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Our comprehensive guide includes the rules, variations, and common strategies that Canadian gamblers can use for blackjack online.
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Players who are new to online gambling are often surprised by the tremendous number of choices available. Between the various types of games, it can be hard to settle on one, so many players start by trying a traditional favourite at physical casinos: blackjack. While there are some differences between playing in a casino or playing blackjack online, many of the same rules, advice, and strategies hold true. The experts at JustGamblers.com have assembled this guide to highlight what’s similar and what you’ll need to learn from scratch.
This guide will cover where to play 21 blackjack online, what kinds of bonuses are regularly available, how you can use an online casino to play at a casino table with live players, and what software developers you should seek. Our online blackjack tips also include essential strategies that can help you win big and protect your earnings while still having fun. We’ve built this guide specifically to help Canadian gamblers get a handle on how to play online. Keep reading, and you’ll be playing like a pro in no time.
The Essential Online Blackjack FAQ
Some will, but others won’t. Our expert, online casino reviews, provide that information, but even if a casino makes its players download software, these programs are generally painless to install and use. We recommend that you ensure the casino is trustworthy and a reputable company produced the software before downloading anything.
Yes, many online casinos allow you to try your hand at the blackjack tables without having to bet real money. This free-to-play mode is often referred to as the demo mode. Note that some casinos may only permit this mode when you’re not logged into your account, so be sure to consult the individual casino’s customer support FAQ or live chat to see if that casino offers a free, risk-free way to enjoy blackjack.
No, most casinos have localisation requirements. Although Canada does not prohibit online gambling, casinos must procure a license and obey any laws regulating online gambling in their country of origin. As a result, Canadians have access to many online casinos but not all of them. Canadian players must also be aware of the tax ramifications of winning at an online casino, so consult a licensed accountant for the most accurate information related to your province.
Presently, you must be at least 18 years old to gamble online. Online casinos will also require some form of identification when conducting withdrawals, so be sure that you have a valid government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or passport.
Nearly every online casino offers some bonus to their players. The most common bonus is the first deposit bonus, which is generally a bonus matching a portion of your first deposit up to a certain amount. Other typical bonuses include deposits on certain days of the week or are based on trying a specific version of the game, and bonus tournaments with the potential to win a massive jackpot based on a lottery drawing or tournament performance.
Yes, many online casinos now have partnerships with physical casinos around the world. Depending on which casino you join, you can play blackjack live at a table with real players and dealers. For many people, this offers the best online blackjack experience because it’s more immersive than the video game versions of blackjack.
This is ultimately a question that only you can answer for yourself. The most popular variations are Spanish 21, Pontoon, Blackjack Switch, and Super 21, but you may find that you prefer standard blackjack or a more obscure variant. The objective is the same in each version, but the rules vary slightly, and each produces a different experience that appeals to different players.
The A-Z Guide for New Online Blackjack Players
When it comes to how to winonline blackjack, the two most important things are luck and confidence. We can’t help you get better luck, but we can help you gain a better understanding of how to play well, and that’s the best way to gain confidence. Our expert guide will also help you take advantage of every available online blackjack bonus and the best places to play. The first thing you need to know is how to play and what styles of blackjack you’ll find at legal casinos for Canadian players.
As you read through this guide, remember that each casino has its own spin on the game. You may not see some versions that we describe here, and software will vary between each casino. Nevertheless, our experts have years of experience gambling both online and at physical casinos, so our advice will help you get started on the right foot.
Blackjack Basics: How to Play
Blackjack is a game that’s generally played with a standard deck of 52 cards. Physical casinos often had to contend with people who attempted to game the system and cheat the house and other players out of money. Online casinos don’t have that issue, provided they use software verified by a third party (such as the licensing body or a certification company), you can be confident that you’re playing a legitimately fair game.
The goal is to hold cards that add up to 21, with each number card being worth its number. Face cards (jack, queen, and king) are worth 10 points each, while the ace is worth either 1 or 11 (depending on the variant’s rules and which is better for your hand). As a result, you can be dealt a winning hand by receiving a face card and an ace, totalling 21 without needing any additional cards.
