Blackjack Rules – Quick Guide on How to Play Blackjack

Unlike other online casino games, blackjack is not a game that is entirely based on luck. With the biggest wins in history amounting up to $40 million by Kerry Packer in Las Vegas, it’s evident that implementing a smart blackjack strategy is key to winning money. 

In this guide we’ll be giving you valuable information on how to play blackjack, the best strategies to use, tips on how to win, and the different types of blackjack games you can find.

How to Play Blackjack

Blackjack is also known as the 21 casino card game. It is played with a deck of 52 cards and to win you need to beat the dealer with a hand of up to 21 in total. Even though you need to know a good blackjack strategy, it’s not that complicated to win as blackjack rules aren’t too tricky to learn. Let’s have a look at how to play blackjack step-by-step:

Blackjack Rules

You start the game with two cards and you’ll need to make a decision whether you want to hold (stand) or take an additional card (hit). If you get an additional card, you check the value that you have, and you can hold, or get another card. Remember that you cannot exceed the total value of 21. 

To win a blackjack game, you don’t need to get exactly 21. When implementing your blackjack strategy keep in mind that you just need to beat the dealer. The dealer will also be taking cards or holding. If the dealer goes over 21, or if the dealer has less points than you, it means that you have the winning blackjack hand. Furthermore, the dealer must hold at any value of 17 or over, so this is worth bearing in mind as well.

Stand

When playing blackjack, you always start with two cards. Depending on the value you have, you need to choose whether you want to get another card or stand. If you stand, the dealer moves on to the next player.  

Hit

If you start with a low hand and you’re far away from the value of 21, you’ll want to add more cards to improve your hand. The dealer will give you an additional card, and you’ll decide whether you want more cards or not. Once you’re satisfied with your total value, you can stand. If your blackjack card value goes over 21, it means you’ve lost which in blackjack is called ‘bust’. 

Blackjack Card Values

To master a blackjack strategy, you need to learn blackjack card values so you can count and decide whether you want to hold or add cards to your deck. Aces give you the opportunity to choose their worth, so either 1 or 11. Cards from 2 to 10 have face card values, so for example 2 has a value of two, and 8 has a value of eight. Face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) have a total value of 10 each. 

The Best Blackjack Strategies

Playing the game online has the same blackjack rules and gameplay as if you were playing at a real life casino. Even though luck plays a major role in blackjack, implementing proven strategies will help you beat the dealer and win. 

Strategies such as hitting on 11 or less, and standing on 17 or higher offer you much more security, increasing your chances against the house. Equally, you can double down when you feel confident in a good hand, with some online blackjack real money casinos allowing you to “double for less”. You can also get half of your original bet back if you “surrender” a bad hand, while you can split two cards of equal value to double your chances of a 21.

Tips How to Win at Blackjack

Winning when playing blackjack is a combination of skill, luck, and a proven blackjack strategy. Our team of experts highlighted some tips to keep in mind when playing blackjack:

1. Know when to Double Down

Knowing when to use this blackjack strategy is crucial to help you win and not exceed the total value of 21. If your initial hand has a total value of 11, you’ll want to go for a double down. If you receive a 10 you hit exactly 21 which means you’ve won. If you have pairs of Aces, it’s best if you split when wagering as your aim is to get a 10 face card. 

2. Don’t Split face card values of 10 or pairs of 5

It’s not recommended to split face cards that have a value of 10. The same goes for pairs of 5s. If you decide to split the 5s, you might end up with two 15s which means you went over. If you keep the 5s together and play them as a 10, it’s easier to end up with a 20. 

3. Raise your bet

If it’s your lucky day and you’ve won more than three hands in a row it means that you’re on a winning streak. This is the perfect time to raise your bet and take advantage of the optimal timing. In case you notice that you start losing, lower your bet so you don’t end up losing a lot of money. Knowing when to cash out is key to take home cash money when playing blackjack. 

4. Sign up for the Casino’s Rewards Program

Online casinos offer different types of rewards programs, but all of them are beneficial to sign up with. Reward programs give points to players based on how long you play blackjack, and how much you wagered. Regardless if you win or lose, you’ll be accumulating points which means that you’ll eventually be getting more out of your gambling experience. 

5. Find the Best Table

There are several game variations which have different blackjack rules. The best is to find the most optimal table rules that work in your favor. One of the best case scenarios is that the dealer stands on “Soft 17”. A Soft 17 is a hand with an Ace as it can be counted as 1 or 11. So if you take one more card you won’t go over 21 and bust. 

6. Use a Blackjack Chart

One of the easiest ways to take your game to a whole new level is using a simple blackjack chart like the one we’ve prepared for you. What it does is it tells you when to hit, stand, or double down to get the best possible outcome. Despite being called a cheat sheet, there’s nothing dishonest about these charts. You can even bring them to a land-based casino if you want to.

Types of Blackjack Games to Play

All of our recommended offshore casinos offer several blackjack game variations. We’ll be going through the most popular five blackjack games and we’ll refer the best online casino to play at: 

American Blackjack

American blackjack is also known as the classic blackjack as it’s the most popular game played worldwide. One of the main blackjack rules that makes this game different from the rest is that players are allowed to play up to one, three, and five hands at one go. 

