Blackjack is an enormously popular card game, with millions of fans playing it online across the globe.
One of the main reasons for its popularity is that blackjack is that it’s so simple to play. This is how you can learn how to play online blackjack in just seven steps:
Step 1: place your bet
Make a bet from $1 to all-in.
Step 2: receive your cards
The dealer will give you two blackjack cards and show one of his cards.
Step 3: decide if you want to double your bet
You can double your bet any time before you hit or stand and split your bet if you get two cards of the same value.
Step 4: consider if you want to ‘hit’
You have an option to add more blackjack cards by choosing ‘hit’, but you lose automatically if your value of cards exceeds 21.
Step 5: click ‘stand’
Click ‘stand’ when you are ready to play your hand.
Step 6: learn the dealer’s hand
The dealer will reveal his hidden blackjack card and must always hit if they have 16 or lower. They will stop hitting if they have 17 or more.
Step 7: win or lose
You win when the combined value of your cards is greater than that of the dealer. You lose if you have a lower score than the dealer, or if the total of your cards exceeds 21.
What are the online blackjack rules?
Playing online blackjack is a fun way to pass time, develop your powers of strategic thinking, and test your ability to act under pressure.
To get the most fun from your game, you need to know the rules of blackjack. Without these, you may make the wrong moves and lose games that you could have won.
These are the 14 key rules that you need to know when playing free blackjack games.
14 key rules to follow when playing online blackjack
- Your aim is to get a score of 21 or a higher value than the dealer.
- If your score exceeds 21 then you lose. This is called ‘bust.’
- If your score ties with the dealer then your bet is refunded. This is called a ‘push.’
- Bets are placed before you’re dealt your cards.
- You’re dealt two face-up cards by the dealer.
- The dealer starts with one face-up card and one face-down card.
- Ace is worth 1 or 11 (pending on which value most benefits you).
- Ten, jack, queen, and king are worth 10.
- Two – nine have their face values.
- You hit if you wish to be dealt more cards.
- You stand if you are happy with your two cards.
- You can double your bet if you wish to do so.
- You can split pairs and turn them into two separate bets.
- The dealer must score at least 17 — they deal themselves more cards if they don’t.
So, remember these 14 rules when you next sit down to play blackjack online at Arkadium!
How to win at free online blackjack
There’s no guaranteed strategy for winning at blackjack. This is because it’s a game that combines both skill and luck, meaning that sometimes you simply have a bad run of cards.
But while you’ll never be certain of having a successful game, there are some strategies you can use to improve your chances of winning at online blackjack.
Five tips to help you win blackjack games
Tip 1: learn the basic blackjack strategy
The basic blackjack strategy is a mathematical approach to blackjack that tells you the best moves to make based on the cards you’ve been dealt.
The best way to learn this approach is to use a basic blackjack strategy chart. This shows you when you should hit, stand, or surrender.
Tip 2: ‘hit’ if you’re dealt 8 or less
If your cards total no more than 8 then you should always ‘hit.’
Tip 3: never split these pairs
Splitting pairs gives you a chance to play two concurrent games against the dealer, increasing your chances of having a winning hand.
However, there are some pairs that you shouldn’t split, as they don’t give you a great chance of winning. You should never split 4s, 5s or 10s.
Tip 4: never stand on these numbers
If the dealer’s cards total 7 or more, then you shouldn’t stand if your cards have a combined value of 12-16.
Tip 5: Avoid insurance bets
Insurance bets may seem like a good idea. However, it doesn’t shift the odds in your favor and is generally a waste of your gambling chips.
Now you know how to win at blackjack, all that’s left for you to do is put your knowledge into practice. Play our free online blackjack game now and see how many games you can win!
How to count cards in blackjack
Blackjack is synonymous with card counting. Many films and TV shows have been made about people winning games by counting cards and lots of players have tried the strategy.
Counting cards in blackjack in four steps
Step 1: give every card in the deck a value
To make it as simple as possible to count cards, put the cards in the deck into three groups and assign them the following values:
- 2-6: +1
- 7-9: 0
- 10-Ace: -1
Step 2: maintain a running count
Your running count helps to determine the moves you should make based on the cards you’ve been dealt.
Using the values you’ve assigned to cards, you’ll be able to work out if the running count is going up on down. If the count is positive and increases, the advantage is with you. If the count decreases and falls into a negative, the value is with the dealer.
Step 3: calculate the true count
The true count is used to help you count cards when more than one deck is in play. You can find it out by using this simple equation:
True count = running count ÷ number of decks remaining
Step 4: alter your bets as the true count increases
Use the information you have from the values you’ve assigned to your cards, your running count, and true count to establish what the true count is.
As the true count increases and decreases, alter your bets accordingly — raising it goes up and dropping when it goes down.
How to deal when you play blackjack online
Dealing couldn’t be simpler when you’re playing online blackjack. All you need to do is hit the ‘deal’ button and your cards will be dealt.
