How to Find Top Online Blackjack Casinos
Blackjack is one of the most popular table games that you will find in the lobby of online casinos in Australia.
It is pretty fun to play, and the payout can be pretty impressive when you play a good online version of the game at a top-rated blackjack casino in Australia. Throughout this comprehensive guide, we will explain how blackjack gameplay works, the rules, and popular variations. We will also discuss how to find the best blackjack online casino sites and the bonuses you can claim. So if you are interested in learning all that, keep reading.
There are many blackjack casino sites in Australia, but not all offer quality services. And if you want to enjoy the best experience playing blackjack, it is paramount that you play at a top online casino. So how do you find these casinos? Well, you should consider a couple of factors in your search for the best blackjack online casinos to play blackjack in AU, and we will discuss them below.
Licensing and Security
Before any gambling platform can operate legally in a jurisdiction, it must have obtained the necessary licenses and certificates. So when choosing the best online blackjack casino site, always pay attention to the licensing details. In Australia, legal casino sites operate with a license from the Office of Liquor and Gambling (OGLR), and many of them provide the details on their site footer or “About page”.
In addition to licensing, you should also pay attention to how secure the blackjack casino site is. The best gambling sites use technologies like SSL to scramble their platform and secure players’ personal and financial details.
Blackjack Variations
Once you’ve determined that the blackjack online casino Australia you’ve chosen is licensed and secure, the next thing to consider is the blackjack variations available. Ensure the operator has many blackjack games available that you can pick from, particularly variations that you prefer. When checking the available blackjack games, also factor in their betting limits to see if they can be played by both high rollers and players that prefer low wagers.
Reputation and Trustworthiness
The reputation of the blackjack casino you want to choose should also be among the top factors to check. Research a little about the casino owners to know if they have a good history in the iGaming community. You should also consider reading reviews of the casino from other players to know if it is trusted by many.
Bonuses and Promotions
This is another important factor you should consider to find the top online blackjack casinos in Australia. Bonuses help boost players’ bankrolls so they can enjoy more game time without risking too much of their hard-earned money. Check the promotions page of any blackjack gambling site you want to use to see what the casino has to offer. And when doing that, don’t forget to look at the terms and conditions that apply to the bonuses.
Payment Methods
You must use online payment methods for deposits and withdrawals when playing online for real money. So as part of your criteria for selecting the best casino, always ensure you go for a casino that offers you the flexibility of choosing between many safe and reliable banking options. Besides that, consider the processing speed, fees, and limits of the payment methods.
Customer Support
It is common for players to neglect this factor when choosing an online casino to join, but this can be a great mistake. The customer support options of an online casino determine how you can get assistance when you need it, so make sure any Australian blackjack casino site you want to join offers good support services. You can also read online blackjack casino reviews to know what to expect at an online casino.
General Features and Variations of Online Blackjack
Like every casino game, blackjack has its own features that make it exciting to play. But these features may vary from one variation to another, so it is always good to understand the rules of any particular variation you want to play. Blackjack is played between players and the house/casino, and the objective is to have the highest-value cards without exceeding 21.
One of the general features of the game is the ability to use playing actions like hit, stand, double down, and split to determine how a game round should proceed. If you play the live dealer version, you will also find features like live chat that let you chat with the dealer and other players. Some versions even offer players a chance to place side bets or use strategy tools.
When choosing an online casino game, one of the important factors that many professional players consider is the Return to Player (RTP) percentage of the game. This is defined as the percentage of the wagered amount players can win in the long run. Most blackjack games come with pretty high RTPs, sometimes higher than the industry’s average standard of 96%. In fact, you will find some live dealer blackjack titles with as high as 99% RTP. However, note that the rules of the game, variations, and other factors can influence the RTP or house edge of blackjack.
- Compared to the 6 to 5 blackjack payout, the 3 to 2 natural blackjack payout reduces the house edge by 1.39%.
- Once double down is used on any two cards, the game’s house edge reduces by 0.25%.
- Splitting aces reduce the game’s house edge by 0.08%
- Single-deck blackjack lowers the house edge by 0.47%
- Late surrender in blackjack increases the RTP by 0.07%
Best Online Blackjack Bonus
One of the common differences between online casinos and land-based casinos is the type of bonuses players can claim. When you play at a top online blackjack casino site in Australia, you can claim many incredible bonuses and promotions, which can help you enjoy more game time. Let’s highlight some of the most common and best online blackjack bonuses.
- Welcome Bonus: Most blackjack online casino offer this type of bonus. It is only available to new players who join a gambling platform, and it is usually distributed over the first few deposits.
- Match Bonus: This is a common blackjack bonus where a gambling operator matches a player’s deposit and offers them a percentage of it as bonus money. For instance, a casino can offer a 100% match on the first deposit made on weekends. However, note that there is usually a maximum bonus amount, and you cannot claim more than the set amount.
