Free Blackjack

Whether you’re new to the game, need to tighten your blackjack strategy, or just want to play a risk-free hand or two, playing blackjack online for free is a great way to practice your skills without any risk to your bankroll. If you’re relatively new to the game or don’t know how to play blackjack, this guide is for you.

What is Blackjack?

The history of blackjack dates back to 17th century Spain when it was (and still is) known today as the famous game of 21. Many table-based casino games evolved from this version and it’s gained a huge following over the years. These days, 21 is still the most-played table game in casinos throughout the world.

A standard 52-card deck is used to play blackjack, and players need to know that they are not competing against each other, but against the dealer. It is a game in which the cards are shuffled and then compared to see which hand is the closest to 21. If you reach a total of 22 or higher, you automatically lose. But if your score is 21 or less, provided your total beats the dealer’s hand, you win.

The Main Rules for Playing Blackjack

One of the reasons this game is so popular is that the rules are clear and unchanging. Basically, the player depends only on the luck of his or her cards, along with a solid strategy. Whatever version you choose to play, whether you play standard blackjack games or live casino variants, the following rules are what you need to keep in mind when playing at land-based casinos, or when you’re playing free online blackjack.

Card Values

• Cards 2-10 keep their original;
• Jacks, Queens, and Kings are each worth a value of 10
• The Ace is worth 1 (if the value of the cards in your hand exceeds 21) or 11

Other Blackjack Rules

• Bust means that the value of the hand has exceeded 21 (the hand loses automatically)
• Hard hand and soft hand refer to the presence of the Ace in the combination of cards (the hard hand is without the Ace, the soft hand contains the Ace)
• The game must be played with an even number of decks (4, 6 or 8)
• The player’s cards are presented face down (if it is a game against the dealer) and face down if there are several players

Different Moves in Blackjack

Here are the options you have available in most blackjack games:

Hit: You will use this option when your hand is not big enough to win, either when you have a soft hand with an Ace, or when you have small cards between 4 and 9.

Stand: Opting to stand means you want to stick to your total and not receive any more cards. Usually, when your total is between 17 and 20, it is advisable to think seriously about stopping because the risk of exceeding 21 is very high.

Double: As the name implies, it is an option that allows you to receive another card and potentially double your stake. It is recommended that you use this option when you have a small hand, one with a total of 10 or 11.

Split: This option is available to those who have two identical cards in their original hand. Basically, this option gives you the opportunity to play two separate hands in the same game and increase your chances of winning the round.

Surrender: This is an option that you can use when you think you have the least chance of success. You can call Surrender before the dealer serves their own card and he or she will then return half of your stake.

Insurance: This is an option you can use when the dealer has an Ace or a Ten in their hand. If the house does not have blackjack and you win the game, the winnings will be lower than usual.

Using a Blackjack Strategy

Being a game of chance, there is no fool-proof strategy that will guarantee your victory in blackjack. However, there are some rules that can help you maximize your chances, especially if you play blackjack online.

Applying these rules to every game you play can reduce the house advantage significantly. With these basic rules, the player learns when to ask for a card and when to stand, when to fold, when to ask for a split, or when to ask for a surrender (if this option is available).

Our free blackjack strategy chart is an excellent tool for helping you decipher when it is appropriate to take any of these actions. While this is still not enough to ensure that you win every time, it will help you get familiar with every possible outcome and help you make smarter decisions the more you play. The more moves you can memorize, the better equipped you’ll be for any eventuality when the dealer shows their first card.

Total Hand Value	Odds of Busting on a Hit
21	100%
20	92%
19	85%
18	77%
17	69%
16	62%
15	58%
14	56%
13	39%
12	31%
11 or Less	0%

Golden Rules for Playing Blackjack

By remembering the following rules, you will significantly improve your chances of winning at blackjack. It’s a good idea to memorize these moves so when you can act fast when you’re in a scenario that requires them. Thus, the moment you see what hand you have, you should immediately know what rules to apply, without even seeing what card the dealer has. Once you see the dealer’s hole card, you will know the best move to take.

