Alongside poker, black jack can be considered as one of the casino games that employ strategy, more than luck, to determine the outcome. You don’t have the power to change the hand dealt to you, but you can decide the best move to make after seeing your cards. The mix of chance and astute judgment has seen the two games have one of the largest fan bases. In Nigeria, specifically, it seems more players are inclined to playing blackjack than poker online.
Besides the skill aspect, black jack online seems to have the attention of many players because of its relatively low house edge. Depending on the number of decks that you are playing with, the house range varies from a low of 0.17% to 0.65%. This means that even when using the highest possible number of decks, the house edge is satisfyingly low.
How does the low house edge affect you as a player? That as you play blackjack, you can easily win, but your style of play and strategy has to be almost watertight! It also implies that as you play black jack online, you should expect your winnings to accumulate over time.
Massive wins associated with online slots aren’t common in black jack. However, with a better understanding of the basic rules and a proper strategy in place, you can develop your skills playing the game. This way, you can improve your winning chances significantly!
To help you improve your chances of winning, we’ve prepared this detailed guide for you to go through. It covers all the information regarding blackjack, including the rules, the best variation(s), the different game modes that you can play blackjack as well as a list of recommended blackjack casinos to visit.
Black Jack Sites for Nigeria
- Large number of games developed by leading software providers
- Easy to use website
- Nigerian Based Casino (Allows Naira)
- Combines Casino with Sportsbet offer
- Unique live casino games
A Little History on Black Jack
The exact history of where blackjack originated from is shrouded in mystery. This is because there’s no single document or proof pinpointing the exact location or country where the game originated from. In fact, there are multiple theories trying to explain where this popular card game was conceived and when. Yet despite the several theories, they all seem to agree it was first played in Spain or France between the 15th and the 18th centuries.
It’s from these two countries where the game spread to other countries such as the UK, where it was widely played throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s almost the same time when blackjack was introduced to the murky world of gambling in the United States where it remained illegal until the introduction of the 1960 Betting and Gaming Act legalizing gambling in the state of Nevada.
Blackjack and the 21st Century – Shifting to the Internet
Whilst blackjack was taking foot in the land based casino industry in the United States, there was another revolution happening altogether; the shift to online platform.
In 1994, Microgaming became the first company to introduce an online casino to the world. This new form of playing casino games quickly became an instant hit among gamblers of all walks. By the turn of the new century, a huge section of avid casino players who had been playing their games at the land based casinos had shifted online. This forced Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt and other software companies to develop all the games offered at the land based casinos online – including black jack.
Fast forward to today, online blackjack is the fastest and most convenient way of playing the game at the comfort of your home.
The online version of blackjack is light-years ahead from the original game that was played in France back during the 17th century. It is not only fast and easy to access, but it’s also a very fun way of playing the game. The online revolution of blackjack and other casino games has attributed to the fact that these games are quick, action packed, come in different varieties and full of fun features. Coupled by the fact that nearly everyone has access to stable internet connection and a mobile phone, blackjack online out-shines its physical counterpart.
Black Jack in Nigeria
In Nigeria, the word online casino can be described as a big buzzword for 2020, with the number of people visiting these platforms to have a piece of action being at the highest in history of gambling. The favourable gambling laws have allowed for a much freer access to both the online and land based casinos. The result is a more open and accountable industry easily available even to the casual and average player.
And don’t think that it’s just the online casino industry that is booming right now, the land based counterparts are also receiving extraordinary attention as well. Where Nigerian gamblers were once forced to visit the black-street, blacked-out casinos to enjoy their favourite game, today’s Nigeria casinos are able to offer their services much more out in the public.
Despite this boom in online casino gaming, and laws supporting the operations of online casinos, there are those who are still clueless of what online gambling is. A large group of these people would like to engage in online casino gambling, more especially play blackjack, but are not sure where to start from.
If you are one such player, put your worries aside and give us 5minutes of your time as we take you through all you need to know about black jack. By the time you are don’t reading this, you’ll be playing the game online like a pro.
