Casino House Edge Blackjack
Blackjack online with real money
Gambling has been around us for ages and usually it is a very expensive activity. Over time it became more and more accessible for the vast majority of people. Nowadays, if you are over 18 years old (or in some cases over 21) then all you need is an internet connection, bank account and you are good to enjoy hundreds of different casino games.
This is the casino's solitary advantage in blackjack and if everything were equal, the house edge in blackjack would be about 8 percent. The dealer and player each have a 28 percent probability of busting (therefore 28 multiplied by 28) or about 8 percent of the time both hands would bust and the dealer would win. House Advantage in Blackjack Most players understand that the casino holds an advantage in blackjack. This advantage is known as the house advantage or house edge, and is usually under 1% in most blackjack games, provided players play using the optimal basic strategy under the rules of the game they’re playing.
Card game Blackjack is one of the most popular options when talking about casinos. If your are a beginner learn how to play 21 card game. It is a game where your result depends not only on pure luck. When playing Blackjack game your skills and knowledge are extremely important as well. The amount of them will determine whether you will win or lose in a long perspective. In this article: we will review different Blackjack online casino games providers; will find out what the thing is “house edge” and how to reduce it to minimum; besides that we will try to advise you how it is possible to exploit all the features that Blackjack online sites offer and how to gain the maximum advantage.
Best Blackjack Online Casinos - the most important factors when choosing casino
Before playing in best Blackjack casino online it is very important to pay attention to several things. Depending on your chosen room “house edge” can vary as well as the rules, which can be interpreted differently. In a table below you can see the most important factors which can differ depending on a game provider. For your convenience we will explain every single factor mentioned in a table and how it can affect your game:
What is the house edge in blackjack?
Blackjack House edge- in general it is a RTP (return to a player) expressed in another way. If a casino has a “house edge” of 1% then it means that 99% of all the bets are returned for players and 1% is keeped by the casino. It is obvious that smaller “house edge” is better for players. There is another thing worth mentioning. “House advantage blackjack' factor becomes irrelevant if you are playing Blackjack card game wild and without any strategy.
How much does blackjack payout?
Blackjack pays - it is an indicator which shows how much you would win in a case of “blackjack”. Currently in most of the online casinos this index is the same and equals to 3:2. That means if you bet 10 euro then in a case of “blackjack” you would get back 25 euro (15 euro win).
How many decks is blackjack played with?
Decks used - in the beginning of casino emergence most of them were using only one deck to play Blackjack. But this was a very big disadvantage for casinos because they were losing “house edge”. Nowadays, most of the casino games providers use from 6 to 8 decks. The more decks are used the bigger advantage is casino gets. So it is a very important thing when choosing a casino. To prove that we can take a look at how a chance of getting a “blackjack” changes depending on decks used: when 1 deck is used a chance is 4.83%, when 2 - 4.78% and when 6 - 4.75%. Bigger number of decks does not only reduce a chance of getting a “blackjack” but it also increases variation and makes life more difficult for those who are “counting” cards.
When does dealer stand in blackjack?
Dealer stands all 17s - this rule was introduced not so long ago. Over time casinos implemented many rules which improved their advantage over players but “Dealer stands all 17s” is the opposite - it gives an advantage for players. It means that the dealer cannot stand when he has less than 17 and at the same time he cannot hit when he has 17 or more. It is a very big advantage for a player because he has the freedom to make a decision doesn’t matter what he has. In case the dealer has soft 17, for example: 6 and A, then he has to stand as well. Currently this rule works in most of the online casinos.
Blackjack what is split?
Blackjack split - when a player has two cards of the same value he can split them and play with two separate hands. This function is available in most of the online casinos but there is one more opportunity - to double after split.
Can you double on a split in blackjack?
Double after split - This possibility is very exclusive and not all of the casinos have it. To double after split can become one more advantage for a player because then he has more choices on how to deal with his hand. This function reduces “house edge” by 0.14%.
Blackjack what is double down?
Double any 2 cards - it is one more function which can vary depending on a chosen game provider. Some providers give players a possibility to double any first two cards and some of them only if a sum of your cards is either 9;10 or 11. It is obvious that players receive an advantage when he has a total freedom of doubling his bet.
Can you split aces in blackjack?
Hit split aces - Ace is the most powerful card in Blackjack gambling because it can be used either as 1 or 11 depending on the other cards you have. Also, when a player receives Ace he has a 30% chance to collect a “blackjack” with the next card. Most of the casinos do not allow you to hit split aces more than once. The main reason for that - it would reduce casino “house edge” by 0.19% which is a high number knowing that Blackjack card game has a comparatively low “house edge”. In addition, it would increase the variation because player could receive 3 or 4 Aces in a row and after splitting them he would have the best Blackjack hand you could imagine.
