Blackjack

Blackjack is a Top Choice for Players Who Crave Excitement

Blackjack is a simple game to understand. Everything revolves around the number 21. Your goal is to get 21 or as close to it as possible. The only way you can lose is if the dealer outscores you, gets a 21 with the first deal, or you bust. We'll get to all that.

Card Values in Blackjack

The aim is to get near or exactly 21. If you exceed that, you bust and lose the amount you wagered. Card values on number cards are the face value of 1 to 10. The Jack, Queen, and King are also worth 10.

An Ace is worth 1 or 11 depending on your choice. For example, a King and Ace together is a total of 21 points. If you have a 10, 9, and Ace, you'd want it to be worth 1 point to bring your hand to a total of 20 points.

Betting and Making Strategic Decisions

In online Blackjack, start by placing your bets. You can bet $2 to $100 on one to five hands. Once you've made your bets, click deal. The number of hands you want to play are then dealt. You'll see your hands, and you get to see one of the dealer's cards. At this point, you start strategizing.

The card showing for the dealer should help you make some decisions. The dealer has to stand on 17 and draw on 16 or lower. Use that as your guide to what decision the dealer may make and try to build the better hand using these options.

Insurance: If the dealer has an Ace, there's the chance the dealer has 21 already. You have the option to buy insurance and protect yourself against a loss. Insurance is half your bet, but it can be worthwhile as it pays 2 to 1 and stays in effect for a few rounds..

Split: If you have a pair of cards, you can choose to split them into two hands. It may not be worthwhile if the pair of cards is a low face card, but if it's a pair of Aces, you could end up with a big win.

Hit: When your hand is low, you'll want to hit. Experts usually say not to hit if you have a hand worth 17 or higher. You have to be careful. Any card worth 10 could lead to a bust, so you have to decide if the risk is worthwhile. Ultimately, it's your decision.

Double Down: If you have a hand worth 11 points, you can double down. You double your bet and get one more card. You want that card to be a 10 to bring you to 21.

Stand: Say you have a 20 or 21 already. Click “stand.” No additional cards are dealt. As long as the dealer doesn't have a better hand, you're pretty likely to push or win.

What is a Push vs. a Win?

A push is the term used for a tie. If you have a hand with 20 points and the dealer reveals a Jack and Queen, you both have 20 points. You get your bet back.

If your hand is better than the dealer's, you win your bet plus that same amount from the dealer. For example, if you bet $5, you'll win $10 on a winning hand. If you have a Blackjack, you get paid at a 3 to 2 ratio.

If the dealer has a better hand than you, you lose. Your bet goes to the dealer. If you've bought insurance, you'll protect yourself against some of the loss.

Final Thoughts

While some casino games are based solely on luck, Blackjack requires some strategy. That's what makes it such an exciting game. By splitting a hand, knowing when to take that extra card, or when to stand, you can make a decent profit playing 21.

At Miami Club Casino, you can play Blackjack for real money. If you're new to the game, play for fun while you get used to it. When you're ready, it's easy to switch over to real money play. Try it today.