Blackjack This American Life

Blackjack (formerly known as Vingt-Un and Black Jack) serves as an American member in the global family of banking games (called Twenty-One). Real money Blackjack comes with a long history to reveal as the world’s famous casino game has found its roots in other cultures, where it was known as Pontoon, Black Jack, and Vingt-et-Un.

NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic. This information is shared with social media, sponsorship, analytics, and other vendors or service providers. See details.

  1. This American Life is produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago and delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange.
  2. This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced.
Blackjack

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. You can adjust your cookie choices in those tools at any time. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites.

Welcome to Red Dog Casino, where you have an opportunity to play hundreds of newly launched online casino games in one place for real money. Blackjack is one of the most classic online casino games that serves as the most beloved casino game of all time, because of its low house edge and different variants. Whether you intend to play Match Play 21, Super 21, or other variants, you are at the right place to win by playing real Blackjack at Red Dog Casino, and can also try other casino games for free.

Blackjack (formerly known as Vingt-Un and Black Jack) serves as an American member in the global family of banking games (called Twenty-One). Real money Blackjack comes with a long history to reveal as the world’s famous casino game has found its roots in other cultures, where it was known as Pontoon, Black Jack, and Vingt-et-Un. In short, it’s a comparing card game played between players and a dealer. During the gameplay, each player tries to compete against the operator, not against other players, as they aren’t allowed to compete against each other. The game lets you play with one or more decks of 52 cards, and it is the popular game played casino game around the globe.

Real Money Blackjack vs Free Blackjack

Before playing, you need to know the difference between free online Blackjack and online Blackjack for real money casino. Players from all over the world can play free Blackjack from the comfort of their home without depositing any cash. In contrast, real money blackjack requires the player to deposit some money and then start playing against a dealer while enjoying the real casino environment. A few more differences are there; let’s explore them together:

  • You should know that free Blackjack comes with different rules as compared to a real-life casino, though most of the free online casinos don’t have things like special payout or side bets.
  • Free Blackjack provides you with risk-free gameplay and gives you a chance to learn how to play first, whereas playing Blackjack online for money will pit you and the dealer against each other, along with a chance of winning real cash.
  • Online casinos are operated by reliable software providers, and upon making any mistake you have a chance to restart the game to start from the beginning point. On the contrary, if you play online Blackjack for real money at a land-based venue, you don’t have a reset button, and no one knows whether you win or lose.
  • Playing for free would give you a different set of rules to follow as compared to playing in real-time using real money.
  • If you compare free Blackjack game with a real-life casino, then there’s a vast difference in a time limits in free online casino, you are limited to a specific time as you have to complete the game within an hour, but in a real-life casino, you are free of the time limit and can play as long as you want to complete your game.

Similarities

Though versions of Blackjack game are different from venue to venue, you will find lots of similarities among them, as well as rules of the game when played, are familiar to those players who played it in a brick-and-mortar casino. In both types of games, players will receive two face-up cards each against the dealer’s one face-up card. The Blackjack’s aim is almost similar, no matter where you are playing. Throughout the game, both the dealer and the player are trying to make their hands with a total number as close to 21 as possible.

Benefits of Playing Free Online Blackjack and Real Money Blackjack

Red Dog Casino comes with a free version of blackjack online games for real money for those players who don’t have any idea how to start. You may know that both free and real money versions of blackjack games are valuable but offer different experiences and benefits as follows:

Benefits of online, free Blackjack Games:

  • Learning new variants
  • Stress-free online games for free
  • Learning the rules of Blackjack
  • Try out new strategies
  • No risk of losing money

Benefits of Real Money Blackjack Games

  • Chance to win money
  • Up-to-date card counting system check
  • High potential for wins and losses comes with excitement
  • Win and lose real money

Looking for Free Online Blackjack Games

If you’re one of those players who are searching for a blackjack game, then stop your search as here you can play Blackjack for free. Red Dog Casino brings you to the top-notch quality of Blackjack online game and a fabulous casino experience from the comfort of your house. Playing free blackjack game will provide you with a chance of revealing more strategies and learning rules to beat the dealer and win as much cash as possible.

How to play Blackjack?

Are you new to Blackjack or don’t know how to play? Don’t worry as we are here to teach you the basic rules. Whenever you start playing, you should keep in mind that your ultimate goal is to take down the dealer. You will win the match if the value of your cards is better than the dealer. You have a chance to set your bet according to the value of the dealer’s cards. Use the “Hit” button to add more cards on your table, whereas using “Stand” button will stop the game.