What Is Black Jack?
Black jack is a card game based on a very famous card game known as Twenty-one – or Vingt-et-Un – as it was referred in the original French. As already stated, it is believed the original Vingt-et-Un game was first played in France, but quickly spread throughout the world and to countries such as the United States.
Vingt-et-Un, or Twenty-one as it was referred in the US, saw a surge in popularity after casinos started offering special odds to those who decided to play the game. These special odds would ensure a player who managed to get an Ace of Spades and either the Jack of Spades or Jack of Clubs would receive a payout of 10:1. This special combination of cards got the nickname ‘Blackjack’. Although the payout of 10:1 was phased out from the casinos, the name Blackjack stuck, and it carried on to today.
The rules used in modern day black jack are relatively set in stone. Even though they may vary slightly – depending on the black jack game you are playing – the objective remains the same; to beat the dealer without busting.
Sounds confusing? Don’t worry, the next section will take you through how to play black jack online, including explaining common words used in black jack such as ‘busting’, ‘hitting’, ‘standing’, ‘insurance’ and many more.
Black Jack Rules – How to Play Blackjack
So, how does one start playing black jack? It is a very common question – largely because most people perceive it as a difficult or sophisticated game. If it’s your first time playing the game, it may be difficult. But once you’ve had a go at it, playing a few hands while following all the information contained in this how to play black jack guide, you’ll be enjoying it and winning thousands of Naira within no time.
The Start of Gameplay
The game of blackjack is usually played with up to seven (7) players, against the dealer, who represents the house. It’s usually played around a semi-circle table, which enables the dealer to deal cards to players in turn. At the table, each player has an allocated space. This space will host your bets as well as the cards that the dealer will deal to you.
Before each round begins, you must buy the chips – for the land based casinos. This usually involves giving the dealer cash in exchange for chips. Once you have your chips, you have to place them where the dealer can see and verified before you can start using them. This verification process doesn’t apply to online casinos.
While playing online, all these procedures of buying chips from the dealer have been phased out. All you have to do is deposit cash into your account after which you’ll use it to place your bets. You’ll simply click on the bet amount that you wish to spend betting – no more complications!
While betting, it is important to note that there’s usually a minimum and maximum bet amount allowed per table. If you place a bet outside the allowed limits, you’ll automatically receive an error message.
You’ve placed Your Bet, What Is the Next Step?
The next step involves receiving cards. In the situation of the land based casinos, the dealer deals one card, face-up to each of the players, in a clockwise direction. He/she will then deal one card, face-down to him/herself. This face-down card is usually referred to as the ‘hole card’.
A second card is then dealt to each player, face-up. The dealer will also deal a second card to him/herself, only this time it will be a face-up card.
While playing online, the same procedure is followed, only that two face-up cards are dealt to you at once and one face-up and one face-down card is deal to the dealer/house. After this, you take turns to make decisions based on the cards dealt to you.
Players’ Turn to Make Decisions
While the gameplay is straightforward, the rules of playing black jack can be confusing until you’ve wrapped your head around which hands are worth holding to. Once you’ve had a good understanding of this, you can know when to hit, stand, split, double down and other important decisions to make as described below.
· Hit
If you would be at the land based casino, you’d probably say out a-loud ‘hit’ if you wanted the dealer to deal an extra card. Or better, you would simply tap on the table to receive an extra card.
However, online, things are different and yelling at your PC won’t help much. If you need extra card(s) dealt to you, simply press or click the ‘hit’ button and you’ll automatically receive the card. You can hit for as long as you wish. Just ensure that you don’t exceed the 21 mark.
Curious to know why? We’ve explained in details in the ‘Games Outcome’ section.
· Stand
When you choose to ‘stand’, you are simply opting not to take extra cards from the dealer. If you’d be playing at a land based casino, you simply wave your hand over the cards. But if you are playing at the online casinos, you only click or press the ‘stand’ button.
