For good reason, blackjack is incredibly popular among players of card games in casinos. When played correctly, it offers the highest potential return to player (RTP) rate of any casino table game and some of the easiest rules of any casino card game. Compared to poker, which requires a lot of hands and techniques to grasp, blackjack is one of the easiest games for beginners to pick up. Blackjack is a great game to play at a live table or in an online casino because you don't have to read other players.
Blackjack offers interesting side bets including Lucky Lady, Perfect Pairs, Royal Match, 21+3, and Lucky Lucky in addition to its simple gameplay. Moreover, a wager for a progressive jackpot is one of the more interesting blackjack side bets, and it often has the potential for big wins.
Read on to learn about blackjack tips for beginners and the basics of progressive blackjack.
Basic Blackjack Rules
You must understand the fundamentals of blackjack in order to play progressive blackjack. (If you are familiar with the principles of casino card games and don't need a refresher on blackjack for beginners, feel free to jump on to the part under "Progressive Jackpots Explained.")
When learning how to play blackjack, the goal is to construct a hand of cards that comes as near to 21 as you can without going above that total. The face values of cards with numbers (2–10), regardless of suit, are paid out. Royal cards (J, Q, K) are worth 10, and aces can be worth one or eleven, depending on which best matches your hand.
Players have to make their first wagers at the beginning of the game. The dealer then deals two cards to each of them. Only one of the dealer's cards is face-up, but all of your cards are.
The two simplest options are to "stand" (keep the cards you've been dealt) or "hit," which involves drawing another card. You can hit as many times as you like, but the game is over if you go beyond 21, or "bust." Play passes to the next player if you choose to stand. The dealer displays their face-down card after each player has had a turn. The hand that comes closest to 21 wins.
Blackjack has a low house edge, making it one of the least dangerous games to play, so if you're wondering how to wager, it's also extremely easy. Before the game starts, all you have to do is place your wager and any further side bets. After that, you'll get your cards and be able to play until a winner is determined. Before you make any more bets, make sure you understand the terms of each side bet as they might vary greatly.
How Near 21 Shall I Go?
There are many tips and tactics to play blackjack with confidence, but the best way to ensure success is by knowing and focusing on the game’s purpose. The objective of the game is to reach 21 or remain very near to it. You are out because you went "bust" if you are 22 or older. To obtain a feel for the game, play a few practice rounds before wagering real money. You can also learn the probability of going bust by understanding how to play blackjack at a casino.
A further method for learning how to play 21 for beginners is to establish benchmarks for the numbers you plan to "stick" or "hit." Hitting is asking the dealer for another card, whereas sticking is choosing to keep your cards exactly as they are.
It is not advisable to hit if the dealer lays down a 10 and you have pairs of 7s or 8s, or if you hold a hand that adds up to a 14 to 16. This is because there is a good likelihood that you will go over 21. Stay put and hope the dealer goes out of business. It's advised to stay if your score is between 17 and 20, as this is considered a strong round. With any hand of 13 or lower, however, skilled players will frequently call for another card; sometimes, you have to take a chance to win large.
That's all there is to it. It's undeniably one of the simpler table games at the casino. You're now prepared to learn more about progressive blackjack and go on to the next level.
An explanation of progressive jackpots
Online slots with a growing payout that keeps increasing, such as the well-known Mega Moolah, were the first games with progressive jackpots. Along with a portion of all bets made by all players on the same progressive jackpot network, a portion of the player's wager is added to the basic jackpot sum, also known as the seed jackpot. This keeps going until someone hits the big prize, at which point the seed jackpot returns to its starting value.
These online slots are incredibly popular because of the possibility of huge prizes, but what connection does blackjack have to slots? Given the popularity of progressive jackpot slots, it's highly possible that table games like blackjack at both brick-and-mortar and online casinos will soon offer progressive payouts as well.
So tell me, what is blackjack progressive? Just regular blackjack plus a side wager for a progressive prize is called progressive blackjack. Should you wager on this side bet and a particular set of cards emerge, you will receive a portion of the progressive jackpot. When playing progressive blackjack, four decks of cards are typically used. In an attempt to win a jackpot payout, you place a side bet, hoping that your two cards would match the dealer's two cards in some way.The result of the base game remains unchanged regardless of your win or loss, and vice versa.
This is not to be confused with progressive blackjack betting, a type of blackjack wagering in which players increase their bets following a victory and decrease them following a loss.
How to Play Blackjack Progressive
In addition to paying out winning combinations and the progressive jackpot itself, a progressive blackjack side bet also requires higher stakes in order to be eligible to win.
- One ace of any suit: Payout odds of +300.
- Two aces of different suits: Payout odds of +1500.
- Two aces of the same suit: Payout odds of +5000.
- Three aces of different suits: Payout odds of +20000.
- Three aces of the same suit: Payout odds of +100000.
- Four aces of different colors: Payout odds of +200000.
- Four aces of the same color (either red or black): The progressive jackpot is triggered.
Advancing in Blackjack
It's true that all you need to play progressive blackjack is a fundamental understanding of the game, but that's not the complete picture. There are a few further guidelines. One is that splitting the aces prevents you from winning the jackpot.
To get better at your base game in blackjack, you'll need to comprehend the notion of splitting. You can split your first two cards into two different hands and obtain a new card for each if they are a pair, meaning they have the same value. In addition, you need to wager twice as much as you did the first time. A pair of aces should generally always be split, but in progressive blackjack, you should retain them together.
There's another rule about doubling down. You can increase your original wager by up to 100% by doubling down. However, you must also accept one additional card in exchange. In progressive blackjack, it is not possible to double down after splitting and can only be done when your hand scores 9, 10, or 11.
Practice Advances: Blackjack with a Live Dealer
Being the closest to 21 is ultimately how winning at blackjack may be explained. Even while it seems easy, it takes some getting used to these ideas. Playing live dealer blackjack at an online casino is a fantastic method to pick up tips and tricks at the blackjack table. On your smartphone or tablet, you may actually join a live blackjack table and compete against a professional dealer who hands actual cards.
You may discover all there is to know about doubling down and splitting, as well as additional side bets. Playing at an online casino has a fantastic social component as well. Through a chat box on the gaming interface, you may communicate with other players at the table as well as your helpful live online blackjack dealer. You can practice utilizing a blackjack chart, a strategy chart that shows the greatest possible plays for every given card combination, when you play live online blackjack for real money. Practice does, after all, make perfect.
Top Side Bets at Online Casinos
Progressive jackpots are not available in live dealer blackjack at this time, but there are some fantastic online blackjack variations with amazing side bets that are quite similar. This is a great way to keep blackjack interesting and new.
Blazing 7s Blackjack is among the greatest side bets offered by online casinos to blackjack gamers. If any of your first two cards are a 7, you will win 5 times your investment; the more 7s that come up in the draw, the bigger the jackpot. If you have two 7s in your hand, you will receive 35 times your side bet; if the dealer's up card is also a 7, you will receive 77x; if the dealer's up card and your first two cards are the same color, you will receive 350x. You may win a whopping 777 times your bet if they are all in the same suit. Blazing 7s Blackjack allows you to play up to three hands at once.
Remember to consult your blackjack chart while determining the best course of action given the cards you have been dealt.