Blackjack Online Casinos

January 25th, 2012

Not all online casinos treat blackjack players the same. Many casinos seem to cater predominantly to slots players. Slots are the most popular casino game and are more profitable for the casinos, but blackjack is also popular (the most popular table game) and the blackjack players need to be treated well.

An easy Google search can help you find a good number of online casinos that are safe, fair and licensed by trusted jurisdictions. But not all of those casinos are going to be good for blackjack players. For the blackjack player, a good casino is one that not only carries a blackjack game, but has several varieties, including some variants with side bets. Though the side bets don’t offer good odds, players often enjoy playing them for some variety on the traditional game.

In addition, a good online casino has blackjack tournaments. Those allow you to play blackjack with little risk but still have the chance to win money. You would simply pay an entry fee and then join the tournament. The players with the most points win prizes. In some cases, there is no entry fee to join the blackjack tournament. Those tournaments are called freerolls.

If you look hard enough, you can find online casinos that are great for blackjack players. These casinos have tournaments, blackjack variants, and bonuses made specifically for you. If you are sick of playing at casinos where you are considered a second-class player because you don’t play slots, don’t settle. Find a casino that suits you and your favorite game.

Blackjack Addiction

January 11th, 2012

You really can have too much of a good thing. There are people who think otherwise, but they are wrong. In moderation, blackjack can be one of the greatest games in the world. It is a fun game with the perfect mix of skill and chance. With a little strategy, your odds of coming out ahead are really quite good (at least, for a casino game).

Some people take it too far, though. Maybe they play too often. Maybe they play too long. Maybe their wagers are too big. Maybe they spend money trying to chase their losses. Make they take out a line of credit and bet with money they can’t afford to lose. All of those are symptoms of problem gambling, which is the #1 problem in the gambling industry, just as alcoholism is the biggest problem in the alcohol and bar industries.

Problem gamblers can lose a lot of money playing black jack online. Even if they create a plan enabling them to be responsible, they usually break those plans. If the person was able to control the addiction, it wouldn’t be an addiction. There are different levels of problem gambling, from those who spend more money than they wanted to those who lose their house, job and family because of addiction. People suffering from any of the different kinds of problem gambling can get help from Gamblers Anonymous. The group, which has a website at http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/index.php, is dedicated to helping problem gamblers meet support groups, helping them get the information they need, and giving them individual counseling through web chat, a phone call, or another medium.

Free Online Blackjack

December 28th, 2011

Blackjack has the lowest house edge of any of the games at a casino, online or offline. It offers the best odds and gives players the best chance of making money, aside from skilled poker players. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to be careful. It is still a game of risk. For that reason, it is recommended that new players who are still learning the game start by playing free online blackjack.

Online casinos offer free blackjack games that you can play while you are learning basic strategy. In addition to practicing the strategy, you can get used to the game itself. Though the game of blackjack is pretty standard, the software for each online game is slightly different so it might take a little time to get used to how each is played.

While the upside to free online blackjack games is obvious – you can’t lose money – there is also a downside: you can’t win money. That is why the free blackjack tournaments are so great. Online casinos will sometimes run freeroll blackjack tournaments, where you can join without paying an entry fee and still win prizes. Though only the top players will win anything, there is no risk if you lose, since you didn’t pay anything to take part in the tournament, either through a buy-in or paying for wagers.

One thing to remember, though, is that re-buys will cost money. If you run out of credits in the free blackjack tournament, you have to options. You can call it game over and stick with the points you have, which may or may not be enough to win prizes. The other option is to pay for more credits and continue playing in the tournament.

Best Online Casinos for Blackjack

December 14th, 2011

If you are a blackjack player, not every online casino is a great place to play. There are some casinos that are good for some games, but not blackjack. There are some that aren’t good at all. Finally, there are some that are a blackjack player’s dream. When looking for an online casino for your blackjack use, here are some things to look for.

Look at the game selection. How many blackjack games are there? A lot of online casinos cater mainly to slots players, since it is both the most popular game and the most lucrative for the casinos. A lot of the slots-centric casinos only have a couple blackjack games, if any. A good casino for a blackjack player should have several different blackjack options, including some of the popular side bet variations.

