Best Online Blackjack UK

Online blackjack relies on the element of luck and knowledge. From the one hand, the cards are dealt in an unpredictable way and no one knows for sure what kind of hand is going to be handled because blackjack games, like all online casino games, are controlled by a random number generator. From the other hand, it is strongly advised that players be aware of what is known as blackjack basic strategy that sheds light on how to act in one or another gaming situation. UK players are recommended to take a look at our casino reviews for the purpose of picking a trustworthy online casino with a good assortment of the best blackjack games. Many mobile casinos also have many classic and trendy blackjack tables from top-ranked vendors.

Online blackjack rules: Stop counting – start thinking

Experts discourage players from using card counting techniques when they play blackjack online. This is a vain practice that is totally inefficient in online variations of blackjack. The key to perfecting one’s skills in casino blackjack is to know blackjack rules to the tips of your fingertips and to be able to put this knowledge to use in UK-friendly online casinos.

The aim of any blackjack game is simple: the player must defeat the opposing party (dealer) by collecting higher points without surpassing 21. An online blackjack is played with 1 to 8 decks simultaneously (jokers excluded). Each card has a certain value: aces are counted as 1 or 11 points, whichever is in player’s best interest. Tens, jacks, queens and kings are worth 10 points each, while cards with numbers are worth their face value: a two gives 2 points, etc. If you play a classic blackjack game, suits are irrelevant to card rankings.

A player first wagers as much as needed but within the range specified for the table. Most often, the minimum bet is £1 per hand and runs at hundreds of pounds. Some casinos listed on this website accept bitcoin bets, therefore UK players may sometimes wager bitcoins if necessary. When a bet is made, a player should click a Deal button to get started. The game then handles two cards each to the player and opponent (also known as dealer). In classic online casino blackjack, one of dealer’s cards is not showing.

After the two cards are handled, the player is the first to move, setting sights on adding to 21 or as close to it as possible. Unless already having an A/10 combination, which leads to a 3:2 win, a player may pick from the following moves:

  • Hit: Take an additional card. A player is allowed to take as many as needed. If a card taken makes the total score higher than 21, the player will lose the game immediately
  • Stand. The player keeps the initial cards and passes the move to the dealer
  • Split. If the two cards are paired, a player may click the related button to split them into two separate hands. This online blackjack action requires an extra bet at the cost of the initial one
  • Double Down. The player doubles the initial bet
  • Surrender. Available in some variations. If the first upcard dealt to the opponent is ace, a player is offered to buy insurance at the cost of a half of the original bet. The dealer then checks for blackjack and in case the second card does lead to 21, the player is paid out 2:1 on the insurance bet, thus breaking even on that hand.

Dealer’s moves in online blackjack

The dealer moves after the player has finished his card actions. There is a strictly programmed pattern that the opponent must obey, which is the key distinction from player’s moves. Actually, there are only two alternatives that the dealer may use and both are determined by specific online blackjack rules. In classic blackjack, the dealer always hits on the hand of 16 and below and stands on all 17s or only hard 17s. This rule is normally written on the table and is always visible for player’s convenience. After that, the total score in all hands on the table is tallied with three possible outcomes: win to the player, win to the dealer or tie. To recap, getting higher card points than the dealer will bring the player a 1:1 payout. For example, the player wagered £10 and collected 19 points against dealer’s 18. The win will equal to £20 (the initial bet of £10 plus the £10 amount won).

Winning odds in online casino blackjack

All casino games have a certain house edge or advantage that a casino has over its customers. Slots are known to provide roughly a 95% return, while roulette games boast of 1.35%, 2.7% and 5.24% in different versions. As for blackjack, this is the only online casino game type to offer so incredibly great player advantage, which often exceeds 99% and sometimes goes over 99.5%. What it means is that on every £100 wagered, a player is about to refund £99.5 and lose only £0.5. Sure, these are broad-brush estimates that reflect a theoretical return but these figures tend to be true to life over a long haul.

All of these implies that a blackjack player has all chances to spread the bankroll over an extended gaming session thanks to very high winning odds integrated by providers into their casino blackjack games. Each rule modification adds slightly or reduces an edge. For example, players are recommended playing single-deck blackjack because it has a bit higher player edge than games played with 8 decks. Besides, real money bettors are discouraged from playing tables in which a natural blackjack pays 6:5 instead of classic 3:2. There are also dozens of bonus blackjack games that feature riveting bonus payouts that are conferred complementary to main wins.

The best blackjack games with bonus payouts

Playing blackjack for real money, a UK casino visitor might want to enhance slightly the winning opportunities. This is a challenging task in classic blackjack in which the max payout is just 3:2. But there is a solution. Some games available for UK players have special rewards upon matching certain criteria. For example, in Super 7 blackjack from Betsoft there are five bonus combinations that would award up to 5000 times a bet upon condition of making a £1 side bet. The said pretty penny is yours on getting dealt 3 suited sevens as the first cards.

Other games with additional real money prizes are Lucky Lucky (Felt), Match Play 21 (RTG), Triple Sevens blackjack with a progressive jackpot (Microgaming), Multihand Bonus Blackjack (IGT) and Pirate 21 (Betsoft) just to name a few.

Applying a blackjack basic strategy

Players are encouraged to adopt a basic blackjack strategy that would help them come to the right decision when and whether to hit, stand and perform other blackjack actions. A typical blackjack strategy is most often executed in the form of a chart where dealer upcards make up the columns and player’s total make up the rows. By converging the needed X and Y values, a player will see the right action in the current scenario. For example, a blackjack strategy for classic rules reads as follows:

  • Never hit on 18+ and always hit on total of 5 to 8
  • Always remember to split A/A and 8/8
  • Never split 10/10. Stand instead.
  • Never consider taking insurance.
  • There are two situations when a Surrender option can be helpful during normal play: when the player has hard 15 and the dealer is sitting on 10 or; player’s card total hard 16 and dealer shows 9, 10 or ace. In all other situations, it is highly recommended that you rather hit.

By consulting blackjack strategy charts and adjusting your game plans and moves accordingly, you will manage to approach the maximum payout opportunities built into a blackjack game and avoid unfortunate errors that could cost you real money.

Ever since online blackjack was introduced many years ago, it has been a smash hit amongst UK players and all over world, and its popularity has continued to grow. Though blackjack originally hailed from France, it is played widely in the United Kingdom, and its ever-increasing appeal can be explained by a few reasons: Some like blackjack online for its stunning flexibility in terms of rule variations. Others like that signature mix of skills, tactics and luck that blackjack is all about. Others are attracted by chances to possibly win a massive bonus payout available in some UK-faced online casinos. Be that as it may, blackjack online is making its victory lap across online casinos and drawing new players to its orbit.