Blackjack is, after Roulette, the most popular table game. It's one of the few casino games where you, as a player, can influence the course of the game. A big advantage of Blackjack is the very low house edge. If you follow basic Blackjack strategy correctly, the house edge lies between 0.5 and 1%, depending on the rules of the game.
Online Blackjack is by far the most popular casino table game: simple to understand, fast and exciting. And: the only table game where you as a player have direct influence on the course of the game.
You can influence the outcome of the game by adding or removing cards, doubling, splitting or passing in time. If you follow the correct blackjack strategy, the house edge at the casino is only 0.5%.
All good online casinos offer Blackjack, both in the computerized form and in the Live Casino.
The game is played with one or more suits of cards. The cards 2 through 10 represent face value: a 3 is three point values, an 8 eight points and so on. A picture (Jack, Queen, King) is worth ten points and an Ace is worth one or eleven points.
The object of blackjack is to beat the bank, NOT to get as many points as possible without buying yourself to death
The object of the game is not, what many people think, to have more points than the bank without going over 21. The goal of the game is to beat the bank.
And that is a substantial difference. For example, by passing in time with 13 or 14 points and letting the bank buy themselves to death, you can just win at Blackjack.
With the right Blackjack strategy, you have almost as high a chance as the bank to win.
Play Blackjack Online Casinos
- Software providers Microgaming and Evolution Gaming help to offer an extremely enjoyable casino platform.
- Certified by eCogra and licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
- Many progressive jackpot games available.
- Jackpot City is hugely entertaining, with the design or their site being very user friendly.
- Exciting, themed and rewarding games, including a large number of slot titles.
- Customer support available 24/7 through a variety of avenues.
How does Blackjack work?
After players place their bets, the bank (dealer) deals two cards to each player and one card to himself. If you immediately make 21 points (i.e. an Ace and a 10, Jack, Queen or King) with these two cards then you have blackjack.
You immediately receive 1.5 times (often written as 3:2) your stake in a blackjack. So if you bet a tenner, you'll get back C$15 (plus the stake). If the banker also has blackjack, then it's a draw.
If there is no blackjack, the game continues. You then have the following choices:
- Split (in case of two identical cards)
- Double
- Pass
- Ask for another card
If you get a total of more than 21 points then you have lost immediately. If you have passed, then the dealer deals cards to himself.
He stops when he has 17 or more points or when he “buys himself to death” by having more than 21 points.
If you have more points or the banker has bought himself to death and you have passed, you win once the bet (you double your bet).
If the score is even, you keep your bet. If you have less points, you lose your bet to the bank.
Depending on the game situation, you can split your cards, double your bet or insure your bet during the game.
Split
Splitting is possible when the first two cards received are of equal value, such as two sevens or two aces. In essence, you then turn a game into two separate games. After splitting, the original bet is placed on both games.
For example, if you split two Aces and had bet $10, then after splitting you bet $10 on both games ($20 total).
Splitting is especially interesting when you have two base cards that add up to unfavorable and the bank has a good card (7 or higher). Two eights (makes 16), two sevens (14) or two Aces (makes 2) are all combinations with a high probability of buying dead.
By splitting, you increase the odds of a good outcome.
In any case, NEVER split two tens. After all, a score of 20 is usually good enough for a win over the bank. The same rule applies to splitting: so many casinos, so many rules. So read these beforehand.
Double
This is when you double your initial bet and receive only one more card from the dealer. There are different rules per casino on how much you can double.
Some casinos use the “Double Any Two Cards” rule, while others require you to have 9, 10 or 11 points with your first two cards in order to double. Doubling is particularly interesting if you have a high point total (8, 9, 10 or 11) and the dealer shows a card that is likely to buy you dead (3, 4, 5, 6).
Making good use of the doubling option is essential to maximize your chances of winning.
Insurance
This is possible when the dealer's first card is an Ace. Insurance means placing an additional bet on the insurance line: always half of the original bet.
If the dealer has blackjack then your insurance bet is paid out 2x and you make up for the loss of your base bet. If the dealer does not have blackjack then the insurance bet is lost.
If a player has blackjack and the banker has an Ace, instead of insurance you are offered the option of accepting a 1 to 1 payout instead of 1.5 to 1, or continue playing at the risk of a tie if the banker also has blackjack (even money).
In some online casinos, the hole-card rule is in effect. Here the dealer takes a second face down card if he has a 10, Jack, Queen, King or Ace lying around and it is immediately checked whether the banker has blackjack.
If so, the game ends and all players who do not also have a blackjack lose.
This rule is advantageous for the players because they run less risk when they want to double or split against a 10 or Ace in the bank.
Surrender
Surrender is the option for a player to refrain from continuing to play a particular hand. One then loses only half of his bet. This is most advantageous with totals like 16 or 15 against a 9 or 10 in the bank. Again, game rules vary from casino to casino.
Blackjack Strategy
Since there are many different rules at online casinos, the optimal strategy is difficult to determine.
However, there are some basic strategies that will always help you get a better chance of winning.
Buy or Pass Strategy
- 17 or higher: always pass
- If the dealer has 2 or 3 and you have 12 or less: buy card
- If the dealer has 4, 5 or 6 and you have 12 or more: pass
- If the dealer has 7, 8, 9 or 10 and you have 16 or less: buy card
Double
- With 9 you double against a 3, 4, 5 or 6 from the bank.
- With 10 and 11, only if you have more than the bank.
Split
Never split Tens or Plates, even if the dealer has a bad card. Furthermore, only split if it gives you an advantage over the banker's card. Splitting two eights against a bank with 6 gives an advantage. Splitting two nines against a bank with 9 will not produce an advantage.
Securing or even money
This is always detrimental to the player in the long run, therefore: never do it.
Blackjack 3-2 versus Blackjack 6-5: a warning
A negative trend for the player is that more and more casinos are offering so-called 6-5 Blackjack tables. This means nothing more or less than that a Blackjack pays out 6-5 instead of the usual 3-2.
For example, a player who bets C$10 and gets Blackjack will receive only C$12 payout with the 6-5 variant. A negative difference of no less than C$3 compared to the 3-2 variant, where the payout on the same bet and card combination is C$15.
Therefore, always choose the 3-2 variant. On the table itself, under the dealer's spot, you can see how much Blackjack pays out.
Blackjack tournaments
Many of our favorite online casinos offer the possibility to participate in blackjack tournaments. These are exciting tournaments with high prize pools and one key question: which player has the most chips at the end of the tournament?
Live Casino Blackjack
Want to play Blackjack on your PC at home, but with the excitement and energy of a real casino? Then play through a live casino, with a live dealer and a real table, which you follow through a live camera connection. Multiple customers are playing at the same table, just like in real life. This definitely adds to the fun and excitement of the game.
The live casino games from Evolution Gaming are especially popular among live casino players. Evolution Gaming offers several variants of live blackjack, with high quality images and many additional options, such as Bet Behind, success rates of other players and much more.
A very good casino to play live casino games – including live casino Blackjack – with real money is Spin Casino. This casino has by far the biggest – and the best – selection of live casino games.
