Blackjack has been played for hundreds of years, with the roots of the game dating back to the 17th century. While it’s enormously popular in land casinos, the benefits of playing online blackjack are plentiful – you can play noon or night, there is no need to dress for the occasion, you won’t get distracted by other players, and you’ll enjoy access to an online support team.
Though there are some obvious differences when playing blackjack online, much of what you need to know is the same for a land casino. In this beginner’s guide, we explain the rules of play, card values, and more.
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What do beginners need to know about blackjack?
Blackjack is one of the most common card games in the world, particularly in casinos. It’s a game played against the dealer, with the object being to get a score as close to 21 as possible – you hit blackjack if you make 21 from the first two cards you are dealt.
Blackjack games feature between two and seven players; games in land and online casinos are often played between just the dealer and one other player. The gameplay is often fast-paced, with there frequently being little time between the first cards being dealt and the game reaching its end – this is one of the main reasons why blackjack is so popular.
How do beginners play online blackjack?
While there benefits to playing online blackjack rather than gambling offline, you play it the same way as you do in a land casino – against the dealer and with the general aim of getting a score as close to 21 as possible, with the overall object of beating the dealer. The stages involved in playing online blackjack are very straightforward, as I explain below:
- You begin by taking your place at the table and placing your bet
- Once all bets have been made the dealer will confirm that no more can be placed
- You are dealt a face-up card
- The dealer deals themselves a card – generally face-up, but it can be face-down
- You are dealt a second face-up card
- The dealer deals themselves a second face-up card
As all persons participating now have two cards, the game moves into the next stage, where the players have a series of options for how to act.
Insurance bet
When the dealer has a face-up ace, you have the opportunity to make an insurance bet. The purpose of this is to make a side bet that gives you a payout if the dealer hits blackjack.
Insurance bets pay out at 2:1, meaning that if your initial bet was for £10, you can make an insurance bet for up to £5. If the dealer makes a blackjack you get your insurance bet back. If the dealer doesn’t hit blackjack, then you get your original bet back.
Stand
Players stand in blackjack when they are satisfied with the two cards they have and don’t want to be dealt any more cards.
Hit
You have the option to be dealt more cards if you’re unsatisfied with the total you’ve made from your first two.
If you opt for being dealt more cards this is called hit – you can hit until you are happy with your total, or go bust by reaching a score over 21.
Surrender
If you’re not happy with the hand you’ve made from your two cards you can surrender your bet. Surrendering your bet means you end your session and receive half of your original bet.
Split
When you have two cards of the same value you have the option to place a second bet for the same value as your first. If you choose to do this your two cards are split and you are dealt another face-up card, with the value from this added to your two split cards. If the third card is the same value as your first two you can split again – you can continue to split for a maximum of four times.
Double down
Players with a good score from their first two cards have the option to make a second bet, which is known as doubling down.
A double down bet is for the same value as your first bet and by selecting it you receive another face-up card.
What are the card values in online blackjack?
One of the reasons blackjack is so popular is that the card values are simple, straightforward, and easy for beginners to learn. There are three main things you need to know about blackjack card values, as you’ll see below:
- Ace: Ace is both 1 and 11 – you use the value that’s most beneficial to your hand
- Royal cards: Jacks, Queens, and Kings, these are all worth 10.
- 2 – 10: All of these cards have their face value – so 2 = 2 and 10 = 10
Blackjack is one of the best games for gambling beginners because it’s so quick to learn, and so simple to play. While there’s really nothing like playing it in a casino, there are plenty of benefits to online blackjack and the rules of play are exactly the same. So head over to a top online casino and see if you can hit 21!
