The easiest game to play with the best chance to beat the house, blackjack is the most popular table game in just about every casino. From online casinos in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan, to landmark land-based casinos in Las Vegas, regional brick-and-mortar casinos all over the US, and Sweepstakes casinos you can play online all across the country, blackjack is king.

• Online Blackjack Real Money Reviews
• What Is The Best Online Blackjack For Money
• Online Blackjack For Real Money

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Those searching for an in-depth look at online blackjack across the US have come to the right place.

The following is a comprehensive real money blackjack guide, including everything you need to know about online blackjack and live dealer online blackjack. From where you can legally play to which online casinos offer the best blackjack games and the reasons why online blackjack is superior to the live version of the game, you’ll find it all right here.

Play online blackjack for real money at the best US casinos

Playing real money blackjack online

There are three real and truly identifiable advantages to playing blackjack online rather than your local casino.

The obvious first one is convenience. You can play blackjack online from your living room sofa. There’s no need to travel anywhere. Even if there were a casino across the street from your home, playing online blackjack at home would be the more convenient option.

Next is the cost.

By taking advantage of the bonuses available at online casinos or the offers from Sweepstakes casinos you can actually play blackjack for free and possibly build a bankroll out of thin air that allows you to continue playing. Plus, you can’t win every time you play. So, you’re going to want to limit your losses when things don’t work out as planned. Online blackjack games have much lower limits allowing you to do just that.

Finally, there’s the experience. While you can have new experience playing the electronic online version of blackjack, you can also have the same blackjack experience you find in a casino playing from wherever you are with access to the internet.

That’s because live dealer online blackjack delivers that experience to you, combining the best aspects of live casino blackjack and online blackjack together.

In fact, it may even be a better version of the live game, since the online betting interface employed by live dealer online blackjack promises quicker and more accurate payouts in what is essentially the same game.

Free blackjack vs real money blackjack

There are all kinds of free-to-play blackjack casino apps and games available on the internet and through various social media outlets. Plus, you can play demo versions of the online blackjack games at most online casinos across the US.

Free online blackjack can be a great learning tool, allowing you to test out different betting patterns and blackjack strategies until you find the ones that work.

The truth is there’s a correct decision to be made in every blackjack situation that leads to maximum profitability and free-to-play-blackjack can help you perfect this optimal playing style without risking any of your own money.

Unfortunately, with no risk comes no reward. In other words, play-money is the only kind of money you’ll ever win with play-money blackjack.

Fortunately, there is one way to win real money playing online blackjack for free. That’s taking advantage of the free bonus money online casinos give you just for signing up or making a deposit. Or, taking advantage of the free virtual currency offers from Sweepstakes casinos.

As we said above, there will be some wagering requirements attached to the online casino bonuses. Clearing these playing blackjack can be tough, but it will most definitely allow you to play blackjack for free and could help you turn nothing into something substantial.

Blackjack casino apps

US online casinos all have mobile casino apps that’ll practically turn your mobile phone or tablet into a mobile casino.

Download and install these apps to any iOS or Android device and you’ll be able to play blackjack online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, wherever you are with access to the internet inside a state where online casinos are legal.

Some Sweepstakes casinos have mobile apps as well, or at the very least, you can play the games they offer through your device’s mobile browser anywhere you are in the US.

To limit size, mobile casino apps generally offer fewer games, but you can rest assured you’ll find blackjack on every single one. Even if it’s just one simple version of the game optimized for mobile devices.

Online casino bonuses and blackjack

Whether it’s free bonus money online casinos give you just for signing up, or a percentage match of your first deposit, most the bonus money you can get from online casinos across the US comes with some kind of wagering requirement attached.

That means you can’t just take the money and run. You have to stick around and gamble with it. In fact, most wagering requirements force you to gamble with the bonus funds multiple times. Of course, once you meet the wagering requirements, anything you win or have left over is yours to keep.

The easiest way to clear these wagering requirements is almost always slots. In fact, most of the time, blackjack or other table games play counts somewhere between 10% and 25% towards clearing the wagering requirements attached.

That means that while it’s not impossible to clear a typical wagering requirement playing blackjack, it’s almost always a lot harder to do than it would be playing slots. Possibly up to ten times as hard.

The low house-edge nature of blackjack is the obvious reason why.

How do you combat this? The first thing to do is look for bonuses with low wagering requirements. Then, try to find bonuses where blackjack counts 25% or more towards meeting the wagering requirements.

Find either and you should obviously pounce on it, but at the same time, don’t be afraid to try to clear any bonus playing blackjack.

The low house-edge nature of the game also makes it entirely possibly to clear even the toughest of wagering requirements.

