Blackjack - The Quintessential Casino Game
It’s not a casino without Blackjack, is it? An undisputed casino classic, Blackjack has existed in some form for centuries and it continues to provide plenty of thrills. The simplicity of the game means anyone can quickly understand how to play, but experience and skill can make all the difference when you face the dealer.
You’re dealt two cards and have to get as close to 21 as you can without going over it. The key lies in knowing when to hit, when to stand, split or double down. Sometimes it’s the smart move to surrender too.
At Spin Casino, you’ve got plenty of choices when it comes to Blackjack. Whether you want the traditional game or you’re in the mood for something new, we’ll have you covered.
If you’re after no-nonsense, no-frills Blackjack, look no further than Classic Blackjack Gold, which combines traditional gameplay with state-of-the-art graphics. European Blackjack Gold Series is a very popular variant, where the dealer only receives one card until you have made your decisions, when they’ll receive a second card.
Play Blackjack Online at Spin Casino
If you’re looking to play blackjack online, then look no further than Spin Casino – home to dozens of variations of the world’s most iconic casino game. And yes, you can play blackjack for real money at Spin.
The inspiration for so many pivotal moments in literature and film, the blackjack game is the cornerstone to any online casino worth visiting, and continues to be synonymous with the casino experience.
At Spin Casino, you can enjoy that experience wherever you are, as we take the immersive drama of blackjack and bring it to you through our suite of online blackjack games that allow you to play however you like.
And it’s not just a world-class selection of blackjack games we have available. Spin Casino has over 450 online casino games for you to experience, including online roulette, live casino games, poker, the very best online slot games, and much more.
How to Play Blackjack Online
Learning how to play blackjack isn’t as difficult as it may initially seem. At its heart, the aim of the game is to total 21, or get closer than the dealer to that target figure.
Should you both reach this total, then the hand is declared a draw or ‘push’ and your initial bet is rolled over to the next hand.
Depending on which version of online blackjack you play, the dealer will either be dealt their first card face up, with a second card being dealt after the players have played their hands, or the dealer will deal their second card at the same time, leaving it face down.
Upon cards being dealt, you’ll have the option to stick with your cards (known as a stand) or receive more cards (known as a hit) as you try to increase your total.
If you exceed the 21 limit, you are ‘bust’ and your hand loses.
There are further options available to you, as well. You can choose to double down, whereby you double your stake and receive one further card – but you must stand on whatever that total is.
Another option is to split your hand if you have two cards of the same value. This allows you to play two hands, with two individual bets, and play them separately.
And a final option is to surrender – which allows you to quit after being dealt your initial hand, while retaining half your original wager.
European Blackjack
With dozens of blackjack games available to play at Spin Casino, choosing the one for you will come down to preference or familiarity. Blackjack rules in the UK differ purely depending on which version of Blackjack you are playing. So, how exactly do you play blackjack?
Perhaps the most common and familiar version of online blackjack is European blackjack.
European blackjack is one of the two most popular varieties of the iconic game, alongside American blackjack.
There are some specific differences between the two, such as a dealer’s blackjack trumping any other 21-value hand, dealers standing on a soft 17, and players only able to double down on hands with a value of nine, 10 or 11, to name a few.
In addition, European blackjack is played using between two and eight decks. This will vary from table to table.
Perhaps the main difference though, relates to the ‘hole card’. Unlike in American blackjack, when playing European blackjack, the dealer deals their first card face up but doesn’t receive their second card until after all players have played their hands.
Without a dealer’s second card, a player cannot know whether the dealer has blackjack until their hand is over.
For this reason alone, playing European blackjack requires a different approach to the game.
At Spin Casino, in addition to many types of European blackjack, we also have multiple variations of blackjack, including: Atlantic City blackjack, Vegas blackjack, Classic blackjack and Live blackjack, where live hosts welcome you to play alongside others from around the world.
How to Win at Online Casino Blackjack
If you asked a group of people ‘how to win at blackjack?’, it’s very likely you’ll get a different answer each time.
