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Blackjack at JohnSlots

The JohnSlots team is constantly working to make sure that our readers have all the tools and resources they need to enjoy their blackjack experience. This game has been a mainstay of the casino world since its development, all those centuries ago, and the exciting world of online gambling has fully embraced it too.

At JohnSlots, you can find a growing range of guides, tips and articles to help you improve your blackjack performance. Read up about the basic rules or drill down into complex strategy in our Blackjack section below.

Many variations on the basic blackjack structure exist and we think more are likely to be created over time – passionate gamblers are a creative bunch after all! You can find out how all kinds of blackjack variants work, how they differ from the standard and tips for your gameplay.

Once you are ready to go, JohnSlots is also a source of blackjack bonuses. We take the time to trawl through hundreds of casino brands, searching for the best table games promotions and blackjack-specific opportunities out there. Our Promos section is where you can find all this information, which is updated regularly.

Players pull up to virtual blackjack tables in online casinos every day and every land-based casino or card room worth its salt offers this table game too. Thanks to its fairly simple rules, blackjack is accessible to most players but it also presents a challenge, which experienced players enjoy.

Blackjack bonus

Finding a blackjack bonus is not as easy as finding bonus spins. The truth is that most online gamblers simply love slots so it stands to reason that casinos will be eager to cater to this majority. That said, blackjack players should take heart in knowing that certain casino brands specifically cater to players who enjoy card and table games, including blackjack. We have pinpointed several casinos that offer more blackjack bonuses than average. Aside from visiting our promotional articles regularly, players looking for blackjack bonuses online would do well to make sure their favourite casino can send them communications. This usually entails simply making sure the email address associated with your casino account is correct and that casino emails are whitelisted in your inbox. You will never miss another promotion again!

Play free blackjack games and learn the game

As with any skill-based game, practicing at blackjack makes you better at it. By practicing, you can gradually build your confidence and your skills, which means your performance improves too. For players who wish to practice without risk, demo games are the perfect solution. No real money is involved in these games but they are otherwise completely identical to real blackjack. Players can play for free for as long as they wish, learning how the game works, testing out different strategies and figuring out what skills they might need to work on further to improve.

Learn how to win at blackjack with JohnSlots

Whatever your level of experience, there is always room to improve the way you play blackjack. This is why JohnSlots has built a repository of guide materials, starting from the very basic all the way up to advanced strategies. The idea is that JohnSlots will be the perfect blackjack companion throughout your development as a player, offering reliable guidance that is easy to understand and implement. We are constantly working on new blackjack guides to help you become a better player.

JohnSlots blackjack tips

Once you are familiar with the rules of blackjack, you can then move on to improving your basic gameplay. Our Tips section includes articles that focus on specific areas of the game, including strategy, odds and more. These helpful hints are meant to complement your existing knowledge to make your play more effective.

Online blackjack vs blackjack in a land-based casino

There are some differences between playing blackjack online and playing blackjack at a casino, though the rules of the game remain the same. Online play is, for most players, a lot more convenient than having to visit a casino in person. Very few people live close enough to a casino to make travelling there quite easy. Online blackjack can be played at any hour of the day or night, and it is highly unlikely that anyone will have to wait very long for enough players to show up to the table. Land-based casino play does have its merits too, of course. Blackjack was designed as a game to be played with others and so we feel that playing at a real table enhances elements of the game that are otherwise muted when played online. Players can socialise with one another and can enjoy other casino services in between games, something which is not possible when you are sitting at a computer. One advantage of online blackjack is that the casino will likely offer a larger range of blackjack types than a standard land-based venue. This is because it is much easier to host the virtual software than it is to provide a dedicated table and dealer on a casino floor. Players who enjoy less common types of blackjack or who like to play multiple types will find their needs met at online casinos.

Online blackjack vs live blackjack

Online, there are two ways to play blackjack. The first is in a standard ‘table game’ format, which connects casino players via software that can be downloaded or played in-browser. In this way, the ‘dealer’ is simply the program itself. Live blackjack is a very exciting middle ground between the convenience of an online game and the atmosphere of a land-based venue. Using live streaming technology, an actual person deals the cards and chats to players, who can communicate back as well. For players who are after that real-life casino feel, live blackjack is an excellent option. Those who are not as interested in that part of the experience will find that playing blackjack as a table game is a perfectly adequate choice.