Legal blackjack casinos

In most of these jurisdictions, established online casino brands have partnered with the brick and mortar casinos. They have a mix of websites and apps, allowing you to enjoy blackjack, slots and many other table games. You’ll be able to gamble legally within state lines.

While regulation of online casinos is spreading, many states have opted for online sportsbooks only. If you are in a state without regulated casinos, you can enjoy blackjack at Sweepstakes Casinos.

NJ blackjack sites

New Jersey’s top online casinos are havens for blackjack players. Here’s a look at some of the blackjack variants they offer:

Golden Nugget

• IGT Blackjack: 0.40% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Blackjack Pro: 0.41% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Vegas Blackjack: 0.40% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Side Bet Blackjack: 0.46% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• European Blackjack: 0.59% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Blackjack Micro Limit: 0.70% House Edge, $0.10 minimum bet
• Blackjack Micro Limit: 0.70% House Edge, $0.50 minimum bet
• Live Dealer Blackjack: 0.66% House Edge, $5 minimum bet

Tropicana Casino

• Atlantic City Blackjack: 0.36% House Edge, $1 minimum
• Single Deck Blackjack: 0.26% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Multihand Blackjack: 0.72% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Vegas Downtown Blackjack: 0.39% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Vegas Strip Blackjack: 0.36% House Edge, $1 minimum bet

Virgin Casino

• Atlantic City Blackjack: 0.36% House Edge, $1 minimum
• Single Deck Blackjack: 0.26% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Multihand Blackjack: 0.72% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Vegas Downtown Blackjack: 0.39% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Vegas Strip Blackjack: 0.36% House Edge, $1 minimum bet

Caesars Casino

• Blackjack Micro Limit: 0.70% House Edge, $0.10 minimum bet
• Blackjack Micro Limit: 0.70% House Edge, $0.50 minimum bet
• European Blackjack: 0.59% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Vegas Blackjack: 0.40% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Blackjack Pro: 0.41% House Edge, $1 minimum bet
• Blackjack Pro Micro Limit: 0.41% House Edge, $0.25 minimum bet

Unibet Casino

• Classic 6-Deck Blackjack: 0.46% House Edge
• NextGen Multihand Blackjack: 0.72% House Edge
• Atlantic City Multi-hand BlackjackPro: 0.36% House Edge
• Atlantic City Single-hand BlackjackPro: 0.36% House Edge
• Blazing 7s Blackjack: 0.67% House Edge
• Multihand Blackjack: 0.72% House Edge
• Super Fun 21 Extreme: 1.4% House Edge
• Zappit Blackjack: 1.15% House Edge

PA blackjack sites

Pennsylvania casinos can only run blackjack games under a set of rules specified by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB). That means blackjack pays 3:2, the dealer stands on soft 17, players can double down on any two cards, split up to three hands and double down after splits. Plus, late surrender is allowed. All this lowers the house edge to 0.40%.

The top three PA online casinos have the following blackjack games running with PGCB rules:

BetMGM

• Standard Blackjack

DraftKings Casino

• DraftKings Blackjack
• DraftKings Classic Blackjack
• DraftKings Pride Blackjack
• DraftKings Multihand Blackjack
• DraftKings Christmas Blackjack
• Live Dealer Blackjack
• Live Dealer Infinite Blackjack

Caesars Casino

• Live Dealer Blackjack
• Live Dealer Infinite Blackjack
• Classic Blackjack

WV blackjack sites

West Virginia casinos run blackjack games under standard rules which include blackjack paying 3:2, dealers standing on soft 17, and players having the ability to split doubles.

The top two online casinos in the state, BETMGM and DraftKings Casino, run a variety of blackjack games under these rules. In fact, DraftKings may offer several different blackjack titles in WV, but most are just classic versions of the game with different graphics and themes.

Sweepstakes casino blackjack

Two of the most popular Sweepstakes Casinos available to players all across the US offer blackjack: Chumba Casino and FunzPoints.

Sweepstakes Casinos like this let you play online blackjack even in states that have yet to legalize online casinos. They do this by operating under federal sweepstakes laws. It works because they only let you play with two different virtual currencies, not cash. One currency has no cash value, and while the other does, you can’t buy it.

In fact, there are only three ways you can get it: Contact the Sweepstakes Casinos to get it for free. Win it in a free contest though the Sweepstakes Casino’s social media account. Or, get it free when you buy some of the other virtual currency that can’t be traded in for cash.

Once you have some these Sweeps Coins or FunzPoints you can use them to play blackjack online at Chumba Casino and FunzPoints and redeem any you win or have left over for cash. Chumba and Funzpoints feature classic versions of online blackjack with graphics, animations and sounds that enhance the player experience.

