Blackjack is an old casino staple that has grown into one of the most popular and engaging casino games available online. As well as the traditional version, there is now a wide range of variants available at online casinos in Canada.
When you play any Blackjack game, you’re playing against the dealer’s hand. You both try to make hands of up to 21 with as few cards as possible, pitting your wits against each other for some exciting casino game action.
Cards in Online Blackjack are worth their face value and all picture cards are worth 10. Ace can be considered as either 1 or 11 in value, depending on what works best for your hand.
Part of the attraction of Blackjack is that it is such a simple game to learn. When the game starts, you set your bet amount and then you receive two face-up cards to play against the dealer. The dealer will deal himself one card face-up and another face-down. If there are other players at the table, the dealer will deal himself last.
It's now your turn, and at this point, there are a couple of actions you can make:
The dealer will reveal the entire hand by turning over the second card, which until now has remained hidden. Then, the dealer has to play by the Blackjack rules, which vary slightly from game to game. Usually, this means he will keep 'Hitting' until he either stands on cards worth 17 or better (and won't receive any more cards) or he'll go bust, which means you win automatically. Remember, if the dealer's hand total is more than yours, a score of 21 or less means that he'll win.
There are also advanced options that you should know about, as they're going to be a crucial part of your Blackjack strategy. When used correctly, the following advanced options will give you a lower house edge:
By using the surrender option, you can fold your hand and receive back half of your stake. If you think you're going to lose, then this option may be a good idea as you won't lose your entire wager. Different variations will allow you to surrender at different stages of the game, so be sure to read the game rules beforehand.
If your starting hand consists of a pair or two cards worth 10, you can split them into two new hands and receive new cards for each one. You'll also need to double your bet. Why would you do this? Because it gives you two chances to beat the dealer.
After receiving your first two cards, you can decide to double down, which means you double your stake and will only get one more card. Think of it as an all or nothing move. Once selected, your turn is over, and the dealer will reveal his cards.
At the beginning of a round, you can choose to wager on a side bet as well as the main game. There are various types that may involve your hand or the dealer’s. The most popular side bets are Perfect Pairs, 21+3 and Insurance.
The insurance side bet pays 2:1 and you are betting that the dealer has Blackjack (a hand that has an ace and a 10-point card). The bet is treated separately from your primary wager.
If you see the option to play multi-hand, it means that you can bet on up to five different hands at once. It's just like playing at five seats at once at the casino's Blackjack table.
If you ever get stuck in the middle of a game or want to learn about a specific variation, each of our Blackjack games has a handy 'Help' menu, which contains all the essential information you'll need, such as the game rules, odds, payouts and terminology.
Very similar to the classic version of the game described above but with one crucial difference. The dealer will only receive one card face-up at the beginning of the game. Only when your turn has finished will he deal himself with a second card.
The dealer receives his second card straight after cards have been dealt with you and all other players and before anyone makes a decision.
Has a couple of notable differences. Firstly, all 10's are removed from the deck, creating a 48-card deck instead. Secondly, you can double down whenever you want, not just on your first two cards at the very beginning of your turn. And lastly, in Spanish 21, if you have a hand total of 21, you'll beat the dealer no matter what.
In this Blackjack variant, you have to bet on two separate hands, but you can trade cards between the two hands.
This variation offers you three exciting side bets and the option to cash out of each hand without the need to sacrifice your entire bet.
Lucky Lucky is a bonus wager which uses the player’s first two cards as well as the dealer’s up-card in order to form a three card hand.
There is up to 6 players competing against the dealer and the player that wins the most hands and increase their bankroll by the largest amount is the winner.
Blackjack has one of the lowest house edges in any casino game, and with the right strategy, it can go as low as 0.1% -0.5%.
Payouts are generally the same across Blackjack variations, but it's always a good idea to double-check each game as there may be a difference. Here are the most frequent payouts you'll find at our Blackjack tables:
Beating the dealer with a regular hand (not Blackjack) will earn you a payout of 1:1. A $1 bet will earn you another $1.