Online blackjack and casino blackjack are games of chance, but there are strategies that you can employ that can help to increase your probability of victory.
Perhaps the most common of these is blackjack ‘basic strategy’.
Basic strategy is considered to be the foundation of good blackjack play, and while it can’t help you win every hand, it’s designed to let you know the right play to help maximise your chance of winning.
You can read about the fundamentals to basic blackjack betting strategy, below, offering you tips and guidance on how to play online blackjack, and help inform your approach to playing blackjack games at Spin Casino.
Best Betting Strategy for Online Blackjack
There is no guaranteed way to win at online blackjack. As with any online casino game, playing blackjack is a game of chance. But knowing how to react to the cards you are dealt is the most important way of giving yourself the best opportunity to increase your probability of a win.
But before we look at some of the suggested strategic approaches, first we must explain the difference between a ‘hard’ hand and a ‘soft’ hand.
In blackjack, an ace is worth 11 or one, making it the game’s highest and lowest ranked card. If one of your cards is an ace, you can count it as either of these values, making it a ‘soft’ hand. These hands are useful as they offer a little more flexibility in your decision-making.
Any hand dealt that doesn’t include an ace is known as a ‘hard’ hand. For example, a ‘soft’ 17 would consist of an ace and a six, whereas a ‘hard’ 17 could include an eight and a nine.
Now that’s covered, here are some strategic approaches that could be used across all blackjack games.
Strategy 1 – Always split 8s and Aces
One suggestion is to split 8s and aces, no matter what hand the dealer has. The idea here is that a hard 16 (two eights) is a dangerous hand, as you risk busting by hitting and there’s a lot of room for success for the dealer. So, by splitting you give yourself two hands to play and the opportunity for larger returns or reduced losses. A pair of aces in isolation totals two, so by splitting, you offer yourself the opportunity to either record blackjack or build towards 21 with more flexibility.
Strategy 2 – Hit on a soft 18 (Ace-Seven) if the dealer has 9, 10 or Ace
Usually, if a dealer shows 9, 10 or Ace, they’re considered to be in a good position. This is even more so, should you have a soft 18. By hitting on a soft 18, any lower value card (for example, Ace, 2, 3) strengthens your position, while any card worth 10 will do no harm to your hand. Your aim here is to reach either a soft 19-21 or a hard 17-21.
Strategy 3 – Stand on a pair of 9s if the dealer’s upcard is a 7
In many cases, basic strategy will suggest you split a pair of 9s, especially if the dealer’s card is 9 or less. There is a belief that the only time you deviate from this is if the dealer’s upcard is a 7. A pair of 9s gives you a hard 18, but with up to four times as many 10-value cards remaining in the deck (depending how many decks that table uses), the dealer’s potential 17 would be beaten.
Strategy 4 – Never split 5s or 10s
There is a belief that splitting 10s can help in a winning outcome, giving you a strong base from which to play two hands. But in this case, the idea is to stand on a pair of 10s, as keeping them together as a hard 20 offers a greater potential of a winning hand. The same can be said of 5s. Separately, playing two hands with a five is a difficult position to be in, while taking one more card from a starting point of a hard 10 is slightly more advantageous.
These are just some suggested strategies to help you play online blackjack. They do not guarantee a win, but they can inform you how to react to your cards and your dealer’s cards.
To play blackjack at Spin Casino, simply tap on the blackjack tab on the navigation bar and choose from our wide selection of online blackjack games.
And if you’re a new customer, you can play blackjack with bonus funds by creating an account and receiving our new customer Welcome Bonus.
Make the most of Spin Casino and enjoy gaming like you’ve never experienced before.
That’s not all either, we’ve got Live Multiplayer Blackjack, Multi-hand Atlantic City Blackjack Gold, Vegas Strip Blackjack Gold and much, much more. Which one will become your favourite?
Whichever Blackjack game you choose, you’ll be treated to stunning HD graphics and atmospheric sound effects to give you the best possible experience. You’ve got the choice to play where you like too – as well as your desktop or laptop, you can play Blackjack on the go with dedicated iOS and Android apps available for mobile and tablet devices.
