Blackjack: Blackjack Online UK 2024
Blackjack is a very popular online casino game in the UK and there are hardly any online casinos that don’t offer this game. However, not all online blackjack casinos have your best interests in mind and some only want to reel players in and scam them of their hard-earned money.
For a new player who is just finding his/her way into the world of online casinos, choosing from many casinos and finding a legitimate one can be extremely difficult. Chances are, if you are on this page you need some help finding the right casino site.
Fortunately, the experts at UKonlinecasinoguide understand this dilemma and have put together this extensive guide. In this article, we will explain the rules of the game, discuss the best blackjack casinos in the UK, and explore basic strategies.
By the time you are done with this guide, you will have all the information you need to choose the right UK blackjack casino and win real money when you play online.
Online Blackjack Sites
What is Blackjack?
Blackjack is one of the most popular games you can find in both land-based and online casinos today. It is sometimes referred to as Vingt-et-un, which means twenty-one in French, or Pontoon. This game is popular because it perfectly combines strategy, skill, and luck, thus giving players versatility when they play.
The game of blackjack is played against the dealer and could consist of 1-7 players. Each player will aim to get a better hand than the dealer by getting a card total close to but not above 21, which is known as a bust. If you, as the player busts, you lose, and if the dealer does, he/she losses. But if nobody does, anyone with the highest hand wins. And if there is a tie, nobody wins.
Because of how popular the game has become over the years, different variations of this game have cropped up. Each of them offers its unique feel to this already amazing game, ensuring players can have even more fun. Some of the most popular variants include American blackjack, European blackjack, blackjack perfect pairs, blackjack switch, etc. You will find the most popular variants in most casinos, while some casinos offer all of them.
If you want to save yourself from stress, you can use the UKonlinecasinoguide’s recommended list of blackjack casinos for your best option to play the game. We only recommend casinos that have gone through our extensive evaluation and passed. To ensure you get the best, we look into licensing, payout methods, variants offered, customer support, and many more.
And since our review experts love the game of blackjack themselves, you can rest easy knowing that our recommendation comes from the point of view of actual players. If you are ready to get the best experience when you play online blackjack, UKonlinecasinoguide is your best bet.
History Of Blackjack
The origins of the blackjack are still a cause for debate among many punters. However, numerous researchers are of the notion that this prominent game first came up in 1700, when it was introduced in French casinos. This is where it got the name Vingt-et-Un, which is French for Twenty-one. It is believed that the game probably stemmed from Chemin de Fer, a popular card game that was enjoyed in the French Royal court when King Louis XV was still the ruler.
However, other theories state that the Romans established the game simply because they were lovers of gambling activities. These theorists are of the notion that as opposed to the typical paper cards, the Romans went with wooden blocks that were painted with various numbers.
During the 18th century, the game became even more popular in North America with the help of the French colonists. This was the period it evolved more and became present in New Orleans. At this point, the rules were different from the standard blackjack, but it was still an engaging and popular game.
The name was finally changed from 21 to blackjack in Nevada during the 20th century. And because gambling halls required a way to promote the game, they attached bonuses to it, along with a specific bonus that provided more if a player gets a blackjack alongside an Ace of Spades. With time, the name remained even though the bonuses phased out. Over the years, the rules guiding the blackjack game have changed, and it is what we know and utilize till now.
How to Play Online Blackjack
The game is very easy to play, especially in online casinos. Blackjack is a card counting game that requires a basic strategy, where one or more people will play against the dealer. The goal is to do one of the following:
- Get a total value that is close to 21 as possible.
- Attain a hand that is higher than the dealer’s so you can beat his hand.
- Make the dealer go bust by letting them draw till they exceed a hand value of 21.
To do the above, you will first need to join a game, and once all the players are complete, everyone, including the dealer, is dealt two cards. One of the dealer’s cards is faced up and the other down while the players’ cards are faced up. At this point, you can either decide to hit, which is to ask the dealer for another card or stand, which is to ask the dealer not to deal any more cards.
After every player has decided, the dealer then reveals their downward-facing card. If the dealer is closer to 21 than any of the other players, he/she wins, but if your hand or that of other players is closer, you or that player wins. Next, the dealer offers your winnings based on your bet, and the game starts up again.
How To Play Blackjack
Rules of Playing Blackjack
To get the best experience when playing online blackjack, it is important to understand the rules. The basic rule guiding the game of blackjack is to achieve one of the following:
- Get the overall value of your cards to be close to 21 without going over.
