Blackjack Rules and Card Values
Within the iGaming community, Blackjack is arguably the most popular online casino table game. It offers the perfect blend of participation and strategy, something that Roulette & Baccarat do not offer.
As you start your adventure as an online casino player, playing Blackjack might be a good place to start. With that in mind, we would like to offer the following information that you can use as a guide to teach you the ins and outs of online Blackjack.
Getting Started
Before you can place your first bet as an online Blackjack player, you’ll need to select an online casino home. We would suggest that you use the following criteria to guide your selection process:
- iGaming site reputation – read reviews
- Site or sites that offer multiple Blackjack variations
- Compare and contrast welcome and intermittent bonus packages
- Sites that offer your preferred banking option
Once you find the right online casino home, you’ll need to complete the site’s registration process. At a minimum, you’ll need to be able to show proof of residency and age. You’ll need to reside in a country or region that allows online casino gambling, and be able to represent that you meet that country or region’s minimum online gambling age requirement: usually over 21 years of age.
After completing the registration process, you can claim available bonuses, fund your wagering account, and start playing Blackjack.
Selecting a Blackjack Variation
In a retail casino environment, you hardly ever get access to more than a couple of Blackjack variations. That’s largely attributable to the limited floor space that a retail casino can allocate for table games.
In an iGaming environment, there are no space limitations. Therefore, each online casino can easily offer as many Blackjack variations as it wants, depending on which software company is supporting the casino’s iGaming platform. With that in mind, you’ll soon realize that you might find as many as a dozen viable Blackjack variations
Which one should you choose? The variation or variations that you choose will depend on your playing preferences and expectations. We would like to assist you with the selection process by defining a few of the most popular online Blackjack variations that you might encounter.
Standard Single or Multi-deck
House’s edge 0.15%–0.30%, Blackjacks usually pay 3-2.
The dealer starts by dealing two cards to both parties, with the dealer’s cards either both face down or one card face up.
Double Exposure
House’s edge 0.67%, Blackjacks usually pay 1-1.
Standard Blackjack rules apply, but both of the dealer’s first two cards are dealt face up.
Blackjack Switch
House’s edge 0.58%, Blackjacks usually pay 1-1, and the dealer’s 22 pushes against all non-busted hands.
The player plays two hands simultaneously and may switch one card between each of the two hands to make the two best hands possible.
Spanish 21
House’s edge 0.40%, Blackjacks usually pay 1-1.
All 10s are removed from the deck, the player wins all ties, double downs are allowed at any time, and special payouts are given for three-card 21s.
Pontoon
House’s edge 0.38%, Blackjack or Pontoon usually pay 2-1.
Both of the dealer’s cards are dealt face down. Players can only stick on 15 or more, and 5-card non-bust winning hands pay extra, but the house wins all ties.
If you don’t fancy any of these variations, you might find a few other variations that are more appealing.
Understanding the Rules
Other than the idiosyncrasies that may arise due to variations, there are standard rules that apply when playing Blackjack. The first thing you need to understand is card values. Here is a list:
- Ace: In most cases, you can play as a 1 or an 11
- Twos through tens: The actual value of the card
- Face cards (J-K): 10
The next set of rules you need to understand will be the game-play rules that are in place, depending on the variation you choose. After you make your variation selection, it’s incumbent on you to read the applicable rules so you can avoid misunderstandings and playing mistakes. Each set of rules should clearly define the playing process.
Note: Understanding the rules and playing as close to perfection as possible hold the keys to winning consistently at the online Blackjack tables.
Key rules to consider are:
- Where and when double downs are permitted
- Where and when hitting and standing is dictated
- Where and when splitting cards is permitted
- Where and when choosing “insurance” is allowed
- Payouts on Blackjack and special wagering options
The term “special wagering options” refers to side bets the casino might offer during the game-playing process.
Blackjack Playing Tips From the Pros
As a recreational online Blackjack player, you might opt to just make your bets and let the hands flow as they may. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, your goal might be playing winning Blackjack. If that’s the case, the following 10 tips from the pros might be useful.
- Never wager more than 3% of your bankroll on any hand. It’s okay to go to 6% if the opportunity to “double down” arises.
- From a wagering perspective, it makes sense to choose variations where Blackjacks pay at least 3-2. The advantages seemingly offered by the “exotic” variations that only pay 1-1 will seldom be worth the trade-off of higher payouts on the rare Blackjack.
- There are no playing strategies or systems that will lower the online casino’s statistical advantage. At best, you might find a wagering system like the Martingale system, which might help you manage your bankroll a little better.
- Based on the aforementioned percentages related to the house’s edge, single-deck games should get preference if winning is the most important goal.
- If a game variation allows you to “double down” after splitting like cards, that will offer you a slight advantage that’s worth considering.
- Always assume the dealer’s “hole” card is a 10 or face card. If the dealer’s face-up card is a 5 or 6, double down or split (no 10s) whenever the opportunity arises.
- Never take “insurance.” Doing so only increases the house’s edge because additional funds are put at risk on a hand that will likely end up being a losing hand regardless.
- The “surrender” option, when available, does offer you a tiny advantage of 0.1% to 0.6%. The best surrender strategies are surrendering a 16 versus a 9, any 10, or Ace, and surrendering 15 against 10s. The right decision might vary based on the dealer’s need to hit soft 17s or the number of decks.
- Believe it or not, variations that dictate the dealer sticks on a soft 17 will favor the player.
- If you think you can count cards, be wary. That might work out ok in a retail casino environment, but it’s nearly impossible in an online environment because the dealer reshuffles before each hand.
Summary
Armed with the aforementioned information, you are ready to start your journey as an online Blackjack player. With that said, we would like to offer one more precautionary piece of advice.
You should never gamble with money that exceeds what you can truly afford to lose. While playing online Blackjack is a great form of adult entertainment, you need to approach it as a responsible adult. As a responsible adult, you should confine your gambling of any kind to what people commonly refer to as “discretionary funds.” Those are funds that remain after you have met all of your financial obligations and set aside savings for your future.
This information is your guide to becoming a happy and successful online Blackjack player.