The Odds in Online Blackjack

Knowing blackjack odds and house advantages would help you in the selection of the best possible type of online Blackjack for real cash. During the gameplay, if you come to know what your odds are, you can tell how to maximize chances of your winning are, and you can start to realize what kind of facets affect your odds. Blackjack players may involve themselves in the game without knowing much about it, and in return, have a loss. Therefore, you should first play free online casinos to understand the basic rules and reveal some of the best strategies to have fun online. Try to memorize everything and learn online blackjack odds, as well as house advantage to have a great start.

What is the House Advantage?

For sure, you are familiar with these two words, such as house advantage or the house edge; actually, both refer to the same thing. In the casino, some games have a massive house advantage as compared to other venues that are focused on the rules and built-in odds they have. As compared to other games, Blackjack has the lowest house edge; therefore, it’s so popular among players.

Coming to know the standard rules will help the player to make the right decisions in any kind of situation using the basic strategy. While playing the game, you can expect a payback from 99.5% to 99.6% - it makes clear that the house edge is around 0.4% to 0.5%, which is smaller than others. If you partake in online blackjack gambling for real money without knowing the basic strategies like when to stand, hit, double, and split, the percentage of your winning will drop, and the house edge will raise. Therefore, you should keep yourself always ready to learn new strategies beforehand.

Red Dog Casino introduces a set of rule variations to help players to determine the game with the best possible odds.

  • Blackjack Payback – Whenever you intend to play Blackjack game, you should find for the standard payback that should be 3:2. Playing the game with a payback of 6:5 will increase house edge rises.
  • Deck Used – Using more decks in real online blackjack gambling would be worst for the player because it will make his gameplay a bit tough to achieve.
  • Surrender – Surrendering your hand after finding the worst deal would be an excellent strategy. During the gameplay, if the yielding feature isn’t allowed, then it will work against you and will increase the house advantage.
  • Dealer Soft 17 Rules – Each game has a specific rule regarding the dealer - he must hit or stand on soft 17, printed on the table. In the variation blackjack, where the operator must hit soft 17 is written as “H17,” whereas, in a variation of blackjack casino for real money, S17 refers to the stand-on-soft-17. Using H17 rule with S17 brings advantage to the player and decreases the house edge by about 0.2%.
  • Number of Decks – In Blackjack game, approximately all things are being equal and using fewer decks will decrease the house edge as mentioned above. It primarily reflects an increased probability of the blackjack game if the player reveals a ten on the first card, the following likelihood of drawing the ace would be higher with fewer decks. Here’s a table to make you understand how the number of decks will increase or decrease house advantage:

Numbers of Decks with House Advantage

  • Single Deck – 0.17%
  • Double Deck – 0.46%
  • Four Decks – 0.60%
  • Six Decks – 0.64%
  • Eight Decks – 0.66%

Difference Between Online and Offline Blackjack Odds

Online and offline Blackjack odds are somehow different, and they are affected by the set rules. The most noticeable difference between these two odds is card counting, offering an advantage to the expert player. The feature of card counting will work when many cards are out of the game, but operators controlled by the computer will reshuffle the deck after every hand in best online Blackjack for real money. All cards are always kept in the decks and caused a reduction of house edge from card counting.

Types of Online Blackjack Games for Real Money

Blackjack is considered as the king of card table games, as it is the most skill-based game of probability. It gives you more winning chances than others; therefore, it is known as the most profitable game. A decade ago, the game was only available to play on PC and via browser, but in the modern era, you can find many apps to play mobile blackjack for real money.

Moreover, different types of blackjack video games are available across the web, offering you a chance to play with real cash to earn more. The ultimate objective is quite simple as you have to beat the hand of the dealer. Throughout the gameplay, you require to get a total of 21 or less without ending the game or defeating the total of the operator without crossing the number of 21.

Types of Blackjack Games

There are different types of blackjack games; each one is offering the same gameplay with minor changes in the payouts, gaming options, and the number of decks. If you want to win big, then you should read different blackjack strategies and pick up best website to play blackjack for real money.

  • Progressive Blackjack

It comes with similar gameplay to the regular Blackjack games but has some minor changes as it gives you a chance to win the increasing jackpot. You will find an additional bet of $1, which you must place to win the progressive prize.

Blackjack This American Life Span

  • Classic Blackjack

Among other variants, it is a widely played game in both traditional and classic types. It allows you to play with one or eight decks, and both you and the operator are dealt with two cards.

Blackjack This American Life
  • Atlantic City Blackjack

Unlike others, it is played with eight decks, and the dealer can peek at his hole card to stand on a soft 17. While playing the game, players can re-split up to three hands.

  • Blackjack Switch

It gives you an ability to switch between two pairs of cards, as well as to receive two hands of cards.

Blackjack This American Life Insurance Company

  • Spanish 21

Spanish 21 (also known as Spanish Blackjack) is played with 6 or 8 different deck cards similar to Classic Blackjack, giving you a chance to play Blackjack 21 online real money. In this type, the cards of 10 value are eliminated from the deck of 52 cards leaving only 48 to start the game. However, it increases the house edge.