When do you stand? There are blackjack strategies that will help you understand this. However, as a rule of thumb, if your hand value is too high and you think there is a high likelihood that the next card will send you above the 21 mark, you may want to stand.
· Split
Splitting simply refers ‘splitting’ the pair of cards dealt to you and playing them as two separate hands. You simply can’t just split a hand as you wish as there’s a special condition attached to this.
In order to split a hand, the first two cards dealt to you have to be identical valued cards. For example, two pairs of eights (8-8), two pairs of Aces (A-A) etc.
Once you’ve split your hand, you have two new hands, which means you’ll have to place an extra bet equal in value as the first hand. After that, you can choose to hit, stand or play as with the other moves described below.
Note that you can only split as per the casino’s rules. Usually, the majority of the sites allow re-splitting up to a maximum of three times.
At the land based casino, you signal the dealer that you are splitting the pair by placing the extra bet next to the original bet and the dealer will get the signal. If you are playing online, just click on the ‘split’ button to split the pair
· Double Down
This is what it sounds like; you are simply doubling on your bet! Unlike the split situation where you need to have a pair to split, doubling down doesn’t have any special requirements. You simply decide ‘I want to double down’ and that’s it!
But there’s a condition that comes with doubling down. Once you’ve doubled your bet, the dealer/house will deal one card to your hand after which you automatically stand! This makes it a very bad move for players to make, especially when you already have a hand that’s more than 15.
At the land based casino, you double down by placing an extra bet to the original bet. How much you stake depends on the house’s rules, with some casinos allowing you to stake a lower bet amount than the original bet.
Online, you simply click on the ‘Double Down’ button to place this bet. At the majority of online casinos, doubling down automatically results into a double bet.
· Insurance
An insurance bet is a special bet and there are certain conditions that have to happen in order for it to become available. When the dealer’s up card is a 10 or a card valued at 10, the insurance bet becomes available.
So what does it entail? You are betting that the dealer’s/house’s ‘hole card’ – remember this from above – will result into a blackjack. When placing this bet, you’ll be required to stake an extra amount that’s equivalent to 1.5x your bet.
What happens if the dealer’s hole card results into a blackjack? Well, the casino pays you at odds of 3:2. If the hand isn’t a black jack, you lose the 1.5x bet and gameplay resumes to normal play
Is it advisable to place an insurance bet? If you are serious about winning at black jack, it’s not recommended that you place an insurance bet. While it may help you recover some of the cash lost, especially if you win, it some instances, it serves to increase the house edge. This slims down your winning chances.
While playing online, if the dealer’s face-up card is a 10 or has a value equal to 10, the casino will prompt you whether you’d like to take insurance or not. The choice will be yours to make!
· Surrender
It’s an option that’s not very common at the online casinos. Even at the land based casino, you’ll hardly come by the surrender option. However, when it’s offered, it simply means that you are getting your little white flag up (not quite literally) and that you are willing to ‘surrender’ your bet. If the casino accepts your move, you lose half your original bet and the other half is reimbursed.
When should you take the surrender option? When your hand(s) is really bad, and you suspect that you will bust, you can opt to surrender.
Dealer’s Play
One of the reasons why blackjack is such a hit among casino players is due to the fact that you have the choice to pick how you’d like to play a hand. It’s flexibility you can afford.
The dealer on the other hand doesn’t have this flexibility. He/she is constrained to a certain set of rules that he/she is required to follow. This in turn lowers the house edge in black jack significantly.
So what is the dealer’s play?
- If the dealer’s first two cards are valued at less than 16, he/she is expected to hit until they achieve a hand that’s equal to 17
- If the dealer’s first two cards are 17 and above, he/she is expected to stand
- If the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, he/she must count the Ace as 11 and stand, but if counting it as 11 will result into a hand value of 17 or more
Card Values
How do you determine the value of one’s hands? Well, the answer lies in the value of the cards. The values of blackjack cards are easy to master and aren’t as complicated as those of poker. While playing blackjack, a pack of 52 cards is used, and contains both face cards, numbered cards, not forgetting to mention Aces.
