To help players win more money, we compiled the most effective online blackjack strategy, updated for March 2023. These tips by no mean guarantee winnings, but they do give players the best chance of minimizing losses while maximizing win potential.
Online blackjack is one of the most popular games at US online casinos, second only to slots. The reasons are simple: the odds are excellent, the game is easy to play, and it’s not just based on random luck, with the best online blackjack strategy ensuring more wins in the long run.
Best Online Blackjack Strategy Tips
1. Learn the Basics
The first and most obvious way to start your online blackjack strategy journey is to learn the game. For the blackjack basics, check out our guide on real-money online blackjack. This will acquaint you with the game if you’re unfamiliar. If you are familiar, you can skip this step and move on to the rest of the online blackjack tips.
2. Use The Right Blackjack Strategy Card
Online casino players can shamelessly have a blackjack strategy card on the screen while they play online blackjack. These cards show players the best move based on their and the dealer’s cards. It ensures that you’re playing blackjack with the best strategy to maximize your chances of winning.
Here’s our Online Blackjack Strategy Card, which covers the vast majority of blackjack variations.
But make sure you’re using the right blackjack strategy card. The best moves vary if you’re playing with six decks instead of eight. Specific rules, like surrender allowed or doubling down after a split, also affect the next best move. So check the rules of the blackjack variation you’re playing, then do a Google search for that one specifically.
3. Practice Online Blackjack Strategy
Practice online blackjack for free, no signup or download required. Practice truly does make perfect when it comes to online blackjack strategy, and it won’t be long before the flow of the game becomes second nature.
Above is the most straightforward online blackjack, which I think is the best way to get used to the game. For more versions, check out our free online blackjack page, where you can try Zappit Blackjack and other variations.
Even if you’re a seasoned blackjack player, practicing risk-free can be a highly effective strategy to refresh your approach and try new tactics. It’s far better than learning while risking real-money funds or even bonus money.
Blackjack Demo
4. Play With Online Blackjack Bonus Codes
Most online casino welcome bonuses are more geared toward online slots players, but not all. The following welcome bonuses are especially ideal for blackjack players:
- DraftKings Casino: Blackjack bonus includes $65 free on signup, no deposit required, which is an exclusive Bonus.com offer. Credits have a mere 1x playthrough, even for blackjack games.
- FanDuel Casino: Blackjack bonus is a risk-free first 24 hours up to $1,000 back in betting credits, which have a 1x playthrough requirement.
- BetRivers Casino: Blackjack bonus is a 100% deposit-match up to $250 with just 1x playthrough requirements. If you go for the max, you’d have $500 in your account. Bet $500 on blackjack, and whatever is left over is free to withdraw. Opt-in with the BetRivers Casino bonus code: SHARP250
Why are these the best online blackjack promotions? It all comes down to the favorable playthrough requirements. You may see a reasonable playthrough requirement of 10x. But that’s cranked up to 40x or 50x when blackjack bets only contribute at a rate of 25% or 20%, which is common.
Learn more about playthrough requirements with this quick breakdown.
5. Compare The Odds Of Each Variation
Most of the best online casinos offer several different versions of online blackjack. Golden Nugget Casino is the best example. Click the “i” button on the game to see the return to player (RTP) percentage. The higher the percentage, the better the odds of the game.
Keep in mind that all casino games (both online and in-person) give the house an edge over the player. So you’ll never see an RTP of 100% or more because that would mean the player has an advantage over the house.
But when you play blackjack, you can find RTP that’s as close to 100% as it gets. Just make sure you check the RTP before you start playing to lock in the best odds. For example, here are some of the RTP differences at Golden Nugget Casino:
- Blackjack IGT: 99.60% RTP
- Blackjack Classic: 99.59% RTP
- Blazing 7s: 99.33% RTP
- Zappit Blackjack: 98.87% RTP
The difference between IGT and Classic is negligible for most players. But the longer you play and the more you bet, the bigger the difference a high RTP can make. And the exotic variations like Blazing 7s and Zappit sacrifice great odds for special features, which make them fun to try but not the best bet in the long-term.
6. Reconsider Side Bets
The great odds of blackjack only apply to standard gameplay using the best strategy. The RTP does not apply to side bets. Those can be fun, like creating poker hands from the cards on the table or getting multiple sevens of the same suit.
But there’s a reason the payouts are so big compared to the size of the bet: the odds aren’t good.
Think about it this way. If you’re winning consistently by playing blackjack but losing consistently on the side bets, that really messes up the overall odds of the game.
7. Consider Live Dealer Blackjack
When you play digital blackjack, all the decks are shuffled between each hand. But when you play Live Dealer blackjack, which involves real-life dealers live-streamed in from physical tables, the cards are dealt from a shoe until about two-thirds or three-quarters of the decks are played through. Then the cards are shuffled.
Why does that matter? Because cards worth ten and Aces are better for the player than cards worth six or less. And if the remaining decks have more tens and Aces than low-value cards, the more likely you can get on a hot streak.
This isn’t about card counting necessarily. Even if you’re not paying close attention to which cards have come out, you can still luck out with a hot deck. But when you play digital blackjack, each hand is made from the same number of cards every time.
8. Practice Responsible Gaming
This isn’t an obligatory section. It’s a genuinely crucial strategy. As mentioned, all casino games favor the house to some degree. That means if you play for long enough, you’re mathematically guaranteed to lose all your money. So it’s incredibly important to follow Responsible Gaming best practices, including:
- Set A Strict Budget: Only play with what you can afford to lose, and stop immediately when you lose that amount. Then give yourself a nice break to reset (and avoid chasing losses).
- Set A Strict Time Limit: One of the biggest indicators of a gambling problem is betting too often, particularly when betting has replaced things you otherwise regularly enjoy.
- Never Chase Losses: More often than not, trying to recuperate gambling losses by placing more bets means losing more money. Only play with what you can afford to lose, then stop when you hit it and wait until you can again afford to lose that much.
- Keep Track Of Your Betting: Whether on a notepad or a spreadsheet, make sure you know how much you’ve been spending on gambling. This helps to limit things considerably when you have net losses. But it’s also enjoyable to see firsthand exactly how much money you’ve won when you have net winnings.