Tag Archives: Blackjack

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Play Online Blackjack at Silver Oak Casino

March 10, 2016 – 3:07 pm

Silver Oak Casino was founded back in 2008 and as they approach their 10 year anniversary we’re ready to take a closer look at what they offer to USA online blackjack fans. First, and clearly most importantly, is the simple fact that they accept, indeed, welcome, US players. Deposits and withdrawals are handled quickly with minimal fuss and getting into the action could hardly be easier.

In addition, and this will be a major bonus for those that like long sessions at the table or who just like a bit of variety, Silver Oak Casino offer an excellent range of different blackjack games and variants.

As well as fairly standard single and multi-hand versions of the casino’s greatest game, you’ll also be able to play Double Exposure, Match Play 21 and Perfect Pairs, as well as Multi-Player blackjack, single deck games, European blackjack, Super 21 and Pontoon. That’s enough to keep even the most avid of blackjack players more than happy for a very long time.

In addition, the more “normal” variants use very favorable rules, offering a highly competitive house edge, not to mention a good staking range which goes from just a dollar right up to $250.

With excellent banking options and first class customer support, Silver Oak is an excellent choice for those looking for somewhere new to play online blackjack – and that’s before we even get to the bonuses they offer!

New customers at Silver Oak Casino can claim an unbeatable $10,000 in bonuses, with a 100% bonus on each of their first 10 deposits up to $1,000 each time. Use bonus code SILVEROAK1 through to SILVEROAK10 in order to claim this sensational offer.

What makes this offer so good is that whilst many online casinos reserve their best welcome bonuses for slots fans, this headline promotion is available to blackjack fans too (and video poker players too for that matter). In addition there is no maximum withdrawal and the bonus wagering is an incredibly generous 60 times for blackjack. That may sound like a lot but with some sites counting blackjack at just a 10% rate, they effectively have blackjack wagering of 300 times the bonus and deposit amount. Note that slots fans can play through just 30 times the deposit and bonus, whilst the wagering if you play video poker is the same as for blackjack.

With all these great reasons to try Silver Oak Casino, plus a load of other offers you’ll find on their promotions page, what are you waiting for?!

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Staking Plans for Blackjack

February 26, 2016 – 9:55 am

Whether you play blackjack at your local casino, twice a year on holiday at Vegas or anywhere else, or every day of the week at any of the USA online blackjack sites we feature here, using a staking plan is highly advisable. Here we explain what a staking plan is and take a look at some of the main types of systems, also suggesting the one we feel is best for playing real money online blackjack.

First of all, let’s answer the obvious question: what is a staking plan? Many occasional blackjack players rock up to the table, online or in the real world, and simply bet as they like, changing their stake on each hand as the mood takes them or simply sticking with one bet regardless of the ongoing situation and without any thought having gone into the initial stake level.

A staking plan is a more deliberate and considered approach to deciding what to bet on any given hand and whilst it can’t guarantee delivering a profit, it can help you achieve your goals more efficiently when things do go your way.

In essence there are three main types of staking plan, ones that increase your stake after a loss, and/or as your bankroll decreases, ones that increase your stake after a win and/or as your bank grows and ones that essentially remain flat.

For many players the latter system is probably the best and a so-called level-stakes staking plan is a good way to keep things fun. As with all casino games, blackjack favors the house and so, theoretically, eventually the casino wins and the player loses. A level stakes plan, however, ensures that you can make your bank last for the period of time you are wanting it to, based on a reasonable worst case scenario. How much you stake on a given hand depends on your total bank, the average speed of the game and how long you want to play for.

In our opinion thee worst form of staking plan increases stake when you lose. Negative progression systems, the most notorious of which is the Martingale system, mean you are risking the most cash when you can least afford it and, moreover, when results suggest that maybe luck, the deck or your own emotions and thinking are against you.

The opposite system, increasing stakes when you win, can be a good option, essentially for all the opposite reasons listed above.

