4. Let us say you lose again.
5. You bet NZ$20 on the third round and win.
6. You have covered your NZ$15 cumulative losses and received NZ$5 in excess.

• Are Ties Important for the Martingale Blackjack Strategy?

Ties only add to your playtime expanse and not your expenses. Tying with the dealer’s hand will result in having your stake returned. You did not progress nor regress.

However, ties will not be entirely neutral. As stated, games that result in a tie are dead time, and for a slowly moving game, they can be a killer.

This fact can justify the preference of New Zealanders for the top online casinos functioning today in NZ. These can provide a quicker and more accessible option if you pick the right platform.

What Experts Say about the Blackjack Martingale System

The described Martingale Blackjack strategy has solid mathematical backing. Once you understand the counter-intuitive decisions behind it, it also becomes clear even for beginner gamblers why it is so widely used.

However, its practical limitations are where the shared Blackjack Martingale system falters. One of the main areas that allow for gross failure is the entire bankroll required to sustain it. Although probabilistically unlikely, a longer streak of losses can be damming for your budget.

Let’s work through an example of such a scenario. We will start with a NZ$5 initial bet. We will say that you have a NZ$10500 budget. You will see when this Martingale Blackjack strategy fails.

Blackjack Double Down with Consecutive Losses

You can see how the eleven unlucky rounds can make you pay a staggering NZ$10235 to the casino, which represents most of your budget. Naturally, success on the twelfth round will recuperate all previous losses, but insofar as you can place the wager.

The Odds that Blackjack Martingale System Fails

Let us now compute the odds that you meet such a damming scenario. We remind our readers from New Zealand that the situation needs a string of consecutive losses. Any one winning round will recuperate your funds.

The odds that you lose on any Blackjack round sit around 0.52 or 52%.

The Odds for 11 Losing Rounds

The probability of meeting a string of eleven losing rounds coming one after another is 0.00075, or 0.075% in percentages. As expected, the overall chances that you meet a Martingale Blackjack damming streak of bad luck are minute. However, they remain a possibility, especially given multiple rounds.

For that, let us switch the perspective and think of it in matters of time.

The Double Down Blackjack Martingale Failure Odds Across Time

We will say that you play 100 rounds per hour and, further so, spend a full working eight hours at the game table. We will see what the chances are for the eleven-round long losing streak to occur by each hour.

Blackjack Double Down Failure Across Time

The odds for a defeating streak grow as more rounds you play. Naturally, this does not mean that it must happen or that across time, your total budget will not possibly grow.

Say you wish to employ the betting progression Martingale Blackjack strategy for a long period. Then, you put yourself at the risk of tapping out with nothing in your pocket.

Does Martingale Work for Blackjack?

The system will work for any casino game with a lower house edge, mathematically speaking. From the 48% odds of having a winning hand, you may guess that this is the case with Blackjack.

Alternatively, this betting system can be applied to other popular table games as well, so you can check out our Martingale System Baccarat and Martingale System Roulette pages to get a better understanding of how this widely-famous strategy applies to different titles.

The house edge in casino Blackjack is around 0.5% when utilising basic strategy.

Does it mean that you’re guaranteed to profit from this Blackjack Martingale system?

No. No strategy will ever guarantee returns on your wagering. This limitation is the reality of gambling, be it in brick-and-mortar gambling establishments or New Zealand online casinos. All bank games have rules meant to give the casino an edge over you.

Casino’s Edge Over Blackjack Martingale Users

• The theoretical house advantage.
• The minimum and maximum betting limits.
• Game-specific limitations.

The house edge is a theoretical result that encompasses all the advantages of the bank over the player. Then come the table limits.

The minimum bet limit will dictate the amount with which you start your Martingale Blackjack strategy. The upper betting bound, however, will affect your possibilities the most.

Let us say that you have a big enough bankroll to afford a long losing streak. Nonetheless, your Blackjack double down procedure cannot exceed the highest permitted bet at each table.

Other than the table limits, you must consider the advantages of a dealer over players. In standard casino Blackjack table games, you can only see one of the dealer’s cards, the up card.

The hidden one is called the hole card. Its decisions also are instructed by highly optimised game theory.

