Blackjack online

The history of Blackjack

Originally named “vingt-et-un,” which means 21 in French, Blackjack, along with other casino games, came from Europe to the United States. In the 1930s, when casinos became legal, casinos offered a special bet on the traditional game of “21.” If the player received a jack of spades or a jack of clubs along with an ace of spades, they would receive a 10-1 payout on their bet. This is where the name “Blackjack” originated and has been used ever since.

The objective of Blackjack is to get 21 or as close to 21 in card value as possible, without going over. Since you only play against the casino, you can take all the time you need and the player has a lot of control. You choose whether or not to take additional cards. It is this control that makes the game so attractive. You have good odds when playing Blackjack, and with a good strategy, you can expect great success. Online, you can try out different variations of the game and receive various casino bonuses that you can use to play Blackjack.

How to play online Blackjack?

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games of all time, easy enough for anyone to play. But at the same time, it is difficult to master, which makes it very exciting! The idea behind Blackjack is to get more cards than the dealer without going over 21.
Blackjack is a card game played against the dealer. All players, including the dealer, deal two cards each. All face cards count as 10, aces count as 1 or 11, and cards with corresponding numbers count as their true value.

The goal of the game is to beat the dealer without going over 21. If you go over 21, you lose your bet; if the dealer goes over 21, the player wins. The dealer must deal cards until you reach 17-21. The dealer deals the same, but only one card is visible. Based on this, you must decide whether you need more cards or not, based on what we talked about above.

If you have less than 11 on the first two cards, you will usually take more cards. If you have more, it can often be a good idea to stand and bet on what the dealer will deal. If you have a total of 21 on your first two cards, you have Blackjack. This is the best option and gives you a big payout, and it cannot be beaten unless the dealer has Blackjack.

Blackjack is a skill game where you can minimize your chances in the casino by making the right choice. Like all casino games, the odds are stacked in favor of the house, and in Blackjack, the odds are 8% in favor of the casino. By making the right choice, you can reduce the odds to around 2%. This makes Blackjack your best chance of winning online.

Blackjack Variants

There are many versions of blackjack, and here we have described the most common ones:

• Classic Blackjack – In classic blackjack rules, each player plays against the dealer. At the beginning, you are dealt two cards and you can choose to stand or hit to get your hand as close to 21 as possible without going over, which is called “bust”. The goal is to beat the dealer, who must draw cards if their hand is lower than 17 and stand if their hand is 17 or higher, which is to your advantage as a player.
• European Blackjack – In European blackjack, the game is played with two decks of cards. Doubling down can only be done if you have a hand value of 9 to 11. You cannot double down after splitting, and you cannot resplit or surrender. The dealer must hit on soft 17.
• Vegas Strip Blackjack – Vegas strip blackjack also uses two decks of cards. You can double down on any initial hand, and you can double down after splitting. You can also resplit up to three hands, which means if you receive another card with the same value as your first split, you can split again.
• Multi-Hand Blackjack – In this variant, the game is played with four decks of cards and the dealer stands on 17. You can only double down with a hand value of 9 to 11, and you cannot double down after splitting or resplitting. The player cannot surrender.
• Single Deck Blackjack – The house advantage in this variant is much lower than in the other variants because you can easily count cards. It is played with one deck of cards, and the dealer must hit on soft 17. You can double down on any hand, and you can also double down after splitting, but only one split is allowed.
• Progressive Blackjack – In this variant of online blackjack, a jackpot bet must be placed on every hand. This jackpot continues to grow throughout the day. If you get one 7, you win $5. If you get two 7s in a row, you win $25. If they are the same color, you win $50. If you get three 7s, you win $250, and if there are four of the same color, you win $1000. If you get three diamond 7s in a row, you win the jackpot, which can be thousands of dollars!
• Blackjack Switch – In Blackjack Switch, the player must bet twice the same amount, and the cards are dealt face up. The player is allowed to switch the second card dealt in each hand. You can double down on any hand, and you can also double down after splitting, but only one split is allowed. Blackjack pays 1:1, and the dealer’s 22 will be a tie for each hand, except for blackjack.
• Spanish 21 – In Spanish 21, you can double down on as many cards as you want. Different combinations of blackjack payouts with varying bonuses. There are no 10 cards in the deck, so the only cards with a value of ten are the face cards.
• Double Exposure Blackjack – In Double Exposure, both of the dealer’s cards are placed face up, and the dealer wins all rounds except for blackjack. Blackjack pays 1:1. The game is played with 8 decks of cards, and the dealer must hit on soft 17. You can resplit up to four hands, and you can double down on any hand value from 9 to 11. Doubling down after splitting is allowed.
• Double Attack Blackjack – In Double Attack Blackjack, the player can guess which card will be the next card dealt to the dealer, and the cards have different percentages of payouts. See our Double Attack table for more details.
• Pontoon – Pontoon is a variant of blackjack where you can split two cards with a value of ten, even if they are not the same. If you split aces, you can only receive one card for each. The dealer wins on a tie, and if the dealer’s initial cards add up to less than 21, you are paid 2:1. You can only surrender if the dealer shows an ace or a face card, and the dealer must hit on soft 17.

