Blackjack 101 – Basic Rules on How to Play Blackjack

If you want to learn how to play blackjack then this is the page for you. This classic casino card game has dozens of variations but although the basics remain the same, there are some crucial differences. We’ll go over the rules of blackjack variants and talk about different side bets as well as give you pointers on how to improve your chances of winning.

How Do You Play Blackjack?

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games going. Brick-and-mortar casinos will always have several blackjack tables, while the best online blackjack casinos are stacked with blackjack games. The most convenient way to play blackjack is online, where you can play the game in the convenience of your own home, and when it suits you.

If you are a blackjack rookie and want to know how to play blackjack online, you won’t need to worry about losing money while you learn. Casino sites allow you to practice in demo mode as much as you like. Therefore, you can play for free and hone your skills until you are comfortable enough to gamble with real money.

How to Place Blackjack Bets Online

When you start playing, the game will prompt you to place your bet. It will highlight the circle on the virtual table, and whenever you click or tap on the chip buttons, you will add/increase the bet amount.

Typically, your budget and table betting limits are shown in the lower-left corner of the screen, while chips (fixed bet values) are on the right. So, whenever you click on a chip to place a bet, the same amount displayed on the chip is automatically debited from your budget.

Bets aren’t final until you click the “Deal” button. What’s more, you can play multiple hands and allocate a different number of chips for each one. In most online blackjack games, you can play up to 3 hands at once.

Understanding the Rules of Blackjack for Beginners

Intrinsically, blackjack is a very simple game featuring only a handful of components. You are competing against the dealer, so whoever has a better score wins. The golden score in blackjack hands is 21, and that’s the score you need to get as close as possible to, without going over. Go above 21 and it’s game over and all stakes lost.

Let’s take a look at the key components of how to play blackjack.

Step 1: Joining a Blackjack Table

Online casinos host multiple variations of the game, each with slightly different blackjack rules and betting limits. They are either in the “Table Games,” “Live Dealer,” or a category called “Blackjack Games.”

Pick the one you like, click on the chips to place a bet, and then press deal to start the round. At the start, you’ll get two cards face up, while the dealer gets one card face up and the other one face down.

Step 2: Buying Chips and Placing Bets

If you are familiar with blackjack card game rules in a casino, then you know that you can buy chips from the dealer. However, when you have an online casino account, you need to use the Cashier option to add funds for gambling. It’s also possible to use a casino bonus to get additional funds that can be used for playing blackjack.

You don’t buy chips when playing online. The chips in your user interface only represent a fixed amount you wish to wager per hand. When betting in blackjack, stake size must be within the game’s minimum and maximum range (e.g., Min: $1 – Max: $5,000)

Step 3: Playing the Hand

Once you press the “Deal” button, you’ll be dealt 2 cards (face up), and a small number next to the cards will show the value of your hand. The dealer gets 1 face-up card and the other one face-down.

The following options then become available to the player:

• Hit – Get an additional card. The option is available as long as you are eligible to get cards. Going bust will automatically end the turn
• Stand – If you don’t want any more cards, you need to click on “Stand” to finish your turn
• Double – You double your bet size, get another card, and your turn immediately ends. In basic rules, you can only double on hard 9,10, and 11
• Split Pairs – If you were dealt 2 same number cards, the split button turns them into two hands that compete separately

Step 4: Dealer Reveals Their Cards

When the player finishes their turn, the dealer begins his turn and reveals their face-down card. If the dealer’s hand score is 16 or lower, they must hit. If it’s 17 or above, they must stand or finish their turn. Some blackjack casino rules require dealers to hit on soft 17.

Gavin Beech

iGaming Expert

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Soft 17

A soft 17 in blackjack is considered an advantage as it means the player (or dealer) holding the hand cannot go bust. An example of a soft 17 hand is Ace-6. Because the Ace counts as 1 or 11, then another card can be drawn without any risk of going bust.

Step 5: Determining the Winner

To win a blackjack hand, you must get closer to 21 than the dealer, without going over. Do that, and you will be paid out at 1/1 – so you double your original stake. The payout is higher if your winning hand consists of an Ace and a card with a value of 10 (King, Queen, Jack, and 10). That’s called “Blackjack,” and it can pay 2/1, 3/2, or 5/3, depending on the game variant you picked.

If the dealer’s score is identical to yours, then the hand is resulted as a push, which means you get your stake returned. Some variations of the game resolve draws differently but in the main, an equal score will result in a push.

Rules and Payouts – How Does Blackjack Work?

Players have optional actions that can ramp up their winnings, turn the bad situation around, or salvage a portion of their bet.

