Online Blackjack

Blackjack is arguably one of the more enjoyable casino games on the market today. However, everyone can always learn more about the nuances and fundamentals to hopefully increase your chances of winning and playing more optimally.

Best Online Casinos To Play Blackjack

This guide is meant to help new players and to give you a better chance to make even more money the next time you hit the virtual tables.

Blackjack is an easygoing table game that doesn’t necessarily require the same level of strategy as poker or other table games.

If you’re new to online casinos, this is the first table game you’ll want to give a try, especially after reading this guide.

Let’s take a closer look at blackjack.

How To Play Blackjack in 2024?

If you’re reading this guide and have never played blackjack before, don’t worry. It can always be daunting to learn these new online casino games. These games have been around for a long time both online and in a brick-and-mortar casino, but we all need to learn eventually, right?

In this guide, we’ll look at how you win in blackjack and the strategies associated with it.

As far as how to play, the concept is this simple: Get as close to 21 all the while beating the cards belonging to the dealer.

There is some strategy associated with it, of course, but the general premise of the game is highly accessible, even to new players.

After reading this guide, you will make more than you would have before!

Play Blackjack For Free

There are online casinos that offer blackjack for free. These casinos come in two forms: Sweepstakes/Social Casinos and demo mode. Sweepstakes/Social Casinos do not involve players receiving any real money.

However, once your virtual currency is used, you may need to buy additional virtual currency to keep playing.

Demo modes are found at real money online casinos, but again, there is no real money to be made.

These could be good building blocks before wagering real money, but at the end of the day, winning real money should be the goal.

So, after you’ve played on these modes for a short period of time, be sure to move over and play some real money contests!

If you want to find other games you can play for free, you can check our free table games page.

How To Win At Blackjack?

There are a couple of ways to win at blackjack.

• Reach 21 and the dealer does not have 21
• Get as close to 21 as you can and the dealer has a lower number
• Get as close to 21 without going over and the dealer busts

In getting to 21, there is some strategy to keep in mind.

Blackjack Game Strategy 2024

• Double down on 11
• Double down on 10 unless the dealer has a face card or an ace
• If the dealer has an upcard of 7 or higher, keep drawing until you reach 17
• If the dealer has an upcard of 4-6, stop drawing once you reach a total of 12 or higher
• If the dealer has an upcard of 1-3, stop once you reach 13 or higher

There will always be more and more strategies as you become more experienced, but these five tips alone will help you win more money at real money online casinos.

Become A Blackjack Expert

As with anything, it’s going to take time and practice to become an expert blackjack player. There are many nuances to the game to understand further if you wish to become an expert.

There is plenty of terminology to learn as well as the myriad ways to play blackjack. It’s best to first understand basic blackjack, but there are several other modes you’ll find at an online casino.

You’ll also learn, over time (and in this guide), the difference between soft hands and hard hands and how you should interact with the game when you have them.

Patience is a virtue. Using this guide as a stepping stone is the best first step you could take on your journey to becoming a blackjack expert.

Blackjack Rules

We’ve gone over the basic premise of blackjack: Get to number 21.

There are rules for the game, however.

The game starts with the dealer giving each player one card face-up and the dealer also receiving one face-up card. Then for the next round of cards, you will receive a card face-down as will the dealer.

There are some games that may have different rules, but in general, this is how the game starts. The player to the left is the first to start. Once it reaches your turn, you must either “stand” (do not receive any more cards) or “hit” (receive more cards).

Once all the players have been dealt cards, the dealer’s face-down card will become face-up. If the total for the dealer is 17 or higher, they are required to stand. If it is 16 or less, they must hit.