Ultimately we recommend you try a few variations of level stakes and positive progression plans but, however you stake be sure to check out our blackjack bonuses and promotions. Then head over to the best USA online blackjack sites and get started playing online for a chance to win some cold hard cash.

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Games

What is the difference between pontoon and blackjack?

February 12, 2016 – 5:17 am

Most of the best USA online blackjack sites will offer a number of different blackjack variants and included among these may well be pontoon and other similar games, for example Spanish 21. Here we take a look at the major differences between pontoon and blackjack so read on if you’ve never tried pontoon or aren’t sure what it is.

What actually confuses the matter somewhat is that different names are used for the same games in different places, whilst the same name can mean something slightly different in another country or region. For the sake of clarity, here we are talking about pontoon as it features at a number of excellent real money US casinos, especially those that use Realtime Gaming (RTG) software for their games. Elsewhere around the world, for example Australia and certain parts of Asia, pontoon is actually much more like Spanish 21 and, of course, to confuse matters further, all of these games are in many ways very similar and almost certainly share a common ancestor.

Anyway, sticking with RTG pontoon, it is a game where the object is to beat the dealer, ideally by recording 21. In general it uses eight decks and the best hand is “pontoon”, which is an ace with any 10 value card (even after splitting). Next, and as with pontoon paying out at 2/1, comes a five card trick, which is simply a non-busted hand containing five cards, irrespective of the overall total, followed by a non-pontoon 21 made with four cards or less. Hands then are simply ranked in descending numerical order, with a hand of 22 or more, bust in other words, being the worst hand.

There are lots of small rule differences that separate pontoon from blackjack and these are too many to detail here, however perhaps the most important thing to note is that pontoon offers a very low house edge. Subject to rule variants the house edge at pontoon is an impressive 0.38%, meaning that for every $1,000 staked you can expect, on average, to lose just $3.80. Note that unlike blackjack, where fewer decks are used in pontoon the house edge increases but even so, it’s clear that pontoon offers the player a great chance to profit with just the slightest swing in luck.

Perhaps the biggest difference between pontoon and blackjack not already covered is that the dealer receives two face down cards, only revealing these after all players have completed their turn. In addition the player can only stand on hands of 15 or more (or five card tricks). The final major difference is that tied hands lose.

Whilst that latter point may seem harsh, the fact remains that pontoon offers a hugely competitive house edge, as well as a new game to try. What are you waiting for? Use the USA online blackjack casinos we recommend to also play online pontoon.

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Games

Using Blackjack to Clear Casino Bonuses

January 27, 2016 – 6:05 am

Just about every online casino and USA online blackjack site around offers a welcome bonus in order to attract new customers and persuade players to give them a try. In the olden days – which is probably pre-2005 when it comes to online casinos – it was very easy to use these bonuses to pretty much guarantee a profit, or at the very least one could say the offers had a positive expected value.

However, because some clever (or dishonorable, depending on your point of view) blackjack fans took advantage of these offers the casinos quickly got wise and introduced increasingly strict wagering requirements that had to be completed prior to making a withdrawal.

These bonus rollover terms were essentially designed to make sure that the bonuses were being used fairly by recreational players, as opposed to being exploited by professional and semi-professional gangs and individuals.

Nowadays the best US-friendly casinos and online blackjack sites have the balance just right, with bonuses that are difficult to guarantee a profit from but that also offer the player a decent chance of success and enough incentive to play.

Many casino players automatically assume that they should play slots in order to try and complete the bonus rollover requirements but this isn’t always the case and blackjack is still a valuable tool, especially, of course, if you love playing online blackjack.

The reason that slots are so often favored is because they almost always contribute at 100% towards any rollover conditions. By that, we mean that if you play $10 on slots, $10 comes off the remaining wagering requirement. In contrast blackjack very rarely, if ever, counts at such a high percentage. At many casinos, even the first class blackjack-focused sites we feature here at USABlackjackCasinos, it’s not uncommon to see blackjack count at as little as 5%, although 10%, 25% or even 50% are available at our favorite sites.

