Blackjack is a fun and rewarding game that is popular among players around the globe. Blackjack’s popularity stems from its basic premise: hit a total of 21 using the number values on a deck of cards. This game is generally the “entry point” for new online casino players, and it’s a fun way to pass the time.

Aside from the fact that you can play blackjack in your jammies, online casino blackjack is identical to what you’d find in brick and mortar casinos. However, there are certain variances in etiquette in a real casino setting, so take advantage of the flexibility that online casino blackjack provides!

Online Blackjack

With the introduction of internet-based casinos in the mid-1990s, online blackjack became a phenomenon. Blackjack swiftly became the most popular online casino game. In 2008, more than $21 billion was wagered in online casinos, the majority of which was on online blackjack.

Antigua and Barbuda was the first country to throw their weight behind online blackjack casinos. This occurred in 1994, at a time when the Internet was still in its infancy.

The first gaming software was created by a business called Microgaming, which made profits that ran into millions of dollars. As you can expect, online blackjack games in 1994 didn’t look anything like the sophisticated versions that are available today. At the time, the software was fairly primitive, with only a few features for players other than hitting and standing on their hand.

Blackjack has evolved online, just as it has at live casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, with improved software and more player options. As the game grew in popularity, so did the number of variants. Online blackjack is now just as exciting and entertaining as live blackjack.

Basics of Blackjack

Card values

Every card has a numerical value in online blackjack. No matter which suit of cards you are dealt, the game is played using a standard 52 card deck. For example, Aces can be worth 11 or 1, whereas face cards (King, Queen, and Jack) are for 10, and all other cards are worth their number.

Winning hands

In order to win, you must have a card hand that is closer to 21 than the dealer’s without going over. “Blackjack” refers to a winning hand consisting of a 10-value card and an Ace, which are the first cards dealt out. Automatically the player wins if they are dealt a “blackjack.”

Going bust

If your cards total more than 21, you’ve gone ‘bust,’ and you’ve lost both your hand and your bet. A “push” occurs when your total and the dealer’s total are the same. This is effectively a tie, and you will receive a refund of your original stake.

How Blackjack Is Played

The objective of the game, which is played with a 52-card deck, is to beat the dealer by getting cards with a higher value or cards with a value of 21. Pontoon and Vingt-et-Un are two of the many card games in the family which blackjack belongs to.

As a result of its ease of use, excellent payouts, and overall enjoyment, online blackjack has become so popular around the world.

Step 1: Place your wager

As for the stakes, each casino site has a varied range from £5 up to £10,000. Whatever you decide to wager is entirely up to you.

Step 2: Get cards from dealers

Next step is that you’re dealt two cards to play with. In the live dealer versions, you will be dealt cards by the dealer, whereas in the random number generator versions, you will be dealt cards by the machine.

In this step, the dealer will also show you one of his cards.

Step 3: Initiate a side bet

With this method, you can win up to 35 times your wager amount. For instance, you can play with as little as £10 and win up to £350.

You can place an “Insurance” stake if the dealer’s first card is an Ace, and you’ll get back half of your initial bet. Insurance pays out if the dealer hits blackjack.

Step 4: Determine when you want to “hit”

Your hand worth can be increased by pressing the ‘hit’ button and getting extra cards. However, your money will be lost if you go beyond 21 and go bust. Be sure you have healthy hands and determine if you’re prepared to take a risk if they’re above 16 or 17. This stage is the most crucial part of the online blackjack game, because it determines whether you’ll win or lose.

Step 5: Stand

The moment you’re ready to play your hand and are satisfied with it, press “stand”. As a result, the dealer understands that this is your final hand and that you will not be taking any more cards from them.

Step 6: Watch your opponent

It’s time to look at the dealer’s hand after taking a literal stand on your cards. You already know the worth of their first card, so now you should take a look at the rest of their hand. As a result, if you hold a higher-valued hand, you have a better chance of winning.

Step 7: This is the final step

As long as the value of your cards is higher than the dealer’s or equal to 21, you will be the winner. For example, you’ll lose your bet if the value of your hand is less than the dealer’s or if it crosses 21.

To hit, Stand, Double down or Split?

As soon as the bets have been put and each player has received their two initial cards, you’ll have to decide whether you want to double down, hit, stand, or split. You’ll want to base your decision on what you have in your hand and what the dealer has in their hand.

In Blackjack, when is it right to hit?

Any time you ask the dealer for another card, this is called a “hit”.

