Online Blackjack Gambling

Blackjack, also know as twenty-one is a simple counting game, the goal is to have better cards than the dealer without going over 21. In this game the player has just under a 50/50 chance against the house, unless you can count cards, which is not easy considering the casinos use two, four, six or eight decks of cards. It is the most popular table game in United States.

Best Online Blackjack Gambling Sites

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How to Play Blackjack

The object of the game is to have your cards add up to twenty-one or as close to it as you can without going over, also know as “busting”. Here are what the cards are worth in points: Aces are 1 or 11 points, whichever benefits you more, face cards (King, Queen, Jack) are 10 points, and all the rest of the cards (2-10) are worth their face value. The suit of the cards does not matter in blackjack. A “Blackjack” is an Ace and a 10 card, you automatically win with this hand unless the dealer also gets twenty-one in which case you don’t get any winnings but you get to keep what you bet, this is called a “push”.
Blackjack is played at a special table that has a semi-circle with squares or circle where each player places their bet. Once all the players at the table place their bets, the dealer begins dealing the cards. Each player is dealt two cards face up (if the dealer is dealing from their hand the play is a bit different with cards dealt face down) and the dealer gets one card face up and another card face down, this card is called the “hole” card. The dealer will then ask each player, starting from the dealer’s left to start their turn. A turn can consist of hitting, doubling down, splitting or insurance. And the turn will end with the player either getting twenty-one, standing or busting. To signal to the dealer which decision you have made you use hand signals, all without touching your cards.

Blackjack Terms

Hitting-

This is signaled by sweeping your fingers towards yourself on the table or pointing to your cards. A player hits because they are trying to get closer to twenty-one. A player can hit as many times as they want until their cards ad up to twenty-one or over, in which case they “bust”.

Doubling Down-

A player can double down their bet and the player must get hit with one more card, no more, no less. Some casinos only let a player double down when they have 10 or 11 after their dealt their initial two cards.

Splitting-

Is allowed when a player is dealt two cards of the same point value. The player places the same amount of chips down as their original bet and they are dealt another two cards, so now the player is playing two hands in the same game.

Insurance-

A player is offered insurance by the dealer when the dealers card that faces up is an Ace. If you buy the insurance half of your initial bet is placed in a side-bet that the dealers other card is a 10. If the dealer does have the ten you will be paid out 2 to 1 and the other half of your initial bet with go to the house, leaving you with the same amount of chips that you started with. If the dealer does not have the blackjack you side bet goes to the house.

Surrender or Late Surrender-

This is not offered in most casinos but it allows the player to surrender half of their initial bet to the house after they receive their two cards and the dealer has checked for a blackjack.

Standing-

This marks the end of your turn and is signaled to the dealer by moving your hand over your cards. The player feels at this point that they have gotten as close to twenty-one as they are going to and wants to wait to see the dealer’s hand.

Busting-

This is also the end of a players turn, in which they have hit and received points totaling over twenty-one.

Blackjack Strategy

Now that you have learned how to play blackjack learn basic blackjack strategy.