The blackjack tables

Blackjack basic strategy is the key to getting yourself the best possible odds and maximising your profits online. These tables show the statistically correct action to take in any blackjack situation. While some of the actions that they appear to suggest may seem 'wrong' to you, they are not and over time you will always be better off following the table

Blackjack differs slightly depending on which casino you play it. For example some casino's allow you to double at any time and some allow you to double after splitting, while other don't. What this means is that the optimal playing strategy is slightly different depending on the software used.

In real casinos (and often online), people rarely play correctly, with most failing to give enough weight to the card the dealer is showing. The dealers card is vitally important. With the dealer showing a 6 you would stick on 12, while with the dealer showing a 7, you would hit on a 16. Obviously not going along with the table may work in the short term, but over time you'll always be at a disadvantage if you don't follow it.

You may have heard about people winning through card counting. While this is possible (though incredibly difficult) at land-based casinos, at online casinos the deck is shuffled after every hand meaning that card counting can not be done at all.

When you click on to the bonus offers page you are told which software that a particular casino uses and when playing just look up the corresponding blackjack table here. It won't make a huge difference if you use the wrong table as they are all very similar, but obviously its advantageous if you can use the correct one.

Underneath each table there is a recommended casino using that software.

Microgaming- (Zodiac Casino, Lucky Nugget, Captain Cooks)

Playtech- (Mapau, Casino Fortune) -also use for iGlobalmedia (Planet Luck)

Odds On- (English Harbour, Carribean Gold)

Boss Media- (Queens Club, Prestige Casino)

Cryptologic- (Intercasino, William Hill)

Real Time Gaming- (iNetBet, Crystal Palace)

Click here for instructions on how to use the tables.

Unfortunately, an increasing number of online casino's are preventing users from playing blackjack if they take up the bonus offers, primarily because they are concerned about the amount of money they are losing in this way.

We would recommend that you would first take up the blackjack offers, as these are much 'safer'- the variance in results is lower. HOWEVER Jacks or Better Video Poker and Deuces Wild Video Poker both offer similar average returns to Blackjack.

The problem is that the variance is much higher, meaning that the risk of losing money is a lot higher, BUT the chance of making a huge profit is much higher as well. For instance a royal flush playing full coins will get you 4000* the coin amount, $1000 if you're playing at $1.25 a hand.

If you choose to play Video Poker, or its multi-hand variant Power Poker (recommended), then you should note that the variance in results is a lot greater than with blackjack. What this means is that though it is more likely you will lose your deposit and your bonus at a casino. BUT, it is highly likely that you will more than make up for this with big wins at others, as it is far easier to have a very big win with video poker than with blackjack. Click HERE for Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild Simple Strategy.

Probably the most common software in use. Payments are prompt, software is fairly fast (though remember to turn the sound off to increase the speed) and a £ sterling option is often available.Often looks blocky on first use- click options/video options/run on the standard desktop to correct this.

For microgaming version 1 (non-viper,non-autoplay) use the first table. For microgaming version 2 (viper)/vegas strip blackjack use the second table

HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair

H= Hit (another card)

S= Stick (stand- no more cards)

P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)

D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)

DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK

Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.

House Edge is 0.13 - 0.3606% (depending on game and software version).

HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair

STICK on ALL 17-21 if there is no ace or pair.

H= Hit (another card)

S= Stick (stand- no more cards)

P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)

D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)

DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK

H/R=Surrender if allowed (IglobalMedia allows surrender), otherwise hit

Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.

House Edge is 0.47%

HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair

H= Hit (another card)

S= Stick (stand- no more cards)

P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)

D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)

Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.

House Edge is 0.73%

Cryptologic software always requires a pin-number to withdraw. Gameplay is fast and payouts very quick. Generally the casino's offer excellent monthly bonus offers and currently all casinos are risk-free- you are free to withdraw your original deposit at any time.

HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair

STICK on ALL 17-21 if there is no ace or pair.

H= Hit (another card)

S= Stick (stand- no more cards)

P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)

D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)

DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK

Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.

House Edge is 0.46% for multideck, 0.11% singledeck

Click here to find out about the superb SuperVegas (boss media) offer

HIT on all 5-8 if there is no ace of pair

H= Hit (another card)

S= Stick (stand- no more cards)

P= Pair (split- i.e. if you have two 9's, you then split them to have 2 new hands)

D= Double (you double your bet, but only get one more card)

DS=Double if option available, otherwise STICK

Insurance will be offered if dealers top card is an Ace. It is not worth taking it in any situation. Always say NO.

House Edge is 0.58%

Only ever play on a full pay machine. Microgaming, Playtech and Odds On all have full paying machines. To find out if its a 'full pay' machine, look at the first line of the payout table.

On Jacks or Better a full house should pay 9 and a flush 6                                   On Deuces Wild a straight flush should pay 9 and a 5 of a kind 15                         If this is the case then it is a full-pay machine.

ALWAYS 'bet max', this means using 5 coins at a time. The minimum bet is generally 0.25c, meaning that each hand would be $1.25 on Video Poker or 4*$1.25 on Power Poker (in power poker 4 hands are played simultaneously). If you want to increase the bets select coin size 0.50c and play at $2.50 per hand. The reason why you must ALWAYS 'bet max' is because if you get a Royal Flush then you will only get the real jackpot if you're playing 'bet max'/'full coins'. Look at the top line of the payout table to see this.