It is worth mentioning that in case you receive a 10 valued card after splitting Aces it won’t count as a natural “blackjack”in most of the casinos and its payout value will be 1x instead of 1.5x.
Can you split twice in blackjack?
Can Re-split - in all of the online casinos a player is able to split his hand in case he has two identical cards (KK, QQ, 10 10; 2 2; 6 6 and etc.). But some of the casinos also give you an opportunity to re-split your hand. It means that a player can split his hand more than once. For example: if a player receives a third K in a row he can re-split and play with 3 separate hands and it is up to 4 times. If we would express it mathematically then casinos which allow players to split his hand only one time has a bigger “house edge” by 0.045%. Meanwhile, those which allow a player to re-split his hand gives a 0.01% advantage for a player.
What is blackjack surrender?
Surrender offered - to put it simply - it is an opportunity for a player to give up and to give half of his bet to a casino and to keep other half for himself. It has to be the first action made after the first two cards are dealt. After that this possibility is unavailable.
From the first look it could be seen as a stupid move just to give away your money but that is not true. There are many situations when playing online Blackjack in casino where a player has a very bad hand and his chance to win is very low. When “surrender in blackjack' is available you can take back half of your bet back which in other cases you would probably lose. In order to use a “surrender” option you need to have very good game knowledge . Unfortunately, most of the online casinos don't offer this option because it gives a very big advantage for a player.
Below you can see other options that are available when playing Blackjack but we do not recommend using them because then you would deviate from an optimal game plan and increase casino advantage over a player.
Blackjack what is insurance?
Blackjack Insurance - it is a side bet which is usually being offered when an opened dealer card is an Ace. Player can bet half of his original bet. In order to win the dealer has to collect a “blackjack”. If you are not a professional card counter then using insurance is quite a stupid move when playing Blackjack. In a long perspective a player will lose anyway. Most of the online casinos currently are using 8 decks which means that all the odds are against you when making a bet on “insurance”. In this case the casino would have a “house edge” of 7.5%.
What is blackjack perfect pairs?
Perfect Pairs side bet - it is a betting option offered by most of the online casinos. In this case your destiny is determined by luck and not by the skills or knowledge. In this bet only player cards are counted and he can win when: two identical cards are collected, two cards of the same colour and value are collected or just two cards of the same value are collected. When Perfect Pairs bet is made “house edge” can vary between 2% and 11% depending on the casino.
What is blackjack 21+3?
Casino House Edge Blackjack Online
“Blackjack 21 plus 3” side bet - it is another popular betting option offered by most of the online casinos. In this case two of your cards are being counted as well as the dealer’s closed card. Depending on the amount of decks used “house edge” differs as well. When 8 decks are used “house edge” reaches 6%.
What is blackjack bet behind?
Bet Behind - quite a new function offered by some of the providers like Evolution Gaming and etc. It is an option to bet on another player’s hand. Bet behind can be useful for new players because they are able to experience the thrill of Blackjack real money game when spending less. Icons near players show how they are playing and it helps to decide whether it is worth betting or not.
Where to play blackjack online for real money?
Online casinos are a very big industry which creates a multi-billion turnover annually. It is not a surprise that there are many game providers competing in this market. Blackjack play is that kind of a game which doesn’t have one set of rules which would apply to everyone. Because of that, your in-game Blackjack for money online experience may differ depending on a game provider. In this part we will review the main casino games (3 card brag, all types of roulette, 3 card brag, 3 card poker, punto banco, baccarat and much more) providers like “Playtech”, “Evolution Gaming”, NetEnt” and etc.
Evolution Gaming is a very successful game provider. One of the main reasons for that - well trained dealers, who maintain a good mood doesn’t matter how much people are sitting on the table. In addition, Evolution Gaming card games played at casinos are well optimized and works brilliantly in mobile devices. As for Blackjack itself, this provider uses the same rules of the game in all of the casinos. Only the colour of the table or betting limits may vary. The most important aspects of the rules you can see in the table above.
“Blackjack double down any 2 cards” we could name as one of the advantageous rules for a player offered by this provider. Option to Bet behind is also a commendable function. One of the main disadvantages of Evolution Gaming rooms is that they do not allow to double after split and their “house edge” is 0.72%. It is comparatively a not advantageous index for a player. Most other providers offer a “house edge” which is 0.6% or even less. One of the reasons for that could be Evolution Gaming popularity which allows them to make better conditions for themselves. You can play Evolution Gaming Blackjack online legal in 888casino, Unibet and some other best online casino for Blackjack.
