Online Blackjack

In this section of our site…

• If you’re just learning Blackjack and need the basics, see Playing Blackjack, below. 
• Learn a few important words used at a Blackjack table by reading Blackjack Vocabulary.
• For advice on how to bet on various hands, see Basic Blackjack Strategy.
• To learn the difference between European, Atlantic City and Vegas Blackjack, see Types of Blackjack.
• And finally, for a comparison checklist showing the differences between Blackjack from various software providers, and to help you choose an online casino to play Blackjack at, see Choosing an Online Casino to Play Blackjack.

Playing Blackjack

Blackjack begins with the player and the dealer being dealt two cards. Both of yours are face up but the dealer’s “hole” card is face down until their turn. You then choose to stand and not take any more cards, Hit (obtain a further card), Double Down (double your bet) or Split a pair. (See Blackjack Vocabulary for more on these terms.) Number cards are worth face value. An ace is worth 1 or 11 – it’s up to you. Face cards count 10. The object of the game is to get a hand as close to 21 as possible without exceeding that number or going “Bust”.

A face or ten card combined with an Ace is called a Blackjack hand which pays odds of 3 to 2. Unless the dealer also has Blackjack. Any time you and the dealer tie, including a Blackjack, the dealer will call “Push”. You don’t win or lose anything -- you get your bet back. 

If you get closer to 21 than the dealer, or if the dealer busts, you win and your bet is paid off at odds of 1 to 1. If you bet 1 you get 2 back.

European, Atlantic City, Vegas and Other Types of Blackjack

In addition to the classic Blackjack game, most online casinos offer a several variations. European Blackjack and Atlantic City Blackjack are the two most common. The differences are small but important. In European Blackjack, the Dealer isn’t dealt a Hole Card – both cards are face up giving you, the player, an advantage.  Playing by Atlantic City rules, there is a Hole Card but the Dealer is allowed to peek when they have a 10-value or Ace showing. See Types of Blackjack for more on these two types and several others.

Single or Multi-player Blackjack

Playing blackjack doesn’t have to be a solitary affair. Most online casinos offer a “multi-player” option where you sit at a table with one or more other players. Each player takes their turn playing against the same dealer’s hand. At some online casinos, you can select a Private Group table where you get to choose the other players.

Multi-Hand Blackjack

If you choose to play alone you can play one or several hands at a time. This can speed up the game so you can win (or lose) more games per hour.

Number of Decks

You can play Blackjack with one deck of cards but many tables shuffle two or up to eight decks together. Fewer decks can favour the player since a player Blackjack is statistically more likely with a single deck.

If all other rules are the same, the house advantage with a single deck is only .17%. With two decks the house’s advantage improves to .46%. With four decks the house advantage is .60% but it doesn’t improve much more than that with six or eight decks.

Tournaments

Some casinos present Blackjack tournaments. Instead of buying chips, each player in the tournament pays the same entry fee and receives the same number of chips. The last player to still have chips is the winner and receives a pre-determined prize.  Tournaments give players a chance to win big prizes whilst risking only the entry fee. For more information see Blackjack Tournaments.

Card Counting

Once a game begins, the deck is no longer complete.  If you keep track of which cards have been dealt so far, you can figure out which cards are left in the deck and make your wagers accordingly.  For instance, if you know that not many 10s or face cards have been dealt yet, you may want to increase your bet, even Double it, knowing that odds are good your next card will be a 10.

It is illegal to use any kind of card-counting devise playing Blackjack in a casino. Card-counting in your head is legal and is not considered cheating.  However, the casino may ask you to leave if they suspect you are card-counting and they have every right to do so.