• Double – If the value of your starting hand is 9,10 or 11, it’s possible to double your initial bet. If you do this, you must get an additional card and stand afterward, provided you don’t go bust.
• Split – If your starting hand contains two cards with the same number, you have an option to split. This means you get two hands that compete in the round and take separate turns. Doing so requires you to double the original you had on that hand.
• Insurance – An option is only available if the dealer’s face-up card is 11 (Ace). This is the only side bet in basic blackjack rules, and it typically pays 2/1 if the dealer gets a natural blackjack at the start of his turn. The maximum insurance bet is equal to half of your original bet in the round.
• Surrender – You can surrender at the start of your turn instead of taking any other action. Doing so will refund half of your bet.

Gavin Beech

iGaming Expert

• 

Know when to double

If you want to learn How to play blackjack and give yourself the best chance of making money, learn when the best time is to double down. Generally, it’s good to double when you have a hand total of 11, regardless of the dealer's up card, as this gives you a high chance of hitting 21 with just one additional card. Also, if you have an ace, or hard 10 with a favorable dealer up card (5 or 6 is ideal).

Once you get the hang of how to play blackjack, you should check out game variations like Blackjack 23 Azure, which you can play at CoinCasino. This variation is popular because it brings big payout possibilities if your first 2 cards and the dealer’s face-up card make one of the following combinations:

• Flush – 3 blackjack card values that are of the same suit (Pays 5/1*)
• Straight – 3 cards of consecutive numeric value, like 7,8,9 (Pays 10/1*)
• 3 of a Kind – 3 cards of the same numeric value, like 7,7,7 (Pays 30/1*)
• Straight Flush – 3 same-suit cards with a consecutive numeric value (Pays 40/1*)
• Suited Tripple – 3 same-suit cards with the same value (Pays 100/1*)

*Odds are typically values but can vary across online casinos

If you want to learn more about how to play blackjack 21+3 check out our 21 + 3 Blackjack explained page.

Pros and Cons – Online Blackjack vs Live Blackjack

Although Blackjack rules in online and live Blackjack casinos are identical, the gameplay experience is not. Playing online definitely has its perks, but you are missing out on some of the game’s charms.

More Guides on How to Play Blackjack at a Casino Online

Now that you know how to play Blackjack, here are a few tips for finding the right operator:

• Best Online Blackjack Casinos
• Best Real Money Blackjack Apps
• Blackjack Bankroll Management
• 21+3 Blackjack Side Bet
• Blackjack Chart Guide
• Advanced Blackjack Strategy
• How To Count Cards in Blackjack
• Online Gambling Guide

Different Types of Blackjack Games Online

The game has dozens of variations, luckily, blackjack dealer rules are almost identical in each one. We’ll go over some of the popular variants and explain what makes them unique.

American Blackjack

This is how to play blackjack American style: Players are allowed to double on any hand regardless of its value, even after splitting. Split is allowed up to 3 times. Late surrender is also possible if the dealer’s face-up card is worth 10 or 11, but only after he checks for blackjack.

European Blackjack

This version uses between 2 and 8 decks. Split is allowed only once per round, and doubling is only possible if the hand score is 9, 10, or 11. In European blackjack betting rules doubling on a split hand isn’t allowed. Also, you cannot Surrender if the dealer’s card is Ace.

Blackjack Switch

Here, you play 2 hands with identical bet sizes and are allowed to switch the second card between the 2 hands. However, the dealer doesn’t bust if his hand is 22. When this happens, it’s considered a draw unless the player has blackjack that didn’t result from a switch or split.

Double Exposure Blackjack

In Double Exposure rules, the dealer plays with both of his cards revealed. To compensate for this disadvantage, the blackjack pays 1/1, and there are no insurance and surrender options. More importantly, if you tie, the dealer wins.

Blackjack Perfect Pairs

A variation where players can place a side bet on their hand. The cards you are dealt must make 1 of 3 possible pairs – Mixed pair (pays 5/1), Color pair (pays 10/1) Perfect pair (pays 30/1). The side bet is resolved at the start of the player’s turn.

Spanish 21

There are a few deviations from standard blackjack casino rules. The 10-number cards are removed, and there are a few payout rules for when you hit 21. Surrender after double down is also available.

Pontoon

It’s almost identical to classic Blackjack, but the 10 cards are removed. In Pontoon getting an ace and a face card pays 2/1. A side bet option is also available where you win if the 2 initial cards are a pair. You can split multiple times unless you have a pair of aces, then, you can split only once.

Related How To Play Blackjack Guides

• How to play Craps
• How to play Video Poker
• How to play Sic Bo
• How to play Poker
• How to play Roulette
• How to play Baccarat
• Ho to play Online Slots

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