Look at the tournaments. Blackjack tournaments are a great way to enjoy the game with less risk. Instead of putting real money down on each bet, you only pay an entry fee and then play the rest of the time on the house. Those who do the best in the tournament win prizes. Another advantage of blackjack tournaments is that they offer a more competitive experience than the traditional game. Unfortunately, most online casinos don’t carry blackjack tournaments. When it comes to tournaments, most online casinos only have them for slots. For that reason, take special care to find some that offer blackjack tournaments. A casino directory such as http://dir.yahoo.com/recreation/gambling/ can help you with that. By playing at the sites that cater to blackjack players, you can have a better experience and are more likely to get your money’s worth.

Internet Blackjack Tips

November 30th, 2011

One advantage of playing blackjack on the Internet is that there is no time limit. If you are playing at a table at a brick and mortar casino, you don’t want to take too long. There are other people at the table waiting for you to make your move. The dealer is waiting for you. If you sit there and ponder your decision for too long, people are going to get upset.

Online, however, you don’t have that problem. You are playing against a computer program and there is no human dealer or other players at the table waiting on you. You can take as much time as you need. If you don’t have blackjack basic strategy memorized, you can work off of a strategy chart. If you don’t have a chart handy, you can access one online. If you want more strategy advice, you can even read tips on howtoblackjack.org while you play. The casino doesn’t care and it doesn’t bother anyone else.

Too few people take advantage of this. Having as much time as you need is important for new blackjack players. For that reason, some people advocate new players cutting their teeth online before they ever sit down at a real table to play. Even if you don’t want to do that, utilizing the options available to you online can help you save money.

By taking your time, consulting strategy guides and getting tips wile you play, you can avoid making the wrong decisions when playing blackjack. That doesn’t guarantee that you will make money, but it gives you better odds.

Blackjack Practice

November 16th, 2011

Practice makes perfect. We all know that saying. It is used to describe the necessity of practice for anything from hobbies to sports to your career. Pretty much anything you do you can do better if you put in some practice. That is true for blackjack as well.

Everyone knows that blackjack is a game where you can win some money. It has a low house edge and by employing blackjack basic strategy, you stand a pretty good chance of coming out ahead. If you don’t believe that, Google the name “Don Johnson” (not the actor). He won $15 million in a single month playing blackjack at the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City. While his results aren’t typical, it is clear that he is a skilled player. How did he get that skilled? Practice.

Unfortunately, a lot of blackjack players learn basic strategy and then think their training is done. They know the strategy so they’re ready to wager real money and win the big bucks. We recommend that you practice regularly by playing free games, where you can focus on the strategy without caring about the results. It also allows you to practice other things, such as trying out side bets to see if they’re worth your money (hint: they are usually not).

If you play blackjack regularly, practice might not be necessary, but your average player doesn’t play every day or even every week. If you play infrequently, you need to keep your skills sharp. It doesn’t take long for basic strategy to get a little fuzzy or for you to remember something wrong. By practicing with free blackjack in between real money sessions, you can keep your skills sharp and you should do better when you do play for real money.

Real Money Blackjack

November 9th, 2011

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games, and is actually the most popular table game. In total, it is second to only slots in popularity. Part of its appeal is its simplicity and perfect mix of skill and luck. That makes the game of blackjack one that you can enjoy even when playing for free using fake money. However, playing for free forgoes one of the other perks of the game: the low house edge.

If you’ve been following blackjack events on Google News lately, you have probably heard about a guy named Don Johnson. He won $15 million playing blackjack at the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey during a one-month period. Mr. Johnson isn’t your typical blackjack player, but it is not uncommon for players to leave a blackjack table after winning money from the house. Played with proper strategy, the casino will only take 0.5% of your money. If you get on a hot streak, you can win a lot of money from them instead. If you combine that with card counting, you can actually have an advantage.

