Blackjack Online Casinos 2024

Lucas Costa
September 17, 2023
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Blackjack as a casino game manages, like few other games, to assert itself over decades as a favorite of many players. Unlike other casino games, it combines luck and strategy. Before we go into more detail about blackjack, its history, and game theory, we have the best online blackjack casinos for you:

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What is Blackjack?

Blackjack, also known as “21,” has a history dating back to the 16th century. Over time, various versions of the game emerged, including variations where all cards with the values 8, 9, and 10 were removed.

Today, Blackjack is typically played with a standard 52-card deck (French playing cards). If you’re playing it in a casino or planning a professional game night with friends, you’ll need six decks, totaling 312 cards.

Why is it worth playing Black Jack online?

  • Blackjack is one of the most popular card games in the world, played both in land-based casinos and online.
  • Unlike many other games, blackjack combines luck and strategy.
  • There are rules to follow, but they are relatively easy to learn.
  • There are numerous variations and sub-forms of blackjack, providing almost unlimited choices.
  • If you master the correct strategy, you can reduce the house advantage to almost 0 percent by following the optimal strategy step by step.

Best odds in the casino

The most obvious reason why Blackjack is so popular: the odds are better than in any other casino game, mainly because of the casino’s “house advantage”. This house advantage varies from game to game. While slot machines usually have a fairly high house advantage programmed in, it looks different with the so-called table games. In roulette or baccarat, the house edge is about 2%. This means that on average, each player loses 2% of their wagered money on each bet. The house advantage in blackjack can be reduced to far below 1% by skillful play. Several decades ago, mathematicians calculated the best possible action for each situation and summarized it in a table called Basic Strategy. If you stick to this table at the Blackjack table, the chances of winning are very good.

Action, Thrills, and Quick Decisions

One of the reasons why Blackjack is so popular is that your actions can directly impact your success or failure. Unlike slot machines or roulette, where you simply bet on an outcome, in blackjack, you have an active role in the game. Once the cards are dealt, players can choose to stick with their current card total, request another card, or even double their bet. You can keep drawing cards until your total exceeds 21, and it’s even possible to end up with seven cards in front of you. This ability to make decisions and influence the game’s outcome sets blackjack apart from other casino games.

Blackjack can be played in both traditional casinos and online, pitting players against the dealer. The goal is to achieve a higher card total than the dealer and beat the casino. The true strength of your hand is revealed when the dealer reveals their card. Exciting moments often occur where players can win despite having seemingly bad cards, or they might have to forfeit what seemed like a sure victory.

How to play blackjack at the online casino?

Blackjack is undoubtedly one of the most popular table games worldwide, whether played at land-based establishments or online casinos. There are various variations of this classic card game, including:

  • Classic Blackjack
  • European Blackjack
  • American Blackjack
  • Atlantic City Blackjack
  • Spanish 21
  • Pontoon
  • Double Exposure Blackjack
  • Blackjack Switch
  • and many more.

The Blackjack Rules

The many variations of Blackjack all have slightly different rules. However, the basic rules are the same everywhere and to win against the house, you should definitely know the following set of rules:

  • Goal of the game: the goal is to always have a hand with a value closer to 21 than the dealer’s – without exceeding 21 in the process.
  • Card values: Basically, they correspond to the value printed on them. Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) have a value of 10, while the Ace can count either 1 or 11, depending on what is more favorable for you.
  • Gameplay: The game begins with each participant receiving two cards dealt face up. The dealer receives one card face up and one card face down. As a player, you can then choose different game actions.
  • Game Actions: You can now decide whether to take another card (“Hit”), not take another card (“Stand”), split your cards (“Split”) or double the bet (“Double Down”).
  • Winning and losing: If you have a hand that is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, you win. If you exceed 21 (bust), you lose. If you and the dealer have the same hand value, the game ends in a tie (push).
  • Blackjack: A “Blackjack” occurs when you or the dealer have a combination of an Ace and a card with a value of 10 (10, Jack, Queen, King) in your hand. A blackjack usually pays out higher than a normal winning hand.
  • Insurance: In some cases, the game offers the option to take out insurance if the dealer has an ace as an open card. This allows you to cover yourself against a potential blackjack from the dealer.

