How to play Blackjack

To play blackjack to your maximum ability, you need to learn the rules and betting strategies online – that’s why we’re here! We’ll walk you through the gameplay, provide you helpful blackjack techniques, and go over the odds to increase your chances of winning, whether you just need a refresher course or are looking for blackjack guidance for beginners.

So how does Blackjack work?

The goal of blackjack is simple – to get as close as possible to 21 without going over, and to have a higher hand than the dealer. If the dealer goes over 21, they bust and lose the game. The same goes for you.

Reaching 21 is a very simple objective to grasp, but there are still a few guidelines you should be aware of before playing for actual money. We advise playing for amusement initially to get acquainted to the game. Let’s go through the 5 steps of a normal game to show you how everything operates:

Step 1: Join a table

You will join the blackjack table. Each player is dealt two cards, facing up, after everyone is ready. Two cards are also dealt to the dealer, one of which is face up and the other face down.

Step 2: Decide whether to Hit or Stand

Calculate the worth of your hand and the dealer’s to get as close to 21 as you can without going bust. You can either rely on your gut or consult our cheat sheets for blackjack strategy.

A hit is when you request another card from the dealer. You should only do this if, based on the current worth of your cards, you are either certain that the following card won’t put you out of business or you are ready to take the chance that the dealer has a better hand.

To stand on the other hand is to request that the dealer stop dealing you any more cards and go on to the next player. This is likely what you’ll do if your hand worth is already fairly high (above 17, for example) and you’re unsure if the dealer’s hand will win.

Step 3: Your hand value

You likely now have a new hand value as a result of the move you just made. If your hand worth is 21 or less, you’ll still be in the game.

Step 4: Dealer reveals their cards

The dealer will disclose their face-down card once every player at the table has decided what to do.

Step 5: See who is closer to 21

You bust the dealer and win if your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s is. The dealer wins if their score is equal to or closer to 21 than any other player’s score.

When you win, the dealer will give you your money. Depending on the sort of bet you made, your payoff will vary.

Basic Blackjack rules to keep in mind:

There are a few more fundamental guidelines you should be aware of now that we’ve gone over the processes that are required to play a typical game. Knowing the payouts you’ll earn in different blackjack circumstances and the appropriate plays to make depending on your hand is always valuable. Check out the extra guidelines below:

• Regular wins pay 1:1 – This is when the value of your cards is closer to 21 than those of the dealer
• Blackjack wins pay 3:2 – This is when your cards equal 21
• 16 and below – Dealer must hit on any hand valued at 16 and below
• Hit or Stand – Players have the basic choice of adding a card to their hand (hitting) or not (standing) to reach a final hand value of 21, or closest to it. They can also double down or split…
• Split – Turn your hand of two into two separate hands, for an extra chance to beat the dealer. This is an option when you have two cards of equal value.
• Double Down – You can choose to double your bet mid-hand, but you’ll receive just one card and you won’t have the option to take another. While it’s not necessarily your best move to double down on anything other than a 10 or and 11, some casinos will let you double down regardless of what you’re holding. However, some online casinos limit the option.

6 Tips to help increase your chances of winning:

It is easy to burn through your money at an online blackjack table if you don’t play smart, but follow our advice and you’ll soon be playing like a professional.

Blackjack offers some of the best value in the casino to the player, but only if you use the correct strategy and play with your head and not your heart. It’s well worth trying online blackjack for free first, so you get a feel for the game and can put any strategies to the test.

Here are Casino Blogger’s 6 tips that should take into consideration before approaching the virtual blackjack tables.

Tip 1 – Never split 2 face cards

Rookie players frequently make this error because they believe separating face cards and tens will quadruple their earnings. In reality, statistically speaking, splitting face cards is never a wise idea because you risk losing twice as much money if the new cards you draw aren’t the ones you want in exchange for the high likelihood of winning with a 20.

Tip 2 – Always split Aces & 8’s

This should be obvious, if not already. By splitting these, you are betting that at least one face card will appear to give you a strong hand. A pair of 8s gives you the dreaded 16. You have several chances to create a winning hand because even a 1, 2, or 3 are all good cards to pull to an 8. A pair of Aces also gives you an unfavorable hand value of either 2 or 12, so splitting them and hoping for 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s to appear is a much better decision.

Tip 3 – Don’t bet money you can’t afford

Never waste good money on bad things. Before you sit down to the table, make a budget for yourself and stick to it.

Tip 4 – Memorize a basic strategy

Keep your basic strategy manual open in a separate window when you start playing so you can quickly refer to it.

Tip 5 – Never bet more than half your stack on a single bet

Everyone doesn’t want to watch their pot go in one fell swoop, thus this is irresponsible play. Never gamble recklessly.

Tip 6 – Hold your nerve

It can be tempting to abandon your plan when the cards just don’t seem to be in your favor at times. The only way to maximize your chances of success over time is to stick to a plan.