Blackjack is an enthralling casino classic that was invented several centuries ago and continues to be popular among casino players even today. With the introduction of online casinos, it’s now possible for casino players to enjoy Blackjack games without having to travel anywhere.
As a Blackjack player, it’s important for you to understand the basics and other aspects of Blackjack games. This article sheds light on the most important Blackjack rules. Also, it details the house edge and potential payouts for Blackjack games. Continue reading!
Blackjack gameplay rules explained
As a novice Blackjack player, the first thing you need to know is the main aim of the game. When playing Blackjack games, your main objective is to have a hand that’s better than that of the dealer. The game of Blackjack isn’t played against other players; your goal is simply to beat the dealer. If your hand total is the same as that of the dealer, then you get your stake amount back.
The basic premise of Blackjack games is to have a higher hand value that doesn’t go over 21. If your hand goes over the highest point total of 21, you go bust and you’re out of the Blackjack gameplay round. A common misconception among beginner Blackjack players is that one needs to get an exact point total of 21. But let us tell you that this isn’t the case. If your hand total is less than 21 but higher than that of the dealer, you’ll still win the game.
When playing Blackjack games at the top casinos online like ours, you have the chance to try your hands at several different Blackjack variations. While all these Blackjack variations have some gameplay differences, their basic premise is largely the same. The gameplay action starts with every player receiving two cards from the dealer. The dealer also draws two cards for themselves – one of these cards is face up and the other is face down.
After receiving your initial two cards, you need to decide what wagering option you wish to go with. The game of Blackjack offers several wagering options, which include hit, stand, double down and split. The following section explains these Blackjack wagering options in detail.
A look at the different Blackjack wagering options
Hit - To hit means to draw an additional card. After receiving your initial two cards, count your hand total to decide whether you should draw another card or not. If the hand total of your Blackjack card values is less than eight, you can consider hitting even if the dealer is showing a good card. According to the Blackjack dealer rules, the dealer needs to continue hitting until their hand value reaches 17.
Stand - When playing Blackjack games, you choose to go with this wagering option when you want to play as it is. After opting to stand, you won’t receive any more cards from the dealer. Players usually opt to stand when having a good hand total like 17 or above.
Double down - To double down in Blackjack means to double your stake size to get just one extra card. This is an option to go with only when your winning chances seem good. You can take the help of the Blackjack chart to know what Blackjack hands to double down on.
Splitting - Splitting refers to the act of splitting your initial two cards into two different hands. This option is only available to players whose initial two cards are identical. To split your cards into two different hands, you need to place a wager that’s equivalent to your initial bet.
Insurance - This Blackjack side bet has been quite popular in Blackjack history. The Insurance bet is available only when the dealer’s face-up card is showing an Ace. It acts as insurance against the dealer having a natural Blackjack and pays half of your initial wager if the dealer gets a Blackjack.
Blackjack house edge and payouts
Blackjack is renowned for being a casino classic that comes with one of the lowest house edges. If you play the game by using a basic strategy, you can bring down the casino advantage to as low as 0.5%. It’s worth noting you can’t completely eliminate the casino advantage in Blackjack games. Also, using a playing strategy doesn’t offer guaranteed wins when playing Blackjack online.
Speaking of the potential payouts, getting a natural Blackjack means you can receive a payout of 3:2. As for the Insurance bet, it pays 2:1 in potential winnings. In case of a tie, your initial wager amount is returned to you.