Play blackjack casino
We're thrilled to announce the release of our comprehensive Ultimate Guide to Online Blackjack! Whether you're a beginner or seasoned player, explore valuable insights into online blackjack casinos, strategies, game variations, and much more to elevate your gaming experience.
The Ultimate Guide to Online Blackjack: Everything You Need to Know
Discover our top-rated blackjack casinos here!
If you’re new to the game, learn about blackjack rules, strategies, and more, and practice for FREE in demo mode at a reputable online blackjack casino.
For seasoned players, explore our selection of the best online blackjack games for real money. Prepare yourself to play your favorite variations and compete for massive tournament prizes!
How do we evaluate online blackjack casinos?
Our recommendations for blackjack casinos are based on rigorous criteria, ensuring top performance in the following areas, while blacklisting those that fall short of our standards.
Fast Payouts
When you strike it big, waiting for your winnings is the last thing you want. We only endorse casinos that process your payouts within a few business days.
Game Variety
Our top-rated blackjack casinos offer a diverse range of game variations, providing you with the freedom to choose your preferred style.
User-Friendly Experience
No ma tter your level of tech-savviness, playing blackjack online should be hassle-free. We exclusively recommend casinos with intuitive and user-friendly interfaces.
Customer Support
All our recommended blackjack casinos provide dependable 24/7 live chat customer support to address any concerns or queries.
Licensing
Rest assured that our endorsed online blackjack casinos hold proper licenses, ensuring a secure and trustworthy gaming experience.
Comparing Real Money Blackjack to Free Games
In contrast to traditional brick-and-mortar casinos, online blackjack casinos have the advantage of offering free games!
Free play, also known as ‘practice mode,’ is particularly beneficial for novice players looking to refine their skills before wagering real money. If you already feel confident in your blackjack abilities, playing online blackjack for real money may be the more suitable option.
Take a look at our comparison chart to determine which style of play aligns with your preferences!
Real Money Blackjack
- Stand a chance to win substantial real money prizes
- Benefit from exciting bonuses and promotions in addition to your regular winnings
- Play with a live dealer for a more interactive and sociable experience
- Access a wide range of your favorite blackjack variations
Free Games
- Enjoy playing without any financial risk involved
- Perfect your skills in a low-risk environment
- Ideal for those seeking entertainment without wagering real money
- Convenient and hassle-free gameplay, often without the need for signups or logins
Blackjack: Rules, Strategies, and Tips
Blackjack is widely regarded as the most popular casino game for several reasons. It offers the best winning odds, and while it is easy to learn, you can significantly improve your play through skill and strategy.
Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or somewhere in between, we will help you refresh your knowledge of important blackjack rules, strategies, and tips.
Basic Rules
If you are new to blackjack, don’t worry – it is a relatively straightforward game to understand. The objective is to get as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it and to have a higher score than the dealer. If you or the dealer goes over 21, it results in a “bust,” and you lose the game.
It is important to note that while there may be other players at the table, you are not competing against them. Blackjack is a game of comparison between you and the dealer. Let’s go through the typical flow of a blackjack game.
Join the Table
When you join a blackjack table, each player is dealt two cards face up, while the dealer receives two cards with only one face-up.
Make a Move
Now that the cards have been dealt, you have a fundamental decision to make: whether to hit or stand. Your decision should be based on the combined value of your cards and the value of the dealer’s face-up card. Players can choose to hit or stand based on their experience or use strategy cheat sheets.
Hit
To “hit” means to request another card from the dealer. It is advisable to hit when you are confident that an additional card won’t cause you to go bust (exceed a score of 21). Additionally, the dealer must hit if their hand is valued at 16 or lower.
Stand
To “stand” means to decline receiving another card from the dealer. It is a good choice to stand when you have a high initial score. Typically, players are advised to stand on scores of 17 and above, but keep in mind that this does not guarantee a win.
Once you are comfortable with hitting and standing, you can explore additional decisions during your blackjack game.
Split
If you are dealt two cards of equal value, you have the option to split them, creating two separate hands. This provides an additional chance to beat the dealer. However, certain guidelines should be followed, such as not splitting two face cards or two tens, and always splitting eights and Aces.
Double Down
If you believe that taking one more card after your initial deal will give you a winning advantage, you can choose to double down. This doubles your bet, but you will receive only one more card before your turn ends.
Check Your Hand Value
After making your moves, the value of your hand may have changed. As long as you are at or under 21, you are still in the game.
See the Dealer’s Hand Value
Once all the players at the table have finished, the dealer reveals their face-down card, showing their hand’s total value.
Determine the Winner
If you are closer to 21 than the dealer, or if you have a blackjack (a hand totaling 21) while the dealer doesn’t, you win the game. Conversely, if the dealer is closer to 21 than you are or has a blackjack while you don’t, the dealer wins. When both you and the dealer have the same hand value, it is called a “push,” resulting in neither a win nor a loss. In such cases, you get your bet back.
Payout
If you win the game, the dealer will distribute your winnings based on the type of win. Regular wins, where your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, pay 1 to 1. For example, a €92 bet would yield a €92 win. Blackjack wins, where your hand equals 21, pay 3 to 2. For example, a €92 bet would yield a €138 win.