Download or Play Online?

Many casinos give you the choice between downloading blackjack or playing directly in your browser. At many casinos, you can do both. The latest trend is mobile casinos, where blackjack is always on the list of featured games. Additionally, you can also play live blackjack with real dealers via webcam. In the past, graphics and sound were better if you downloaded the casino. This is no longer true, as software providers have optimized their gaming platforms. However, by downloading, you often gain access to more variations of blackjack than you would find in the instant play casino. Sometimes, there are also unique promotions and bonuses for players who download the casino.

Blackjack – Basic Knowledge

There are a few things you should know about blackjack before betting all your possessions on the game. You should, of course, know the rules and have an understanding of the odds associated with the rules you are playing with. In this article, we take a closer look at the advantages (and disadvantages) you have as a player compared to the dealer.

Dealer’s Advantages:

• The dealer’s advantage is that you have to play first; if you bust (go over 21), he wins regardless of his own hand.
• Apart from that, the dealer has no advantages; his actions are locked into a fixed system that is known to all players. He must draw to a certain point and has no ability to influence what happens.

Player’s Advantages:

• You have several opportunities to increase your bet (by doubling and splitting).
• You can stop whenever you want.
• You can draw cards whenever you want (dealer must stand on 17, even if he sees that he has lost).
• When you get blackjack, you more than double your bet (the dealer does not win anything extra with blackjack).

Especially the first of the player’s advantages is critical. If you don’t know when and how to split/double, you double the dealer’s advantage. As a player, it is important to remember that the goal is not to get as close to 21 as possible but to beat the dealer.

Some statistics

• Out of 100 played hands, assuming the player knows the basic strategy and plays accordingly, the player will win an average of 44 hands.
• The dealer will win 48 hands.
• The last 8 hands will be a tie and the bet will stand.

From these numbers, we can see that as a player, you will lose 4 more hands than you win.

With flat bets and consistent play, you will lose 4%. Therefore, it is important to take advantage of the benefits that are available to you as a player, such as splitting and doubling. By playing mathematically correctly, the house has an advantage of between 0.5% and 2%, depending on the rules of the table. If you play on instinct and emotions, the house has an advantage of closer to 10%.

Blackjack Rules

• All players place their bets (minimum/maximum bets vary depending on the table you are playing at).
• The dealer deals two cards to each player (face up) and two cards to themselves (one card face up and one card face down).
• If a player receives an Ace, picture card, or 10, they have blackjack, which pays out 2.5 times the bet (if the dealer doesn’t have the same). The player is then finished with the round.
• If the dealer receives a picture card or Ace, they will look at their other card. You can then pay for insurance (half the value of the bet to win back the bet). If it turns out that the cards hide 21, all players lose except for those with insurance or blackjack.
• If you don’t have blackjack (or the dealer doesn’t), you have the option to “stand” (stop) or draw one or more cards.
• Cards can be drawn until you exceed 21 and thus lose the game.
• If you are dealt two identical cards, you can “split”. This doubles your bet and you play with two hands. Your cards are “split” and you receive two new cards. From there, you play the hands as two separate games.
• Doubling is also an option. You double your bet and are dealt one card and cannot draw more if the outcome is poor.
• Always use the visible dealer card as an indicator. If the dealer has an Ace or picture card, there is a high probability that they will not bust (go over 21). If, on the other hand, they have 4-6, you can safely “stand” with worse cards or double for increased winnings.
• When all players have finished their actions, it is the dealer’s turn.
• They then turn over the card with the picture side down. If the value of the cards is between 17-20, the game is over and all players with a higher value than the dealer win. In case of a tie, you get your money back.
• If the dealer does not have a hand between 17-20, cards are drawn until they achieve the desired value or exceed 21. If the dealer gets more than 21, all players win regardless of the value of their hand.

Most online casinos offer blackjack, and you can find a variety of different versions with regard to bets and formats:

• Arcade games – Play against a computer simulator.
• Live blackjack – Play against a live dealer in real-time via stream. This is just like playing in a real casino, where you and the other players are dealt cards and make decisions via your computer or mobile device.