Another key difference in American blackjack is the way that cards are dealt. The dealer gets two cards, one face up and one face down. The dealer gets to check his own card if the face-up card is an Ace. For American blackjack we highly recommend Wild Casino. You can’t practice playing at this casino site so make sure you know how to play blackjack before you play for real money. 

Free Bet Blackjack

This is an interesting blackjack variation game where you don’t need to supply your own money to double down. The same goes for when you decide to split. You’ll be able to opt for these blackjack strategies for free which is a nice benefit that the casino gives you. 

If you win, you’ll still get a payout as if you had wagered your own money. It’s good to note that if the dealer exceeds 21, with a hand of 22, all bets push. This means that it will be counted as a tie which doubles the house edge. If you’re interested in trying out this game, check out BK8 for the best free bet blackjack experience.

Speed Blackjack

Speed blackjack is a game variation that is filled with more excitement due to its rules which make the game quicker. The blackjack odds remain the same as other games and the first two cards are dealt the same way. When the players are done dealing with the two initial cards, all players need to decide whether they want to hit, double down, or split. 

Players need to be fast as the one who makes the quickest decision will get their next card dealt before the others. This new blackjack version has been revolutionary as players have always had to wait for the next player’s turn to make their decision. In this game, the quickest player gets to skip the others which adds thrill and pressure to the game and players. Visit Lucky Block for the most exciting speed blackjack games. 

European Blackjack

European blackjack is one of the most common games played worldwide. The rules are pretty much similar to other games. Unlike American blackjack, the dealer receives only one card before players are required to make a decision on their hand and decide to hit or hold. If you prefer to go for European blackjack we highly recommend the crypto casino BC.Game.

Blackjack Perfect Pairs

Perfect pairs is a side bet in blackjack that the first two cards that the player is dealt are a pair. So if your first two cards that are dealt have the same value, the side bet wins. You’ll have to decide whether you want to place a side bet on the perfect pairs before your first two cards are dealt. 

If you’d like to play Blackjack perfect pairs, we recommend Bovada. This casino also offers practice play and a how-to-guide with blackjack odds and payout information.

Blackjack Odds & Payouts

In the following section we will go through the blackjack odds, the house edge, and the chances of winning when playing blackjack so you know what to expect. A positive fact that is in the player’s favor is that the house edge is only at 0.5%. A player has a 42.22% chance to win with a 8.48% chance for a push.

We also created a blackjack table with payouts you can receive when playing online:

Playing Blackjack Online

Online casinos offer several blackjack variation games in the table games category. In addition, you can also find live blackjack which is a combination of online gaming and real-life casino gaming. Players are connected with a professional dealer via live video streaming. 

Live blackjack is hosted in professionally designed casino studios which brings the Vegas casino vibe right to your doorstep. The blackjack odds, rules, and strategies are pretty much the same. The only difference is that you cannot practice playing at live blackjack casinos. So before you start playing for real money, we suggest that you master your blackjack strategy. Here’s a guide on the best online live blackjack casinos. 

Blackjack Online Streamers

The online gambling industry continues to evolve and watching live streamers gamble online is a growing trend that is attracting people from all across the globe. There are several online platforms where gambling enthusiasts join live streamers and watch them play their favorite games.

A spokesperson of one of these platforms was interviewed and explained how streamers are getting more interested in crypto casinos. Some of the most popular blackjack online streamers are casinosakultah with over 1,800 hours watched, gamblemilo, and cashiznit. 

FAQs

How do you play blackjack for beginners?

The following guidelines help beginners figure out how to play blackjack: 1. You’ll be dealt two initial cards and you’ll need to hold or hit. 2. The goal of the game is to get as close to a total of 21 as possible. 3. Exceeding the total value of 21 means you’re busted and you lose. 4. Practice playing at our reviewed sites to familiarize with blackjack rules.

What are the rules for blackjack?

The rules for blackjack are: 1. Beat the dealer’s hand with your cards that have a value as close to 21 as possible. 2. Don’t exceed the value of 21 3. Jack, Queen, and King have a value of 10. 4. Ace has a value of either 1 or 11, depending on what you decide. 5. Cards from two to ten have a face value respective to what card you have.

Is there any real strategy to blackjack?

Yes, even though luck plays an important role in blackjack, there are various blackjack strategies which you can play to help you win. Stand, double down, split, and surrender are blackjack strategies which you should learn before you start playing.

How do you win at blackjack?

To win at blackjack you need to beat the dealer’s hand. Your total cards value should be as close as possible to 21 without exceeding 21.

Should you hit or stay on 17 in blackjack?

When you have a total of 17 in blackjack it’s best to stand. Otherwise there’s a big chance that you would exceed 21 and bust which means that you lose.

What does 3 to 2 mean in blackjack?

This is a simple term used in blackjack which means that for every $2 you wager, you will get $3. This means that you have slightly elevated blackjack odds which are in the player’s favor.

Top Casinos for Playing Online Blackjack

Now that you know how to play blackjack, here are some of the best online casinos to play at. These top 10 online casinos offer a fantastic blackjack experience with massive bonuses and a good variety of games:

• All
• Crypto

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