General rule of thumb is to ‘hit’ when your cards total fourteen or less, depending on the dealer’s hand and the online casino’s rules.

In blackjack, when should you stand?

‘Standing’ is the act of refusing to take any more cards.

Typically, a player will “stand” if they believe they have a high enough hand to beat the dealer (depending on what the dealer is showing.)

When should you double down?

“Doubling down” is the act of doubling your original stake and committing to just obtaining one more card from the dealer in order to win.

Players who have 10 or 11 in their hand should generally “double down” since the odds of the next card being a ten or face card are in their favour in the long term. Again, this will rely on what the dealer is showing, as well as the casino’s rules for dealing cards.

Never forget: When you Double Down, your bet is doubled. You also get one more card. However, if you lose, you’ll also lose twice if you’re dealt a bad hand.

Splitting in Blackjack

When a player is handed a pair of cards, they have the choice to “split”. An original pair can be separated into two new ones by “splitting” it. The player’s current wager is also doubled by “splitting”.

The player could divide two 8s, for example, if they were dealt two 8s. As a result, they would have two hands valued at eight apiece, and each hand would receive an additional card. Each of these hands would then be played in the same manner as the first, with the option to hit, stand, double down or split still applying.

Deciding whether or not to split relies on which pair you receive, and what the dealer has on their table. When you decide to split, keep these three points in mind:

  • Avoid splitting a winning hand. You may be tempted to split if you get two 10s in a row, but resist the temptation. A pair of 10s means you have twenty points, which is likely to be a winning number.
  • Only split cards that are promising. Always remember to only divide cards that you want to use in new hands. Don’t bother splitting if you’re dealt two low-ranking cards (fours) — you’ll wind up with two extra hands of fours instead.
  • If you split your bet, your stake is doubled. Remember that splitting doubles your possible winnings, but it also doubles your potential losses.

When Should You Buy an Insurance?

When the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, the option to “purchase” insurance becomes available. If the dealer has two blackjack cards, the player can place an insurance bet. Having chosen insurance, the player will receive a payment (often 2:1) if the dealer’s other card is a 10 or a face. It is important to note that the player loses both stakes if the dealer has a different card (which is statistically more likely). Insurance bets are often required to be at least half of your original wager amount.

Basic Winning Strategies

You will need to decide where you want to gamble, whether it is in a brick-and-mortar casino or at an online casino. After figuring that out, you’ll want to learn more about playing Blackjack games online. Taking advantage of online blackjack tips can help players make the best selections and bets possible. Blackjack is also the online casino game with the largest payout potential for players.

On a hand of 11 or lesser, always hit hard.

In most cases, if two players both reach 21, the one who has done so with the most cards is proclaimed the winner.

When you have a hard 12 and the dealer has a 4-6, you should stand. If the reverse is the case, you should hit.

When you have a strong 13-16 against a dealer with a 2-6, you should stand.

Whenever you have a hard 17 or more, you should always stand.

A soft 17 or less should always be hit.

Only against dealers who have 9, 10, or Aces should you bet with a soft 18. Otherwise, you should hit it.

It’s always best to stand if you have a soft 19 or more.

Variations Of Blackjack

The top ten blackjack varieties now available in land-based and online casinos are shown below. Although a basic understanding of blackjack is required to play blackjack variations, they are generally simple to master and most people can begin playing in minutes.

Pontoon – British Blackjack

The British version of blackjack is known as pontoon. It has a lot in common with its American counterpart, but there are a few differences that make the game more strategic and exciting. The most significant difference in the casino version is that players can see one card first before placing their bets, and they can increase their stakes at any time during the hand.

How To Play Pontoon

All players are dealt one card in a hand of Pontoon, and they must then decide how much to bet on the hand. The second card is then dealt, and the game proceeds in much the same way as regular blackjack, only with a new terminology, a ‘twist’ instead of ‘hit.’ A player wins when one important condition is satisfied: any player with five cards totalling 21 or less, instantly wins double their bet!

Blackjack Switch

Blackjack Switch, which was patented by Geoff Hall in 2009, has quickly become one of the most popular blackjack variations in casinos, both in real-life and online. While the game is played similarly to blackjack, the difference is that each player is dealt two hands and has the option to switch cards after the initial deal.

Blackjack Switch: How to Play

At the start of the game, each Blackjack Switch player places two wagers and is dealt two hands. After that, the player can swap cards between the two hands, perhaps changing two 16s (A/5, 10/6) into considerably superior hands, a blackjack (A/10) and an 11 (6/5).

