Advantage in blackjack is a statistic that measures the difference between the player’s current hand and the dealer’s best hand. The higher the advantage, the more advantageous the player’s hand is.
Advantage can be calculated in a variety of ways, but the most common way to calculate it is to subtract the player’s total bet from the dealer’s total bet. The advantage figures are then divided by two to give a percentage.
The advantage of a given hand can vary quite a bit from one game to another, and from one dealer to another. This is because each dealer has their own personal strategy for playing blackjack, and this strategy can affect the amount of advantage they hold.
Some dealers play more aggressively than others, which means they will hold more cards than necessary in order to improve their chances of getting a high-card hand. Other dealers will play more cautiously, holding fewer cards in order to minimize their chances of being forced to hit.
The advantage figure for a given hand is only relevant while that hand is still being played. After that hand has been played, it no longer matters what the advantage figure is – the hand has already been decided.
