Games

Mobile Blackjack — Is It Possible to Play The Card Game on Your Phone?

All casino lovers who enjoy playing blackjack probably enjoy the fact that they don’t have to go out to land-based casinos anymore to play their favorite card game. Many of them love playing online casino casino games from the comfort of their home. However, the entire industry has got a new player in the game named mobile phone. If you like playing USA online blackjack, you are probably attracted to the idea of playing the game on the go, and that you can access it whenever you want.

This has been one of the options for more than a decade. The entire industry is shifting its main focus from online casinos available on desktops to mobile online and live casinos. Blackjack was one of the first games to be adapted for small screens.

There are a couple of things that you should pay attention to when playing blackjack on your mobile device, though.

First of all, you need to choose a casino platform that offers blackjack as well as suitable blackjack bonuses. Most casinos nowadays offer some kind of this card game, including the popular live blackjack that you get to play with a live dealer.

Next, make sure that the casino of your choice offers a mobile casino. Most of them are available for mobile play in one form or another, and the ones that are not available “on the go” will not be competitive in the future. Casinos either offer dedicated mobile apps or are accessed via mobile browsers. It’s up to you to see which option you prefer. Some people like casinos with special apps, while others don’t like downloading stuff to their phones, and prefer playing games via the mobile browser-based platform.

You also need to have a stable Internet connection to get the most out of the mobile casino experience. If your bandwidth is low, you could experience lags that could be a real pain in the neck.

Finally, check your battery, especially if you are going on a trip with no source of power nearby. Although many online casino games use special technology that saves your battery, they are still consuming a lot of energy. You don’t want your battery to reach 0%.

To sum up, playing mobile casino games is definitely fun, and blackjack is as good as playing it in live-based casinos. So, make sure to try it when you can!

General

Does Card Counting Really Work in Blackjack and Is It Legal?

Card counting is a popular technique used by some blackjack players who want to minimize the luck factor and lower the house edge as much as possible. In fact, card counters claim that this technique could even give players an edge over the casinos. While this is theoretically possible, there are many things that need to be taken into account for it to work.

First of all, according to American law, card counting is not illegal. In other words, nobody can prosecute you if you use the card-counting technique when playing a game of blackjack. However, casinos simply do not like the practice and can ask you to stop playing the game if they notice that you are counting cards. In fact, USA online blackjack platforms can ban you from playing the game for a while if they notice that you are counting cards.

It is very easy to spot a card counter, especially if they are new. They often take time to make bets, and cannot focus on the game itself, as they do the math and count cards all the time. The more experienced ones will definitely hide the fact that they are counting cards, but even they can be busted if casinos notice that they apply some of the betting patterns that are typical for card counters.

Card counting can pay off in the long run. Playing short blackjack sessions will not give you an advantage over the casino. It takes a lot of effort and can sometimes even take all the fun out of the game.

Are There Alternatives to Card Counting?

Card counting is not the only blackjack strategy that can help you increase your chances of winning in this game. In fact, there are many other strategies that are not frowned upon by casinos. Make sure to check out a blackjack strategy chart in order to find out more about this technique that is both profitable and entertaining!

To sum up, you can either learn how to count cards by devoting a lot of time to this technique, or you can learn some other techniques that are accepted by casinos. If you want to go with card counting, you will risk being banned from a casino and will take all the fun out of the game. On the other hand, if you apply other blackjack strategies, you are in for a great ride!

Naturally, card counting will give you a better edge compared to other techniques, but it will take time before you master it!

Featured Casinos

Lucky Red Casino Wednesday Bonus — 66% on All Games

Lucky Red Casino is a very popular casino platform, focusing mainly on US residents. Therefore, if you live in the States, you will have an opportunity to claim the amazing bonus that this platform offers for all blackjack lovers out there.

First of all, you need to register on the platform and, if you want, you can claim the Welcome Bonus that this site offers. However, please bear in mind that the Welcome Bonus is not applicable to blackjack games. On the other hand, if you want to receive some extra bonus money to play blackjack, you will have to opt for the Wednesday Bonus on the site.

But before we proceed, we need to explain how bonuses on Lucky Casino works. Every bonus that requires you to deposit money first has a special Coupon or Promo Code that you need to enter in order to activate it.

Therefore, in order to activate the Wednesday bonus of this casino and play USA online blackjack, make sure to navigate to the promotions page and get to the Wednesday promotion.

So, what can you actually get with this promo? It is a 66% bonus up to $1000. In other words, for every $100 you deposit, you will get an additional $66 that you can use to play no only blackjack but all other games on the site.

