Learn to Play Online Blackjack for Real Money
You’ve come to the right place for blackjack. Cafe Casino has everything you need to learn how to play this game well, including a wide variety of the top blackjack games online, solid payouts, and helpful tips for winning. There’s never been a better time to hop on the blackjack bandwagon than now.
Best Blackjack Games to Play and Win
A common question we get from aspiring blackjack players is what’s our best blackjack game? This depends on more than just the blackjack casino odds. We have nine games to choose from, including versions that deviate from the standard rules. When getting started, it’s best to stick with the more traditional blackjack games—especially the ones with improved user interfaces for easy play. These will give you a good opportunity to learn the game the way it was meant to be played.
Single Deck Blackjack
When everything else is equal, having fewer decks in a shoe results in a lower house edge, which is why so many players prefer Single Deck Blackjack. When you play Single Deck Blackjack, every card on the table tells you a bit more about what’s left in the shoe than if you were playing a six-deck version.
Blackjack (New)
Our newest blackjack, which has six decks, is customizable. Choose between three unique styles of decks of cards and background colors. There are toggles for sound, music and labels that allow you to create a perfectly curated blackjack experience. This game lets you play up to three hands per round, and bet up to $500 per round, making it ideal for high rollers.
Double Deck Blackjack
The biggest draw to our Double Deck Blackjack is the Dealer standing on soft 17. This rule benefits the player by reducing the house edge. When playing with basic strategy, be sure to use a chart that reflects this specific rule, as it changes some of the prescribed actions.
All Games Available
In total, there are nine different ways to play blackjack online at Cafe Casino. All games are available in Practice Play mode and Real Play mode.
(New) Blackjack
The New Blackjack is our most popular version of the game, and it’s easy to see why. Details, such as the style of playing deck and game colors are customizable, making the experience unique to you. Up to three hands can be played per round against the Dealer’s one hand, providing extra chances to win.
Classic Blackjack
Classic Blackjack has an old school vibe that jives with traditionalists. The interface replicates a casino setting, which works well with large screens. The rules for Classic Blackjack are the exact same as the rules for the New Blackjack, so the choice is based on style preference alone.
Single Deck Blackjack
Play blackjack with just one deck in the shoe. To balance out the player advantage that comes from playing with one deck, some of this game’s rules are more conservative than the standard version, such as splitting up to two hands per round instead of three. There’s also a $300 cap on how much you can bet per round.
Classic Single Deck Blackjack
All of our standard blackjack games come with a classic version and a new version, including Single Deck Blackjack. The classic version has the same rules as the new version, but the layout is different. For instance, the cards on the classic version don’t morph in size like they do with the new version, so you’ll need a larger screen to see everything clearly.
Double Deck Blackjack
There are two decks in the shoe in Double Deck Blackjack. This version has the Dealer stand on soft 17—a popular rule with seasoned players looking for the blackjack best odds. Up to two hands can be split per round and any two cards can be doubled.
Classic Double Deck Blackjack
Play Double Deck Blackjack on a virtual felt table that looks similar to the tables you’d find in brick and mortar casinos. You can play one hand per round for up to $250.
European Blackjack
Across the pond, blackjack is played a little differently. As the player, you complete all your actions and conclude your turn before the Dealer receives his hole card. It may not seem like much of a change at first, but when the Dealer receives an Ace, there’s no peeking for blackjack before you start your hand.
Zappit Blackjack
Getting a score of 15, 16, and 17 can be a drag. With Zappit Blackjack, you can zap away these cards and get new ones. To balance the added player edge, when the Dealer busts with a 22, it’s considered a push instead of a Dealer loss.
Perfect Pairs
Perfect Pairs has all the same rules as our standard six-deck blackjack, with the addition of a side bet that pays up to 25:1. You’re betting on your initial two-card hand being a pair. A mixed pair gets you a 6:1 payout, a colored pair gets you a 12:1 payout, and a perfect pair gets you a 25:1 payout.
Payout Options
No matter which version of blackjack you’re playing in our casino, the payouts are the same.
Standard Wins: Getting a higher score than the Dealer without busting pays even-money. Alternatively, if the Dealer busts and you don’t, you get the standard win payout as well. This is the most common way to win.
Blackjack Wins: Getting an Ace and a 10-value card from the initial deal is a special kind of hand that’s called a blackjack (also known as a natural) and pays 3:2.
Insurance Wins: Anytime the Dealer’s upcard is an Ace, you can bet on him having blackjack by taking Insurance. You may lose your original bet when the Dealer has blackjack, but winning the side bet allows you to break even. The side bet pays 2:1.
Perfect Pairs Side Bets: Only Perfect Pairs offers additional ways to win on top of standard wins, blackjack wins and insurance wins. Bet on being dealt a pair right off the bat, and if it happens, you get paid. The amount you get paid depends on how “perfect” your pair is. A mixed pair, such as Jack of hearts and Jack of spades, pays 6:1. A colored pair, such as Queen of hearts and Queen of diamonds, pays 12:1. A perfect pair, such as two Ace of spades, pays 25:1.
Optimal Tips to Win
Deciding whether to hit or stand is the first step to becoming a competent online casino blackjack player. You’ll need to compare your score with the Dealer’s upcard. Depending on the Dealer’s upcard, you may want to push for a competitive score, or hold back and see if the Dealer will bust. A score of 17 or higher is generally sought after, but there are times when you should stand before reaching 17, and one scenario where you should hit on a 17.
Categorizing the Dealer’s upcard as high or low will help you determine his odds of busting. A high card is a Seven to Ace, and a low card is Two to Six. The Dealer is more likely to bust with a low card than a high card, so when the Dealer shows a Two to Six, focus on standing—you can do this with a score as low as 13, and if the Dealer’s upcard is a Four to Six, which have the greatest odds of busting, you can stand with a score of 12.
When to Double vs. When to Hit
There are a few scores that will yield better results when doubled instead of hit. These are the scores that would benefit from a 10-value card, like Nine, Ten, and Eleven. However, the Nine should only be doubled if the Dealer has a low card.
Soft Hands
Everything we’ve discussed up to this point has been for hard hands. A soft hand, which is any hand that contains an 11-point Ace, should be played according to its own set of rules. For one, you’ll be standing far less with soft hands. They pose less of a risk of busting, so they need to be played more aggressively. Aim for scores of 19 and better, and double when the Dealer shows a Five or Six.
Full Pay Blackjack
The standard payout for a blackjack hand is 3:2, but some casinos offer decreased payouts of 6:5. This increases the house edge by close to 2%, so stick to games that pay 3:2.
These tips are designed to help you understand the big picture of blackjack. Another component of blackjack strategy is the universal strategy chart found online. These prescribe a specific action for every Player hand and Dealer upcard combination, but it doesn’t tell you why you should make the move prescribed. Combine the chart with our tips, and you’ll be benefit from a well-rounded and precise understanding of this popular casino table game.