How To Play Blackjack: Learn The Rules & Strategies Of 2024

The rules of playing Blackjack are pretty straightforward. You, however, should not be fooled into believing the game is easy.

To play Blackjack, you need to master some of the game’s essential rules and winning strategies if you ever want to win big.

We did a bit of research online and found that most articles offer guidelines but in a very complex way. So we decided to do the hard work for you.

We have broken down the complexity of the guidelines into simple and understandable content suitable even for beginners.

Past research indicated that about 75% of players can win at some point in blackjack. However, only 4% get to go home winners. It then raises the question of whether the game is legit and if one can win real money online by playing Blackjack.

Let’s find out!

How to Play Blackjack?

Blackjack is a popular casino game. Blackjack is played with a 52-card deck and is one of the most accessible casino games for novice and veteran players.

The game aims to beat the dealer by accumulating cards with a value higher than or equal to 21.

Below is a guide on how to play Blackjack.

Step 1: Place Your Bet

Once you have picked the best Blackjack site and made a deposit into your account, you can place your bet. How much you choose to wager is up to you, depending on how much you are willing to risk.

Step 2: Join A Table And Have Your Cards Dealt

Once all players are ready, the dealer will hand each player two cards facing up. The dealer will also get two cards, one facing up and the other facing down.

When it is done, they will show you one of his cards.

Step 3: Place A Side Bet

Side bets are placed on color, pairs, etc., to help you increase your earning potential.

One crucial side bet is that a player can place the insurance, which can only be offered if the dealer’s first card is an Ace. If it happens, the dealer hits Blackjack, and your insurance is paid out.

Step 4: Decide Whether To

“Hit” Or “Stand”

The goal is to get as close as possible to 21 by working out the value of your hand and that of the dealer. After that, you can choose to either hit or stand.

Hit

To hit is to ask the dealer for more cars to increase the value of your hand. It would help if you only chose this option when you are sure the value of the other card will not cross 21 and go bust or when you are willing to bear the risk of having the dealer have a better hand.

Stand

Pressing the stand notifies the dealer that you will not take any more cards since you are satisfied with your cards. It is the preferred option when you are unsure if the dealer’s hand will beat yours or when the value of cards is already high (16 and over).

Step 5: Your Hand Value

You now have a new hand value. If the value is anything below 21, you remain in the game.

Step 6: Dealer Reveals Their Cards

You already know the dealer’s first card right from the word go. In this step, they will reveal the value of their second card.

Step 7: The Outcome

Now, you will check the dealer and players’ cards to see whose hand has a value of 21 or close to 21. You win if you have a hand closer to 21 than the dealer. Likewise, if the dealer’s value is closer to 21 than any other player, they win.

Step 8: Payout

The dealer will pay the winner depending on the type and amount of bet they had placed.

How Does Blackjack Work?

Blackjack, also known as 21, is a game where all players play against the dealer by attempting to reach a card value of 21 or close to 21. Any value beyond 21 is referred to as a break or a bust.

Blackjack is played with six decks of cards, each with 52 cards, and can accommodate up to 7 players.

The game is one of the easiest casino games suitable for beginners. All you need is to know the rules of the game.

If you play at the best Blackjack casinos, you can be sure of making good money – especially if you get exactly 21.

How to Play Blackjack for Beginners: Tips

The review we have here is specially curated for novice players. We aim to help you get the basic tips and strategies to ensure you enjoy and win a Blackjack game.

We consulted with a team of experts on some of the best tips for playing Blackjack, and here is what we came up with:

Play With Basic Strategies

As a player, you must know when to ‘hit,’ ‘stand,’ ‘split,’ or ‘double down.’

You stand when the dealer has 2-6 and 12-16 on your hand.

You hit when the dealer has 7-Ace, and you have 12-16 on your hand.

Whenever you have 8s and Aces, you split

Avoid Playing Insurance

Insurance is a new bet based on whether the dealer has a Blackjack. If you do not place insurance and the dealer has a Blackjack, it is called a push which is a win-win situation since there are no wins or losses.