- Cashback Bonus: You can claim this blackjack bonus at top-rated gambling sites. The bonus is offered as a percentage of the amount a player loses within a given period, maybe daily, weekly, or monthly. The idea is to give players a chance to recoup their losses.
- Free chips: Although not as common as the other bonuses, some online casinos in Australia offer free chips to players. These chips can then be used to play any blackjack game according to the terms and conditions specified in the promotions.
- No deposit bonus: This is a bonus claimable without making any deposit. It is usually offered as free betting chips to new players when they complete registration. Many people prefer this bonus since they won’t need to risk their hard-earned money to claim it.
Playing Real Money Blackjack vs Free Games
Blackjack is an exciting game, but you have two options when playing it online. You can either play the real money version or the free version. So what are the differences between both? To play real-money blackjack games, you must create an account with an online casino and fund it with real money. You can then wager the money on your preferred blackjack game.
One good thing about real money blackjack games is that you stand a chance to win, and the payout depends on the variation you play. However, blackjack online casino free games are not the same. You can play them without creating a casino account or depositing any money. Besides, the game is free as it uses free coins that are already preloaded. If you exhaust the free coins, you can refresh the game and get more coins.
However, it is worth pointing out that you cannot win real money playing free casino blackjack online games. Besides, you cannot withdraw the preloaded coins in the game. Free games are available only for fun and serve as a way for players to test and familiarise themselves with a game before wagering real money.
Pros & Cons of Playing Blackjack in Online Casinos
Like every casino game, playing blackjack at all online casinos has its benefits and drawbacks. We will highlight some below to help you better understand the game.
Pros
- There are more blackjack games and variations online.
- The rules are usually simple.
- Most online blackjack games have flexible table limits.
- You can claim bonuses at the top online blackjack casinos.
- On the go, you can play online blackjack on your mobile device.
Cons
- It’s almost impossible to use the card-counting strategy.
- Online blackjack games cannot offer the same atmosphere as land-based games.
- You must join an online casino to play blackjack online for real money.
- You may have to provide some personal details when playing online.
How to Play Blackjack
Contrary to what some people may think, blackjack’s gameplay is pretty easy to understand. You can learn how the game works within a few minutes, and the rules are straightforward. Blackjack is a card-based game played with one or more decks of 52 cards. The gameplay is split into steps, which we will discuss below.
Order of Play in Blackjack
The first thing to do in an online blackjack game is to place your bet. Every blackjack has a minimum and maximum betting limit, and you cannot wager past those values. After all players have placed their bets, the gameplay kicks off with the dealer dealing two face-up cards to each player and two cards to himself (one face-up and one face-down).
In most variations, if the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace or a face card, he will peep to see the face-down card to know if a natural blackjack is formed. If a blackjack is formed, the game ends instantly, and the dealer wins the round unless you also have a natural blackjack. In that case, a push occurs, and your wager is used for the next game round.
However, if the dealer’s initial cards are “normal,” the gameplay continues, and players will be presented with some options:
- Hit: When used, the dealer will give you an extra card from the deck. There is no limit to how many times you can hit, but be careful not to go over 21.
- Stand: This option signifies that you are holding your current hand and want to end your turn. Once you stand, you cannot perform any other action again in the game round.
- Double Down: Available in some blackjack variations, it lets you double your wager during a game round. However, different rules may apply to how this playing action works for different blackjack variations.
- Split: This is available only if your two initial cards are a pair. The option allows you to split the pair into two hands, but doing so also increases your wager by 1x.
How to Count Cards in Blackjack
Since the goal of a blackjack game is to have higher card values than the dealer, how are the cards counted? Well, this is pretty easy. Face cards like Queen, Jack, and King are worth 10 points. However, Ace can be worth 11 or 1, depending on the situation. As for the remaining cards, they are worth their face value. So card 2 is worth 2 points, card 3 is worth 3 points, and so on.
But you may wonder, why is Ace different? Well, it’s because of the nature of the blackjack game. Since you must not exceed 21, having two Aces as initial cards at a value of 11 each will already break that rule. So, to avoid this, if your current card value is 10 or below and you get an ace, it is counted as 11. But if the value is more than 10, the ace is counted as 1.
Blackjack Card Values
When a player or dealer has cards with a total value of 21, it is called blackjack. However, there are two types of blackjack card values, natural and non-natural. A natural blackjack is a hand with an Ace and a face card. For instance, if you get an Ace and a King as your initial two cards, you have a natural blackjack. However, non-natural blackjack refers to other combinations that total 21, such as 10, 5, and 6. So which is better?
Regardless of the type of blackjack, natural blackjack outranks non-natural blackjack. And in most variations, you win instantly with a natural blackjack unless the dealer also has it.
Blackjack Strategies
Blackjack is not a pure game of luck. As a result, you can apply some strategies when playing the game to boost your chances of winning. However, we should point out that no gambling strategy provides a 100% guaranteed success rate, so only gamble with money you can afford to lose.
