Knowledge is power in gambling. The more you know about the games, the more successful you can be.
For a knowledgeable player, blackjack offers the best chance of leaving the casino as a winner. And,when you become an expert at the game, you can turn the tables on the casino, and get a real advantageon the game.
Originally created by Ken Smith, the goal ofthis site is to provide clear, accurate and transparent information to guide you in optimizing yourblackjack play.
BetOnline Casino offers the best gameplay, bonuses and graphics in online casino gaming. Experience the thrill of Vegas gambling from home. To start learning optimal blackjack strategy, you should strictly follow the plays outlined in our blackjack charts. Based on the specific rules and options you set up, our blackjack charts adjust and prescribe the best strategic moves to make when playing blackjack.
We have a variety of resources for all levels of play. See below :
Our most comprehensive resource, this is a completeguide consisting of 24 lessons starting from the very basics of understanding the rules to thenitty gritty details of advanced card counting.
Many casinos offer a version of the game where a basic strategy player’s expected loss is onlyaround 0.3%. By just choosing the right game and using a correct basic strategy, your results havealready improved five-fold over a typical player!
A player who plays at this skill level can already “beat” the game if you consider the value ofcomps and freebies he can get.
Our Blackjack Strategy Engine allows you to generate charts based off different rule sets
Looking for something a bit more interactive? Our free basic strategy trainer is designed to coach you and provide advice when you make an incorrect decision
This has recently been updated to be more user friendly on mobiles although if you want to play the original version you have the option to do so too
If you want to beat the game in the long run for actual cash, that’s possible too. In fact,Blackjack is probably the easiest game in the casino where a knowledgeable player can get amathematical edge over the game.
By learning to count cards, you can expect to win more money than you lose. You don’t have to be agenius to count cards… You just need to be willing to study, practice, and play with discipline.
Visit our blackjack school for a complete blackjack course whichcovers card counting extensively or visit our card counting resource.
A treasure trove of blackjack know-how, our forum has over decades of valuable informationavailable for free.
Got a question? There are many industry experts that contribute to the community that can answeranything.
Unfortunately there's no way to card count when playing blackjack online, however if you are looking to just play for fun there are a few things you need to look out for.
We've decided to create a separate resource to address the questions you should be asking yourself before playing online which include:
If you are looking for physical strategy cards instead of using our strategy engine, the BlackjackInfo Store has wallet-size basic strategy cards, and an advanced strategy set thatincludes card counting indexes right on the card.
Our set of six strategy cards covers all thecommon rule variations.
BlackjackinfoStoreSome movement has occured in online gambling laws in North America over the last year. A lot has also been happening in Europe recently. One of the latest developments was the announcement that virtual gaming platforms will be fully legal in Belarus beginning April 1, 2019. This followed a Presidential Decree signed on August 7.[...]
Read MoreTipping is a form of communication in the service industry, especially if you are in the US. Here, people working at any service capacity normally get minimum or low-average wagers, and tend to depend on their tips for a boost in income. Considering casinos… …in all the shapes and forms they are available nowadays, also […]
Read MoreWhen it comes to online casinos and embracing the latest technologies related to the gambling industry, the US has been in some kind of a vacuum for a number of years. We all know that the US is usually the leader in all fields, so the statement in the previous sentence seems somewhat contradictory. Even […]
Read MoreAuthor: Bluesman from BJ21.com I frequently read about blackjack teams and the difficulties they get into. As someone who has been a player, an investor, and a manager for a blackjack team, I thought I would write some general notes and, I hope, help others avoid some of the pitfalls we had to negotiate. I. […]
Read MoreAdvantage play (AP) books usually teach strategy tables and are meant to provide a good conceptual understanding of the game. They cannot be expected to provide AP strategy/career roadmaps. If they did, they would become outdated very quick
Read MoreBasic strategy is the best way to play a blackjack hand on the first round after a shuffle, assuming you see no cards other than your own and the dealer’s upcard. For a person who does not count cards, basic strategy is the best way to play every hand.
