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The origins of blackjack lie in the card game of Twenty-One, which was first recorded in Spain in the 17th century. In fact, the first-ever reference of the game in a written piece came from Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote himself. Its rise to prominence took place one century later in France, a hotspot for the world’s gambling elite. Blackjack is merely the American variant of it, and it was born in the 19th century in the United States after the legalization of gambling. Pontoon is a very similar game known as the British version of Twenty-One, and thus Blackjack.
Playing blackjack in an online casino is not complicated at all. First, the entire table will be dealt two cards face-up. Then, you will be dealt two cards of your own, one face-up and one face-down. With every turn, you have the option to stand, take more cards, or split into two new hands if you have a pair. After this, it is time for the deal to do the same. There are three ways in which you can win at a game of online blackjack:
Hitting a blackjack. Also known as a natural, a player can hit a blackjack if his first two cards total 21 and the dealer doesn’t achieve this score.
Scoring higher than the dealer. If you score higher than the dealer without going above 21, then you also win the round. Going over 21 is known as going bust.
Letting the dealer go bust. When the dealer goes bust and scores over a 21, whoever did not automatically wins.
There are also three different types of cards in a game of blackjack. Their numerical value within the game is explained briefly below for your convenience.
Aces. The player decides whether their ace is counted as a 1 or 11 in the total.
Number cards. These cards have the same value depicted on them.
Face cards. Kings, queens, and jacks are face cards and they are all worth 10 points.
Always split pairs of aces and eights. As mentioned above, having a pair of two identical cards in your hand means you can split them. This is not always a good or failsafe idea, except for aces and eights. Splitting your aces gives you two chances at a natural 21 while separating the eights into two hands earns you two chances at a score of 18.
Never split pairs of tens and sixes. While we’re on the topic of splitting, it’s essential to mention that splitting tens and sixes generates the opposite effect. You have no reason to split a hand as strong as two tens, which would rack you up 20 points. In addition to this, splitting sixes is the worst possible idea.
Let the dealer go bust. Does the dealer have a card with a value between 4 and 6? If that is the case, it might be a good idea to let them go bust and win by default. However, if you hold an ace with a value of 11, it’s impossible to go bust and you could take the challenge on.
Card Counting. This is the go-to blackjack strategy of many experienced players, as highlighted by famous instances such as those of Ken Uston, Edward Thorp, or the MIT Blackjack Team. The idea behind it is rather simple: having many 10-point cards still left in the deck hugely favors players. To figure this out, you will have to keep track of everything that goes down in the game, which might sound like a walk in the park, but actually requires consistent practice.
Taking Insurance. Insurance is not a great way to win at blackjack when you’re a beginner or even intermediate level player, but it might pay out for experienced punters. This is a side bet offered by dealers who are showing an ace, and the player has a chance to bet on them getting a blackjack, or natural 21. Statistically speaking, the dealer manages to pull it off less than half the time, which is why you need to know your way around a blackjack table well before attempting it.
For more information on how to play online casino blackjack straight from the pros, check out our Blackjack Guides. There, you will find detailed articles on various topics that concern this complex topic.
Know your blackjack terminology. Online blackjack tables usually use abbreviations to state their rules, and to the untrained eye, this might seem like a foreign language. Therefore, the number one thing you should do before engaging in a game or two is to know exactly what these mean. In the chart below, we have provided brief explanations for the most common phrases you might encounter in a game of online blackjack.
Play at trusted casinos only. When you’re betting your hard-earned money, it’s always a good idea to choose trusted and reputable establishments for it. To do this, simply browse through our list and look for the Best tag, as well as a gold or silver medal attached to the name of the casino. In this way, you will ensure that your cash is well spent in a serious online establishment that respects its clients and offers the best gambling experience possible.
Use fast and secure Wi-Fi. Seeing as how this type of casino blackjack unfolds online, it is essential to have a fast Wi-Fi connection so that your game does not lag, freeze, or shut down suddenly. This type of occurrence can be immensely frustrating when you’re playing blackjack for high stakes, so why not make the best out of your gambling session and use a strong connection? In addition to this, keep in mind that Wi-Fi is always the preferred choice, as online casino games can consume a lot of mobile data if you’re playing on a handheld device.
Blackjack enthusiasts have another option other than standard, Random Number Generator-powered online gambling. We’re talking about live dealer casinos, which offer an experience as close to the real deal as possible. These types of online gambling websites give players the option to engage in a web-based game of blackjack that is moderated by an actual dealer and is based on luck in its purest form. The addition of the human factor into the entire experience will definitely make your gambling session feel close to what you would pursue on the casino floor in Vegas. As previously mentioned, you have the option to see whether or not a blackjack casino has a live dealer option right here on our page by checking the designated column next to its name.
For a demonstration of how live dealer blackjack goes down, watch the video embedded below depicting a game of Blackjack 3.0 by Ezugi:
Surrendering is a synonym of folding, and it allows you to keep half your bet instead of losing it all. However, some blackjack tables don’t allow this at all, so make sure you are aware of this fact beforehand.
Partially. When you are dealt a weak hand, surrendering early can be a great idea, as you only lose half the bet. Nevertheless, keep in mind that you have a chance to still win if the dealer goes bust. Therefore, before folding, think all the possible outcomes through properly.
Doubling down is the salt and pepper of blackjack, as it is one of the moves that give the game its specific flavor. It refers to doubling your bet in the middle of playing a hand in exchange for an additional card. It is a tricky maneuver, but one that pays off greatly when played at the right time.
More or less so. Seeing as the rules and gameplay are the same, the same strategies work in both cases. With that in mind, remember that online casinos also offer attractive bonuses and loyalty programs that allow you to make up for the house’s default edge even more.
Each casino on this page has a welcome package it greets newly registered players with, which you can find in the designated column. However, to see which games are allowed for the first deposit and no deposit bonuses that are offered, you need to check out their dedicated review pages. There, you will see more details on promotions, as well as whether or not blackjack qualifies for them.
Of course! Check out our Free Blackjack Games page and try out the game at no additional cost to see if it suits your needs and gambling style. This also allows you to test out several strategies and see how they pan out before investing real money into them.