• Splitting Pairs: If your first two cards are of the same denomination, you can treat them as two separate hands when it is your turn. You must then wager the same amount as your original bet, though. You will first play your hand to the left.
• Doubling Down: When your first two cards total 9-11, you can double down on your wager. The dealer will then give you one card face-down. This card is not turned up until all other bets are settled at the end of the hand. The dealer cannot double down or split pairs.
• Insurance: As another point of strategy, insurance is not anything you should worry about. However, Insurance is available once you receive your initial cards and the dealer has an ace showing. Insurance costs half of your wager.
• Push/Standoff: When a “push” or a “standoff” happens, this is another way of saying there is a tie after both the player and dealer have 21 with their first two cards. When this happens, your bets are returned and no adjustment is made.

Blackjack Card Values

The cards are worth their face value, with the exception of an ace and any face cards. The ace is worth either 1 or 11 (you choose) and a face card is worth 10.

Blackjack Hands

Now that we have some rules, strategies, and card values defined, let’s turn our attention to the hands themselves. There are a lot of things to keep in mind based on the hand you have.

We talked about that a bit in the strategy section, but let’s touch on the best hand you can get, as well as hard and soft hands.

Best Hand In Blackjack

The best hand in blackjack is to reach 21. This can of course be reached in multiple ways. However, the closest way to winning is achieving a “natural”, which is getting 21 on the first two cards you have dealt to you.

This is reached by having an ace with the value of 11 and a face card. There is no way to lose. At worst, you will tie with the dealer if they also reach 21.

Blackjack Hard Vs. Soft hands

• Hard Hand: The easiest way to think of a hard hand is having a hand that does not have an ace. This means that you have fewer options since the ace is 1 or 11.

• Soft Hand: Conversely, a soft hand is when you have an ace. A soft hand implies you have more flexibility because of the different values from the ace.

The Different Variations Of Blackjack

There are multiple variations of blackjack you can play at an online casino. Each variation comes with slightly different rules you’ll want to keep in mind.

We’ll look at a few variations and discuss the difference between them and traditional blackjack.

European Blackjack

The difference between traditional blackjack and European blackjack is in how the cards are dealt. In European blackjack, players will only get one card to start that is face-up and will not receive a second card until all players are finished with their hands.

Blackjack Switch

With Blackjack Switch you will start with two hands instead of one. Once you’re dealt, you can switch cards from hand to hand to improve your holdings. The catch here is that if the dealer reaches 22, it is not a bust, but rather a push against your hand that isn’t a bust of 21.

Spanish 21

Spanish 21 is pretty much the same as traditional Blackjack, but with one major difference: There are no 10 cards in the deck. Thus, this makes it way more advantageous to the dealer.

At the most prestigious online casinos that are legal in the United States, most of the blackjack you’ll find is traditional. There are some exceptions, but a lot of the differences mainly reside with the aesthetic or presentation of the game.

With that said, game libraries are constantly evolving. As these variations become more and more prevalent, you’ll already be aware of them, thus giving you more chances to win!

Blackjack Casino Apps

Wherever you find a legal online casino in the US, a mobile app is likely to follow. There are very few online casinos available today that don’t come with a mobile app that is available for both iOS and Android.

Some of the more popular online casinos available include FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, Caesars, 888, Harrah’s, and more.

What Should I Look For In An Online Blackjack Casino?

As mentioned, a lot of legal online casinos in the United States offer mostly traditional blackjack, but there are some that do not.

Be on the look-out for these things when it comes to an online blackjack casino:

• Expanded library of blackjack
• Blackjack variations
• Blackjack no deposit bonuses
• Minimum and maximum wagers
• Mobile app
• Live dealer games
• Promotions involving blackjack
• Game contribution percentage for blackjack bonuses
• User experience and design for not only the online casino but the blackjack games themselves
• High-quality game developers

Playing Blackjack Across The US

Online casinos are becoming more and more legal and regulated in the US. Right now, online blackjack is live in only six states, though. These states include Delaware, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Connecticut.

However, there are ways to still play blackjack in other states. We touched on it earlier, but Sweepstakes and social casinos are legal in all 50 states. These include online casinos like Chumba Casino.

No, they are not real money casinos, but these are an excellent alternative while you wait for online gambling and blackjack to come to your state!