Tips to Remember when playing Blackjack Online

Know the Rules

It may sound obvious but the first step to being successful at any casino game is thoroughly understanding the rules. It’s always a good idea to remind yourself of how the game is played to keep the basic rules fresh in your mind. Luckily the basic rules of blackjack are very straightforward! Whether you’re a seasoned blackjack player or an absolute beginner you’re not going to get very far unless you have a basic understanding of the game and its rules. Also, remember at the online casino there are lots of different blackjack variants so make sure you know what game you’re playing before you take a seat at the table.

All the cards are assigned a numerical value, their face value, or in the case of picture cards, 10. Aces can count as either 1 or 11. The objective of the game is to have a total that exceeds the dealer’s total but is not greater than 21. Players are first dealt two cards after which they have the option of taking additional cards, known as taking a “Hit” or sticking with what they’ve got, “Standing”. In a given round a player or the dealer wins by having a score of 21, or a score higher than the other player(s). If the total of the dealer or a player’s hand exceeds 21 they lose, what’s known as going ‘Bust’.

When to Hit / When to Stand

There is only ever one reason to take a hit in blackjack – to improve your hand. There are only two reasons for standing on a hand in blackjack – you believe that the dealer will go bust or your total will beat the dealers. The average winning hand in a game of blackjack is just over 18 (18.2 to be exact) so to increase your chances of winning you should always aim for a total of 19 or higher (while of course remaining under 21). Most blackjack strategies advise to always stand on totals of 17 or greater as once you reach 17 the odds no longer justify the risk of taking a hit. Remember the dealer must always hit on a hand of 16 or less and stand on a hand of 17 or more.

It’s also always a good strategy to assume that the dealer’s hole card (the dealer's card that is face down) has a value of 10. Since there are more 10 value cards in the deck than all other denominations the odds of the dealer having 10 in the hole are the greatest. Assuming the dealer does have a 10 you can always estimate what the dealer’s running total is from their face-up card.

Some general rules for hitting and standing include:

• A hard 17 and up always stands
• A soft 20 always stands
• A soft 17 always hits

Avail of Bonuses and Promotions

One of the major benefits of playing blackjack online versus a real-world casino is the whole range of bonuses, offers and promotions available at online casinos. Some online casinos will run blackjack specific promotions while deposit bonuses are a great way to double or even triple your bankroll.

Check out this article for Casino Newbies!