Blackjack

Advantages of playing Blackjack online opposed to land based casinos 

• One of the biggest benefits of playing Blackjack real money games online rather than at a land based casino would be the bonuses and rewards that get offered.
• The more a player wagers, the more that they can win.
• A player is less likely to lose all their money before the bonus is released.
• The rewards are received the more you play online.
• Online casinos have a much wider variety and versions of the blackjack game than land based casinos.

How to play Blackjack

When you play Blackjack, you’ll have two cards that are placed face up in front of the bet you’ve made. To play your hand, you need to first add your card values together. Your hand totals from 4 to 21. If you get dealt a ten-value card and Ace as the first two cards, then that means that you have a Blackjack.

Rules 

• You need to beat the dealer’s hand and not go over the number 21.
• When you go over the amount 21, you bust. The dealer wins regardless of their hand.
• The face cards are valued at 10. Aces have a value of either 1 or 11, depending on which one makes the better hand.
• Each of the players will start off with two cards. One of the dealer’s cards stays hidden until the end of the game.
• If you get dealt an amount equal to 21 from the start (Ace & 10), then you have a blackjack.
• Blackjack usually means that you win one and a half times the amount of your bet. However, this depends on the casino you’re playing with.
• The dealer will hit until their cards equal to 17 or higher.
• Splitting doubles the bet, because each of the new hands is worth the original bet.
• A player can double or split on their first move. This is also done on the first move of a hand that is created by a split.
• You can’t play with two aces after they’ve been split.
• You can double on the hand that results from a split, which can triple or quadruple your bet.

Terms 

Blackjack terms can be quite confusing if you’re a new player. We have compiled a list of the terms and their meanings to help new players gain a better understanding of the game.

• Action – This term refers to the amount of money that is bet in a specific amount of time. 
• Bankroll – The amount of available money that a player bets with.
• Breaking Hand – A hand that doesn’t have an ace. This hand has a value of between 12 and 16. It’s possible to go over 21 with only one more card.
• Bust – When your cards equal more than 21. You also bust out when you stand on less than 21, but the dealer’s equaled amount is more than yours, but is less than 21.
• Chips – Used to represent the cash you’re playing with in a live casino.
• Double Down – You can double your bet and draw only one more card.
• Hard hands – Hands that don’t have an ace.
• High Roller – This is someone who bets big.
• Hit – When you ask for another card from the dealer after receiving your two starting cards.
• Hole Card – this is any card that is face down. 
• Insurance – When a dealer has an ace to start, you can then buy insurance for half of your total amount. If the dealer gets blackjack, then you’re protected from your normal losing amount. If the dealer doesn’t get blackjack but still wins, you lose your bet and half of the bet you used to buy the insurance.
• Pair – When your first two cards are the same. 
• Pat Hand – A hand with an amount of 17 to 21.
• Push – When the player doesn’t win or lose. 
• Soft hands – A hand that has an ace that can be valued at 1 or 11.
• Split – If you get two good opening cards then you have the option of “splitting” the cards. 
• Standing – When the player refuses to take any extra cards. 
• Up Card – This is the dealer’s first dealt card which gets put face up.

Hands 

In Blackjack, the Ace has the value of 10. This is a soft hand. A soft hand is beneficial because you can’t bust, given that whichever card you pick up you can use the ace and change your hand value as you need to.

A hard hand in Blackjack is all other hands. These don’t have an Ace and tend to be the hands that carry big disadvantages.

A Blackjack is when your starting hand is a 10 and an Ace. If you and the dealer both have Blackjack, then the game is ruled as a tie. The original bet will then get returned to you. Neither the dealer nor the player wins the pot.

Odds

In most Blackjack real money casino games, the dealer has an advantage of 8%. The dealer carries a big advantage because they are the last to act. If you use an advanced card counting technique, you can very well change the Blackjack odds in your favor.

The current odds for two card count Blackjack is 

Natural (21) – 4.8%

Hard standing (17-20)  – 30%

Decision hands (1-16) – 38.7

No bust – 26.5%

Live Blackjack in Live Online Casinos

Live dealer Blackjack is a real life casino game that includes interaction, but through technology. The live dealer has a real person as the dealer; this game has real cards and even a real table. 

There are many different  camera angles that are available and it allows the player to zoom in on the table where they’re playing. The player can also talk to the dealer.

This modern way of playing Blackjack has become popular and is much-loved across the globe. It’s good to know that you can play Blackjack for real money from the comfort of your home while still having the same level of interaction.