Blackjack is a game that’s often played at the casino. But those with busy lives may not always have time to take the trip and spend hours out of the house.
This article explores two possible ways to play blackjack from home. The first is to look to an online casino, where various games are available around the clock, making it ideal for downtime. The second is to have a blackjack themed night in the living room!
What is blackjack?
Blackjack is a casino game that can be played with an ordinary deck of cards (although casinos often use multiple decks!). Blackjack is a game that you’d find in Las Vegas, alongside the magic shows and comedy acts, but it can also be played online.
It’s a mobile-friendly betting game, and the idea is to get as close to a card value of 21 as possible without going ‘bust’ by going over. Players must beat the dealer’s total in order to win the bet.
Everyone is dealt two cards. Face cards are worth ten, aces can be eleven or one, and everything else is the value on the card. When it’s your turn, you can choose whether to ‘hit’ and get another card, or ‘stand’ on the current value that you have.
There are other options, too. For example, you can choose to split pairs into two separate hands. You can also double, which means doubling the initial bet but only being allowed exactly one more card.
Once everyone has finished taking more cards, the hands are revealed. Whoever beats the dealer wins double their bet. If a ‘blackjack’ is made, which is when the score is 21 in two cards, the player also gets a bonus.
Playing blackjack online
Online casinos have been around since the mid-late 1990s and the industry has continued to grow. Nowadays, the software of reputable casinos is secure and offers an engaging experience for players. Popular sites offer many of the same games that are available at a real casino.
It’s possible to play online blackjack on a desktop or mobile device by joining one of these online casino sites. Registration is a simple process that involves signing up and providing identity. Once a player is signed up, they can search for blackjack games by clicking the right tab, usually labelled ‘blackjack’ or ‘table games.’
If you are thinking about playing blackjack online, it’s helpful to learn the rules before even thinking about playing for real money. Many sites will offer ‘play money’ games, in which you can win and lose tokens instead of risking cash. Anyone who does play for real money should always use an amount they can afford to lose.
Played responsibly, blackjack is an interesting game. It’s easy to learn, but there’s also some strategy and so always room for improvement. There’s plenty of information available online that can help you to improve your blackjack skills, as well as practicing on free games.
Hold a blackjack themed evening
Here’s a totally different way to enjoy blackjack at home. Online casino blackjack is for downtime, this is for uptime. How about hosting a blackjack themed evening?
A blackjack party is a chance to unwind and have fun with friends. You’ll need some basic equipment to get started; a table, a deck of cards, and some chips. You can buy the latter at shops or online or improvise and use matches or coins.
If you’re going with a stylish feel for your blackjack night, you’ll definitely want to hire or buy a decent table and chip sets. You can also have the a smart dress code to give it a classy casino feeling.
There are, of course, a few differences when you’re hosting a blackjack party compared to going to a casino. The first question is who will be the dealer? In blackjack, players compare their hands to the dealer’s, not too each other’s, so this is an important consideration.
There are a few choices here. It may be possible to hire one for a few hours, although this is an expensive add-on. Alternatively, one person could host the game as the dealer. Or, each player could take turns being the dealer for a set number of hands before rotating around.
The second question is can you play for real money? In this case, you don’t want to be acting as the casino – buying and selling chips, taking losses and paying out wins. Apart from the financial risks, this is unlikely to be legal in most jurisdictions.
Instead, you can play blackjack for fun and maybe throw in some prizes for the winners (or dares for the losers!). Everyone starts with a set number of chips and, after a set amount of time that is agreed on, the person with the most chips wins the game. This keeps it fun and lighthearted, while still giving it a competitive edge. Like any gathering, food, drinks and music are a must!