- Beat the dealer’s hand by getting a higher hand.
- Get the dealer to keep drawing till their card value goes over 21, making him/her go bust.
First, the dealer will share cards to all players facing up. The dealer also gets two cards with one faced-up, and the other faced down. When this happens, you have numerous choices. You can either hit or stand, double down or split. We will take a deeper look into these later. Once you and other players have made a choice, the dealer will reveal the faced down card. If you beat the dealer’s hand, you will attain double the dealer’s bet(1.1).
Now that you know the important part let us look into the major terms you need to note to play the game.
Hit
Hit in blackjack is when players request that the dealer gives them an additional card. If you are playing in a land-based casino, you can do this verbally or by tapping the table. But if you are playing online, you can just draw another card. You can continue to draw until your hand goes beyond 21.
Stand
To stand means you don't want any more cards and want your turn to end. This means you are happy with the hand you have and don't want to draw more cards. If you have a hand value between 17 – 20, it is a good time to stand. This is because requesting more cards can cause you to go bust.
Double Down
This is the chance to boost your original bet value by as high as 100 per cent, basically doubling your bet. However, when you do this, you must stand after you take an additional card. Doubling down is a strategy you use when you feel you have good hands.
Split
During a game of blackjack, you can choose to split your cards if you have a card value that gives you a total of 10 points. When you do this, you will be left with two hands, and you are automatically dealt one additional card to each hand by the dealer. Depending on the hand, you must then choose to either stand, double, or hit. But in some variants, you will be unable to double if you first split. Therefore, it is important to understand the rules of every variant before you play.
Surrender/Forfeit
In some blackjack tables, you will have the opportunity to surrender or forfeit before the dealer checks for blackjack. This is a great opportunity to stop before it is too late and save your money. Half the bet goes back to the stack when you decide to surrender, while half goes back to the dealer.
Reshuffle
After every player's bet has been settled in a land-based blackjack game, the dealer continues to deal from the shoe till he reaches the plastic insert card. This signifies that it is time for the cards to be reshuffled. At this point, the dealer shuffles the cards till they are properly combined and mixed. In online casinos, reshuffling is when the decks are shuffled again at random to mix up the cards. This prevents any player from being able to count cards.
Insurance
Blackjack insurance is a side bet that a player gets if the dealer's faced up card is an ace. It is provided as insurance that protects you from the probability of the dealer's hand being a blackjack. This allows you to earn a profit on the hand even in the probability that the dealer gets a blackjack even if you lose your main bet.
Other Rule Variations Of Blackjack 21
As we mentioned earlier, there are many blackjack variations, and each of them comes with some unique rules. If you plan to play any of these in online casinos, learning about the rules guiding them will be important. This will ensure you are not surprised due to the slight changes in the rules.
Below, we will be looking into some of these blackjack rules variations, so you are ready to stay ahead during your next game.
Soft 17
The soft 17 rule affects both the dealer and player. A soft hand takes place with an ace, while a hard hand can also occur with an Ace, but the value has to be 1 instead of 11. A soft hand is when the Ace is presented as 11. The soft 17 is represented as an Ace and a six, whereas the Ace counts as an 11. The soft 17 rule implies that the dealer must hit anytime they land on a soft 17 hand. But in other blackjack game variations, the dealer can stand on soft 17.
Number of decks
A deck of cards comprises 52 cards which is what you will find in many blackjack games. However, some variations can have up to 8 decks of cards used to play in the game. Games with one deck are known as single-deck games, while those with more than one are known as multiple deck games.
Early or Late Surrender
Some games allow you to surrender or give up if you feel like you may not win. However, this will cost you half of your bet. It can come as early or late surrender. You give up your hand in early surrender as soon as the dealer deals the card but before they check for blackjack. This will require you to forgo half of your initial wager. However, the late surrender allows you to give up your hand for the cost of half your bet, but here, you will have to hold on to find out if the dealer gets a blackjack first. If the dealer gets a blackjack, you will be unable to surrender and lose your entire bet.
Double on 9, 10 and 11 or 10 and 11
Here, the player doubles his/her bet on 11 once they are certain that they have great chances. Once this is done, they can draw an additional card.
Resplitting
This is when you split a hand that has already been split. Some casinos limit the option of resplitting with the more common variants allowing you to resplit only once.
Resplit Split Aces
Some online casinos give players the chance to resplit already split pair of aces. This means that if a player draws an ace after splitting his/her aces already, they can split it once more to make another bet. Any game with this option will come with a house edge that is .08% lower than those without the option.
