European Blackjack Online - How To Play, Tips, & Best Casinos 2025

European blackjack is a fun alternative to the standard American Blackjack that most of us are familiar with. Besides how many cards the dealer gets there are not many differences. It’s still definitely worth giving a shot if you like blackjack though. This guide will tell you what you need to know to get started playing European blackjack online.

European blackjack is very similar to American blackjack. The goal of the game is the same. You want to get as close to 21 as you can without going over. If you are closer to 21 than the dealer is, you win.

The main difference is how many cards are initially dealt. In American Blackjack, you are dealt two cards both face up. The dealer receives one card face up and another card face down. The face down card is called the hole card.

Because you don’t know what the dealer is going to get with their second card, European blackjack prioritises strategy over aggressive play. This makes it an interesting variation for players who have only ever played the American game.

Key Features

European blackjack is extremely popular. All the best online casino sites in Canada will have at least two variations of European blackjack and multiple live dealer European blackjack tables.

These variations each have unique selling points, such as Multi-hand European Blackjack, which allows you to play multiple hands at once.

If you are completely new to online blackjack, you might not even notice the differences between European blackjack and American blackjack. Players are both dealt two cards with the goal of being closer to 21 than the dealer without going over it.

In both games the player has the same four options available to them after the first two cards are dealt, depending their hand:

• Hit: Request another card.
• Stand: Leave your hand as is
• Split: Divide a hand of identical cards (e.g., two 10s) into two hands.
• Double Down: Double your wager in exchange for another card.

If you understand these four options, you can play basically every variation of blackjack without any problems. The main differences you will have to learn are about dealer’s actions and when you can use each of the options above.

No matter what blackjack game you play, you will always be able to hit or stand (unless you bust). You won’t always be able to split or double down though. European blackjack restricts these options:

• Players can only double down on a hand with a value of 9, 10, or 11.
• Players may not split more than once, meaning you can only play two hands maximum per game.
• Some European blackjack tables do not allow players to split pairs of fours, fives, 10s, or face cards.

These limits are relatively small compared to the main difference between American and European blackjack: the number of cards the dealer gets initially. In American blackjack, the dealer gets two from the first deal. In European blackjack, the dealer only gets their second card after the player has played their hand.

This may seem like a minor distinction, but it actually affects how likely you are to win. In American blackjack, if the dealer has a blackjack you lose your initial wager before even getting a chance to hit or stand. European blackjack gives you the chance to double down, split, and place additional wagers without knowing if the dealer will have a blackjack. This makes European blackjack a little riskier than American Blackjack.

Another thing that increases the risk in European blackjack is the lack of surrender bets. If you don’t think a hand will go your way, you almost always have to play it. However, insurance side bets are available in European blackjack if the dealer draws an Ace with their first card.

Despite the enhanced risk, both American and European blackjack payout the same for wins. A win in European blackjack pays out 1:1. A blackjack win pays out 3:2.

The following side bets also typically payout the same in American and European blackjack:

• Perfect Pair (25:1)
• Colored Pair (12:1)
• Mixed pair (6:1)

Tips and strategies

At its core, European blackjack is a game of luck, but there are some things you can do to improve your odds of winning.

The most obvious thing is knowing when to hit or stand. Even complete newbies know that you shouldn’t hit when you have 20. Things get more complicated with soft hands (15, 16, 17).

You eventually will start to get a feel for when it's right to hit on these hands, but we recommend using European blackjack guides and tables when you start out. These will tell you what the mathematically best choice is depending on your and the dealer’s hands.

Speaking of the dealer’s hand, don’t ignore it! If the dealer draws a 10/face card or an Ace, you probably should be a little cautious about splitting and doubling down.

With that being said, don’t always rush to place an insurance bet when the dealer has an Ace. This is something a lot of new players lean on, when it’s almost always a bad bet according to the odds.

European blackjack is one of our favourite casino games, but it’s not perfect. Here are some reasons you should and maybe should not play European blackjack online.

What We Like:

• Familiar feel to American blackjack
• Values strategy 
• Widely available in Canada
• Fewer decks

What Could Be Better: 

• Higher house edge
• More restrictions on splits
• No surrender bets

The number one reason to play European blackjack is because it requires more deliberate and strategic choices. This makes it more engaging to play than American blackjack for many players.

Unfortunately, the thing that makes European blackjack more strategic than American blackjack also gives the house a bigger edge. Because you have the chance to double your bet via splits or double down wagers before the dealer gets their second card, you are at risk of losing twice your initial bet if the dealer gets a blackjack.

The higher house edge is enough for some real money casino players to stay away from European blackjack. Since it’s a minor difference though (99.5% vs. 99.38%) we think European blackjack is a fun alternative that you should try out at least once if you like playing blackjack online.

Most blackjack variations are fairly similar, but there are some big differences. Mainly, the house edge can vary slightly from game-to-game. Additionally, some blackjack variations are not usually offered as live dealer casino  games.

European blackjack will probably never dethrone American blackjack as the most popular blackjack variation in North America. However, it is a fun game that we think all blackjack players should try at least once. If you still haven’t given it a shot, we hope this guide has given you all you need to know to get started playing European blackjack online.