Each player, including the dealer, receives two cards - one face up, one face down. Each player, starting with the first player clockwise from the dealer, takes turns playing their hands. When it’s your turn, you can choose to hit (request an additional card), stand (pass to the next player), or double (doubling your bet and getting one card). Some common variations also allow players to split (if you have a pair of face cards or aces, you can split them into two separate hands and continue playing them) or surrender (forfeit half of your wager to exit the game with the other half).
How to Avoid Casinos That Cheat
Fortunately, most online casinos are generally trustworthy. Reputable software is programmed with sophisticated random number generation (RNG) software that has been thoroughly tested to avoid any intentional exploitation. The best online casinos have solicited certifications from online security companies such as eCOGRA and iTech Labs to confirm that the casino uses software with genuine RNG.
You don’t need to worry about other players taking advantage of you, either. Unlike a physical casino where other players could peek at your hand, online software ensures that you’re the only one who knows what your cards’ values are, meaning you can safely hit or stand without fear that the following players know what cards you have.
Generally, online casinos also use modern, high-tech data encryption to protect your transactions and digital wallet. Our reviews address casinos’ reliability, so if you want to make sure that you’re only gambling at sites that take your privacy and security seriously, then browse our online casino reviews to see which ones we trust the most.
How to Add Funds to Online Accounts and Withdraw Your Winnings
Online casinos are incentivised to keep this process simple for you. After all, if you have a hard time putting money into your account, then they aren’t making any money. Different casinos will have a selection from numerous payment processors, but virtually all of them will allow you to deposit funds using major credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. Other conventional methods that you’ll see will allow you to use PayPal or other digital wallets such as Skrill and Neteller. If you prefer to use cryptocurrency, then you’ll be happy to know that several online casinos accept various forms (usually Bitcoin).
The Best Places to Play Blackjack Online
The good news is that you’ll have an easy time finding casinos that allow you to play blackjack. It is one of the most popular card games both at physical casinos and online casinos throughout the world. In fact, the only online gambling sites unlikely to have some form of blackjack are those dedicated entirely to sports betting. As mentioned above, you can find demo versions to play free casino games such as blackjack, or you can bet with real cash and earn real money. Remember that you should never gamble more money than you’re willing to lose, regardless of how secure the casino is.
There are dozens of reputable casinos online with more opening every year. Our experts have reviewed many of the following casinos:
- Caesars Casino
- Tropicana Casino
- Golden Nugget Casino
- 888 Casino
- Mohegan Sun Casino
- Royal Panda
- Sugar House
- Hard Rock Casino
- Play MGM
- Betfair
- Pokerstars
- Resorts Online Casino
- Betamerica
- Virgin Casino
- Scores Casino
- Party Casino
- Ocean Online Casino
- Harrahs Casino
- Borgata Casino
Our experts’ reviews are invaluable resources to learn about each of these casinos. You can find out which ones are the most trustworthy and which aspects each casino does well. Because you’re often betting real money at these casinos, it’s worthwhile to take the time to do your research in advance of signing up for a new casino.
Blackjack’s Origins as a Game
Blackjack’s history is long and reaches back hundreds of years. The current consensus is that the game was developed in France from a game called “Vignt-et-Un”, French for “21”. French casinos were hosting this game as early as the beginning of the 1700s, though a competing theory suggests that the game’s origins may reach back as far as the Roman Empire.
Regardless of when it first came about, historians agree that blackjack came to Canada due to French colonists and trappers looking to pass the time in the colonies. The game quickly spread throughout Quebec and the British colonies that would eventually become the United States. At the same time, Europe was experimenting with other versions, such as the Spanish “Trente-Un” and the Italian “Sette e Mezzo”, each of which created more awareness of this style of game.
With the spread of rail travel beginning in the mid-1800s, casinos became more widespread throughout Canada. Blackjack proved to be a popular option at these casinos, so it’s only natural that online casinos adopted this game when they began to claim a place on the internet.
How to Sign Up to Play at Any Online Casino
Generally, any casino will ask you for some of the same information, including your name, address, phone number, and email address. Most casinos have some form of geolocation, generally using your IP address, so note that if you are visiting other countries where online gambling is more restricted, you may not be able to log into your accounts. The general signup process is to click on the “Register” button or its equivalent, then submit the information mentioned above. After you’ve created your account, then you can deposit funds into your account by adding bank or credit card information. If the casino doesn’t require you to submit a scanned copy of your government-issued ID to sign up, it will usually require it when you want to withdraw funds to confirm your identity.
