Blackjack, which originated from the group of games known as “Twenty-One” (21 points), has become the most popular card game in casinos around the world. At first glance, it may seem like a simple game of adding up the values of cards, but in reality, Blackjack is a game that requires skill, strategy, and wise decisions. Let’s explore how to play blackjack online. This ABC8 article will provide you with everything you need to know to play blackjack online.
How to play blackjack
Regardless of whether you are playing online, at a traditional casino, or just with a few friends at home, the rules of traditional blackjack remain the same.
Typically, the only difference when playing online is that the dealer will be a computer instead of a human. And unless you are playing blackjack with a live dealer (we’ll discuss this later), there will be no other players involved, just you and the dealer.
The object of the game, and the reason it is often called “21”, is that you want to have a higher total than the dealer without going over 21. The card values are calculated according to standard points: Face cards (J, Q, K) are all worth 10 points, Aces (A) can be counted as 1 or 11 points, depending on your convenience. The other cards (2-10) are worth the number of points on the card.
To start the game, you will place a bet, and the dealer will deal you two cards face up. The dealer will also receive two cards, but only one will be face up.
At this point, you have the following options:
Hit – Request to draw another card.
Stand – Keep the cards you have.
Double down – Double your bet and draw a single card.
Split – If you have two cards of the same value, you can split them into two separate hands with a second bet.
Surrender – Give up and lose half your bet.
If your total goes over 21, this is called “busting”, and you automatically lose the hand.
Once you have decided on your action, the dealer will either draw more cards or stand, depending on the value of their up card and the specific rules of blackjack.
If your total is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, you win the bet, and if the dealer has a higher total than you, you lose the bet. The dealer can also “bust” if their total goes over 21.
Those are the basics of blackjack. Once you have played a few hands, you will quickly learn any possible variations.
How to Play Blackjack – Betting and Blackjack Table Details
Now that we have a good understanding of the rules of blackjack, let’s discuss how to bet. When playing online, this is very simple as you will be using virtual chips that are loaded into your account.
You can usually choose from a few different chip denominations and bet as much as you like per hand (within the allowed range).
Blackjack typically pays out at a 1:1 ratio, meaning if you bet $5, you will win $5 if you beat the dealer.
As you might expect, the house always has an edge (otherwise, they would not make a profit). However, you can reduce the house edge to almost zero if you have the right strategy.
Playing blackjack with basic strategy, which we will discuss in the next section, can reduce the house edge to around 0.5%. This makes blackjack superior to all other casino games in terms of the player’s chances of winning.
Basic Blackjack Strategy
Yes, blackjack has an element of luck, but to play optimally, you need a strategy. Although the outcome of each hand depends mainly on the cards dealt, there are certain moves that players can make to increase their chances of winning.
This is where basic blackjack strategy comes into play. Basic strategy is a set of guidelines that help players know how to play best in any given situation.
For example, a basic strategy will tell you when to hit, when to stand, when to double down, and when to split.
Avid blackjack players can challenge themselves by memorizing the basic strategy guidelines. However, there are plenty of charts and strategy cards available online to help you easily apply basic strategy while you are playing.
Remember, you have all the time in the world when you are playing instant blackjack games against the computer. If you are playing live dealer games, the situation is different as the game moves much faster, but you can always quickly glance at your strategy card between hands.
