American vs European blackjack
Before we dive into how to play blackjack and win, it’s a good idea to take a look at the two main variations of blackjack. While sharing the same gameplay, these two versions have some significant differences.
European blackjack is played with two decks of cards. In European blackjack, the dealer gets their second card only after the player has completed their hand. Blackjack is paid 3 to 2.
American blackjack uses six to eight decks. In American blackjack, players get two cards each immediately. Also, American blackjack is more liberal in terms of rules. For example, players are allowed to double down after splitting their hand. Late Surrender is also allowed. If the dealer scores 21 points (blackjack), the game ends. Blackjack is paid 3 to 2 or 6 to 5.
How to play blackjack at a casino
Welcome to our how-to-play-blackjack tutorial for beginners. Let’s find out how to win a blackjack game. The goal of the game is to beat the dealer. To win at blackjack, you need to collect 21 points or get as close to 21 as possible. If you go over 21, you lose.
If you want to learn how to play blackjack online and win, you need to learn how to estimate the value of your hand. Each card has its own “weight”. Knowing the value of each card can help you win at blackjack and navigate the gameplay. Learning how to count points is not difficult at all.
Cards from 2 to 10 are worth their face (numerical) value. For example, an 8 is counted as 8 points. Face cards are worth 10 points each. The situation with the ace is a little more complicated. Depending on which option is more profitable for the player, Ace can be counted as either 1 point, or 11 points.
Now let’s see how to play blackjack card game. First, players place their bets. How much you bet is your personal choice. You can wager $10 or $1, depending on the size of your bankroll. After the bets have been placed, the dealer deals two cards to themselves and to each player. It should be noted that a professional dealer knows how to deal blackjack cards in a truly spectacular way!
Note that each player is dealt two cards face up, while the dealer can only see their first card. The second card is dealt face down. Once the hands have been dealt, the player has to decide between two options. They can either hit (take a card), or stand (take no addtional card). After all players have made their moves, the dealer turns up their second card. If the dealer’s total is 17 or more, the dealer must stand. If the total is 16 or less, the dealer must hit until they reach the total score of 17 or more.
The final stage is calculating hand values. All players who scored 22 points or more, lose their bets. In blackjack, it’s called going bust. If the player’s hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, they win. If the player scored, say, 19 points and the dealer’s total is 18, the player wins and gets a 2 to 1 payout. If the player scored 21 points (blackjack), they receive a whopping 3 to 2 payout.
How to play blackjack: Additional rules
In addition to the basic gameplay, there are also additional rules that every blackjack fan must know like the back of their hand. Knowing these rules is essential if you want to learn how to play blackjack at home.
Split
If your hand contains two cards of the same face value (for example, 2 and 2, 9 and 9, a King and a King, etc.), you can split your hand in two. When doing so, you need to place a second bet of the size of your original bet. The dealer will give two extra cards, one for each hand. Thus, you’ll be playing two hands at the same time. In some blackjack versions, you’re also allowed to split non-matching pairs.
Doubling down
You can choose to double your original bet. After doubling, you receive an extra card from the dealer. How to win a blackjack game and when is the right time to place a double down bet? We recommend doing that when your total is 11, or when you have a soft 16, 17 or 18.
Surrender
If you see that your hand is hopeless and you have not the slightest chance of winning, it might be a good idea to play it safe and surrender, i.e. give up your wager. In this case, you only lose 50% of your initial bet.
Insurance
This rule applies when the dealer’s open card is an Ace. In this case, the dealer has high chances of hitting a blackjack. The player is offered to buy insurance against the dealer’s blackjack. An insurance is a side bet that equals half of your original wager. The insurance bet pays 2 to 1. While blackjack insurance may seem like an appealing option, you should better avoid it because it rarely proves effective in the long run. Essentially, it’s just another way to make the gambler spend more.
We hope this how-to-play-blackjack guide has been useful to you! Now that you know how to play blackjack in a casino and how to win at blackjack, you can go ahead and play blackjack at the online casino of your choice. Be sure to start with free mode. Once you’re comfortable with the rules and gameplay, you can switch to real money wagers.