Live blackjack is a variation of the well-known card game, blackjack, played over the internet featuring actual human dealers rather than computer-generated adversaries. The goal is to imitate the experience of playing at a brick-and-mortar casino while providing the comfort of participating from home or on the move.

Authentic human dealers: In live blackjack, a skilled dealer runs the game and is broadcast via a live video feed. Players can converse with the dealer and their fellow participants through chat. In contrast, traditional online blackjack involves competing against a computer program, which uses a random number generator to decide the outcome of each hand.

If you are new to the game, you can learn how to play blackjack with our guide, or you can find the best Canadian casinos that offer live dealers below.

1.  Jackpot City

Established in 1998, Jackpot City Casino has long been a popular destination for online gaming aficionados, but it's their live casino offerings that have truly cemented their status as a premier gaming platform

Stepping into the live casino lobby at Jackpot City Casino is akin to entering a world-class brick-and-mortar establishment. The sleek design and atmospheric lighting immediately create an ambience of elegance and excitement, inviting you to explore the diverse range of games on offer. With crystal-clear video streaming and seamless audio, you'll feel as though you're standing in the heart of the casino, immersed in the action.

What's more, the operator is amongst the longest-serving Canadian online casinos, with over 20 years of operation. Hence, you'll receive top-of-the-line customer support, fast payouts, and award winning software. Thus, it's the perfect platform for all gamblers.

You can read our Jackpot City Casino Review or visit Jackpot City for more information.

2.  Yukon Gold

Yukon Gold Casino has always been a top choice for avid online casino enthusiasts, but their live casino games truly take the gaming experience to another level. They offer a impressive array of live casino games, particularly live blackjack, which is sure to leave you with an adrenaline-pumping, immersive experience.

With a diverse array of live blackjack games, including Classic Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack, and Free Bet Blackjack, Jackpot City Casino caters to players of all preferences and skill levels. The highly-trained, amicable live dealers not only keep the games running smoothly, but also create an engaging and interactive atmosphere, heightening the sense of immersion.

Android and iOS apps are available for mobile users.

Read our Yukon Gold Review or visit Yukon Gold.

3.  Zodiac Casino

Zodiac Casino gets its games from Microgaming and Evolution Gaming — both massive and well-known companies in game development. Thanks to these partnerships, it can offer around 500 casino games, such as slots, video poker, arcade-style games, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and more. If you wish to play live blackjack you can choose from multiple dealers. Depositing money is very simple, and you can do it via Interac, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, bank transfer, or Paysafe Card. And, as is the case with most reputable casinos, customer support is pretty reliable, and available via live chat and email.

Zodiac Casino is an established casino, launched in 2002. It has a reputation as a reliable and trustworthy platform, holding multiple licenses — Malta Gaming Authority and another by the UK Gambling Commission, iGO (to operate legally in Ontario), plus the eCOGRA certificate on top of that. It is also perfect for first-time gamblers as it offers a minimum deposit of only $1. However, this is only for the very first deposit you make, and all following ones will have a minimum of $10.

The casino features both American and European Roulette as well as live versions of these games

Read our Zodiac Casino Review or visit Zodiac Casino.

4.  BetVictor

Founded in 1946, BetVictor was originally a bookmaker for horse racing in London’s East End.  Since these humble beginnings it has become a global company that provides everything from sports betting to all types of casino games. BetVictor is available throughout the world.

If you are looking for a casino that offers live casino games such as blackjack, attached to a sportsbook than this is the best option. They offer betting on games from top leagues such as NHL, MLB, NBA, NFL, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, and much more. The sportsbook also has some huge perks such as parlays, bet builder, boosts, and specials. The boosts and specials are especially intriguing as there are boosted odds on some highly exciting bets, and the specials can include player specials, manager specials, transfer specials, and team specials.

For mobile users they offer both Android & iOS app.

To learn more read our BetVictor Review or visit BetVictor.

5.  Spin Casino

Spin Casino gives the ultimate Las Vegas online blackjack experience. The operator provides the finest live tables in the market and distinct varieties of blackjack games.

The user interface is both intuitive and visually appealing, allowing you to effortlessly place bets, track the game's progress, and even adjust camera angles to your liking. The live chat feature not only facilitates communication with the dealer, but also fosters a sense of community among players, replicating the social aspect of a real-life casino experience.

The site is powered by Microgaming and Evolution software, Owned by Baytree Ltd and licensed by Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which frequently checks for equality and safety. Be assured that your private information is well secured.

Read our Spin Casino Review or visit Spin Casino for more details.

6. Royal Vegas Casino

Royal Vegas's live casino, especially their live blackjack, is a must-try for any gaming enthusiast seeking an authentic and immersive casino experience. The combination of high-quality video streaming, professional live dealers, and a diverse selection of games creates a gaming atmosphere that is hard to beat. With the added benefit of top-notch security, customer service, and an easy-to-use platform, this is a perfect destination for your next live casino adventure.

The casino has its own app that is available for free for Android and iOS devices alike. The app is usually preferred over the browser version by most users, as it is easier to access, and it was made specifically to be used on smartphones and tablets.

Overall, Royal Vegas Casino is one of the best available platforms for Canadian online gamblers.

Android and iOS apps are available for mobile users.

Read our Royal Vegas Casino Review or visit Royal Vegas Casino.

7. Ruby Fortune

Ruby Fortune has a stunning game selection thanks to its partnership with two of the largest and most popular software providers — Microgaming and Evolution Gaming. Both companies are well-known in the online gambling industry as some of the best game developers for casinos.

Microgaming is responsible for bringing us games such as Mega Moolah, Jurassic World, Thunderstruck, and Game of Thrones. Evolution Gaming, on the other hand, offers a number of different gaming categories, including roulette, poker, blackjack, craps, baccarat, and more, each with different variants.

Furthermore, Ruby Fortune also has its own dedicated app that is available for both Android and iOS, which has been around for years now.

Read our Ruby Fortune Review or visit Ruby Fortune.

8. Grand Mondial Casino

One of the most popular brands in Europe and the UK, Grand Mondial Casino is also a great choice for Canadians who wish to access top-notch casino service. The platform was established more than 15 years ago, back in 2006. It features over 550 casino games supplied by multiple developers, and players know that it is trustworthy thanks to the fact that it holds various different gambling licenses from the UK Gambling Commission, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, and the AGCO to operate in Ontario. Plus, of course, the eCOGRA certificate on top of that.

Grand Mondial is also an excellent platform in terms of available payment methods, featuring 30 different options, such as Visa, Mastercard, bank transfers PayPal, EcoPayz, Skrill, Trustly, Moneta, eWire, GiroPay, EPS, and more. Customer support is available via email, live chat, or phone calls, and you can access it from a PC or mobile, thanks to the fact that its website is mobile-optimized and it has a dedicated app.

Read our Grand Mondial Casino Review or visit Grand Mondial Casino.

9. Golden Tiger Casino

When it comes to Golden Tiger, specifically, the platform offers over 950 games, many of which were provided by Evolution — easily one of the biggest and most sought-after live dealer game providers in the industry.

Naturally, the slots are the most numerous on the platform, but far from being the only thing on offer. There are tons of table games, such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, and others. You can play video poker, bingo, scratch cards, keno, as well as numerous variants of each table game.

Golden Tiger Casino has made an excellent selection of what games to offer, and this is one of the reasons why it managed to stick around for over two decades.

Read our Golden Tiger Casino Review or visit Golden Tiger Casino.

10. Captain Cook’s Casino

Finally, the last on our list is one of the oldest and most popular casinos around, which has operated since 1999. The casino was licensed by AGCO which means it can legally accept players from Ontario.

There are more than 550 games available, as well as a reputation for on-time payments, as well as responsive customer service. These are only a few of the unique things that allowed Captain Cook’s Casino to thrive for nearly 2 and a half decades in a highly-competitive online casino sector.

Read our Captain Cooks Casino review, or visit Captain Cook’s Casino.

Conclusion

In contrast to the solitary nature of regular online blackjack, live dealer blackjack enables players to communicate with dealers and fellow participants, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Moreover, the real-time gameplay in live dealer blackjack adds an element of excitement and urgency, keeping players on their toes and ensuring a thrilling session. With its immersive qualities, live dealer blackjack is the ideal choice for those seeking a genuine casino experience from the comfort of their own homes.

The post 10 “Best” Live Dealer Blackjack Casinos in Canada (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

Live blackjack is a variation of the well-known card game, blackjack, played over the internet featuring actual human dealers rather than computer-generated adversaries. The goal is to imitate the experience of playing at a brick-and-mortar casino while providing the comfort of participating from home or on the move.

Authentic human dealers: In live blackjack, a skilled dealer runs the game and is broadcast via a live video feed. Players can converse with the dealer and their fellow participants through chat. In contrast, traditional online blackjack involves competing against a computer program, which uses a random number generator to decide the outcome of each hand.

If you are new to the game, you can learn how to play blackjack with our guide, or you can find the best casinos that offer live dealers below.

1.  21.co.uk

21.co.uk features several live blackjack tables with varying betting limits, catering to players of different skill levels and bankrolls. The platform hosts popular live blackjack variants, ensuring that enthusiasts have multiple choices to keep their gaming sessions engaging.

The live blackjack experience at 21.co.uk is enhanced by HD video streaming, providing clear visuals and smooth gameplay. The camera angles are adjustable, allowing players to personalize their experience and enjoy the live-action to the fullest.

The casino is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 39198. The casino features 24/7 customer support and fast payouts of winnings.

Read our 21.co.uk Review or visit 21.co.uk.

2.  Villento Casino

Villento Casino is an online gambling platform offering a wide range of gaming options, including live baccarat, roulette and of course blackjack. The site has gained a strong reputation for providing an immersive and user-friendly gaming experience.

The Casino features an array of live blackjack tables suitable for players with different skill levels and budgets. The platform offers various live blackjack versions, ensuring that enthusiasts have numerous options to keep their gaming sessions engaging and exciting.

Villento Casino is an excellent choice for live blackjack fans, delivering a smooth and engaging gaming experience. With a diverse selection of tables, professional dealers, and robust security measures, players can enjoy their favorite card game with confidence and enthusiasm.

Read our Villento Casino Review, or visit  Villento Casino.

3.  Casino Action

Next, we have Casino Action, which has been active for about 2 decades, after being founded in 2000. This is by far the oldest casino on our list, and the fact that it is still around after all these years means that it definitely did something right.

The casino employs knowledgeable and amiable dealers who expertly manage the games while fostering a congenial atmosphere. Their professionalism contributes to an authentic casino experience, making players feel as though they were at a land-based venue.

The platform is also optimized for mobile devices, allowing users to enjoy live blackjack on the go without sacrificing the quality of the experience.

Read our Casino Action Review or visit Casino Action.

4.  Grand Hotel Casino

Grand Hotel Casino is also one of the oldest platforms that UK players can access and play blackjack online on. It has been around since 2001, and it got eCOGRA certification, as well as a gaming license from the UK Gambling Commission. Over the last 21 years, the platform developed a reputation as a safe place with plenty of games on offer.

The site's design is intuitive and straightforward to navigate, allowing players to easily locate their preferred table games. The platform is also optimized for mobile devices, ensuring users can enjoy live blackjack on the go without compromising the quality of the experience.

The casino offer timely and helpful customer support through various channels, including live chat and email. Support is offered promptly, ensuring that players can address any issues they might face.

Read our Grand Hotel Review or visit Grand Hotel Casino.

5.  UK Casino Club

UK Casino Club is a distinguished online gambling platform that presents an extensive array of gaming choices, with live blackjack being one of its highlights. The site has earned accolades for its captivating and user-centric gaming experience. In this review, we'll explore the world of live blackjack at UK Casino Club.

UK Casino Club features an eclectic game selection, they clearly take pride in offering an impressive range of live blackjack tables, designed to accommodate players with diverse skills and bankrolls. The platform continually updates its live blackjack portfolio, presenting an array of variations that keep even the most discerning enthusiasts engaged and entertained.

Read our UK Casino Club review or visit UK Casino Club.

6.  Blackjack Ballroom

Blackjack Ballroom is an online casino established in 1999, and ever since, it has operated as a fully licensed and regulated online gambling platform. It holds multiple licenses, including the ones issued by the Malta Gaming Authority and, of course, the license of the UK Gaming Commission.

As the name implies they offer multiple variants of blackjack, including live dealer games. They offer a wide selection of casino games including baccarat, roulette, craps, video poker, progressive jackpots, and and much more.

Our final verdict is that this is definitely a great platform, well worth of your time. It has an excellent game selection, plenty of deposit and withdrawal methods, and it offers mobile support, which makes it very available and user-friendly. Minimum deposits and withdrawals are low, and customer service is available at any time of day and night via multiple methods.

Read our Blackjack Ballroom Review or visit Blackjack Ballroom.

7.   Casino Classic

Moving on, we have Casino Classic, and this name describes it quite well, since it is another 22-year-old platform that is also among the oldest Microgaming software users. With over two decades of experience and operation, the platform has seen everything, experienced everything, and it knows how to ensure that its players will have a good time.

Casino Classic offers multiple payment methods popular in the UK, as well as over 500 different games that you can play. Blackjack is, of course, ranking high on that list. The platform is fully licensed by UKGC, and it passed eCOGRA’s audit, so you can be sure that it is perfectly legitimate and safe to use. Its minimum deposit is also 10 GBP, which makes it available for a large number of players.

Read our Casino Classic Review or visit  Casino Classic.