How to Tell Which Version of Blackjack is Best for You
Considering the length of time that people have been playing blackjack, it’s unsurprising that there are many variations. Traditional blackjack is by far the most popular version, but Canadian players are starting to experiment with many other styles that others have pioneered over the years.
Spanish 21, Super Fun 21, Blackjack Switch, and Pontoon are popular variations that each have their twist on the main rules. As a result, these versions each feel different and appeal to varying subsets of blackjack fans. Below, we explore the rules for each of these variations, but the only way to know which one is right for you is to try each one for yourself. Explore different casinos to find free versions of each so that you can identify your favourite blackjack-style before risking real money with online blackjack gambling.
Comparing Live Blackjack to Arcade Blackjack
In addition to the rule variations that you’ll find between the kinds of blackjacks, players may also choose to play at a live casino online with a real dealer or with other players using a purely digital method. Most casinos that offer the opportunity to play live blackjack also offer the arcade version of the game.
Participating physical casinos usually reserve entire tables or seats at specific tables for live casino players connecting through the internet. These seats use a system of barcodes to discretely communicate what cards you have so that you can know without anyone else seeing the cards. You can browse through these seats by visiting the game lobby which may show images of the tables or dealers before you join. Some Canadian players swear by this approach to blackjack as the most accurate way to get the real casino experience from the comfort of your home, and our experts tend to agree that the sensation is unique.
One innovation that some live blackjack games allow is for online players to bet vicariously. This method works by shadowing players physically at the table and giving online players the chance to bet on the live players’ hands.
For those who want to play blackjack but either want a faster game or don’t care for the live casino experience, there are plenty of virtual blackjack tables. These games are often available regardless of the number of other players, and there are generally many players interested in starting a game at the same time. Whether you play at a live casino table or a virtual game, you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to earn big winnings and enjoy playing blackjack.
The Most Popular Ways to Play Blackjack
As mentioned above, there are numerous variations on blackjack. Some are more obscure than others, but nearly everyone who plays at online casinos will have heard of Blackjack Switch, Spanish 21, and - of course - traditional blackjack. Because the rules vary between these versions, the best online blackjack strategy for each is slightly different, as well as the payout odds.
Players who find it exciting to keep track of more information at the same time should try Blackjack Switch. In this version, you play with two separate hands and may swap cards between them to improve your odds. This added complication rewards players with a keen strategic mind and a good sense of when to hit and when to stand.
Spanish 21 tweaks the standard approach to blackjack by giving players more flexibility and control over how much they risk even after the game has begun. The key differences are that you automatically win the game when your hand totals 21 and that you can surrender your wager after starting the game. This second variation is particularly helpful if you’re concerned about going over 21 (which is referred to as a “bust”). Despite these player advantages, the odds are balanced due to playing with a 48-card deck without any 10s.
Different Gambling Strategies to Manage Your Odds
Statistically speaking, gambling is a losing game that sees occasional wins but an eventual loss overall. Some people seem to have better luck, and when it comes to games such as blackjack, there’s an element of skill that isn’t in games of pure chance. As a result, the best blackjack players can often earn money over time, but most players should consider any money they bet to be forfeit and any winnings they make as a bonus.
Regardless of your luck, there are some strategies that you could employ to manage your odds better. When coupled with a good sense of how much money you’re willing to risk, these strategies can ensure that you never go overboard and occasionally win a nice reward.
- Martingale Betting System
Those with short-term goals can employ the Martingale system to try and maintain some real winnings. The way this method works is to bet a small sum of money initially. If you win, bet the same amount again. However, if you lose, double your bet so that you can make up for the loss and come out ahead by the amount of your initial bet if you win. The risk to this method is that losing several times in a row can cost you a lot of money. - Paroli Betting Strategy
In some ways, the opposite of the Martingale system, the Paroli strategy encourages you to increase your bet after each win. Thus, if you bet $10 and win, then you should double it and bet $20 on the next hand. Each time increase your bet by $10. If you lose, you have lost nothing more than your original betting amount and should restart your bets at the starting amount. - One Half Up
This method is a variation on the Paroli strategy that aims to store some of your winnings away even if you lose your bet. Rather than increasing your bet after each win, this method instructs you only to increase the bet after two successive wins. For example, if you start with a $10 wager and win three times, you’ll have earned $10, $10, and $20. Your next bet is $20, so if you lose the bet, then you’re still up $20. In this case, you’ll win less money through a series of wins, but you’ll also retain some of your winnings after a loss.
