Online Blackjack
Online blackjack is arguably one of the most famous casino games in the world, with a simple premise that anyone can pick up in minutes. Blending strategy and luck, it’s a popular game for both low and high stakes players – and you’ll find online blackjack options for both at Raptor Casino.
If you’re looking for more information on online blackjack at Raptor Casino, here’s what you need to know.
How does online blackjack work?
In a nutshell, the aim of the game in online blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible without hitting 22 or above.
Each card in blackjack is assigned a value. Cards 2-10 are worth their face value, e.g. a two is worth two, a three is worth three and so on. Jacks, queens and kings are each worth ten. An ace can be worth either one or 11, and you can change the value of your ace as the hand progresses to benefit you. In online roulette, the dealer will automatically assign the most useful value to your ace.
At the start of the round, each player is dealt two cards, face up. The dealer also deals themselves two cards – one face up, and one face down. This gives you some information on their hand, allowing you to make an educated guess on how much the value of their hand might be.
Hit or Stand?
Using this information, you then have to decide whether to stand – which means no further action – or ‘hit’ to receive another face-up card, which is added to your total. You can hit multiple times, until you decide to stand, at which point play moves to the next player. Or until you hit 22 or above, which means you have gone bust and are out of the hand.
Once all players have completed their turn, the dealer reveals their face-down card and then plays in a predetermined manner, set by the casino. For online roulette this usually means standing on 16 or above. If the dealer has a higher hand value than you, the casino wins. If you have a higher value hand, or if the dealer goes bust, you win. And if it’s a tie, it is usually treated as a push (no bet).
How many online blackjack tables are there?
If you’re looking for variety in your online blackjack games, you’ll struggle to find a site as well-equipped as Raptor Casino. In terms of traditional table games, you’ll find around 10 different options, covering the likes of European Blackjack, Blackjack Single-Hand, and the popular Blackjack Multi-Hand, which has a return-to-player (RTP) of up to 99.4% when played optimally.
But live casino is where the selection of online roulette tables really opens up. You can find more than 175 live online roulette tables running at once, which is a staggering number compared to even the very best online casinos.
Each live dealer table for online blackjack has a different dealer, as well as certain tweaks to the game and optional side bets which ensures a rich variety of options.
What types of online blackjack are available?
Many of the online roulette tables at Raptor Casino utilise the standard version of blackjack, with the main difference being the studio or casino it’s being live-streamed from – and the different dealer, of course. However, the casino also has some interesting variations of online blackjack which offer something out of the norm.
Look out for tables labelled ‘VIP’ if you fancy some high stakes action. These online blackjack tables have highly attentive and accommodating dealers who are used to catering to a VIP crowd. They can also be quiet at times, especially given the huge number of choices at Raptor Casino, which is great for those of you who prefer a private table.
Speed Blackjack is a fast-paced version of the game where the player who reacts fastest gets his or her card next. This can create an exciting, high-octane environment, where shrewd players who can quickly calculate potential outcomes can take advantage by purposefully acting quickly or slowly.
There is also Multi-Hand Blackjack, which allows a single player to play multiple hands at once. One great thing about this is that it allows you to have greater control over the deck, and not rely on other players to make favourable decisions for your hand.
What is the house edge in online blackjack?
The house edge varies in online blackjack depending on the specific version of the game you’re playing, but overall it has one of the highest RTPs of all casino games.
Blackjack Multi-Hand has an RTP of 99.4%, which is remarkably high. An important caveat is that you need to play your hands perfectly to achieve the maximum RTP.
For instance, if you start with two kings (giving you a total of 20) and decide to hit for another card, you will almost certainly lose the hand due to a mistake. By contrast, slot games have a fixed RTP where you simply need to spin the wheel, with no room for human error.