Play Blackjack

When Playing Blackjack in the Casino or Online there are a number of strategies and tips that will help you win. Firstly we will take a look some basic advice for playing Blackjack anywhere. Arm yourself with these tips and hit the tables!

• Never take insurance! The Insurance bet was devised by the casino to take more money from you. Insurance bets lose more than they win.
• Learning when to double down and split cards will be the difference between profit and loss.
• Play well within your financial limits, make sure you have enough cash to withstand a run of bad cards. A dealer may hit a lucky streak over 5 hands, but over time the luck factor will swing back in your favor - make sure you have enough cash to punish him when he hits a losing streak.
• No matter what the dealer's up card, assume the down card is a 10, since four of the thirteen ranks in a deck of cards have a 10 value.
• Never mix cards and alcohol! Ever wondered why there's so much free booze in a casino? Because alcohol seriously impairs your judgment and the casinos know it! Save the beer until after your playing session.

Playing Blackjack Online

Online Blackjack has a few minor differences to casino Blackjack, the most significant of these is the Deck of cards. Most live casino Blackjack games are now played with a 5 or 6 decked shoe. This makes it more difficult for card counters to predict the next cards out - but not impossible! In online games the cards are dealt using a RNG or Random Number Generator, this is a mathematical software program that randomly shuffles the virtual deck and spits out the hands in a random manner. You cannot 'Card Count' online, but all the other strategies for 'doubling down', 'splitting cards' and when to 'hit' can still be used effectively.

In many ways it is easier to play blackjack online if your new to the game, you are automatically prompted when it's your turn and you want feel silly if you make a mistake. On the flip side of that coin is it's much harder to walk away from a virtual casino, in a real casino you know when the chips have run out. Online you can keep reloading your chip balance directly from your credit card! making it difficult to stop playing.

If you want to play online then you should first try our free blackjack game, it doesn't cost any money and you don't have to download any software or even register to play. The free game runs on the same software as that the online casinos use. Give it a try, you can't win real money but you also can't lose anything! Use it to practice our tips and strategies. If you can win money on the free blackjack game only then should you consider playing for real money online.

One of the main benefits of playing Blackjack online is the FREE CHIPS that casinos offer to new players - can you imagine a Vegas casino doubling the money in your wallet just for walking into there casino! Well it happens online. Intense competition between online casinos has lead to a great deal for new players - most online casinos will offer to double any deposit you make with them. Check out our 'free chips' section for the latest and best new deals around - it's always better to play with other peoples money!

Playing Casino Blackjack

Playing Blackjack in a real casino may seem a little daunting at first, but you will soon pick up the action after a couple of hands. Remember if you're not sure of anything ask the dealer! Dealers aren't just there to deal cards they will also explain the rules and generally assist you to enjoy the game. No one is going to laugh at you get it wrong, everyone at the table was once in your position!

Here are a few general rules to playing Blackjack in a casino.

• Pick the right table to play at, all tables have minimum bets. Normally you can see the minimum bet per hand displayed in the corner of the table. When you new to Blackjack it's best to start at the low table stakes. In most casinos the lowest limits for Blackjack is around $2 - $5 per hand.
• Look for a table with the right limit and an empty seat, sit down and wait for the dealer to finish that hand in progress, then place your dollars on the table in front of you. Make sure they are not in the betting box or circle (it could be mistaken for a cash bet) Never attempt to hand the money to the dealer! For security purposes all money must be placed on the table. You will then be given your chips by the dealer.s
• To bet you must place you chips into the betting box or circle, this is a small box directly in front of you. Once you chips are in this box you must not touch them, you will then get two cards dealt face up. Most casino will frown upon you touching the cards!
• Once all the players have cards the dealer will flip over one of his cards, he will then go around the table asking the players in turn for there action. You can 'Hit' 'Stand' 'Double' or 'Split'. It's important to clearly start your intentions to the dealer, if you want another card then you say 'HIT' and make a hand gesture of 'scratching' the table in front of you. If you don't want anymore cards then say 'STAND' and make a side to side hand gesture with your palm face down. These hand gesture are important as they clearly signal to the dealer and the 'eye in sky' your intentions.
• When the hand is over the dealer will pay out winnings and remove losing bets from the table. If you want to let your winnings ride then you should make one tower of your chips with the biggest denomination of chips at the bottom of the tower.

So now you know how to play blackjack online and in the casino, you might want to check out our tips for more effective play or take a look at some of the latest deals from online casino - click here.