8.  Zodiac Casino

Nearing the end of our list, we have Zodiac Casino. Zodiac is the youngest one on this list, as it was only established in 2018. Despite its young age in comparison to the others, however, the platform advanced quickly, and it became a part of the Casino Rewards network, which allowed it to connect to some of the biggest names in this industry.

Zodiac also uses a combination of two major software providers – Microgaming and Evolution. It was also regulated by the UK authorities as well as Malta Gaming Authority, and it holds eCOGRA accreditation. However, the most interesting part about it is the fact that it lets its first-time users deposit a minimum of only 1 GBP. This only works the first time, however, and after that initial deposit, the minimum will be 10 GBP, like on other platforms on this list. But, this extremely low first deposit means that you can start playing blackjack with a single pound in your wallet. This is what attracted countless users to try out this casino’s service, and after that, they simply decided to stick around and enjoy the platform’s features.

Read our Zodiac Casino Review or visit Zodiac Casino.

9. Golden Tiger Casino

When it comes to Golden Tiger, specifically, the platform offers over 950 games, many of which were provided by Microgaming — easily one of the biggest and most sought-after game providers in the industry.

Naturally, the slots are the most numerous on the platform, but far from being the only thing on offer. There are tons of table games, such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, and others. You can play video poker, bingo, scratch cards, keno, as well as numerous variants of each table game.

Then, there are live games, where the players are welcomed by a real dealer who will serve their remote game. In other words, Golden Tiger Casino has made an excellent selection of what games to offer, and this is one of the reasons why it managed to stick around for over two decades.

Read our Golden Tiger Casino Review or visit Golden Tiger Casino.

10.  Yukon Gold Casino

Finally, our last recommendation is Yukon Gold Casino. This is another platform that scored a high amount of popularity among UK players, and it has been around for nearly two decades. The casino went live in 2004, and it made quite a name for itself in years that followed by offering fair, safe, and fun service. Of course, its enticing welcome bonus and a rewarding loyalty program also helped.

The platform was licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and eCOGRA, and like the others, it uses Microgaming’s technology to offer hundreds of games, including slots, live games like blackjack, and more. There is something for everyone here, and since it has support for mobile devices, you can play it at any time, as long as you have internet connection.

Read our Yukon Gold Casino Review or visit Yukon Gold Casino.

Verdict

In contrast to the solitary nature of regular online blackjack, live dealer blackjack enables players to communicate with dealers and fellow participants, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Moreover, the real-time gameplay in live dealer blackjack adds an element of excitement and urgency, keeping players on their toes and ensuring a thrilling session. With its immersive qualities, live dealer blackjack is the ideal choice for those seeking a genuine casino experience from the comfort of their own homes.

The post 10 “Best” Live Dealer Blackjack Games in the UK (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

Everyone has seen examples of card counting in the movies when a group of nerdy academics tries to take on a casino in order to rob it by working together and using the card counting strategy to do it. However, what you might not know is that card counting in blackjack in actually — not illegal at all. In fact, it is not even against the casino rules. It is a perfectly valid strategy that is commonly used by gamblers around the world.

In fact, it is quite simple to learn how to do it, although it does take a fair amount of time and effort to master it.

How does counting cards work?

In its essence, card counting can be broken down into four basic steps.

The first step is to assign a value to each card. After that comes the second step, which is to keep an eye on the cards that are being dealt and add their value in order to keep a so-called “running count.”

The third step in the process is to actually use the information you have gathered up to this point, in order to calculate the count per deck. This is known as the True Count. Finally, the fourth and last step is to use all of this information to adjust your bets as the true count continues to rise.

As mentioned, it will take a bit of practice to do this, but if you are determined and focused enough, you could eventually become a master at card counting and end up winning major amounts of money. Professionals claim that they have won millions relying on this craft after spending years perfecting it, so it is more than possible.

It is also worth noting that a lot of people believe that card counting relies on your ability to memorize the value of the cards, deck, and alike, which is why they find it intimidating. However, this is a false assumption, which is good news, as you don’t have to train your memory in order to do it. The art of card counting has nothing to do with trying to remember how many specific cards were dealt.

When it comes to blackjack, it is favorable to the player if there are more 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces remaining in the shoe, and that is pretty much the only thing that you need to remember. In other words, card counting is all about keeping track of the ratio between low and high cards rather than remembering how many specific cards were dealt out of the shoe.

If all of this seems a bit too vague and unclear still, don’t worry — we are going to break down each of the previously mentioned four steps and show you exactly what you need to do in order to use card counting to your advantage.

Card counting: A Step-By-Step guide

Step 1: Assign value to the cards

The first step in becoming successful at card counting is to assign values to the cards. There are different strategies that people use here, but the most common way to do it is to assign the value of +1 to any card from 2 to 6. Next, cards from 7 to 9 should be assigned the value of 0.

Finally, cards from 10 to Ace have a value of -1. So, as the cards are being dealt, you will either add 1, subtract 1, or do nothing, depending on which card gets dealt. That is all there is to know for this first step, which leads us to the second one, which is:

Step 2: The Running Count

Once you know the value of the cards, it’s time to start counting. You will have to keep a running count by subtracting or adding every card that you see in each shoe. This is fairly easy, and all you need to do is update the count as new information reveals itself.

You will continue to do this for each shoe, card after card, round after round, until the cards get shuffled again. Obviously, this has changed over time, and the method evolved alongside the game of blackjack itself. In the past, blackjack was played with a single deck, and the situation was simpler, as this information was enough to start placing bets with a certain amount of confidence. When you notice that the running count is going up, you start getting the advantage in the game. But, if the running count gets into the negative, you will know that the casino has the advantage.

These days, however, you need to keep True Count in mind, as well, which is the third step of modern-day card counting.

Step 3: Calculate the True Count (Count per deck)

While card counting is not illegal, the casinos quickly recognize that playing blackjack with a single deck allows the players to gain an advantage and win money, and if there is something that casinos do not like, that’s losing money. So, they changed the game and introduced multiple decks, believing that this would be enough to thwart card counters.

Fortunately, there is a way around it, and you simply need to translate the information that you are gathering into the so-called True Count or count per deck. While this might sound difficult, it really isn’t, and all you need is to remember a simple equation.

With multiple decks in the game, having a certain running count (let’s say +5) is completely different from having the same running count for one deck. If there are multiple decks, in this scenario, there is less than 1 additional high card per deck remaining. In other words, you, as a player, still do not have the advantage.

Of course, card counters do not only care about a high card count but also the concentration of high cards vs the concentration of low cards. On the other hand, if you were playing with a single deck and had a running count of 5, that would mean that there are 5 more 10s and Aces in the remaining cards that make up the deck. This allows the player to have an edge.

So, how do you calculate the true count? Simple. All you need to do is divide the running count with the number of the remaining decks. If the running count is 10, with 5 decks remaining, the True Count is 2. If the running count is -7 and there are only 2 decks remaining, the true count is -3.

Combining card counting with a basic strategy can bring a significant advantage to the player, which allows them to make money. However, there is one remaining step, and that is:

Step 4: Change your bets to accommodate rise and fall of True Count

The final step in the card counting process is to keep a running count and true count and adjust your behavior during the game accordingly. If you know when the house lost the edge in your favor, you will know when to change your bet and your entire approach to the game.

Not changing your playstyle while counting cards would mean that you are just playing a very mentally exhausting game of blackjack, so it is imperative to try and capitalize on the information that you have been collecting throughout the game.

That means raising your bet when you notice that the true count is rising and betting really big when the cards are in your favor or really small when the count is neutral or negative. Other than that, all that remains is the bankroll management and a good betting strategy. This can be challenging and quite complicated, especially since one wrong step can cause a lot of damage to your bankroll if you don’t know how to bet properly and in accordance with the situation.

The post How to Count Cards in Blackjack & Increase Your Odds of Winning appeared first on Gaming.net.

Blackjack is easily one of the most popular card games around the world. It is fairly simple to learn, it doesn’t require extreme concentration to play it, and it can help you win decent amounts of money, depending on the circumstances of the game. These days, you can play it at pretty much any online or land-based casino, so it is also very easy to access.

However, despite it not being as complex as poker, for example, it still requires you to strategize to an extent. This means being aware of the strategies themselves, but also of certain mechanics that the game features. These mechanics might be extremely useful in the right situation, and together with your strategy, they can be enough to help you lower the house edge and win the game.

Now, when it comes to strategies, most of them revolve around whether you have a soft hand or a hard hand. But, if you are brand new to the world of blackjack, you might not know what does that mean. This is why today, we decided to address this issue and hopefully make strategizing easier for all new gamblers who are in the process of educating themselves about this game.

Hard and soft hands in blackjack

The first thing to understand is that the concept of hard and soft hands, or hard and soft totals, as they are also known, is a crucial piece of information for developing strategies and making decisions during the game. The reason for that is that hard and soft cards offer different odds, and so your victory against the dealer, and therefore the house, depend on understanding what hand you have as a player.

The words hard and soft themselves are commonly used in blackjack, and they refer to two different kinds of hands that the player can be dealt. In other words, it all depends on what cards you received in the initial phases of the game. From that point, you devise a strategy, and the strategies are completely different, depending entirely on the hand you have been dealt.

There is one single card that makes the difference between the two hands, and that is the Ace. So, as you probably know, at the start of each blackjack game, you are dealt two cards. If one of these cards is an ace, then your hand is considered soft. The reason for it is the fact that the Ace can be treated as both 1 and 11, depending on the other cards that you are holding.

A soft hand is generally considered to be better, as it implies greater liquidity, and it offers a better choice for the player. To make this easier to understand, let’s use an example. Let’s say that you receive a soft hand, meaning that you got an Ace as your first card and 8 as your second card. With Ace in hand, your hand can be treated as either 9 or 19.

Alternatively, if you are dealt a hand where there is no Ace, then the hand is considered hard. That means that the hand is more rigid, and you do not have the choice of treating your total as two different totals. For example, if you have two 5 cards, the total can only be 10. Alternatively, if you hold a Queen and 10, the total can only be 20, and so on.

Strategies

As mentioned, soft and hard hands rely on completely different strategies, even if you were to have the same total in both cases. The fact that one of them is more flexible, thanks to the Ace, makes a huge difference in how you are going to proceed and what additional mechanics of the game you might use.

Let’s take a look at the strategies involving both hands in detail, which will make it easier to understand what exactly we are talking about.

1) Soft hand strategy

Let’s start with the soft hand strategy, as this is typically a type of hand that most players hope to get when they play blackjack. In order to be able to use the soft hand blackjack strategy, you first need to understand the basic strategy and then modify it to fit the soft hand.

Once you do, the soft hand can actually provide you with an opportunity to win a small fortune, provided that you are lucky and that you play your cards right. So, how would that work?

Let’s imagine a scenario in which the dealer has an up card that is 4, 5, or 6. If this is the case, if the player has a soft hand, they can double down in order to maximize their winnings. In this scenario, doubling down does not pose a threat of busting, and because of that, doubling down is a strategy that professional gamblers always tend to implement.

Blackjack’s house edge is already pretty low, and with the right strategy involving a soft hand, you can take it down even further. However, to balance things out, a rule was added to the game that allows dealers to hit a soft 17. When this happens, the house gets an opportunity to improve the hand against the soft hand of the player, which is less risky than a hard hand.

2) Hard hand strategy

Now, let’s take a look at what the situation is like when you get a hard hand. Essentially, a hard hand means that you need to think your strategy through even more and devise a rather solid approach. Once again, your success will depend on your knowledge of the basic strategy and, since this IS gambling, on luck as well.

So, what do you do when you get a hard hand? The best way to deal with the situation is to avoid stepping away from the basic strategy itself. In other words, the basic strategy pretty much is your hard-hand strategy. Start by assuming that the dealer has a ten in the hole, meaning that if the up card ends up being a 10, the safest approach is to assume that he has a total of 20.

This way of calculating the theoretical total is crucial for winning a game of blackjack when you have a hard hand.

But, what if the dealer is holding a lower card, such as 6, or 5, or even lower than that? Well, in that case, your safest course of action is to stand and hope for the best. There is one thing to remember here, however, and that is the fact that you should not hesitate to hit a total of 14 or 15. Given that this is a hard 14/15, or even 16, is beneficial, especially if the dealer revealed their up card to be a 10. Basically, your only options are to hit 14, 15, or 16 or to surrender. However, there might be situations where surrendering is not an option. As a result, you are better off hitting 14 and alike.

When should you double down?

Earlier, we mentioned the option to double down in order to increase your winnings in blackjack, and this possibility is still there in pretty much all blackjack games. Essentially, it allows you to double your entire bet after being handed your first two cards, but it also means that you will receive a third card, and its value will be added to the total of the original 2 cards that you are holding.

Obviously, that makes it a fairly risky move, as you never know which card you might get or how it can impact your total score. This is why it should only be used when you hold a hard 9 or 10 while the dealer has a low-up card. If you happen to get a reasonably high card as your 3rd card, you will be in a better position against the dealer.

Alternatively, you can also opt to double down when you have a soft hand, provided that the hand has a total of 16, 17, or 18. If this is the case, and the dealer also has a low card, then you are in a good position to risk doubling down, as an additional card can significantly improve your odds of winning.

Conclusion

At this point, you should know what soft and hard hands are, how you can identify which one you have, and how they can impact your game of blackjack. Regardless of which one you have, you will be required to understand basic strategy in order to truly use the cards that you got to your advantage and win, but generally speaking, a soft hand is pretty much always a better option, as it is more flexible and it gives you more room to work.

