How to Play Internet Blackjack

Blackjack is the most popular card game in the Internet casino. The rules are easy to learn and the game is fun to play, requiring a mix of luck and strategy as you strive to beat the dealer to 21.

The Basic Internet Blackjack Rules

The object of the game of Internet blackjack is to obtain a hand of cards whose total point value is higher than the dealer's hand, but without going over 21.

Jacks, queens, and kings are all worth 10 points in blackjack. Aces can be worth either 1 or 11, whichever is better under the circumstances. All other cards are worth their normal values.

Starting the Internet Blackjack Game

You start a game of Internet blackjack by placing your bet on the virtual blackjack table. You are then dealt two cards, both face up. The dealer is dealt one card face up. In some blackjack variations, such as Atlantic City Blackjack, he is dealt another card face down, known as the Hole Card. In other variations, such as Classic Blackjack, he doesn't receive his second card until later on in the game.

Playing Your Internet Blackjack Hand

If your first two cards are an Ace and a 10-value card, that adds up to 21 and you have a Blackjack. You automatically win the game, unless the dealer also has a blackjack, in which case the game is a tie.

If you do not have a blackjack, it is time to play your blackjack hand. There are a number of actions you may take.

To Stand is to stay with what you have and let the dealer play his hand.

To Hit is to ask for another card. You may continue to hit until you go over 21, which is called a Bust, or until you decide to stand.

To Double Down is to double the amount of your bet and take one — and only one — additional card.

If your two cards have the same value, you may Split them into two hands. Each of your new hands has the same bet amount as your original bet, so you are really doubling the amount of money you are wagering.

If the dealer's card is an Ace, you may take Insurance, which is a side bet that you win if the dealer has a blackjack.

The Dealer Plays His Hand

If you go over 21 in your hand, you bust and automatically lose the game of Internet blackjack. If you do not bust, then it is time for the dealer to play his hand.

The dealer will first either receive his second card or turn over his hole card. If the point value of his hand is less than 17, he must hit. If it is 17 or more, he must stand. Those are the rules of blackjack on the Internet — the dealer must follow the rules and he has no choice on whether he wants to hit or stand.

Winning at Internet Blackjack

If you get a blackjack with your first two cards, you win a payout of 3-to-2. So if you bet 10 Euros, you will win an additional 15 Euros.

If you do not bust and the dealer busts, you win the game. If neither you nor the dealer busts, you win the game if your hand has a higher point value than the dealer's hand. These types of wins pay out at odds of 1-to-1.

If your hand and the dealer's hand end up with the same value, it is called a Push and you get your bet back without gaining or losing any money.

Playing Blackjack on the Internet

One of the advantages of playing blackjack on the Internet is that you are offered a wide variety of blackjack variations and blackjack rules to choose from. First Web Internet Casino offers more than 40 different Internet blackjack games.

The rules of many Internet black jack games, such as European Blackjack, are just like the rules set forth on this page, with only minor variations. Other games have more drastic variations, such as Double Exposure Blackjack, in which both of the dealer's cards are face up, and Pontoon Blackjack, in which they are both face down. There are Internet blackjack games with interesting side bets, and games with special bonus payouts for certain combinations. There is even Triple 7s Blackjack, in which you can win a Progressive Jackpot worth thousands of credits on a single hand.

So come into the Internet casino, check out all the Internet blackjack games that are available, and pick the one you like best. Then have a great time playing blackjack on the Internet.