Face cards – King (K), Queen (Q) and Jack (J) – are all valued at 10. Numbered cards on the other end retain their face values, so 2 is valued as (2), 3, valued as (3) etc.
When it comes to Aces, they offer different values depending on the player’s preference. You can opt to value it as either 1 or 11, whichever that gives you the best hand possible. What does this mean? Have a look at the examples below.
- Dealer has dealt you an Ace and 5. This means that you can value it as 11 and 5 to give you a hand value of 16. Or you can value it as 1 and 5, giving you a value of 6. The latter option is the best as it gives you more room to hit. If you value it as 16, you could easily hit and bust instantly
- Dealer has dealt you an Ace and a 10 value card. For this scenario, it’s best that you value it as an 11 so that you automatically have a blackjack
Game’s Outcome
For you to win, you need to get the value of your hand as close as possible to 21 without going over. The value of your hand should be equal to 21 but not more than 21. If the value exceeds 21, you automatically lose – regardless of the dealer’s hand value. In this case, we say that you’ve ‘bust’. It’s a term that we’ve used severally before, so we hope you’ve gotten the meaning loud and clear
If your hand value is higher than that of the dealer but hasn’t exceeded the 21 mark, you automatically win. The casino will pay out at odds of 1:1
If the dealer’s hand value is above 21, and your hand value is below 21 (even if it’s only valued at 8), you automatically win that hand. Again, the house pays out at odds of 1:1
If the first two cards dealt to you result into a hand that’s worth 21 (i.e. an Ace and a 10-value card), you automatically have a ‘Natural’ or ‘Blackjack’. In such a scenario, you automatically win and receive a payout of 3:2
There’s also likelihood that the dealer’s hand and your hand have the same value. If this is the case, then the game ends with a tie or a ‘push’ as it is usually referred.
Types of Black Jack
Since the introduction of black jack online, there have been several versions of this beautiful game. Considering the fact that online casinos aren’t limited by space as compared to their land based counterparts, software developers tweaked rules of the classic blackjack games to come up with multiple variations of the game. And while there are several variations of black jack online, the following games stand out from the crowd. They are usually the main games, from which other variants are derived from.
Chinese Blackjack
Besides baccarat, Chinese casino players enjoy some of the largest diversification of black jack games. Chinese blackjack is one of them and it’s usually referred to as Ban-Nag or 21-point in some instances.
The game usually follows the same rules when it comes to dealing the cards, with the only exception being how the cards are valued. All the number cards retain their face value, while the face cards (K, J, and Q) are valued as 1 or 10.
Your options as you play Chinese blackjack are standard, with a slight difference coming in with the type of winning hands. For instance, a Ban-Nag is a hand that will pay out at odds of 2:1. A Ban-Ban hand will instantly pay out at odds of 3:1 when you are dealt two Aces. A 5-Dragon hand constitutes of 5 cards, valued at 21 or less.
European vs. American Blackjack
European and American versions of blackjack are similar in some aspects, though they also have differences. Yet, regardless of the differences, they offer a good time in their own rights. Below are some of the differences in these two versions.
European Blackjack |
American Blackjack |
| Uses 2 decks of cards | A total of six (6) – eight (8) cards are used |
| Does not have a hole card | A hole card is used |
| Payout for blackjack is set at fixed odds of 3:2 | Payout for blackjack ranges at odds of 3:2 to 6:5 |
| The option of surrendering isn’t available | Late surrender is given as an option |
| Doubling down is available for any hand, including one that you’ve split | Doubling down is only limited to 9, 10 and 11 |
So, which of the two options is highly recommended that you play?
Given that these two games have a huge fan base, it means that picking one that best suits you comes down to preference. If you are looking for a game that offers you a diversified range of options, which increases your winning chances as well as enabling you to play a more aggressive strategy, American black jack is the best option.
