Blackjack is easily one of the most popular games at any online casino, because it manages to offer something to every player. For the less serious player, its rules are generally quite simple – try to get to 21, ideally in as few cards as possible. Yet it also has its strategic side, which means that if you’re prepared to put the necessary amount of thought in, you can win more often than if you just let the game happen. You can’t ever guarantee a win, but blackjack is consistently shown to be the game where you have the best chance of winning, which is the next best thing.
One thing that everyone should bear in mind when it comes to blackjack is that there are different versions of blackjack with different rules. If you’re used to playing it one way, then playing under different rules can come as a surprise. That’s why, before you play any game of blackjack at a site on wishcasinos.com, you should take some time to read the specific rules of the version you are playing. You don’t want to learn after you’ve put your money down that the rules have been changed from your preferred version – especially if the change is not in your favour.
Sometimes the house wins on a tied hand
If you get 20 and the house gets 20, then usually that’s not such a bad thing – you’ll get your stake back and can go again, no harm done. But it’s not always the case, and the only way to know whether or not it is is to read the rules. In some versions of blackjack, the house wins all ties. And the only reason for that is that the house makes the rules and can make them say whatever the house wants. It’s up to you whether you play on when you see this rule is in place, but if you’re showing 20 and the house gets 20, you have to hit here.
Check out what blackjack pays
The preferred state of being in any game of blackjack is that getting blackjack (21 in two cards) will pay you out at a rate of 3 to 2. If you’ve bet £20, then blackjack will win you £30. Some forms of blackjack however pay out at 6 to 5. In those cases, you will only win £24, burning a whole 20% of your rightful winnings. We’d advise against playing any blackjack table that won’t pay out at 3 to 2. And look out, also, for tables that only pay even money for blackjack. Those odds are no better than any other form of win, but they usually mean that there are more favourable rules elsewhere, such as letting you double down on any number of cards.
Does the dealer hit on soft 17?
Some casino blackjack games feature a rule where the dealer can hit on soft 17, while others force them to stand. It’s preferable to play blackjack where the dealer must stand on soft 17, because this is a pretty beatable hand. Hitting at this point raises the house edge, and even if that’s only a 0.25% increase, it’s still an advantage that you’d prefer them not to have. It’s not as important as getting 3 to 2 odds on blackjack, but if you can swing it so you’re playing a table where the dealer stands, so much the better.
