Blackjack has long been one of the most popular Casino games in the world, and this holds true in the age of the internet too. If you're interested in playing online blackjack for real money, then we'll tell you everything you need to know to get started with blackjack online.

History of Blackjack

Surprisingly, Blackjack is the name that stuck to a card game that traces its roots back to 17th century Spain and France but was known as “veintiuna” and “vingt-et-un” respectively, which translate to 21. However, the origins are not very clear. Miguel de Cervantes, the famous author of “Don Quixote” and an avid gambler himself, mentioned it in 1602 in one of his tales about two professional card cheaters, but the rest of the history has not been clearly confirmed.

What we do know is that when the game arrived in the US, gambling houses promoted it with bonus payouts for hitting specific card combinations. One of those was a hand with an Ace of Spades and a black jack of either spades or clubs. They called the hand “Blackjack,” and the name has stuck ever since.

Although Blackjack is presently one of the most widely and commonly known names for the game, it is also sometimes still referred to as Twenty-One and is closely associated with other card games, such as Pontoon in Asian regions or Vingt-et-Un in French-speaking countries.

Best Blackjack Online Casinos

Ready to get started playing online blackjack for real money? Then check out our recommendations for the best online casinos for blackjack below. Later on in this page, we'll delve more into how blackjack works, how to play, and the strategies you can use to improve your chances of winning.

Blackjack Gameplay

Part of Blackjack's unrivalled success story is probably down to the simplicity of the game with just a few decisions available on each hand. The house edge is generally between 0.2% and 1.0%, based on the number of decks in use and other rules variations, giving players an RTP of 99.0% – 99.8%: the fairest bet in most casinos.

Blackjack is played with one to eight decks of 52 cards. Cards from 10 to K count as 10, Ace counts as 1 or 11, and all others are worth their face value. A hand with an Ace is called soft because of the two values for the Ace as players and dealers can decide on which to use. The object is for the players to get a higher total than the dealer without going over 21.

The best initial two card hand is a Blackjack, which is an Ace together with a 10-value card. If either the player or dealer has a Blackjack, then they automatically win (unless the other also has Blackjack). In addition, should the player have a blackjack (without the dealer having one too), they receive an enhanced payout of 3:2 on their wager.

First, each player is dealt two cards facing up and the dealer one card facing up and one down. Players can now decide to take another card or stand on the two they received. Players can request as many cards as they wish, but if they exceed 21, then their hand is bust and loses.

Once all players have decided to stand or busted because they went over 21, the dealer uncovers his second card. He must draw another card when his current sum is less or equal to 16. Sometimes, he must stand when the total is 17 or more, which gives the player some advantage as he/she can decide when to stand. In some games, the dealer hits a soft 17, e.g., hitting an Ace and a six, while standing on hard 17.

Player Wins

A player will win when his/her total count is higher than that of the dealer without going over 21. All players at a table, who have not busted in the current round, will win if the dealer’s total count is more than 21. However, should a player bust first, he loses even if the dealer subsequently busts as well.

Dealer Wins

In turn, all players without a natural Blackjack will lose if the dealer hits a natural Blackjack. It is a tie (push) for those who also had a natural in the same round. The “push” applies as well to any other hands where the dealer and a player reach the same count.

The Blackjack Table

A common Blackjack table, whether land-based or online, can usually accommodate up to seven players. In some casinos, up to two players can bet from behind without sitting at the table, basically betting on the cards of the player sitting in front of them but without having any influence on the gameplay. Not all boxes need to be occupied for the dealer to commence a round.

Playing a Round of Blackjack

The dealer will draw from a shoe which contains one to eight decks of cards. Players are dealt from left to right a single card and the dealer also a single card. Players then receive a second card until all active players have two cards each. The dealer remains with just one card or places the second card face down depending on the Blackjack variant in play. All player cards are dealt face up.