How to Keep Money in Your Wallet
When it comes to gambling, losing money is the easy part. The most successful Canadian gamblers are those who take a more restrained approach to it and know their limits. Those who have found an appropriate balance consider any money that they wager to be an expenditure rather than an investment. As a result, they tend to only gamble with a portion of their disposable income, generally no more than 10% of their total revenue. If you follow suit, then you’ll ensure that you can continue to meet your financial obligations and not have to worry if you get a few hands in a row that bust.
Our experts have looked at the available information, and there is a safe way to blend responsible betting with fun. In our experience, you should have at least 50 times a table’s minimum bet so that you can play multiple hands without running out of funds even if you hit a streak of bad luck.
Blackjack Online: Bonuses and Campaigns
Traditional brick-and-mortar casinos frequently offer free alcoholic beverages to patrons as an incentive to stay and enjoy gambling. Online casinos don’t have that same opportunity because you’re only visiting through your computer. What digital casinos do instead is to entice players to sign up and bet more using various bonuses and promotional campaigns.
Our experts have noticed that casinos offer several general bonuses such as a matching first deposit bonus, but they’ll tend to favour specific games that reduce the skill-based element. For example, many online casinos offer bonuses for slots games but not specifically for blackjack, poker, and other skill-based betting opportunities. Nevertheless, there are some bonuses dedicated to blackjack, but casinos frequently change their bonus incentives, so you’ll have to confirm that a promotion is still active before you sign up.
Some casinos go further than a matching deposit bonus and offer a free signup bonus that you can use for any game at the casino. If you search for a casino that offers such a bonus, then you can play blackjack without risk for a chance at real money. The catch is that you will usually have to deposit and bet actual cash afterwards to unlock your winnings. Each casino’s bonus terms and conditions should indicate the applicable restrictions, so we encourage you to read through those before betting carefully.
The Biggest Names in Blackjack Software Development
Generally, most casinos rely on a select group of software providers. Some casinos develop their own software, but you’ll frequently see games produced by:
- Cryptologic
One of the few domestic software companies involved in the international gambling scene, Cryptologic is a Canadian company that has created an innovative “Progressive Blackjack” game with an animated dealer. - Evolution Gaming
Few companies have a better reputation than Evolution Gaming. This company’s specialty is an immersive live casino experience that incorporates the popular “Bet Behind” option, allowing Canadian gamblers to bet on the players physically at the table. - Main Games
This company has created digital versions of several popular blackjack variations. The most common Main Games applications that you’ll see are Double Exposure Blackjack, Pontoon, Perfect Pairs, and European Blackjack. - Microgaming
Despite establishing itself as a go-to company for slot and arcade games, Microgaming has a selection of blackjack games that casinos frequently incorporate into their lineups. This company has a strong reputation for trustworthiness and security within the online gambling world. - NetEnt
NetEnt is a trusted name in online casino software. It has produced numerous blackjack games, including Black Jack Professional, a “high roller” version of the game. This version is perfect for players who have a more substantial expendable income and believe that they know how to get the most value out of every hand at the blackjack table.
Get Off the Sidelines and Into the Action
JustGamblers.com is the perfect place to find excellent online casinos to try your hand at blackjack. The simple rules of the game mislead how complex blackjack strategies can truly be. If you’ve never played blackjack before or have minimal experience, browse through our reviews and choose one of the casinos with an available demo version. After a few hands, you’ll start to get an idea of how to play and can start betting real money.
Our guides are helpful to give you an idea of what kind of experience you’ll have at each casino. The most important sections of our reviews for those who want an immersive blackjack game are the user interface and casino games. Once you find a casino that catches your attention, you can sign up in a few minutes and a few clicks, link one of your cards for payment, and start gambling in minutes.
While not everyone falls in love with blackjack, our experts assure you that its excellence comes from the perfect blend of luck and skill involved. Thus, even those with minimal experience can win a few hands while over time, you can improve your odds by developing a sense for how to play the game better. If there’s more information that you’d like to know about blackjack, let us know what questions you have, and our experts will do their best to answer them for you.