For players looking for a game that offers a more balanced process, within its own boundaries, and gives a more sportsmanship-kind of game, then the European version of blackjack is highly recommended.
Double Exposure Blackjack
The rules of double exposure blackjack allow you to profit significantly, as both the dealer’s card are exposed. To increase its edge over the player, the house has forbidden the use of surrender and insurance. Furthermore, you can only split your hands once, or in other online casinos, the move of splitting is completely forbidden. If you a scammer, card counting has been taken care of as the casino uses several decks of cards for play.
Other tiny details that you have to remember about Double Exposure Blackjack are the dealer is required to hit a soft 17; if the end result is a tie, you lose your bet and the payout is done in even odds as compared to the 3:2 odds that you’ll find in your regular game
Other popular blackjack variants that you are bound to come across at the online casinos include:
- Pontoon Rules or Spanish Blackjack
- High Streak Blackjack
- Super Fun 21
- Atlantic Blackjack
Live Black Jack
When it comes to live blackjack, you’ll be experiencing the intensity of your favourite blackjack variation game as you play against a real dealer in real time. These games are usually powered by renowned software providers, including the likes of Net Entertainment (NetEnt), Playtech, Ezugi, Pragmatic Play and Evolution Gaming.
From the listed brands, the most popular and renowned brand perhaps is Evolution Gaming. The popularity of the company stems to the fact that unlike the other providers, they specialize in developing and creating live casino games exclusively.
Evolution Gaming’s live casino games are feature rich, bringing you a number of games through cutting edge video streaming. Visit any of our recommended online casinos, LeoVegas, Casumo, Winks, Videoslots.com among others, take a seat at any one of the available tables, place your wager and interact with the dealers and players from other countries – including Europe.
Playing Live Black Jack Online
Not sure how to get started at the live casinos? Don’t worry, getting started couldn’t be easier, but in any case, we would like to make the procedure crystal clear so here we go:
· Pick Your Seat
Once you’ve visited the casino of your choice, look for the ‘Live Casino’ button and click on it. It will redirect you to the lobby where you’ll see seats and tables. The seats are usually displayed as ‘open’ which means that you can grab one by simply clicking on it. Once occupied, your user name will appear above the seat
· Place Your Bet
Now that you are seated, you’ll probably want to get involved, and you don’t have to wait for too long as there’s a limited time for you to make a decision when it comes to the bet that you’d like to place. You can keep track of how much time you have by looking at the Bet Timer, which is usually located on the screen.
To place your bet, simply click on the chip value on the betting box. While doing so, ensure that you’ve adhered to the minimum and maximum bet limits.
· Playing a Hand
Once you’ve placed your bet, the action unfolds like it would at the land based casino. The dealer will deal the cards to themselves as well as two cards to everyone seated at the table. After that, you can hit, stand, double down, split or perform all the actions discussed above, within the time limit.
· Collect Your Wins or Try Again
As soon as you are done betting, the dealer concludes the hand and clears the table. If you’ve won, you’ll receive your payout. If not, you can stick around and give it another go.
Live Dealer Casino Lobbies are Simple and Stylish
Live dealer casinos have made one of the world’s most popular casino game easy and fun to play. You can now play the classic blackjack and other variants from the comfort of your own home, without having to visit any land based casino. Given that every Nigerian household has a mobile phone, you can do it very conveniently.
To make it possible for you to have a seamless play time possible, software providers have included various controls on the screen. These include:
- Basic controls for viewing and image size options
- Account history option – which lets you track the record of your previous hands plus value of your bets
- Chat feature – which enables you to chat with other players seated at the table as well as communicate with the dealer directly
Blackjack Bet behind Feature
There is nothing that’s frustrating that searching for a blackjack game, loading it up only to find that all the seats available have been taken. You are then left with two choices: stick around waiting for a seat to become available or simply switch to another lesser popular blackjack game.
This is a problem that has been around for years, and to address it, software providers came up with a solution; they invented the “bet behind feature’.
