By Gareth McGray

Humans have been enjoying casino games for a while now. The advent of online casinos have made casino games more accessible hence increasing their popularity. Blackjack remains one of the most popular casino games. The game is different from slots and video poker games because you play with a casino representative called a dealer. You can play the game on land-based casinos as well as online casinos. For instance, if you have the BetMGM bonus, you can use it to enjoy a game of Blackjack on the online casino.

Your objective in this game is to beat the dealer by producing a hand that is more than the dealer but less than or equal to 21.  If your hand is more than 21, you automatically lose!  The term “Blackjack” in the game also simply means a Ten valued card and an Ace on your first two cards.

The game sounds straightforward, right? There is only one challenge: there are several Blackjack variants, each having its unique rules.¹⁾All blackjack games are not created equal and it is always advisable to find a game with the best rules for the player. In particular, avoid games that only pay 6 to 5 on a blackjack which increases the house advantage by about 1.36%. The traditional payoff for a blackjack is 3 to 2. In this piece, you will read about some of the most common Blackjack variants. Read on to find out more.

Classic Blackjack

Classic Blackjack (or Classic 21) is the original Blackjack variant. It is also the most played version of the game. It is suitable for beginners who don’t want to try the other variants yet. The game’s rules²⁾For complete rules to the game check out the Rules of the Game in The Encyclopedia of Blackjack on this site. are simple, as mentioned earlier. It also comes with an alluring house edge of under 1%.

If you are new to casino games, the house edge is the money a casino makes from a game (in the long run), assuming the player plays an optimum basic strategy.  Of course, not all players play optimally so the house usually has a higher edge over most players.  You can implement specific strategies to lower the house advantage when playing classic Blackjack or any variant of the game.  Blackjack can be played with one to eight decks of cards.  The two-deck game is popularly referred to as Double Deck Blackjack.

Single Deck Blackjack

Single Deck Blackjack is regarded as one of the most popular variants of Blackjack. The game comes with a house edge of 0.15% assuming the dealer stands of Soft-17 and blackjacks pay 3 to 2.  Today, you will see many Single Deck Blackjack games offered but, unfortunately, with bad rules.  Typically, Blackjacks will be paid at 6 to 5 and dealers hit Soft-17.  This would give the house an advantage of over 1.5%.  It gets its name because it depends on a single deck of cards that is reshuffled after every hand or after a set number of rounds.  If you apply the appropriate strategies, you will enjoy Single Deck Blackjack.

European Blackjack

European Blackjack is a variant of Classic 21. It also comes with other unique rules such as no splitting 4s, 5s or 10s, the dealer stands on Soft-17 and you are not allowed to surrender to lose half your bet. Dealers do not check for Blackjack when they’re showing an Ace or 10 valued card.  Most importantly, players will lose their total bet if the dealer has Blackjack.

Spanish 21

Spanish 21 is similar to Classic Blackjack, but it is slightly different – it comes without 10-value cards. This means that your chances of landing a hand of 21 are reduced in this game. As a result, the game has a bigger house edge than Classic Blackjack.  On the positive, the game has very liberal rules for the player such as a player blackjack always beats a dealer’s blackjack.   Versions of this game are also available under the names Spanish Blackjack and Pontoon.

Blackjack Switch

Many gamblers consider Blackjack Switch as one of the most exciting variants of the game. First, players must play two hands with equal bets.  Moreover, the game allows you to switch the top card (second card dealt) to create stronger hands and enhance your winning odds. All these goodies come with a catch. In this game, a dealer’s hand of 22 is a tie except when you form a perfect Blackjack – ace and a 10.  Unfortunately, a winning player Blackjack only pays even money.