Although it may not be as popular as the slot machines, Blackjack is King of the card games. Simple to learn, Blackjack is one of the few online casino games that can actually return a Player's Advantage when played with accurate strategy. There are several variations of Blackjack, more of which can be found on the internet than in land-based casinos.

Blackjack can be played with as little as one deck and up to eight, and depending on the version, can be played with one hand or multiple hands at a time. Although you are more likely to find higher table minimums in land-based casinos, online blackjack is accommodating to every bankroll and can normally be played with stakes as low as $1.

The objective of blackjack is to shape a hand near a point total of twenty-one without going over (busting). All cards are worth their numeric value, while face cards (Jacks/Queens/Aces) are worth ten points and Aces are worth 1 or 11 points, depending on which value will get the hand closer to twenty-one without going over.

All games are played between the player and dealer, with each being dealt two initial cards. The only difference is that one of the dealer's cards is facedown. The player must then make a decision to draw additional cards (hit) or abstain from drawing (stand). In between, options to take insurance, surrender a hand, split hands and doubling bet amounts will present themselves.

This is where the Basic Blackjack strategy has its advantage. Based on mathematical odds, the strategy informs players when to take the appropriate actions, depending on what the dealer's upturned card is and the total value of the player's hand. As the case is in any casino game, there is no guarantee of winning at blackjack. However, if the basic strategy is used with 100% accuracy 100% of the time, a player will at least come out even.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind: Do not take Insurance if it is offered to you (when the dealer is showing an Ace) and seek out games that pay 3 to 2 for a blackjack, as opposed to 6 to 5. You won't have to worry so much about this when playing blackjack at online casinos. However, if you ever do come across blackjack that pays 6 to 5, turn around and walk the other way. Lastly, if you take the time to learn the basic strategy, which you should if you are serious about winning, begin by learning to spot patterns in the strategy so as to understand why it functions the way it does. Then, put the strategy to the test in an online casino that allows you to open a fun-money account.

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