The post Soft vs Hard Blackjack: Why it Matters (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

Blackjack is among the most popular games in the gambling industry, which includes land-based and online casinos alike. It is fairly simple to learn its rules, but you, as the player, have the ability to make decisions and react to the game as it develops, which makes it more complex and interactive than simple games like slots.

You can even influence the amount that you will walk away with by using different mechanics that the game offers. For example, you could surrender if the game is not going your way, and in doing so, walk away with half of your initial bet. Alternatively, if things are going your way, you can choose a different option, which is to double down. The latter is the option that we wish to explore today and see what it is all about, how you can use it, when to use it and when to avoid it, and how it may affect your winnings in blackjack.

What is double down in blackjack?

The first thing to note is that double down is a very popular but completely optional decision. Some people consider it to be a side bet, although this is incorrect, as it is a fully valid, regular decision that is offered to blackjack players in most blackjack variants. It can be quite advantageous, depending on how you use it, as it is the process of adding another secondary bet to the game for receiving a single card.

You, as a player, can make this additional bet and get one extra card when you decide that you are in an advantageous position. In other words, if you have strong chances of making it close to 21 or hitting exactly 21, that is the perfect time to double down. Players typically decide to do this when the dealer’s up card is weak, and they feel like they can afford to take the risk of doubling down.

But, when you double down, you do not only get an extra card but also increase your initial bet by up to 100%. However, in doing so, you agree to stand after receiving the extra card. In other words, it is an all-or-nothing option.

The way it works is that your bet is placed in the betting box next to your original bet. Keep in mind that, in some variations, you are not allowed to increase your bet by any amount other than 100%, meaning that you literally have to double it in order to proceed. However, this is not always the case, and the best way to find out what is allowed is to simply ask the dealer.

What are the rules?

When it comes to doubling down, the rules are pretty simple. First, let us note that doubling down is the same across most variations and casinos, with a handful of exceptions. But, in the majority of cases, the player can double down after receiving their first two cards. If they decide that the situation is favorable, all they need to do is place their bet next to their original bet.

In exchange, they will get an additional card. The cost of doubling down is the size of the opening bet, and so if you have wagered 1 chip, you will need to pay another chip to double down.

We should also mention a rule called the discard after double, which implies that there can be situations when you will want to give up the hand after doubling down. If this option is allowed, then you can get back some of your original bet. However, most blackjack players rarely choose this option, but if you find yourself in a situation where you might want to do it, it is worth knowing that the option may exist. Again, to know for sure, ask your dealer.

How to double down?

The next thing to discuss is how doubling down actually works, or, in other words, how you can do it. As mentioned before, it is typically done after you assess that you are in a favorable situation. If this happens, here is what you do:

• You get your first two cards
• You decide that there is room to place an extra bet
• You signal the dealer and place the amount the same as your original bet next to your original bet
• You receive one extra card and either get blackjack, lose the bet, or, if allowed, discard after double.

When to double down and when not to?

Another thing to know is when to double down, as you need to have a sound strategy for each game of blackjack, and also figure out how to implement doubling down into that strategy. Essentially, it is a good time to double down in the following situations:

• When you hold two cards with a total of 11, as getting an extra card would either bring you to 21 or very close to it
• When you hold a soft 16, 17, or 18, as this means that you already have a card and an ace. However, this is a good time to double down only if the dealer’s card is weak.
• When you hold a hard 9 or 10, meaning that you do not hold an ace. Doubling down in this situation is favorable only when the dealer has a low-up card.

However, just as it is important to know when to double down, it is also important (indeed, even more so) to know when not to do it. It is NOT recommended to double down in the following scenarios:

• When the dealer’s up card is an ace, as in this situation, the chance of the dealer getting a blackjack is already high.
• When you have a card total that goes beyond 11, as the chance of going bust is pretty high at this point, and proceeding with doubling down is a risk that likely will not pay off.

Of course, it is also worth remembering that this is, in fact, gambling. That means that luck is still a crucial element, as you may be in a perfect position to double down and things still might not go your way. Alternatively, you may also double down in a situation where it is strongly recommended not to do it, and somehow end up winning.

Doubling down after split

Another thing that players should be aware of is Double Down After Split or DDAS. This is a move that is allowed in most variations of the game, whether in land-based casinos or on online gambling platforms. This is a blackjack strategy that means that when you are dealt a pair, you can split it. When dealt to the split cards, the doubling situation becomes significantly stronger.

In other words, while doubling down after a split, you can place an additional wager — still needs to be equal to the original — and double the stakes on only half of the split. To make this even simpler, let’s say that you are dealt a pair of 7s. Meanwhile, the house has a 4. In this situation, you can split the two 7s that you have and hope that you will receive a 4 to the first 7, which would bring you to a total of 11.

This approach provides you with a fair chance to find yourself in a more desirable and advantageous situation. When used correctly, the strategy can bring you an advantage of as much as 13%, so definitely keep it in mind in case you get a pair.

Doubling down and card counting

Finally, the last situation to discuss is card counting. Contrary to popular opinion, card counting is, in fact, not illegal. As such, it is a fair game for players to use as part of their strategy and try to understand the cards and deduce which ones are left in the deck and therefore — which one might come next.

Card counting can help you figure out whether the deck has high-value cards or low cards, which can help you set up a strategy, and indeed, it can be crucial for winning the game. Obviously, that means that card counting can also be extremely useful for deciding when and if you should double down.

For example, let’s say that your original two cards brought you a total of 11. In this situation, most players will double down, hoping to receive a 10 card or at least come as close to 21 as possible.

However, this will not happen if the deck is weak and all the high-value cards are already out. The most reliable way to know whether high-value cards are in there is none other but card counting, so feel free to use it as part of your strategy.

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Blackjack has always been a game that a lot of people preferred over poker or slots, as the former is often too complex and challenging, while the latter can be too simple and not very exciting. Blackjack finds itself somewhere in the middle, where the player gets to make decisions and take a more active role. At the same time, it is a game of luck and strategy, but it doesn’t require as much concentration, the ability to bluff, and alike, as is the case with poker, where you are playing against other people.

Even so, blackjack does have a number of rules, strategies, and even mechanics of the game that you should know in order to create the best strategy and give yourself the best chance of winning. Today, we are interested in the mechanic called surrender, which can dramatically cut the house advantage over you, provided that you are skilled enough to use it at the right moment.

These days, surrender is not as popular as it used to be, but it can still be found in some physical casinos, as well as in most online casino platforms and electronic table games.

What is Surrender?

While surrender might just mean that you are giving up and walking away from the game, that is not quite what it does. Simply put, it is an optional rule that tends to appear in blackjack games, and its purpose is to allow the player to give up half of their bet after seeing their first two cards and the dealer up card.

At this point, experienced players already know whether there is a chance of winning some amount or not, and if they assess that their chances are slim, it is better to surrender and get half of your initial bet back than to lose the entire amount if you proceed. Typically, most players would aim to have at least a 50% chance or more to win against the dealer. If they decide their chance of success is below 50%, then surrender is a worthy option to consider.

There are two types of surrender, the first of which is known as early surrender and the second one as late surrender. Let’s take a look at both of these rules, although it should be noted right away that the early surrender is very hard to find in its original form these days. Most casinos that offer it have a modified version of it, so be ready for that, as well.

Early surrender: What is it and how does it work?

This type of surrender allows the player to give up half of their bet before the dealer checks the hole card for blackjack. As such, it has a massive effect on the house advantage, as players get to give up on a bad hand when facing a dealer’s up card, especially if it is a strong one.

The rule was invented in the late 70s after casino games became legal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where it supposedly originated. It came to be as a byproduct of decisions that the Casino Control Commission made that many found questionable. In hopes of luring players, early casino operators invented a rule that would allow the players a way out while preventing the dealer to peek at their hole card.

The rule also made a .6 percent blow to the house edge, as even basic strategy players suddenly got an important advantage. In fact, the rule had quite disastrous consequences for casino operators. As a result, the early surrender rule, in its original form, is next to impossible to find in land-based casinos today.

However, if you run into this rule in online casinos, it is best to carefully check all the house rules and see whether it was tweaked and how much. The most likely result is that you will find a change that is not as fatal for the house edge as it was in the 70s. Once you check the rules, if they seem reasonable to you, you will likely want to surrender when a dealer has a 10 up, while you hold 14, 15, or 16. Alternatively, if the dealer has an ace, you should consider surrender in case of you holding a hard 5, 6, or 7, or if you have 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17. If, on the other hand, the dealer has soft 17, it is best to surrender if you hold hard 4.

Late Surrender: What is it and how does it work?

Alternatively, we have late surrenders, which differs from early surrender in the fact that you can only give up and take half of your bet after the dealer checks his hand for blackjack. This version makes the surrender option less effective, putting it somewhere between .05% to .1% percent. While it doesn’t sound like much, it is still significant, given that it reduces the house edge from .42% to .35%. This represents a 20% drop overall, provided that you use it effectively.

In other words, while nearly as impactful as early surrender, late surrender can still be a valuable tool that should be considered during a game of blackjack. If you play at online casinos, it should be a fairly easy option to come by, However, in physical casinos, it is rarely displayed, as the house prefers not to announce it, even if the option is available.

With that said, you can always ask the dealer if the surrender option is available and if it is — whether it is late or early. In most cases, it will be the late one, but you never know — you might just run into a casino that decided to allow early surrender.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all casinos use the same hand signal for surrender. The universal signal is drawing a horizontal line behind your bet using your index finger and announcing the surrender verbally as you do so. This should work for any blackjack game dealt out of a shoe. But, if you are at a casino with handheld games, the procedure for calling a surrender might be different. Again, it is best to ask the dealer what to do.

As for when to use it, generally, you should surrender when your chance at winning is under 50%. So, if a dealer has 9 up, you should surrender if you hold a 16. If the dealer gets a 10, surrender whenever you get a 16. Also, consider surrendering all 15s unless if you are playing a single deck game. In case the dealer has an ace, the situation gets more complicated, and your move depends on whether the house stands or hits soft 17. If they stand on all 17s, surrender 16 regardless of how many decks are in the game. And, if they hit soft 17, surrender 15, 16, and 17.

Composition Dependent vs Total Dependent

The rules that we talked about so far are for a situation known as Total Dependent. This means that you are only interested in the total score of the first two cards that you receive, and that is what you use to make a decision regarding whether you should move forward or give up and save half of your bet.

However, there is another scenario known as composition dependent surrender. Let’s say that you are dealt 9,6 vs 8,7. In both scenarios, the total is 15. However, the two hands consist of different groupings of cards. So, how does this change the situation?

If you use composition dependent rules to analyze the situation, and the game in question is a single deck game, you should play with 8,7 but surrender 9,6. This is where the concept of surrendering gets a bit more complicated, and it is understandable if those who are only starting out with blackjack betting and surrendering find it hard to understand. After all, playing like this provides only a small advantage, and it is probably not even worth it in the end, given that the advantage itself is not that big while there is difficulty in learning the rules and including them in your strategy.

However, if you are a seasoned player and you are already familiar with the concept of surrender, the odds, the ability to calculate the house edge, and alike — you should be able to harness even this small advantage and improve your chances of winning at blackjack, or at least — protecting half of your initial bet, if things don’t end up going in your advantage.

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When it comes to casino games, there are few that are as popular as blackjack. This is a card game that is significantly simpler than poker, but it still allows players to ensure their winnings with a combination of luck and skill, rather than just luck, which is something that slot, roulette, and craps games require most.

And, of course, since the players are not playing against one another, the situation at the blackjack table is typically much less tense than the situation at a poker table.

So, you want to go to your local casino and play blackjack — how do you boost your chances of winning the game? The answer is simple — by employing tested and reliable strategies. Now, it is important to note that this is still gambling, so some luck will still be necessary in order for the strategies to work. You can have the best strategy in the world, but if you don’t get good enough cards, your chances of winning will not be that great.

How to play blackjack

Before we jump into the strategy, let us quickly explain what blackjack is all about, or rather, how the game works and what is the point.

Essentially, the goal of the blackjack player is to reach 21 without busting. Players who participate in the game can choose one of several actions, including:

• Stand
• Hit
• Double Down
• Split
• Surrender

However, the decision regarding which of these moves you are going to make is typically influenced by a number of factors. One of them includes learned probabilities, which are a more technical approach that usually includes tables and charts. Another approach is card counting, which many believe is against the rules and a sure way to be escorted out of the casino if you happen to be caught, which is not exactly the case. However, we will talk more about that later in our guide. Finally, some players simply choose to forsake everything and just rely on guts when calling the shots.

With that out of the way, let us dive right into the blackjack strategy, and see what it is like, and what other possibilities and aspects of each blackjack round are you to keep an eye on, use to your advantage, and more.

1) The basic blackjack strategy

Blackjack can be played using a number of strategies, but the most basic one, which most players start with due to its simplicity and effectiveness revolves around the player’s and the dealer’s hand.

In fact, there is a very simple chart that summarizes the strategy in a very straightforward and clear way. The chart does not depict absolutely all situations you might find yourself in, of course, as things like minute aspects and exceptions are not covered by it. As for the actions that players can take, they depend on the cards that they have, as well as the ones that the dealer shows.

The basic blackjack strategy for hard hands would look like this:

Alternatively, the basic blackjack strategy for soft hands would look like this:

Another thing to note is that in blackjack, there is an optional action called Pair Splitting. Essentially, this is a move that players can get to make provided that they receive two cards of the same rank. If this happens and players engage in pair splitting, they can split the pair they hold into two separate hands. However, there’s a catch — in order to split the pair, the player is required to double their original bet.