If blackjack only counts at 10%, that means that one $10 hand will only knock $1 off the remaining bonus wagering. That’s often enough for many players to automatically discount blackjack when trying to clear a bonus but they’d be wrong to do so because the low house edge of the game means it can still land you a nice profit.

The house edge (casino advantage) on blackjack can be less than 0.5% if you find favorable rules, although 0.7% is perhaps a more realistic figure. That means that for every $10,000 of blackjack you play you “should” only lose $70 (and obviously with just a little luck that figure could easily be smaller or even a profit).

As such, for those that love blackjack, this great game can be well worth playing if you’re looking to clear a bonus, although of course you should always check the exact terms before you accept such a bonus.

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Our Blackjack Wishes for 2016

December 18, 2015 – 5:13 am

We love playing blackjack online and if you stick to the top US online blackjack sites we recommend then playing should be a fun, slick and safe experience. However, some sites are not so honest or professional, whilst even the best of the best could get, well, a little better! Here’s what we’re wishing for in 2016 when it comes to the world of online blackjack …

House Edge

The house edge in blackjack is the casino’s advantage over the player expressed in percentage terms. It isn’t a secret and we’d like online casinos to become a little more open about it. Some of the best blackjack sites offer a range of blackjack variants and we’d like to see the house edge clearly marked for each, allowing comparison between different sites and within the same site between different rule-sets.

In addition, we’d like to see casinos lower the house edge in general. Things like short paying blackjack (some unscrupulous sites pay at 6/5, not 3/2) are just unacceptable, whilst more favorable rules generally, at least on some tables, would be a nice little gift for 2016.

Blackjack Bonuses

When it comes to casino bonuses, blackjack players are treated a little like second class citizens. Slots fans get all the love, with 300% or even 400% bonuses whilst we have to settle for 100% or maybe 200% at best. We understand why that is but what really irks us is that as well as the lower bonus percentage, we then also see blackjack not counted at 100% in the rollover terms!

Not only does this make things very complicated, with blackjack sometimes counting as little as 5% of your stake, it’s also very unfair. In 2016 we’d like to see blackjack treated more fairly compared to slots, at least when it comes to the wagering percentages.

Better Mobile Options

Mobile casinos have been around for some time and in the last few years they’ve really improved a lot. However, when it comes to blackjack, most mobile casinos still offer very little, with just standard blackjack offered at most. In 2016 would it be too much to ask for a few different blackjack variants and maybe even some live dealer blackjack?

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General

Latest Blackjack and Casino News – December 2015

December 2, 2015 – 10:41 am

We love playing blackjack and with so many great options for USA online blackjack (check out our reviews and bonus info for the latest great sites and promotions) you don’t even need to leave the house to have a game. However, whether we’re on a run of bad luck, waiting to get paid or just fancy a change, sometimes we like to take a break from playing the great game of blackjack. At times like these we take a look at the news – blackjack news, of course!

MIT Blackjack Legend Sells Vegas Mansion for $9m

Andy Bloch, the 46-year-old poker and blackjack ace who was part of the infamous MIT blackjack team that inspired the movie 21, has put his Vegas mansion on the market. If you fancy living in the former house of Bloch, who won more than $100,000 in a single blackjack session in his MIT glory years, you’ll need some big bucks of your own, with the asking price just a shade under $9m. Who said you can’t make a living playing cards?

The six bedroom palace has, naturally enough, a games room with in-built poker table, a prime view over the Vegas strip from the outdoor pool and even a media room. It’s a bit rich for us but maybe one day …

Cheating at the Tables in Southbridge

A 52-year-old dealer, Roy Mariano, and a 36-year-old woman, Marlene Rivera, have been charged with larceny after surveillance footage from the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut allegedly showed them conspiring to cheat. It is said that on 16 times in August this year Mariano overpaid Rivera by substituting $100 chips for $5 chips when he paid out. The pair are alleged to have split the $78,000 profit 50/50 and Mariano says he took part in the scam after his hours and pay were cut. The case continues.