Popular casino brands such as LeoVegas, PlayOjo, 888 Casino and Mr. Play will frequently feature full blackjack tables, but it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the action. With bet behind, you can place a bet on each of the player’s hands as you wait for your turn.
NOTE: Not all online casinos offer the ‘bet behind’ feature. By visiting some of the listed brands, you are assured of enjoying the feature alongside some very decent odds.
Black Jack Mobile
Do you know that once you’ve created an account at recommended online casinos, you can easily use the same login credentials across multiple platforms? The online casinos listed above tend to keep things simple, which means that they’ve integrated multiple mobile platforms so that you can pick one that suits you best!
For convenience on the move, the mobile-friendly user interface is usually touch screen-friendly and the game controls simplified. This makes it easy for any interested player to quickly play a hand while on the go!
There are plenty of other options that have been integrated on the mobile casinos to make playing blackjack more fun. For instance, a wide variety of Nigerian friendly payment options are readily available. This makes it easy for Nigerians to deposit, play, win and withdraw their winnings seamlessly. And when it comes to variety, you’ll find a diversified game selection on the mobile, which in some cases beats even that for PC games
Black Jack Strategies
Strategies! We employ them in our day to day lives and in blackjack, strategies find good use. In fact, this is a huge area of study such that some of the avid casino players devote years of time to perfect their craft. While playing blackjack online, there are multiple categories of strategies that you can employ. They include the following.
Basic/Simple Strategy
From the outgoing, it’s evident that there are so many decisions that you need to make as you play blackjack. Playing your hand properly can help you lower the house edge to less than 1%. And in order to do this, you need to learn basic strategy. This is a mathematically proven way of determining when to stand or hit. Below are good examples of basic strategies:
- If the first two hands total to 12-16, then the resulting hand is ‘stiff’. A stiff hand means that you can bust with one hit
- If the dealer’s face card is a 2-6, then it is a ‘stiff’ hand
- If your hand value is equal or more than 17, then you have a ‘pat’ hand. The best move for this is to stand. If the dealer’s hand is an Ace-7, then he/she is holding a ‘pat’ hand
- If you both hand a stiff hand, the best move is to STAND
- If the dealer’s hand is a Pat and yours is a Stiff hand, don’t hesitate to HIT
Card Counting
This is the most effective blackjack strategies that you can use at the casinos. This blackjack strategy is so effective that it is frowned upon by the land based casinos. And while it can be used at the land based casinos, it’s not effective at the online casinos since the software version uses a audited Random Number Generator software. You can however use it on the live casino games, but even then, it will take you years to perfect.
To help beat card counters, casinos have introduced more pack of cards during gameplay. This ensures that by the end of each session, the cards haven’t been re-shuffled, eliminating the possibility of a player counting the cards.
As stated, card counting takes years to perfect, so you could practice using strategy charts to play your game.
Blackjack Strategy Charts
For each online blackjack game you play online, there’s usually a strategy chart to accompany it. These charts will guide you on the best move to make based on every possible card combination dealt to you. Since these blackjack strategy charts have been developed using accurate statistics, taking each game’s rules into account, they present you with the best probability of winning.
Betting System
Betting systems or betting strategies? Is there a difference between these two? Not quite! Most players tend to use these two words to mean the same thing and quite frankly we are in agreement with them. Betting systems are basically blackjack strategies that dictate how much you should decrease or increase your bet amount, depending on certain circumstances.
Generally, betting systems could be categorized as either Negative or Positive. For a positive betting system, you simply have to increase your bet when you record a win and decrease whenever you register a loss. The reverse is true for the negative betting systems.
The idea behind the betting systems is that over a given number of hands, the negative and positive results will cancel out, helping you recoup your losses and consequently lock in a small profit on top.
