Online Blackjack Strategy: Does Basic Blackjack Strategy Work Online?

It took me a surprising amount of guts to sit at a blackjack table for the first time. The game had always fascinated me, as it seemed like the absolute height of elegance and sophistication. 

With all the stories about counting cards, I always thought of Blackjack as the game that smart people and mathematicians played. And that’s what made it intimidating to a simple guy like me. What if I made a mistake or did something stupid at the table? Would the dealer and fellow players get mad? Or make fun of me? 

Eventually, I worked up the courage to sit at the far end of an empty table, meekly place my wager on the felt, and … I won a hand! It was nothing too crazy, just a 19 that held up when the dealer went bust, but it was enough. I was hooked, and I’ve been an evangelist for the game ever since.

♠️ Why should you try online blackjack?

I’ve spent a ton of time trying to convince everyone I know to play blackjack. It’s not your typical casino game, that’s true, and that’s precisely why I like it.

For starters, you’re not just parked in front of a soulless machine, pumping endless quarters into it. You won’t spend an entire evening lost in your little world, never talking to anyone except the cocktail waitress.

You’re right in the middle of a bustling little ecosystem. You, the dealer, the other players, you’re all connected, and your decisions affect one another. 

And that’s the thing about blackjack: It’s not all randomness and luck. You have control over what happens. Hitting a big score on a slot machine is thrilling, no doubt. But at the end of the day, all you did was sit in the right seat at the right time due to dumb luck.

If you walk away from the blackjack table with more money than you started with, though, it’s almost certainly because you made a ton of smart decisions along the way.

And besides, when’s the last time you heard a great story start with, “So I pushed a button on a Candy Crush knockoff slot…”

📘 The basics of online blackjack

The game's objective is simple: to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. If you get closer than the dealer does, you win.

Each hand is dealt from left to right, and the action goes in the same manner, with the dealer always acting last. Every player gets their cards dealt face-up, and the dealer receives one face-up, one face-down.

The first player plays until they hit 21, bust, or decide to stand. Then, the next player sees their hand through to the end, and so on until the hand is over. Then, the dealer reveals their hidden card and plays their hand out.

Everything moves quickly, so the action always feels fast-paced, even when watching other players. Still, you have everything you need to decide, so there’s no reason to feel pressured.

Every card between a 2 and a 10 is taken at face value, while jacks, queens, and kings are all worth 10 points each.

Like in poker, though, an ace is the card you want to see most (and unlike in poker, you can go ahead and break out in a big grin every time you see one).

Aces are worth either 1 point or 11, depending on your needs. For example, if you start with an ace and a 3, the ace would be worth 11, giving you a 14 overall. Hit a nine on the next card? The ace immediately becomes a 1, knocking you back down to 13 instead of causing you to bust.

🎥 VIDEO: Online blackjack basics

🗣️ Blackjack buzzwords

Here's a list of the most common blackjack words and phrases you'll encounter, either online or at a physical blackjack table:

Hit: if you hear someone at the blackjack table say “hit me,” it means they want another card, not that they want to start a fight (in most cases, anyway).

Stand: to stand means you don’t want any additional cards.

Split: when you’re dealt two cards of equal value (two 7s, say), you can “split” them into two separate hands by doubling your existing bet. “Split” is something you should also do immediately if you misinterpret what another player meant when they said, “hit me.”

Double Down: after you get dealt your first two cards, you can “double down” by doubling your original bet. You’ll then get exactly one more card and be forced to stand.

Insurance: if the dealer’s upcard is an ace, you can buy insurance against them having blackjack. This means you place an additional bet that pays out at 2 to 1 if the dealer has a blackjack but loses if they don’t. 

Surrender: if you don’t like your hand after you get your first two cards, you can “surrender,” which means you forfeit your hand but only lose half your bet. “Surrender” is also something you should do if the cops say they hear you’ve been hitting people at the blackjack table again.

Push: a push occurs when your hand ties the dealer’s. Your bet is returned in this case, and you neither win nor lose.

Bust: this is what it’s called when your hand goes over 21. If you bust, you immediately lose, regardless of what happens with the dealer’s hand.

Blackjack: a blackjack is when you get 21 on your first two cards (meaning, you get dealt an ace and a face card or 10). 

Soft/Hard hand: a soft hand is where you have an ace that could play as either 1 or 11. A hard hand is any hand without an ace or one in which the ace must act as a 1. Also, whether you use a soft or hard hand will likely affect your sentencing on those assault charges you’ve been racking up.