For Surrender:

• Use Surrender if your hand total is 16 and the dealer shows a card between 9 and Ace.
• Use Surrender if you have 15 while the dealer has 10. Otherwise, do not use Surrender.
• Do not use surrender for any other dealer cards.

 

For Split:

• Always split a pair of Aces.
• Avoid splitting a pair of tens.
• If you have a pair of 9s, split them if the dealer reveals a card between 2 and 9 – otherwise stand.
• Always split a pair of 8s.
• If the dealer shows a card between 2 and 7, split if your hand includes a pair of 7s, otherwise hit.
• Split a 6 pair if the dealer reveals a card between 2 and 6, otherwise hit.
• Double if your hand includes a pair of 5s and the dealer shows a card valued between 2 and 9, otherwise hit.
• Split 4s if the dealer reveals a 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
• Split 3s if the dealer reveals a card between 2 and 7, otherwise hit.
• Split 2s if the dealer reveals a card between 2 and 7, otherwise hit.
• If one of the first 2 cards in your hand is an Ace (In this case, Ace would have a value of 11 and not 1)

After Splitting Aces

• A, 9 – Stand
• A, 8 – Stand
• A, 7 – Double down if the dealer shows between 3 and 6 and opt to stand if their hole card is a 2, 7 or 8. Hit if they show a 9, 10 or Ace
• A, 6 – Double down if the dealer shows any number between 3 and 6, otherwise hit.
• A, 5 – Double down if the dealer’s hole card is 4, 5, or 6, otherwise hit.
• A, 4 – Double down if the dealer’s hole card is 4, 5, or 6, otherwise hit.
• A, 3 – Double down if the dealer’s hole card is 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
• A, 2 – Double down if the dealer’s hole card is 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
• If you do not receive an Ace in the first 2 cards and you have 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 – Stand

• If your hand total is 16, stand if the dealer’s hole card is 2 and 6, otherwise hit.
• If your hand total is 15, stand if the dealer’s hole card is between 2 and 6, otherwise hit.
• If your hand total is 14, stand if the dealer’s hole card is between 2 and 6, otherwise hit.
• If your hand total is 13, stand if the dealer’s hole card is between 2 and 6, otherwise hit.
• If your hand total is 12, stand if the dealer’s hole card is between 4 and 6, otherwise hit.
• Always double if you have 11,
• If you your hand total is 10, double if the dealer’s hole card is between 2 and 9, otherwise hit.
• If your hand total is 9, double if the dealer’s hole card is between 3 and 6, otherwise hit.

Hit if you have 8.

How to Play Free Online Blackjack

The process for playing blackjack online for free is the same as playing the game in real money mode, only you will be using virtual chips instead of dipping into your own bankroll.

Sign up or login to your online casino account (take a look at our recommendations if you are not registered with a casino ite yet)

Select your free wager amount by clicking on the virtual chip stacks in the lower right corner of your screen.

Select a bet amount between $1 and $100 chips. Note that if you wish to place a wager that is not in the displayed increments, i.e., you want to wager $27, you need to select $25 + $2.   Hit the “Deal” button to receive your cards. Once your cards have been issued, you can select whether to Hit, Stand, or Double.

The outcome of the game is always affected when players are deciding whether to accept or decline a third card. Some experts advise sticking to the following rules when it comes to splitting cards in all variations of blackjack: Never split tens, always split 8s and aces, and if the dealer has 10, keep hitting until you reach 17.  The same rules apply to playing blackjack online for free and using virtual money.

Dealer vs. Player: Who Wins in the Event of a Tie?

The winner is obvious if the dealer’s or player’s hand exceeds blackjack 21 (automatic loss). If the player’s hand is the winner, he receives a payout at odds of 1 to 1 (if he has a natural blackjack, the odds are 3 to 2 ). If there is a tie, the player gets back the bet placed.

Other Blackjack Systems

There are a lot of blackjack strategies, but here are the most effective ones:

Martingale

This is probably the most popular of blackjack strategies and is suitable for both casino games, sports betting, and betting on lottery-style games. It consists of doubling the amount wagered when a round is lost. This way, you will have to repeat the bet by betting twice the amount lost each time until the bet is won.