With that said, the blackjack strategy for split hands would include the following:

As you can see, the strategies for different scenarios that all fit under the umbrella of the basic blackjack strategy are not overly complicated, and with just a little bit of effort, you can easily memorize them and set the stage for the game that will ultimately result in the probability of your victory increasing.

2) House edge

Moving on, let’s talk about the house edge. In blackjack, the house edge is approximately 2%. This might not seem that bad, but you should remember that it is in your interest to reduce it as much as possible in order to increase your odds and reduce the house’s chances of winning against you.

Of course, to do that, the player must keep in mind that blackjack is more than just a game of chance, and that strategizing matters. Strategies are worth learning and remembering, as every little bit against the house means an advantage for you and an increase of your odds.

With a proper strategy, you can actually achieve a lot more than you may expect. We mentioned that the house edge for blackjack in at around 2%, but with the basic blackjack strategy, you can take it down to 0.17% for a single-deck game and around 0.66% for an 8-deck game. Of course, there are also other situations, as different blackjack variants may result in the house odds climbing to 1% or higher also.

3) Soft & Hard hands in blackjack

As part of the basic blackjack strategy, we gave 3 different tables for 3 different scenarios — soft hands, hard hands, and split hands. We already explained the splits, but now, we would like to pay greater attention to soft and hard hands, see how they differ, and how the presence of the Ace can change things during your blackjack game.

Soft Hands

Starting with soft hands, let’s talk about the Ace. If you hold an ace in hand, it is a soft hand, and the card’s value can be considered as 11, and that means that the player has a soft hand. One of the advantages of the soft hands is their flexibility, which is useful as it allows for the possibility to adjust the total.

With that said, how does your strategy for playing soft hands work? To put it simply, your goal should be to hit on soft 13, 14, 15, or even 16, and if the dealer’s upcard is not 4, 5 or 6, your plan will be to double down. However, things change and become a lot more complicated for soft 18.

In this scenario, there are 3 things that you can do, and that’s either:

1) doubling down if the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, 6

2) stand, if the dealer has 2, 7, or 8

3) standing, is what the player should do in case of a soft 19 or 20

4) hit, in any other scenario

Hard Hands

Simply put, hard hands are the hands that hold no aces. And, interestingly enough, this single change leads to a completely different strategy for this particular round of blackjack.

For example, let’s say that the player’s hand total is 9, and that the dealer’s upcard is either 3, 4, 5, or 6. In any of these situations, it is recommended that the player doubles down. However, for the rest of the cases, the best thing that the player can do is try to improve their total by hitting.

If the player has a total of 10 or 11, they should double down, except under specific circumstances, where the dealer’s upcard is an ace or a 10. Furthermore, there is a different approach for any total that results in 17 or higher, and in that case, the player should simply stand. Finally, there are a few more possible hard hands, including holding 13, 14, 15, and 16, where it would be best to stand, just in case the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

4) Side bets

Next, we should talk about another very important aspect of the blackjack game, and that is side bets. Side bets are essentially opportunities for the player to increase their bets. Obviously, the player might choose to do this once they are sure that things are going well for them, and that their odds of winning are looking pretty good. By increasing their bets through side bets, they get to win a bigger amount — pretty much at the time when victory seems inevitable.

However, this is not something that should be taken lightly, because side bets are rarely fair towards the players. You see, side bets involve a process of predicting which cards the players and the dealers will receive. But, unlike the main game of blackjack, side bets are specifically designed to increase the house edge, which is a problem for the player.

Surrendering

The first of the side bets that we wanted to talk about is called Surrendering, and it is essentially an option that the player receives from the house itself. The house offers the player to fold before the next cards are drawn, and if the player chooses to accept the offer, half of their original wager is returned, while their cards are removed from the play.

This is how the process goes, although it should be noted that different casinos may have different restrictions on how exactly the process would go down. Essentially, the strategy behind the decision – whether to surrender or not – depends mostly on one thing, and that is whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17.

Essentially, it best time for the player to accept the offer for surrender is during instances when there is 16 against a 9, 10, or Ace, and when the dealer stands on all 17s. It should also be noted that a blackjack game that allows its players the option to engage in surrendering has a house edge 0.08% lower than the game that doesn’t feature the surrender option.

Insurance

Next, one of the most commonly talked about side bet in the entire game is popularly known as insurance. Insurance is a side bet that is offered to the player when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. Its purpose is to act as an insurance against the possibility of the dealer’s hand being the first to hit the blackjack.

The way the bet works is that the insurance odds payout is 2:1, with the maximum allowed bet usually being half of the player’s main bet. Players are allowed to place this type of side bet only before the dealer checks the hole card.

What every player needs to remember, however, is that insurance side bets seem like an attractive option to bet for the payout. However, in the long run, insurance bets are very risky. You can reduce the risk by only using this option in single-deck games, particularly if card counting is something that you are good at.

21+3

Moving on, we have another very popular side bet, this one known as 21+3. This is a bet that players may choose to place depending on what is the expected outcome of the first two cards that they get to hold in their hand, plus the dealer’s face-up card. If the three combine to make one of the three-card poker hands, then this bet may come into play.

The hands that can emerge include the following five:

• A flush, where there are three cards of the same suit
• A Straight, where there are three cards of consecutive values
• A three of a Kind, where there are three cards that have the same value or face card
• A straight Flush, where three cards of consecutive values come from the same suit
• A suited Three of a Kind, where 3 cards featuring the same suit and the same value or face card are on the table.

If one of these combinations is formed, the payout is quite huge, being around 5:1 for a Flush; 10:1 for a Straight; 30:1 for Three of a Kind, 40:1 for Straight Flush, and lastly, 100:1 for a suited three of a kind, which is arguably the rarest and most difficult to achieve.

Royal match

Finally, there is one last side bet that we should talk about, and that is Royal Match. This is a side bet based on the first two cards that the player receives, and the rules of this side bet are pretty straightforward. Not only that, but the odds are also mostly favorable for the player, particularly when it comes to 8-deck blackjack games.

The way it works is simple — if the two cards that the player initially got are suited, then the player gets paid 5:2, while a royal match that is a King and Queen of the same suit pays an incredible 25:1.

Not only that, but the payout is settled immediately after the two cards are dealt, so they have no impact when it comes to the rest of the game. The players can simply choose to take the risk and maybe get a pretty decent amount of money.

5) Card Counting

You have probably seen the shows and movies where players go to a casino and count cards in order to win, which is always presented as being against the rules, at least, and sometimes even as being completely illegal. However, in the real world, blackjack card counting is not only perfectly fine — it is actually extremely crucial when it comes to techniques and strategies that players depend on in order to win the game.

In fact, this is such a big concept that there are several ways and systems for counting cards, which tend to specialize in a specific type of game, depending on the number of decks, variants, and other aspects.

With that said, let’s talk about card counting. Before we start describing different methods, we should first say that card counting is the process that requires players to keep a running and true count of the cards in order to determine which cards were dealt, and which ones remain in the deck. Knowing that improves the player’s decision-making, and gives them an advantage as they will know what to expect moving forward.

KISS

Despite the way it looks, KISS actually means something completely different. It stands for Keep It Short and Simple, and it is a method for counting cards that is a lot simpler than most. It doesn’t rely on mathematical equations and complicated calculations. Instead, it is simplified and suitable for everyone, beginners and experts alike.

The system is simple because it allows the player to essentially stop worrying about half of the cards in the deck. The cards are simply not taken into account, and the player, therefore, doesn’t have to count them. That makes the process a lot simpler by default, and there is less room for mistakes.

K-O

The second card-counting strategy to consider is the K-O, or Knock Out. This one is known for being a technique that involves assigning different point values to the cards in the deck. As a result, the player can keep track of the cards easily and efficiently. The strategy is also quite easy to learn, although you will have to practice quite a bit until you master it.

Hi-Lo

Moving on, we have the Hi-Lo system, which is easily the most popular and prominent system in the world, at least among those that are easy to learn and that have ended up being widely practiced across different casinos. The strategy involves assigning values to specific cards, similarly to last one, only this time, cards from 2-6 are assigned the value of +1, cards between 7-9 get a 0, and the rest are considered -1.

Hi-Opt I & II

Next, we have Hi-Opt, or Highly Optimum strategies which are split into two separate ones, actually. This is a system of card counting that relies on the similar principle of assigning values to the cards. Hi-Opt II is not that different from Hi-Opt I, it simply builds upon it. However, both of them are quite complex and not suitable for novice gamblers, so we would recommend leaving this method of counting cards for the future, when you become a more experienced blackjack player.

Omega II

Finally, the last card counting method that we can recommend is called Omega II. It is essentially a level-two card counting system, which means that it is more complicated than any other system that we mentioned previously, since all of them were level one, despite the fact that they all came at various degrees of difficulty.

What this technique can do is allow players to discover valuable information that lets them make better, educated decisions. And, while it is a highly complex method, the system has proven to be one of the most effective ones.

6) Useful tools for practicing strategies

Employing blackjack strategies can significantly improve your odds at winning, especially if you master them and combine the skills and methods that we spoke about earlier. Some of them may seem easy at first, particularly when it comes to card counting, but if you don’t actually master them, you will quickly get lost in your calculations and the entire technique will fail, leaving you at the mercy of luck alone, and eligible to lose your entire bet. In other words, strategies matter little unless if you become a professional at using them. While it is not our goal to discourage you from using them, or from playing blackjack — the fact is that it usually takes years of practicing these strategies in order to learn how to use them in the best way possible.

However, you cannot learn them without practice, and practicing in casinos where you have to put your money on the line can get very expensive very quickly. This is why there are numerous tools that you can use for practice before you ever sit at the actual blackjack table. For example:

Multiple decks with discard tray

The first thing to note for blackjack card counters is that their visual skills are of extreme importance. In fact, you could argue that they are as important as the ability to strategize itself, or math skills that allow the players to do complex calculations and build a strategy based on the results.

Like all other skills, visual skills can be trained and developed, and the multiple decks discard tray is the best tool for the job. It will help you count cards, and along the way, it will also help developing your ability to estimate the number of deks left simply by taking a look at the size of the discard tray. Basically, this tool teaches you to recognize important details about the deck purely based on the size of the discount pile.

Practicing with six or eight-deck discard trays is a good way to develop this skill and precision when making deck assessments, which will help with becoming a versatile card counter inthe long run.

Blackjack card counting counter

While a mouthful, this tool can help you quite a bit as well. It is a card counting app — seemingly one of many that have grown to be very popular these days — where players get the chance to master the technique by using different systems. Other things can be changed along the way too, such as the number of decks, in order to make each situation unique, and allow players to figure out how to count cards with great precision in any situation. Eventually, the circumstances you find yourself in will be irrelevant, as your card counting skills will kick in, and you will be able to navigate any situation like a pro.

This counter can be used by professionals and beginners alike, so we can recommend it as one of the best options available right now.

List of commonly misplayed hands

When it comes to playing blackjack in an optimum and efficient way, that is not the easiest thing for most people to do. It is very easy to lose focus, and if you happen to have a bad intuition, that can make matters significantly difficult for you, which can be quite unfortunate. There are also some hands that manage to mislead nearly all players, and they all end up using the wrong strategy. If this happens, it might mean that you are not yet ready, but that is not necessarily true in 100% of cases when players make a mistake. With that said, some of the most common misplayed blackjack hands include the following:

• Soft 18 vs 19
• Hard 16 vs 10
• Pair of 9s vs 9
• A7 vs 9/10//A
• 12 vs 3
• 16 vs 7
• A-6 vs 3/4/5/6
• 11 vs 10

Remember – even professionals make mistakes sometimes, but they also know how to bounce back when they do make a slight error, so don’t get discouraged and don’t lose hope. There are simply some hands that are tricky and deceptive, and if you memorize them from our list above, you will already find yourself in a situation where you will be prepared and know what to do.

7) Blackjack Myths

Finally, we have noticed that there is a number of myths and misconceptions involving blackjack that players from all over the world seem to be adopting as truth. Many of these can be major limitations that are preventing the players from becoming the best blackjack professionals out there, and the reason why they adopt those limitations is simply false.

So, let’s complete our guide by listing some of them and what they are about. You may have heard of one, several, or all of them, and we are happy to inform you that they are all false.

Your goal is to hit 21

If you ask pretty much anyone familiar with the game what is the goal of Blackjack, they will reply that it is to reach 21. This is not exactly a myth, but rather an oversimplification of the game’s goal and concept as a whole. You see, the real objective is simply to beat the dealer, and you can do that in two different ways. The first one is to get a higher final total than the dealer, which sounds simple enough, but can still be quite challenging. The second method would be to manage to avoid busting before the dealer. If the dealer busts first — that’s it, you have won, and so this should be your goal if you notice that the cards will not let you reach a higher final total score than the dealer.

On the other hand, if you were to believe a myth and try to reach 21 as quickly as possible, you would simply lose pretty much every time.

Dealer has a secret weapon — an unrevealed 10

Someone somewhere has seemingly lost to dealers under rather specific circumstances enough times to develop a myth which is completely false, but potentially believable enough for a lot of people to start believing in it, and that is the assumption that the dealer always has a 10 in the hole. Eventually, players even started developing entire strategies meant to deal with the assumption that the dealer has a 10 in the hole, which led to a completely wrong approach to the game.

