The rise of online casino gaming since the advent of the internet has given blackjack high rollers and even novice players, the ability to play with and against anybody anywhere in the world at a click of a button from the comfort of their own home.
This development over the years has led to a huge rise in big money online blackjack games and tournaments being hosted and has seen revenues in the industry soar to record levels, giving players the chance to make some big wins in the process.
When it comes to table games, blackjack is the king and every online casino tends to operate at least one blackjack title. It’s an easy game to learn, it’s fun to play and the entire premise adapts well to the online platform. It’s not uncommon for online casino sites to provide more than one version of blackjack, each with slightly different rules, and the providers know they’ll reap big traffic to their sites when it comes to blackjack for those reasons.
Record revenues for online casino gaming
Legal online casino gaming continues its post-pandemic boom in the US with three of the top online casino markets generating a combined $1.5 billion through the first half of this year.
This comes hot on the heels of record-breaking revenue in 2020 as the impact of Covid-19 and associated lockdowns have led to millions of people worldwide looking for alternative at-home entertainment options, with online casino games such as blackjack providing a good outlet for many.
Not only can bettors look to make their selections in the DraftKings sportsbook – a one-stop high-octane destination for all of their betting needs, or on any other sportsbook platform that provides similar thrills in following golf, football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, horse racing, greyhound racing, boxing, and mixed martial arts – but they can also take their betting to the next level with online casinos (also provided by DraftKings), and especially with blackjack which is so easy to play as a novice.
Wider availability for online casino players
Currently it stands that five US states offer legal online casino gaming after Connecticut launched in October 2021 to join New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Michigan – the latter which opened their servers to online casinos just a few months before Connecticut was added to the list with the aforementioned DraftKings and FanDuel casinos the only two operators out of the state.
That’s not to mention the states where it isn’t legal to play online, but we won’t go too far into that. The fact of the matter is the opportunities for customers to sit at the online blackjack tables have never been better.
With thousands of online blackjack players playing their hand every single day it is a proven way of making a living and remains profitable even now despite being past the time of the real online “poker boom” of 2003-2011, largely thanks to high stakes and high payout tournaments that are available to compete in.
Of course, it has become increasingly tougher to win big in these events due to the top calibre of competitors, but the premise is still there thanks to the high amount of prize money on offer as gamblers not only look for the best betting tips today to earn quick wins but also the biggest online games to win even bigger, and casino games like blackjack are proving popular to do so.
How profitable is blackjack for the player?
We have already discussed just how the easy and fun to play card game that is blackjack can form an important part of developing huge revenues for online casino providers, but just how much can be made out of blackjack by the player?
Many people doubt whether it is possible to make real big money on a consistent basis from playing online blackjack because of the risk involved in gambling and the risk of possible big losses. After all, blackjack is a straight-forward card game pretty much controlled by the dealer. You simply don’t know what card the dealer is going to unveil next.
If you wish to earn a living and live off online blackjack you have to be prepared to risk your dollars. This, as well as the nature of the game itself, is why the experienced gamblers say you cannot entirely depend on this game for life because it has unstable wins. Yes, you can win a large amount of money to last a few short months, but the nature of the game dictates that you should probably not be expecting a consistent flow of finances into your bank account.
The best way to make a good living from online blackjack
Learn how to play
Start by learning the basics of the game. Not only is blackjack such an easy game to pick up but it’s also fun and with numerous opportunities of winning big money prizes. The premise of blackjack is to make sure your hand beats the dealer’s hand or to get a hand as close to 21 as possible.
There are many variations of online blackjack games including Multi-hand blackjack, Double Exposure, Blackjack Pontoon, Super Fun 21, Perfect Pairs Blackjack, and Spanish Blackjack. The game is played with either one or more deck cards, depending on the variant.
Also learn the rules
Most online blackjack games have rules printed on the table or somewhere else on the website 2- usually in an information graphic. Here are the standard rules of play:
The player’s objective is to beat the dealer’s hand without exceeding 21 (bust).
An Ace in this game can be worth either 1 or 11 – it’s interchangeable, and any value that makes a better hand is considered.
All of the face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are officially worth 10, and the value of cards 2-9 are as you would expect.
Every player is dealt two cards. One of the dealer’s cards is dealt face down and remains that way until the player’s cards are dealt face up.
To ‘Hit’ means to request for another card while ‘Stand’ means ending your game round.
The dealer hits until he/she attains a total card value of 17 or higher.
In doubling, the player gets an extra card, and the bet is doubled.
‘Split’ is applicable when a player has two of the same card, where the pair is split into two hands.
Players can only ‘double’ or ‘split’ on the first move of a hand which is as a result of splitting.
Get to know Online Blackjack Odds
The odds available in online blackjack will always relate to “bust” or “win” and there are certain hands that will always favour the dealer or the house. To get this amount, the total bets are multiplied by the amount that is kept by the casino. The dealer’s face down card gives the casino an advantage over the player, and the player must guess the value of the card. Knowing when to hit or stand in online blackjack is the secret to beating the dealer’s hand and the probability of going bust sharply rises between a hand of 13 and a hand of 14.
Having said that, this writer has been known to “hit” on 17 and still win a hand. It’s this sort of outcome that makes blackjack such a fun game to play.
Make the most of those Online Blackjack Bonus Offers
Most online casino operators offer players enticing bonuses and promotional offers for blackjack. But before you accept such an offer it is important to get to grips with the wagering requirements so you know how many plays of your own dollars you need to make versus how many plays of the bonus offer before you are allowed to withdraw. Also most online casinos will offer VIP or Loyalty bonuses for playing with them often enough.
Know how to manage your funds
Although the amount you choose to stake does not really make a difference to the game itself, wagering the right amounts can simply allow you to play more rounds. It is important to develop the skill that allows you to manage your budget effectively – this is where blackjack can become profitable for anybody if you can get it right.
Summary
So to sum up, blackjack is an easy and fun game to play for a novice if you learn the rules. It is a huge revenue-generator for the online casinos and although the nature of the game makes it very hard to make a living out of on its own merit, blackjack can be a strong profitable game for players providing they get the balance right and learn how much to wager.
by Nathan Auty
