Learn How to Play Online Blackjack
What may have started out as a game for royalty hundreds of years ago in France has turned into one of the world’s biggest online casino games at Bovada. Almost everyone has had a chance to play blackjack, but not everyone knows the best way to win. To help all players out, we’ve created this simple guide to help you learn how to play online blackjack and maximize your chances of making money at it.
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Below we’ll cover online blackjack basics, what makes it different from playing in person, the best optimal betting strategy to use to win money, what the house edge is, and how the different online blackjack variations differ from one another.
Let’s shuffle up and deal!
Online Blackjack Basics
The basics of how to play blackjack are pretty simple once you’ve got some practice. The goal is to go as close to 21 as you can without going over, whether you’re playing single deck blackjack or another variation.
To start, you’ll be dealt two cards (like blackjack, poker online also starts with two cards). You then get to choose if you want a hit (that is, get dealt another card) or to stand (receive no more cards).
If your cards add up to 20, for example, you probably want to stand. Taking a hit and getting another card there would probably bust you (i.e. send you over 21).
If your cards add up to 11, though, you’re safe to take a hit. All face cards are worth 10, so that’s the maximum number you could receive. Even if you get one of the highest cards in the deck, you won’t go over 21. In fact, you’d reach it right on the nose, also known as a “blackjack!”
Another wrinkle in the game is the dealer. That’s who you’re playing against. The other players at a table are each playing their own game against the dealer, too. If the dealer busts and you don’t, you win. If you get a higher score than the dealer without busting, you win. If you bust, the dealer wins. And if you both get blackjack, it’s a push and your bet is returned to you.
The Perks of Blackjack Online
There are many differences between online blackjack and offline. When you play blackjack online for real money, the biggest advantage is that you can do it any time you like, in total comfort. You don’t have to take a trip to a casino. In fact, you can play on your phone in bed if you feel like it! You can also play when you’re commuting home from work to unwind. Like blackjack, poker online is the same way.
You also don’t have to deal with annoyances from other players, whether you choose single deck blackjack or another version. You choose whatever seat you want, and no one will criticize which one you pick or how you play. It’s your game and no one else’s.
Of course, if you want a little bit of the best of both worlds, you can play blackjack poker online with our live dealers. You can even pick which dealer you like best!
Online Blackjack Optimal Betting Strategy
When you play blackjack, even if it’s single deck blackjack, you need to play your best to win. This means that you need to know the optimal betting strategy in each situation, especially when to hit or stand. There are complicated charts that lay out the best play in nearly every blackjack situation (like blackjack, poker online also has a lot of charts you can study).
We’ll skip those for now and give you these basic guidelines. If your total is:
- 8 points or less: take a hit.
- 9 points (and the dealer has 3-6): consider doubling down. If the dealer has a 2 or more than 7, take a hit.
- 10 points (and the dealer has 2 to 9): double down. Does the dealer have a 10 or an ace? Take a hit.
- 11 points: double down, unless the dealer has an ace showing. Then take a hit.
- 12 points: dealer has a 2, 3, or 7 and over? Take a hit. Dealer has 4, 5, or 6? Stand. Dealer might go bust.
- 13-16 points: dealer has 7 or higher? Hit. Dealer has less? Stand.
- 17 or more points: stand.
Online Blackjack House Edge
The house edge when you play blackjack online for real money has always been a huge selling point of the game. While other casino games may be less favorable, blackjack is known for having a small house edge when you are using optimal betting strategy. You also need to know which rules the dealer is playing by to get a true calculation of the odds of winning.
For single deck blackjack, the house edge can be around 1-2%, depending on how the dealer is required to behave. In contrast, unlike blackjack, poker online has an edge that’s determined by the level of the competition you’re playing against, which can vary widely.
To learn more and figure out which game is for you, let’s check out some variations available at Bovada.
Online Blackjack Variations
- Classic Blackjack. In classic blackjack, your blackjacks pay 3:2 (you get $3 for every $2 you wager), the dealer hits soft 17, and insurance pays 2:1.
- Double Deck Blackjack. For this version, two decks of cards are used. The odds are pretty good, but not as good as…
- Single Deck Blackjack. In single deck blackjack, you get odds that are among the lowest house edges available at Bovada.
- European Blackjack. For European blackjack, the dealer won’t hit soft 17. If the dealer shows an ace, there’s also no blackjack check.
- Perfect Pairs. Here you can make a side bet on pairs hitting. Mixed pairs pay 6:1, same colors pairs pay 12:1, and perfect pairs pay 25:1.
- Zappit Blackjack. If you see bad hands like 15, 16, or 17, you can “zap” them and exchange them for new ones.
So those are the basics of blackjack and the varieties available. Now it’s time to head to the Bovada casino blackjack section. Your first two cards are waiting!
Many gamblers ask the question: “Where is the best place to play blackjack online?” This is a fair question - playing blackjack is one of the most entertaining ways to spend your gambling time. Well, this article details how to play blackjack at one of the best online casinos on the planet - Bovada. Bovada is a true industry leader in the online casino business, and their Blackjack section is no exception. They offer a ton of different variations, as well as live dealer play and excellent payout ratios. Without question, Bovada is one of the very best places to play blackjack online.