The fact is that it is not that difficult for a dealer to produce a 10 out of a deck. There are 16 cards with a 10 value in a 52 cards deck, which means that the dealer will have a 10 in the hole around 31% of time. However, they are not entitled to having a 10 there – it just tends to happen very often. That still leaves you with 69% of the time when no card with the value of 10 will be there, so your chances of finding something other than a 10 over there are actually quite good.

Counting cards is illegal

We mentioned this misconception a while ago in this very guide, but that mention doesn’t quite do it justice. Players around the world seem convinced that this is a real thing, when in reality, it is nothing more than a myth. Players tend to discuss about alleged cases where card counters were banned from casinos, or even arrested for cheating, and alike, but none of it is true. Card counting is not illegal, and in fact, it is necessary in order to build up a strategy.

Card counting is a technique that requires a lot of time, effort, and even talent. Not to mention developing visual skills as we talked before, plus knowing how to use the information that you gathered from the blackjack table in order to set up mathematical equations that will allow you to count the possibilities for the cards in the deck, which way they might come next, and alike. In other words, card counting is already too difficult for most people to bother, and there is no need for casinos to make it illegal.

If you heard that someone was arrested or banned from the casino while counting cards, we can guarantee with certainty that card counting was not the reason why it happened.

Blackjack is all about luck

There are some people who would have you believe that blackjack is a game of luck, and luck alone. We mentioned this previously too, when we said that blackjack is indeed a gambling game, and that means that some luck is required.

Many would say that investing is gambling too, but that is not the case. When it comes to investing and investments, there are analyses, predictions, data, historical information, and other things that allow skillful analysts to come up with accurate predictions of what will happen next. That is not possible with gambling. One can predict the rise or fall of stocks based on the company’s performance, but drawing a card is purely a game of luck, random chance, and nothing else.

As such, yes, blackjack does have a luck element to it, and that is something that cannot be predicted. However, given that we dedicated this entire guide to blackjack strategies and things that you can do to reduce the house edge and improve your own odds of winning, whether through strategy or side bets, is proof enough that this game takes skill to master. There are entire tools that players are using for years in order to practice their skills, and there is no way of winning without knowing what you are doing. Blind luck will only get you so far, and blackjack actually requires a mix of skill, strategy, and luck in order to master it and become a winner of most blackjack games you become a part of. The luck factor, while present, is actually only a minor thing needed to win.

Insurances are profitable bets

Finally, the last misconception or myth that we would want to address is the belief that insurance is a profitable bet. This is simply not the case, unless if the game is played with only a single deck of cards, and the player happens to be an expert at counting cards. And while the payout is 2:1 for insurance bets, typically, in the long run, players will experience losses by turning to insurance too often.

Conclusion

Blackjack is a great card game, and so popular that pretty much all casinos out there have it on offer, including online ones. However, if you play to win and not simply to have fun, you must remember that strategizing and combining skill and good planning is the key to victory.

Luck is a desirable aspect as well, of course, since this is, after all, a gambling game. However, you can win money with very little luck on your side if you have enough skill and a good plan. With that said, we hope that this guide has been helpful in understanding how blackjack works, how strategies and different parts of the game work, and alike. All that remains now is to get some practice at things such as counting cards and memorizing strategy. After that, find a casino, and put your newly-acquired skill to the test.

The post Best Blackjack Strategies That Work in August 2023 appeared first on Gaming.net.

The gambling industry can be very alluring, especially for novice gamblers. The reason is the fact it offers a lot — from a promise of a great time, to the potential to win massive amounts of money, provided that you are lucky and that you know what you are doing. Depending on the game you choose, you might need only one of these, or you might need both, which is why novice gamblers like to compare games and learn which ones can give them the most money if they win, while making the winning as easy and as possible.

Slots, for example, are a game where there is zero skill required, and you require on luck alone, 100%. All it takes is pulling a lever, and having enough money to keep adding it to the machine until you win. On the other hand, poker requires 90% of skill and 10% of luck in order to win. That makes it best for professional, competitive gamblers.

Most novices, however, choose to go for something in the middle of the two — games where they can have some level of control of the outcome, but that do not put all the responsibility on them, which leads them to games such as blackjack or Spanish 21. With that said, we wanted to compare the two games and see which one is better.

Blackjack vs Spanish 21: The difference between the two games

The first thing to note about these two games is that they are actually close cousins, with Spanish 21 offering increased payments, but also a certain twist that results in all the 10 cards being removed from the deck. That way, players are significantly more likely to hit blackjack.

Apart from that, there are a few more differences that players can benefit from. One of them revolves around the fact that players can just surrender in Spanish 21 and give up their hand, which is something like folding in poker. How does this help, you might ask? Well, if you decide to give up, you get half of your bet back. This is a useful thing to do if you notice that things are not going well, and you decide that you are ready to cut your losses and try a new round.

However, keep in mind that only “late” surrender will be accepted, which means that you can only do it after the dealer has checked to see if he has a blackjack. Apart from that, Spanish 21 also lets you double down after splitting. If you know blackjack, you know that you can usually split and play on in the majority of blackjack versions. But, in Spanish 21, you can split and double down if you choose, which is what players typically opt to do when they get two aces.

Speaking of aces, if you happen to split them and land yet another ace, you can also re-split, which allows you to put extra money on the table. And, while the 10s are removed, the picture cards remain, which means that there are still plenty of options to make 21.

This leads us to another difference between the two games. You see, when the dealer hits 21 in blackjack, you must push. In Spanish 21, however, if you happen to get 21, you win automatically. And, if you and the dealer happen to get to 21 simultaneously, this is another win for you.

Finally, one last rule to remember is that Spanish 21 lets you double down after any number of cards dealt, unlike in blackjack, where you can only do so after receiving your first two cards.

What are the odds?

Next, let’s talk about the odds in blackjack and Spanish 21. In regular blackjack, you always get a 1:1 payout, with the only exception being if you hit a natural 21 with only the first 2 cards, which is not impossible, but it is pretty rare. Spanish 21, however, is a lot more rewarding, allowing for different scenarios.

For example, you can:

• Make 21 with a 5-card hand for a 3:2 payout
• Make 21 with a 6-card hand for a 2:1 payout
• Make 21 with a 7-card hand for a 3:1 payout
• Make 21 with 6, 7, 8 for a 3:2 payout
• Make 21 with three 7s for a 3:2 payout
• Either of the mentioned three-card hands suited will secure a 2:1 payout
• Either of the mentioned three-card hands in spades secure a 3:1 payout

Note that this may be different from one casino to the next, depending on a number of factors, such as the number of decks, whether or not the player has to hit on soft 17, and alike.

The house edge

Another thing to consider when comparing these two games is the house edge. For example, blackjack players who know what they are doing can expect the house edge to be anywhere up to 4.5%. With a good enough strategy, they can get the edge down all the way to 0.5%, which is pretty much the lowest percentage in the house’s favor in all casino games out there, as it means that you lose 50 cents for every $100 that you bet.

In Spanish 21, however, experts can do just a little bit better and reduce the house edge to 0.4%. Note that this is a challenging thing to do, and the player needs to be an expert with a sound strategy and enough discipline to stick to it. The good news, however, is that the strategy is simpler than blackjack strategies.

Spanish 21: Surprisingly difficult to find

One last difference between the two games lies in the fact that blackjack is everywhere, all over every casino. Spanish 21, however, can be challenging to find. So, if you just want a variant of the 21 game, then blackjack is your best bet. If you want actual Spanish 21 for all its benefits, you might need to do some research in order to find its table, as bumping into it randomly doesn’t happen so often. That being stated all of the casinos on our list for Canadians and UK players offer this version of the game.

Where to Play Blackjack

We recommend you follow our guides to find the best online casinos that offer blackjack.

• Blackjack in Australia
• Blackjack in Canada (These casinos also offer Spanish 21)
• Blackjack in India
• Blackjack in New Zealand
• Blackjack in South Africa
• Blackjack in UK (These casinos also offer Spanish 21)
• Blackjack in USA

The post Blackjack vs Spanish 21: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Gaming.net.

Blackjack is one of the biggest games in the gambling industry, suitable for novices and expert players alike. This comes from the fact that it is not overly complex like poker, but it is also not simple enough to get boring quickly, such as slots. It is somewhere in the middle, requiring just the right balance of luck and skill to be interesting to everyone, which led to the levels of popularity that it is now seeing.

Blackjack is also a game where the house edge can be reduced to only 0.5% with a good enough strategy, which pretty much makes it one of the most rewarding games to play. So, if you are interested in playing blackjack for some real money, you will need to meet a few easy requirements. The first one, of course, is to learn the rules of the game, which is something that we can help with. If you are a novice and you don’t know the rules, simply read our guide on how to play blackjack for beginners.

Second, you will need a good strategy to help reduce the edge that the house has set for itself. And, finally, if you wish to play from the comfort of your home, rather than having to go to a casino, you will need a good website/online casino that has this game on offer. This is also something that we can help you with, as our team has gone through dozens of casinos, and we came up with a list of the top 7 online blackjack sites where you can score big. Those are as follows:

1. Ignition Casino

The first on our list is Ignition Casino — an online casino that accepts players from Australia and the USA. Speaking of the US, not all regions of the country are supported. In fact, users from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Nevada are prohibited. Ignition Casino was launched in 2016, and it is backed by one of the industry’s veterans — a casino called Bovada.

Ignition holds a Kahnawake Gaming Commission’s license, and it offers more than 200 games, including dealer games, slots, video poker, progressive jackpots, and, of course blackjack.

The current versions of blackjack that are offered include classic, classic single-deck, double-deck, European, perfect pair, and Zappit.

It offers rich bonuses, multiple payment methods, and it even accepts several cryptocurrencies. The platform is accessible via desktop or mobile, and it has an excellent customer service available around the clock.

Read our Ignition Casino review or visit Ignition Casino.

2. El Royale

El Royale Casino is a platform that emerged in 2020, but it was themed after the roaring 1920s. It is a perfect place to experience casinos from a century ago, with an elegant website design, over 200 available games, and they offer various popular versions of blackjack including multi-deck Vegas rules, and live dealer games.

While the platform looks like the 1920s, it’s security is very modern and reliable, and so are its available payment options, which include Visa, Mastercard, Neosurf, and Flexepin. Minimum deposits depend on the method you choose, but for the most part, they are quite low — going from $10 to $30. As for withdrawals, they are the same for all methods, with a minimum of $150 and a maximum of $2,500.

The platform has great customer support, featuring email, live chat, and phone call, as well as a FAQ that will answer many of the commonly asked questions. You can even access El Royale from your tablet or smartphone — not through apps, but via your mobile device’s browser.

Read our El Royale review or visit El Royale.

3. Red Dog Casino

Moving on, we have Red Dog  Casino, which is another platform that we highly recommend. Launched in 2019, it is a holder of the Curacao license, it is open to the US players, and it has over 200 casino games including multiple variants of blackjack including live dealer blackjack.

When it comes to payment options, you can choose between fiat and crypto, with fiat options including Visa, Mastercard, Flexepin, and Neosurf, and available cryptos include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and Litecoin. Minimum deposits are fairly low, going between $10 and $40, depending on the payment method that you choose. We also have no complaints when it comes to customer support, which is available 24/7 and you can reach out via email, live chat, or phone call. Lastly, the platform also offers mobile support, so you can also play while on the go, using your tablet or smartphone.

Read our Red Dog Casino review or visit Red Dog Casino.

4. Roaring 21

In the fourth spot, we have Roaring 21— a platform from 2018, which was also licensed by Curacao. It has a clean and user-friendly design, strong security, a strict privacy policy, and alike. In terms of games, the majority are slots, as always, but you can also find roulette, , craps, baccarat, poker, and multiple versions of blackjack. Most of the games also come in different variants, so you can pick the version that you like the most.

As far as payment options are concerned, there are quite a few, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Interac, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. The minimum deposits go from $10 to $35 depending on the method, while maximums go from $1,000 for fiat options to $10,000 for crypto. Customer support is also available around the clock, every day of the week, via email and live chat.

Read our Roaring 21 review or visit Roaring 21.

5. Cherry Jackpot

Halfway down the list, we have Cherry Jackpot — a casino launched in 2017, which holds the Curacao license, and features strong security measures. The platform supports responsible gambling and fair gaming, it accepts players from the US, and it made its customer support available 24/7 via email and live chat.

Cherry Jackpot Casino features around 200 games, and the selection is impressive including classic blackjack, blackjack + perfect pairs, Suit ‘Em Up' Blackjack and more. They also offer slots, other table games, video poker, specialty games, and progressives, so there is something for just about everyone here. Most games can also be played in a demo, which is a good way to engage in some casual gaming without risking any money.

In order to bet for real, you have to deposit your funds, which can be done via several traditional methods, as well as four crypto options. Minimum deposits are quite low, but when it comes to withdrawals — minimums go from $30 to $250, depending on the method. On the plus side, the platform is available on mobile devices thanks to its mobile-friendly website.

Read our Cherry Jackpot review or visit Cherry Jackpot.

6. Las Atlantis

Powered by Real Time Gaming, Las Atlantis is a highly popular casino that only launched in 2020, based and licensed in Curacao. As the name suggests, the platform is Atlantis-themed, with its own backstory that contributes to its theme and charm. It also has plenty to offer, with over 250 available games, including all the popular ones like blackjack, slots, baccarat, poker, craps, , keno, and more. Like many other casinos, it has a demo mode where you can practice different strategies, or just play for fun. When it comes to blackjack they offer live dealer 6 deck blackjack with Vegas rules.

