Game Overview

Blackjack is one of those card games that seems to be woven into the fabric of humanity. Even in countries where gambling is not central to the local culture, people play 21s or some version of Blackjack for fun.

What is very interesting is that there is a range of card games known as "Twenty-One" games which are not necessarily considered part of the Blackjack family by experts. This family of games includes Pontoon, a game popularised in the United Kingdom and its European counterpart known as Vingt-et-Un (French for twenty-one).

While the exact origins of this card game are lost to the annals of time, it is often attributed to the French, given its appearance in the beloved novel Don Quixote and its popularity amongst the French nobility, including the decorated military leader Napoleon Bonaparte.

Blackjack was a vital aspect of the development of early online casinos. Despite the popularity of video slots, today, players in the late nineties demanded access to table games. With its low House edge and simple rules, Blackjack became the game of choice for online gamblers worldwide.

The online and mobile blackjack experience was elevated to new heights with the development of live dealer table games. Players could now interact with professional dealers and other players while gambling from anywhere in the world. The camaraderie and social aspect of real-world casino gambling was once again brought to life, only now in high definition.

Popular Terms

To better understand the game of Blackjack and to play with confidence at live dealer tables and land-based casinos, here are fifteen of the most popular terms you need to know.

Ace: This is the Ace card; in Blackjack, the player can choose which value this card holds. It can be worth either 1 or 11.

Action: The amount staked as the bet on a hand of Blackjack is called the action.

Anchor: The anchor is the last player at a table. Some players believe this can be a strong position as you can base your play on what cards have already been dealt.

Blackjack: Having a hand of cards totaling 21 is called a blackjack.

Box: This is the table section in front of each player where bets are placed and cards are dealt.

Croupier: This is the original French term for the dealer.

Discards: In live dealer blackjack, where real-life cards are used, any card from a previous game will be discarded and not used again until the deck is reshuffled.

Double Down: This is a risky bet where you double your stake and receive only one more card. There is no option to hit again once this action has been taken.

House Edge: This refers to the House's advantage in any game. When playing Perfect Blackjack, this edge is as low as 0.5%.

Natural: A Natural is when the first two cards you are dealt total 21.

Perfect Blackjack: This is a predetermined system for playing Blackjack and can be found in our strategy section.

To better understand the game of Blackjack and to play with confidence at live dealer tables and land-based casinos, here are fifteen of the most popular terms you need to know.

Push: This occurs when the dealer and a player have a hand of the same value.

Side Bet: These are additional bets that some casinos offer based on the cards that are dealt. Winning these bets has no impact on winning or losing the actual hand.

Soft Hand: A soft hand contains an Ace; depending on whether you see it as a 1 or 11, the hand has two possible values.

Win Rate: This refers to how likely you are to win playing perfect Blackjack. Wins in this scenario occur 42.2% of the time, while a Push can occur 8.5% of the time.

Rules

Blackjack is one of the most popular card games anywhere in the world. It is straightforward to learn, simple to play and offers a sense of accomplishment when you pull a winning hand. Here are some of the basic rules to keep in mind when first starting.

Get to know the Table

Blackjack is one of those table games where you compete exclusively with the dealer, even if you are playing with others at the same table. The dealer sits at the head of the table, and players are seated at one of the boxes on the outer edge. Your box is where you will place your bets and receive the cards you will play with.

Learn the card values

Blackjack is played with a standard 52-card deck, but the Jokers are removed. All face cards such as the King, Queen and Jack are given a value of 10, while all number cards 10 through 2 are worth the number they display. The Ace is the only card with two possible values; you can choose 1 or 11, whichever value best suits your hand.

Understand the actions you can take

There are only a small number of actions you get to take as a player. Once you have received your two pocket cards, you can choose to Hit (take another card) or Stand (end your turn with your current cards). There are variations of the Hit action: Double Down (double your bet and draw one more card) and Split (where you separate matching cards into two hands and hit or stand on these).

Understand the dealer's limitations

Each table has its own Dealer rules, which are worth reviewing before playing. In most cases, the dealer will continue to draw cards until they total either 16 or 17. Once the dealer's hand reaches this limit, they cannot draw another card, and the game results are announced.

A Natural is an Instant Win

Any party can be dealt a Natural, where the two-pocket cards consist of an Ace (valued at 11) and another card valued at 10, for an immediate card total of 21. If the player is dealt a Natural, the game ends immediately, and they are paid out at 3:2 instead of 1:1.

Strategy

Blackjack is incredibly popular not only for its simplicity but also for its incredibly low House Edge. Unlike other table games where the House can hold an advantage as high as 14%, using perfect Blackjack keeps this edge as low as 0.5%. Even new players, prone to mistakes early on, can expect this to be as low as 2%.

Here are some basic strategies that will help you up your game immediately:

• Always Stand if you are holding a Hard 17 or higher.
• Always Split Aces but never split cards valued at 10.
• Always stand on a Soft 20.
• Always Split 8s.
• Always Hit if you are holding a hard 8.
• Only Double Down on a Hard 11.
• Avoid taking Insurance bets.
• Avoid systems like Martingale unless you have a massive bankroll.

To truly master the Perfect Blackjack Strategy will take time and effort. However, reducing the House Edge to 0.5% is worth the investment, especially if you intend to play multi-hand or high-roller blackjack.

Tips

Here are several tips and tricks to help you play like a pro from the outset to make the most of your time at the blackjack tables.