Most games start with minimums as low as one Sweeps Coin or a single Funzpoint.

The different variations include:

• Progressive Blackjack featuring a progressive side bet jackpot.
• Blackjack Surrender offering the option to surrender and paying out all seven card hands.
• Spanish 21 with 6-8 decks, no tens, the surrender rule, and player 21 wins.
• Pontoon with Spanish 21 rules and a minimum hand of 15.
• Blackjack Switch played with two hands, card switching and dealer bust on 23.

Online blackjack variations

Different blackjack games have different rules and many of these rules have a major impact on the house edge.

Things like the number of decks in the shoe, what blackjack pays, and the dealer rule for hitting or standing on soft 17 all have an impact on how player-friendly a particular blackjack game is. As do the rules for doubling down, splitting, and surrender.

Each can push the house edge up or down up to 1.4%.

What that means is you should steer clear of blackjack games with house-friendly rules like:

• Blackjack paying 6:5
• Dealer hitting on soft 17
• No doubling after splitting
• Doubling down on certain hands only
• No surrender
• No re-splitting aces

Here’s a look at some of the rules for a group of the most popular online blackjack variations you’ll find at online casinos across the US:

Single-Deck Blackjack

• House Edge: 0.26%
• Impactful Rules: One-deck shoe, Dealer stands on soft 17

Atlantic City Blackjack

• House Edge: 0.36%.
• Impactful Rules: Dealer stands on soft 17, Double down on any two cards, Split 10,J,Q, or K up to three times, Late surrender

Vegas Strip Blackjack

• House Edge: 0.36%.
• Impactful Rules: Four-deck shoe, Dealer stands on soft 17, Double down on any two cards, Split 10,J,Q, or K up to three times

Vegas Downtown Blackjack

• House Edge: 0.39%.
• Impactful Rules: Two-deck shoe, Dealer hits on soft 17, Double down on any two cards, Split pairs

Vegas Blackjack

• House Edge: 0.40%.
• Impactful Rules: Dealer stands on soft 17, Double down on any two cards, Split 10,J,Q, or K only once

PGCB Blackjack

• House Edge: 0.40%.
• Impactful Rules: Dealer stands on soft 17, Blackjack pays 3:2, Double down on any two cards, Surrender

What should I look for in an online blackjack casino?

Not all the online casinos that offer blackjack are built the same. If blackjack is your game and the primary reason you’re looking to sign up for an account with an online casino is so you can play blackjack, you should look for an online casino that truly caters to your wants and needs.

Try using the following criteria and asking some of the following questions to help you choose:

• Blackjack variations: The more the merrier and the lower the house edge the better.
• Bonuses and promotions: Every online casino has bonuses, but how low are the wagering requirements attached and does blackjack count 25% or more towards meeting them?
• Mobile games / apps: Every online casino has a mobile app, but how many mobile blackjack variations do the apps have?
• Live dealer games: Are there live dealer blackjack games so I can enjoy the live blackjack experience online?
• Legal and regulated: Is this online casino in a state where online casinos are legal and I can turn to state regulators for help if something goes wrong? Is my money safe, or could this illegal offshore operation fold up overnight locking up my cash?
• Customer support: Does this online casino have 24-hour phone or online support or will I have to deal with a bunch of unanswered emails if I have a problem?

Live dealer online blackjack casinos

The online casinos in Michigan, NJ and PA have brought together the best of both the live casino and online casino blackjack worlds for live dealer online blackjack games. Live dealer online blackjack games are also headed to Michigan in 2021.

It’s real dealers using real cards on real tables in front of cameras inside a real-life casino studio. Then, the online casinos broadcast the games live and you can bet online using a graphic interface.

It really is a live and online blackjack hybrid that involves the best aspects of both games: The speed and accuracy of online wagering and the trustworthiness and transparency of real people using real casino equipment in a live casino.

Live dealer blackjack games are a little more social as well, allowing you to chat in real time with the dealer and other players. The popularity of live dealer online blackjack games is growing every day alongside the list of online casinos offering the games.

Should you count cards?

You may already be aware that while counting cards isn’t against the law, live casinos seriously frown upon the activity and reserve the right to ban players caught doing it.

However, online casinos really don’t mind if you try. That’s because most online blackjack games employ a continuous shuffle process that renders the count worthless. Plus, even those that don’t are really only using half of the cards in a shoe, making it very difficult to keep count or take advantage in any way.

Card counting works on the idea that playing with a shoe holding a higher percentage of high cards gives you an edge. You keep track of the number of high cards left in the shoe and increase your bet when it’s high enough to give you that edge.

