Online Casino Blackjack
There are two reasons why blackjack is the most popular table game in every casino in the world. First, the game is relatively simple to learn. The basic idea is to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. Second, blackjack is one of the few games in the casino where you can make decisions that actually affect the outcome of each hand. There’s a lot of strategy that can be applied to blackjack to help increase your chances of winning.
Best Online Casino Blackjack Sites
But before we get into learning how to beat blackjack, we first need to cover the basic rules. Although blackjack is a fairly simple game, there are some advanced bets that can appear confusing at first. We’ll cover all those later in this article but first, let’s start with the basics.
Blackjack Casino Game Objectives
Your goal in blackjack is to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. Each card is worth a certain number of points and you can draw as many cards as you wish in order to get as close to 21 as possible. The caveat is that if you draw too many cards and go over 21, you will automatically lose the hand.
Blackjack is played at a kidney-shaped table with anywhere from 1 to 8 players and a dealer. The players all compete individually against the dealer and don’t actually have any interaction with each other, other than conversation.
Card Values In Blackjack
Each card in blackjack is worth a certain number of points.
Numbered cards (2-10) are worth the same number of points as the card value. A 7 is worth 7 points, an 8 is worth 8 points and so on.
Jack, Queen and King are worth 10 points each.
Aces are worth 1 point or 11, whichever gives the player the best score.
How to Play Blackjack At A Casino Site
The players begin each hand of blackjack by choosing how much they wish to bet and then placing a wager on the table. After the players have all placed their bets, the dealer gives one card face up to each player and one card face down to himself. The dealer then deals a second card face up to each player.
This is where you get to make your first decision. When it comes to your turn, you can signal for the dealer to give you more cards (this is called “hitting”) or you can tell the dealer you don’t need any more cards (“standing”). You can take as many cards as you want but be careful; if you go over 21 (“busting”), you’ll lose your wager.
After all the players make their decisions, the dealer takes another card and reveals his hidden card. The dealer then plays his hand out according to preset rules. At most casinos, the dealer must draw cards with a 16 or lower and he must stand with a 17 or greater.
Winning Hands In Blackjack
There are several ways the hand can turn out:
1. You get closer to 21 than the dealer. Your original bet is paid off at 1:1.
2. The dealer gets closer to 21 than you do. You lose your bet.
3. The dealer goes bust. If you didn’t also bust, your original bet is paid off at 1:1.
4. Any time you bust, you lose your bet – even if the dealer also busts.
5. You are dealt a natural blackjack in the first two cards. This means you received an Ace and a card worth 10 points for an instant 21. This is an automatic win and you will be paid 3:2 on your money. If the dealer also gets a blackjack, the bet is a tie and you neither win nor lose any money.
Optional Blackjack Casino Side Bets
There are also several other bets players may make while playing blackjack.
Double Down At Blackjack
You may double down if your first two cards total 9, 10 or 11 without any aces. When you double down, you may double your original wager but after you double down, you must receive exactly one more card and that’s it.
Splitting Hands In Blackjack
When you receive two cards of the same rank, you may split those cards and play them as two separate hands. You also place a separate bet on your second hand.
Taking Blackjack Insurance
Insurance is generally considered a bad bet but some players still take insurance if they feel unlucky. If the dealer’s up card is an ace, you may take insurance which costs half the original wager. If the dealer ends up having a blackjack, you will be paid 2:1 on your insurance bet. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the insurance bet is lost.
Surrender At Blackjack
Surrender is an option where you may forfeit half your bet and quit the hand early. This is useful if it looks like you’re going to lose the hand. There are two types of surrender: early and late. Early surrender is offered before the dealer checks for blackjack and late surrender is offered after the dealer checks for blackjack.