Why Play Blackjack for Real Money?
There is something to be said for playing free blackjack. For one thing, it enables you to check out the different games without committing yourself. Believe it or not, Wild Jack offers more than forty blackjack games. Should you play Basic Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, or Vegas Strip Blackjack? Or maybe you should try something more exotic, like Pontoon Blackjack or Spanish Blackjack. It's a good idea to try the different blackjack games for free. That way, you can learn the different rules and strategies for each game, and see what type of blackjack you enjoy playing, without committing any real money.
On the other hand, once you have found your preferred game and played a few practice hands, nothing beats the thrill of playing online blackjack for real money. After all, when you play for real money, your decisions really mean something. The blackjack player's perennial question - should I hit or should I stand - has added significance when there is real money at stake. A decision to double down - and put twice as much money on the line - can really get the blood flowing. Real money betting is where the blackjack excitement is.
Free Online 21 Black Jack Games
"I like to play blackjack. I'm not addicted to gambling. I'm addicted to sitting in a semi-circle." - Mitch Hedberg
Rushmore Casino BlackjackLearning how to play blackjack just got a lot easier because of the proliferation of free blackjack games online. Your ability to play black jack and use appropriate basic strategy will do nothing but improve if you practice with free blackjack games online. Playing blackjack well is a skill, and like any other learned skill, the more you use that skill, the more you'll improve. This is as true of 21 as it is of any other game of skill. (By the way, any of the online casinos we mention on this site offers free versions of their blackjack game, although we've included a free no-download game right here on this page to play too.)
How to Play Blackjack
Blackjack can be played with one to eight ordinary decks of cards. Cards of rank 2 through 10 are scored according to their face value. All face cards are 10 points. Aces are semi-wild and can be worth either 1 or 11 points. The highest hand in blackjack is an ace and any 10-point card and is called a blackjack. A winning blackjack pays 3 to 2. If both player and dealer have a blackjack the bet is a push. Aside from a blackjack, a winning hand pays even money. The player wins if his hand has more points than the dealer, without going over 21. Thus, a 21-point hand is the highest and is why the game is sometimes called 21. If either the player or dealer go over 21 it is called a break or bust and a busted hand automatically loses. If both the player and the dealer bust the player loses, where lies the house advantage. If the player and the dealer tie, the bet is a push.
Play my custom-made blackjack game. A special feature is that it tells you when you make a mistake in basic strategy. Choose from various numbers of decks and rule variations.
A round of blackjack begins with each player placing a bet in the circle or logo directly in front of him. Then the dealer will give each player and himself two cards. Player cards are usually dealt face up. One dealer card is dealt face up (the up card) and the other face down (the hole card). If the dealer has a ten or an ace as the up card it is possible he has a blackjack, in which case all player hands will lose except those with another blackjack. In the U.S. the dealer will check for blackjack immediately, if one is possible, and will collect all losing bets immediately if he does have a blackjack.
In the event the dealer has an ace as the up card he will allow the players to insure their hands against a blackjack. This is much like any insurance policy in which you are betting something bad will happen. The insurance bet in blackjack pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack. If the dealer has an ace showing and a player has a blackjack the dealer may ask "even money?" This is because if the player has a blackjack the net result of both the blackjack and the insurance bet will be an even money win regardless of whether the dealer has a blackjack. After all players have had a chance to accept or decline insurance the dealer will check the hole card. After it has been established that the dealer does not have a blackjack the players in turn may play their hands. The following options are available.
Here at Strategic Blackjack we aim to help you win at online blackjack. Our philosophy is simple: use the correct basic strategy at the best blackjack casinos.
If you are new to the blackjack game then click through to our Six Steps to Winning Blackjack section.
Blackjack Strategy
Basic strategy is at the heart of winning blackjack. The player's ability to use a strategy and alter the plays made and the stakes for each hand over the dealer's set rules, make Blackjack a game where the casino's odds against the player can be altered to favour the player in some circumstances.
Find out how you can improve your edge in our blackjack strategy section and use our free strategy cards and learn more of the history and workings of basic strategy.
Blackjack Bonuses
The rules for collecting casino bonuses are always changing. Some bonuses are cashable some are not. Some casinos allow blackjack play to qualify for receiving bonuses and many don't.