1. Research the Different Types of Blackjack

There are many different variations of Blackjack from around the world. Please read up on the most popular types of Blackjack and what sets them apart. Use this information to select the blackjack variation that best suits your style of play.

2. Take the Time to Learn Perfect Blackjack Strategy

Playing according to the Perfect Blackjack Strategy can reduce the House edge from 2% to 0.5%. Take the time to read up on when to hit and stand based on your card and other valuable insights to elevate your game.

3. Use a Blackjack Hand Card for reference

At first, it can be a lot of information to retain and then use at the table. We recommend using a reference card that outlines which action to take with which cards and refer to it as you learn to play. You very quickly learn to appreciate the effectiveness of such a simple tool.

4. Use Free Play Tables to Practice

Before playing for real money, we recommend testing your strategies at free play tables. You can come to grips with the game flow and try various bet settings without breaking the bank.

5. Learn by Playing at Live Dealer Tables

Once you are ready to play for real money, playing at live dealer tables can be very educational. Take the time to watch how more experienced gamblers play and learn from their interactions with the dealer and other players. Raise your game by using their experience as your foundation.

Blackjack Game Types

Classic Blackjack

Casinos offer this popular classic card game and use eight 52-card decks. The players must beat the dealer with a hand as close to 21 without exceeding it. Dealer stands on a soft 17 and does not receive a hole or second card.

Live Blackjack

Take your blackjack game to the live casino setting and experience the classic card game like never. Live online casinos use the same rules as classic Blackjack with this live-streamed version. Beat the dealer to win.

Spanish 21

We play this version of Blackjack with a six-deck shoe, and the aim is to beat the dealer to 21. Players can split with pairs and re-split with another pair for three separate hands. There are no 10 cards in Spanish Blackjack.

American Blackjack

Players who know European or classic Blackjack will enjoy American Blackjack, where the dealer gets two cards from the beginning of the game, and the dealer can peek for Blackjack. Other rules compare to classic Blackjack.

Pontoon

It is an online variant of Blackjack and plays best with 5 – 8 players and a 52-card deck. If 8 or more players are playing, then two decks are used.

Super Fun 21

With this blackjack variation, players can win automatically if the hand holds 6 cards or more with a total of 20, even if the dealer has 21.

Blackjack Switch

This table game is played with 4, 6 or 8 decks shuffled together, and two hands are dealt to each player.

Zappit Blackjack

In this variation, a player can discard hands valued at 15, 16 and 17 online and 18 in a land-based casino and redraw.

Atlantic City Blackjack

This variant allows a late surrender, which lets a player claim a refund for a portion of the bet. It makes for fast gameplay.

European Blackjack

While players all receive cards face down, in this game version, the dealer gets the first card face up and the second card face down.

Perfect Pairs Blackjack

Players can place an additional bet to cover the possibility of a pair being delt first. This card game is available at Perfect Pairs tables.

Infinite Blackjack

At a live table, unlimited seats, and no wait time for players to leave. All players are dealt the same hand.

Progressive Blackjack

While gameplay follows the standard blackjack rules, players can place side bets with the chance to win a progressive jackpot.

Double Attack Blackjack

Players have the option to double their first wager after seeing the dealer's up card and placing a side bet on if the dealer goes bust.

Lucky Blackjack

This blackjack variation is a Playtech release where players bet on the exact outcome of cards dealt. In this high pace card game, you bet on the total you believe the cards will reveal, and different values have different odds.

Double Exposure Blackjack

Double Exposure Blackjack lets players see both dealer’s cards from the start. With the benefit of face-up cards, casinos usually change the blackjack playout odds to 1:1, while classic Blackjack pays 3:2.

21 Duel

Play three separate hands with Playtech's 21 Duel, where the dealer gets two face-down cards, and the player receives one face-up and one face-down. Two communal cards in the centre and the player's choice on these lead to more hands.Triple 7s BlackjackTriple 7s Blackjack is a jackpot version of the classic game of 21. The game uses a 5-deck shoe to deal cards from. The closest to 21 is the winner, but 7 is the lucky number that pays, and triple 7 has the highest reward.

Vegas Strip Blackjack

This popular version of Blackjack has unique rules where the dealer peeks for Blackjack; players may double down on any initial hand and after splitting. You can split up to four hands, but 21 on split Aces is not Blackjack.

Big Five Blackjack

Big Five Blackjack is perfect for all experience levels. Players can split on doubles and double down after that. Insurance allows players to bet on a dealer blackjack, or they can surrender at a slight loss.

Vegas Downtown Blackjack

This variant is like Vegas Strip Blackjack, except the dealer takes a hit on soft 17 and uses 2 decks instead of 4. Vegas Downtown Blackjack is available at specific casinos and is a popular choice in downtown Sin City.

Ante Up 21 Blackjack

Enjoy a blackjack-poker mix with Ante Up 21. You place two bets at the beginning of the game. One on Blackjack and another on poker. Blackjack rules apply to the blackjack hand, and poker rules apply to the Ante bet.

Chinese Blackjack

Also known as Ban-luck, this blackjack variation has rules like one hand with two Aces wins 3:1 for ban-ban and a picture card or 10, and Ace is ban-nag that pays 2:1. Five cards without a bust equals 5-Dragon that pays 2:1.

Blackjack Surrender

In this blackjack variation, players can minimise their losses if they fold. Once the player and dealer's cards are on the table, the player can surrender if they have a poor hand and only lose a part of their bet.

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