Top 10 Online Blackjack Sites

Online Blackjack Variations

Overview

Blackjack is one of the most widely played casino games offered today and playing online blackjack gives you direct access to a broad range of game variants, including European blackjack. Some online casinos offer a complete suite of blackjack variations with a selection of options for players to choose from, such as dealer soft-17 rules. Make sure to understand the rule differences of the individual games before you try a new one as subtle variations, notably permissions for doubling after splitting, can alter how you should play each hand.

Classic Blackjack

Classic blackjack is the most widespread form of online blackjack game and it is played using the same rules as land-based blackjack, with aces worth one or eleven. Players are dealt two initial cards and are obliged to make a hand that is nearer to 21 than the dealer’s total without going bust by exceeding 21. Players have the choice to double down, split, hit for another card or stand. There may also be choices to place an insurance bet against a dealer blackjack and surrender, according to the casino’s table rules.

Blackjack Surrender

Blackjack surrender is an interesting variation that allows you to surrender for the cost of half your bet. This action can be performed at the beginning of the game.

Blackjack Switch

Blackjack switch offers a unique two-hand option for players who sometimes see their initial two cards and wish they could simply swap one of them. In this variant, players are dealt both hands and can choose to switch the second cards between their two hands in order to create stronger hands.

Atlantic City Blackjack

Atlantic City Blackjack is a popular variation of the classic game. The dealer checks for blackjack before players can place bets. Players are allowed to re-split to form three hands and doubling down after a split is allowed.

Lucky Blackjack

Lucky blackjack is an unusual variation of the game. Players do not bet on the outcome of their hand, but rather on the hand total that the dealer will achieve. It pays out different odds for different hand totals that you bet on correctly.

Bonus Blackjack

Bonus blackjack gives players the opportunity to place a bonus bet for the chance to win a huge payout. The bonus bet is on the player getting Blackjack (an Ace and ten) and it pays out 50:1.

21 Duel Blackjack

21 Duel Blackjack makes initial use of two community cards. Players must first make up their starting hand using their dealt face-up card plus one of two community cards. If you next choose to hit, you will turn over your hole card. If you elect to stand you will discard your face-down card.

Progressive Blackjack

In progressive blackjack, players place a separate side bet on the progressive jackpot, alongside their main-hand wager. The full pot is paid out for four Aces in one hand, but players can win a share of the pot depending on the count and suits of the Aces in their hands.

How to Play Online Blackjack

Overview

Blackjack can be traced back several centuries and is one of today's most popular card games at an online casino. It is a game with straightforward rules, but which requires skill in basic strategy to reduce the house edge. This makes it a popular skill-based choice among recreational and professional gamblers.

Aim of the Game

The aim of the card game of blackjack is to achieve a final hand total that is closer to 21 than the dealer without going over 21. You play only against the dealer’s hand; not against the other players. Each dealt card in a game of blackjack has a numerical value and these are added up to form the player’s total hand value. Cards 2 through 10 have their face value; face cards (jack, queen and king) are valued at ten and Ace is valued as 1 or 11 depending on the combined value of the other cards in your hand.

How to Play Online Blackjack

To begin a game of classic online blackjack, you must place your bet. You will then be dealt two cards face up and the dealer will be dealt two cards face down. You will then need to play your hand. Once your turn is finished, the dealer will play his hand according to the house rules of the casino. If you win, you will be paid out according to the casino’s pay table. The highest payout is for Blackjack – a hand of an Ace and a ten. Make sure to understand the rules of the variation of the game you are playing as slight variation can change the way you play. Playing the game with optimal strategy can significantly reduce the house edge.

Player Actions

There are a number of actions a player can take in a game of online blackjack. If the casino allows it, you may be able to place an insurance bet. This will insure you against the dealer having Blackjack if his up-card is an Ace. Some casinos also allow a surrender option. This may be allowed early in which case you will be able to surrender your cards for the cost of half your bet before the dealer has checked for blackjack. More commonly, a late surrender is allowed if the dealer has checked his cards and does not have Blackjack. On the first two cards of you hand, you are able to split if the two cards are the same. You then place a second bet and play the two cards as separate hands. You may also be able to double down on your first two cards which allows you to double your bet and receive one more card. Most commonly, players either hit (receive another card, which can be done until you stand or go bust) or stand (receive no more cards and end your turn).

History of Online Blackjack

Overview

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games available today. It dates back hundreds of years and while there is some debate of the exact origins of the game, it is typically agreed that it can be traced back to France. It is one of the oldest card games still played today and if anything, it is even more popular than it used to be.

The Origins of Blackjack

It is commonly believed that blackjack originated from a game known as “Vingt-en-Un”. The game was played in France in the 17^th century and the meaning of the game, “21”, gives you a hint as to its relationship with the game we know as blackjack. A special payout was awarded for a hand made up of an Ace and Jack of Spades – a black Jack and it is thought that this is where the name of Blackjack came from. There are differences between how Vingt-en-Un was played and blackjack such as when betting was done. In Vingt-en-Un, there is betting after each round, as opposed to blackjack when betting only occurs at the beginning of the game, and only the dealer is given an option to double down in Vingt-en-Un.

It is possible that specific concepts, such as going bust, were taken from a different game that was played during the same time period – “Seven and Half” (Sette e mezzo). In the card game of Seven and Half, players added up the values of their cards to create a final hand value that was as close to 7½ as possible without exceeding it. Going over the 7½-point target was referred to as going bust.

Blackjack Moves to America

Blackjack was brought to the US after the French Revolution and became an instant hit. Gambling was outlawed in the US in the early 19^th century; however it is known that blackjack continued to be played underground. In 1931, gambling became legal in Nevada and blackjack began to be played in the open once more. Roger Baldwin launched a study of the game of blackjack in 1953. The aim of the study was to reduce the house edge in the game through statistical analysis. The game continued to grow in popularity and in 1956 the first blackjack strategy guide was published.

Online Blackjack is Born

With the first online casinos launched in the mid-1990s, blackjack began to be played online. It quickly became a standard offering at online casinos and online blackjack games grew to be among the most popular online casino games available. Players from all over the world were now able to enjoy the game. Online blackjack offers a range of variations of the game including some that are specific to online casinos. Players are able to practice their game and perfect their skill, increasing their chances of winning.