casino players at blackjack table

When you think of a casino, one of the first games many people imagine is blackjack. It’s so easy to simply sit down at a table with a stack of chips and enjoy a long session of play, flipping over 21s and using smart strategy to keep that bankroll growing. Online blackjack is the same way, except you can get into a game literally any time you want, night or day. At the best online blackjack casinos, the tables are always open, the cards are always flying out, and the games are always hot, no matter the season.

There’s a catch, though. In order to make blackjack games pay, you need to use the right strategy. And to make it fun, we have some helpful tips that can keep online blackjack fresh for you whenever you need a dash of excitement. Below are our 5 tips for dominating each hand of online blackjack you play and keeping it fun forever.

1. Use Optimal Strategy

Online blackjack strategy isn’t super complex, but it is very important for a player to get it down precisely so you can minimize the house advantage at the casino and maximize your cash. No game beats blackjack when it comes to giving players a tiny house edge, which can be a half a percent or less, depending on which online blackjack variation you play. 

Now, if you don’t want to remember anything, you can simply consult a blackjack strategy chart like the one found at the bottom of this page when you play your game. Use the left column to find your hand, then look across to find what cards the dealer is showing. In that cell, you’ll see the optimal action to take (H = Hit, S = Stand, D = Double, Sp = Split, Sr = Surrender).

But let’s say you want a brief set of rules for players to help you learn the best online blackjack strategy. No problem. Here’s a quick blackjack guide for use when playing to put you ahead of the game in each hand:

  • If you have 8 points or less, you’ll need to take a hit. The chances are simply too great that the dealer will have more than that and you’ll lose if you don’t tally up a higher score.
  • If you have 9 points and the dealer has between 3-6 showing, you might want to double down. But if the dealer has a 2 or a card above 7, take a hit. 
  • If you have 10 points and the dealer shows 2 to 9, double down. But if the dealer has a 10 or ace, take a hit.
  • If you have 11 points and the dealer shows 10 or less, double down. If the dealer shows an ace, take a hit.
  • If you have 12 points in your hand and the dealer shows a 2, 3, or 7 and over, take a hit. If the dealer shows 4, 5, or 6, just stand. The probability of a dealer bust is high enough to justify it. 
  • If you have 13-16 points in your hand and the dealer is showing 7 or more, take a hit. If the dealer has below that, just stand. 
  • If you have 17 or more points, it’s time to stand, no matter what the dealer has. 

There. Now you can put that old calculator away and just focus on the game, player!

If you’re a new player to blackjack and want to get in some practice at our casino, you can play online blackjack free as much as you want. As the hands roll by at Ignition, you’ll get a feel for the game that will ultimately give you the confidence to play and win real cash money. 

2. Understand Standard Online Blackjack Rules

The basic version of online blackjack at Ignition is standard six-deck blackjack. Our dealer will hit on soft 17, but stand on hard 17 (and every score above that). Players’ online blackjack strategy should also take into account the payout for blackjacks, which is 3-2 at our casino. If you make a blackjack after splitting, however, it pays even money. Lastly, six decks are used and shuffled when playing our standard blackjack game. Play online blackjack free if you want to get a feel for how these rules affect your best online blackjack strategy as a player.

3. Try Ignition Live Dealer for a Real Blackjack Experience

Miss the real casino blackjack experience? Sit down at a live dealer blackjack table and you’ll feel like you’re really out playing a full night of gambling and games. Choose from dozens of the best online blackjack dealers (some of them are pretty darn cute, too), and pick your table limit. It’s a far more exciting way to experience playing online blackjack as the dealer talks you through each hand. Other players will also be seated with you. Live dealer games are an amazing hybrid of online and traditional casino games, and if you’re a fan of live blackjack, they’re a must-play when visiting the blackjack tables of Ignition. It’s all the fun of live blackjack without having to fumble with cash or chips, or have other players spill drinks on the table.

5. Try Different Blackjack Variations: Single, Double, Six-Deck, Euro, and Perfect Pairs

Ignition has a number of blackjack variations to play to keep things interesting when you’re not in the mood for standard blackjack. One of the best online blackjack variations available to players is our single-deck blackjack game, which uses just one deck and requires the dealer to hit a soft 17. We also have double-deck blackjack tables where two decks are used and the dealer now stands on soft 17. In both versions, if you make a natural blackjack you get paid 3:2.

Ignition also has a few more fun variations of blackjack games to play at our casino like six-deck, European Blackjack (dealer doesn’t peek for blackjack when they have an ace and must stand on soft 17), and Perfect Pairs (which allows side bets that pay off when you are dealt a pair). You can also play online blackjack free while you get the hang of the proper online blackjack strategy for each one before you start playing our cash games.

6. Bankroll Management

Playing enjoying online blackjack (and gambling in general) at our casino over the long term requires bankroll management in each of your games. If you have $100 cash, you don’t want to sit at a $10 table with that whole amount of money. You won’t be able to handle the swings. A good guideline is for players to have 50-200 times the bet amount in your bankroll. 

So if you have $100, playing at a dollar table to play would be ok to preserve your cash. It’s also important to step away from the table if you lose too much of your money. Keeping rules like that in mind allows you to get in on the excitement of the best online blackjack tables while knowing you’re protecting your bankroll the right way. It’s also a great way to stay cool, calm, confident, and profitable.

Now, let’s go get paid with some 21s!