BLACKJACK RULES

Not all Blackjack games are created equal and choosing where you play will have a dramatic effect on the house edge and the rules pertaining to the game you have chosen. In Vegas for example the most generous paybacks and liberal rules can be found in casinos away from the Strip, venture Downtown if you want the best game and Blackjack rules.

Blackjack is a game that's notoriously player-friendly. If you thoroughly understand the rules, and if you know how to make the right play, then you can dramatically reduce the house's edge and increase your odds of winning.

Playing online will bring you even more choice and with choice comes value, with the addition of casino bonuses and by becoming a member of the casinos' comp club you can maximize your chance of ending a online blackjack session in profit, but only by shopping around and doing a little research.

To help you make an informed decision on where to play we have fully reviewed each Blackjack game that can be found online and you will find a complete set of rules on each.

Rules and Strategies for Blackjack

Blackjack outnumbers other casino table games by a margin of about two to one. The game is so immensely popular because, when played correctly, it offers better odds than any other game. The purpose of the game is to get a hand total higher than the dealer’s without going over a count of 21. You play against the dealer, not against other players at the table. Whatever hand you end up with must be 21 or less, but higher than what the dealer has.

Cards between 2 and 10 are counted at their face value. Jacks, Queens, and Kings also have a value of 10. At you option an Ace can be counted as 1 or 11, whichever is more advantageous to your hand. Therefore, if you hold a 9 and a 5, you have 14, but a nine and an Ace can be either 10 or 20. When you get an Ace and a ten-value card, it’s called a blackjack, which beats all other hands except for another blackjack. So if you have a blackjack, and the dealer has 3 cards that add up to 21, you still win.

Before the cards are dealt, each player must put up a bet. Bets usually start at $5 minimum and range as high as $1,000 at some casinos. At online casinos you can find games with $1 minimum bets, allowing you to play and sharpen your skills without much risk.. To make a bet, simply place your wager (chips) in the appropriate box or circle.

After placing a bet, you are dealt two cards face up. The dealer also gets two cards, but only one of the dealer's cards is face up. You are then given the option of standing with the cards you have or you may take another card, called hitting. You may hit as often as you wish but if you go over 21, you bust, and the dealer wins automatically. The dealer will not take any cards until all players at the table have made their choices. The dealer's biggest advantage is here. Any players that bust lose their bet even if the dealer also goes bust.

Now the dealer shows his face down card. If his hand totals 17 or higher he must stand – he is not allowed to take additional cards. But if the dealer’s hand is 16 or under he must hit until the hand has a value of 17 or higher. If the exceeds 21 while taking additional cards, the dealers busts and loses.

The payoff if you win is even money (1 to 1). If you get a blackjack you are paid 1 times your wager (bet 2 win 3). If the dealer gets blackjack at the same time, it’s a tie, you don’t win or lose.

Those are the primary rules. Pretty straight forward, right? However, there are a few more things you need to know about.

If you are after a bonus then you will find the best ones available online in our Blackjack Bonus section and make sure you check out the Blackjack Comps page for full details of what you will be given based on all your real money Blackjack action.

With practice come perfection and this is very true of playing Blackjack, knowing the rules is just part of the game, so once you have found a game you like then spend as much time as possible playing in free play mode so you can get to know how the game flows, then once you are comfortable with it then you can dip your toes by playing for real money or continue to play blackjack for free.

Use our site as a handy guide on all the different aspects of playing blackjack and make sure you bookmark the site so you can refer back to it should you require any additional information on any part of the game.

Blackjack basic strategy cards are also handy to have with you if you are visiting a land based casino, they are perfectly legal to use and can be purchased in most casino gift shops, but to save you a few dollars we have placed all the popular Blackjack games strategy cards around our site, feel free to print them off and use them to improve your Blackjack play.

Never forget that playing Blackjack should be an enjoyable experience, choose one of the best casino online always play responsibly and only play for real money if you have an allocated gaming budget, all of the Blackjack sites we list will allow you to play for free with absolutely no obligation to play for real money.

In addition to that, before you make a deposit and spend money, ensure that you fully understand the rules and strategies for online blackjack. Not only will you play more responsible but you will also have more fun in the online casino.