As with other casino games such as roulette, there are different versions of blackjack. Most online casinos allow you to play European and American blackjack, although they may be called by other names (Atlantic City for American blackjack, Classic or Monte Carlo for European blackjack). In both modes there are Surrender, multiplayer or multi-hand modes, where you can play up to five hands at once.
- American Blackjack: the dealer receives two cards – one hidden – and allows insurance bets if the visible card is an Ace or 10. Before you start playing, check if you have blackjack. You can split cards up to 3 times.
- European Blackjack: The dealer is dealt only one card, so insurance bets are only available if his card is an Ace. Only allows you to split cards once,
- Surrender Blackjack: can be American or European, and the surrender rule applies which allows the player to fold before starting play and get half their bet back.
- Multiplayer Blackjack: there are up to 5 players at the table. It is played live, so you may find yourself with limited time to make decisions. It usually includes an in-room chat.
- Multi-hand blackjack: American or European, you can play up to 5 hands at a time – not counting splits. In practice, it is available at all online blackjack tables except multiplayer.
Beyond these varieties of blackjack, if we go to the card section of our online casino it is easy to find two other games inspired by blackjack: Pontoon and Baccarat. The objective is still to score 21 points, but the dynamics of the game change much more than it does between the European and American modes.
How to play Pontoon
Unlike blackjack, the dealer’s two cards remain hidden until the player’s turn is over, so no insurance bets can be made. The player must draw if you have less than 15 or if you have a soft 17 (7-17), but you can double down at any time and draw as many cards as you like after doing so.
The possible combinations and their payouts are paid differently. The best combination is the A + figure – Pontoon – which pays 2 to 1, followed by the 5-card trick: accumulating 5 cards in your hand without going over 21. Both combinations beat 21 when it comes to the payout. In the event of a tie, the dealer always wins, even if both dealer and player have Pontoon.
How to play Baccarat
The objective of baccarat or point and bank is to reach 9 points, not 21, for which the cards have their numerical value, Ace is worth 1 and J, Q and K are worth 0. In point and bank you bet on the winner: player, banker or tie, and up to 14 players are allowed at the same table. If you win, you get paid 1 to 1, but if you win by betting on the banker, the banker gets a 5% commission. If you bet on the tie, you will be paid 8 to 1.
Once the bets are placed, two cards are dealt and if the combined value of the two cards exceeds 9, it is reduced by subtracting 10 or keeping the first digit of the units. So, if you have 12 (6+6, 7+5, etc.) you have 2 points. Depending on the point total, either the player or the banker can receive a third card. The one who totals 9 or more comes close wins. Unlike blackjack, we cannot be eliminated.
Play live blackjack
Blackjack is a casino favourite; an easy-to-learn card game where intuition and strategy can help a skilled player generate winnings with just the turn of a card.
Live Blackjack – Basic Rules
Our live blackjack tables feature real dealers in real time, playing on up to seven squares per table. Eight decks of 52 cards are used, together in a shoe, which are periodically reshuffled (as opposed to regular blackjack tables, where the cards are reshuffled after each hand).
If you are dealt blackjack with your first two hands, you will be paid at the ratio of 3 to 2, and “insurance” bets (available if the dealer shows an ace as a hole card) will be paid at 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack. You can double down on any two-card hand and split pairs once for two hands total. Split aces receive only one card in each hand.
There are also additional bets available, including the option to place a ‘stand bet’ on any seat at the table, either while waiting for an available seat or if you just want more action. You can also place optional side bets, including Perfect Pairs™ and 21+3™ bets.
- The theoretical return to player (RTP) for live blackjack is 99.28%.
- The RTP for Perfect Pairs™ is 95.90%.
- The RTP for 21+3™ is 96.30%.
How to start playing live blackjack
Blackjack is available in a variety of stakes and can also be enjoyed at private tables (available only to our players and offering exclusive promotions) in English or German. Visit the ‘Live’ tab within the Casino section of the software to open the Live Casino lobby (mobile users can access the Casino section via the ‘More’ menu). Select the game of your choice to find a table that offers the stakes you wish to play for (the stakes displayed will indicate the minimum and maximum bets per square). Select the number of squares you wish to play on and place your bets (including any side bets), and you will then be dealt your cards.
You can also play live casino blackjack, as well as other live casino games, on your iOS or Android phone and tablet. Check here for more information.
Blackjack tables are also available with native English and German speaking dealers.
