Online Blackjack

With new restrictions in play, more people than ever are moving to online blackjack from traditional casinos. But is it worth it? There are many good reasons to play blackjack online instead of at the casino, because the online format presents several advantages for players:

Deposit Bonuses: Most online casinos offer a matching bonus or general deposit bonus that you won’t receive at a brick-and-mortar location. The benefit here is obvious – you’re starting with more money to gamble with.

No wait times: In the digital world, there are no queues. Playing online gives you instant access to a table – so you can start winning faster.

Head-to-head play: On many occasions, players can choose to go head-to-head with the dealer and avoid a larger playing field. If your preferred site doesn’t offer that, there’s also a good chance that your blackjack table will be empty anyway, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of the specific mechanics of the site. This is one clear way to gain a player’s advantage.

Easy cash-outs: Most online platforms allow players to use eWallets and cryptocurrency, making the withdrawal process simpler and faster than ever. There are even some sites that offer instant withdrawals.

The lower cost of operation also gives these casinos plenty of room to reward their players and build their loyalty through VIP clubs, so if you haven’t made the jump to online – now is a perfect time.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach for winning at online blackjack, but there is a general strategy you should follow to maximize your player advantage, increase your odds, and become a more well-rounded player. You don’t want to lose half of your deposit on the first day, right? Keep reading to discover the key components of our ‘winner’s strategy’ to help you earn real money:

Find Sites with Favorable Playing Rules: This seems like a no-brainer, but there are a few elements you should look for in your provider that can give you an ace in the hole. First, look for blackjack tables that pay 3 to 2, and avoid tables that pay 6 to 5; this means that the former would pay players £3 for every £2 wagered for a winning hand, and £6 for every £5 wagered in the latter. A table that pays 3:2 offers a much bigger edge for the player, while the 6:5 variant increases the house edge by nearly 400%. This is a serious disadvantage to any player and should be evaded at all costs.

Some sites provide even less incentive to players by allowing the dealer to stand on certain numbers and draw on others. Avoiding these sites will give you a considerable playing advantage. If you don’t have to worry about a dealer producing a soft 17 on each hand, it will force the dealer to rely on luck more often and allow you to simplify your strategy. However, if these sites permit you to double down when playing any two cards, there is the possibility of a larger gain when you’ve won a hand, so weigh the pros and cons before committing to anything.

Other common favorable rules include double or single-deck games over multi-deck games, which limit your chance of tracking your odds. Doubling down after pair splitting is allowed on various sites as well, which you should seek out in your search for the right online platform.

Make Use Of Strategy Cards: Some sites allow players to make use of strategy cards, which are casino-legal and allow you to prevent yourself from making any costly mistakes. Strategy cards display simple approaches to common in-game scenarios. Not many online casinos permit players to use them, but some still do; as long as you don’t have anything else in front of you, you should be able to glance at your strategy cards from hand-to-hand and increase your odds further.

No Insurance Wagers: If you are a beginner, try not to place any insurance wagers. Unless you are an experienced card counter, when you bet that your dealer has placed a 10-value card on the downtrend to correspond with a strong up card, you are automatically giving your dealer a win. Insurance wagers will also limit your winnings on a good hand, so there is almost no upside for the player with this tactic.

Atlantic City – The Atlantic City variant follows the same rules as classic blackjack, but always requires the dealer to stand on a soft 17 and peek for blackjack on the hole card. If the dealer has a blackjack from their hole card, they must reveal it to the players. Players are also allowed to double down on any two cards, and split aces next to 10-value cards are valued at 21 instead of blackjack.

European – There are a few differences between the European variant and regular blackjack: In the European variant, there is no such thing as a hole card, so the dealer is not permitted to check for blackjack before the players’ cards are dealt. This variant also uses only 2 decks instead of the traditional 6 to 8 in regular blackjack.

Blackjack Switch – This variant become quite popular in the last few years. The key difference with this variant is your ability to switch the second card between two different hands. Both bets in the two hands must be identical to take advantage of this move.

3 to 2 – A blackjack table that rewards you with £3 for every £2 you wager in a winning hand. Players should try to stick with sites that offer 3 to 2 tables.

6 to 5 – A blackjack table that rewards you with £6 for every £5 you wager in a winning hand. Players should avoid these tables at all costs.

Soft 17 – A blackjack rule that forces the dealer to hit on 17 every round. This raises the house edge (the advantage) of the dealer against you.

Doubling Down – When a player doubles their bet mid-round, and is subsequently only allowed to receive one more card. The risk is high, but it can be very profitable if employed correctly.

Pair Splitting – When a player exercises his/her right to split their two hole cards into different hands and have the dealer hit each hand separately. Players must bet the same amount they wagered at the beginning if they want to pair split.

Strategy Cards – A card permitted by various casinos that advises players on the correct moves based on the cards being dealt at each step of the round. Here’s an example of what a typical strategy card will look like.

Insurance – A side bet open to the player if the dealer’s first card is an Ace. This allows the player to break even on the bet due to the high probability that the dealer has blackjack, thus losing the player the hand.

RNG (Random Number Generator) – A software system that shuffles each blackjack hand to ensure that every hand is totally random and card counting cannot be done successfully.

Frequently Asked Questions about Online Blackjack