Card counters worried that increasing the bet might top off dealers and pit bosses signal in team members to take advantage of a favorable count instead.

Online Blackjack Real Money Reviews

While you don’t really have to worry about that online, there’s enough other things in the way to make card counting difficult to impossible.

Single Deck Blackjack games might be the best to count, but by the time the count is in your favor, it’s almost always time to shuffle up again and too late to take full advantage.

Blackjack Strategy Basics: How a Typical Hand is Played Out

Blackjack tables have spaces for up to 7 players. Your objective is to beat the dealer, there are three ways to do this:

• Have a total closer to 21 than the dealer does when the hand is competed
• Get dealt a ‘blackjack’ (picture card or 10 with an ace) when the dealer does not have one
• Have a live hand when the dealer busts by hitting 22 or more.

Here is how a hand works in the most common (US) blackjack variation.

• Each player must place a bet before they are dealt into a hand.
• The dealer deals two cards to each player face up
• The dealer deals herself one card face up and one face down
• If the dealers ‘hole card’ is an ace, they will offer insurance to the players against a dealer blackjack (see below for more on this bet).
• The dealer will now ‘peek’ at the hidden card when a 2-card blackjack is possible, if they hit this then the hand ends. All players not getting a blackjack (which is a push) will lose their bet.
• Each player now chooses whether to stand on their current total, hit, double down (add an additional bet) or split their cards. In some games a surrender option, returning half of the bet, is also offered.
• If any player goes over 21, their hand is dead – and their bet is lost.
• Play continues until all players have either busted or stood on their current total.
• The dealer then turns over her hidden card. She will hit or stand depending on the specific rules of the game. For example, standing on a hard 17 or over and hitting on soft 17 or under.
• If the dealer does not bust, then her score is compared to those of each player to determine who wins, loses and where there is a push.

In blackjack, aces can count as either 1 or 11. You will hear ‘Soft 17’ (for example) when the dealer has an ace plus a 6. If the next card is a 4, you can revert to counting the ace as 11 – making your total a 21. If you get a 10-value card, then your hand becomes a ‘Hard 17’

Your Decisions Explained: Stand, Hit, Double or Split

There is an optimal blackjack strategy for each combination of your cards’ total and the dealer’s up-card. While there are small differences depending on the number of decks in use and the specific rules on splitting and doubling down – understanding ‘basic strategy’ will keep the casino house edge very low.

A strategy card will show you the exact strategy for each combination. Below are the basics to keep in mind.

When to Hit: You’ll be hitting most of the time when dealer has a high probability of making a total between 17 and 21 and you have 16 or under. When the dealer shows a picture card, ace or two, you will almost always hit. If the dealer has a 3, 4, 5 or 6 showing, they have a higher probability of busting. This means you won’t hit as often when you have a chance to bust yourself.

When to Stand: Any time you have a hard 17 or better, your best strategy is to stand. If the dealer shows a middle card (especially a 5 or 6), there are many spots where you will stand with a hand between 12 and 16. In most games, the best strategy with a soft 17 is to hit.

When to Double: Doubling, or Doubling Down, involves placing an extra bet equal to your initial wager on a hand. You are then dealt one more card. Rules vary on when you are allowed to do this. The ideal situation is when you have 9, 10 or 11 in your total, and the dealer shows a middle card.

When to Split: When your cards are identical (for example a pair or 10’s), your choice is between standing and splitting. If you split, you need to place an extra wager – effectively playing 2 hands. You now play these hands individually, hitting, standing, splitting or doubling down. The ideal time to split is with 2 high cards against a dealer middle card. You’ll usually stand with 20 if the dealer shows a picture card.

When to Surrender: Some games have an optional surrender. This allows you to ditch a terrible hand (for example 16) against a dealer picture card. You’ll pay half of your initial bet to surrender.

Types of Blackjack Game and Blackjack Variations

There are two main ‘core’ blackjack games, plus 100’s of variations which include side-bets and novelty games based on the original concept.

Here are the two main variations:

• US Blackjack: This was described in the typical hand above. The dealer takes two cards at the start of the hand and will ‘peek’ at the hidden card when a blackjack is possible.
• European Blackjack: The dealer only gets one card at the start of the hand. After all the players have completed their actions, the dealer takes another card. This means you won’t know whether the dealer has a blackjack until the end of the hand, which does affect your strategy.