- Fibonacci
- Martingale
- D’Alembert
- James Bond Betting System – This is a negative betting system, which has been used by the famous 007 to beat the house
5 Tips for Playing Black Jack Successful
Sometimes, even with a proper blackjack strategy, it can be very difficult for you to record any win(s). This may come as a surprise to many but there’s a whole lot to know in blackjack than just using a strategy. You need to know all the game rules, the different games to play and most importantly, you also need ‘tips’ which will help you improve your winning chances. Seeing that we’ve already covered most of the rules and different games that you can play, this section will help you get to grips with the ‘tips’ that you need to observe as you play blackjack. These tips are applicable to online and live casino gaming.
Don’t Bet Too Much at Once
Blackjack is one of those casinos, which can easily ruin you in seconds, especially if you are playing without a proper bankroll management plan. As a rule of thumb, it’s advisable that your current bankroll supports 100 bets at any given time. So, if you are simply planning on spending equivalent of $5 for each hand, you need to have at least $500 in your account – it’s that simple!
Go through the Game’s Rules – Again!
Don’t always assume each black jack game uses the same rules! With more than 100 variations of the game, there are bound to be different rules followed by each game. Regardless of how negligible these rules may seem to appear, they play a very significant role in determining the game’s outcome.
It Doesn’t Hurt to Use the Bet Behind Feature
If you find yourself at a live blackjack table and there are no seats available, you can always use the ‘bet behind’ feature. In addition to letting you play the game despite the lack of seats, using this feature is a good way of riding on another player’s winning streak – provided that you pick your selection wisely. Equally, you can pick a more experienced player and learn a thing or two from their style of play.
The Outgoing Hand is Independent of the Incoming one
There has always been a rumour that online blackjack is a bias game, meant to favour the casino all the time. This is not true, regardless of whether you are playing a software based or live blackjack game. Online casinos use the state of the art Random Number Generator software to ensure that every result is completely random and unpredictable. So while playing, make your decision wisely instead of relying on the results of outgoing hands.
Pick Your Online Casino Brand Wisely
One of the most overlooked aspect when it comes to online casino gaming is picking the right online casino brand. Sure, the majority of online casinos tend to offer the same service – at least that’s what you can see on the surface – but beneath the shiny and glitzy surface, there’s more than it meets the eye.
Therefore, before signing up at an online casino site, it’s virtually important that you look at other factors, which will affect your gaming session at the blackjack tables. In the next session, we will take you through some of the important areas to consider when signing up at an online casino.
How to Choose the Best Black Jack Casino Sites
There are more than twenty (20) factors that you would have to consider when picking an online casino. However, these factors can be bundled into the following main categories:
Variety of Games
Every online casino offers a blackjack game or two, but the best pull out all the stops to ensure that you have more than enough games to sample from. Before signing up at the site, you should ensure that there are at least 5 (five) different software based blackjack games and at least 10 live black jack games.
Bonuses and Promotions
Another important area that you need to consider when picking up a black jack casino site is the bonus and promotions. In addition to offering you the ‘hefty’ or ‘juicy’ welcome bonus and free spins, a casino should be able to have at least one or two blackjack promo(s) running within the week or weekend.
If the site runs such a promo, you’ll further need to check the terms and conditions just to ensure that you are getting a good deal. Ask yourself, ‘What are the wagering requirements?’; ‘Do these bonuses have expiration dates?’; ‘What are the entry fee or entry conditions?’
Licensing and Security
The type of license that the online casino holds is an indicator of the type of service that you should expect from it. As a rule of thumb, it’s advisable that you only visit a brand that’s licensed by some of the renowned licensing bodies. The Malta Gaming Authority, UK Gambling Commission, Antigua and Barbuda, and Curaсao (Netherlands Antilles) are just some of the bodies that license renowned casino brands.
Why is it important to look at the license of an online casino?
- A licensed brand shows that they’ve met the high standards set by the body when it comes to offering a fair gaming experience
- It also shows that the casino has all the safety and security measures in place. This ensures that all your personal and financial information is safe at all times
Payment Options and Currencies Supported
Players from European tend to have plenty of options when it comes to the payment methods that they can use at the online casinos. Sadly, the same does not apply to African countries. Nonetheless, there are options that are supported, which include eWallets, mobile wallets, debit/credit cards, pre-paid cards and direct wire transfer.