Playtech - is one more popular name in a field of casino games providers. Playtech offers many types of Blackjack and it is known for its professional dealers who guarantee a great time. This provider offers one of the best conditions for a player. Double after split and double any 2 cards options will be offered for those who will choose to play in their rooms. In addition, “house edge” is only 0.486%.
Because Playtech offers many different types of Blackjack sometimes it can be quite confusing to choose between them. Grand Blackjack, Blackjack VIP, Lounge Blackjack, Blackjack Soho, Sorriee Blackjack, Royale Blackjack ar Transylvania Blackjack - all of them are available. It all depends on what kind of style you prefer while playing in best online Blackjack sites.
In any case you can be sure that in Playtech rooms you will get a very valuable “house edge” index and good conditions for a player. It is worth mentioning that Playtech also offers Blackjack VIP which is a type of Blackjack for high rollers. Those kinds of players can get very favorable conditions because the “house edge” in these rooms is only 0.29%. Besides that you would be able to hit more than once after splitting Aces.
One more thing that Playtech offers - “10 Card Charlie” rule. It means that if a player is able to take out 10 cards without reaching a value of more than 21 - he wins. You can try Playtech games in best Blackjack online casino - Betfair, Bet365, Ladbrokes and in several other online casinos.
NetEnt is one of the oldest game providers in the market. In the very beginning they were concentrating only on “slot” games but in 2013 they entered the world of “live dealer games” as well. As a result, NetEnt offers comparatively low range of “live” games but their quality is really top notch. Professional and well trained dealers are working in all of their best online casino Blackjack rooms to make your game experience as good as possible.
Currently, NetEnt offers several different types of Blackjack gambling online: Live Blackjack card game, Live VIP Blackjack ir Common Draw Blackjack. All of those rooms have a good “house edge” index which is 0.50%. Couple of other favorable functions are offered as well: possibility to double after split and to double any 2 cards. It is worth mentioning that NetEnt Blackjack rooms have one exclusive feature - they are using 6 decks while other providers are using 8. That is an advantage for a player because it reduces “house edge” by a little bit and increases your chances to collect a “blackjack”.
How to Reduce Casino House Edge?
Most of the players do not consider what kind of importance has a choice of a good blackjack online casino. Because Blackjack online play has more than a hundred different types its rules can also vary in different rooms. These rules can really affect what kind of advantage you will have over casinos. It is worth mentioning that those types of Blackjack online gambling which requires the most skills and knowledge from the player gives him the best chances of winning. Nowadays, most of the online casinos offer a “house edge” which is not bigger than 1% but you can reduce this number even more. For your convenience we will distinguish several main things which could help you to gain an advantage over casinos. Also, we recommend you to use a “house edge” counter (https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/calculator/):
1.
The most important things when playing Blackjack online for money are skills, discipline, knowledge and reliable strategy. Even before playing casino online Blackjack it is necessary to have a game strategy in mind and to follow it the whole game. Otherwise “house edge” becomes irrelevant and a player will lose in a long perspective. It is worth mentioning that Blackjack has two main types of strategies: “total dependent” and “composition dependent”. “Composition dependent” strategies are more complex and advantageous but because most of the online casinos are using 8 decks this advantage becomes almost unnoticeable. This advantage in the case of 6 decks would be 0.0031% and in case of 8 - 0.0019%. This means that “total dependent” strategy is good enough. In case of using it you could reduce “house edge” by 0.14%;
2.
Choosing the right Blackjack online money rooms is as important as knowing the game rules. Competitive market gives players an option to choose from many different options. If you would choose to play in Evolution Gaming rooms casino would have a 0.72% “house edge” over you when if you would with Playtech it would only be 0.486%. Even this number can make a big difference in the long run. Currently, the provider which offers the best conditions for players is NetEnt in our opinion. Even though there are not a lot of different rooms to choose from, their quality of the services is very high. If you would decide to play there you could get a favorable “house edge” index of 0.50% as well as the possibility to double any 2 cards and double more than once after splitting.
Having these options is very important because not all of the providers offer them. Do not forget to play classic Blackjack online for real money. That means Atlantic City or European Blackjack because all the other strains of the game like “Super Fun21” are made to take money away from the players;
- One more thing which could help to reduce “house edge” is card counting. Most of the online casinos are using 6 or more decks for Blackjack online game real money so card counting is a very difficult process. But assuming you are a professional card counter you could reduce “house edge” by more than 1%;
- Even though it does not seem important, your table position could make some difference to a game. We do not recommend sitting in place straight after the dealer. In this case the player has the least time to make a decision and it could result in an unmeasured decision.
