Online Casino

This is where you'll learn about the many aspects of the online game of Blackjack. The following several information pages are dedicated to providing you with useful and valuable insights into the several topics which are outlined below:

The History of Blackjack
This section includes detailed information on how the modern version of blackjack came about and also how it was played in its early forms in the distant past. This gives the player an insight into how Blackjack has evolved into its current, much loved and enjoyed form.

The Rules of Blackjack
Everyone who intends to play this game for money ought to have a good working knowledge of the rules of blackjack. This section is where you'll learn them.

How to Play Blackjack
Once you've learned the rules you'll then need to know exactly how blackjack is played. You'll also need to be aware of some of the game's strategies, which is explained on this page.

Blackjack Hall of Fame
Everyone wants to be a winner and that happens to many online blackjack players every day. Here is a rundown of some of the more notable recent blackjack winners in the many online casinos across the world.

The Technology
The online game of blackjack uses certain technologies to ensure the smooth running of the game. There are several top quality and well respected online gaming software providers that most of the better online casinos make full use of for all of their online games, including blackjack. This section is where we tell you about them.

History

The game we know as blackjack began its life in the 17th century in French casinos where a game called 'Vingt En Un,' meaning "21" was played. While it resembled the modern game of blackjack, there were aspects that differed from the modern equivalent.

With Vingt en Un, only the dealer could double and with betting and you place your bet after each round. However, as in most modern blackjack variants, the goal of Vingt-en-Un was to obtain a 'natural' or a total of 21 in your hand. The name 'Blackjack' originated from a particular feature of Vingt en Un, where a special payout was made for a hand containing a Jack and an Ace of Spades, hence the title, Black Jack.

The blackjack term of 'bust' is though to have originated from an Italian game known as 'Seven and a Half'. This card game was played with face cards 7, 8 and 9. The goal was to obtain a hand of seven and a half points. To do this, regular cards (7, 8 and 9) had a value of one point and face cards, a half point. The King of Diamonds like a Joker card was a wild card which could substitute any other card. When a player exceeded seven and a half points they "busted".

After the French Revolution the game migrated to North America, where it gained popularity due to the lack of prohibiting card game laws at that time. There, professional gamblers understood its huge potential and soon they developed the blackjack basic strategy we know today

Winners

Every day there are large numbers of Blackjack winners in online casinos all over the world. Most players win modest amounts but some win very large amounts from playing multiple games or from sheer volume of games played. On this page we'll reveal some of the big winners in the many online casinos.

Here are some of the most recent big Blackjack winners to make their mark at the famous Blackjack Ballroom online casino. The full names have been withheld to protect the identity of the players.

As recently as 29th May 2008, SP won CA$8,000 playing Atlantic City Blackjack Gold.

On 25th May 2008, KE won $20,000 playing Blackjack Multi-Hand

On 28th March 2008, LT won CA$20,000.00 playing Bonus Blackjack

Further back in time, there are many big winners at the various Blackjack tables of various online casinos. Here is a selection of some of the really big winners:

On 22nd May 2007, Tim L won a massive $30,300 playing Blackjack at the Bodog Casino

On 8th May 2007, Garthco won $28,750 playing Single Deck Blackjack at the VIP Casino.

On 19th February 2006, Jim N won a staggering $31,995 playing Blackjack Multi-Hand 5 at the Monaco Gold online casino.

On 9th November 2006, David M G won $21,200 playing Blackjack Multi-Hand at the Europa Casino.

So you can see that it is very possible to play blackjack and win very large sums of money at many of the best online casinos around when you just put your mind to it!

Rules

The rules of Blackjack are quite simple and easy to follow, which make this game particularly popular amongst those new to casino card games.

The object is to get a hand with a score of 21, or as close to 21 as possible without exceeding or busting this figure in order to beat the dealer's hand.

If you draw a card which causes your total points to exceed 21, you 'bust' and lose your bet, except in multi-player games where the dealer also busts and your bet is returned.

If the dealer gets a hand with a higher score than yours, you lose your bet.

If the scores of yours and the dealer's hands are equal, it is a draw and your bet is returned.

If you are dealt two cards of identical value, you may 'split' your hand and play two separate hands.

When you believe the next card to be dealt will provide a winning hand, you can declare a double. This means you add an additional bet equal to your original wager. When doubling you may only draw one additional card.

If the dealer draws an Ace, a player may make an 'insurance' bet of up to half of the original bet against the dealer having Blackjack. If the dealer does have Blackjack, the player loses his original bet, but the insurance bet is paid out at double odds, which covers the original bet. However, if the dealer does not have blackjack the player will lose both bets.

Online Casino Softwares Running Blackjack

Online Blackjack is played at most top quality online casinos which each make use of one of several different software packages to produce the many different variations of the game of Blackjack.

One of the biggest and most popular gaming software providers is PlayTech, which provide the gaming platform for in excess of 170 online casinos worldwide. Their superior technologies provide a smooth playing game with stunningly lifelike graphics and audio accompaniment. The games load up quickly and play without delays or juddering making a highly realistic casino feel to their games.

Microgaming, which provides gaming software for over 120 online casinos plus another 40 or so online poker rooms, come in a close second with similarly powerful graphics and audio gaming properties. Their card table software is stunning and lifelike creating a highly enjoyable blackjack experience from a computer screen.

Other high profile software providers are RealTime Gaming and Vegas Technology who also provide many online casinos with powerful and fast running software for their blackjack tables.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to obtain a hand with a score of 21, or as close to 21 as possible without exceeding or busting in order to beat what the dealer has in his hand.

Blackjack is played with each player placing their bet in the circle or logo in front of him. The dealer will then deal each player and himself two cards. Player's cards are normally dealt face up. The dealer has one card face up (the up card) and the other face down (the hole card).

The general sequence of play comprises the dealer offering the players an insurance side bet to offset losses if his up card is an ace. Once all players have accepted or declined, the dealer checks his hand. If he does not have blackjack, play continues.

Each player can stand if they feel their two cards are high enough to have a good chance of beating the dealer's hand. If not, they can 'hit', or ask for another card and continue like this until they get as close to 21 as they can or exceed it and bust. If a player gets two cards of identical value, he can split them and play each card as a separate hand simultaneously.

When all players have reached the point where they can 'stand', the dealer reveals his hole card. Players that have a higher total than the dealer win. Those that have a total equal to or lower than the dealer lose their bet.