Blackjack is one of the simplest and most fun casino games that you can play and today we are going to talk you through the basics so that you can enjoy all that this game offers. Blackjack makes for the perfect entry game when you visit a casino, it will get you started with your evening of gambling and it is a great way to relax your way into casino life. Whether you play in an actual casino or prefer to head to an online casino such as NetBet to play Blackjack, you can have a lot of fun and win some easy money with this game, let’s have a look at the basics that you will need to understand.
The Objective
Your objective when playing Blackjack is to have a higher score than the dealer without surpassing a score of 21 with your cards. The ultimate goal is what we call Blackjack, which is when you are given the first 2 cards and they add up to 21.
Values of Cards
The cards between 2 and 10 are worth their face value and the picture cards are worth 10 each. An ace can be worth 1 or 11 depending on how it best fits in with your hand and the choice is yours.
Playing the Game
To start you will be dealt 2 cards and the dealer will then proceed to ask you whether you wish to take one more as each round progresses. Remember that you are playing against the dealer so ignore what others are doing. If you think that you have a good hand then you will ‘stand’ and wait to see what the dealer has. When you request another card in your hunt for the elusive 21, this is called a hit.
Betting
The betting rules around Blackjack are super simple and win the majority of cases you will be betting at odds of 2/1. This means that if you bet $20 and win, you will get your stake back plus $20 from the dealer. If you have Blackjack first time then the house usually pays 2.5/1 which means that with your $20 stake you’ll walk away with $50. This is how the betting works in almost all casinos, but still check to make sure before you get started.
Some Jargon
Double Down – If you are super confident that you’ll beat the dealer after the first cards are dealt, you can increase your bet by double.
Split – When you have 2 cards of the same value you can split the hand, double your bet and then play with two hands.
Surrender – After receiving the first two cards you can surrender the hand and get half of your bet back if you aren’t happy with them. This often happens when people are dealt 16, which is a tricky place to start when you are trying to get 21.
Insurance – The dealer’s first card is visible to all players and if it is an ace there is of course a chance of Blackjack. In this situation you can buy insurance, which is essentially a side bet that the dealer will have Blackjack. Doing this can help you minimize your losses if Blackjack happens.
And there you have it, a very simple game which can provide hours of fun, and hopefully some profits!