Please bear in mind that this bonus, just like every other bonus on this platform, comes with a set of terms and conditions that you need to know in order to get the most out of it. First of all, wagering requirements are set at 25x’s, meaning that you need to play your money through 25 times before your bonus money becomes available for withdrawal. Furthermore, there is no maximum cashout to this bonus, and it is applicable to all games on the platforms. Finally, the bonus is redeemable an unlimited number of times.

Therefore, all you have to do is make a deposit with the right code and make sure that it is Wednesday when you do that. Lucky Red Casino offers promotions for every day of the week, so make sure to check those out as well if you want to.

There are many other interesting US-facing casinos with lucrative blackjack bonuses. Check them out in order to get more bonuses and further enhance your online blackjack playing experience. Some of the sites that are also popular when it comes to bonuses are BoVegas, BetOnline, and more.

General

Betting Strategies Used for Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games out there. It is an engaging, exciting game that has some of the best odds around along with one of the lowest house edges. These are only a few of the reasons that make blackjack the game to play if your goal is to make more money in the long run. This is, of course, is easier said than done. If your wish is to be a good blackjack player, then you must be very familiar with the rules, know what the odds are, and be able to make or use blackjack strategies. The same as any other game of chance, you need to keep an eye on your bankroll, otherwise, you’ll run out of chips before you hit any kind of streak.

There are many strategies for playing USA online blackjack. These are a few that have been proven to better your odds, make your chips last, and increase your playtime. Here is a run-down of three popular strategies. This guide is to help you understand how they work and if they work.

Most of the betting strategies for this game are progressive betting systems. These kinds of systems involve increasing or decreasing your bet (depending on your last hand). Betting systems are utilized to avoid rash betting decisions.

Oscar’s System
This system was proposed by Dr. Allan Wilson, a mathematician, during the 1960s. It aims to win one unit per round. You start your round by placing a bet of one unit. If you win, add a unit, and if it’s a losing hand, your next bet must stay the same. Believe it or not, that’s it for this one – straightforward enough.

2-1-2 (Manhattan) Strategy
Important to know with this strategy is that there is no mathematical basis for streaks (hot or cold) at blackjack. Mathematicians themselves believe in no such thing as a streak, whereas a player will swear otherwise.

This unit is very similar to Oscar’s system; however, instead of maintaining the same bet if you lose a series, the 2-1-2 strategy says to go back to your original bet (not the previous series, but the very beginning). This strategy is best used when one experiences a dip in their “streak” as the aim here is to avoid big losses. This is capitalizing on a good run of cards. This strategy is low risk, low reward (unless you are on a winning streak).

Multiple Spots
This category is the popular myth that playing many hands increases your chances of winning. This is certainly exciting gameplay; however, it does not improve your win rate. There is no harm in forming your own strategy and doing what works for you but remember the core responsibility principles of managing your bets, time, and basic strategy.

You cannot hope to win at blackjack if you do not know the rules or have no fundamental goal or strategy in place. In the end, betting strategies and systems help you to manage your bankroll better, as well as keep you focused.

General

Types of Blackjack

Blackjack is a very popular table game that every respectable casino (online and offline) has on offer. The popularity of the game has led to the many variations that have popped up over the years. Some have withstood the test of time while others have faded into disuse, and then some have become games in their own right. This is a list of the most popular blackjack variations that are played today. The fundamentals of blackjack are unchanging but there are enough differences to make these variations to set them apart.

Offline casinos in the US may not offer more than one variation of blackjack. However, if you are an online player then you are guaranteed to come across variations of the game and even choose a favorite. USA online blackjack offers all these variations depending on the casino you choose to frequent, as well as, blackjack bonuses, live dealer blackjack, and more. For instance, BetOnline Casino offers live dealer blackjack and Silver Oak Casino has a $10 000 blackjack bonus. These are only two of the online platforms that offer great blackjack gameplay.

Blackjack
Also known as “21”, this is the classic game that everyone knows and loves- the most popular type of blackjack throughout the world. The goal is to get close to 21 without going over with the value of the cards you’re holding.

Progressive Blackjack
This variation is the same as classic blackjack with the added bonus of standing a chance to win the increasing jackpot. With this bonus comes a price of a $1 bet, which has to be placed to win the progressive jackpot. The other rules of gameplay are the same besides a slight variance when it comes to doubling and splitting.

European Blackjack
This type of blackjack is usually played with two decks. This game includes some player-friendly rules like a small number of decks and the dealer standing on soft 17. Making up for this, the casino takes out the typical “dealer doesn’t check for blackjack” rule – you play your hand first. This means that you could lose more cash if you split or double the hand.

