Playing Blackjack Online
Blackjack (also known as Twenty-one or Pontoon) is one of the most popular casino card games in the world and it is no different with its virtual counterpart. Blackjack originated in French casinos around 1700. When the game was first introduced in the United States it was not very popular.
In order to attract players American casinos offered a payout bonus of 10 to 1 if the player’s hand consisted of the ace of spades and a black Jack. This hand was called a “blackjack” and the name stuck to the game. Blackjack is probably popular because of the mix of chance and elements of skill involved. The rules are quite easy to learn but a good strategy needs practice and a calculative mind. There are more than 100 variations and each blackjack variation has its own set of rules and strategies.
The basic rule however is that the hand with the highest total wins as long as it doesn’t exceed 21 in which case it is said to bust or have too many. Thus an ace’s value is 11 unless this would cause the player to bust, in which case it is worth 1. Each player’s goal is to beat the dealer by having the higher unbusted hand. Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value, and face cards are also worth 10. The minimum bet varies from casino to casino and table to table (usually printed on a sign on the table). After initial bets are placed the dealer deals two cards to each player including himself. One of the dealer’s cards is face-up so all the players can see it while the other is face down.
The players options include a hit (taking another card), stand (take no more cards), double down (one more card plus double the wager), split (start two new hand with same value cards) and surrender (withdraw half the wager and give the hand up, however this option is not commonly offered in online casinos).
Do you want to learn blackjack strategy? Have a look at this guide