  • Vegas Strip Blackjack

Similar to classic Blackjack, it serves as the widely played game of best online Blackjack for money. It is an American version, enabling the dealer to peek at the hole card. In this game, players are allowed to play with four decks, giving you the option to split the aces by doubling down.

  • Pontoon

It comes with an exciting twist to the traditional version and changes the names of the hit, Blackjack, and Stand, also known as Pontoon.

Tips to Increase Your Chances of Winning at Online Blackjack

Before start playing Blackjack, one of the most prominent things you should know is that it is not a simple game of luck as it seems. Better grip on strategic skills is compulsory as the decision you make directly impact your gameplay and will determine the outcome. Therefore, Red Dog Casino brings you to some essential Blackjack tips. Tips are compiled properly for all kinds of players to quickly understand the concepts that will help them to avoid making mistakes. Here’s top best Blackjack tips for you to discover:

  1. Play Free Blackjack Games

Playing free blackjack games would be great if you are new to this game, as things get better upon playing Blackjack again and again. Don’t partake in real-money Blackjack until you hone your skills with free blackjack games.

  1. Learn Basic Strategy

It would be better for you to try all kinds of card counting or strategies. During the gameplay, you can use them to take advantage as we told it’s a game of strategy, instead of luck.

  1. Split Aces and Eights

Memorizing a basic strategy will provide you with a rundown whenever you should attempt to split aces using the available options. If you intend to play real money Blackjack, then you should learn the basic rules that let you split aces and eights in every situation.

  1. Avoid Short Payouts

Besides outstanding features, there’s the worst rule followed by that; players are only paid 6:5 odds rather than 3:2. It means you will be rewarded with $12 instead of $15 on a $10 hand. The said rule increases the house edge and needs to be avoided at any cost.

  1. Avoid Purchasing an Insurance

Near to experienced players, insurance is not a perfect bet. It is better to take your chances and sometimes lose when the operator has a blackjack in his hand.

  1. Hard Versus Soft Hands

Hard hands come with one ace or sometimes nothing; however, the value is counted as 1 and not 11. Soft hands comprise an ace, but it is considered as 1 or 11, depending on the preferences of the player.

  1. Avoid other Players

During the gameplay, don’t follow the instructions given by other players as they intend to provide you with poor advice on how to play Blackjack online for real money—always be prepared to play only with your best strategies.

Why Play Real Money Blackjack at Red Dog Casino?

You should play Blackjack at Red Dog Casino, as it has an expert team that uses an advanced method to determine which blackjack games are worthy of making a place in a top list. Here are the most valuable reasons why you should play real money Blackjack at Red Dog Casino.

  • A variety of Blackjack Games

Approximately every casino in the online world offers dozens of blackjack online for real cash games, but we understand that many times you just want to play more than a Vegas-style game of 21. We bring a variety of titles, including both free and real-money casinos, from basic variations to alternate titles like Classic Blackjack, Blackjack+Perfect Pairs, and Match Play 21.

  • Bonus Offers

Across the world, not every internet blackjack for real money option comes with exciting bonuses and rewards designed for real-money blackjack players, and lots of gifts won’t let you play Blackjack at all. Therefore, we find the best promotions and bonuses to deliver you, so you can play online Blackjack for real money to get awarded for it simultaneously.

Blackjack this american life ins
  • Trustworthiness and Tight Security

Red Dog Casino promises to give you the very best security of this trustworthy platform where you can play your favorite blackjack game with no worries. Your data safety is the first priority of Red Dog Casino; therefore, it brings only those games which are properly regulated and licensed.

FAQ

Can you earn money online playing Blackjack?

For sure, you can earn money while playing real online Blackjack game for cash. When playing, you will find similar odds to those found in live dealer games.

How can you beat online Blackjack?

Online blackjack with real money comes with quite simple rules to follow and certainly is it beatable. You should try to keep your house edge small in most of the blackjack variants. It means you have a chance to win money if you are lucky and have a proper strategy.

Blackjack this american life insurance company

Is there any real money blackjack casino app?

Yes, real money blackjack app is available on several sites to give you access over your account using your mobile. Most of the games are available on the browser to play, but many games are also possible to play on your phone.

Playing Blackjack online for money is legal or illegal?

Where to play blackjack online for real money is completely your choice. But also remember that it totally depends on your jurisdiction and the country of residence – several sites are there that are happily welcome casino lovers as customers, including Red Dog Casino.

Can I directly play Blackjack for real money or not?

Yes, you can play online real money Blackjack casino to win, but think whether you are ready to play it and probably lose or not. So we definitely advise playing for free to get experience and learning basic rules to become familiar with Blackjack strategy, and then start playing online Blackjack for real money.