Our comprehensive guide has all you need to know to play free online blackjack and real money games.
- Top Blackjack Games
- Online Blackjack
- Play Free Blackjack Online
- Best Blackjack Games
- Important Blackjack Terms
- Online Blackjack FAQs
Top Blackjack Games
Online Blackjack
The reason why blackjack isn’t all about luck is as it requires you to make decisions. When playing the game, your decisions affect how well your hand does and, ultimately, whether you win, lose or tie with the dealer. This is why it’s a good idea to play free online blackjack to get some practice in.
Our hand-picked list of sites provides the best blackjack casinos in the industry, so check them out. If you’ve ever played blackjack at land-based casinos, you’ll be pleased to learn that online casino blackjack is pretty much the same.
It’s entirely digital and computerised, of course, but the rules are identical. Instead of playing against a real-life dealer, you’re playing against a virtual dealer with the objective to try and beat their hand to 21. After receiving your initial two cards, you can decide whether or not to receive extra cards, though if you do, you run the risk of going over 21 and losing.
Once you’ve finished with your hand, it’s the dealer’s turn. You get to determine what happens to your own hand, but the dealer doesn’t get to determine what happens to theirs; instead, the dealer acts according to set rules, which do vary depending on the version of blackjack you’re playing.
Many players use blackjack strategies to help improve their chances of winning. The most common one is the basic strategy. This is a set of instructions that tell you what the best move to make is depending on what your own hand is and what the dealer’s (hand) is. You can review the basic strategy charts on our website. This will give you a solid base to build your knowledge upon, but you must consider that each variant with different rules has an effect on the basic strategy ever so slightly.
Play Free Blackjack Online
The reason why blackjack isn’t all about luck is as it requires you to make decisions. When playing the game, your decisions affect how well your hand does and, ultimately, whether you win, lose or tie with the dealer. This is why it’s a good idea to play free online blackjack to get some practice in.
What’s great about online casinos is that most of them offer demo play. This is simply free play that uses virtual money and lets you play as much as you want without having to spend a single penny. Free blackjack games are great because they cost nothing and they give you plenty of opportunity to get used to how the game works and build up your own strategies.
You’ll find plenty of free blackjack games to play online. Just remember that while you can’t lose any real money, you can’t win any real money either. Still, free blackjack is definitely worth it if you’re a newcomer to the game. You’ll even find seasoned players who enjoy the occasional free game simply because there’s no risk involved.
Best Blackjack Games
With the typical online casino offering lots of different blackjack games, how can you tell which ones are worth playing. To put it simply, the best online blackjack games are the ones that are well presented and user friendly. They’re the ones that developers have clearly spent a lot of time on. They offer an immersive and exciting gambling experience that’s as close to playing blackjack in land-based casinos as possible.
Some blackjack games are obviously of a higher quality than others. Though when it comes to finding games to play, it’s worth looking up all the different blackjack variants. Even though the rule changes and gameplay formats differ only slightly, they can have quite a big impact on the game.
Take the number of decks, for example. In blackjack, the more decks that are used, the lower the RTP is. Therefore, blackjack gamesthat are played with a single deck are likely to return more of your money to you than games played with eight decks of cards, for example. There are other aspects of the game that can vary, such as what the dealer has to do and what side bets are available.
Spanish Blackjack
Sometimes known as Pontoon, Spanish Blackjack, this is a popular variation of Blackjack that contains different rules which many feel to be in favour of the player making it an exciting alternative where offered.
The game uses six to eight Spanish decks, which means that the four ten cards have been removed, so there are only 48 cards in each pack. Now while statistically, this gives the house the edge, there are many rules and special bets that push the favour back to the players. You will find slight variations in rules at each casino, but they should always be displayed or explained.
Blackjack Surrender
Played exactly the way the standard version of blackjack is played, this version of the game allows players to surrender early. This means you can surrender your hand after the first two cards are dealt. If you choose to use this option, you’ll receive half of your stake. Many experienced players enjoy this version of blackjack, as they can often tell when the odds are not in their favour very quickly.
Blackjack Switch
In this version of blackjack, the player will use two hands at once. After the first four cards are dealt, you’ll have the option to switch the top cards with the other hand to create a better possible combination. Blackjack Switch also has an additional side bet called a Super Match. This side bet pays out if the first set of cards contain a pair, two pairs, or three of a kind. The Super Match side bet is an additional bet on top of your original wager.
European Blackjack
When playing European Blackjack, there will only be two decks of cards available. There will be no hole card and Doubling Down has strict rules that must be followed before it can be used. Unlike standard blackjack, to Double Down when playing European Blackjack, you must have 9, 10, or 11 in your hand.
Perfect Blackjack
Played much like the standard version of the game, Perfect Blackjack is for those who enjoy making bets that pay out well but have huge risks. When playing this version of blackjack, you can choose to place a side bet on whether or not you, the dealer or both have a matching pair of cards. This means the first two cards dealt would need to be a perfect pair of the same suit.