Delta Corp Shares Surge

Shares in Delta Corp jumped 6% today after it was announced they had been granted permission to operate blackjack and other casino games at one of their Indian hotels in Goa. This is the first time Delta Corp have been granted an on-shore license and they hope this will pave the way for further expansion into the potentially huge Indian market, where they already own three offshore casinos in the state of Goa.

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Games

House Edge at Blackjack

November 19, 2015 – 2:52 pm

If you’ve ever played USA online blackjack then you should probably be aware that online blackjack has one of the lowest house edges of any casino game. In simple terms, the house edge is the advantage the casino has over the player and indicates how much the player can expect to lose during an average session. Here we take a look at the house edge in blackjack and what factors impact it, which should help you choose the game with the lowest house edge.

What is the House Edge?

The house edge is a little like the profit margin the casino builds into games. It is expressed as a percentage and a totally “fair” game, such as flipping a coin with odds of evens for either outcome, has a house edge of 0%. Blackjack typically has a house edge of around 1%, which means that on average, if you played 100 hands at $10 a time you would expect to be just $10 down in total. In roulette the house edge is 2.70% for a single zero game and 5.26% for double zero, whilst slots can be as high as 20%!

Use Basic Strategy

In roulette and slots, your decisions do not alter the house edge, however in blackjack, like video poker, they do. In order to achieve the “advertised” house edge, the lowest possible within any given ruleset, you must follow basic strategy as any deviation will increase the casino’s advantage and, ultimately, decrease your bankroll.

What Affects The House Edge

Different casinos offer slightly different rules and game variants when it comes to blackjack and various factors have an impact on the house edge. In order to pick the most profitable game of blackjack it pays to know a few basic factors that either help or hinder your chances and here are five of the biggest.

  1. Decks – the fewer the better, ideally one, certainly fewer than eight
  2. Blackjack Full Pay – NEVER play blackjack if a “natural” is paid at odds lower than 3/2
  3. Soft 17 – look for a game where the dealer stands on soft 17
  4. Double – if you can double on any cards great, if not doubling on 9-11 is better than just 10 or 11
  5. Split Aces – the ability to split aces reduces the house edge significantly
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General

The Four Horsemen of Blackjack

October 7, 2015 – 11:03 am

The Four Horsemen of Blackjack are quite possibly the most important people in the entire history of the game of blackjack. Whether you are a regular of USA online blackjack, like to play a few hands whenever you’re in Vegas or play at home with your buddies, if you have ever used Basic Strategy when you’ve played blackjack, you owe a great debt to The Four Horsemen of the Aberdeen Proving Ground – to use their full and proper title.

Basic Strategy is the mathematically proven optimum strategy for playing blackjack and effectively tells you whether you should hit, stand, double or split in any given situation. Working this complex algorithm out now would be relatively simple with a cheap computer and a decent grounding in math, but back when the Four Horsemen figured it all out, they used just a pencil, some paper and their collective brainpower.

William Cantey, Herbert Maisel, Roger Baldwin and James McDermott were stationed at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland in the 1950s and decided to see if they could crack the game of blackjack. Upon learning that the dealer had to hit to 16 and stand on 17, Baldwin, who had a Master’s in Math, decided he could try and calculate the best move following the initial deal.

Given there are a fixed number of cards in the deck it seemed right that in any given situation there must be a “right” and a “wrong” call. Previously blackjack players went on received wisdom and hunches but these four bright army men decided they would attempt to work out what choices would yield the best results in the long term.

From 1953 onwards the four soldiers worked on their theory, testing and analyzing, using nothing more than army “adding machines”, as primitive calculators were then known. In fall 1956 they published “The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack” which essentially codified, created, invented, call it what you will, Basic Strategy.

