Blackjack

Best Casinos to Play Blackjack in Australia

To play online blackjack in a safe and fair environment, sign up with a trusted online casino. Instead of scouring the internet yourself, browse the best blackjack online casinos I have selected for you and pick the one that best suits your needs.

Bart's Guide to Online Blackjack

Blackjack is a skill-based casino game, so learning the ropes and honing your skills can do miracles for your performance. Jokes aside, understanding blackjack basics is not enough for success at this game. You must take time to learn how to play blackjack strategically and make the most of all its advantages.
Without further ado, let's examine blackjack's rules and gameplay and learn how to play it at online casinos in Australia.

Online Blackjack Rules and Gameplay

In online blackjack, you always play against the dealer. That's the biggest difference between the land-based and online versions of the game. The game's objective is to create a hand closer to 21 than the dealer's without going over.

If your total exceeds 21, you bust, which is the term for losing in blackjack. The same goes for your hands with a total lower than the dealer's unless they bust.

To make decisions, you must first understand how cards are valued in blackjack. Cards from 2 to 10 have their face value, while Js, Qs, and Ks are all worth 10 points. An Ace can be worth 1 or 11 points. Hands completed with an Ace are called soft when it is valued at 11 and hard when it counts as 1.

How to Play Online Blackjack

Now, let's see how a round of blackjack works in practice. After choosing a trusted Aussie casino site, creating an account with it and depositing the desired amount, head to the casino lobby and find a blackjack game you like. Then, follow the steps below:

1. Adjust a bet size and place a bet: Blackjack tables usually support a wide betting range, so make sure to place a bet that best suits your budget.

2. The dealer deals cards: You and the dealer get two cards each. Your cards will be face-up, while the dealer's one card is face-down and the other is face-up.

3. Make decisions: Once you have seen your cards and the dealer's face-up card, you should decide whether to stand or hit. Depending on the cards you've received, you may also be able to double down or split.

4. The dealer reveals their face-down card: When you have played your moves, and the dealer has revealed their face-down card, the winning hand is determined based on the values described above.

You've noticed a few terms you may not be familiar with. Here is what they mean, starting with the decisions you can make.

• Hit: If you hit, you ask the dealer to deal you another card. This is one of the most important decisions in blackjack, as it can result in creating a winning hand or going over 21.

• Stand: If you are satisfied with the cards you've been dealt and believe your hand can beat the dealer's, you stand. This means you will not get any more cards.

• Double down: This option lets you double your original bet and receive another card. You should double down only when you believe that your hand is unbeatable.

• Split: The split option appears when you get two cards of the same value. It lets you split your cards and create two or more hands. Some variants also allow you to double down after receiving the second card for each hand.

Payouts may differ across various blackjack variants. However, the most common payouts you can win while playing online blackjack are as follows:

• Blackjack or natural: If your two initial cards total 21 (for instance, an A and a K), you have a blackjack, also known as a natural. In most games, it pays 3:2. Some casinos offer blackjack variants that pay 6:5 for natural, but you should avoid these games.

• A winning hand: If you beat the dealer with a hand closer to 21, regardless of its score, you win 1:1.

• Push: If you and the dealer have the same total, the round ends in a push, and you get your original stake back.

Blackjack House Edge

Each blackjack variant has its own house edge, which depends on different game rules and elements. At the same time, the house advantage may vary based on players' decisions. Before we get into details, you should know that blackjack variants have a lower house edge than most casino games.

While the average RTP in online slots is 96%, blackjack variants available at Aussie casinos have an RTP of up to 99.6%. This means that the house edge can be as low as 0.40%. However, this applies only when the game is played with the perfect strategy. Because of that, learning the strategy for each variant you want to play is essential.

The rules and other elements that can affect the house edge in blackjack include the number of card decks, whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17s, whether doubling down after splitting is allowed and so on. Always choose blackjack variants with a lower house edge for the best odds of winning.

Insurance in Blackjack

Just like you can double down when you have a strong hand, you can also use insurance when you believe the dealer has a blackjack. Insurance is a side bet that becomes available when the dealer's side-up card is an Ace. It lets you wager half of your original stake and win if the dealer gets natural.

Although it pays 2:1, meaning that you can recoup a share of wagered money, it is not a good option in the long run, and I don't recommend getting insurance. After all, you don't want to place a bet to predict that you will lose.

Online Blackjack Side Bets

Online blackjack offers various side bets that can add more excitement to the gameplay. These are additional bets you can play for a chance to win a bigger payout. Higher returns mean playing at higher risk, so you should approach these optional bets carefully.

Besides insurance, some of the most common side bets I've seen in online blackjack games include:

●       Perfect Pairs: As its name suggests, this bet lets you win if your first two cards make a pair. You get paid depending on whether a pair is mixed (red/black), of the same colour, or perfect (of the same suit and rank). The Perfect Pair outcome earns you the top payout of 25:1.  

●       21+3: With this bet, you predict that your two first cards and the dealer's first card will create a 3-card poker hand. The bet can pay in five different ways based on the strength of your hands, with a suited three of a kind paying 100:1.

●       Bet Behind: While it is not a typical blackjack side bet you can place next to your ante, the Bet Behind option is standard at live casino blackjack tables that accommodate a limited number of players. When all the seats are taken, you can bet behind one of the players and win if they win. You will score the same payouts as the player.

Blackjack Variants at Aussie Online Casinos

Now that you are familiar with online blackjack basics, let me tell you more about some of the most popular variants you can play. At the best casinos online, you can enjoy the following blackjack games:

Suit' Em Up Blackjack – RTG

The title of the RTG blackjack game comes from its side bets, which let you bet on different card combinations of the same suit. The main game is standard, with a blackjack paying 3:2 and the dealer hitting on soft 17. As for the side bet, if you get lucky, you can win from 2:1 on any suited cards to 60:1 on suited Aces.

Single Deck Blackjack Professional Series – NetEnt

As its title suggests, Single Deck Blackjack uses only one deck of cards. The game is available on mobile devices only, so if you choose any of the best mobile casinos in Australia with NetEnt games, you can enjoy it wherever you are. A 3:2 payout on a natural blackjack and a house edge of 0.41% make this game highly popular among blackjack newbies and seasoned players.   

American Blackjack - Pragmatic Play

Pragmatic Play has come up with a game that is a perfect fit for experienced blackjack players. It lets you play up to 3 hands per round. When played according to the perfect strategy, American Blackjack has a house edge of 0.40%.

Infinite Blackjack – Evolution

This is the first live blackjack variant with unlimited seats. So, if you want to play Infinite Blackjack, you can do it immediately at Evolution casinos. With a house edge of 0.53%, the game offers several side bets, including Bust It, which pays up to 250:1 when the dealer busts. The Six Card Charlie rule applies, letting you beat the dealer with up to 6 cards per hand.  

Lightning Blackjack Live – Evolution

The most exciting blackjack variant in this list comes from the Evolution creative kitchen. Like other Lightning games, this one is all about multipliers. You must place a side bet to qualify for these, though. Multipliers are added to cards and can go up to 25:1 if you win with a blackjack. Like Infinite Blackjack, Evolution has also made Lightning Blackjack to accommodate unlimited players.