Best Online Blackjack Sites to Play in 2024

What Is Online Blackjack?

Online blackjack is a famous game in which players compete against dealers to get closer to 21 without going over. The players play blackjack with cards that have different face values. Cards recognized as King, Queen, and Jack have a face value of 10, and Aces have either 1 or 11 face value.

The players are given cards, which they’ll play against the dealer while following various online casino blackjack rules. If the player’s hand is more than the dealer’s, the player wins, and the dealer loses and vice versa. However, going over 21 is called a ‘burst’ and leads to an automatic loss. 

What to Consider When Choosing a Blackjack Casino Site in Ireland

Choosing a gaming site can be challenging, especially for beginners. That is why we introduce you to the ultimate checklist for getting the ideal casino:

Licensing and Security

An online casino’s licensing is the first factor to consider when choosing a gaming site. Check if the casino has a license from Curacao, Malta, or any other country that licenses websites. A legal permit gives you trust and confidence in the casino. 

A licensed casino uses SSL encryption to ensure players are protected. Ideally, a casino must have a 256-bit or 128-bit SSL to obtain a license. This will ensure that you are at a site free from scammers and hackers and that your personal and financial information is safe. 

Game Selection (Quality and Quantity)

You should prioritize sites with online casino games from blackjack-powered software providers like Pragmatic Play, Playtech, Betsoft, Evolution, and Habanero. 

If the casino is of high quality, then confirm the variety of blackjack on the platform. A good blackjack casino should offer thousands of titles like Blackjack Surrender, Split, Spanish 21, Perfect Pairs, and Las Atlantis. The casinos would also provide thousands of the best online slots from popular software providers like NetEnt, Microgaming, Relax Gaming, Yggdrasil, and Band Booming Games. 

Blackjack Bonuses and Free Play

Check the casino bonus and see if you can use any of their bonuses to play online blackjack. If there are any, proceed to the terms and conditions of the bonuses. Analyse wagering requirements, time, and win limits to see if they align with your budget.  Check out our slotbox where you can find best live blackjack games to play online.

Also, prioritize a casino that offers demo modes. This will help you learn the blackjack rules before you start wagering on them. You can also try the various blackjack varieties and get familiar with them. 

Payment Options

Choose a casino that offers reliable banking methods such as Visa/Mastercard debit and credit cards and e-wallets like MuchBetter, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, and Jeton. If you are a modern player, choose a casino that accepts crypto payments like Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, and Tether. Also, check the payout speed.

Customer Support

The best online blackjack casino must be available 24/7 and respond to customers promptly and constructively. Customer support should be polite and professional and prioritize players’ needs. Reaching the operators through live chat, phone support, or email should be straightforward. You can also check if they have an informative, comprehensive FAQ section. This can offer quick solutions to some of your burning questions. 

How to Play Blackjack

The process of playing blackjack is simple. The players buy cash chips and place a bet. The dealer then gives each player a face-up card and a face-down card to themselves. Next, the dealer distributes a second card to every player, but they place their card face up at this stage.

This is where the actual game starts. You should decide how to move based on the cards you received. You can apply different strategies like hit, stand, double down, or split. After all players have made a move, the dealer will hit until the cards reach a specific value, usually 17. After this, the winners are determined. 

Basic Blackjack Strategy and Rules

Before we get into some of the different varieties of blackjack games, let’s first understand some of the blackjack strategies and rules. They include:

• Surrender: When you have a losing hand, you can choose to surrender, thereby losing half your wager and getting half back. This will help you manage your losses because when you keep playing, you will lose the entire stroke.
• Split: If your starting hand contains two cards of the same value, you can split them and create two separate hands. This means you will be betting with two hands and must make an additional equal wager on the second hand you have just created. 
• Double: This is when you double your wager. You can do this if your starting hand card numbers are 9, 10, or 11. 
• Insurance: If the dealer’s face-up card is 11 (Ace), it is best to opt for this move.When the dealer starts his turn with a natural blackjack, the only way to win a side bet is to play insurance, which pays 2:1.. 
• Hit: Hit allows you to request an additional card from the dealer after receiving your first two cards. You can choose to hit if your hand is too low and you want to improve it.
• Stand: This is the opposite of hit. You keep playing with the two cards instead of requesting an extra from the dealer. Doing so will mean your two cards are of sufficient value. 

The best way to understand how blackjack is played is to try a few hands in demo mode. Many blackjack rules include table rules like blackjack payouts, number of decks, and bet limits. 

Blackjack Game Variations You Can Play Online

1. Online Free Blackjack

This free blackjack game is similar to traditional blackjack, which aims to beat the dealer’s hand without exceeding 21. Most casinos allow blackjack-free games, where players can start gaming with a virtual bankroll and keep playing without risking any real money. 