Like poker, blackjack has evolved over time. There are now several types of blackjack online where, in addition to the game itself, you can also make side bets on the outcome of your and the dealer’s dealt cards.

Common Mistakes in Blackjack

There are a few mistakes that players who are unfamiliar with the game make at a blackjack table. These are mistakes that are costly for players and profitable for the house. No matter how uninterested you are in learning correct strategy, there are six mistakes you should avoid if you don’t want to lose your money faster than necessary.

• Take a hit with a hand over 12 against the dealer’s low card.

A simple rule is to stand on 12 and over against the dealer’s 6 and lower.

• Stand with a soft hand of 17 or lower.

You have no winning hand, you only win if the dealer busts and you keep your winnings if the dealer hits 17. You can’t bust on the next card anyway, so why stand?

• Don’t split 2 8s.

You should always split 8s to protect yourself. If you don’t split 8s, the house has a 50% advantage over you.

• Split two 10s.

You have a good hand that will usually win, and you will ruin it by getting two hands that are likely to be worse and where you can quickly lose twice as much?

Doesn’t sound smart.

• Don’t double 11 against the dealer’s 10.

A large part of your profits come from doubling down in the right places. Even if you can lose in the short term, the numbers speak for themselves, you will win by doubling down in the long run.

Blackjack – What to Split?

Blackjack is a unique casino game that requires a mix of luck and skill, just like other card games. Although it’s impossible to win every hand, it can be helpful to get some tips on how to play blackjack to win even more. But remember, these are just tips, we cannot guarantee that you will end up as the big winner.

Never split two 10s

In this situation, such a hand has a value of 20, and it’s an excellent hand. Your goal is to achieve 21, but if you have 20 on the first two dealt cards, there’s only one situation where the dealer can beat you, and that’s with a 21. And it will be challenging for the dealer to beat you in this situation.

Always split two 8s

Regardless of the dealer’s card value, even if they show an ace, always split the two 8s. Two 8s will make 18, and it’s the worst hand in blackjack. When you split two 8s, you have a better chance of getting a winning hand and, of course, save your money. By winning one and losing the other, you’ll end up breaking even. And if you draw two 10s on both 8s, you have 18 on both, which is a much better hand than 16.

Never split two 5s

When you have two 5s, you have a value of 10, so a wise decision is to double down and ask for one card.

Unusual Blackjack Games

Most casinos, both in Vegas and online, offer many different variations of the game. There are so many versions of the game now that no one can say for sure how many versions there are. Here we’ll list the most popular versions of the game.

Red or Black

This is a “side bet” where the first card will be either red or black. Bets are placed elsewhere.

Royal Match Bet

If the first two cards are of the same suit, the payout is 3 to 1. If the first two cards of the same color are a king and a queen, this is a royal match and pays 10 to 1.

21 Madness

A “side bet” in the game of Blackjack. If the player has a Blackjack and the dealer does not, the “side bet” wager can be anywhere from $5 to $1000.

Lucky Ladies

A “side bet” where the first two cards dealt are two queens. This hand can be beaten.

Lucky Lucky

A side bet with many special and complex payouts on some hands.

Streak

A side bet on a player’s winning streak.

Blackjack – side bets

Like most other casino games, in blackjack there is also the possibility to bet on different things outside of the main game. These are called side bets and it is common for casinos to offer one or two of them. Insurance is one such bet, and it should always be avoided as it is far better for the house than the actual game.

Some of the most common side bets and their odds:

• Side bet house edge
• Insurance – 6.79%
• Sweet 16 – 2.57%, 21+3 3.24%
• Royal match – 6.67%
• Pair square – 10.61%
• Dare any – 11.25%
• Super sevens – 12.61%
• Lucky ladies – 24.71%

These are the most common ones, there are many more, and all of them give the player much worse odds and chances of winning than regular blackjack. This applies to all other side bets offered in a casino as well.

Mobile Casino and Free Blackjack

Mobile casinos have taken off, and many casinos now offer their casino with special bonuses for mobile devices and tablets, including iPhone and iPad. There are limited games available and the bonus is lower than in a regular casino, but it’s a cool way to play. You download from their website on your mobile device and receive a free app on your phone. Blackjack is a game that is always available when you play mobile.

Remember that you can practice blackjack for free before you wager your own money, and this also applies to downloadable casinos. It can pay off to learn the rules, tips, and strategies for blackjack before you get started. Once you become skilled, you can use your casino bonus on most blackjack games as a sort of blackjack bonus and play the classic casino game with fantastic odds.