Before playing blackjack for real money, you should set aside a budget and understand the importance of bankroll management. Don’t get tempted to bet all your bankroll at once, as you risk losing everything. Instead, split your bankroll into smaller chunks to allow you to place more bets or even adopt betting strategies like the Martingale or Labourche systems. In theory, the deeper your bankroll is, the higher the chance that you’ll win at some point.
With those important bits out of the way, let’s highlight some blackjack strategies you can use to up your game.
- Do not take insurance, even when it is available.
- Do not split a pair of tens or fives.
- Always split a pair of eights and aces.
- Always go for a 3 to 2 payout blackjack over a 6 to 5 payout blackjack.
- Use a blackjack strategy chart when possible.
Types of Online Blackjack Games
When you check the lobby of the best online casinos for blackjack in Australia, you will find different types of blackjack games. But regardless of the different types, the game’s goal is the same—to have the hand with the highest value without exceeding 21. However, it is worth mentioning that different blackjack games may have additional rules on how they work or the types of wagers you can place. Let’s talk about some of the popular types of blackjack games.
Double Exposure Blackjack
This is a blackjack variation that pays out 3 to 2, and the two initial cards that the dealer takes are faced up. Besides, this variation does not have the surrender and insurance rules that apply in some other blackjack games.
Blackjack Surrender
Blackjack Surrender has a surrender rule that allows you to fold if the dealer’s up card is an Ace or a face card. You will get half of your wager back when you use the surrender option.
Blackjack Switch
This is another popular type of blackjack where players are dealt two hands instead of one. In this variation, you can switch cards between both hands, but the payout for a blackjack is 1 to 1.
Live Blackjack
Live blackjacks are online blackjack games anchored by a real human and hosted in a developer’s studio or a land-based casino. Because of advanced technologies, you can play blackjack online casino live dealer games and have a more interactive experience.
Atlantic City
Atlantic City Blackjack adheres to the same rules as standard blackjack. However, in this version, a dealer must stand on soft 17, making things interesting for players.
European Blackjack
This blackjack uses between 2 and 8 decks of cards, and the dealer must stand on a soft 17. In addition, doubling down is only allowed for a hand value of 9 to 11.
Perfect Blackjack
Perfect Blackjack lets players place a side bet that the initial cards they will receive are a pair. But apart from this side bet, every other rule and the gameplay are pretty much the same.
Live Blackjack vs AI-Based Blackjack
There are two main categories of online blackjack games: AI-based blackjack and live blackjack. AI-based blackjacks use Random Number Generators (RNGs), an algorithm that produces sequences of random numbers to randomise the game’s outcomes. These games are purely computer-based, meaning that the computer does the shuffling and dealing of cards with little human interaction.
As for live blackjack, these are real-life blackjack tables with human dealers responsible for dealing cards. The games may be hosted in a developer’s studio or a land-based casino and made available for players to stream in real-time and play online as if they were at the actual tables. An impressive thing about live blackjack is that it has features like live chat that let you chat with other players and the dealer. Besides that, most versions offer multiple camera angles with a high-definition display.
Popular Software to Look For
Blackjack is a popular table game, and as a result, many casino software providers have a few titles in their collections. However, keep in mind that the top software providers frequently offer better and more exciting blackjack games, which you can find at our recommended best casino in Australia. Examples of popular software to look for are Evolution Gaming’s Lightning Blackjack and NetEnt’s Multihand Blackjack.
But you may wonder—how can you find the best blackjack software? You can look into a few things. First, consider the design of the blackjack game to see if it is well laid out and easy to play. Top software providers design their games to have high-quality visuals and incredible features. Besides, consider the overall user experience of the game. Is the betting limit flexible enough to accommodate all kinds of players?
Another essential factor to consider when choosing the best blackjack software is mobile compatibility. Go for software providers with games that work well on desktop computers and mobile devices. Consider whether the game can be played in-browser or if you must download an external app, which may limit performance.
Conclusion
This article contains a comprehensive guide to online casinos. Blackjack is definitely one of the most popular table games you can play in Australia, and when you play at the best online casinos, the experience can be great. But remember, the game’s goal is to have a higher card value than the dealer, but without exceeding 21.
When choosing the best online casinos to play blackjack, consider factors like licensing, bonuses, payment methods, and mobile compatibility. At some top gambling sites, you can claim blackjack bonuses like welcome bonuses, free betting chips, match bonuses, and no-deposit bonuses. However, always read through the terms and conditions of a bonus to know if it’s a good choice.
Unlike some game types, blackjack is not explicitly a luck-based game. So get familiar with the different strategies you can use to improve your chances of winning. You can play for fun and try out different blackjack variations to see which suits your preference. So now that you know everything about this card-based game choose from one of our recommended blackjack casinos today and start playing!