Here are some of the other common real money blackjack variations you’ll find on casino floors and in online casinos:

• Double Deck / Single Deck: Usually reserved for the high rollers, these games use just 1 or 2 decks instead of the usual 6 to 8.
• Spanish 21: This variation removes the 10’s (though not the picture cards) from the deck, leaving 48 cards in each deck.
• Free Bet Blackjack: You can get a free bet token to double or split in this game. To balance, if the dealer hits 22, winning player hands are considered a push.
• Blackjack Switch: Here you get dealt 2 hands and can swap the cards between them to hit the best possible score.
• Pontoon: This game originated in the UK. It has similar rules, though uses different terms including ‘Stick’ and ‘Twist’.

Online Blackjack Side Bets

Blackjack does not have the possibilities of huge wins compared to casino poker games like Let It Ride and Ultimate Texas Hold’em. To balance this, many casinos offer side bets. These are optional bets, and the stakes don’t need to match the main bet in many circumstances. For example, you can bet $25 per hand in the main game, with an optional $5 side bet.

Popular options are ‘Perfect Pairs’, where you can win based on hitting a pair as your hole cards, with bigger payments for suited aces – or ‘Blazing 777’s’ which pays big prizes with 3 7’s as your first 3 cards.

Keep in mind that side bets have a higher house edge than the main game. Some live casino side bets have progressive jackpots.

What is the house edge on blackjack?

The best blackjack games have a tiny house edge. This can be under 1% with the right mix of rules. Ideal games have as few decks as possible – the dealer should hit on soft 17, liberal rules including the ability to split and resplit, and to double down after splitting – plus a surrender option.

Most regular blackjack games have a house edge of around 2% to 3%. This assumes you are making ‘perfect’ decisions in line with the strategy card of the game you are playing.

A common change in live casinos is to pay 6:5 instead of 3:2 on a player blackjack. This increases their long-term house edge by almost 2%. The smallest stakes games rarely have the ideal rules these days, though if you are playing $50+ per hand (live) then you’ll be able to find games with a lower house edge.

Blackjack Card Counting and Advantage Play

While card counting is not against the law, casinos will quickly ban players caught doing this.

The concept is simple, that a deck with more high cards as a proportion of the total is more favorable for the player. With enough high cards, the house edge can become positive for the players. Card counters employ different methods of keeping track of the cards dealt. When the count becomes positive, they increase their bet size significantly – taking advantage of the house edge.

The problem with this strategy is that going from $5 to $500 bets is very obvious to the dealers and pit bosses. While the MIT blackjack team had a signaling method in the famous movie, casinos are aware of this too – making counting very difficult.

There is nothing to stop you increasing your bet size online. To counter card counting, the games only use half of the cards in an 8-deck shoe. This makes getting a ‘true count’ very difficult. The count (whether you count high or low cards) is always divided by the number of remaining decks to account for variance in the spread of the high / low cards. Single or Double Deck games are ideal for counting – though in live casinos these games will be the most closely watched.

Casino revenue

Data from the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), confirms blackjack is a popular and profitable table game in Nevada casinos.

Though other table games have emerged in the 21st century, the blackjack win amount recorded by Nevada casinos has been around $1.1 billion annually. External factors, such as novelty table games and general economics, certainly impact blackjack revenue. Even still, data since 2000 shows blackjack has been a consistent profit source.

A sharp increase in revenue from baccarat, a table game popular among super-high rollers, has put blackjack in the No. 2 spot in the annual revenue category since 2009. This was a distinct and defining year for Las Vegas gaming revenue. It marked a national recession and the long-awaited opening of City Center. This new venue included two major casinos, Aria and Cosmopolitan.

Even though Nevada baccarat revenue surpassed blackjack revenue by more than $100 million in 2015, the annual win amount from craps was just a fraction of blackjack’s. Nevada casinos earned about $383 million from craps in 2015 compared to $1.09 billion from blackjack.

Blackjack across the US

Nearly every casino in the United States that offers table games offers blackjack.

Since this statement does not hold true for craps or roulette, it’s a testament to the game’s popularity and understanding among players and regulators alike.

Florida

Florida, for example, is an emerging gaming destination and jurisdiction. For the time being, a compact between Florida’s Native American tribes and the state government limits the presence of non-poker table games to tribal casinos. That exclusivity makes casino-resort properties like the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood one of the most lucrative in North America. The South Florida casino is home to over 100 table games and dozens of active blackjack tables at peak hours.

California

On the other coast, California has its take on the game of 21. In the 1980s, to get legislators and regulators to agree on the expansion of table games (mainly poker), card rooms began offering the game but only if non-licensees banked them. The California system stems from the acceptance of parimutuel wagering. (California is home to dozens of racetracks like the famous Santa Anita, which opened in 1934.)

California’s regulatory limitations require all wagering competitions to be parimutuel forces players to wager against each other. They do not wager directly against the house. State-sponsored card rooms and racetracks make money by taking a structured percentage out of the prize pool. The take is based on the total amount wagered.