This advantage, however, comes with a cost. To begin with, blackjack pays only even money. Second, the dealer can only bust if they have a total of 23 or above; if they have a total of 22, the hand is a push for all players, regardless of their total.

Double Exposure Blackjack

The double exposure Blackjack is a popular game among blackjack players since it is one of the few varieties that genuinely improves the player’s odds. As a result, it is uncommon, as most casinos prefer not to allow players to play blackjack varieties in which they can earn more money. So, if you ever come across one of these tables, take a seat and play.

How to Play Double Exposure Blackjack

The rules of Double Exposure Blackjack are nearly identical to those of a standard multi-deck blackjack game, with one major exception: both of the dealer’s cards are revealed, allowing everyone to see exactly what the dealer has before making a decision. Of course, because this provides the players such a big advantage, there are few modifications that have been made to bring the game back into the casino’s favour. The dealer hits on soft 17s, while insurance, surrender, and multiple splits are not permitted. Even then, the house has a near-zero advantage.

Buster Blackjack isn’t so much a unique blackjack variant as it is a conventional blackjack game with an optional side wager that pays the player if the dealer busts. Because the dealer busts considerably less frequently than the player, the payoff for each additional card it takes the dealer to bust is increased.

How To Play Buster Blackjack

The game is played precisely like it is on a regular blackjack table. The ‘buster’ component is a side bet in which the player wagers on whether or not the dealer will bust. This side bet is simply about the dealer going bust; it makes no difference whether the player wins or loses the hand. The bigger the payout, the more cards it takes the dealer to bust, ranging from 1:1 for a 3-card bust to 250:1 for an 8-card dealer bust. Despite this, the house edge on the Buster Blackjack side bet is fairly substantial.

Bonus BlackJack

When playing Bonus Blackjack, the rules are identical to those of conventional blackjack, save for an optional side bet that allows the player a chance to win big. The fact that bonus blackjack is always played with two decks makes it one of the most popular blackjack variations among card counters and professional players.

Bonus Blackjack: How to Play

Bonus Blackjack is played in the same way as any other double-deck blackjack game, with the added advantage that you can place an optional side bet before any cards are dealt. If you obtain a blackjack on your first two cards, you’ll win a bonus, and this bet usually pays off even if the dealer gets a blackjack. Varying blackjack hands pay different sums depending on the casino – suited blackjacks, for example, pay 25:1. You lose the bet if you don’t obtain a blackjack — it’s as easy as that.

Blackjack Table Limits

Individual online casinos have different bets and limits for Blackjack games. In an online casino, players can check out the various Blackjack tables in advance to see what the table limits are. In most cases, live blackjack tables are available to both hobby gamers with a little bankroll and high rollers.

Participation in many of the best online gaming sites is available for as little as 5 pounds. However, there are occasions when tables are available for people to play with as little as 50 pence. Most online casinos have maximum table limits ranging from £10,000 to £50,000.

Free Blackjack vs. Real Money Blackjack

We recommend that you play the blackjack demo mode of a reputable online casino until you have a firm grasp on the game’s mechanics. Of course, playing for free has its drawbacks: you can’t win money, and bonuses and promotions for free players are quite unusual. That’s why, once they’ve gotten used to it, many gamers opt to play real money online blackjack. Blackjack is a fun game no matter how you play it, but weigh the benefits and drawbacks of playing for real money to ensure you make the best choice.

Blackjack on Mobile

Because blackjack games are so popular among punters and at top-rated casinos, operators have focused on making it simple for players to enjoy while on the road. Blackjack is simple to play on mobile devices such as Apple and Android smartphones and tablets.

Because most online casinos discovered that downloaded apps were inconvenient and took up too much storage space on their customers’ phones, they instead optimised their desktop websites for mobile use. Rather than visiting an app store, simply input your casino’s web address into your smartphone’s browser, sign into your account, and your mobile device’s blackjack gaming experience will be identical to that of a desktop or laptop computer. To add to this, an increasing number of online casinos are including live dealer blackjack in their mobile offers. It is like carrying around a casino in your pocket at all times.

Conclusion

Now that you have learned the rules of blackjack, it’s time to try your hand at the real thing. You can begin playing at any online casino of your choosing right now, but if you need more help with your technique, keep visiting this site for the best blackjack strategy guide. Best of luck!