Play Blackjack for Real Money

Play Online Blackjack for Real Money

Are you ready to win cash playing online blackjack for real money? Perhaps you’ve played at a live casino table or maybe you’ve even studied a blackjack strategy card. At this point in your evolution as a blackjack player, you may have played a routine game for fun with friends and family, or even dabbled with playing for real money online.

Perhaps your level of play has improved to the point where you feel comfortable and confident enough to set up a bankroll and play live casino blackjack. However, before you jump all the way in playing online blackjack with money at stake, there are a number of important factors to consider.

This guide will help you to get the best online blackjack action when playing real money blackjack apps on your phone or online casino games on your computer. Whether you are planning on playing at a land-based, brick and mortar establishment or an online casino, there are a number of important factors you must consider before putting your hard-earned cash on the blackjack table.

Online Blackjack Reviews

When it comes to wagering your hard-earned money playing blackjack at land-based casinos, you will want to stay away from the dubious, back-alley “dives.” Similar concepts apply to online casinos, although it may be more difficult to tell a reputable online gaming platform from a shady one on the web.

When playing online blackjack games for real money, spending a little extra time conducting due-diligence in researching a casino will pay off handsomely. Remember, your personal and financial information hangs in the balance, so investing some extra time is well worth the protection it will afford you.

Knowing the difference between a legitimate online blackjack gambling operation and a scam can be difficult, because even a bogus online casino can have a professional-looking website, and that can be misleading. The bottom line is this — choose to play at a reliable and reputable casino.

So, how do you find the  best online blackjack for real money games? Use the following guidelines to help solidify your choice of where to play blackjack online.

Real Money Blackjack Apps

Most of the well-established online casinos will be affiliated with leading software providers. After all, reliable gameplay is what keeps these casinos in business.

These software providers develop casino game packages that they license too many different casinos. Their business model revolves entirely around selling their games to as many parties as possible, so the reputable “big names” in the industry have no real incentive to collude with any one particular casino to run a rigged game.

So who are these big names? Among the largest and most trustworthy of the blackjack game developers are:

• Amaya
• BetSoft
• Everymatrix
• Evolution Gaming
• IGT
• Microgaming
• NetEnt
• PlayTech
• Realtime Gaming
• SG Interactive

How to Find the Best Blackjack Apps

Most casinos now make blackjack tables available through mobile apps. These apps are the best way to play blackjack on mobile devices such as Android and Apple phones and tablets.

“What devices are real money blackjack apps available for?”

Nearly every casino that offers a mobile app supports Android, and most also support Apple iOS as well. A good range of them also have Windows mobile apps.

In addition to having the right device type, you’ll need hardware that is recent enough. Basic online casino games like blackjack don’t take much in the way of horsepower to run, but most casinos require a fairly recent version of the mobile operating system to be installed for security and stability purposes. Older devices are sometimes not capable of upgrading to a new enough version of the OS to run the casino apps.

This will vary by casino, but general rules of thumb for minimum OS versions of blackjack apps are:

• Android: KitKat (4.4)
• iOS: Version 6
• Windows: Windows Phone 8 or Windows 10 Mobile

If your device is not compatible, you’re not completely out of the game yet. You may be able to use the casino’s “no download” function to play real money blackjack. This means you play their games through a web browser instead of downloading an app. This can work on older devices, but the downside is that this method usually has the smallest range of games and the most limited features.

“How do I fund my blackjack account with a mobile app?”

It mostly depends on your method of payment and withdrawal.

If you’re using a credit card, bank transfer or online banking transaction, the casino will usually build this interface directly into their app. Players who have banks that restrict transactions with online gaming sites can get around this by purchasing certain types of prepaid credit card.

Casino apps may also have a direct interface for e-wallet services like Skrill and Neteller, but some will ask you to go into the e-wallet app and simply make a transfer to them using contact information they give you through their app or site.

There are usually minimums and maximums for deposits and withdrawals on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Each casino has different terms.

“Is it safe to play blackjack for real money using a mobile app?”

There are two overall steps to making sure any real money casino app is reputable: checking on the reputation and operations of the casino in question, and making sure your own hardware and connection are secure.

The biggest factor in online security is the jurisdiction in which it is located. Some countries are much more strict in their regulation of online gambling than others. The best territories include the United Kingdom (and its whitelisted protectorates), the legal casinos operating online in the United States (in states like New Jersey and Delaware), and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission based in Canada.

In addition to checking on the gambling commission that regulates the casino, check on the reputation of the company that supplies their blackjack software. See if they have independent third-party testing of the fairness of their blackjack games from a reputable agency like eCOGRA.