To allow blackjack in a parimutuel-only gaming environment, the game in California is “banked” by other players. It can also be banked by a “corporation” that provides the service to the casino full time — a fee collected from each player before every hand goes directly to the casino. It is separate from the wagers (and subsequent wins and losses) on the table. It’s effectively an ante required to be dealt into a round of blackjack.

Oklahoma

Charging a fee to play a hand of blackjack is not unique to California. In Oklahoma, tribal casinos collect what is commonly referred to as an “ante” (as opposed to “commission”). This equates to 50 cents from each player before every hand. At Winstar World Resort in Thackerville, just across the Texas-Oklahoma border, dealers collect blackjack antes 24/7 on one of the biggest casino floors in the country.

Other venues

Though gaming laws vary from state to state, one is never too far away from a live blackjack table. Outside of Nevada and Atlantic City, blackjack players can find favorable gaming conditions in the Midwest and Gulf Coast. Riverboat and tribal casinos in Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana have been hotspots for decades.

Not all blackjack is created equal

To many players, blackjack is still blackjack no matter the rules or how it is dealt. Unfortunately, this perception is untrue.

Blackjack is a game where the host determines the conditions. Minor variants are common between casinos and even within the same casino. For players, it’s imperative to identify how the specific rules and/or paying a commission affect the overall game.

Some conditions are the result of legal regulation. Others are simply a mechanism to adjust the house advantage and, therefore, hold and win percentages.

Blackjack, the event of getting dealt a two-card 21 pays 3:2 or 1.5-to-1 on a wager. Sadly for players, 6:5 or 1.2-to-1 blackjack is a rapidly increasing occurrence.

One might wrongly assume 6:5 payouts exist only to offer single-deck games. Unfortunately, there are properties in Downtown Las Vegas that offer 6:5 shoe games — and eight-deck shoe games to boot. Avoid these games.

For the time being, plenty of authentic 3:2 games can be found within a short walk of a blasphemous 6:5 shoe game. On a positive note, the 6:5 trend seems to be concentrated in certain markets, like Las Vegas. Thankfully, it’s not a sweeping trend across the world.

FAQ

Which online casino has the best blackjack games?

With almost two dozen blackjack games available, BetMGM in New Jersey really is the best online blackjack casino in the US.

The blackjack titles list includes:

• Multi Hand Blackjack
• BetMGM blackjack pro
• BetMGM Blackjack Pro sp
• Blackjack fortune spinner pro
• bj fortune spinner mobile
• Blackjack
• Blackjack Fortune Spinner
• BLACKJACK PRO
• BLACKJACK PRO MOBILE
• borgata blackjack pro
• borgata blackjack pro mobile
• Perfect Blackjack Pro
• Premium Blackjack Pro
• Premium Blackjack Pro
• Mini Blackjack Poker
• Blackjack Mini
• PARTYCASINO BLACKJACK PRO
• PARTYCASINO BLACKJACK PRO
• First Person Blackjack
• Blackjack
• Blackjack Xchange
• Multi-hand blackjack; and
• Multi-hand Blackjack Pro

For those not in New Jersey, Chumba Casino represents a pretty good alternative. It’s available all over the country and boasts the following list of blackjack titles:

• Progressive Blackjack
• Blackjack Surrender
• Spanish 21
• Pontoon
• Blackjack Switch

Which blackjack game offers the lowest house edge?

Single-Deck Blackjack has the best odds of any casino game in the country, not just blackjack, but all casino games. The house edge is a paltry 0.26%. The fact just one deck is used instead of six or eight is the difference maker, but the dealer standing on soft 17 helps too.

Is three card poker better than blackjack?

Three Card Poker is a bit of a blackjack alternative. It’s you against the dealer in an effort to try to make the better three-card poker hand. Unfortunately, the 3.07% house edge makes it a pretty poor alternative to the many blackjack variants that boast less than a 1% house edge.

Three Card Poker can be fun, but you’ve got a better chance of winning playing blackjack.

Is online blackjack rigged?

No, online blackjack isn’t rigged. The game appears at state licensed online casinos who rigorously test every game for fairness. Online blackjack uses a computerized random number generator to determine the outcome of each hand and state regulators test these too.

The truth is that online blackjack games have a house edge, which means online casinos are going to make money off you playing over the long haul. Since you’re basically giving them your money by playing they have no reason to try to steal it.

Can blackjack be beaten?

Theoretically no. However, the low house edge means you’re going to lose less playing blackjack over the long haul than most other casinos games.