Since Blackjack is a really popular game, it is available in most of the online casinos. We would recommend trying out these trustworthy casinos: 1xBet, PartyCasino, Unibet, 1xBit, Cloudbet, etc.
Before playing blackjack for real money you should spend some time learning its basic rules. Then, just find an online casino which offers Blackjack and make your bet. We would recommend to start with smaller bets and get familiar with the game first.
First of all, you should choose a table according to your bankroll size. Also, there are several other things worth paying attention to when choosing a correct table: rules package, RTP, dealer.
There are two different blackjack categories: traditional (usually found in table games section) and live dealer blackjack. Most of the time, traditional blackjack games have higher RTP (over 99.5%). But your odds to win at live dealer blackjack are really good as well (RTP over 99.3%)
Evolution Gaming, Playtech and Ezugi are among the best live dealer blackjack providers at the moment. While Play n Go is one of the best traditional blackjack providers.
It is a type of blackjack which is being played in the online casinos including live dealer blackjack as well.
Casino House Edge Blackjack Game
First of all, the casino should be trustworthy and licensed. Secondly, it should have plenty of Blackjack options. And at last, it should be available in you country. We would recommend trying out online casinos which offer either Evolution (for eg. PartyCasino) or Playtech games (Betfair).
Blackjack players are always looking for an advantage. The easiest way is to find a game that pays 3:2 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack. The 6:5 blackjack game has a much higher house edge.
The house edge is even larger when a player doesn’t play with perfectbasic strategy. Casinos allow players to use a basic strategy card at the table. Unfortunately, not many players that could use the help from a blackjack card carry one.
There’s another way to find an edge when playing blackjack that’s often overlooked. It’s actually one of the easiest ways to decrease the house edge in a blackjack game. The fewer decks in play during a blackjack game, the lower the house edge. It’s that simple.
Blackjack House Edge By Number Of Decks
Playing a blackjack game with fewer decks single-handedly lower the house edge. This isn’t the only way to lower the house edge. There are plenty of blackjack rules that can make a game more player-friendly. If all rules are the same, the house edge in a blackjack game will be lower whether the casino pays 3:2, 6:5, or even money when a player is dealt a natural blackjack.
We’ll use the same blackjack game rules to show the difference in house edge depending on the number of decks being played.
- Dealer hits on soft 17
- Player can double after splitting
- Player can double on any two cards dealt
- A player can resplit up to four (4) times
- Player cannot resplit aces
- Player cannot hit split aces
- No surrender
- Blackjack pays 3:2
Here are the different advantages for the casino using the blackjack house edge calculator from Wizard of Odds. Remember, the house edge is based on perfect basic strategy. Every misplayed hand increases the house edge for the casino.
- 1 Deck: 0.16%
- 2 Decks: 0.46%
- 4 Decks: 0.60%
- 6 Decks: 0.64%
- 8 Decks: 0.66%
As you can see the house edge for the casino increases when there are more cards in play. The same holds true for a game that pays 6:5 on a natural blackjack. Here’s the house edge for the same game with the adjusted payout for blackjack:
- 1 Deck: 1.55%
- 2 Decks: 1.83%
- 4 Decks: 1.96%
- 6 Decks: 1.99% (2% rounded up)
- 8 Decks: 2.019%
As you probably expected, the house edge is higher playing a 6:5 blackjack game. This example shows that the house edge is lower when the game has fewer decks in play.
Differences In Gameplay Depending On Deck Size
Single deck and double deck blackjack are often played differently than six and eight deck blackjack. The latter two games are the blackjack games players see most often in a casino. These games are dealt from a shoe or a continuous shuffle machine. Cards are dealt face up and the player uses hand signals to show the eye in the sky what play they want t make.
Single and double deck blackjack are considered “pitch” blackjack games. The dealer holds the cards and flings (or pitches) them face down to the players. That’s not the only difference from traditional blackjack games.
The player swipes the cards towards themselves to hit. If a player is dealt a blackjack, they flip the cards over to show the dealer. A player that wants to double or split they will flip the cards over and place the additional money next to the original wager.
When the player is ready to stay, the cards are placed under the wager. Don’t touch the money. Just slide the cards under the wager. The eye in the sky doesn’t like when you touch the money after placing a wager.
Casino House Edge Blackjack Games
Blackjack players have different preferences. While most players seem to dislike any game with a continuous shuffle machine, others seem to have a preference for a shoe or pitch game.
Personally, I prefer the pitch blackjack games. The lower house edge is an obvious positive but that’s not the only reason. While I can’t really count cards, playing a game with fewer decks makes tracking cards a little easier. Lastly, the game is slower because the dealer has to shuffle or pick up a new deck every few games.