Check The Dealer's Upcard

At the game’s onset, the dealer will always reveal one card – the one facing up. It is a bad card if the value is between 2-6 and a good card if the value is between 7 to Ace.

Pay attention to this value, as it plays a significant role in determining your next move.

Start Small

It is normal for one to be excited about a game of Blackjack. Start slow and gauge the situation of each player. Ignore naysayers who want to appear as experts at the game.

Don't Get Burned

Casino games are mainly based on luck. Therefore, you should only risk what you can afford to lose, or it might turn out to be a costly venture.

Basic Blackjack Rules to Remember

By this point, you are well-versed in the basic strategies of playing Blackjack. But as with any other casino game, more than strategies is needed. You also need to know the basic rules of the game.

We have taken the time to highlight some of the basic rules of Blackjack. They include:

The picture cards (King, Queen, and Jack) and the ten cards are valued at 10 points.
Ace cards take the value of 1 or 11.
The other cards are equal to their value. That is, a four is four points, a six is six, etc.
An Ace card plus a ten is considered to be a winning combination.
You win regular pay when the value of your cards is closer to 21 than the value of the dealer’s cards.
A Blackjack win is when the value of your cards equals 21
The dealer must hit on any hand whose value is below 16 points.

How to Improve Your Chances of Winning

Blackjack is undoubtedly one of the easiest casino games. However, you should consider its simplicity as it can go from 100 to 0 quickly, risking much of your hard-earned money.

Hence, you need to know all the rules and strategies that can help improve your chances of winning. You can also look for real money blackjack sites to earn real money.

Below are some tips on how you, a novice player, can improve your chances of winning.

They include:

Learn the Basic Strategies

Although a game of luck, it helps a great deal to know some of the winning strategies of playing Blackjack. In addition, it allows you to minimize the house edge, increasing your earning potential.

Avoid Making An Insurance Bet

An insurance bet has a high payout, but it can also cause you to lose a lot of money since the odds of making a correct guess are minimal.

Focus on Your Cards

The cards dealt to other players do not directly impact your chance of winning. You should, therefore, at all costs, ignore the other players on your table and focus on your winning strategy.

Avoid Progressive Strategies

Any previous games should not influence the decision you make on your hand. Instead, all decisions you make should be guided by the cards.

Find Sites With the Best Odds

Most casino platforms offer the same variations of Blackjack games. The difference, however, comes in the odds offered.

Unlike relatively new casinos, which offer significantly lower odds for the same games, top casinos are known to provide high odds, increasing your earning potential.

Improve Your Skills

Several casinos offer free-play versions of Blackjack. These are great, especially for new players who want to learn the game’s ropes before playing with real money.

Playing free-mode Blackjack games will allow you to improve and sharpen your skills and knowledge.

Our Top Blackjack Tips

If you intend to make real money from playing Blackjack, we would advise you to use the following tips:

Research to find the best Blackjack casino platform
Always double down on a hard 11 to win more money
Never make an insurance bet
Never play a 6:5 Blackjack game
When placing a wager, make sure you are betting with just what you can afford to lose
Memorize a basic winning strategy
Focus on your cards and keep your cool
Know when to quit, as the game can be addictive

FAQs Regarding How To Play Blackjack

How Can I Win in Blackjack?

To win in a Blackjack game, you must have cards with a score of 21 or less. It can be achieved by using winning strategies even though they are not 100% foolproof.

When Should I Hit or Stand?

To hit is to ask the dealer for another card. You take a hit when you are willing to risk the dealer having a better hand or when you are confident that the next card will not cause you to go bust.

To stand is to avoid taking another card from the dealer since your value is already too high.

What Is A Split in Blackjack?

A split is when you divide your card into two separate hands. It gives you a better chance to outplay the dealer but can only be done when you have two cards of the same value.

How Do Blackjack Players Count Cards?

Players count cards by assigning a value to them as they are dealt from the deck. From this, they can determine the value of the remaining cards in the deck.

They then use this information to calculate whether or not the remaining cards have large or small values to increase their probability of winning.