Guide on How to Play Blackjack by Gamblino
Can you stand, double down, or split your cards?
Welcome to online blackjack, one of the most exciting real-money casino games to play in top Indian casinos. Compared to slots, roulette, or other RNG-based games, the results in blackjack aren’t just randomized by software. Instead, players mainly rely on their solid understanding of card values, betting rules, actions, and specific rules on hitting, splitting, and standing. And for experienced bettors, it’s also a game of skills, decision-making, and betting strategies such as card counting. As such, it’s still crucial to learn how to play blackjack and familiarize oneself with the strategies.
This guide will cover the basic blackjack betting rules and general steps on how to play blackjack.
What is Online Blackjack?
Online blackjack is a card game where the bettor plays against the dealer for the best score: to get close or equal to ‘21’ without busting. You win the hand or the round if the score is better than the dealer’s hand. But if the dealer’s hand value is better or you exceed ‘21’, you go bust and lose.
In learning how to play blackjack, you’ll need to start with the rules for card scoring. Playing cards have numerical values from one to eleven. The Jack, King, and Queen get a score of ten, while an Ace can be one or eleven, depending on the situation or the bettor’s strategy. Combining two or even three cards produces the hand’s value, with ‘21’ or blackjack as the best. If your hand’s value is less than the dealer’s, you lose, or if it exceeds ‘21’, you bust.
Today, players will find different blackjack variants, and most differ in the number of decks used or slight differences in betting rules. Many top Indian casinos even offer the game in live dealer format. In addition, different software vendors and designers supply the games, creating a diverse portfolio of game variations.
How to Play Blackjack – General Steps and Betting Rules
You aim to beat the dealer in blackjack by forming the best hand. Let’s look at the general steps to follow if you want to wager real money:
- Log in to your online casino account and proceed to its Games Lobby.
- Browse all available blackjack variations, and click the game you want to play.
- Once the game has loaded, click on the token representing your wager, and set your bet. Then, click the ‘Deal’ button to start the game.
- To begin, games start with the player receiving two cards face-up. The dealer also gets two cards, but only one is face-up.
- Based on the playing cards, you decide whether to ‘Hit’ or ‘Stand’.
- As the game progresses, you now have the option to ‘Double Down’ or Split. To double down is to double the bet and get an extra card. And to split means to create two separate hands from two similar cards. In most variants, there’s also an option to take the ‘Insurance’ bet.
- The round ends if you stop getting cards, or you or the dealer go bust.
If you win your hand in blackjack, you collect a payout. Blackjack is an even-money card game that offers a 1:1 payout. But if you end up with the best hand- a blackjack- you earn a 3:2 payout or 6:5 blackjack odds.
In addition to this standard bet, there are side bets in blackjack. Some popular blackjack side bets to play are 21+3, Perfect Pair, Easy Match, Royal Match, and Super Sevens, among others. These blackjack side bets work in different ways and have varying payouts, so it’s best to learn how to play blackjack first to enjoy and master the game fully.
Browse our website for all other blackjack game guides and tips. In addition to our brief guide on how to play blackjack, we also cover blackjack betting strategies and other tips on how to win and play responsibly.