The dealer will now address each player in turn, again from left to right across the table, announcing the player's total. Players have to choose now from the following:

• Stand – No further cards are taken and the dealer moves on to the next player
• Hit or Twist – Players call for one more card and this is issued by the dealer. The step can be repeated until the player calls “stand” or busts.
• Double – For most variants, players can double the stake on their initial two cards. Players calling for the “double” have to raise their bet by its initial value and receive one additional card only. In some rules variations, a player can only double on a total of 9, 10, or 11 or sometimes even just 10 or 11, but in other games, it's possible to double on any two initial cards.
• Split – A player on the initial deal receiving a matching pair has the option to split. The pair are separated and a fresh/new card is dealt to each, thus creating two hands instead of one; obviously, the wager also has to be doubled. These hands are played out individually as if the player has played two boxes before the initial deal. Some casinos have a rule whereby you can only split a hand once. Others permit you to keep re-splitting, up to three or four total hands, if you should continue to receive cards of matching rank.
• Insurance – Should the dealer's first card be shown to be an Ace, then players can be offered Insurance. This is basically an extra bet that the dealer has a blackjack (as the dealer has a good chance of having a Blackjack when he shows an Ace). Should the dealer hit a Blackjack then the Insurance is paid out at 2:1 while the main wager loses (unless, of course, the player also has blackjack in which case the main bet pushes). Insurance stakes have to be equal to one-half the initial stake placed in the players box.
• Surrender – In some games, players are allowed to surrender their cards, forfeit half their wager, and reclaim the other half of their wager. Early surrender lets them do this before the dealer checks for blackjack, which is very advantageous for the player and is only rarely found. More common is late surrender where dealer blackjack wins first against non-blackjack hands and only then are individuals permitted to surrender.

Any player who exceeds 21 during the above process will lose their wager, and their cards are removed before any further players are approached and before the dealer completes their hand. This is known as a player bust.

After all players have acted, then the dealer plays out his or her hand. Then the total that the dealer achieves is compared to each player hand and bets are collected or paid out as appropriate.

Blackjack Strategies

There are various strategies Blackjack players employ around the globe, each claiming to possibly have the best one. However, there are a few simple guidelines that all players can follow the dealer’s face-up card is along with the player's total.

• Dealer’s card is 7, 8, 9 10, J, Q, K or Ace – Draw cards until the total is 17 or more
• Dealer’s card is 4, 5, 6 – Stop taking cards at 12, basically the point where a card with a value of 10 would bust your hand. The bet is that the dealer’s poor first card might see him go over 21.
• Dealer’s card is a 2 or 3 – Draw cards until the total reaches 13 or more
• Player is dealt a soft hand – Draw until the total is 18 or higher
• Doubling the bet on 11 – Always double when the first 2 cards add up to 11
• Doubling the bet on 10 – Double only if the dealer’s card is not a 10-value card or an Ace
• Doubling the bet on 9 – Double only if the dealer’s card is between 2 and 6

There is one more type of hand that requires some special attention and that is when you are dealt a pair of cards, e.g., two 8s. Below is a rundown for the best strategy on pairs in Classic Blackjack.

• 8 and Aces: Always split
• 2, 3 and 7: Split unless the dealer’s card is an 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K or Ace
• 4, 5 and 10-value cards: Generally, do not split
• 6: Split if the dealer’s card is 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6

The next question is: When is it best to surrender and when to carry on with the round? It basically depends on which surrender rule is allowed.

An early surrender is recommended when the dealer has an Ace and the player has a total count of 5 to 7 or 12 to 17 as well as with pairs 33, 66, 77 or 88. Also advisable is an early surrender with the dealer having a 10 and the player a hard total of 14 to 16.

In turn, a late surrender is an appealing option when the dealer shows and Ace and the player’s count stands at 15, 16 or 17.

Basic Strategy Charts

The above rules of thumb are generally appropriate for a wide range of blackjack rulesets, but you can do even better by finding a specific basic strategy that's tailored to the table you're actually playing. These basic strategies are found in easy-to-read charts that will inform you of the mathematically best play given the dealer's upcard and your initial two-card total.