When reviewing a casino, ensure that the site supports at least a handful of options that you can conveniently use. Furthermore, go through the terms and conditions to see if there are any hidden charges on the payment options.
Black Jack Bonus Offers
One of the advantages of playing black jack at the online casinos, when compared to the brick and mortar casinos, is the fact that you can get yourself plenty of bonuses. These are usually offered in terms of free cash, free spins (for online slots), comp points and other formats depending on the casino that you are visiting. For blackjack players, there are special offers, which are usually awarded to compliment the welcome bonus offer. They include:
- Free Tournament Cash – The amount varies from as low as $100 up to a few thousands depending on the casino you are visiting. As the name implies, you can use this cash to play at the blackjack tournaments
- VIP Bonus(es) – These come in different forms and are usually awarded differently. Once you’ve become a member of the VIP program at the casino, you can claim different types of VIP bonuses depending on your tier. These bonuses range from reload cash, complimentary cash, birthday cash among many others
- Comp Points – These are not particularly bonuses, but we’ve thought it wise to include them here as they enable you get some extra cash on the side while playing blackjack. Comp points are usually awarded whenever you play blackjack. Once you’ve accumulated enough points, you can always redeem them for real money, which you can spend as you wish.
Black Jack Casino FAQ
There are multiple blackjack strategies formulated by different people. However, the best one(s) would be the basic strategy and blackjack chart strategies. These two have for years been used by hundreds of thousands of successful players both at the online and land based casinos.
Basic blackjack strategy is straightforward and as stated, requires you to master the basic rules of play. However, the chart strategies were formulated after hundreds of millions of blackjack hand simulations. These strategies used an algorithm to correctly calculate the best hand possible in each situation.
Do they work? Yes and no at the same time. Depending on how you execute these strategies, results may differ. However, there’s usually 80% chance of winning each time they are used as required.
If you are new to playing blackjack, the game can appear to be very complicated. With so many different rules to master, some people give up before they even start. But you don’t have to quit or find it difficult to play and memorize the blackjack rules. Once you’ve read through this guide and understood the information written, you can always visit the recommended online casinos and give the game a go for free.
Unfortunately, the free to play mode is limited to the software version of the game. If you’d like to switch to live black jack, you’ll need to commit some real money to it. You’ll be pleased to know that the bet limits are relatively low, which is usually the equivalent of $5. Considering the amount that you can win from the $5 stake, the bet(s) are usually worth placing.
Yes, the free to play game offers the same features, bet limits and follows the same rules as the real money version of black jack. The only difference is that you won’t be taking home some money after the session.
One of the misconceptions and myths that have discouraged thousands of potential winners from playing blackjack online is that the game is always rigged to favour the house. So, in order to clear this up, we’d like to make it known that all the games are usually 100% fair and accurate.
To ensure the fairness of their games, the online casinos listed on this page have only partnered with renowned software providers. These are companies that have games which operate with up to date Random Number Generator software. As the name suggests, the work of this software is to ensure that the game’s results are 100% random and unpredictable.
Summary: Black Jack Casinos
Imagine being able to play your favourite classic table game, using the same rules as at the land based casino? It’s an interesting concept, which is a reality at online casinos! With online and live blackjack games, you don’t have to bother about making the long tedious trips to the casinos in Lagos or Abuja. This means you get to save up on fuel money, hours that you would otherwise have wasted in traffic and better yet, you interact with players from all over the world. Playing black jack online is fun and straightforward too! If you are familiar with the basic game rules, you can tackle any game that comes your way with much ease.
Try blackjack for free at the recommended casinos and see for yourself why millions of players have prioritized this as their number one game. If it fits your gaming preference, switch to real money and start getting paid in foreign currency today!