That covers the casino’s end. You also need to secure your end of the connection. The first aspect is using a mobile device that has a modern and secure operating system. For example, as the KRACK WPA2 exploit of 2017 revealed, mobile devices running older versions of Android are particularly vulnerable and cannot really be secured outside of upgrading the operating system to a more secure version.

KRACK also made clear that you need to be very careful about the connection you play on, especially on shared connections. Your home wired connection, or a home WiFi system secured with a good password that only family has access to, is unlikely to be penetrated by attackers. Public WiFi at Starbucks or the airport is a completely different story. It is always a good idea to avoid transmitting any personal or financial information over such public networks.

“What kind of odds are offered when playing blackjack online?”

There is usually no odds difference between a casino’s mobile and desktop games, and online casinos tend to offer much more favorable blackjack games than their offline counterparts.

Most brick and mortar casinos have transitioned to standard unfavorable rules like 6:5 payouts for blackjack, having the dealer hit on a soft 17, and tight restrictions on splitting and doubling. It’s now much easier to find favorable tables online. Most online casinos that feature blackjack have an array of tables games that keep the house edge to somewhere between a mere 0.5 to 0.2%.

“What kind of payouts can you expect?”

As mentioned before, classic 3:2 blackjack payouts are the rule rather than the exception at online tables. That means you’ll win significantly more money over your blackjack career.

“Are there special online blackjack bonuses for mobile players?”

Yes, there are. Mobile is the hottest sector in the online gaming industry right now, and a number of casinos are offering added incentives to players who opt to use their mobile apps. That means you easily could find lucrative online blackjack bonus offers and play for real money.

Real Money Blackjack on iPhone and iPad

The iPhone and iPad are always top of the line technologically when they are released, and you can expect mobile casino apps on iOS to have the highest-quality interfaces and graphics.

iPad and iPhone players can expect to get the same blackjack options that they would find on a desktop or laptop computer. Live streaming blackjack is also no problem with these powerful devices.

One important tip is to look for apps that are specific to your device type. Many casinos have both an iPhone and an iPad app; they are different in that they are tailored to best present the game on each set of hardware, for example taking advantage of the larger screen space on the iPad.

You’ll have to go through iTunes to install casino apps to your Apple device. However, searching iTunes for real money gambling apps can be messy and frustrating. It’s often easier to simply visit the web pages of different casinos that look interesting. You’ll be able to see their blackjack rules and payouts before following a link to download their app from iTunes.

Real Money Blackjack on Android Devices

Android has become the world’s most commonly used operating system, and you can bet online casinos have taken notice. It’s extremely rare to find a casino that doesn’t offer real money blackjack through an Android app.

Usually, you’ll get online casino apps through the Google Play Store. However, in territories where online gambling is illegal, it is Google’s policy to not host real money wagering apps. If the Play Store is not an option, you’ll have to get the app directly from the casino’s website. The casino will usually provide detailed installation instructions, but this involves enabling the installation of “unsigned” apps in your Android settings menu.

Online Casinos that Allow Real Money Mobile Blackjack

Lucky Creek Online Casino

Lucky Creek’s blackjack action is powered by Saucify, who currently make four types of table available. Of these, the most favorable to the player is their single deck game, which at a 99.77% theoretical expected return is one of the best blackjack games you can find anywhere. Lucky Creek sweetens the pot with a 100% initial welcome bonus match (up to $500) as well as 25 free spins to use at one of their slot machines.

BoVegas Casino

BoVegas is a new casino that looks to provide a Vegas experience from the comfort of your home. The blackjack they offer is much better than anything you’ll ever find on the Strip, however – five different games have a theoretical return of over 99%. They also offer daily and monthly matching bonuses to blackjack players that usually range from 125% to 200% and throw some free slot spins in as well. Work your way up through the ranks of their VIP program and you’ll also move from 10% to 20% cash back on all deposits each week.

Royal Ace Casino

Royal Ace Casino’s blackjack tables are powered by RealTime Gaming, which gives you a good range of tables that have theoretical returns starting at 99.46%. This casino is also in rare company in offering a welcome deposit matching bonus of 100% that has no upper limit. A variety of daily deposit bonuses also keep things interesting, though some are ineligible for blackjack play.

Ignition Casino

Though Ignition is often thought of as a European casino, it is actually based in the Kahnawake Gaming Commission territory in Canada, and thus welcomes players from the United States and Canada. The blackjack offerings are more limited here than at other places, but Ignition also tends to have some of the most generous signup bonuses and ongoing promotions.

Bovada

Bovada uses a variety of software providers but is unusual among online casinos in striking deals to adjust the games and create their own special branded versions of them. At the moment, their best games are standard and Perfect Pairs blackjack, but nearly every game they offer has a theoretical return of over 99%. As one of the “big dogs” of the online gaming world, Bovada can afford to make some pretty generous bonus offers, and they’re making a particular push as of late to acquire players who like to use Bitcoin.

