Playing Online Blackjack Games Optimally
Hard pressed. That’s exactly what one would be to find a casino game as popular as Blackjack. Many of the card based games can be mastered with a little bit of practice and straight Blackjack is no exception. However, with so many different variations available to you, one thing to take note of is the house edge each game has on offer.
There shouldn’t be any surprise to know that casinos, both online and standing, are there to make money. The way they’re going to make profit from these games is due to the way the games are designed.
The big thing the casinos are counting on is the house edge. The house edge is the amount of each players stakes that the casino thinks they’ll be making based on the games payouts and awarded to players when they beat the dealers with different hand combinations.
Look down at the bottom of this page under the “More Reads” link to see our list of the best US places to play Blackjack
This is what it looks like at BetOnline as you choose which version of Blackjack you would like to play
Something you may or not know is that any online casinos do not make any Blackjack games. There are other companies that make these games and then license them out to the casinos. Some of the bigger companies that do this are Playtech, Microgamig, and NetEnt. Just below we will let you know which of the Blackjack games made by these guys offer the lowest house edge Blackjack variants.
Microgaming Blackjack
If you were to go to any Microgaming powered site you’ll find dozens of Blackjack games. Something to keep in mind is that each variant is going to come with its own rules that will affect the house edge when each one is played optimally.
The game in which MicroGaming shows off as having the lowest house edge is the single handed, Classic Blackjack game, (the one you should be looking for) with a house edge of just 0.13%.
Playtech Blackjack
Playtech is another company that makes many different variations of Blackjack for you to choose from. They’re in the game, so to speak, making both static and live tables.
The favorite by far and most favorable house edge for players is their Blackjack Switch game on which, when played perfectly, the house edge is just 0.16%!
NetEnt Blackjack
While this is another software provider that you will find at many online casinos, the selection that you’ll find is not as necessarily as large as the two mentioned above. However, they are still a great, solid company doing their thing and if you’re at a casino that offers NetEnt as the option, you’re bound to be pleased with your selection.
While you are there, make sure to look for their game, “Standard Blackjack” which offers the lowest house edge, when played with a perfect strategy, coming out to 0.40%
This is just plain old Standard Blackjack being played at GTBets. They use a company called Arrows Edge for many of their games. Be forewarned, great company, very tight lipped about their house edge.
Blackjack Playing Hints and Tips
Here we’re going to try and pass along to you are some playing hints and tips that you should be considering when you go to play any variant available online. As we have mentioned above, there are many different variations available and no matter how great a game looks, you should be picking the game with the lowest house edge to guarantee you the best chance of winning!
Once finding the variant with the lowest house edge you’ll need to put into play a perfect playing strategy, and since there are several different ways of playing any hand combination of cards dealt to you, there are some betting and playing decisions which are fairly standard no matter which version you are playing.
What Follows Below are Some of These Playing and Betting Decisions
Insurance Wager
Never be under the impression that the 2 to 1 payoff you will receive with the Insurance Wager and the Dealer’s hand is an Ace and a Ten valued card is a good valued wager, for this bet is one all players should avoid as the house edge attached to it is extremely high!
Splitting Aces
Anytime your base hand consists of 2 Aces you should always split those 2 cards to form an additional new hand. This is an easy playing move to remember, however, always ensure that when playing online that your casino account balance has the funding to cover this move!
If you do not have the funds to cover splitting the Aces when they are dealt out to you then all you can do is hit or stand that hand and that is not the right playing strategy which increases the houses edge of the game you’re playing against when you do anything else!
Ten Valued Pairs
It’s very tempting for players to split a pair of matching or unalike 10 valued cards when playing Blackjack if the Dealers facing up card is a very low card such as a 2, 3 or 4 card. However, the correct strategy that should be adopted when faced with such a hand is to stand those cards. This is true on all Blackjack game variants and certainly the ones that have been mentioned so far!
Bonus Bets
You will find that many Blackjack games offer some kind of bonus bet. While the base game of that game may be a low house edge game the bonus bets which you can place in the hope of picking up some additional winning payouts whenever you are dealt a listed hand whenever you are dealt a listed hand combination are never the lowest house edge best.
These bets are always poor value and should never be placed as the house edges attached to the bonus bets alone are often ten or more times higher than the base games house edge! Learn which is a poor valued bonus and side bet here.
Strategy Cards
You will often find a Blackjack strategy card or the perfect playing strategy attached to the help screen of most online Blackjack games on the website at which you are playing. If not, try and hunt down such a card if you are new to playing Blackjack for these strategy cards list every hand combo you will be dealt out and will show you how to play that hand based on the Dealer’s hand up card.
Blackjack Bonuses
One final tip we would like to pass on to you regarding Blackjack is to pay very close attention to the Terms and Conditions that are attached to any bonus you may be considering taking when playing any version of Blackjack.
The rules attached to such bonuses can often be very restrictive and it is often the case that you should just decline a bonus when offered to you due to the extremely high playthrough requirements and (quite often) maximum stake rules that you have to comply with when playing with such a bonus!
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