To play for real, you will have to deposit funds using Visa, Neosurf, Mastercard, Flexepin, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Tether. Also like most casinos, Las Atlantis does not have a dedicated app, but it does offer a mobile-friendly website which you can access from any device using a browser. And, if you ever run into any trouble, customer support is available via email, live chat, and phone call.

Read our Las Atlantis review or visit Las Atlantis.

7. Cafe Casino

Next up, we have Cafe Casino, which only accepts USA players. However, that, once again, doesn’t include players from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Nevada. The casino itself is fairly young, as it only launched in 2020. However, it grew quickly and attracted users from all over the country thanks to its generous bonuses, acceptance of cryptocurrencies, and various other payment methods.

Cafe Casino holds a Curacao gaming license, and it has a rather extensive game library, featuring slots, roulette, classic blackjack games, European blackjack, and double-deck blackjack, and all kinds of other games that players from all walks of life enjoy. If you decide to stick around, you even become eligible for loyalty and VIP programs, and there are always promotions involving something called a mystery bonus.

The platform is also big on security and customer support, and it is available via mobile and desktop, so you can play your favorite games from home or while on the go.

Read our Cafe Casino review or visit Cafe Casino.

8. SlotsNinja

SlotsNinja is an excellent online casino that is quite young, as it only launched in 2021, but already a fan favorite. Licensed by the government of Curacao, the platform offers more than 100 slots, plus live games, table games including blackjack, and other software supplied by some highly-reputable developers. The platform also has plenty of specialty games, like bingo, shooting, keno, board games, and alike, so there is plenty of fun to be had on SlotsNinja.

When it comes to payment methods, there are plenty to choose from, including Bitcoin Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Interac, American Express, Mastercard, Diners Club, Visa, and Discover. Minimum deposits are low, while maximum deposits can be quite high, especially for crypto options. You can also play from pretty much any mobile device, and if you ever have any questions or problems, you can reach out to customer support via email or live chat.

Read our SlotsNinja review or visit SlotsNinja.

9. Wild Casino

Next we have Wild Casino — a platform that offers excellent bonuses, hundreds of games, and it only accepts players from the USA and Canada. The casino was launched in 2017, and it obtained a license from the Panama Gaming Commission. Since then, it has been a common gambling site for US and Canadians alike, constantly adding more games through partnerships with new software providers.

It features slots, tables, video poker, and, of course multiple versions of blackjack including live dealer games. Other than that, it has a lot of benefits that make it attractive to players, such as fast payouts, generous bonuses, the great quality of games, multiple payment options, compatibility with various devices, and more. In the end, it is one of the most popular platforms for a reason, and it is no accident that it made it in our list.

Read our Wild Casino review or visit Wild Casino.

10. Slots.lv

In the last spot, we have Slots.lv, which is a platform that was launched in 2013, and it provides services for players from Canada and the USA, once again, with the exception of the states of New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, Maryland, and New York. Canadian province of Quebec is, unfortunately, also off the list.

The platform is well-known for a variety of highly desirable features and benefits, such as $10 minimum deposits, generous welcome bonuses, cryptocurrency incentives, and over 400 available games. Slots.lv is also very safe thanks to advanced encryption, as well as the fact that it holds the license of Curacao Gaming Authorities.

Don't let the name fool you, they offer six-deck, single deck, and 2 deck blackjack.

Read our Slots.lv review or visit Slots.lv.

Conclusion

Blackjack is available in most casinos thanks to its incredible popularity, so finding it on the internet is easy. Finding a legitimate, licensed casino with good bonuses and other valuable features on your own, however, can be a bit of a challenge. Our team took the liberty to review numerous websites and find the best ones available, which is what you can see on the list above.

With that said, all you need to do now is go down the list, check out different casinos, and pick the one that sounds the most interesting to you. After that, simply register, deposit some money onto the platform, and you will be ready to start playing blackjack with the best of them.

The post 10 Best “Real Money” Online Blackjack Sites (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

Online gambling has been taking the world by storm for over two decades now, but with each new year, new generations have been developing more and more interest in it. Younger gamblers coming of age were rushing to gambling sites seeking for opportunities to win money. At the same time, older gamblers, who were understanding modern technologies better and better with each new year were also finding their way to online casinos.

And then, there are countries like India, which saw massive growth in internet coverage over the last several years and games like Teen Patti and Andar Bahar became hits online. Immediately after that, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing people into lockdown, and resulting in months of isolation, which caused many to start looking into ways to entertain themselves, and online gambling emerged as one of the most popular ones. After all, the benefits are clear — Indian players could spend the entire day playing games like blackjack from the comfort of their home, depositing, betting, winning, and withdrawing rupees day after day.

If you want to start playing blackjack yourself, but you don’t know how to play or where to go, we can help with both issues. You can learn all about the game by reading our guide on how to play blackjack for beginners. As for where to go to do it, we recommend the following casinos:

1. LuckyNiki

LuckyNiki has partnered with numerous software providers, including some of the largest ones in the industry, such as Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, NextGen Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO; Red Tiger Gaming, and more.

Given the number of partners, we expected quite a lot of games on the platform, and they delivered by featuring over 1,000 casino games, including slot machines, table games with multiple versions of realistic blackjack and even live casino games.

Best of all for Indian players, they offer local fan favorites such as Teen Patti and Andar Bahar — two games that originated in this part of the world, and have therefore seen quite a lot of popularity.

To learn more read our LuckyNiki Review or visit LuckyNiki Casino.

2. Winning Kings

Winning Kings Casino was created in 2020 by LuckyNiki. Players at Winning Kings are part of the King Club, a loyalty programme which offers plenty of goodies to make playing at the casino even more engaging.

Winning Kings offers lots of live dealer games where players can play against real dealers and watch high-definition streams straight from the casino. Not only can you find all the standard casino staples such as Roulette, Blackjack, and Baccarat, but you can also find a number of gameshows.

The best slots collections always have a diversity of features, slots formats, bonus games, and of course, brilliant graphics and themes. Winning Kings ticks all the boxes, with masses of action-packed slots. There are jackpot games, such as Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, Dragon’s Luck Power Reels, or the Goonies, where you have a chance of winning some truly mouth-watering prizes.

Read our Winning Kings Casino Review or visit Winning Kings.

3. Fun88

Fun88 Casino is a platform established in 2009 by a company known as TGP Europe Limited. For a long time now, it has functioned as both a casino and a sportsbook,

It is great when it comes to the wide variety of realistic online blackjack games that are offered. You can also play games like roulette, baccarat, craps, slot machines, multiple variants of live dealer games, and more. Best of all they feature Indian classics such as Andar Bahar & Teen Patti.

Customer service is also a focus at Fun88, agents are available via several methods, most of which are available 24/7. You can always send them an email if you just have a question or a minor issue that doesn’t require urgency. However, if you need to access support quickly, you can turn to live chat, WhatsApp, and even Telegram, where you will be greeted as soon as one of the agents becomes available.

To learn more read our Fun88 Review or visit Fun88.

4. Bollywood Casino

For those who wish to combine their love for gambling with their love for Bollywood, we have a perfect platform called the Bollywood casino. The platform is young, only launched in 2020. However, it offers a unique experience that Indian gamblers throughout the country loved since it first went live.

The platform offers access to over 3250 games, and it is perfectly safe to use, as it proved by obtaining the Curacao license. It has an extremely generous welcome bonus, and you can deposit money through all the popular methods, including Visa, Mastercard, bank transfers, UPI, PayTM, and alike. Its customer service is also available around the clock, so if you ever encounter some issue or have a question, don’t hesitate to contact them and have the problems solved.

So, visit the Bollywood casino and start playing blackjack live, today, with the only things standing between you and some of the greatest gambling experiences achievable in India being a simple and fast registration process.

To learn more read our Bollywood Casino Review or visit Bollywood Casino.

5. PureWin

PureWin Casino is a rapidly growing platforms in India that was only launched 2019. Even so, it immediately got the Curacao license, and it blew up in the Indian market. The platform’s goal is to deliver a fresh take on online casino and sports betting, and offer engaging, exciting new online casino and sports betting experiences.

The platform is primarily dominated by slots, like most casinos, but there are plenty of other games, including roulette and, of course, blackjack. The platform also offers a generous welcome bonus, the ability to win more money through promotions and loyalty programs, and alike. It has multiple payment methods supported, such as Paytm, Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, UPI, Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, ecoPayz, and more.

To learn more read our PureWin Review or visit PureWin.

6. Lucky Elektra

Lucky Elektra offers thousands of games, including 10 versions of realistic blackjack including Atlantic City Blackjack, and American Blackjack. If you wish to play against real live dealers they have dozens of tables to choose from.

They of course have Indian classics including 9 versions of Andar Bahar including live versions against real dealers, and with 4 versions of Teen Patti including live dealer games.

In total, there are more than 3,000 casino games available, with over 2000 slots and over 70 live games where you are welcomed by real dealers who then run your game and provide a real casino experience.

Customer support is extremely important and Lucky Elektra excels, offering 24/7 live chat support.

Read our Lucky Elektra Review or visit Lucky Elektra.

7. Maharaja Fortune

Established in 2023, Maharaja Fortune has quickly attracted attention from the Indian gaming and betting market. With over 5,000 casino titles and an assortment of sports betting markets that covers over 30 different sports, it is the ideal home for gamers, punters, and those who fancy themselves a bit of both.

The majority of the casino titles are slots. These cover all types of slots, from classic 3-reel games to 5-reel video slots and even Megaways. If you have played online slots before, then no doubt you will recognise developers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, Play’n GO, Pragmatic Play and Playtech.

There are over 50 table games, scratchcards and video poker games. Players can also play multiple versions of baccarat, blackjack, or roulette against real live dealers.

To learn more read our Maharaja Fortune Review or visit Maharaja Fortune.

8. Parimatch

Parimatch offers quite a sizable collection of game of all shapes and sizes. It also features great quality mobile apps, a massive welcome bonus, and it is very user-friendly.

The platform features many available payment methods, such as Paytm, Mastercard, Visa, Neteller, Qiwi, Skrill, WebMoney, MegaFan, Bitcoin, MTC, Perfect Money, bank wire transfers and more, so there are definitely options. The deposit minimum varies from one method.

To learn more read our Parimatch Review or visit Parimatch.

8. Casino Days

Casino Days is a fairly new and very convenient online casino for Indian gamblers. It offers a great selection of online games, and they have a particularly interesting live casino, with numerous Indian and classic games. It ranks a bit lower on our list because the number of table games is limited, but you can still play blackjack on the platform.

It has a great bonus offer, however, and more than satisfying mobile experience. Payment options are rich and diverse including Paytm, and its customer support is reliable and able to help. The minimum deposit to claim the welcome bonus is 500 rupees, and your very first deposit will be doubled.

To learn more read our Casino Days Review or visit Casino Days.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are multiple popular websites that offer the opportunity to get into online gambling and play blackjack or other games with ease. You can choose any one of many of the mentioned deposit options, and you can start enjoying the game this very day.

The post 8 Best India Online Blackjack Sites (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

The gambling industry has dozens of popular games that have dominated online and offline casinos for decades. However, among them, two of the most popular in the world, other than slots, are two card games — blackjack and poker.

To the untrained eye, these might look like two very similar games, but if you try to learn them and play them, it will not take long to realize that these two games are actually quite different in several very important aspects. If you wish to start playing them or discover which one is a better suit for you and your specific style of playing, you will need to understand these differences.

This is important because each of the two games requires something different from the player. For example, winning at blackjack mostly requires that you have enough discipline to stay true to your strategy. Poker, on the other hand, requires significant skill, psychology, deception, and the ability to adapt to major changes in the game.

However, poker can also be very rewarding — even more than blackjack, provided that you have the skill required to win at the poker table. We will talk about this in detail, as well as a number of other differences between these two games, so if you wish to start playing them, keep reading and learn all you need to know to decide which one is a better fit for you.

Differences between poker and blackjack

1) Following the strategy vs Bending the rules

Obviously, both blackjack and poker require you to use one of many tested strategies in order to win the games. Strategies do not guarantee victory, since this is gambling, after all, and that means that luck is a necessary element, and if you don’t have it, strategy alone will not be enough to help you win.

However, strategy can boost your odds of winning, since it means that you have a plan and that you know what you are doing, Poker players have several different strategies at their disposal, while blackjack is actually significantly stricter. There is one, universally-accepted method that offers you the best chance of winning money, and players generally stick to it.

This is not the case with 100% of the players, of course, but the large majority tend to stick to the rules as they offer the best chance of them winning the game, and very few are willing to risk victory and money in order to experiment and get creative.

On the other hand, the situation is completely different with poker, which rewards creativity, while blackjack punishes it. As a result, poker players tend to change strategy, prepare different scenarios, and often improvise to navigate any individual game, while most blackjack games are fairly predictable.

Poker is flexible, with multiple effective playstyles that can bring profits to the player. The approach depends on the player and their personality, the conditions of the game, and above all – the player’s skill. Of course, luck is always required too, but if we remove it from the equation, all of these other elements need to be included in the player’s calculations when deciding their best approach.

And even then, that approach can change and evolve mid-game, as things continue to develop. You might say that being creative, versatile, imaginative, deceptive, and adaptable is the necessity, and the most important part of the game, while strategies and the rules are there to help guide the game and keep the players within certain limits.

This difference between the two games comes from the fact that in blackjack, the player plays against the dealer, who represents the house. When it comes to poker, on the other hand, the player plates against other players.