Face Up 21
This is when both the dealer’s cards are dealt facing upwards. This is a great player advantage when it comes to your strategy. The casino makes up for this by having a higher house edge of 0.69% (blackjack games typically have an edge of 0.5%).

Games

What Pontoon is and How to Play It

If you are a lover of online casino games, you probably stumbled upon a game called “pontoon.” However weird-sounding the name of the game is, you need to take into account that you have actually played that games many times before. In fact, all USA online blackjack players played pontoon before, as the game is nothing more but a variant of blackjack with a couple of different rules that you should take into account.

First of all, you should understand that the terminology used for some actions by US and UK (and Australian) players is completely different. If you tell a pontoon dealer to “hit,” they will not understand the command (or they will, but just not how it is said in pontoon). Instead, you need to tell them to “twist” if you want them to hit you. Similarly, commanding them to “stand” is not a valid option. Instead, you need to tell them to “stick.” Finally, if you want to “double down,” you will have to say “buy” instead.

One of the ways pontoon differs from blackjack is their treatment of a tie. If both the dealer and the player have the same number of points, blackjack calls that “a push” and returns the original bet to the player, calling it a tie. However, pontoon favors the dealer in this case. In other words, if both you and the dealer have, say, 18 points, the dealer will win the hand.

Furthermore, pontoon allows one more way for players to win money, which is called the “five card trick.” If they manage to collect five cards that are less or equal than 21, they will win the dealers hand, even if it has a non-pontoon 21.

There are a couple of other interesting differences that you should definitely take into account, such as the fact that there are no hole cards in pontoon, which opens additional options. Make sure to research additional pontoon rules and strategies or simply explore the free version of online pontoon yourself and get accustomed to the rules before you switch to play for real money.

If you live in the US and you want to play pontoon, make sure to check out USA friendly blackjack sites that also offer pontoon. Once you register, feel free to claim welcome bonuses which can help you explore pontoon with real money and bring you rewards if you are lucky. You just need to take into account that pontoon also has some strategies that you should stick to in order to maximize your winnings.

Promotions

10% Weekly Casino Rebate at BetOnline

BetOnline is one of those platforms that incorporated every type of game of chance into their offer. You can find things such as sports betting, live betting, casino, live casino, poker, eSports, and more. This time, we are going to focus on the casino part, as it offers some of the best blackjack games for all people who like playing USA online blackjack. In other words, this is a US-facing site, meaning that players from this country can play casino games on it, including blackjack.

First of all, we have to note that this offer that is about to be presented is not eligible for live casino. Therefore, if you plan on playing live blackjack on BetOnline, make sure to check their other offers.

The 10% Casino Rebate promo means that they will return a total of 10% of all the money you deposit on casino games and lose. In other words, you can play any casino game on the platform, including blackjack, and if you were not that lucky, you will get 10% money back. This offer is available from Monday through Thursday every week.

Therefore, if you deposit $1000 and lose that money while playing blackjack and other games, you will get $100 in return which you can use once again to play all casino games. The bonus is calculated starting Monday 00:01 ET on Monday and ending on 23:59 ET on Thursday. All the money that you spend within that period will be included in the rebate.

Make sure to check out terms and conditions for this bonus. First of all, the bonus will be valid for seven days, so make sure to use your bonus money within that time frame. Furthermore, the minimum you need to lose in order to activate this promotion is $1,000. On the other hand, the maximum amount of money you can receive as a bonus is $250, meaning that if you lose more than $2,500, you will still receive $250 as a rebate.

There are, of course, other promotions which you can check out on this casino. Make sure to explore casino bonuses and increase your online blackjack experience. Also, we advise you to read USA blackjack reviews for casinos that feature the best blackjack casinos and explore other possibilities for playing this game online. Other casinos also offer hefty welcome bonuses and other promotions that can enhance your gaming journey.

General

What Are Perfect Pairs Side Bets in Online Blackjack?

“Perfect pairs” is a side bet that you can make in some of the online blackjack games and it is very popular among some of the blackjack lovers. It usually comes as a part of European Blackjack which is played mostly with two decks. All rules are pretty much the same in Perfect Pairs, except that you get to place an additional bet which will be triggered only if you get a pair in the first two dealt cards.