If you have an Ace and a 10-point card, you've got Blackjack! The payout for this hand is 3:2, which means if you bet $1, you'll receive another $1.5.
A side bet where you think the dealer has a Blackjack hand. It pays 2:1, so a $1 bet would payout $2. The side bet acts independently to your original bet. Even if you lose your hand, you can still win the Insurance side bet.
A tie with the Dealer is also called a Push. Your bet will remain on the table after the round, and you can use it to re-bet or place a new wager. Some Blackjack variations act differently when a Push occurs, such as Spanish 21.
| Winning Hand | Pays | $1 Bet Pays |
| Regular Hand | 1:1 | $2 ($1+$1) |
| Blackjack | 3:2 | $2.5 ($1+$1.5) |
| Insurance | 2:1 | $3 ($1+$2) |
| Tie | $1 |
For the best odds, always split your cards when you have a pair of Aces. Blackjack experts also agreed that a good rule of thumb is to split a pair of eights, as starting with a hand of 16 is considered weak. By splitting, you've made it impossible to go bust on your first card.
| Your Hand | When to Split vs the Dealer |
| 2's, 3's | 4 through 7 |
| 4's, 5's, 10's | Never |
| 6's | 3 through 6 |
| 7's | 2 through 7 |
| 8's | Always |
| 9's | 2 through 6 and 8 or 9 |
| Aces | Always |
A good strategy is to double down whenever you have been dealt cards totalling 9, 10 or 11 and the dealer's face-up card is lower than a 10. And remember, if you have an Ace, you can't bust as it counts as a 1 or 11.
| Your Hand | Double if Dealer’s Face-Up Card is: |
| 9 | 3 to 6 |
| 10 | 2 to 9 |
| 11 | 2 to 10 |
| A and 2 | 5, 6 |
| A and 3 | 5, 6 |
| A and 4, 5 | 4, 5, 6 |
| A and 6 | 3 to 6 |
| A and 7 | 2 to 6 |
| A and 8 | 6 |
You can use this move to forfeit half your bet instead of losing the whole amount. It may seem like a loser's choice, but when used correctly can save you money in the long run. Remember you can only use it at the beginning, so if you've decided to Hit, Stand or any other action, you won't be able to use this option.
It's a good idea to surrender when your hand has:
You should also surrender when you have a 15, and you can see if the dealer's face-up card is a 10.
Before starting to play, do well to explore the range of promotions the online casino is offering? Canadian casinos offer customers generous promotions with reasonable T&Cs so you can get the most out of your time at the tables.
For more information regarding casino bonuses, please visit the site’s promotional page to view all information regarding wagering requirements and more.
To win at Blackjack, you need to beat the dealer. By either having a higher total hand, causing the dealer to go bust or getting a Blackjack as your first two cards.
The short answer is no. This is because unlike Blackjack in a brick and mortar casino, online Blackjack is played with a Random Number Generator (RNG), and the digital deck is reshuffled after every hand. This means that it's impossible to count cards when playing Blackjack online.
At most online casinos in Canada that support live dealership, you can play live dealer blackjack games, which are powered by popular providers like Playtech Eurolive platform. Professional dealers can chat with you, take your bets and deal your cards thanks to the provider’s state of the art online streaming technology.
The best blackjack casinos have a large variety of Blackjack tables and bet limits to suit players of every type. They also have a 24/7 customer support, and fully trusted, secure deposit and withdrawal methods that are all 100% Canadian friendly.
Absolutely! You can expect the very best gaming experience on all your small screen devices. There is no need to download any additional software: you can just open up the casino’s on your smartphone and start playing straight away.
Playing Blackjack is exciting and entertaining. Should you need any assistance or have any questions, there are two ways to get help:
Blackjack is easy to pick up and can be mastered in no time at all, especially when playing at trustworthy casinos in Canada. If you want to play for real money, you'll need to register an account , log in and then take a seat at any of the fantastic Blackjack tables.
If you like the action of a physical casino, head to our live blackjack page and discover a multitude of tables that can be played from Canada against real dealers.
19+ - Gambling can be addictive. Play responsibly
