Blackjack Rules
Before you get started playing, cast an eye over our Blackjack rules. Once you have read and understood the rules of the game, why not take a look at our Basic Strategies page to learn more about ways of gaining that extra advantage over the casino.
Generally, the casino has a "house edge" when it comes to Blackjack and of course any other casino game. If the casino has a house edge of 10% for example, this means that in the long term, the casino will win approximately 10% of all initial bets. With the best possible strategy, you as a player can minimise the house edge and bring it down to less than 1%. Compared to other casino games, this is very attractive to players.
The Objective of Casino Blackjack
Many players can participate in a single round of Blackjack however they each compete with the dealer only; there is no interraction or cooperation between players. The main objective of casino blackjack game is to accumulate a higher number of points than the casinos dealer without going over 21. Each individual card value is added up; cards from 2-10 have face value, J,Q and K are worth 10 points each and the Ace is worth either 1 or 11 points (player decides).
Blackjack is played around a semi-circular table – the dealer is positioned opposite a maximum of eight players who all play against the dealer. You will see betting limits imprinted on to the Blackjack table that will indicate the important rules that stand for your particular game such as ”Blackjack pays 3 to 2” and ”Dealer must draw on 16 and stand on all 17s”.
With online casino Blackjack, you can click and select the amount & denomination of chips you would like to bet when there is a break in the action.
See more about How to Play Blackjack here >>
Blackjack 'Side Rules' Guide
Insurance
If the dealer receives an upcard that is an Ace, the player has the option to make a sidebet called 'Insurance' where he can bet whether or not the Dealer has a Blackjack. The Insurance wager is equal to the player's original bet and serves the purpose of cancelling out a possible loss – a winning insurance bet pays 2-to-1 if the Dealer does indeed have a Blackjack, and since the original bet is lost, the player can break even on this hand. However, many strategists advise against taking Insurance.
Late Surrender
If the player decides that he has been dealt a bad hand compared to the upcard of the Dealer, he has the option to surrender and reclaim half of his bet, the other half of which is undesputedly kept by the Casino. In most cases, if the Dealer has Blackjack, surrenders will not be granted and the player loses the entire bet (unless he also has a Blackjack).
Splitting
If the player is dealt two cards of the same face value at the start, he may split the hand in two. He can then place another bet equal to the amount of the original bet and continue playing with two hands. In the event that the player is dealt two 10-point cards which do not form a pair, he also has the option to split the hand.
Once the hand is split, a second card is dealt to each hand and the player can decide (if the particular casino allows) to split the hand once again. Each hand is treated separately and the player will play the first hand until he stands or busts and continues playing with the next hand.
Should the player decide to split aces, a second card is dealt to each hand although he will not be allowed to take any more cards leaving him with two-card hands, unless of course he is dealt yet another Ace and splits again. If the second card dealt to a split ace is a 10-point card the player does not receive the blackjack bonus for this hand.
Doubling Down
If the player is quite sure that his hand will beat that of the Dealer, he can double his original bet and 'Double Down' on any hand. Some Casinos require an opening hand totalling 11, 10 or 9. Upon Doubling Down, the player receives one more card from the Dealer.
Payouts
The minimum and maximum bet for online Blackjack is shown on-screen. For most bets, the payout is 1:1 which means that the player is paid the same amount as initially bet. If the player successfully gets a Blackjack, he is paid 3:2 which means that the Casino will pay €3 for each €2 wagered.
In some cases, Online Casinos may offer a one-off bonus to attract players to the table, which pays out a higher percentage if a Blackjack is reached, for example a payout of 10:1. Read more about the best online Blackjack bonuses.
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