Beginners Blackjack Guide

Online blackjack is without a doubt one of the most popular online casino games. It is also known as Twenty-one as that is the highest winning hand in the game.

The origin of the game is unknown and the first mentioning of it is in stories from the 17th century.  When the game was first introduced in the United States it didn't enjoy much popularity and the casinos or betting houses as they were then known had to offer special bonuses and payouts to attract players.

One of the bonuses offered for a hand consisting for the Ace of Spades and a black jack. This is where the name blackjack stuck to the game and it has been called like that ever since.

Playing Blackjack in an online casino is much better than playing it in a land casino for several reasons; many variants of the game are available, players have as much time as they need to decide on their moves and a player can play on their own opposite the casino on single hand or multiple hands blackjack games.

The purpose of the game is to reach the number 21 in card values. Each number card has the value of its number and face cards are all valued at 10. Ace can be either 1 or 11.

You can still win a hand if you only reach 18 or 20 if the dealer has a lower hand than you or the dealer "gone bust". Going "bust" means going over the number 21.

For example; if you are dealt and ace and 7, your hand value can be 8 or 18. If the dealer has a king (10) and a 5 card then their hand value is only 15. The dealer will than draw another card and if that card will be an 8 then their hand value will total 23 and they will Bust out of the game and you will win the hand.

In most blackjack games a dealer must always draw if they have a total card value of 16 or less and stand (not draw more cards) if they are on a hand value of 17. However in some blackjack version there is a difference between a "soft" and "hard" 17 so make sure to check.
The different versions of the game usually relate to the number of decks of cards played and can vary from a single deck blackjack to 2, 4, 6 or even 8 decks.

There is a bonus given for hitting a "blackjack" which is an Ace card with a 10 or face card (also valued at 10). So if you bet $5 on a hand and hit a "blackjack" you would have won $5 + $2.50 so you will be given back your $5 + $5 + $2.50 = $12.50. The bonus for hitting a "blackjack" is usually 50% of your original bet. 

For more detailed explanation on blackjack game terminology, the different blackjack games offered at online casinos and the specific rules and payouts associated with them you can find in our Blackjack section.