There is no guarantee that you will win money when playing blackjack. In fact, the odds say that you are more likely to lose money, but only slightly so. However, any of the blackjack games you can find on pay sites such as http://playcasinogamesrealmoney.com/ can give you a chance to earn money when playing blackjack. If you play blackjack or any casino game for real money, though, make sure that you do so responsibly. Make a budget ahead of time so you don’t spend too much money and stick to that budget no matter what. Do not try chasing losses.

Value of a Natural Blackjack

October 26th, 2011

Blackjack is not just the name of the game, but also the name of a hand of cards you can receive. As you might imagine, the hand that the game is named after is a pretty important one. A “natural blackjack” is the most powerful hand in the game, and it plays the biggest role in the house edge.

A natural blackjack is when you draw a hand of 21 in your first two cards. That means you drew an ace and a ten-value card. The hand is so powerful because it can’t lose. At worst, you tie. But it gets better. A natural blackjack has an added payout as well.

Aside from some side bets that might be in the game, winning any hand of blackjack pays out 1 to 1. That means if you wager $10 on the hand and win, you win $10 (in addition to keeping your original bet). A natural blackjack pays 3 to 2. That means if you wager $10, you win $15. At least, that is the case with the standard rules.

The problem is that some casinos, both online and on land, have decided that the game of blackjack has rules too friendly to the player. To tilt the scale more toward the house, they change some of the rules. One of the common changes is to make a natural blackjack pay only 6 to 5. With that payout, a $10 bet wins you only $12. That may not sound like a big deal, but in the long run it makes a big difference in your winnings. For that reason, just say “no” to blackjack games with a 6 to 5 payout.

The Appeal of Blackjack Tournaments

October 19th, 2011

Virtually every online gambling website has blackjack games. With the exception of sites that are specifically for poker or bingo, any site that carries casino games is going to have blackjack. As the most popular table game, it is one of the staples of any online casino.

That doesn’t mean any reputable online casino is a good one for blackjack players, though. It is a personal decision, but for me, the top online gambling sites all have blackjack tournaments available. Slot tournaments are easy to find and are at virtually every online casino. Blackjack tournaments, on the other hand, are much scarcer. They simply aren’t as profitable for the casinos, so a lot of them don’t bother carrying them. To a lot of blackjack players, though, it is worth the search.

Blackjack tournaments are more competitive and exciting than the regular game. Instead of a one-on-one matchup between you and the dealer, with every other player doing the same, you are actually competing against all of the blackjack players. Normally, it doesn’t matter what the other players do, but in the tournaments, you need to win more points than they do if you want to earn prizes. Therefore, as you play you need to monitor the leader board and if you are falling behind, it’s time to get more aggressive.

If you want one-on-one action, there are also head-to-head blackjack tournaments, where you compete directly against another player, with no dealer involved. In both cases, the games are more intense because there is more to keep track of and there is more competition. Instead of just you against the dealer, it’s you against the dealer and everybody else.

Tips for Real Money Online Blackjack

October 12th, 2011

A great thing about the game of blackjack is that it is one where a skilled player has a pretty good chance of making money. Adhering to basic strategy can reduce the house edge to only 0.5% over the long run. Also, the strategy isn’t overly complicated and won’t take as long to learn as poker games.

Most online casinos allow you to play free blackjack games for play money. You can get used to the game and using basic strategy before putting any real money on the game. Once you decide to play at online casinos for real money, though, it is time to be careful when it comes to your play.

Make sure you use blackjack basic strategy when playing for real money. It may not seem like it pays off early on, but in the long run it gives you the best odds. Another important thing to remember is that if you took the time to learn how to count cards, that works great in a brick and mortar casino, but it will do you no good online. Counting cards online will only lead to you losing more money through unwise betting. Instead, it is best to stick to flat betting and basic strategy.

Card counting doesn’t work online because of the random number generator. As explained on the webpage at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_number_generation, a random number generator is a computer program that creates hundreds of number sequences every second, with each number standing for a card that would be drawn. The RNG makes the drawing of cards random, like the roll of a dice, so counting cards won’t help you predict what card will be drawn.