Blackjack UK 2022
Blackjack is one of the most iconic casino games ever. It has featured in countless films and TV shows. The game of “21” also happens to be a favourite of many online casino players. In online casinos, you can play blackjack via virtual tables or at live casinos with real dealers.
Here at Casino Bonus UK, we’ve made this guide to blackjack online to help players new and old get a better understanding of the game. This, in turn, should help you to get better at the game and more importantly have more fun whilst playing blackjack.
A History of Black Jack
Now you are probably wondering how we are not all wandering around calling blackjack the game of 21. Well, this is where the Americans come into play.
When the game of 21 first made its way to American land-based casinos it came with a promotion to entice players to the tables. One of these offers was a payout of 10-1 if a play could get 21 with a black ace of spades and a blackjack or spades or clubs. Believe it or not, this hand was known as a blackjack. As we all know the name stuck and people around the world have come to call it blackjack. Nowadays any hand consisting of an ace and a ten or face card is said to be a blackjack.
Blackjack Strategy and Cheating
Throughout blackjacks history, there have been tails of strategies to bet the casinos and ways to cheat the casino. There are also countless books out there to help plays hone their blackjack skills.
The main way players try to win at blackjack is through card counting. This is a blackjack strategy as more than a cheat. It involves players counting the cards as they see them. This will give the player an idea of the value of the next card that they are likely to receive. They can then use this information to make decisions.
In the game of blackjack, it is thought that the house has a 0.5% – 1% advantage over the player. By using a card counting strategy a player can shift that to a 1% – 2% advantage in their favour. For most casinos, card counting is legal but very much frowned upon and will likely end with you being banned from the casino.
Players at online casinos will be sad to know that it is almost impossible to count cards on virtual blackjack tables.
Blackjack Rules
One of the nice things about blackjack is that it is a fairly simple game to play or at least it seems that way. The truth is that there is said to be over 100 different variations of the game out there.
This is because the rules are generally determined by laws and regulations of the county the game is being played in. As we mentioned before the house has a very small edge and this makes blackjack one of the fairest games to play. Below you will find our basic guide to playing the game of blackjack.
- Objective – the objective of blackjack to have the cards in our hand add up to 21 or as close to as possible without going over 21. A player goes bust if they go over 21. You are then out of the round. If you stop getting cards before 21 the dealer must beat the value of your cards with his. If he cannot do this or goes bust in the process you win.
- Card Values – the value of the cards is there face value. So a 9 and a 1 equal a combined value of 10. The jacks, kings, and queens are all having a value of 10. The ace is a special card as it can have a value of 10 or 1. The player gets to decide. So to get 21 a player needs to have a 10 or face card and an ace.
- Bust – going bust is when a player goes over 21. If this happens a player immediately loses and forfeits his bet. This also holds true if the dealer then proceeds to go bust as well.
- Push –
How to Play Blackjack in the UK 2022
If you are looking to play some blackjack then first you will need to find a casino that offers UK players blackjack. You should also think if you would like to play live blackjack or virtual. You can then read some of our reviews and find a casino that offers you the version you want. Once you have picked a casino you are ready to play.
Once you are at a table and have put down your bet you will be given two initial cards. After this has happened you will usually have four standard options of play to consider.
Do you hit, stand, double down, or split? Below you will find an explanation of these options.
Blackjack Terminology
Hit
This option is simple enough and one of the simplest options in blackjack. When you ask for a “hit” you are just requesting another card from the dealer.
Stand
This is another option many players will be familiar with though they may know if by a different name. Some other names for it are “stay”, “pat”, or “stand pat”. This option is for when a player does not want any more cards.
Double Down
Doubling down is when a player may increase their bet by up to 100%. In some cases, the casino will not allow you to increase the bet by anything less than 100%. This option does come at a cost as the player must then “stand” after they receive one more card. This is an option that may or may not be available to players depending on the rules of the casino they are playing at.
Split
This is an option that is sometimes available to players. It allows them to split their initial hand of two cards into two hands by placing an equal bet. Some casinos only allow a split when the player has been given two cards of equal value like two 10s. After the split, the player is then dealt another card for each hand and the game continues as normal. Again there are sometimes rules about how many times a player may “resplit” a hand. Some casinos allow resplitting an unlimited amount of times and others have a cap. There are also rules about being able to hit and double down on splits. Another noteworthy thing about splits is that most casinos see a 21 from a split to be a soft blackjack and not a natural one. They, therefore, pay out less for it.
Surrender
This is another option players may get depending on the casino they are playing at. The surrender option allows players to effectively cancel their hand and only lose half of their bet. Again depending on the casino this can be maybe offered only on the first decision of the player’s hand and after the dealer has checked for blackjack.
Source: https://casino.partycasino.com/en/blog/how-to-play-blackjack/
Online Blackjack Side Bets
The cool thing about online blackjack in 2022 is that it comes in different variants. The rules of blackjack always stay the same, but slight tweaks are allowed. These make the variants more exciting and open them up to a host of blackjack side bets.
Side bets are quite lucrative if you play your cards right. They’ve been introduced as a win-win for both players and casinos. With them, players are encouraged to play more, while casinos reap a bigger profit.
Most Popular Blackjack Side Bets Online
- 21 + 3 – this is the most common online blackjack side bet you’ll see. It pays if your first two cards and the dealer’s up card form a flush, straight flush, straight, or three of a kind regardless if you win or don’t. The 21+3 side bet pays 9 to 1 or more at some tables.
- Royal Match – to win this bet, your first two cards will need to be suited. In this case, the payoff’s usually 5 to 2. However, if you get a true royal match on your first two cards with a King-Queen pairing, the payout is 25 to 1.
- Super Sevens – as the name suggests, this is a side bet that relies on sevens. If your first card is a 7, you get a 3 to 1 payout. If you’re lucky to get two, the payout will be 50 to 1 for a non-suited pair and a whopping 100 to 1 for suited sevens.
- Player/Dealer Pair – this side bet pays 25 to 1 and involves the player or dealer having a pair of cards in their hands. Blackjack variants with this side bet usually have a box in the upper corner that states which type of pair you have and the payout.
- Blackjack Insurance – ah, the dreaded Insurance. It’s offered only when the dealer’s up card is an Ace, acting as a safety net against a natural. It pays 2 to 1, but no serious player recommends it since it’s only going to make you lose money in the long run.
Blackjack No Deposit Bonus 2022
Sometimes casinos offer no deposit bonuses for blackjack players in the UK. Right now there are no available offers but once they are active we will list them right here.
Make sure to sign up to our newsletter so you get an update every time this generous casino bonus is available.
Terms and Conditions
Although blackjack online can be a fairly simple game you can see from the options above, casino sites can impose and have a lot of different rules for their blackjack games and tables.
It is therefore essential that players make sure to look up and agree to all the terms and conditions before playing at a table. This way they know what moves they can make and what to expect. It will also ensure that you stay safe whilst having fun.
A Summary of Blackjack
As you can see from all the information above blackjack is a game that has been around for a long time. It is also showing no signs of fading away – it’s even more popular before thanks to new online variants.
This is mainly because it is a game that has very good odds for players to win some real money on black jack UK games. Of course, as with any form of gambling, you can lose money as well. Make sure to gamble responsibly and keep your bankroll intact.
If our article helped you learn more about blackjack and you’re ready to test your skills, then check out our new UK casino 2022 page where you will find the latest UK 2022 casinos offering players blackjack.
