Blackjack: It’s Not Just For Casino-Goers Anymore

Blackjack - it’s an infamous name for an infamous game; the simple round of getting to 21 has made people billionaires and sent others down to the depths of obscurity and debtors hell, if not worse.

It’s a fun game, and perfect to play online. Virtually every online casino out there will feature 21 in its repertoire. But before you hop on and start playing you should know exactly how the game is carried it out, and how you can maximize your odds of winning.

The object of 21 – as the name suggests – is to get a combination of cards up to and equaling 21 without going over that magical number. But you also need to beat the blackjack dealer, who is trying to reach that number as well with his own hand. Your object is to beat the dealer while not going over. So how do you do that?

The dealer gives you two cards and himself two cards. Yours are both face up; one of his is face up, the other is face down. Based on your cards you have to decide whether you want to hit (receive another card) or stay with what you have. If you get an ace (point value 11 in this game) and any card equaling ten (ten, jack, queen, king) then you get a blackjack and earn an automatic win; otherwise you go through several rounds of hitting and eventual staying.

Once you’ve decided that you have a good amount and stay, the dealer flips over his one card, totals his amount, and then hits until he hits a certain amount. If he manages to get above your number then you’re done for; if not you win your initial bet plus extra for the successful round.

Want some pointers? First, if you have less than 17 showing and the dealer has an exposed card of eight or higher you should always hit. If the dealer has 6 or below, however, you can feel safe with staying with any hand that’s 12 or above, as the dealer has a good chance of busting.