Of course, you can get lucky in the short term and beat the game. Or, you can play perfectly and take advantage of various bonuses, promotions, and even dealer mistakes to beat the game.

The use of mobile devices has become insidious and
ubiquitous. You can’t even drive down the highway without seeing
other drivers hard at work doing SOMETHING on their cell phones.
Maybe they’re even playing mobile blackjack, but who knows?

This method of playing online 21 games is growing in
popularity all the time, too. Most Internet casinos offer
specially designed versions of their most popular games as apps
that you can use on any kind of mobile device, from cell phones
to tablet computers.

The first step to signing up for a mobile blackjack app is to
look at the tech specs for the casino. Not all casino apps are
compatible with all mobile devices. It would be a shame to
invest a lot of time and effort into signing up for an online
casino only to learn that it won’t work with your device.

Mobile compatible casino games come in 2 variations:

1. Instant play games
2. Downloadable apps

An instant play game is one that you play in your browser
window. You don’t need to download an app in order to play this
kind of game, and instant play blackjack games are typically
compatible with any kind of mobile device.

Downloadable apps often offer better functionality, graphics,
and sound effects. The play is usually smoother, too, even
though you have to wait for the website to respond.

Here are some different platforms with mobile blackjack apps:

Android Blackjack

This is probably where most of our customers are going to get their blackjack game on. That’s because this is the
most commonly used operating system in the market. Online casinos which offer actual apps you can
download are more likely to offer something compatible with Android than anything else. Of course,
Android devices are also perfect for instant play games.

iPhone/iPad Blackjack

The extraordinary graphics available
through these Apple products come with a cost. You’ll find fewer
apps, especially casino apps, aimed at users of these devices.
That being said, iPads and iPhones are more common than Mac
computers—a few years ago, Mac gamblers had real issues being
able to play.

Windows Blackjack

Windows is still ubiquitous on desktop
and laptop computers, but mobile devices powered by the Windows
operating system aren’t quite as common. Still, you can find
casinos which offer blackjack apps that are specifically
compatible with Windows. Like the other options on this list,
you can use instant play blackjack at most Windows devices, too.

Kindle Blackjack

This is Amazon’s tablet, which actually
used to be an e-reader. Being really specific here, we want to
point out that the Kindle brand name has now been reserved for
its e-readers. The Kindle Fire tablet computer is now properly
called just a “Fire”. Several online casinos are happy to cater
to this market with Kindle blackjack apps, too.

Smartwatch Blackjack

This is the mobile device that we’re
least familiar with, because it’s also the newest. The idea is
to combine a cell phone/PDA/table computer type functionality
with a wristwatch. We’re not convinced that this will catch on.
You won’t find as many choices for Smartwatch blackjack apps.

Operating Systems and Software Details

It’s not so much the type of device you use that affects
which apps are available to you as it is the operating system.
Most operating systems, though, are tied to a specific device.
For example, iOS is used on Apple products like the iPad and the
iPhone. Depending on the casino, you’re probably going to be
needing one of the newer versions of that operating system in
order to download the app.

Other operating systems include Android and Windows Mobile.
Android is probably the most popular, and it’s actually a Google
product. That’s why you can find Android compatible apps in the
Google Play store. You have to go to the Apple store to get apps
compatible with iOS.

Of course, you can find blackjack apps right on the casino
sites. In fact, if you want to play for real money, that’s
probably what you’re going to have to do. Both the Apple Store
and the Google Play Store have restrictions on apps that enable
Internet gambling.

How to Play Blackjack on a Mobile App

Playing blackjack on a mobile app is similar in most ways to
playing blackjack at an online casino via any other device.
You’re still dealing with a video game version of the card game,
but the random number generator duplicates the odds you would
see if you were playing with a real deck of cards. This is true
of both the apps that you download and of the instant play games
in your browser.

For the most part, your options at each stage of the game
will be represented by an icon on the touchscreen. You have all
the same options you’d have in any other blackjack game:

• Hitting
• Standing
• Doubling down
• Splitting
• Surrendering
• Taking insurance

You even use the touchscreen to set the size of your bet and
to initiate the hand.

Can You Play for Free? Can You Play for Real Money?

It’s a standard marketing practice at all online casinos to
offer their games for free to potential customers. So yes, you
can play free mobile blackjack. The site gives you a bogus
account with bogus credits that have no cash value. The rest of
the game plays just like it would if you were playing for real
money. We like to compare it to playing Monopoly. You don’t have
any real money on the line when you’re playing a free game.

Some readers might question why anyone would want to bother
playing any kind of free gambling game. We understand that
question. But there are actually quite a few reasonable uses for
such a game:

• You can practice basic strategy.
• You can learn how the controls work before risking any real money.
• You can evaluate whether or not you’ll enjoy playing for real money at that particular casino.