Advanced Rules
Insurance
Insurance comes into play when the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace. In such cases, players have the option to take insurance, which is a side bet that acts as a safety net if the dealer’s face-down card is valued at 10, resulting in a blackjack for the dealer.
Taking Even Money
Taking even money is another form of insurance. It is offered by the dealer when their face-up card is an Ace, and you have been dealt a blackjack. If the dealer also gets a blackjack, the outcome is a push. Taking even money ensures that you still receive a payout of 1 to 1 in case you don’t win.
Soft 17
In some variations of blackjack, the dealer must hit or stand on a “soft” 17. A soft 17 is a hand that includes an Ace, which can be valued as either 1 or 11. Before playing, be sure to check the specific rules of the casino regarding soft 17.
Card Values
Cards 2-10: Worth their numerical value.
Face Cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings): Worth 10.
Ace: Can be worth 1 or 11.
Blackjack Strategy
While it is impossible to win every time at blackjack, following a strategy can significantly improve your odds and potential winnings. Once you are familiar with the basic rules of blackjack, consider implementing the following strategies:
Strategy Cheat Sheets
Pair Splitting: A chart helps you decide whether to split a pair statistically.
Soft Totals: If one of your cards is an Ace, consult the chart to determine your next move.
Hard Totals: Without an Ace, use the cheat sheet to determine the best action based on your hand’s value.
Blackjack Tips
Set a budget and only bet with money you can afford to lose.
Avoid wagering too much money on a single bet to prolong your playing time.
Memorize or keep a basic strategy cheat sheet handy to make informed decisions during gameplay.
Blackjack Betting Systems
Experienced players have developed betting systems to enhance their chances of beating the dealer. Two popular systems are the Martingale system, where players double their bets when losing, and the d’Alembert system, where players adjust their bets based on wins and losses.
Blackjack Variations
The flexibility of online casinos has allowed for numerous intriguing modifications of the classic blackjack game, some of which have become quite popular. Here are a few variations that you might find interesting!
European Blackjack
In the European version of blackjack, only two decks of cards are used, with players allowed to double down only if their hand consists of 9, 10, or 11. The game also lacks a ‘hole card’ (the dealer’s second card, usually dealt face-down); instead, the dealer is dealt their second card only after all the players have completed their hands.
Single Deck Blackjack
Offering the most favourable house edge to players (assuming they’re familiar with basic or ideal gameplay strategies), single-deck blackjack utilises just one deck of cards. Be sure to verify the casino’s payout rules when playing this version, as the more favourable house edge may lead some establishments to alter the payout to maintain their profitability. The traditional 3 to 2 blackjack payout ratio is the one to look for.
Atlantic City
Hailing from the famous casinos of Atlantic City, New Jersey, this variant allows dealers to stand on 17 – soft or hard. Also, if the dealer’s upcard is an Ace or a 10-value card, they can check their hole card for blackjack! Players are allowed to split their cards up to three times, except for Aces, which can only be split once.
Perfect Blackjack
In Perfect Blackjack, players can place side bets on whether they, the dealer, or both will be dealt a pair. A pair of the exact same suit is called a ‘perfect pair,’ and the payout can go up to a whopping 25 to 1!
Live Blackjack
As the name suggests, this variant enables players to enjoy the benefits of online blackjack, but with real-time gameplay against a live dealer through video chat. This version is ideal for players who appreciate the social aspects of the game typically found in traditional, land-based casinos.
Blackjack Surrender
This version closely mirrors classic blackjack, but with an added feature: players can choose to ‘surrender’ after their first two cards are dealt, enabling them to recoup half of their bet if they think they won’t win the round.
Blackjack Switch
In this thrilling variant, players play two hands simultaneously! After the initial four cards are dealt, players have the option to ‘switch’ the top cards from each hand if they so choose. Blackjack Switch also allows for side bets named ‘Super Matches,’ which pay out if the player’s first four cards contain a pair, three of a kind, or two pairs.
Double Exposure Blackjack
In this version, both of the dealer’s cards are dealt face-up! To balance this significant advantage for the player, Double Exposure Blackjack only pays 1 to 1 for a blackjack (instead of the standard 3 to 2), and the dealer wins on every tie, barring when both have a natural blackjack.
Blackjack FAQs
Our evaluations of blackjack casinos are based on rigorous standards including fast payouts, game variety, user-friendly experience, customer support, and proper licensing.
The goal of blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it and to have a higher score than the dealer. Key decisions during a game include whether to hit (request another card) or stand (decline another card), and when to split or double down.
Real money blackjack allows you to compete for substantial prizes and enjoy bonuses, promotions, and live dealer interactions. Free games offer risk-free entertainment, the chance to refine your skills, and usually don't require sign-ups or logins.
Once you're familiar with the basic rules, you can use strategy cheat sheets for pair splitting, soft totals, and hard totals. You may also want to consider blackjack betting systems, such as the Martingale or d'Alembert systems.
Popular blackjack variations include European Blackjack, Single Deck Blackjack, Atlantic City, Perfect Blackjack, Live Blackjack, Blackjack Surrender, Blackjack Switch, and Double Exposure Blackjack. Each has unique rules and offers different gaming experiences.