Blackjack Rules Online 2023: How to Increase Your Chances of Winning

After poker, blackjack is one of the most popular card casino games worldwide. With simple rules and thrilling gameplay, blackjack is attractive among casino players who enjoy creating card strategies. So, here we’ll discuss the blackjack rules and much more about this popular card game.

Blackjack Goal is 21

The blackjack objective is for the player’s cards to reach a sum of 21 or closest to 21 without going over. The game is played between the player and dealer, even though one to seven players can play on one table.

The players place their bets before the game starts, and the dealer deals cards to each player, starting from the left (first base) to the far right (third base). A single card is placed in front of every player clockwise from the dealer’s left, a single card is placed in front of the dealer, and another card is set to each player. It is straightforward to understand and play Blackjack, as there are simple rules of blackjack that the dealer and players follow.

• Join an online blackjack casino and select a blackjack game – there are multiple blackjack variants you can play with your favorite online casino.
• Place the initial bet – the mandatory bet to join the game. The blackjack table has a minimum and maximum bet limit.
• Wait for the dealing of the cards – the dealer will place your cards in front of you and deal two cards for themselves. The player’s cards are face up, and the dealer gets one card face up and one card face down, called the hole card.
• You decide – based on the cards in front of you and the blackjack game rules, you can select to stand, hit, split, double down, surrender, or take insurance.
• You wait for the dealer to play out their hand – the dealer always follows the table rules, and if their hand is less than 17, they must draw another card.
• The outcome is decided – if you get a natural 21, you beat the dealer and get a 3:2 payout. If you bust, you lose, and if you don’t beat the dealer, you also lose. If you and the player get the same sum of your cards, no winner is declared, and your initial bet is returned to you.

Rules for the Dealer

The classic blackjack rules for the dealer are always the same, as it ensures the house edge will always be in favor of the house in the long run. It also provides that the more players try to beat the house, the more the house will win. When the dealer reveals their hole card, they always follow the same casino blackjack rules for their next move:

If their card sums up to 16 or lower, the dealer always draws another card and continues drawing cards until the house hits 17 or goes bust going over 21. If the dealer cards hit 17 without an ace, called hard 17, the dealer must stand. If they hit a 17 with an ace, called soft 17, they continue drawing cards until the total becomes a hard 17 or the hand goes bust, hitting over 21.

Rules for the Player

After the cards are dealt in blackjack, the player must take appropriate action: they can stand with their cards or choose to get more cards, called hit. The player can also choose to double down, split, or surrender. The player decides when to stand and go up against the dealer’s hand. There are also side rules in blackjack which we’ll outline below.

Blackjack Pack

Blackjack can be played with a single standard 52-card deck, but most casinos use the more common six-deck combination or 312 cards or the eight-deck combination with 416 cards. Using multiple card decks is more common as it does not allow easy card counting.

Blackjack Card Values

The card values in blackjack are essential to know as they decide the blackjack gameplay:

• The cards between 2 and 10 are counted with their digit value
• The face cards (jack, queen, king) are valued as 10
• An ace is valued as 1 or 11, depending on the situation

Blackjack Rule Variations

The blackjack rules are very straightforward, but each blackjack variation has some variations on its rules. For example, there is a commonly accepted rule about the dealer hitting or standing at a soft 17. The rule is usually printed on the table or displayed on the online blackjack playing field. Soft 17 means when the player has an ace and a six, and if the dealer can hit again is referred to as H17, and the standing is S17. If the dealer must stand on a soft 17, the house edge is reduced by about 0.2%.

Effects on House Edge

The blackjack game comes with a house edge – the statistical advantage the casino has built into each game. The main blackjack house edge comes from the fact that the player loses when the player and dealer bust. Thus, it comes down to the fact that people who use basic strategy in blackjack lose, on average less than 1% of their action over the long run, making blackjack one of the casino games with the lowest house edges. Another thing that affects the house edge is the player’s strategy.

The number of decks used is also affecting house edge in blackjack. It is because the statistical probability of a specific outcome gets progressively higher as more decks are added to the game. You can see how the house edge changes using more blackjack decks.

Blackjack Betting Types

As we said, the main blackjack objective is to get 21, or as close to 21, without going over. The player places the initial bet on the table, with each table having a minimum and maximum accepted bet. Now, several betting options in blackjack can impact your bankroll:

• A flat betting system – the most common betting system a blackjack player uses, which includes placing the same bet amount on every hand. It allows better bankroll management and helps limit losses.
• A positive progression betting system – using this system is appropriate when you are on a winning streak. It involves increasing the size of the bet with every consecutive bet you win. If you lose, you return to the initial bet amount and stick with it until you win again.
• A negative progression betting system – this system is useful when you are on a losing streak and wish to recover your losses. It involves increasing the amount you bet after losing, and you return to the initial bet amount when you win.

Side Bets

Many blackjack variants also allow side bets: additional wagers that can enhance the stakes and provide more significant payouts. Here we’ve compiled a list of the usual side bets in blackjack that some of the most popular blackjack variants allow:

Dealer Shuffles and Cutting

In a live casino blackjack game, the dealer shuffles the cards and lets a player cut the deck by inserting a plastic card between the cards, so about 60-70 cards remain below the card that is not used for playing. This is done to prevent players from counting cards. However, in online live blackjack, the dealer cuts the cards, and the game starts.

Player’s Options/Decisions in Blackjack

The blackjack player has the following options as outlined by the online blackjack rules. Please note that the online blackjack rules follow the classic blackjack rules found in land-based casinos, only honed to fit the online blackjack game:

Hit

Hitting means that the player takes another card from the deck. The player can hit multiple times before deciding to stand as long the sum does not go over 21.

Surrender

Surrendering in blackjack happens when the player has little chance of winning. In the case of surrender, the player loses half of their initial bet.

Split

The player can decide to split their cards if they receive two cards of the same rank. It splits the cards into separate hands, but the player must provide an additional bet to do this.

Double Down

Doubling down means doubling the initial bet when the player believes they can win the hand. After you double down, you can only receive one more card, and following the online blackjack rules, you can not hit again.

Stand

When the player is satisfied with their hand, they can decide to stand, not take any more cards, or make other decisions. It is a safe play when you have a high score close to 17, as it is very easy to get a high card and go over 21.

Winning in Blackjack: Basic Strategy

There are three ways to win in blackjack:

• Get a blackjack – win a natural blackjack (getting an ace and a ten)
• Dealer Bust – the dealer’s hand goes over 21
• Higher hand value – having a higher hand value without going over 21

Still, it requires the player to play each hand optimally and employ a strategy that will consider all the options, including the dealer’s card. When using the basic strategy, the long-term advantage becomes minimal.

For example, if the dealer card is a good one, like 7, 8, 9, or 10, the player should not stop until they reach 17 or more. If the dealer card is lower, like 4, 5, or 6, the player should stop drawing when he gets 12 or higher. The basic strategy is never to take a card if the player can go bust, hoping the dealer will go over 21.

How to Better Understand Blackjack Rules?

The guide above may seem confusing, but believe us when we say that following the online blackjack rules couldn’t be simpler. Also, when it comes to playing online blackjack, the available payout is 3:2 or 2:1.

The important thing is to know when to hit and when to stand, when to split, when to double down, and when to surrender. Each of these affects the house edge, and while it may be tricky for a novice player, it becomes easier once you start playing.

Blackjack Strategies & Tips

You can use several strategies to improve your winning chances, as blackjack is ultimately a game of skill. However, there is only one “real” blackjack strategy that gives you a real edge over the dealer. Yes, we are talking about counting cards in blackjack, as it lets you keep track of the cards as the game progresses and make better decisions.

Common Blackjack Terms

Here is a list of the standard terms used in blackjack:

• Hit –you can ask for another card
• Stand –this status is shown when you don’t need any card.
• Bust –If the dealer’s or the player’s total hand value exceeds 21, their situation is displayed as a bust.
• Tie –If the hand card values of both dealer and player are the same, the bet is a tie, and your whole bet value will be credited back to you.
• Natural Blackjack –The total hand value of the first two dealt cards by the dealer is 21 automatically.
• Blackjack –The title can be given to either dealer or player at any point in-game; the only condition is hand value must be 21 or exceed 21.
• Perfect Pairs –If the first two cards dealt by the dealer have the same rank or suit, you’ll get a payout of 30:1.
• Split & Re-Split –Two hands are created by separating two similar cards or the exact value cards. You will get a new card for each hand.
• Double Down –Once you have chosen this option, you can’t opt for a hit in the next round, which means you can double your stake while getting one more card.
• Surrender –This is quite a rare situation. When winning seems to be almost impossible. It means if you want to get back half of your stack, you’ll fold your cards on the table

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