Blackjack Games

Online Blackjack Games

Blackjack games are by far the most popular table game played at the casinos whether it's online or live. The game is played across the globe and is the bread and butter for the the casinos (next to slots). University of Las Vegas Gaming, (which studies gaming results within the State of Nevada), claims the casinos raked in more than $1 billion during the 2009 calendar year. The same paper also estimates total bets made on table games to be 28.2 billion including player wins. That is an insane amount of money and goes to show just how popular blackjack games are.

Blackjack is the umbrella name for a vast variety of games that fall under the ‘21’ category. The basic objective of all these games is similar – to make a hand where the card values are as close to 21 as possible, and to beat the dealer’s hand in the process. With the onset of online blackjack games however, software companies were quick to rise to the challenge and create different versions of blackjack games that can be found in reputable online casinos across the internet today.

Types of Online Blackjack Games

Some of the most popular variants of online blackjack games available today include:

• Bonus Blackjack – Players receive unique bonus payouts for specific two card combinations. This is a variant of blackjack and not a specific blackjack casino bonus.
• Double Exposure Blackjack – Unlike regular blackjack where the dealer has one card facing up and the other down, this version of blackjack has the dealer place both his cards facing up so that players can make a more informed choice about how to progress in the game.
• Pontoon – the English version of blackjack, with its own unique bonuses and vocabulary.
• Spanish Blackjack – A version of blackjack that does not include ‘tens’ and is played with a deck of 48 cards. Certain combinations receive bonuses.
• Multi Hand Blackjack – Play several blackjack hands at once.
• Progressive Blackjack – Traditional blackjack with a twist. Players pay a side bet into a jackpot fund that climbs each time the game is played. One lucky player eventually gets to take a massive amount home.
• Free Blackjack – Many online casinos offer players the chance to try out their software for free through free blackjack games. Virtual cash, or play money, is credited to the player’s account to use as wagers.
• Live Blackjack Games – Some online casinos allow players to combine the personal touch of a live blackjack dealer with the convenience of playing online. Live blackjack games are possible through advances in webcam technology and brings players the best of both worlds. Please note - none of the online casinos offer live blackjack games for American players.

Playing Online Blackjack Games

For most intents and purposes, playing blackjack games in an online casino setting is similar to playing it at a brick and mortar establishment. The main, and obvious, difference is that when playing online blackjack, the player could be sitting in his or her living room at 3 am wearing nothing but pajamas…

Nevertheless, online blackjack games follow the same rules as its offline versions, against the dealer and for real cash. When deciding on an online blackjack experience, players first need to ensure that the casino they have chosen offers the type of games they are after. Beginners may want to stick to the more classic versions of blackjack until they have the game down. Another thing to look out for is stake limits. Players should make sure that the table that they are playing at has stakes that fit into their budget. Again, newcomers should stick to low stake games until they build up their confidence in the game.

Online blackjack is a game of skill, meaning that if players take a few necessary steps, they can easily bring down the house edge considerably. One of these steps is to learn the basic strategy linked to blackjack. This strategy teaches players how to play their cards, depending on the combination of cards they are dealt. Online blackjack is played against the dealer and the other players around the table have no impact on the game whatsoever. The game is traditionally played with 1 – 8 decks of cards and according to strict house rules. Blackjack card values are as follows: two through to ten – face value; Jack, Queen and King – 10; Ace – one or eleven. Once players have found a casino and a blackjack table where they feel comfortable, the next step is to start playing. Players first place a bet by choosing the denomination and bet amount.

The dealer deals two cards to the player and two to himself. In some versions of online blackjack, players can opt at this point to take an insurance bet that the dealer has been dealt a 21. The bet is lost if the dealer does not. Players view their two cards and decide on how to play their cards. They have a number of options, namely hitting, standing, splitting, doubling down, even money or surrendering.  Hitting is a request for another card, in the hope of advancing towards making a hand value of 21 (without going over that number). Standing is the act of not asking the dealer for anymore cards as the player feels that this is the best hand to be made. Splitting rules differ from one black jack game to another but it generally means dividing two cards of equal denominations into two separate hands. Doubling down means that players can double their original bet. More on the various terms can be found on our blackjack terms page.