Popular blackjack variants

Thanks to its popularity, blackjack has been the source of inspiration for many other similar games, which build on the basic rules and adapt them to create a new type of variant. There are many of these variants out there and we take a brief look at each below.

Classic blackjack

This is the most commonly played variant of blackjack. The dealer and the player are dealt two cards each, one of which is the dealer’s hole card and dealt face down. The objective is to get a card value as close to 21 as possible without going over. This game can be played with 1 to 8 decks.

European blackjack

Almost identical to classic blackjack, European blackjack is only played with 2 decks. The dealer’s hole card is only dealt after the player makes their decision on how to play their cards.

Free bet blackjack online

This is a fairly new online variant of blackjack where splits and doubling down are free (hence the name) in certain circumstances. When the player’s hand has a value of 9, 10 or 11, they can double for free. All pairs except for 10s can be split for free as well.

Blackjack switch

In this variant of blackjack, the player is allowed to receive two hands instead of one. Cards are dealt face up and the player can improve on them by switching between the two pairs. The payout in blackjack switch is 1:1 instead of the standard 3:2.

Blackjack double exposure

In this type of blackjack, the dealer’s cards are both exposed as soon as they are dealt. The rest of the standard blackjack rules apply except that the dealer wins on all ties besides a natural blackjack, the player is only allowed to split once, and the player wins even money if they have blackjack.

Multiplayer blackjack

Just like in standard blackjack, those participating in multiplayer blackjack are still competing against the dealer. However, the player who wins the most hands and therefore increases their bankroll by the largest proportion is also named the overall winner.

Blackjack single deck

The name of this variation indicates that it is played with a single deck of cards as opposed to the multiple decks that can be used in some games.

Progressive blackjack

Gameplay is identical to standard blackjack but there is also a progressive jackpot to be won. Players make a small additional bet towards the jackpot every time they wager and the winner claims the jackpot at the end. There can also be slight variations in some of the other rules regarding when hands can be hit, split or doubled.

Blackjack surrender

In this version of the game, the player is allowed to fold their hand and ‘surrender’ half of their bet to the house instead of losing the full amount on a poor hand.

Blackjack 5 hand

While standard blackjack is usually played around a table with other participants, in the 5-Hand variant only one player is present and they are dealt 5 individual hands to play with and bet on. The player can decide to play with any of the 5 hands dealt.

Caribbean 21 blackjack

This online version of blackjack was developed by RTG. In Caribbean 21, Aces only have a value of 1, unlike in standard blackjack where they can have a value of 1 or 11, depending on the context. The best hand possible is ‘Caribbean 21’, which includes two cards with a value of 10 plus an Ace. The game also includes rules on surrendering, splitting, doubling down after a split and insurance plays.

Face up 21 blackjack

This is another way to refer to double exposure blackjack and is played with 8 decks. Both of the dealer’s cards are exposed as they are dealt so the player can see them before making their next move.

Super fun 21 blackjack

Super Fun 21 is played with a single deck and uses standard classic blackjack rules except when it comes to its payout structure. In this variation, a player’s natural Blackjack always beats the dealer’s natural Blackjack, even in a tie. A Diamond Blackjack, which includes a diamond Ace in addition to a diamond face card, will reward with a 2:1 payout instead of the usual 3:2.

Spanish 21

This is played with either six or eight decks, with all the 10 value cards removed. This leaves 48 cards at the beginning of the game. The dealer is also allowed to look at the hole card. Later surrender, insurance and surrendering after doubling down are allowed. This game has a higher house edge thanks to the removal of the face cards.

Match play 21 blackjack

This is another named for Spanish 21 and utilises the exact same rules.

Pontoon

Pontoon is similar to Spanish 21 in that the cards with a value of 10 are removed prior to play. The terms hit, stand and Blackjack in standard blackjack are referred to as Ponton, Twist and Stick, respectively, in this variation.

Live dealer blackjack

Live dealer blackjack refers to any game that is played with a live dealer, which means that it can be any variation listed above as long as it is a live game format. Every live casino game will specify which variant of blackjack it is.