4 useful tips to find the right blackjack online casino

Our GamblingID.com experts have now provided a comprehensive overview of the rules and variations. You are also already familiar with our Top selection of online blackjack casinos. But how can you choose the right online casino for you?

With the following tips, you can make your decision even easier:

1. Choose Blackjack Bonus Offers and Pay Attention to the Conditions!

If you have found an online casino with a bonus on our top list, you should definitely consider the bonus conditions. Firstly, it is important to know the timeframe within which you have to fulfill the wagering requirements.

The turnover requirements also play a crucial role in determining the attractiveness of a bonus. For instance, slot machines generally contribute 100% towards meeting the turnover requirements, while the contribution is often lower for table and card games.

2. Seriousness and Security as the Top Priority

In the digital world, the emphasis is increasingly on security and reliability. When it comes to deposited money and potential winnings, it is crucial for customers to trust that they can quickly and easily access their winnings without any issues. Winnings must be easily accessible without any problems.

One key factor in establishing this trust is the licenses held by online casinos. Players tend to prefer MGA Casinos and casinos with a Curacao license. Additionally, SSL encryption plays a vital role in ensuring data security, protecting customer information from unauthorized access.

Most reputable online casinos provide information about the payout rate of their games. If this information is not readily available, customers can reach out to the customer service team for assistance.

3. Selection of Blackjack Games

Blackjack is offered by just about every casino these days. For you as a player, it is definitely advisable to look at the selection of variants. Blackjack is one of the table games that is less often represented. Check this carefully before you register at an online casino.

4. Blackjack on a Mobile Casino is a Must!

In today’s world, mobile gaming is the norm, with smartphones being the primary platform for playing games. Consequently, if you wish to enjoy blackjack on your mobile device, it’s essential to confirm that the game is cross-compatible and accessible via the casino’s mobile app.

While this is usually the case nowadays, it’s not guaranteed everywhere. The top online casino apps consistently deliver this convenience.

Strategy for blackjack, tips and tricks

Basically, all casino games have corresponding rules that ensure that the casino has an advantage over the player. That is why this mathematical value is called the house advantage of the casino. The house advantage ensures that casinos exist at all. You could say it is a kind of life insurance for casinos or an entertainment tax for players.

In some games the house edge is higher than in others. However, it is lowest in blackjack. Provided you have the right strategy. Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about that ourselves, because the optimal Blackjack strategy has already been available for a long time!

In the 1960s, mathematicians calculated exactly which action leads to the best possible result. These calculations are summarized in a table called “Basic Strategy“. This is the optimal blackjack strategy.

If you stick to the guidelines of the Basic Strategy, you can reduce the house advantage of the casino to less than 1%. For comparison, in other casino games such as roulette or slots, the house advantage is at least three times.

Two Options: Hit or Stand

The blackjack strategy table can appear quite complex for beginners, so let’s break it down in the simplest way possible.

In blackjack, you essentially have two choices: ‘Hit’ or ‘Stand.’ When you ‘Hit,’ you take an additional card to add to your initial two cards (your hand). ‘Stand’ means you opt to keep your current card total. Additionally, if you’re dealt a pair, you can choose to ‘Split’ and play with two separate hands. For specific card values (9, 10, and 11), you also have the option to ‘Double Down’ and double your bet.

Your decision should be based on the total value of your two cards and the dealer’s face-up card. To put it simply, you can reduce the casino’s advantage with the following simplified blackjack strategy:

STAND!

You stand when…

… you have 17 or more

… you have 12 – 16 and the dealer has less than 7

HIT!

