What to consider before becoming a blackjack pro
More often than not, playing blackjack starts out as a hobby. It’s a hugely popular pastime and there are numerous opportunities to play both on and offline. As players get more into the game and start to master certain skills, many of them mull over the idea of playing more seriously. While some recreational players will always be just that, others look at stepping up and crossing the line to becoming a pro. Before making this decision, and trying to follow through with it, it’s worth taking a step back and really considering your decision. Do you want to become a Blackjack pro? Here´s what you need to consider. Moving away from playing entirely for fun brings some major changes and that’s what we’re about to explore now.
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Pro vs. advantage player
Before we move on too much, it’s worth taking a think about how far you really want to go. While many people believe that pros and advantage players are the same thing, the truth is that there are differences between the two. An advantage player (AP) is someone who wants to make the best of the game. They seek out ways to maximize their winnings but they only sit down to play when they have time. A pro, on the other hand, approaches blackjack as a full-time job. It becomes a main source of income and takes 100% of their time and focus.
The truth is that both options are hard. That’s not to say that they’re impossible though. It’s just that players need to realize that the game suddenly becomes a lot more serious than recreational casino games and that they can no longer be like the recreational player that they were before.
The end of your hobby starts when you want to become a Blackjack pro
While as a recreational player, blackjack was about fun, when you’re looking to go pro or AP the focus has to change. It now becomes about the money and that means that you need to seek out the most favorable blackjack games that you can. This new focus makes the blackjack experience different and it doesn’t suit every player.
While you may have chosen to play at a certain casino because you like its vibe, that no longer matters. You go where the best blackjack games are and that may well mean going to less desirable casinos. As a recreational player, you’re probably used to the social side of blackjack and the odd drink or two as you play. This is something else that comes to an end. Any alcohol will inhibit your game and getting social will only serve as a distraction. Does this still sound like the kind of world that you want to enter?
Want to become a Blackjack pro? Say goodbye to casino rewards
A perk that you may have gotten used to while previously playing blackjack is the reward points. These are great tools used by casinos to acknowledge loyalty and, as they build up, they can be extremely useful and valuable. However, as an AP or a pro, you can kiss these rewards goodbye.
As you move to make your game more serious, you need to be staying off the radar. This means not signing up for reward cards and allowing the casinos to see exactly how much you’re playing. Rather than racking up rewards, the focus now has to be on making enough money from the game itself so that rewards don’t even matter anymore.
You need to perfect your game
As a recreational player losses are just a part of the game. Of course, as an AP or pro, you’re still going to lose but you need to be able to minimize this and ensure that your playing is profitable. That means that you need to be using the skills that you’ve acquired and that have been practiced to perfection.
As a minimum, you’ve got to have a full understanding of basic blackjack strategy. That means that there are no cheat sheets – you make sure that it’s all committed to memory. You also need to remember that this strategy will vary depending upon the blackjack game that you’re playing. Then there’s card counting to master too. While casinos are hardly fans of this skill, it’s certainly not illegal and it’s something that you need to be using if you’re really serious about your blackjack game.
The need for a thicker skin
As we’ve just said, casinos are not fans of card counters. In fact, they’re not fans of anyone who seems to be winning too much. That means that you need to be prepared for the fact that you’re going to get thrown out of casinos at times.
Whereas recreational players are treated like VIPs and encouraged to return, as an AP or pro, casinos just aren’t going to like you. They’d much prefer that you played elsewhere. Being asked to leave, or literally being thrown out, may not be the nicest experience but it’s all part of moving up.
Master your money if you want to become a Blackjack pro
Certainly, as a pro, blackjack is going to be your full-time job. That means that you need a great deal of financial discipline. There needs to be strict management of your bankroll, but you also need to be monitoring your expenses so that you can establish if you’re actually making a profit.
Remember, you can master all of the skills going but blackjack still requires an element of luck. That means that there may be days when things don’t go your way. To deal with these days, and to keep going, your finances need to be in great shape.
Final thoughts
While the idea of becoming a blackjack pro or AP may sound appealing at first, there are numerous considerations. The decision to pursue this means that you have to be prepared for just how much it is going to change your casino experience and, for some people, the loss of fun is something that they can’t handle.
If you’re still intent on pursuing a career in blackjack it is of course possible. Take a look at some of the pros out there already and be open to any kind of learning that can help you.
| 21+ | Terms & Conditions Apply | NJ Residents Only | ||
| $25 FREE on Signup 100% up to $1.000 on First Deposit Hotspot Leaderboard | Visit Casino |
