Online Casino | Online Gambling | Online Casino South Africa

With so many online casinos to choose from, it has become increasingly common for gambling enthusiasts to play Blackjack Online right in the comfort of their own homes and at their own convenience.

Online Blackjack Games are available in numerous variations allowing all types of players to find a suitable game for their level of skill. One of the most important aspects of Blackjack Online is that it is based on skill and strategy requiring you to first learn the basic rules and master the various strategies before you start playing.

Many online casinos afford you the opportunity to play Online Blackjack for free in fun or practice mode through their flash based games. The games can be loaded and played straight from your web browser within a matter of minutes provided your computer web browser is Macromedia Flash or Java enabled.

Playing Blackjack Online in free mode enables you to utilize the practical learning tools which are presented in a user-friendly format. Once you have mastered the basic strategy, tips and techniques, you will be in a better position to lower the house advantage and increase your chances of winning.

There are many different variations of Online Blackjack depending on the online casino that you choose to play at and the particular software platform that powers it.

The different Online Blackjack variations possess their own set of unique features and special characteristics; although the same basic rules of the game apply to all these variations.

Some of the most popular Online Blackjack variations include 888casino, , European Blackjack, Spanish 21, Match Play 21 and Classic Blackjack. For players that are up for the challenge, most online casinos offer the Multiplayer Blackjack variation such as the World Class Tournaments where players can compete against other players. Some online casinos offer blackjack games through the live gaming platform in the form of a simulated highly trained professional human being who acts as the live dealer. You can watch the Online Blackjack live dealer in action and learn all the strategic aspects of this mainstream option. Playing Online Blackjack is an exciting option allowing you to learn more about the game, explore the different varieties and benefit from the special bonuses.

In a game of blackjack, the option for insurance is offered to players in a situation where the dealer manages to obtain an Ace as his face-up card.

The idea of blackjack insurance is based on the assumption that the dealer will secure blackjack and players who purchase insurance place an extra bet equal to half the size of their initial bet in the insurance spot on the table. If the dealer secures the blackjack (a ten value card down) the players that purchased insurance will receive twice ora value equal to 2 to 1of their insurance bet.

In real terms this means that you will be winning back your initial bet and the insurance bet and breaking even on the play. However, if the dealer does not secure blackjack the player will forfeit his insurance bet and continues with his regular blackjack hand.

The concept of insurance in a game of blackjack is considered to be one of the casino’s greatest marketing tools.

The casino offers Blackjack Insurance because it offers the casino a huge competitive edge over the player.

Many players will usually feel lucky and choose to insure a good hand in order to avoid a loss if the dealer has blackjack.

Taking blackjack insurance is considered as a bad percentage play unless the player is a card counter who can keep track of the number of 10-value cards that remains to be played.

For experienced players that have mastered the techniques of card counting, taking blackjack insurance can prove to be one of the best play adjustments that one can make from a statistical point of view.

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games mainly because of its captivating appeal and the challenge that the game presents. In certain jurisdictions, the game of blackjack is commonly referred to as 21 because the main goal of the game is for the player to beat the dealer’s hand by achieving a hand with points total as close to 21 as possible, but without exceeding 21. Blackjack is a game of skill and experienced players with the ability to apply the right strategic moves can significantly lower the house edge and increase their chances of winning.

It is important to bear in mind that the rules of blackjack vary from one casino to another and players are encouraged to get familiar with the variations before they sign up with a specific casino. Standard Blackjack is played with a deck of 52 cards, several decks can be mixed together in what is referred to as a shoe in order to speed up the game and in order to make the technique of card counting much more difficult. The number of decks varies from casino to casino but generally ranges between two to eight decks. The game of blackjack is played on a specially designed table with sufficient room for up to eight simultaneous players each with their own designated playing area where cards are placed and bets are made.

How to Play Blackjack

The game of blackjack commences when the dealer gives each player a card and deals a card for himself as well. When the cards are first dealt, they are placed face down but players are allowed to look at the cards. In the second instance, the dealer gives a card to each of the players and deals another card for himself face up allowing all players to see his card. Once each player has secured at least two cards several tactical moves can be applied in order to increase your odds of winning.

Actions

HIT: You take an additional card from the dealer as many times as possible in order to get as close to 21 as possible. The player must not exceed 21 in order to avoid getting “bust” and losing his bet.
STAND: When a player is satisfied that his score will beat the dealer’s hand, he will accept no more cards.
DOUBLE DOWN: In this case the player elects to double his original bet, and can only take one more card from the dealer regardless of the value of the card.
SPLIT: In the event that a player has two cards of the same denomination he may split the cards and play the cards in two separate hands.
SURRENDER: This option allows a player to surrender and take half of his bet back.

After the player and the dealer have completed their actions, all cards are revealed and the player with the highest score wins.