You draw a card when…

– you have 8 or less

– you have 16 or less and the dealer has more than 7

SPLIT – SPLIT!

– Pairs of 4s, 5s and tens should NEVER be split.

– Pairs of Aces and Eights should ALWAYS be split.

– All other pairs should be split only if the dealer has less than 7.

DOUBLE DOWN – DOUBLE!

– With 9, 10 and 11 you double down if you have more than the dealer (ex: 10 vs 9 or A vs 10).

With this simplified version of the optimal blackjack strategy, you can enhance your chances using mathematical probability. By consistently making the move with the higher probability, you can save a few dollars in the long term. It’s advisable to practice the blackjack strategy at an online casino until you’ve mastered it completely. Only when you can play confidently without needing to second-guess yourself should you consider playing in a physical casino.

Blackjack Tournaments

In a blackjack tournament, you play against other players, just like in poker.

In order to win, you not only have to beat the dealer, but also collect more chips than all the other tournament participants. Typically, a blackjack tournament is played in different elimination rounds. Depending on the number of participants, several blackjack tables are played at the beginning.

At the beginning of each round of play, all players start with the same number of chips. Unlike regular blackjack, play in a blackjack tournament does not always automatically start with the person sitting to the far left of the dealer (first base), but changes regularly. As in poker, there is a so-called dealer button that is moved one position to the left after each hand played. Thus, no player at the table has an advantage due to a later position at the table and the odds are the same for everyone.

Before the dealer deals the cards, all players must place their bets. The amount of the bet can be determined by each player. Mostly, players base their bets on the stakes of their opponents, setting more or less than them strategically. Throughout the game, players have the same options as in a blackjack game at a casino table. If a player loses all their chips, the tournament is over for them.

After a predetermined time or number of rounds, the players with the most chips at a table qualify for the next round. The number of players reaching the next round depends on the tournament. For all others, the tournament is over.

The players with the most chips are divided among all the tables and compete against each other again. This continues until there is only one final table with a maximum of seven players.

Strategy in a Blackjack tournament

The strategy in a blackjack tournament is different from the strategy at a regular casino table. The objective in a blackjack tournament is to collect more chips than your opponents, so sometimes you may need to make decisions that you wouldn’t normally make at a regular blackjack table.

The chances of winning in a blackjack tournament depend on several factors. One factor is how well a player can apply the optimal blackjack strategy known as “Basic Strategy”. Another factor is how well a player can count cards to identify advantageous situations and place larger bets in those situations. Therefore, the strategies are similar when playing with skilled blackjack players at a table.

Tournament novices and players who cannot count cards have the best chance if they do the opposite of what the majority at the table is doing. So if most players are making low bets, make big bets. If you win, this gives you a chance to stand out from the crowd. However, this can also backfire. Either you win or you are eliminated from the tournament without a sound.

Advanced players know in each round how good the chances of winning are and can increase or decrease their bet accordingly. Here, you should always look at the stakes of the competition. If the situation is advantageous, you should outbid the opponents’ bet. If the situation is disadvantageous, you should bet less than your opponents.

As a tournament progresses, it also becomes more important to calculate how much you need to bet in relation to your opponents to qualify for the next round.

So, strategy in a blackjack tournament is a delicate balance between taking risks and minimizing losses.

Major Blackjack Tournaments

Blackjack tournaments are not as widely recognized as poker tournaments, but casinos worldwide regularly hold blackjack tournaments with substantial prize pools. Additionally, online casinos offer the opportunity to test your skills against other blackjack players in a blackjack tournament.

Conclusion on Blackjack in Online Casinos

Based on our experiences with Blackjack in online casinos, you can expect a wide variety of options, favorable odds even with small bets, and a plethora of choices.

If you become proficient in the rules, you can enhance your winning potential through strategic moves. This sets the game apart from purely luck-based games like online slots.

Author Lucas Costa