Is Blackjack at Bovada Legal
With some exceptions (depending on what state you are in) the answer to this question is yes. The way Bovada works is it is located offshore, outside of the United States, in Costa Rica. This is important to its legality. Most states in the United States have laws making gambling illegal, but those laws generally affect gambling establishments, not the person gambling. For example, it would be illegal to run a casino in some states, but it wouldn’t be illegal to bet at one. Bovada, is located offshore, is not run in those states, and it’s not illegal simply to use it. That’s the legal area in which Bovada exists.
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Live Dealer Blackjack at Bovada
Live dealer blackjack is one of the best ways to play blackjack online, and Bovada offers it in spades, no pun intended. At any given time, Bovada has a large number of live dealers ready to deal you into the blackjack world, and the rules can be different from table to table. The appeal of live dealers is that you can interact with them, you can actually see the person dealing the cards. This helps to alleviate some stress, provide further excitement to the players, and allow a more realistic feel for your online blackjack experience.
Mobile Blackjack at Bovada
Playing mobile blackjack at Bovada is very easy. One thing to note, though, is that they don’t offer an app - no downloads are necessary in order to play blackjack at Bovada. The big innovation that Bovada has brought to the table is their mobile website. Basically, when you go to their website on a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet, you will see a mobile version of their website that looks and feels like an app, so you should be able to understand it well and easily place all the bets you need to at as many tables as you’d like.
Real Money Blackjack at Bovada
Now, you might be asking if this is all done with real money. The good news is, of course it is. We all love gambling for the thrill of winning money, and you can’t win money without risking any. Bovada is a real money online casino offering real money blackjack games. You can deposit through a variety of methods, from credit cards to cryptocurrency, and you can withdraw through a very similar variety of methods. All you need is some money in your account to get started, and you can be playing real money blackjack at Bovada in only a couple minutes.
Free Practice Blackjack at Bovada
Maybe you don’t want to spend money, though? Perhaps you just want to learn how to play the game. Don’t worry, Bovada can help you out here too. Some of their tables are set up so that you can play on them for free, which means that you can get some serious experience before playing for real money. Just make sure you check to guarantee the game is free. Of course, free games have little to no prizing, but that is to be expected given their entry fee - these are just for practice.
Types of Blackjack Games at Bovada
Bovada offers a lot of different types of Blackjack. Here is a list of all the types of Blackjack offered at Bovada:
- Classic Blackjack
- Classic Double Deck Blackjack
- Classic Single Deck Blackjack
- Double Deck Blackjack
- European Blackjack
- Perfect Pairs
- Single Deck Blackjack
- Zappit
Each of these variations has different rules and different strategies that require adaptation from blackjack players. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the rules and strategies of each type of game before playing it.
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Bovada Blackjack Betting Limits
Blackjack tables at Bovada will work similarly to blackjack tables at a brick and mortar casino. Basically, they have certain types of betting limits depending on the table. These betting limits can range from five dollars to one hundred dollars, and maybe more. Make sure you find a table that suits your budget - there’s no better way to go broke than messing up your bankroll discipline and playing sloppily.
Blackjack Odds Payout % at Bovada
So, most blackjack games are among the fairest games in the casino, with payout percentages above 98% for the most part. Blackjack at Bovada is no exception. Each of the different types of blackjack you can play at Bovada has a different payout percentage, but all of them are about as far as you can get at a casino. None of the games have a payout percentage below 98%, and most of them tend to hover around the 99.5% payout percentage range, meaning that almost all of the money they take in, they also payout. Casino margins on blackjack are pretty small.
Blackjack Rules at Bovada to Note
Well, most of the blackjack rules at Bovada are the same as they are anywhere else. The real thing to keep in mind is how the rules of certain variants impact how you should be approaching each type of blackjack. For example, in Zappit, you can throw away and redeal hands of 15/16/17, and in exchange, the dealer gets a little bit of an advantage on their busts - they don’t bust at 22 anymore, it’s just treated as a push. The big thing to know here is the importance of familiarizing yourself with the rules.
Bovada Blackjack Strategy
For the most part, blackjack strategy at Bovada is going to be the same as anywhere else. The big thing you can do to give yourself an advantage is to understand what implications the rules of certain blackjack variants should have on your play. For example, in Zappit, the ability to throw away hard hands is important, and you should take that into account. The dealer gets a little bit of an advantage, so you must know how to use all the tools at your disposal to win.
Is Blackjack Rigged at Bovada
Bovada Online Casino Blackjack Slots
Not even a little bit. Blackjack is one of the fairest casino games on the planet, with payout ratios generally fairly near 100%. Casino margins on legal blackjack are very low. Bovada sometimes posts payout ratios on the games they’re playing if you want to find the best ones. You can also use a live dealer if you want some added security and are worried about this kind of thing.