2) The odds

When it comes to the odds, this is something that is very different between the two games. If you play blackjack, and you are not experienced, the house will have an edge of around 4%. This is quite a lot, and for every $100 you bet, you are expected to lose $4 to the house. However, if you stick to a solid strategy, you can reduce that percentage to 0.5%. That way, you lose half a dollar for every $100 that you bet, which is a lot more acceptable.

Things are completely different in poker. This is, of course, a game of probability, where you need to build the best hand possible in order to win. On one hand, the odds of getting any specific card, or hand, are set in stone. On the other, your odds of winning are a lot more flexible, and once again, we go back to the importance of your skill.

This, of course, is not the case with video poker. You cannot bluff a machine. You can, however, bluff other gamblers if you are skilled enough to trick them. Naturally, you first need luck to get the cards you need, but if you are skilled enough, you will be able to read others while giving away the signals that are completely under your control, which will be used to trick other players and have them do what you want them to do.

In the end, you cannot make a profit from blackjack without reducing the house edge as much as possible. Your winnings at poker, on the other hand, are depending entirely on your skill.

3) Skill and competitiveness

Blackjack and poker are two very different games in other aspects, as well, especially when it comes to skill and competitiveness. Blackjack, for example, doesn’t require that much skill, as we have already established. You need to learn a few good strategies, stick to them, and you are pretty much set.

This also allows for blackjack tables to be placed randomly all over casinos. On the other hand, poker is more intense, as well as more intimate game. The people are your main adversaries at this game, rather than the house, and so it matters very much who sits at your table, whether or not you know them, how well you can read them, and alike.

Players require focus, as well as confirmation that no one is feeding their competitors information about their cards, which is why poker games are often held in separate poker rooms within casinos. Furthermore, competitiveness in poker is really something that should not be underestimated, as a lot of professional players go to great lengths in order to win, and it is nothing unusual for them to get a bit testy every now and then.

That doesn’t mean that blackjack is not competitive, of course, but it is a different kind of competitiveness. At the blackjack tables, players aim to beat the house, which puts them on the same side, as they have a common “enemy.” In poker, players are pit against one another in a card-based battle royale.

4) Interactions with other players

Another big difference is that blackjack players can choose how much or how little they are going to interact with others at their table. They can ignore other players completely, or enter a conversation, since their opponent is the house.

On the other hand, poker is a lot more social game, where players have to interact, but all of their interactions tend to be under control. Those who lack social skills, the ability to read people, or the ability to know themselves and the signals they give off when playing, do not usually end up being very successful. After all, there is a reason why the term “poker face” exists, and why it means that someone is difficult to read.

Another thing to note about poker players is that they thrive when facing adversity. Most experienced players have learned how to adapt, switch strategies, bluff, read their opponents, learn when to go all in, when to fold, and the more difficult the situation, the more they are pushed, and the better they become because of that experience.

Blackjack players do not have a lot of such situations to deal with. Dealers have a specific set of rules that they must follow, and since they are playing by the book, blackjack players always know what they can expect and what is going on. There is no deception, no massive bluffs, just the rules, the cards, and their own strategy.

5) The matter of luck

No matter which game in the casino you play, including blackjack and poker, one of the most important aspects of the games is luck. A lot of people think that things like investing are gambling, but that is not true. With investments, you have sound analysis, predictions, knowledge of the markets, and alike.

With real gambling, you can never know how the dice will roll, or which card will be the next one to come out of the deck. It is truly random, and you can’t analyze it — the best you can do is come up with the probability, but not a definitive answer to anything. This is why skill and strategy are important, but luck matters just as much.

Conclusion

Poker and blackjack are very similar, and yet completely different games. Blackjack is a lot more relaxed and less intense game, and by playing it with a sound strategy, you can win some money with relative ease.

To learn more about blackjack visit our How to Play Blackjack guide or visit one of our recommended guides to finding the best blackjack casinos:

• Blackjack in Australia
• Blackjack in Canada
• Blackjack in India
• Blackjack in New Zealand
• Blackjack in South Africa
• Blackjack in UK
• Blackjack in USA

As for whether it is more profitable than poker or not – that depends on your poker-related skills, with many of them needed to be successful at the game. Luck and strategies are necessary, but so is knowing how to apply those strategies, how to change them, how to read subtle signals that other gamblers are sending, and how to control yourself to not send signals that may tip them off. And of course, deceiving them is a big part of the game too, so the better you are at mastering these things, the more you stand to earn, but it is definitely not something that anyone can do.

The post Blackjack vs Poker: Which Game Is Better to Play? (2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

Blackjack has been a very sought-after game all around the world, with little difference when it comes to whether it is online or its physical version in brick-and-mortar casinos. The game is also pretty much the same everywhere you go, with some minor rules potentially being different in different parts of the world. In New Zealand, for example, it is pretty straightforward, which is why people from this country have taken a great interest in the game, and all they need is a place to play it.

As such a universal game, it is useful to know it, as you will have something to play no matter where you find yourself, including in New Zealand. If you need help learning the rules, check out our detailed guide on how to play blackjack for beginners. On the other hand, if you know the rules and just want to know which are the best New Zealand blackjack sites, we have a list of no less than 10 recommendations for you. Check them out below.

1. Jackpot City

The first casino on our list is Jackpot City, which has been rather popular among New Zealand gamblers. It has been around for over 20 years now, and it became known as one of the most reputable casinos around, with as many as 700 games available from various game providers, such as Microgaming. It is also available in 15 languages, and it holds the license from the Malta Gaming Authority, as well as Swedish Gambling Authority, and Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

Jackpot City has a very user-friendly platform, with customer service available 24/7 via live chat and email. It also offers great casino bonuses and promotions for its users, and a 4-tier welcome bonus package. Read all that it has to offer in detail in our Jackpot City review, or head over to the platform’s website.

2. Zodiac Casino

Zodiac Casino is a platform launched in 2018. While relatively young, compared to many others on this list, it quickly rose in ranks and became just as big and as popular as many of those who have been around for decades. It holds the UK Gambling Commission license, as well as the license by the Malta Gaming Authority, plus the eCOGRA certificate on top of that.

It has a low minimum deposit of only $1 for your first deposit, and after that, future deposits are $10. In terms of games, there are over 500 different options supplied by Microgaming and Evolution Gaming, including live games, table games, pokies, video poker, and of course multiple variants of blackjack. The platform features a great loyalty and VIP program, many popular payment methods, and a reliable customer service that you can reach via email or live chat.

Read our Zodiac Casino Review or visit Zodiac Casino.

3. Spin Casino

Next, we have Spin Casino, which is a premier online platform for gamblers of all kinds, including blackjack players. The platform has been around for over two decades after launching in 2001, and during that time, it became very well known, and very reputable. It supports multiple languages, but it also has a lengthy list of countries where it is not available. Fortunately, New Zealand is not on that list.

The casino holds the Malta Gaming Authority and Kahnawake Gaming Commission licenses, and it has been audited and certified by eCOGRA.

Read our Spin Casino Review or visit Spin Casino.

4. Platinum Play

In the third spot, we have Platinum Play Casino, which is a platform that has operated for 18 years now. Its long years of operating in the iGaming industry have brought expertise to the platform’s managers, and confidence in the platform for its customers.

The casino has premier customer service that can help users at any time, as well as a variety of banking methods at your disposal. It is also available for multiple platforms, and since it has over 500 games on offer, you are unlikely to get bored using its platform.

Read our Platinum Play review or visit Platinum Play.

5. Gaming Club

The fourth on the list is Gaming Club Casino, which is another prestige platform, although this one is nearly 30 years old, after being launched in 1994. Since then, it has grown to be one of the biggest and best casinos in the iGaming industry, offering over 500 casino games with top-edge themes, graphics, soundtracks, and more.

The platform has restricted its services to numerous countries, but fortunately, New Zealand can still access it, and its players can enjoy blackjack, video poker, table games slots, and much more. The casino also has rich bonuses and promotions that its users can benefit from.

Read our Gaming Club review or visit Gaming Club.

6. Lucky Nugget

Next, we have Lucky Nugget Casino, which is a trusted online casino for New Zealand and Canada. It provides its players with access to over 450 games, and it has been in business since 1998. The platform was licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority, and everyone who registers immediately gets access to a rich welcome bonus.

If you stay to become a long-term customer, there are also VIP and loyalty programs for you. Other than that, the casino supports over 20 languages, it is mobile-compatible, and its legitimacy was further ensured by a certificate from eCOGRA.

For further details about the platform, feel free to consult our Lucky Nugget Review, or simply visit the platform and explore what it has to offer.

7. Mummy’s Gold

In the seventh spot, we have Mummy’s Gold Casino, which features an extensive game library with over 500 available games. It also offers a very generous welcome bonus, and a safe platform for its users to gamble on. The casino has been around since 2002, and ever since, players from all over the world — including New Zealand — have been offered top-notch service.

The platform is holding licenses issued by the Malta Gaming Authority and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and it has a very low minimum deposit that makes it available for just about anyone. It is also supported on mobile devices, it has excellent customer service and a great loyalty program that will make you want to stick around for years.

Additional details are available in our in-depth Mummy’s Gold Review, and if you don’t care about the details and just want to play some blackjack, feel fee to visit the Mummy’s Gold website and register for an account.

8. River Belle

Next, there is Rever Belle Casino, which is also a platform from the ‘90s, which launched in 1997. This is another trusted brand in New Zealand and Canada alike, and it holds two licenses from Malta Gaming Authority and Kahnawake Gaming Commission. The platform has a rich welcome bonus for new users, as well as promotions for all of its players. There are also numerous categories of games, multiple payment methods, and numerous supported currencies.

The casino offers over 500 games, and while most of them are slot games, you can always find a good blackjack game for some more exciting gambling. You can learn more about River Belle from our lengthy River Belle Review, or just click here to get to the platform and start your betting.

9. Ruby Fortune

Nearing the end of our list, we have Ruby Fortune, which features a huge selection of more than 650 games. The casino started its business 22 years ago, in 2000, and ever since then, it has been attracting users with a highly generous welcome bonus. Apart from that, it also offers daily bonuses, support for multiple payment methods, and a customized gaming menu that is perfect for new users.

This casino is one of the best options for New Zealand players who are just entering the gambling industry and are still learning the ropes, which is where demo versions also come in quite handy. However, professionals are welcome too, and they will find a number of high-quality tables and live dealer games.

We shared additional information about the platform in our Ruby Fortune Review, and once you check it out, head over to Ruby Fortune and try out its services.

10. All Slots Casino

Finally, the last on our list is All Slots Casino. This is a platform with an incredible welcome offer that consists of three 100% deposit matches up to $1,500. However, you can also deposit as little as $10, which is its minimum amount.

The casino has been around since 2002, and over the years, it partnered with plenty of game providers, which allows it to offer over 1,000 high-quality games. It is also licensed, safe, transparent, and a great option for any New Zealand player, be they a newcomer or a professional. And, if you ever have a problem with anything, its 24/7 customer service is always available via live chat, so give them a call and your problems will be solved in no time.

Additional details about the platform are available in our All Slots Casino Review, while you can access the platform itself by clicking here.

Conclusion

As you can tell, there is no shortage of casinos on the internet where New Zealand gamblers can go to and start playing blackjack right now. Plus, we made extra sure that the casinos that we presented on this list are real, reliable, safe, and licensed by proper regulatory bodies.

In other words, you can count on these platforms to be safe and fair, and you won’t have to fear scams, rigged software meant to ensure that the house will win, and alike. Simply head over to the platform of your choice, deposit your funds, and have a great time.

The post 10 Best New Zealand Online Blackjack Sites (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

Blackjack is one of the most popular card games in the world. It is featured by countless casinos, and played by even more players. It has also been very popular in the UK for a long time, and with that knowledge, game developers have been competing to include the best versions of blackjack into their websites once gambling went digital.

If you are new to the game, you can learn how to play blackjack with our guide. Then, after you master the basics of it, here are some of the best UK online blackjack sites that you can visit and play this game.

1.  21.co.uk

21.co.uk provides gamers with a seemingly endless list of gaming titles. From slots to blackjack and roulette, all the way to their fantastic live dealer games that will give you the full brick-and-mortar casino experience. Listed on the side of the homepage there are links to Live Casino, Gigantic Jackpots, Slots, Jackpots, Table Games, and Instant Win – where you can find plenty of quality games.

Blackjack players will be especially happy with the wide selection of games including Infinite Blackjack, Ruby VIP Blackjack, Ruby Speed Blackjack, Free Bet Blackjack, Super Stake Blackjack, Live Lightning Blackjack, Miami Blackjack, Power Blackjack and multiple live versions of this amazing game featuring live dealers.

The casino is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 39198. The casino features 24/7 customer support and fast payouts of winnings.

Read our 21.co.uk Review or visit 21.co.uk.

2.  Villento Casino

Villento Casino is one of the most popular choices for blackjack among the UK players, and for a good reason. It is an online gambling platform managed by Apollo Entertainment Ltd., and it was founded back in 2006. As such, this casino has been around for over 15 years now. It is fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, and it was also supported by eCOGRA.

Casino features more than 500 different games, including blackjack, thanks to the fact that it uses Microgaming’s technology. It also supports multiple payment methods, a large welcome bonus on your first five deposits, and a very rewarding VIP loyalty program that will definitely make returning to it worth it.

There are also live casino games where you can engage in over a dozen titles and play in real-time against other people. Blackjack is one of the games that can be played live, so we expect you might like this feature the most.