Natural: this is another name for blackjack. A “natural” 21 is one where you use exactly two cards, such as an ace and a queen.

Shoe: this is a device that holds multiple decks of cards. The number of decks per shoe varies and affects how many potentially valuable cards remain in the deck at any given moment.

House edge: this is the built-in statistical advantage the house has over the player. If you play perfectly, the house edge can be as small as 0.5%; on the other hand, after I’ve had a few Long Island iced teas, it can reach the double digits.

📝 Beginner online blackjack tips

Learn the rules before you sit down (or log in).

Blackjack is fun, but only if you know what you’re doing. The rules and payouts can vary from table to table, so be sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into beforehand.

You can ask the dealer for help, but I wouldn’t rely on other players. Many of them aren’t necessarily rooting for you to succeed.

Don’t trust your gut (this isn't poker!)

Blackjack is a math-based game. That means there’s almost always an objectively correct move to make; learn what these moves are, and you’ll do well.

I once went through a phase where I thought I could “will” the perfect card into existence every time. It worked about as often as the math said it would.

Never take insurance. Seriously, just don't.

Remember what I just said about blackjack being a math game? This is one of those cases where the math is crystal clear.

The house edge balloons when you take insurance to as much as 7%. And besides that, it’s basically betting on the dealer to win. Who bets against themselves?

Practice for free before playing for real.

There are many websites or apps where you can play blackjack for free. This lets you get comfortable with the rules and flow of the game before you risk your hard-earned cash. 

One thing I can tell you that doesn’t work is telling the dealer that the last hand was “just for practice” and asking for your money back.

Know when to hit, and when to chill.

There’s no denying that saying “hit me” is a lot more exciting than meekly waving your hand and murmuring, “I’ll stand.” The casino knows this, too — they’re counting on you getting caught up in the heat of the moment and making mistakes.

Don’t do it. A smart stand can often feel better than hitting a blackjack (and we’ll cover exactly when to hit and when to stand later).

Bet like you're planning to play all night.

“Betting responsibly” may sound like an oxymoron, but it’s key to success at the blackjack table. Set loss limits before you start, and make smaller bets so that you can stretch your bankroll as long as possible.

After all, the longer you play, the more free drinks you can consume (which, ironically, often means that you’ll throw responsibility out the window).

📊 Blackjack strategy chart

Of all the lessons you can learn from this chart, it's most critical to remember the Three Golden Rules of blackjack:

▪️ Always split aces and 8s. These cards are much stronger as part of a new hand than when combined.
▪️ Never split 5s or 10s. These give you two of the strongest starting hands possible. Don’t mess with a good thing.
▪️ Always hit with 16 vs. the dealer’s 10. The dealer is in an incredibly strong position. It is better to take the risk and hope for the best.

💵 Blackjack bankroll tips

There’s nothing worse than having to limp away from the table because you bet too much too soon and risked it all hitting when you should’ve stood. Does it sound like I’m speaking from experience? That’s because I am.

The good news (for you, anyway – not so much for my bank account) is that I’ve put together some solid bankroll rules over my years playing blackjack:

Only bring what you can afford to lose.

Have you ever walked into a casino with your blackjack money in one pocket and your rent money in the other, then walked out with the blackjack pocket empty and the rent money pocket full? Yeah, me neither.

If you take money into a casino, you’ll likely bet it. The smart player only brings what you can afford to gamble with, and leaves the rest at home.

Start small and build.

If you want to stretch your bankroll to play as long as possible, start making small bets. If you have a bad run, you can still play all night.

If Lady Luck smiles on you, though? You can take those winnings and use them to take shots at higher limits. It’s an incredible feeling, like being a minor leaguer called up to The Bigs.

Know when to walk away. (RIP Kenny Rogers)

Trust me, I know how frustrating it is to make every play by the book and still watch the dealer rake in all your chips. Some nights, you just don’t have it. Walk away before you lose more than you can afford.

Never chase.

It may seem like every other player at the table (especially the dealer) is conjuring up the perfect card every time. Hitting on 18? Here’s a 3. Splitting tens? How about we give you two aces?

Then, when it’s your turn to get lucky, the deck runs cold. I get it. It’s awful, and it’s not your fault. But the cards have no memory, and you’re not “due” to win a hand. Play smart, and don’t chase long shots. It’s the key to long-term success.