As one of the most popular table games in any casino, Blackjack is one of the few games that relies on skill just as much as chance, helping your hone your gambling skills with every hand you play. But did you know there’s just as much to learn about life at the same time? Let’s take a look.

Trust your instincts
We hear it all the time in life – trust your instincts. Whether it’s about people, relationships, a work situation or any other circumstance, we’re told to trust our gut and go with it. The same goes for Blackjack. Even if you’re a complete novice and have never played before, it’s calculated that you’ll still make the right decision about your game play at least 90% of the time, if you’re keeping your bankroll and the various outcomes in mind. Sure, the house is able to capitalise on the remaining 10% (they have to make money somehow) but that still means that going with your gut will help you make the right choice 9 times out of 10, even if that choice is to fold your hand. So the next time you have a good feeling about a person or a bad feeling about a job, trust what your instincts are telling you and act accordingly. You’ll be surprised by how often you’re right!

It’s all about consistency
When you’re starting out playing Blackjack, you might be tempted to use the ‘big risks, big rewards’ strategy and make bold moves right from the beginning. Often though, this will result in you losing your stake, which could lead to you playing more conservatively for a while afterwards, ultimately leading to a strategy that swings between big hits and big misses. The best way to bet? Consistently – making smaller moves that lead to more wins, all the while learning and adjusting your game play at the same time. It might not bring you the huge payouts you’re looking for, but it’ll see you win more than you lose, while keeping calm and level-headed at the same time.

In the same way, taking small, consistent steps in life will help you reach your goals in the long run. Sure, it’s great to lose 30kg in four months – but one false step could see you regaining all that weight and more. Rather aim for consistent weight loss over time, then when you get to your goal, you’ll be that much more capable of staying there. The same goes for anything in life, whether you want to save money, declutter your home, train to run a 5K – consistency is the key to lasting success.

Take all the chances you’re given
Opportunities to succeed don’t come around very often – so when you see the potential in any given situation, use it to its full advantage before the chance passes you by. In Blackjack, this could mean making bold, educated decisions about splitting your hand or doubling down. In life, this could mean applying for a sought-after position that’s just opened up, or asking out the hottie who’s just sat down next to you. Life doesn’t give you many second chances, so when you see an opening, go for the gap with everything you’ve got!

Work ethic wins the day
Many novice Blackjack players make the mistake of thinking that once they’ve learned the basics, that’s all they need to carry them through. While that’s true when you’re just starting out, if you want to improve your skills and lower the house edge as far as possible, you’ll need to work at it. And that means consulting forums and guides, reading tips from experts, applying various game strategies, and understanding everything there is to know about the game of Blackjack. The basics will only get you so far – if you want to go all the way to winning, you’ll have to work hard to get there.

It’s the same in life – nothing worth achieving ever comes easy. So if you want to earn more, you’ll have to work hard at your job to prove your value. If you want to lose weight, you’ll have to take consistent action and make sacrifices. And if you want your relationship to succeed, you’ll have to invest significant time, effort and care into it. Because there’s no substitute for hard work.

Stay on track
No matter what your goals are in life, you need to have a plan. In Blackjack, you need to have a strategy that gives you the best chance of winning, taking your skills, your bankroll and your gaming style into account. Once that plan is in place, stick to it, and don’t let any unforeseen circumstances get you off track.

Similarly, if you’ve got a plan in place to save money for a house, don’t splurge on designer shoes. If you need to lose X amount of kgs, stay away from the chocolate fondant. And if you’ve got a big exam coming up, stick to your study schedule. Life will always throw curve balls at you and put obstacles in your way. Stick to your plan and you’ll be able to navigate them with ease.

Keep in control
Things not going your way at the Blackjack table? Resist the temptation to chase your losses and know when to fold, and when to walk away instead. Controlling your emotions is a key aspect of gambling, and of Blackjack in particular, and learning how to keep your cool can be a hugely valuable asset. It’s the same in everyday life – sometimes bad things happen for no reason, and we need to be able to cope, and not fly off the handle. Whether it’s a car accident, a relationship ending, being fired, gaining weight, or any negative circumstance, it’s one that we need to be able to deal with constructively. We can’t control events, we can only control our reaction to them. Keep this in mind, and no matter what kind of hand life deals you, you’ll always be a winner.

Happy Spinning 🙂