At the end of a winning hand you will be asked if you want to double. Though this is completely up to you, we would recommend that you choose NO and set the options so that doubling is not allowed. It is also advisable to have 'auto-hold' ON as an option, so that you do not miss any winning hands.

If possible we would always recommend that you play power poker. The % return is identical to normal video poker and the variance no higher, but the fact that you are playing 4-lines simultaneously means that the wagering is completed a lot quicker.

All online casino's offer a play for fun or practice mode. As video poker appears at first slightly more complicated than blackjack, it is recommended that you use these modes and get a feel for the game, before you risk your own money.

Jacks or Better Video Poker/Power Poker (recommended)

Jacks or Better is called Jacks or Better because it pays if you have a hand of a pair of jacks or better. The game operates in the same way as 5 card stud, in that you are dealt 5 cards and then choose to swap any number of these to leave you with your final hand. The expected return on a full pay machine is 99.46% (house edge of 0.56%).

The same strategy applies for both video poker and power poker. To use this strategy table, look up all the ways that you could play your initial hand (the 5 cards you are dealt to begin with) and elect that which is highest on the list. A 'high card' here means a Jack or higher. 

1. Full house or better
2. 4 to a royal flush
3. Straight, three of a kind, or flush
4. 4 to a straight flush
5. Two pair
6. High pair
7. 3 to a royal flush
8. 4 to a flush
9. Low pair
10. 4 to an outside straight
11. 2 suited high cards
12. 3 to a straight flush
13. 2 unsuited high cards (if more than 2 pick then pick lowest 2)
14. Suited 10/J, 10/Q, or 10/K
15. One high card
16. Discard everything

Terms:

High card: A jack, queen, king, or ace- these cards are valuable because a pair of any of them returns the original bet.

Straight: 5 cards of any suit in a row. EG- 3,4,5,6,7   10,J,Q,K,A    A,2,3,4,5  (BUT NOT Q,K,A,2,3). Remember, an ace can be high or low but not both.

Outside straight: A straight with a missing outside card, for example 3,4,5,6 and can therefore be completed at either end. Here a 2 or a 7 will result in a straight

Inside straight: A straight with a missing inside card, for example 3,4,6,7, as only a 5 here will result in a winning straight.  In addition J,Q,K,A also counts as an inside straight because only a 10 will result in a straight.

Flush- 5 cards of the same suit.

Full House- A 3 of a kind and a pair. For example J,J,3,3,3 is a 'jacks over 3s' full house.

Straight Flush/Royal Flush- 5 cards in a row of the same suit. For example 2,3,4,5,6 all of hearts is a straight flush. A royal flush is a 10,J,Q,K,A all in the same suit and pays out 4000* the coin size (with 'max coins').

Deuces Wild Video Poker/Power Poker

In Deuces Wild Video Poker all 2's ('Deuces') are wild, meaning that they can count as any card. A 3 of a Kind is the minimum winning hand on Deuces Wild and returns the original stake. The expected return on the online machines is around 99% (house edge of 1%)

The same strategy applies for both Video Poker and Power Poker, the 4-line version of Video Poker. From the list below identify the highest hand you have according to the number of 'Deuces' (2's) in your hand, keep the cards listed and discard the others. 

0 deuces 

1. 4,5 to a royal flush
2. Any pat paying hand
3. 4 to a straight flush
4. 3 to a royal flush
5. Pair
6. 4 to a flush
7. 4 to an outside straight
8. 3 to a straight flush
9. 4 to an inside straight
10. 2 to a royal flush, J,Q high

1 deuce 

1. Any pat four of a kind or higher
2. 4 to a royal flush
3. Full house
4. 4 to a straight flush with 3 consecutive singletons, 5-7 or higher
5. 3 of a kind, straight, or flush
6. All other 4 to a straight flush
7. 3 to a royal flush
8. 3 to a straight flush with 2 consecutive singletons, 6-7 or higher
9. deuce only

2 deuces 

1. Any pat four of a kind or higher
2. 4 to a royal flush
3. 4 to a straight flush with 2 consecutive singletons, 6-7 or higher
4. 2 deuces only

3 deuces 

1. Pat royal flush
2. 3 deuces only

4 deuces 

1. 4 deuces

Terms:

High card: A jack, queen, king, or ace- these cards are valuable because a pair of any of them returns the original bet.

Straight: 5 cards of any suit in a row. EG- 3,4,5,6,7   10,J,Q,K,A    A,2,3,4,5  (BUT NOT Q,K,A,2,3). Remember, an ace can be high or low but not both.

Outside straight: A straight with a missing outside card, for example 3,4,5,6 and can therefore be completed at either end. Here a 2 or a 7 will result in a straight

Inside straight: A straight with a missing inside card, for example 3,4,6,7, as only a 5 here will result in a winning straight.  In addition J,Q,K,A also counts as an inside straight because only a 10 will result in a straight.

Flush- 5 cards of the same suit.

Full House- A 3 of a kind and a pair. For example J,J,3,3,3 is a 'jacks over 3s' full house.

Straight Flush/Royal Flush- 5 cards in a row of the same suit. For example 2,3,4,5,6 all of hearts is a straight flush. A royal flush is a 10,J,Q,K,A all in the same suit and pays out 4000* the coin size (with 'max coins').

Though the house edge is higher for this game than for either blackjack or video poker, war is infrequently on the list of excluded games and takes far less time to play and mental effort than either video poker or blackjack. However, it isn't always available at all casino's, with microgaming rarely offering it as part of their game package.