Play Online Blackjack - Where and How to Play

The rules of blackjack are plain and simple. You need to beat the dealer by getting a count as close to 21 as possible. There's a catch, though. Once you go over that number, you lose. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Here are some basic blackjack rules you should know about before playing for real money:

1. 1. Like any other regular card game (e.g., poker), blackjack uses a standard 52-card pack.
2. 2. Beating the dealer means - drawing a value that is higher than the dealer's hand value, drawing a hand value of 21 in your first two cards (providing the dealer doesn't), or dealer drawing a hand exceeding 21.
3. 3. You lose to the dealer every time your hand exceeds 21, or the dealer's hand has a higher value than yours at the end of the game.

Now, when it comes to the number of players, the most common blackjack tables allow seven players to participate. The table itself is semicircular, with the dealer standing behind and the players sit on the other side. Online casino games don't change this arrangement. All you need to do is enter the site, choose the table, and get ready to play online blackjack. It's that simple.

And now that you know the basics, it's time to enter the game. This brings us to the next point.

What makes blackjack one of the best games available at online casinos is how simple, fun, and engaging it is to play. Even if you have never played it before, you will find its rules straightforward to follow.

Here's how an average blackjack online game looks like:

• Start off by placing your bet.
• Players are each dealt two cards, both facing up.
• Each card has a value:
  • Cards 2 to 10 equal their value in points.
  • Jack, Queen and King cards equal 10 points each.
  • The Ace card is worth either 1 or 11 points, depending on which outcome benefits the player more.
• The dealer also gets dealt 2 cards, one facing down and the other facing up.
• The value of your hand is equal to the sum of the two cards you were dealt. Based on the sum of your cards, you then have to decide whether to:
  • Hit. Choosing to hit means you draw another card from the top of the deck and adding it to your total. You can continue to hit until you stand or bust.
  • Stand. You call stand once you have reached a total you are ready to stop at.
  • Split. If the first two cards you have dealt are equal in value, you have to option to split your cards into two separate hands and continue playing two hands against the dealer. At this point, you will usually also be required to place a wager on the second hand that is equal to your original bet.
  • Double down. This happens when you agree to take only one hit before standing. To put a double down into effect, you need to double your bet. Then, depending on your three-card total, your winnings can significantly increase.
• If your hand is closer to 21 than the dealers, you win. If you exceed the desired 21 or the dealer has a better hand, you lose.

Blackjack is also available online as a live dealer game at certain casinos.

Now that we've covered how an online blackjack game looks like, it's a good idea to learn some basic words used during the game. And sure, you may not play in the Atlantic City casino, but learning some classic phrases will come in handy. It will also boost your gambling experience.

Anchorman: The very last person to play before the dealer.

Burn Card or cards: The first card placed faced down after the dealer has re-shuffled. Often, multiple cards are burned.

Bust: When your cards collectively total more than 21.

Controlling Player: The first player to act, closest to the dealer’s left.

Hard / Soft Hands: In blackjack, the ace card can count either as eleven or one. When the value is changed, for example, an ace and a nine, the total is known as a “soft twenty”.

Hole card: The card the dealer plays face down that is only revealed after all players have taken action.

Push: When both the dealer and player have the same card total, the player gets his bet back.

Stiff Card: A low-value card that forces the dealer to hit.

Stiff Hand: A stiff hand has a value of 12 to 16 and can be busted with a one-card hit. A hand of 7-9, for example, is a stiff hand that has no stiff cards.

Surrender: When the dealer’s hand is just too good, surrendering means forfeiting half the wagered bet and not playing any further.

As already mentioned, there are many variations of blackjack online games, from Classic Blackjack to some fascinating variations. Some games can be played with more than one deck, and in others, the dealers can follow different rules. There may also be some changes regarding payouts. When it comes to online blackjack, there five most popular variations you can play:

European Blackjack

The most significant difference in the European version of Blackjack is that the dealer doesn't receive a hole card until a player acts. Such a rule changes player's decision regarding doubling down 11 against 10 and splitting 8's.

Pontoon Blackjack

Often referred to as the early version of blackjack, online Pontoon pays 2:1 on any 5-card hand or a Pontoon (same things as blackjack), even after splitting. There is no dealer upward-facing card, and the dealer wins on ties.

Blackjack Switch

In this version, players are permitted to play two hands simultaneously against the dealer. Players may switch a card from one hand to the other or keep them the way they were dealt. Among the online blackjack games mentioned here, Blackjack Switch is probably the most popular.

Spanish 21

What makes this blackjack online variant unique is that 6 to 8 Spanish decks (same as the regular 52 card deck, minus the four tens) are used to play it. This shifts the odds greatly in the dealer’s favor, but the game is counter-balanced with rules and bonuses to benefit the player.

Double Exposure

As the name implies, the dealer plays his cards face-up so that the players always know what he has. The twist is that the dealer always wins on ties.

There is only one true basic strategy you should follow if you want to play online blackjack and win - think and play each hand in an optimum way. Always take into account what the dealer's upcard is. If it's a good card (from 7 to 10 or an ace), you should not stop drawing until you reach a total of 17 or more.

However, if the card is poor, the good idea is to stop drawing until you get to 12 (or 13 if the dealer's card is 2 or 3). The idea behind this strategy is to let the dealer hit and exceed 21. At the same time, you need to ensure not to go bust yourself. We will follow on this in the next section.

Note! There are minor differences depending on how many decks are used and whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17.

If you would like to take your Blackjack playing skills up a level, we recommend reading our section on improving your blackjack betting skills.