You can also find apps that aren’t necessarily powered by
online casinos at all. These apps ONLY offer free games. Other
than as a tool to practice counting cards or basic strategy, we
don’t see a lot of value in that kind of free blackjack game.

If you want to play for real money, you can do that, too. A
lot of online casinos operate overseas and still accept United
States players, but not all of them. You should make sure the
casino you’re interested in actually accepts real money players
from the United States before deciding to download their app.

You also have to register and account at a real money casino,
even if you’re going to play exclusively via their app. That’s
easy enough to do. You just input your name, address, phone
number, and some other particular concerning your identity. Then
you can just deposit money into your account and start playing
blackjack.

Mobile blackjack players have the same deposit and withdrawal
options as any other player at an online casino. Most gamblers
just use a credit card to fund their casino account, but that’s
next to impossible in some jurisdictions. For those players, an
online wallet of some kind might make a lot of sense. BitCoin,
in fact, is becoming increasingly popular with online casino
gamblers.

The signup bonuses for players of mobile blackjack are also
the same as they would be for the desktop version of the casino.
The same kinds of restrictions apply, though, which usually
means that wagers on blackjack don’t count toward your wagering
requirements when you’re trying to clear your bonus.

Even at casinos which count blackjack wagers toward your
playthrough, they often only count a tiny percentage of your
play. Sometimes this is as low as 5% or 10% depending on the
game—the better blackjack games—by which we mean the ones with
the lowest house edge—count less toward your wagering
requirements.

Should You Download a Mobile Blackjack Game?

We think that adults ought to be able to do what they want to
with their money as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else. That’s
why we think that gambling laws in the United States which try
to forbid gambling for real money on the Internet are an example
of the government overstepping its bounds. After all, most
states offer a lottery of some kind. So they’re not totally
opposed to gambling—just gambling that they’re not making a
profit from.

That being said, the laws related to online blackjack vary
from one jurisdiction to another. We don’t know of any
jurisdictions which have laws related specifically to the game
of 21, though. We also don’t know of any jurisdictions which
have laws related specifically to using mobile devices, either.

But we do know that many jurisdictions have restrictions on
the kinds of gambling that can be done. Many times wagers made
across the Internet are illegal.

But you should be aware of any potential risks before we make
a recommendation about whether or not you should play. Your risk
tolerance is something only you can decide.

Of course, mobile blackjack is more convenient than almost
any other version of the game. This is both a plus and a minus.
Convenience is great unless you’re a gambling addict or
something. If that IS the case, you want to be careful of how
convenient you make your gambling. Total abstinence from
gambling is probably your best bet in that case.

One other concern online gamblers have to deal with is
whether or not their chosen casino and its app are roguish or
not.

A rogue casino isn’t necessarily one that cheats at the
games. Blackjack already has a mathematical edge against the
player in favor of the casino, so cheating isn’t really
necessary. All the casino has to do is keep playing, and
eventually they’ll win all a player’s money.

But that’s a long run perspective. In the short term, players
can and do win money—sometimes a lot of it. In those cases, a
player might want to cash out his winnings. This is where the
integrity of the casino comes into play.

An honest, trustworthy site processes withdrawals in a timely
manner. But some rogue casinos delay withdrawals for spurious
reasons. Some players report never being able to withdraw their
winnings.

Stick with recommendations from trustworthy gambling
information portals like the one you’re reading right now. We’ve
spent a lot of time investigating the reputations of the sites
we recommend here. We’re confident that none of the casinos we
recommend will cheat you.

That being said, we can’t guarantee anything. The Internet is
a dynamic place. Websites change ownership and management. A
casino that was trustworthy yesterday might have a change of
heart tomorrow. Your best bet is to only gamble with money you
can afford to lose.

Also, the functionality of mobile blackjack apps doesn’t
always compare favorably to the desktop software. There’s just
less computing power to go around, so that makes a difference.

What Is The Best Online Blackjack For Money

Conclusion

Mobile blackjack apps are a boon for players who are in a
hurry and/or on the go all the time. Probably at least 50%,
maybe more, of the people who are surfing the Internet are doing
so from a mobile device of some sort. It would be foolish of
such people to not at least consider playing 21 games via their
tablet computer or cell phone.

The only people who should actively avoid these types of apps
are people who are concerned with the legal risks, people who
have no disposable income for this kind of entertainment, and
people who lack normal impulse control. Gambling addiction isn’t
funny, and you shouldn’t make it easy to ruin your life by
downloading a casino app.

Online Blackjack For Real Money