Blackjack is one of the most popular games of skill at any casino. Playing casino blackjack online for real money gives gamers the most freedom and flexibility.
Online dealer blackjack offers many more variations of the game because tables at land-based casinos take up a lot of floor space so these casinos can offer only one version of blackjack while online casinos can offer many, many more!
The Rules for Online Blackjack May be Better!
When you play blackjack online, you will almost always be paid 3-2 for a blackjack. All of the casinos we at Slots Play Casinos recommend pay 3-2 for a blackjack.
Many land-based casinos now pay 6-5 for a blackjack. This seemingly minor change in the rules makes the house edge at land-based casinos a few percentage points better which makes it functionally impossible for a blackjack player on land to win in the long term!
The return to player rate for blackjack at online casinos is about 99.5%! Thus, when an online blackjack player uses basic blackjack strategy, he or she has a very good chance to win long term.
What Makes Blackjack Such an Exciting Game?
In any blackjack game, the goal is to beat the dealer. On every hand, the player has to match wits with the fixed rules of probability. This is the skill side of blackjack.
Naturally, there is also a luck side to blackjack. However, the skill a player shows by the way they bet and play often makes the luck side of the game moot.
How Can Online Players Develop Skill in Blackjack?
One way to get better at blackjack is to play free online blackjack. Online casinos can afford to let gamers play free blackjack games because these casinos can accommodate an unlimited number of players!
All reputable online casinos that we approve here on SPC have a free play mode that allows unlimited free play in all of its games – except progressive games.
Playing Online Blackjack is a Great Complementary Activity
Many online gamers play slots more than any other game. Slots are the quintessential game of chance. Modern slots are great fun as they offer a wide range of motifs and themes. The wild symbols keep getting wilder and wilder as graphics and animation improve and the game developers become more and more creative.
As one of the two great online games of skill, blackjack complements slots perfectly. There are several online blackjack games for the most gaming fun while at a land-based casino, there will likely be only one variation of blackjack!
How to Play Online Blackjack for Real Money
We think that the best way to play online blackjack is with a deposit bonus! Online casinos offer many deposit bonuses and land-based casinos offer none! That’s because of the wagering requirement that accompanies all bonuses to stop gamers from cashing out immediately upon receiving the bonus.
Simply put, players at land-based casinos don’t have enough time to complete the wagering requirement in the short time they are at the casino, while gamers who play blackjack online have, truly, as long as it takes to complete the wagering requirement!
Get a Share of the Huge Welcome Bonus Offered at Online Casinos
The welcome bonus these days is usually a few deposit bonuses wrapped as the “welcome package”. These bonuses taken together often get into the low thousands of dollars! With such large gifts, online gamers can win real money at blackjack and all other of a casino’s games!
How Big is the Wagering Requirement?
We feel that 30 times the bonus is fair given that many bonuses reach $1000 or more! Since the return to player rate in blackjack is so high, gamers will be close to even when they complete the requirement!
How to Play Blackjack
Now we can go over some of the basics of blackjack! Always keep in mind that you can play free blackjack games to practice your developing skill!
As we said above, online blackjack rules are essentially the same as at land-based casinos with a very few exceptions which at online casinos are all in the gamers’ favor!
Let’s assume that you are playing blackjack for real money. You have to decide how much to bet. Blackjack players should be able to calculate the best bet for their bankroll. Keep in mind that with doubling down and splitting pairs, you might have to double or even triple your original bet.
Blackjack Players Have to Analyze the Dealer’s Hand
The gamer plays first after the dealer deals two cards to him or her and to itself. The player can see one of the dealer’s cards. Now, if the player goes over 21 points, he or she loses automatically.
So, many blackjack players believe that basic strategy means to stand with 12 or more points at all times. This is a huge mistake. Basic strategy really entails looking at the dealer’s up card and choosing to hit when that move is warranted.
When Should the Player Hit with 12 or More Points?
When the dealer is showing a 7 through ace! On the other hand, if the dealer has a 5 or 6 showing, it is good strategy to stand hoping the dealer will go over 21!
In short, the basic idea in blackjack strategy is to play the odds without taking too much risk.
What Should a Player Do after Receiving Their First Two Cards?
Here are the options the player has at this point:
- Hit
- Stand
- Split
- Double Down
- Surrender
- Buy Insurance
There are strategy cards available online that give gamers the best choice for every hand. Here we will explain each of these options.
Players Want to Hit
If you have 18-20 points, you will not hit. Of course, if you have 21 points, a blackjack, you will win right away. Hitting with 18-20 points is a sure prescription for the player to lose the hand.
With 15 or 16 points, the player should surrender unless the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6 showing. In that case, the dealer might bust on its third card. Keep in mind that the dealer has to hit with 16 points or less and usually stands with 17 points or more.
Clearly, the dealer’s face cards determine many of the gamers’ choices!
Players Want to Stand
As we said, many players want to stand as soon as they get 12 or more points. Players do need to overcome the fear of busting and hit with 12 or more points at the proper times.
Players Want to Split Pairs
Splitting is often good strategy but certainly not always. We should split aces. We should never split 20 points. We should split eights but not nines, as two nines give us 18 points which is a good hand.
However, 18 points is not a great hand. The higher value hand wins and 18 points leaves the player open to a dealer’s 19, 20, or 21. With 18 points, the hand often becomes a push that actually works in the player’s favor.
We should not split fours as a ten card will also give 18 points. We should split threes as a pair of threes often leads to 16 points, the worst point count the player can have!
Players Want to Double Down
The best hands to double down with are 9, 10, and 11. Never double down with more than 11 points unless you are counting cards and the deck is stacked with low-point cards.
Surrender is a Good Option in Some Cases
If the player has 15 or 16 points and the dealer is showing 7 through ace, surrender is the best option.
Never Take Insurance
This option is offered when the dealer is showing an ace. Statistical analysis has shown that insurance is a very poor bet.
Following Slots Play Casinos is a Very Good Bet!
SPC has a wealth of timely information, tips, advice, and reviews for online gamers. We also follow the land-based casino niche but we recommend online because of the advantage gamers have online.
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