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Not all blackjack games can be played for free

When you play blackjack online for free you won’t find any live dealer games available. This is because they would be too expensive for the online casino to run, as they involve paying for professional dealers and studio space.

This also means that you won’t be able to play free online blackjack with other players. Live dealer blackjack games are, undoubtedly, the most thrilling of variants, so if this is something you might enjoy check out our real money live blackjack games.

• Familiarise yourself with blackjack rules and strategies

  There are many strategies you can use when playing free blackjack games, such as the Martingale and the Fibonacci, which involve raising your bets every time you lose. This is based on the logic that a losing streak will eventually end and you’ll land a big win.However, it can turn out to be expensive when you start playing with real money, so only use this if you have a solid bankroll. If you’re planning on a smaller budget, the d’Alembert strategy is safer as you only raise your bet by one point when you lose, and you reduce by another point when you win.Practising these blackjack strategies in free mode will get your technique in ship shape for when you’re putting down wagers on the real deal.

• Practice counting cards

  This method could get you blacklisted at a brick-and-mortar casino, but when you play blackjack online it’s accepted. You’ll need a small measure of arithmetic skills so as to be able to count cards when playing blackjack, to figure out how many high and low suits remain in the deck. Based on this knowledge, you’ll know whether to raise or stand.

• Look for blackjack bonuses

  You can’t pick up a bonus when playing in free mode. But when you decide to put down a real money wager, these offer an excellent way of extending your bankroll so as to increase your chances of winning. LeoVegas, for example, has an excellent welcome offer of NZ$2,000 and 30 Golden Chips on blackjack for new players. This will allow you to make the switch from playing blackjack for free to winning real money without risking too much of your cash.

• Look for variants and bets with a low house edge

  Pick free blackjack variants which give you a bigger advantage on the house, such as classic blackjack, which often has a house edge of 0.13% to 0.5% using basic strategy. Blackjack Switch can have a house edge as low as 0.16% when played with optimal strategy. Avoid taking the insurance bet as this pushes the house edge up to between 7% and 14.3%.

• 1

  Click on one of our recommended free online blackjack casinos

  Follow the link from this page to discover the best selection of blackjack freeplay games.

• 2

  Navigate to the casino games library

  The casino may require you to create an account before you can access the free blackjack download.

• 3

  Choose your preferred blackjack variant

  If you’re a newbie, make sure you pick one with a lower house edge as explained above.

• 4

  Check the hand you’re dealt

  The objective of the game is to gain the higher hand without going over 21. Decide whether to hit or stand based on your hand.

• 5

  The winning hand is revealed

  You win if you’ve got the higher hand.

These are the basic rules when playing free blackjack, but every variant and bet type has its own rules. For more detailed information about the rules of the game check out our guide on how to play blackjack.

Glossary

• Basic Strategy: A set of rules for play (hitting, standing, doubling, splitting) that represent the best mathematical decisions for each possible blackjack hand.
• Blackjack: A hand that consists of an Ace and a 10-value card (10, Jack, Queen, King), totaling 21.
• Bust: Having a hand value that exceeds 21, resulting in an immediate loss.
• Card Counting: A strategy where players track the ratio of high to low cards left in the deck, adjusting bets based on the odds favouring the player.
• Face Cards: Jacks, Queens, and Kings, which are all worth 10 points.
• Deck Penetration: The percentage of cards in play since the previous shuffle, a calculation that is made during card counting.
• Double Down: Doubling your original bet and receiving only one additional card to your hand.
• Hard Hand: A hand without an ace, or with an ace that must be counted as 1 to avoid busting.
• Hit: Requesting another card from the dealer to add to your current hand.
• Hole Card: The dealer's card that is dealt face down.
• House Edge: The mathematical advantage that the casino has over the players.
• Natural: Another term for ‘blackjack’, a two-card hand consisting of an ace and a 10-value card.
• Insurance: A side bet that players can make when the dealer's up card is an Ace; it pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack.
• Push: When both the player and dealer have the same hand value, resulting in a tie. The player's bet is returned.
• Soft Hand: A hand that includes an Ace counted as 11 without the total going over 21.
• Split: If you have two cards of the same value, you can split them into two separate hands by placing a second bet equal to the first.
• Stand: Choosing not to receive any additional cards because you're satisfied with your hand's value.
• Surrender: A rule that allows players to give up half their bet for the privilege of not playing out a hand.
• Upcard: The dealer's card that is dealt face up.