ONLINE BLACKJACK AT BETFAIR CASINO

What makes Betfair blackjack ideal for everyone? Well, there are plenty of reasons. However, the main two are affordability and accessibility. That’s right when it comes to blackjack online, we live by the double-A principle.

Does that mean I can play free blackjack at Betfair Casino? Yes! We’ve made sure the game is affordable by offering blackjack practice games alongside our real money tables. All free blackjack demo games at Betfair Casino provide full functionality without the cost. Alternatively, to play blackjack for real money, you can bet at least 0.10.

If you prefer to practice blackjack online via your desktop, we’ve got you covered. If you prefer to play real money blackjack via your mobile, we’ve got that covered as well. What’s more, with our selection of real money and free blackjack games, you spend as much or as little as you like.

THE ADVANTAGES OF BLACKJACK ONLINE

What is online blackjack? The simple answer is that it’s blackjack played via a desktop or mobile device. However, if you’re completely new to the game, that may not mean much to you. Basically, online blackjack is also known as the 21 card game.

It’s called that because the aim is to achieve a total of 21 or as close to that number as possible. In your quest to hit that target, you’re also playing against the house. Put simply, you’re trying to get a better total than the dealer, which means getting as close to 21 as possible without going over (i.e. going bust).

HOW TO PLAY BLACKJACK?

The aim of blackjack is to hit a total that’s as close to 21 as possible (or 21 exactly). In doing this, you’re trying to achieve a better score than the dealer. There will be situations when you can beat the dealer with a score that’s not very close to 21. This is where blackjack basic strategy comes into play.

Before we get into that, here’s how a round of online blackjack plays out:

• You place a bet and receive two cards face up. Note: Six to eight decks are typically used in blackjack. Cards are worth their face value, but picture cards are worth ten and aces are worth one or 11.
• The dealer receives one card face up.
• You can hit (take another card for free) to improve your total or stick with what you’ve got.
• If you’ve been dealt a starting total of 11 or lower, you can double down. This requires you to put in a second bet equal to your first. When you double down, you’ll receive one card only.
• If you’ve been dealt a pair (two matching cards), you can put in a second bet equal to your first and split them. This divides the cards into two separate hands which are then played as normal.
• Once you’ve made your moves, the dealer will reveal their second card. The dealer must hit until they have a total of at least 17. Any time they have a total of 17 or higher, they must stand.
• If your hand exceeds 21, you go bust and lose. If you have a live hand and the dealer busts, you win. If no one busts, the hand closest to 21 wins.

All standard wins are paid out at 1:1. If your first two cards are an ace and a picture card/10, that’s classed as “blackjack” and you’ll win 3:2 on your bet.

The rules outlined above are the same whether you’re playing online blackjack or in a land-based casino. Using these playing conditions, we can start to think about certain blackjack tips and tricks that might help improve your results.  

You might have heard of card counting. It's not illegal because it uses maths and nothing else. However, it's hard to master. So, one of the best blackjack tips we can give you is to look at the dealer’s up card. If the dealer’s card is a 4, 5, or 6, it's a weak hand because their hidden card is probably a ten. 14, 15 and 16 are weak because the dealer has to draw to at least 17. Therefore, the best blackjack strategy when the dealer is weak is to stand on any total of 12 or above.

ONLINE CASINO BLACKJACK FOR BEGINNERS: STRATEGIES & TIPS

We’ve already outlined some basic blackjack tips in the previous section. However, one of the most important areas you need to master when it comes to blackjack basic strategy is bankroll management.

In simple terms, you should never bet more than you can afford. In practice, the ideal amount to sit down with 3%-5% of your total bankroll. For example, if you have 1,000 credits, you should sit down with no more than 50. Then, from there, you divide 50 credits up into small bets (ideally 100 i.e. bets of 0.50) and you play.

ADVANCED BLACKJACK: STRATEGIES & TIPS

There are plenty of advanced blackjack tips out there. However, the one blackjack professional strategy you can try is the Martingale technique. It requires you to double your bet when you lose and revert back to your original stake when you win. Like all advanced blackjack strategy, this system doesn't guarantee you a win. However, it is a way of adding structure to your sessions and, in turn, managing your money. 

TRY BETFAIR CASINO BLACKJACK

So, you think you’re ready to play blackjack online? To play the 21-card game at Betfair, all you have to do is hit our registration button or log in, if you have already joined us. However, if you want to learn a little bit more first, check out the final few sections of this guide.

BLACKJACK ODDS & RTP

When all things are considered, blackjack is almost a 50/50 game. If you played without any strategy, the house edge is around 1%. This equates to a blackjack RTP of almost 99%. If you employ some simple tips and tricks, blackjack basic strategy odds start to move in your favour. In other words, if you learn to manage your money and hit/stand when the dealer is weak/strong, you can negate the house edge and turn it into a 50/50 game.

Now, it’s important to remember that you won’t win every time you use an advanced strategy. Indeed, the way blackjack probability works is that you’re playing the odds over time. So, if you make the right moves consistently, you can, in theory, come out ahead.

In addition to the odds of winning blackjack with basic strategy, you should be aware of side bets. In certain games, you can win jackpots by placing extra bets such as perfect pairs. These are great for adding excitement. Moreover, blackjack side bets payout at a better rate than a standard blackjack payout.

21 CARD GAMES ONLINE

The 21 card game can come in a variety of styles. Here at Betfair Casino, we offer everything from the classic to the modern. To help you find the right online blackjack variant, here are some of our top options:

• Premium Blackjack. These are premium tables. They feature standard blackjack rules as well as a variety of quick-bet buttons, stats and side bets such as perfect pairs.
• All Bets Blackjack. This game features a bit of everything. This means you can make standard bets as well as a variety of side bets, including dealer’s pair, player’s pair, 21+3, top three, buster and lucky.
• Cashback Blackjack. One of our exclusive online blackjack games, Cashback Blackjack allows you to end your hand early. If you don’t like your starting cards, you can hit the cashback button and receive a cash offer to end the hand early.
• Blackjack Surrender. Blackjack Surrender allows you to give up your hand early. If your starting cards aren’t great, you can surrender and lose 50% of your stake.
• Premium Blackjack Single Hand. This is one of our premium tables where you can play one hand and one hand only. This allows you to fully focus on the action.
• Buster Blackjack. This online blackjack variant allows you to win more when the dealer busts. When you place a Buster side bet, you’ll win between 2X and 250X if the dealer bust with between three and eight+ cards. To sweeten the pot, you’ll win 800X or 2,000X on your side bet if you hit the blackjack and the dealer busts with seven or eight+ cards.

You can also try a wide range of live Blackjack games!