Yes, tells exist in Black Jack the same as they do in poker. And yes, you can use them to your advantage as a player the same way, as well. Oftentimes, players will disregard the possibility of using them because they never have before and/or have never noticed them. But they are apparent, and they can help you.
OK folks, pay attention to this very important black jack strategy. The most common method of a “dealer tell” is when the dealer inadvertently reveals his or her hole card. There are a few different variations to this, and the key to interpreting the tell is paying close attention to how long the dealer glances at the hole card, while at the same time observing the angle in which he or she bends the card to clearly see it before pressing on with the play of the game.
If the dealer has a low card, such as a two through six, as an under card, you might find him lifting the card a tiny bit higher than typical to double check and make sure the card isn’t actually and Ace. The toughest to see is a 4. Even the most seasoned dealers must lift the card once or twice when sitting on a 4 as a down card.
On the other hand, online casino dealers can usually notice face cards quickly. If you’re paying attention, and you notice the dealer only sneaking a very brief look at the down card, one that strikes you as quicker than the typical look, you can bet on the chance he’s holding a paint card, or at least a card of higher value than a six. Seasoned dealers are aware of these tells, and will discipline themselves to treat every card, ever turn, the same way, and devote the same amount of time to each one…however, every once in a while you can catch them napping, and pick up on their laziness.
There are professionals that dedicate entire globs of reading black jack online material to understanding and even forcing tells from the dealer, but before you get too involved, try picking up on the basics. If you find it works, give some more in-depth reading a try. You never know, it might give you an edge and a chicken dinner at a casino buffet near you.