Read MoreYour bet is not lost until the dealer picks it up. If the dealer errs in your favor, keep the money. Never cheat, but never give money to the dealer. Of course, if the dealer makes an error in the casino’s favor, speak up and get it corrected. Look for gifts. The dealer is not supposed to show you either the card on the bottom of the pack or the burned card (i.e. the card turned under). [...]
Read MoreWe all come to the tables by different paths. While I’m not a hardcore blackjack player, I do enjoy the game and usually dedicate about 20% of my bankroll to it. I’ll try to lay out some of the pitfalls I faced in learning and coming to love the game. Beginning or novice players might […]
Read MoreEarly on in my career I struggled to find a balance between work and play. My only respite was the summer air as I sped across the freeway en-route to the next casino. I spent my leisure time journeying from table to table. There was no time for sight-seeing, no time for exploration, no time […]
Spanish 21 is a blackjack variant owned by Masque Publishing Inc., a gaming publishing company based in Colorado. Unlicensed, but equivalent, versions may be called Spanish blackjack. In Australia and Malaysia, an unlicensed version of the game, with no dealer hole card and significant rule differences, is played in casinos under the name 'Pontoon'. It was first introduced about 1995.[1]
Spanish 21 is played on a blackjack table with a custom layout and uses the following rules:
The removal of the four tens in each deck gives roughly a 2% advantage to the dealer. The liberal rules of Spanish 21, though, do compensate for this. With optimal play, the house edge of a Spanish 21 table is lower than that of a blackjack table with the same rules on hitting or standing on soft 17.
The game also offers an optional 'Match the Dealer' side bet, which compares a player's cards with the dealer's upcard. Matching the rank of the dealer's card pays 4:1 on a six-deck game, and 3:1 on an eight-deck game, while a 'perfect match' of rank and suit pays 9:1 on six decks and 12:1 on eight decks. A player may win on both cards; (e.g. if a player has 8s 8c and the dealer has 8c as an upcard, the player will receive 3:1 on the rank match and 12:1 on the perfect match, paying out a total of 15:1.) While this side bet has a house edge of approximately 3%, significantly higher than the edge of the main game, it is one of the lowest house edges of any blackjack side bet.
The following tables list the Spanish 21 house edges for all rule sets found in North America.[2] (The figures were obtained from 10-billion hand simulations and have a standard error of 0.001%. The super bonus is averaged out to a 100:1 payout.) These charts assume that the player is using basic strategy. 'H17' means that the dealer hits soft seventeen, 'S17' means that the dealer stands on soft seventeen.
Rules | Decks | House Edge |
---|---|---|
H17 | 6 | 0.78% |
8 | 0.80% | |
S17 | 6 | 0.37% |
8 | 0.38% | |
H17 with redoubling | 6 | 0.42% |
8 | 0.45% |
Rule Changes | Change in House Edge |
---|---|
No surrender (H17) | 0.018% |
No surrender (S17) | 0.006% |
No draws on split Aces (H17 or S17) | 0.28% |
No draws on split Aces (H17 with redoubling) | 0.29% |
Natural after split pays 3:2 | –0.16% |
Match the Dealer is a side bet offered on most Spanish 21 games. The player wins the side bet if the rank of either or both of their initial two cards matches the rank of the dealer's up card. If the cards match in both rank and suit, the player wins a bigger payout. Some casinos offer a second Match the Dealer bet which wins when either or both of the player's initial two cards match the dealer's hole card. The payouts and the house edge vary depending on the number of decks in play as shown below.
Number of Decks | Non-Suited Match | Double Non-Suited Match | Suited Match | Suited + Non-Suited Match | Double Suited Match | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 4:1 | 8:1 | 15:1 | 19:1 | NA | 3.63% |
4 | 4:1 | 8:1 | 10:1 | 14:1 | 20:1 | 3.20% |
5 | 3:1 | 6:1 | 13:1 | 16:1 | 26:1 | 3.53% |
6 | 4:1 | 8:1 | 9:1 | 13:1 | 18:1 | 3.06% |
8 | 3:1 | 6:1 | 12:1 | 15:1 | 24:1 | 2.99% |