Is the Martingale Blackjack strategy worth it?

The answer will depend on two main aspects. The wager Martingale Blackjack strategy is worth it if you have the bankroll to back it up and you can find a worthwhile table.

As for how you should figure out if you fulfil the criteria, we will provide a more thorough breakdown.

Requirements for Using Martingale in Blackjack in NZ Casinos

• Pick an Appropriate Table
  

The first area worth your attention is the amount you can bet. Each entry will have stated table limits. The minimum and maximum bet limits should form a great enough interval for you to respect the game of Blackjack double down approach.

You should then assess the stated house edge. Some casinos will state the Return to Player rate instead. Don’t despair, as this value is the direct opposite of a game’s house advantage.

More importantly, you must access a gambling service that provides such data transparently.

This table game especially requires that the player understands all rules at a table. Fortunately, the best online Blackjack NZ casinos around have strict policies regarding clarity. Our reviewers, too, devote considerable attention to how their game rules are communicated.

What Will Affect Your Martingale Blackjack System

1. The table limits – it affects your betting directly.
2. The natural Blackjack payout – the 6 to 5 version has a higher house edge than the 3 to 2 paying one.
3. Whether the game dealer hits on a soft 17 – this is one of the most important distinctions and will greatly affect the house edge.
4. Blackjack double down and split rules – while not necessary, these can be part of a playing strategy and thus affect the RTP.
5. What happens in the case of dealer Blackjacks.
6. The number of decks of cards in play.

The House Edge Depending on Decks in Play

1. Single Deck – 0.076%
2. Two Decks – 0.362%
3. Four Decks – 0.497%
4. Five Decks – 0.523%
5. Six Decks – 0.537%
6. Eight Decks – 0.558%

• You Don’t Need Complex Bets when Using Martingale in Blackjack in NZ casinos

Some game variations will have complex payout schemes. As is the case for in-round Blackjack double down bets and splits, you should not concern yourself with complicated decisions.

More intricate payout systems are generally methods of obscuring a poorer RTP. You are essentially giving away your success opportunity in exchange for entertainment value. The standard game version will allow you to focus on the key aspects of your gameplay.

• The Blackjack Martingale System Needs a Large Bankroll

NZ gamblers’ main gripe with this Martingale Blackjack strategy is the required budget for its eventual success. You have seen that a losing streak can add a lot to your bill very fast.

The cumulative loss amount grows at a nigh exponential rate in a string of consecutive failed rounds.

No Blackjack Martingale System Will Turn Gambling Into Certainty

The main takeaway is that the applied to Blackjack Martingale approach is based on a mathematical abstraction. Meaning that on paper, it works perfectly.

However, beyond any practical game and time limitations, it also postulates an infinite budget. All these observations do not mean that its real-life approximation is not worth it. Rather, it cannot guarantee your success.

• You Should Stick to the Blackjack Double Down Bet (if Possible)
  

The Martingale requires that you stick to the Blackjack double down procedure. Even if the potential losses are considerable, a subsequent successful round will recuperate your real money.

New Zealend gamblers wishing to use the applied Martingale Blackjack system must fight their intuition in such instances.

Be aware

Take the necessity to stick to the Blackjack double down betting system with a grain of salt.

No. No strategy or game style should ever be an invitation to wager and potentially waste cash funds you cannot afford to lose. Knowing how to stay away from a gambling addiction of gambling also supposes having clear loss limits and sticking by them.

• Martingale Blackjack is Good, But You Need a Game Strategy
  

Think of this Blackjack Martingale system as an additional improvement for your overall betting method.

This Martingale Blackjack strategy is a general system applicable to all table games with a low house edge. It will not take the place of basic strategy, which you should learn before engaging with the game.

More than not being a substitute for the basic strategy, any Martingale Blackjack system requires you to know and use it. The house edge for table games is important when using the betting system.

The standard casino game version has a house edge of 2%. Only with a basic strategy does the advantage go down to ~0.5%.

Once you do get a good grip on the essentials of playing the bank game, you can structure your overall wagering with Blackjack Martingale.

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The Blackjack Martingale System for NZ Online Casinos, Evaluated