Blackjack tournaments

There are many different types of blackjack tournaments, both online and in real venues. Most charge an entry fee for players wishing to participate, and they go on to compete not just against the dealer as usual but also against one another. The objective is to collect more chips than any other competitor in order to win the prize pool. Sit ‘n’ Go tournaments are often found at online casinos and begin when the required 6 players join the table. Freeroll tournaments can be held online and in land-based venues and do not charge an entry fee for participation. Elimination tournaments will see players eliminated from play during consecutive rounds, with the surviving players battling it out at the same final table. Non-elimination or accumulation tournaments utilise a leaderboard to keep track of everyone’s chips, with the player at the top of the rankings taking home the prize. Mini tournaments are perfect for beginner players as they usually have a very small entry fee. The prize pool is also typically quite low as a result. Major tournaments are the opposite, with large entry fees and much higher cash prize pools.

Best game providers for blackjack

Not all game studios develop table games and of those that do, not all produce blackjack titles. Take a look at the top-tier blackjack game providers below.

Evolution Gaming

Evolution Gaming are probably one of the most well known live table games providers operating right now. They offer 11 variations of live blackjack in total and many reputable online casino brands host Evolution Gaming titles, often to the exclusion of all others. Live streams are beamed in from tables in Latvia, Malta and Canada to players all around the world. Games can be accessed on desktop and mobile devices.

NetEnt & NetEnt Live

NetEnt Live offers three variations of blackjack as live games. This branch of the NetEnt brand is the only one dedicated to table games as NetEnt proper tends to focus on slot and jackpot games. That said, NetEnt Live is a first-rate supplier of quality live games including blackjack. Some casinos offer only NetEnt Live titles in their live casino section, which goes to show how much support this developer holds from the industry. All the live titles are fully mobile compatible.

Games Global

Games Global is a titan in the gambling industry and it should come as no surprise that there are close to 25 different blackjack games available through this studio. There is one blackjack title available as a live dealer game as well. The Games Global blackjack offering is compatible with mobile and desktop devices. When we look at the table games from Games Global in comparison to its slots portfolio, we can clearly see where this developer’s priorities lie. However, the blackjack offering is not to be sniffed at and we look forward to seeing what new titles Games Global has in store.

Betsoft

There are 7 blackjack titles, including Pontoon, European and Single Deck, available as table games from Betsoft at the moment. The studio has not ventured into live casino games yet but as it seems to be focusing on games without a live element, that should come as no surprise. Mobile gamblers can enjoy Betsoft’s table games on the go as well, from a studio that won the Best B2B Digital Product Solution award at the 2019 G2E Asia event.

Play’n Go

Multihand, Double Exposure, European and Single Deck blackjack games are available from Play n Go. The production quality of these titles is exceptional and despite having only a few blackjack options, this studio has clearly put much effort into their design and gameplay features. All the Play N Go blackjack games, like the rest of the developer’s table games category, are available to players on mobile, tablet and desktop for ultimate portability.

Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil stepped into the table games ring in 2018 with its first blackjack title, Sonya Blackjack. By 2019, the studio had launched a second blackjack title called Lucky Blackjack and revamped their first to include a side bet feature. Because its foray into table game development started fairly recently, we don’t judge Yggdrasil’s small collection too harshly. After all, both titles are engaging and innovative, which makes up for the fact that there are only two of them so far. As with al Yggdrasil games, both these blackjack titles are fully compatible with mobile.

Felt

Felt Gaming is a small studio, founded in 2013. At the minute they have 9 blackjack variations available, all of which are available to play on mobile. Games include Caribbean blackjack, Perfect Pairs, Buster blackjack, High Hand and 6-in-1.

Why play blackjack?

The game of blackjack is simple to learn but can challenge, frustrate, reward and teach players who are passionate about mastering it. Below are the reasons we at JohnSlots play blackjack:

• The rules are easy to remember
• It can be fast-paced
• Tournaments are very exciting
• The many variations that exist are interesting and enjoyable to explore
• Practice quickly pays off

Summary

Blackjack is the game of choice for millions of players around the world, who stream in to land-based casinos or log in online to play every day. Its easy to understand rules mean that even beginner players can see success at the right tables. Veteran players love it because even with years of experience, the game can still find ways to surprise and challenge them. With the right guidance, you too can work on your style, strategy and confidence when playing blackjack, reaping the rewards as you go along.