Dealer wins ties
Usually, when both the player and dealer have a tie in the card game, the player does not win or lose. Instead, their chips are returned to them. However, if both the dealer and player bust and have a tie, the dealer will win and take the wager.
Basic Blackjack Strategy
Blackjack is a very easy card game, but you still need to understand the game’s basic strategy if you are serious about winning. Failing to use the right strategy can leave you making mistakes that can cost you a lot of money in the long run.
Knowing this, we have put together a few online blackjack strategies that can help:
- Double down on hard 11: if you double down on hard 11, you stand a chance to win more money. This is the case except for games that allow the dealer to stand on soft 17.
- Hit and Stand: The most basic strategy in a game is to hit when your cards have a value of 11 or lower. But, if you have 17-21, it is best to stand.
- Double when you have pairs: You can never go wrong if you double when holding a pair. This is except you have a pair of 9’s, and the dealer has a high card.
- Avoid Insurance: Insurance may seem like a great idea, but it is not. This is because the house edge becomes almost 6% higher with an insurance bet. And if you manage to land a blackjack, you only win your initial bet.
- Leverage the blackjack strategy chart.
Blackjack Bets
When it comes to blackjack, your betting options are not many, which makes it easy for anyone to understand. The basic options include hit, stand, double down, splitting pairs, or surrender. However, some blackjack games will also offer side bets, which give players more payouts. The most common side bets in a blackjack game include 21+3 side bets, perfect pairs, super sevens, lucky ladies, etc.
Online Blackjack Payouts
The moment the dealer and player have played the games of their choice in blackjack, payout comes next. This is also referred to as a showdown. The typical online blackjack payout is 3 to 2, but you can find other variations paying 6 to 5 or other lower figures.
It is important that you carefully evaluate the game you want to play before you begin and check out the rules so you get the best. Ideally, we recommend you stick to those with the standard 3 to 2 payout.
How to Beat the Dealer Vs. Lose to the Dealer
The aim of blackjack is to beat the dealer. This is supposed to be a very self-explanatory and simple concept, but many people tend to face difficulties. Therefore, we have put together how you can do this below.
Beat the dealer
You can do this by making the dealer go bust, which means the value of their card goes beyond 21. Or you can get a value closer to as 21 as possible but at the same time higher than the dealer’s hand.
Lose to the dealer
You lose to the dealer if you go bust or are over 21. You also lose to the dealer if the value of the dealer’s card is higher than yours or if you both go bust resulting in a tie.
Pros and Cons of Online Blackjack
Blackjack may be an easy game, but that does not mean it is ideal for everyone. Therefore, we have put together a list of the pros and cons of this game, so you can carefully weigh them and decide if it is right for you.Pros
- There are many variants of blackjack to choose from
- It has a high payout percentage
- Numerous bet levels for all budgets
- Many casinos allow you play for free
Cons
- If you fail to understand a blackjack strategy before you use it, you can lose money.
- Some variants come with high house edges.
Tips on How to Win Online Blackjack Games
UKonlinecasinoguide is passionate about players, and that is why we have put together some helpful tips that can help you win when playing online blackjack games. These include:
- Play in only licensed online casinos like those on our list
- Understand the rules of the game variant before you play
- Learn to reduce the house edge in your favour. You can do these using strategies like counting cards, shuffle tracking, and so on.
- Make sure you play for free first before you play for real money. This will help you understand how the game works.
Experience The Fun Of Playing Online Blackjack at UKonlinecasinoguide
Blackjack is a game that has been around for years, and you can find it in almost all online casinos. However, you can only get the best experience if you play in a reputable and secure online blackjack casino. We recommend you begin your search from the recommended list put together by UKonlinecasinoguide. They are licensed, reliable, and have been properly vetted using important criteria that are vital to players.
If you are looking for the best experience playing the game, simply register in one of our casinos and start playing!
Frequently asked questions about blackjack
Can you win real money with blackjack?
Yes, you can win real money with online blackjack. However, you will need to play for real money to achieve this. You can’t win real money playing for free.
What is the best online blackjack site?
You can check out our list of recommended online blackjack sites for the best ones to play in. They are fully licensed, have 24/7 customer support, offer numerous variants and amazing bonuses.
Is online blackjack illegal?
No, online blackjack is not illegal. However, you need to make sure you are playing in a properly licensed casino like those that we recommend on our list.
What is blackjack called in the UK?
Blackjack goes by the same name in the UK. However, some people refer to it as Pontoon and Twenty-one.