In order to find the best basic strategy chart, you will need to know the following:

• The number of decks being used
• Whether the dealer hits soft 17 or stands
• Whether early surrender, later surrender, or no surrender is offered
• Whether or not the dealer peeks for blackjack before proceeding with the hand
• The initial two-card totals on which doubling is permitted
• Whether or not doubling after a split is allowed
• How many times a player can split a single hand

Once you've collected all this information, you can look online to find a basic strategy chart that's appropriate for the exact combination of rules at the tables you play. You can print this chart out and then always keep it nearby as a reference when you play.

Composition-Dependent Strategy

There's actually an extra step you can take to enhance your results beyond what's possible using basic strategy alone. Composition-dependent strategies take into account the specific ranks of the cards you hold, rather than just their sum, when determining your best strategy.

For example, in a single-deck game where the dealer stands on soft 17, you should usually stand with a total of 13 versus a dealer's 2 upcard. However, if your 13 consists specifically of a ten-value card and a 3, then you should instead hit.

Memorizing the correct composition-dependent strategy can be very difficult. As the same time, the benefits to be gained are rather small, amounting to just a few hundredths of a percent gain in theoretical returns. Therefore, most players are content to work with proper basic strategy alone rather than taking the time to master the nuances of composition-dependent strategies.

Counting Cards

Once the bane of land-based casinos and still a nuisance today are advantage players. They use several techniques to decrease the house edge in their favor. Casinos have introduced several safeguards against them, but it still happens regularly.

The most commonly known technique is card counting, which is based on the statistical advantage when more 10-value cards are left in a card shoe as it gives the player better chances to make a blackjack and thereby collect the bigger 3:2 payout associated with this hand. It is not illegal as long as no external devices are used, but casinos will usually ban caught counters from the property. Obviously, it is easier to apply the technique the fewer card decks are used on a table as the player in question has fewer cards to count.

The basic strategy is to assign a value to each card, for example 1 point for 2 to 6, 0 points for 7 to 9 and −1 point for 10 to A. The card counter will increase his/her bets the soon the advantage swings into his favor. They will stop the soon the cards are reshuffled or the count puts the advantage back to the casino side.

Online, counting cards is mostly impossible because the deck is reshuffled after each hand. The exception is in Live Dealer casinos where multiple hands are dealt between each shuffle. However, most internet casinos prohibit counting cards in their terms and conditions, so you are taking a big risk if you attempt to employ this strategy.

Blackjack Variants

Blackjack is today a family of card games with dozens of variants, often based on the region it is played. The immense popularity of the game saw casino operators developing specific variants such as Perfect Pairs, Surrender Blackjack and Blackjack Switch.

Most of these variants aim to make the basic gameplay more exciting but often at the expense of the player's odds. In games that feature side bets, for instance, the side bets almost always have worse odds than the base game.

A few blackjack variants offer a reasonably fair game to the player, but the strategies that need to be employed for the best returns are usually different and much more complicated than for normal blackjack. Therefore, we recommend learning straightforward blackjack first and then perhaps expanding to enticing variants only later when you already have a solid understanding of regular blackjack under your belt.

Return to Player (RTP) on Blackjack

Generally, the RTP on Blackjack ranges from 99.00% to 99.83%: a rather small but not insignificant house edge as the game is usually played with higher stakes than penny slots. The actual RTP is calculated on how many decks are in play, how many times a player can split, when and how many times a player can double the stake and whether the dealer is taking a hole card.

Of course, RTP figures for different blackjack games assume optimal play on the part of the player. Those who neglect to read up on the correct strategy to use often forfeit a large amount, up to 2%, of their returns back to the house.

Some casinos display the return-to-player figures in the help screen of each game. At others, this information is hidden, but there are online tools that will calculate the RTP as long as you know the rules involved in a particular blackjack game.

Blackjack Conclusion

Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in existence, and there are any number of blackjack online casinos where you can play. Selecting a great internet casino for blackjack from our list above will let you enjoy this entertaining game while benefiting from generous combinations of rules and potentially lucrative bonuses.

Simply choose the real money online blackjack site that appeals to you the most and get ready to play blackjack online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Although blackjack is a pretty straightforward game at its heart, it has been around for centuries, and there are countless gameplay variations and traditions that have grown up around the game. In order to answer any remaining questions that you have, we have compiled below a blackjack FAQ for your enlightenment.