While the chances of this happening are slim, if you win, you will receive a payout of up to 25:1. Some casinos may even bump up this payout during special events and tournaments.
Atlantic City Blackjack
As the name states, this version of blackjack originated in Atlantic City but can now be enjoyed around the world. The rules differ slightly from the original version of the game, particularly is when the dealer can stand. In this version, the dealer can stand on 17 and they can peek at their cards to see if a blackjack has been dealt. As the player, you can choose to split your hand up to 3 times if you wish.
Live Dealer Blackjack
Live dealer casinos are growing more and more popular as they offer the perfect mix between online casinos and land-based casinos. Playing live blackjack means you’ll be seated at a virtual table with a real dealer who will chat to you and your fellow punters as the game plays out before you in real-time. Streamed via HD cameras, you’ll see the action unfold in real-time as you place your bets.
Play Blackjack Online
You’ll find online casino blackjack easily enough. Pretty much the only casinos that don’t offer blackjack are the ones that specialise in slots, and even these are few and far between. So in other words, the vast majority of online casinos offer blackjack (you will even find some free online casino games) and many of these have several different versions of the game available to play.
If you’re signing up to a new casino to play blackjack at, you’ll want to check out the welcome package for new players. More often than not, this rewards you for making your first deposit (or even your first few deposits) with some free bonus money you can spend on blackjack. Some casinos may even offer no deposit bonuses - simply sign up and you can claim a small amount of bonus money without having to deposit any real money into your account! You can even play blackjack on your mobile device if you wish.
Important Blackjack Terms
There are many terms that are used when playing blackjack that can be confusing to new players. Understanding how the game works and what you can expect from the flow of the game is important for making sure you aren’t too lost while enjoying everything that blackjack has to offer.
Here are some of the terms you need to know to stay ahead of the game when playing blackjack online or via a live dealer casino.
- Bust – If the cards in your hand are over the total of 21, your hand is a bust.
- Hit – Need another card added to your hand? Drawing a new card is a hit.
- Insurance – A side bet that can be up to half of your current bet, the insurance bet is not recommended for new players as it can drain your budget. If you take insurance, you’re betting that the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. If the dealer wins with a natural 21 (or blackjack), insurance pays out 2:1.
- Push – When a hand is tied and there’s no clear winner, a push returns your bet back to you.
- Surrender – This is another term for folding your hand. Some versions of blackjack allow you to surrender your hand early if it looks as if you’re set to lose.
Free Games To Play Online
If blackjack sounds appealing to you, it’s a good idea to play some free blackjack games online. As previously mentioned, blackjack is available at pretty much every online casino and demo play is also widely available, so you shouldn’t have problems finding a game.
Casino games can be grouped into two main categories: animated games and live games. Animated games are computer-generated and have you play against the computer. Live games, on the other hand, are real-world games you can take part in by watching a live broadcast. Demo play is readily available for animated games, but never for live games. Therefore, if you wish to play live blackjack, you’ll have to pay for it.
If you’re thinking of playing free blackjack, you’ll find it works in pretty much the same way as paid blackjack. The rules and gameplay are exactly the same; the only difference is the money. Since you’re using virtual money when playing free blackjack, you can play as much as you like. There’s no limited budget and therefore no chance of you running out of money.
Online Blackjack FAQs
Can you count cards in online blackjack?
No, you can't. Random number generators ensure all results are random, including the cards that are drawn from the virtual shoe.
How many decks are used in online blackjack?
This depends on the game in question. You can find this information in the technical specifications for the game.
Are online blackjack games fair?
Yes, they are. This is because a random number generator is used to produce random results. Thanks to this, you can be sure that all results are fair.
How can you win online blackjack every time?
There is no fool proof method to win online blackjack every single time. But by executing flawless blackjack strategy, you can bring the house edge down to minimal digits.
Can you play blackjack on mobile?
Yes! Sign up at a casino that offers mobile casino games and you’ll have access to mobile blackjack in an instant. Simply load the game from your mobile browser and start betting.
Do blackjack strategies work?
Many believe that strategies for playing blackjack are ineffective and can cost you more money than what you’ll win. However, depending on which strategy you use, and how you manage your budget, they can be a good way to learn the game. Popular betting strategies for blackjack include Martingale, Fibonacci, and Parlay.
Can you win real money while playing blackjack?
Yes! Blackjack, whether enjoyed online or at a land-based casino, is one of the most popular casino games in the world. You can play for real money by signing up at one of our recommended online casinos and making a deposit into your account.
Do you need to download extra software to play blackjack online?
No, you should not have to download any additional software in order to play blackjack online. Most games of blackjack are designed using HTML5 technology which means you can play directly from your browser. If you are required to download software to play blackjack, make sure you do so from a reliable source.
Can you play blackjack without making a deposit?
Yes! Many online casinos offer freeplay versions or demo versions of blackjack. You can play these games without having to make a deposit but no real money can be won either. From time to time, you may find a no deposit bonus offer available for blackjack games so keep your eyes peeled.