Therefore, it is a great way to earn additional money and the odds are not that bad because only two decks are used. For example, Perfect Pairs in American blackjack would be more difficult to hit as it is usually played with six to eight decks. Therefore, if you find an American blackjack with Perfect Pairs side bet feature, you’ll be making a brave move to bet on them, but you will also be rewarded with a lot of money if you have a pair. Nevertheless, let’s stick to the European version because it is also available to players who are looking for USA online blackjack.

How Perfect Pairs Side Bets Pay?
If you get a mixed pair, such as a jack of hearts and a jack of spades, you will get paid 7/1, However, if you match the color as well, and get, say, a jack of hearts and a jack of diamonds, you will receive 15/1. The most difficult thing to get is the so-called perfect pair. Since the game is played with two decks, it is only natural that all cards appear twice in the game. Therefore, if you manage to get, say, two jack of hearts as your first two cards, you will be properly rewarded and get 30/1 pay.

However, you need to understand that Perfect Pairs is still a side bet, and many professional blackjack players don’t like placing side bets as they are not that connected to the game itself. But if you like to play this game for fun, you can always test your luck and make a small side bet, hoping for the best. If you manage to win some money by placing a Perfect Pairs bet, good for you! If you don’t — it’s a game of chance after all! Therefore, make sure to find a USA friendly blackjack site and look for this type of blackjack to test your luck.

General

What Are the Best Alternatives to Blackjack?

One could never have enough of online blackjack and live dealer blackjack as it is one of the most exciting ways to play this card game. Players who love blackjack are often not too eager to test other casino games, as they want to focus only on mastering this game in particular. However, every once in a while, we need to take a break from this game, especially when we are on a losing streak. Every professional blackjack player knows that there must be a period when you need to stop playing the game and seek entertainment elsewhere.

Let’s take a look at some of the other casino games that may be interesting to you if you decide to take a break from playing blackjack.

Online Slots
If you really want to rest from all the casino games that require focus and concentration, you need to choose online slots as the majority of them do not really require you to think too much. All you have to do is place your bet and spin the reels, hoping for the best. If you are lucky, you might even end up winning some of the jackpots and progressive jackpots that many online video slots offer.

Online Roulette
Online roulette and live dealer roulette are very popular among casino lovers on the web. If you know how to play this type of casino games, you will easily get accustomed to all online variants — and there are quite a few, with each of them bringing something new to the table, such as special bets, multipliers, customizable board and wheel, and more.

Baccarat
Baccarat is perhaps the game that mostly resembles blackjack as it is played using cards and a dealer which you could also choose to be live if the online casino of your choice has a live casino section. Baccarat is much simpler than blackjack and does not require a strategy in order to be successful, so it is a great alternative to playing blackjack.

Video Poker
Video poker is a set of poker games that you can play at online casinos against the machine. Unlike online poker which is played against other players, video poker mostly resembles the old poker machines that were once popular in land-based casinos. They are not as complicated as playing poker against other people, meaning they can help you relax after playing blackjack.

Once you try all these games and your head is clear, you can return to playing USA online blackjack and start a new session.

Games

What is House Edge in Blackjack and How Does It Affect the Game?

If you like playing USA online blackjack, or any other type of casino game, you probably stumbled upon a term called house edge. House edge may differ in every game, and it is simply the amount of money that casino earns on you playing games.

Casino games are luck-based games but they are always slightly in favor of the casino since the gambling houses need to earn money as well. Therefore, a house edge is the average amount of money that casinos earn from a certain game.

It is basically a statistical way to state the advantage that the house (the casino) has in certain games. If the house edge is, say 5%, that indicates the average amount of money that the casino takes from players. Naturally, games are random, so some players may win a lot of money, while others may lose it all. However, after some time, when we look into the past and take into account all the winners and losers, we can see that the casino earned approximately 5% from all the money that was invested in games.

The house edge that is applicable to blackjack is statistically much lower compared to other casino games. If you just focus on the basic blackjack strategy you are likely to play a game that has a house edge which is only %0.5.

One cannot help but wonder — why are casinos still holding on to blackjack so much if it has such a low house edge? Well, the thing with the majority of players who play blackjack do it for fun, so many don’t even bother keeping up with the basic strategy and hold on to the luck factor. In other words, most players don’t want to take time and put in effort in learning the basic strategy, let alone applying it when playing blackjack, and that is completely okay. Many casino games are about fun and suspense rather than mathematical thinking.

On the other hand, players who decide not to use the basic strategy will still have a better house edge compared to other casino games. Playing blackjack without the strategy will result in an average house edge being approximately 2% which is still not that bad.

In the end, there is the card-counting technique which can minimize and even completely exclude the edge, but it is forbidden in many casinos and can get you banned from online casino sites.