The strategy is most suited to those with a budget large enough to bear several consecutive losses. If you decide that this method is right for you, it is advisable not to use the Double option when betting.

1-3-2-6

This strategy is very effective if you’re looking to increase your winning chances without investing a large amount of money. The numbers indicate that the strategy is based on four rounds of play in which the bet amount is 1x, 3x, 2x, and 6x, but only when the bet is winning.

This means that every time a bet is lost, you will have to bet the starting amount. You will only stop when you complete the series of four winning bets. Of all these blackjack strategies, this one may be the most attractive because it involves the least risk. It is suitable for short-term gaming sessions and does not require a very large deposit. In short, it is the perfect way to quickly meet the rolling conditions imposed by casinos.

Password 

The Paroli positive progression system is also one of the most popular blackjack strategies, which aims to increase your chances of winning. It is often used by players who want to quickly meet the turnover requirements for bonuses received from the casino. For this method, you will need to set a fixed stake that should not exceed 5% of your deposit.

For example, if you have $50 in your account, then we recommend that you bet a maximum of $5 on each hand. Every time you win, double the wager amount that you began the round with. So, if you start with $5 and you win, the next round you will bet $10, and then $20. For the strategy work, you will need to do this three consecutive times, then go back to your original stake.The same applies for when you lose the bet. This tactic is simple yet efficient in the short term.

Fibonacci

Like the other blackjack strategies presented above, the Fibonacci strategy is a progressive betting system that requires an exact bet from the beginning. It is based on a number sequence where each number that followsequates to the total sum of the previous two numbers. So, if we start at 1, the string will look like this (1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144). Each unit represents how many times you bet on the initial stake until the bet is won. For this strategy to work, three basic rules need to be followed:

• Choose a suitable wager amount
• When the bet is lost you bet the next unit
• You go back to the original stake every time you win

Chances of Winning Blackjack

Once you know the rules of blackjack and what to do with certain hands, your probability of winning increases. As mentioned, if you play without knowing what this game involves and without a basic strategy, then the house advantage is 8%. If you know how to play blackjack and utilize a strategy, then you can reduce the house edge to as low as 1%.

You decrease it by 2.3% (up to 5.7%) when you get a natural blackjack. If you stop or ask for the extra card correctly, then it will decrease from 3.5% to 2.2%.

What about doubling? In this case, the house advantage goes down from 1.6% to 0.6%. When you have a pair in your hand and use a basic strategy, the house advantage is reduced by as much as 0.2%.

The fact that you can alter the odds so drastically in blackjack goes to show it’s one of the few casino games where you actually can increase your winning chances. By playing the game of blackjack for free, you get to try out these different strategies and see how the odds change without any risk to your bankroll. Once you feel happy and more confident with the rules, outcomes, and moves, you’re likely to have much more success when you come to play the game for real.

FAQ

Where can I play blackjack for free or with real money?
The best way to play blackjack is to download the game from an online casino onto your phone or tablet. This way, you can experience the thrills and excitement of playing the game of blackjack without investing any of your own money. Moreover, if you are a beginner, you will be able to get an idea of ​​what blackjack strategies entail, how they work, and the best times to use them.

If you want to invest money and have the opportunity to earn money, you can sign up for a real money account on any one of our top recommended sites. Plus, you can look forward to the most fantastic bonus offers as soon as you become a registered player.

What are the worst moves to make in blackjack?
There are exceptions, but most of the time, experts advise not dividing cards that are identical. Most casinos allow you to double your stake for a much lower value than the initial amount, but this is also a move we don’t recommend until you’ve gained some experience.

Even if the insurance bet (Insurance) gives you winning odds of 2-to-1, it is not a useful option to rely on in the long run. The applies if the dealer offers you “Even Money”, i.e., a 1-to-1 payout if he has an Ace in his hand.

What is the best winning blackjack strategy?
Your chances of winning are not increased when you use different strategies, but you can certainly maximize your odds of winning and reduce the house edge. There are many different blackjack strategies that people use to try and win the game of blackjack, so we advise trying a few out for size to help you determine whether you have more luck with one over another.