Read our Villento Casino Review, or visit  Villento Casino.

3.  Casino Action

Next, we have Casino Action, which has been active for about 22 years now, after being founded in 2000. This is by far the oldest casino on our list, and the fact that it is still around after all these years means that it definitely did something right.

During its lifetime, it was regulated by no less than three different regulatory bodies, including the UK Gaming Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, and Canada’s Kahnawake Gaming Commission. It also uses Microgaming as the underlying technology for its games, which allows it to feature over 500 titles. Blackjack is, of course, among them, and you can deliver your money via a number of popular payment methods and play blackjack and other games on multiple devices.

This platform also features a welcome bonus and a loyalty & VIP program.

Read our Casino Action Review or visit Casino Action.

4.  All British Casino

All British Casino is very user-friendly, with a well-designed website, support for multiple platforms, multiple popular payment methods, and, of course, it allows its users to deposit and use GBP directly, instead of having to convert funds into USD or EUR.

Like all online casinos, All British Casino obtained the games it offers from a number of software developers with which it partnered. With nearly 25 providers working with the platform — including some major names like Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, Elk Studios, Thunderkick, Play’n GO, Pragmatic Play, Nolimit City, and more — the casino has over 600 casino games including multiple versions of blackjack.

Licensed by the British Gambling Commission under licence number: 38758.

Read our All British Casino Review or visit All British Casino.

5.  Grand Hotel Casino

Grand Hotel Casino is also one of the oldest platforms that UK players can access and play blackjack online on. It has been around since 2001, and it got eCOGRA certification, as well as a gaming license from the UK Gambling Commission. Over the last 21 years, the platform developed a reputation as a safe place with plenty of games on offer.

Grand Hotel Casino also uses Microgaming’s technology in order to ensure hundreds of games, as well as that they will all be of the highest quality. You can deposit and withdraw money via many different payment methods, and the best thing is that you can deposit as little as 10 GBP in order to get started. This makes the platform quite accessible to everyone, instead of only rich players who can deposit hundreds of pounds.

Other than that, the platform uses strong encryption technology to protect your data and ensure the safety of your information, privacy, and money.

Read our Grand Hotel Review or visit Grand Hotel Casino.

6.  UK Casino Club

In the fourth spot, we have UK Casino Club, which is also one of the oldest ones, originating back in the year 2000. It is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, it was audited by eCOGRA, and it also received the approval of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Its technology comes from Microgaming, which means that it can offer around 550 different games, which, of course, includes blackjack.

In general, it is a popular platform with strong security and a live chat available at all times of day and night. It also features a welcome bonus that can be quite rewarding, and while it doesn’t provide too many incentives — there are certain monthly promos and the loyalty and VIP program. The minimum deposit is only 10 GBP, and you can use many different payment methods, so you are sure to find at least one that fits you personally.

Read our UK Casino Club review or visit UK Casino Club.

7.  Blackjack Ballroom

Blackjack Ballroom is an online casino established in 1999, and ever since, it has operated as a fully licensed and regulated online gambling platform. It holds multiple licenses, including the ones issued by the Malta Gaming Authority, the one from Kahnawake Gaming Commission, the Danish Gambling Authority and, of course, the license of the UK Gaming Commission.

550 games to offer. As usual, most of them are slots, but there are also table games such as multiple versions of authentic blackjack, as the name suggests, as well as roulette, craps, video poker, progressive jackpots, and even live dealer tables, where you are greeted by a real dealer who then runs your game, which is the closest you can get to a physical casino experience while still playing the game from the comfort of your home.

our final verdict is that this is definitely a great platform, well worth of your time. It has an excellent game selection, plenty of deposit and withdrawal methods, and it offers mobile support, which makes it very available and user-friendly. Minimum deposits and withdrawals are low, and customer service is available at any time of day and night via multiple methods.

Read our Blackjack Ballroom Review or visit Blackjack Ballroom.

8.   Casino Classic

Moving on, we have Casino Classic, and this name describes it quite well, since it is another 22-year-old platform that is also among the oldest Microgaming software users. With over two decades of experience and operation, the platform has seen everything, experienced everything, and it knows how to ensure that its players will have a good time.

Casino Classic offers multiple payment methods popular in the UK, as well as over 500 different games that you can play. Blackjack is, of course, ranking high on that list. The platform is fully licensed by UKGC, and it passed eCOGRA’s audit, so you can be sure that it is perfectly legitimate and safe to use. Its minimum deposit is also 10 GBP, which makes it available for a large number of players.

Read our Casino Classic Review or visit  Casino Classic.

9.  Zodiac Casino

Nearing the end of our list, we have Zodiac Casino. Zodiac is the youngest one on this list, as it was only established in 2018. Despite its young age in comparison to the others, however, the platform advanced quickly, and it became a part of the Casino Rewards network, which allowed it to connect to some of the biggest names in this industry.

Zodiac also uses a combination of two major software providers – Microgaming and Evolution. It was also regulated by the UK authorities as well as Malta Gaming Authority, and it holds eCOGRA accreditation. However, the most interesting part about it is the fact that it lets its first-time users deposit a minimum of only 1 GBP. This only works the first time, however, and after that initial deposit, the minimum will be 10 GBP, like on other platforms on this list. But, this extremely low first deposit means that you can start playing blackjack with a single pound in your wallet. This is what attracted countless users to try out this casino’s service, and after that, they simply decided to stick around and enjoy the platform’s features.

Read our Zodiac Casino Review or visit Zodiac Casino.

10.  Yukon Gold Casino

Finally, our last recommendation is Yukon Gold Casino. This is another platform that scored a high amount of popularity among UK players, and it has been around for nearly two decades. The casino went live in 2004, and it made quite a name for itself in years that followed by offering fair, safe, and fun service. Of course, its enticing welcome bonus and a rewarding loyalty program also helped.

The platform was licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and eCOGRA, and like the others, it uses Microgaming’s technology to offer hundreds of games, including slots, live games like blackjack, and more. There is something for everyone here, and since it has support for mobile devices, you can play it at any time, as long as you have internet connection.

Read our Yukon Gold Casino Review or visit Yukon Gold Casino.

Verdict

Our competent team has an unmatched experience in the iGaming industry, and it understands very well how difficult it can be to spot legitimate online casinos and differentiate them from dishonest ones. This is why they have checked out all the online gaming sites that offer Blackjack to UK players, ensuring that they are fair, regulated, and reliable and that you can make real money by playing this game on their platforms. The ones featured above are some of the best perks, odds, and bonuses in the industry, and you can expect to have a great time with any one of them.

The post 10 Best UK Online Blackjack Sites (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.

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Movies usually feature blackjack as the game of choice for the main protagonist, and that’s not coincidental. Blackjack is a popular card game, in large part because of the simple rules. Learning how to play blackjack is not complex – players beat the dealer when the total of the cards dealt is near or exactly 21.

Some South African bettors believe that all blackjack games are similar, yet, while the rules are typically the same, the way an online casino is structured influences the player’s experience. After legalizing gambling in South Africa over 26 years ago, multiple platforms started offering this card game, and our guide filters the best online blackjack sites.

How We Identify The Best South African Online Blackjack Sites

Choosing an online blackjack site may seem like an easy task, but rushing through the process can potentially rob you of lucrative promotions and immersive games. Investing the time when researching options will pay dividends in the long run, and South African players can benefit from our in-depth study of blackjack sites.

• Safety & Trustworthiness: Gambling is legal in South Africa, but the question is, are sites abiding by the rules? Reviews from players, the history of the online casino, and game developers associated with the platform all speak volumes about a gambling sites’ reputability.
• Legitimacy: When a player deposits hard-earned rands, some assurance is expected that the funds get entrusted to an online casino with oversight from government institutions, and licenses signal industry standards are respected.
• Finding diverse payment options: Having fun is one aspect, but the main point of gambling is to make a profit, and payment providers dictate deposit and payout options. The priority is to focus on a diverse cashier section that adapts to current trends.
• Blackjack Bonuses: Promotions are the key recruiting tool for betting sites, with blackjack players benefiting from sign-up bonuses and various reload and cryptocurrency promotions. This motivates bettors to stay at the table and play a few more hands.

Top 5 South African Blackjack Sites

The guiding principle in selecting an online casino is to know what games you want to play. For blackjack punters, there is no dilemma, and our research has narrowed the choice to the most appropriate platforms.

1.  YesPlay

YesPlay was originally a Lucky Numbers lottery in South Africa that was founded in 2002. It launched an online casino and sportsbook in 2016, expanding its portfolio to include a vast array of casino games and fixed-odds betting markets for sports. However, the casino also provides a plethora of Lucky Number lotto games from all across the globe. YesPlay is based in the Western Cape and its target audience is punters from South Africa.

YesPlay features a top-range collection of casino games, you will find everything that you are looking for whether it's slots, table games including baccarat, blackjack, or roulette or live games. There are dozens of different versions of blackjcak including live dealer blackjack where you play against a real dealer. If you want to play quickly Speed Blackjack might be for you.

They are fully regulated, the parent company is SA Sportsbook (Pty) Ltd trading as YesPlay, a licensed betting operator as registered by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board with Bookmaker license: 10180204-010.

Read our YesPlay Review or visit YesPlay.

2.  Bet.co.za

Bet.co.za was established in 2011 and is an online casino and sportsbook that provides an excellent array of fixed-odds sports bets and casino games.

There are over 30 live dealer games at Bet.co.za and they are all supplied by Evolution. Evolution is one of the top live dealer game developers, creating all sorts of fantastic casino games that are brought in HD. Bet.co.za offers players plenty of picks, from classic casino games such as Blackjack and Roulette to games such as Mega Ball, Crazy Time, Dreamcatcher and Fan Tan. If you want multiple variants of classic blackjack that this is a top casino.

The slots are provided by developers such as Red Tiger and NetEnt. There are over 90 slots, which is not a massive range of games, but these are all carefully picked by the casino for their playability. Games such as Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, Cash Volt, Rainbow Jackpots Power lines, and Starburst are some of their biggest hits.

If you are into lotteries, then Bet.co.za is the place for you. It covers over 160 Lucky Numbers games from around the world, and the action is non-stop.

Its sportsbook covers 30 different types of sports and they are especially popular with soccer and cricket. They offer pulse bet, full and partial cash out, as well as offering a a solid in-play platform where you can bet live on Soccer, Tennis, Cricket and more.

They are fully regulated, the parent company is Betcoza Online (RF) (Pty) Ltd trading as Bet.co.za. They are licenced and regulated by the Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board. Registration Number: 2010/005430/07.

Read our Bet.co.za Review or visit Bet.co.za

3.  Fafabet Casino

Fafabet is a South African online casino and sportsbook that has a lot to offer. It is a proudly local company that was launched in 2022 and is a player favorite amongst South Africans.

The slots and video poker at Fafabet are supplied by Pragmatic Play and AGT. These include everything from classic slots to arcade games that have more complex gameplay and of course to classic variants of video poker. The content provided by Pragmatic Play includes some of the most popular slots such as Gates of Olympus, Big Bass Bonanza, Mustang Gold, Buffalo King Megaways, and more.

They feature multiple variants of all popular table games, including live versions of baccarat, blackjack, and roulette.

Fafabet is licenced by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. This makes it 100% safe for players and punters alike. The company also works with the South African Responsible Gaming Foundation to help raise awareness for gambling addiction and offers deposit limits and self-exclusion tools to help players control how much they spend.

Read our Fafabet Casino Review or visit Fafabet Casino.

4.  Betshezi

Players and punters can enjoy a great range of casino titles and sports betting opportunities at Betshezi. This South African operator was launched in 2022 and is regulated by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, and is based in Cape Town. Betshezi may be relatively new to the industry, but it has already garnered a lot of attention for its fantastic games and sports coverage.

Betshezi’s live dealer games are certainly its main attraction. The casino provides games from CreedRoomz and Vision Casino, which include all the major casino games such as Roulette, Blackjack, Poker, and Baccarat. There are numerous versions of these games that may have slight changes in the rules or special side bets, such as FreeBet Blackjack, Richie Roulette, Super 6 Baccarat, Bet on Poker, and more. Betshezi includes Dragon Tiger, Keno, Sic Bo, and various Lotto-styled live dealer games.

Betshezi has a handful of instant games and lotto-styled games. These titles have free demos which players can try before playing with real money. Be sure to check out Keno, Striker, Blast, Talisman and Power Ball

Read our Betshezi Review or visit Betshezi.

5.  Playa Bets

Established in 1990, this is an established sports book that offers multiple betting shops in KZN and the Western Cape and they offer a mobile betting platform. Playa Bets is considered South Africa’s one stop betting destination for retail and online customer’s country wide.

They are backed by a highly experienced management team which have been registered bookmakers in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Playa Bets offers a unique world class product to local players across South Africa. With over 12000 live sporting betting events, 378000+ live betting markets and over 1 million Sports Betting opportunities every month, Playa Bets customers will always be in the action.

Playabets MP (Pty) Ltd trading at playabets.co.za is licensed by the by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator under license number 9-2-1-09689.

Conclusion

Blackjack's enduring global popularity is boosted by the enthusiasm of South African players who prefer to play the game online. Options are plentiful, and while most games get supplied by identical providers, how the platform supports them can make or break a bettor's gambling adventure.

The sites we identify in our review offer the most comprehensive blackjack package that can provide numerous hours of entertainment for newbie punters and experienced South African players.

The post 5 Best “South African” Online Blackjack Sites (August 2023) appeared first on Gaming.net.