Their original document is almost perfect, with some very minor alterations having been made over the years that produce returns a tiny fraction higher. Amazingly it wasn’t until 2008 that they were inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame but since then their amazing feat has been more widely and fully appreciated.

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Splitting at Blackjack

September 9, 2015 – 6:53 am

Splitting is one of the key decisions in blackjack and knowing when to split a pair into two hands (and when not to) will help you maximize your chances of success. Splitting at the right time will keep the house edge – the casino’s advantage over the player – as low as possible and that means you need only the smallest amount of luck in order to clear that casino bonus or make a nice profit from your session at the table.

When playing at your favorite USA online blackjack site it’s easy to refer to basic strategy and unless you have memorized every call then we would recommend using a basic strategy chart to help you. However, if you don’t want to keep checking a sheet, or happen to be playing blackjack in a real-world casino, then knowing the essentials of when to split will help you play more quickly, more profitably and enjoy your entire blackjack experience that little bit more.

The following information is based on standard blackjack rules, assuming four to eight decks, doubling after splitting is not allowed and the dealer stands on soft 17. The easiest splits to remember are aces and eights, which should always, always be split. Even when the dealer is holding an ace himself and you think you might be better off trying to limit your losses, with a pair of eights, for example, splitting is ALWAYS the right choice.

The next simple one is a pair of fours, which should never be split and always hit, even to a dealer showing a six. The same applies with a pair of fives and a pair of 10s – these should never be split, even if you like the idea of taking two hands with a 10 against a five or a six. Basic strategy, math, science, call it what you will, is never wrong, so don’t play with your gut or instinct, make the call that is proven to deliver long-term profit.

The other splits are slightly more complex but:

  • Split nines unless the dealer has a seven, 10 or ace
  • Split sevens unless the dealer has a higher card
  • Split sixes unless the dealer has higher card or a two
  • Split twos and threes only to a dealer four to seven inclusive
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General

Latest Blackjack and Casino News

July 31, 2015 – 8:43 am

Playing at great USA online blackjack sites is how we spend most of our time but every now and again we take a break to keep up with blackjack news from around the world and in particular here in the US. Read on for some of the latest and most interesting blackjack news stories around.

Lady Gaga Hits The Tables

Lady Gaga doesn’t seem to be doing too much musically of late but she’s certainly enjoying some good casino time. She was playing at Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino and then decided to see what the casino was really all about by playing craps with Tony Bennett until three in the morning!

Personally, we’d have steered her to the blackjack tables but she obviously likes the glamour and attention that comes with shooting craps. Somehow we don’t see her playing online craps or blackjack in her kitchen on a Saturday night!

High Rollers Do As They Please

This may not count as news to many people but high rollers and the rich in general are allowed to do more or less what they please, at least according to one casino pit boss. A boss at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, has told of players urinating on walls, falling into screaming frenzies, throwing chairs, expecting to be allowed to cheat and even perpetrating sexual harassment.

Competition at real-world casinos and online blackjack sites for the big fish who spend top dollar is so intense that it is claimed that such outrageous behavior is accepted. The claims come as part of a hearing at a tribal gaming commission as pit boss Maria DeGiacomo is accused of allowing high rollers to cheat by placing late bets, action she was sacked for.

Glen Costales, testifying in support of his colleague said, “All men are created equal, except in the casino,” and said that such behavior around high rollers – allowing them to place late bets – was common and accepted.

DeGiacomo is trying to clear her name but in the process the industry of offline casinos and gaming is certainly being done no favors.

Seminole D-Day Draws Close

The ongoing issue of the Seminoles’ exclusive rights to blackjack and other card games shows no signs of an easy resolution, despite the exclusivity deal being set to expire on July 31st. Mediation is being sought as the Seminoles look to extend their lucrative deal but the ongoing battle in the state of Florida seems to be heading toward an unhappy conclusion for the tribe, who will have to close their blackjack tables.

If you want to play blackjack then playing online is, oddly enough, our favorite solution so why not check out the various casino and blackjack bonuses available right now?

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