Blackjack Bonuses

The most common bonus in blackjack is a regular casino bonus and welcome bonus that the casino allows you to use freely. Not all casinos allow you to use the bonus on blackjack, as the house advantage is so low that you win so much. Others, however, allow you to use the bonus on blackjack, but the percentage that counts towards the wagering requirement is not so high. This varies from casino to casino, so it’s important to check the rules before you wager your own money.

Blackjack rarely occurs as a standalone bonus online, but is often included in casino bonuses. What’s important to note is that blackjack is weighted differently from slot machines when it comes to turnover.

Usually, the percentage is low (10-20%) due to the player’s favorable win probability compared to other games. At 10% weighting, 1000 kr will only count as 100 kr towards the wagering requirement. You can find a simplified version of the terms in our reviews or on the casino’s website.

Live casino games are in focus at Norwegian online casinos and you will definitely come across blackjack bonuses and promotions online.

Blackjack Game and Strategy

As we mentioned in why play blackjack online, the odds can be influenced by using blackjack strategy. By making the right decisions based on mathematical odds and utilizing the game’s different choices such as doubling, splitting, and knowing when to stand or draw cards, you can reduce the probability of the house winning in the long run.

Blackjack strategy gives players a significant advantage over players who rely on gut feeling or lack knowledge of how to make the best choices. For a quick introduction to blackjack strategy, click here.

Here, you will also find an overview of the best choices for each hand in two game approaches: aggressive or soft.
We recommend all our readers to become familiar with the blackjack strategy before playing the game, which increases the chances of success.

Blackjack odds – different rules

The rules the house plays with are crucial for the odds that you as a player have. Here we take a look at the odds for the different variants. Fortunately, we don’t have to calculate the odds for each individual calculation, others have done that for us, but this overview is still useful reading material.

First, standard rules:

• 6 decks
• Dealer stands on all 17s
• Player can double after splitting
• Player can double any two cards
• Split aces receive only one card
• Surrender is not allowed
• Blackjack pays 3:2

With these rules:

• And basic strategy, the house has an advantage of: 0.4%
• And simple strategy, the house has an advantage of: 0.92%
• If you never double or split: 2.3%
• If you never take a card so you can bust: 3.88%
• If you play the same as the dealer: 5.54%

Changes to these rules affect the odds in the following way, + means in favor of the player, – in favor of the house:

• 1 deck: +0.51%
• 2 decks: +0.20%
• 4 decks: +0.05%
• Continuous shuffling: +0.03%
• 5 decks: +0.02%
• 8 decks: -0.02%
• Dealer hits soft 17: -0.22%
• Player can draw as many cards as they want to on split aces: +0.19%
• Player can re-split aces: +0.08%
• Surrender is allowed: +0.09%
• Player can split only once: -0.05%
• Player can double only on 9-10 and 11: -0.10%
• Player can double only on 10 and 11: -0.19%
• Player can’t double after splitting: -0.14%
• Blackjack pays 6:5 -1.39%
• Blackjack pays 1:1 -2.32%

If there are multiple changes, they can affect each other so that the total change becomes slightly larger or smaller than what the overview shows, but the deviations are small. So-called side bets, which are bets that can be placed alongside the main bet, usually have a house edge of at least 5% and should always be avoided.

Blackjack Tips

Playing Blackjack is definitely entertaining, but without a plan or strategy for gameplay, you will always end up losing. Like all card games, luck is involved, but in Blackjack, strategy and keeping a clear head are just as important.

Therefore, our best Blackjack tip is to create a strategy for your bets. You can play optimally and win often, but without a plan for how to place your bets, you will still end up losing. There are several betting strategies for Blackjack that you can read up on, but the simplest is a classic doubling strategy.

This means that you start with one unit, let’s say 25 kroner. You bet this amount from the beginning, and every time you win, you double the unit. If you win two times in a row, your third bet will be 100. You also win this time, but then you should be happy with your winnings and go back to the original unit (25 kroner). And that was smart – because you lost the next hand! This is a basic tip that makes playing Blackjack much more enjoyable.

We hope that our Blackjack guide has been informative and that you have gained a better understanding of the opportunities that online casinos offer. Below, we have compiled a list of our 5 best tips that you can use the next time you find yourself at a Blackjack table.

1. Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose.
2. Learn Blackjack strategy to maximize your chances of success.
3. Never pay for insurance.
4. Never split 10’s and face cards – it may be tempting, but you will lose in the long run.
5. Always check the terms and conditions before using a bonus to play Blackjack online.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions