Playing the Odds: An Expert's Guide to Blackjack

Blackjack is a top-rated online and mobile card game offering multiple games with single and multi-hand options. This popular game dates back to 1888 in France, where it was initially called Vingt et un, and, over the years, has developed and adopted different names, including twenty-one up and the current name, Blackjack. Blackjack can be played with between one to eight full decks of cards and is played with a dealer and players. The dealer is the computer when playing online and through mobile devices or a real dealer in live Casino games.

How to Play Blackjack Online

Online and mobile Blackjack is played like the original Casino game. An initial bet is placed, the dealer is dealt two cards face up, and the dealer has one face up, and one face down called the hole. The game aims to land the closest hand to twenty-one or an actual value of twenty-one with the cards held. Aces hold the value of one or eleven and significantly contribute to the hand. All face cards carry the value of ten and also contribute significantly to the hand. Once the cards have been dealt, players can decide whether to hit or stand. A hit takes another card, and standing remains with the cards held. There are other options, too, such as splitting if two cards are the same, creating an extra hand and an extra bet, or doubling down, taking one more card, making one more bet, and finishing the game. Insurance is offered where players see the dealer has an Ace as the face card on the off chance that his hold card has a value of ten. The insurance prevents the player from losing his entire bet. Once the player has decided whether to hit, stand, or fold, the dealer turns over his hole card and keeps hitting cards until he reaches a soft 17. This is a seventeen with or without an Ace holding the value of eleven. If the dealer goes over twenty-one with the cards dealt, the player wins 1:1, i.e., his original bet plus the same amount again. If the player lands a blackjack, he wins at odds of 3:2, and if there is a draw, you receive your original bet back.

A Few Basic Tactics for Online Blackjack Games

Blackjack is traditionally a game of luck and card counting. Multiple formulas and probabilities are advertised for different hands, and players can also work on their own strategy, counting the cards that have been revealed to try and guestimate which cards are left. Some basic tips include never splitting an Ace or a Face card. These both have the value of ten giving the player twenty points. When splitting, the probability of receiving an Ace to win Blackjack is much lower. When holding an eight and an Ace, the player should always split. The statistics show that with one hand holding an eight and another a ten, the chances of landing close to twenty-one are much higher. And with all games, practice helps and brings more of an understanding of the game and helps players gain confidence in this classic and loved Casino game.