2. Live Dealer Blackjack

One way to simulate playing blackjack in a real casino is with live dealer blackjack, which can be found in many online casinos. This blackjack variety is characterized by social interaction, realism, flexibility, and comfort, just like in a land-based casino. Get as near to 21 as possible without going over in live dealer blackjack; the goal is to beat the dealer’s hand. Each player must have their two cards face up, while the dealer must have one card face down and one card face up. Basic game strategies like insurance, splitting, doubling, and surrender apply to live dealer blackjack. 

3. Mobile Blackjack

These are blackjack games mainly designed for mobile device gaming. They are compatible with iPads, iPhones, and Android smartphones. The basic rules and strategies of typical blackjack games apply in mobile blackjack. The advantage of this blackjack is that it is easily accessible, and players get to play without the pressure of a casino environment. 

4. Perfect Blackjack

This type of blackjack game incorporates a side bet known as perfect pairs. This variant, like all blackjack games, aims to beat the dealer by having a hand value that is close to 21 without going over. Therefore, the game allows players to play with 2 to 5 decks of cards, and the dealer must stand on a soft 17. Depending on the game rules, it will enable the players to double on any hand or just 9-1. 

5. Blackjack Switch

This is an exciting variant of blackjack that you play with two hands. The game’s goal is to have a hand as close to 21 as possible, which can be played by 1 to 7 players. The blackjack switch game uses a standard deck of 52 cards, casino chips or cash, and a blackjack table. Specific game rules, like hit, double, split, and surrender, apply when playing Blackjack Switch, and it pays 1:1 instead of 3:2. 

6. Atlantic City Blackjack

Atlantic City is a blackjack game category in which the dealer checks for blackjack when they show an ACE or 10. Players can split a hand three times when they have two cards of the same value. Other rules that apply in Atlantic City Blackjack are doubling, insurance, and splitting. The game pays 3:2, but its insurance bets pay 2:1 if the live dealer has the blackjack. 

Advantages of Online Blackjack

Blackjack has become a preferred choice for many casino enthusiasts, as the game comes in different varieties. These are some of the advantages of online blackjack:

• Convenience and accessibility: Blackjack games have been modified to be mobile-compatible. This allows players to play at any time as long as they have a stable internet connection.
• Wide range of gaming options: Top software providers are now offering high-quality and quantity blackjack variants for online casino players. Among the popular blackjack games are Classic Blackjack, European Blackjack, Spanish 21, and even Blackjack Jackpots. 
• Lower minimum bets: Unlike land-based casinos, online casinos have set low wagering requirements on most blackjack games so that all players, including high rollers and casual players, can play their favourite games. 
• Improved game speed: The increased speed of the live dealer and virtual online blackjack games has created a more dynamic gaming experience for gamblers.
• Bonuses and rewards: Most casinos encourage players to use the platform by introducing exciting bonuses and rewards such as welcome offers, reload bonuses, and cash prizes. 

The increasing improvement of technology has seen many software providers offer blackjack-free games to players in Ireland. 

Blackjack Bonus

You can take advantage of the various casino offers and use them to play blackjack games. Some casino offers you can use on blackjack games are welcome bonuses, deposit match bonuses, cashback bonuses, and no deposit bonuses. Check out what your casino is offering and understand the terms and conditions of these bonuses before proceeding to claim. 

Free Blackjack vs Real Money Blackjack

Free blackjack is available in online casinos that allow ‘Free Play’ or ‘Demo Mode.’ After signing up, you can choose a blackjack game and start playing without making an initial deposit. However, remember that you cannot win real money with blackjack-free games. They are just a version of the blackjack games that help you familiarize yourself with the rules. 

On the other hand, real money blackjack is a game you play and get to win real money. Most of these are live dealer blackjacks because they are not offered in free mode. 

Blackjack House Edge and RTP

Blackjack House Edge refers to the online site’s odds over its players. It is the total amount the casinos deduct from your winnings, which is a commission. Imposing a house edge is how the casinos minimize their losses, especially when you make a substantial win. 

Though online casinos use game rules to calculate the house edge, you can minimize the blackjack house edge by choosing a familiar strategy and scoring high winnings.

Return to Player, on the other hand, is the opposite of house edge. It is what the player gets after the casino deducts its commission. Most blackjack games have high RTPs, ranging from 97% to 99.5%.

Conclusion 

The improving technology has ushered in an impressive gaming experience at online casinos. Players can now enjoy various games, including classic blackjack, European blackjack, and Spanish 21. However, many blackjack rules must be followed, especially when playing live dealer blackjack. 

FAQs

1. How do I beat the dealer when I play blackjack online?

You beat the dealer by drawing a hand value higher than the dealer’s, the dealer’s hand going over 21, and drawing a hand value of 21 on the first two cards when the dealer does not.

2. How do I lose the dealer?

You lose to the dealer when your hand goes over one, or when the dealer has a more excellent card value than yours when you complete a round.

3. How do you find the hand’s face value?

The value of the card determines the hand’s face value. When the cards are J, Q, or K, the values are 10, but Ace cards count as 11, depending on which value helps the hand the most. Also, 2 through 10 counts as three ace value; 3 counts as 3, and 8 counts as 8.