Real Money Blackjack Reviews

Imagine winning big after accepting one of these seemingly lucrative promotional gimmicks only to learn after the fact that there is a play-through requirement.

In other words, you may have to stake your bet multiple times before you are permitted to withdraw the winnings earned with the deposit, bonus, or bonus plus deposit amount before you are permitted to cash out. Sometimes these wagering requirements are so high that you’ll wind up in the hole after trying to meet them, which is of course exactly what the casino wants to happen.

While these types of bonuses are not something you would encounter at a physical casino, and they may seem like a fantastic way to give your bankroll a boost, it is important to note that the terms and conditions attached to these promotions may severely limit how much of the bonus can be used on blackjack.

Some casinos exclude blackjack entirely, as it offers some of the thinnest house advantages of all casino games. They may also limit when and how you will be able to withdraw winnings that originate from these bonuses.

Long story short: always read the terms before accepting the bonus!

Online Casino Safety

Legit online gambling operations will often be certified by a reputable, independent third party testing agency, such as the eCommerce and OnlineGaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) or Technical Systems Testing (TST).

Companies like eCOGRA and TST perform random and independent checks on the fairness of a casino’s games. They do this by running mathematical probability tests on them, and in some cases can “peek under the hood” to see if casinos have fiddled with their licensed games in some illicit way.

These two agencies maintain central lists of the casinos that they certify, which you can see at the following links:

http://www.ecogra.org/srs/holders_safe_fair_seals.php
http://www.tstglobal.com/industry-links/

One last step is to do a simple Google search for blacklisted casinos. Government agencies and the third-party testing agencies generally don’t keep blacklists, you’ll instead find these at various casino review sites.

Of course, anyone given site may be biased or have simply got something wrong, but if you keep seeing a casino appear on multiple blacklists it usually means they should not be trusted. Also, follow up with forum comments from other casino patrons on any questionable casino, and see what the general sentiment toward it is among serious players.

Online Casino Payouts

Playing at a land-based casino is a pretty straightforward endeavor. You usually just need to pull up a seat, put your cash on the blackjack table, and the dealer will change this into chips.

To play online blackjack for real money at an online casino is obviously different than playing at a physical location.

One major difference is that you will need to set up and then deposit funds into an online casino account, typically via credit or debit card, but there may be various other payment options available to you.

Deposits

The key consideration to check before depositing any of your hard-earned cash with an online casino is the process by which you are allowed to withdraw or transfer funds from your casino account. Again, this is another scenario in which reading the fine print pays big.

Withdrawals

Some online casinos do not process withdrawals back to your credit card and may only offer withdrawals to a bank account. At a brick and mortar casino, you can cash in your chips immediately after winning big and walk out with your money. When playing blackjack at an online casino, processing a withdrawal or transfer may involve a wait of several days before you receive your money.

Online casinos almost always allow you to fund your account with a credit card, which is something you’ll never see happen at a brick and mortar casino. Some even allow you to have the funds you withdraw sent back to your credit card.

However, be aware that these casinos almost always require you to send them a picture of the front of your credit card for security purposes. For your own privacy and security, be sure that the casino handles this by having you upload the image to their servers through a secure https link.

This means that the data you are passing is encrypted and cannot be viewed by anyone who might be snooping on the connection (needless to say, try not to transmit personal financial information over the local coffee shop WiFi as well).

Respect Online Gaming Laws

Respect local laws and report any winnings from online casinos. Winning big playing blackjack for real money online sounds like a good time, and it is.

Keeping records may not sound like a ton of fun, but when you compare it to having a sit-down with the tax man, suddenly keeping records doesn’t sound so bad.

Many countries expect you to diligently report all of your gambling income when filing your annual tax return. It’s best to have good records because rolling the dice with the American IRS is not a bet most of us want to make.

♠️ What is the best real money blackjack app/site?

This really depends on individual circumstances. Honestly, the blackjack tables inside of most online casinos are pretty similar in terms of the table layout and basic game rules.

Unless it’s one of the unique twists described above in the “Software Providers” section, you can expect table rules, payouts and gameplay to be extremely similar inside of all casinos.

So how do you choose the best real money blackjack option for you? Use the following criteria to decide:

• Is the game fully accessible to your operating system, and does it play smoothly?
• If you want a live dealer, does the casino offer that option (and can your connection handle it)?
• Is the casino’s bonus structure well-suited to your expected level of play?
• Do the games move fast enough for your liking?
• Are the table rules favorable to the player, and does it pay out enough for blackjacks?

♠️ How do I play blackjack online for fun?

There are quite a few options for “play money” blackjack if you just want to practice or pass some time.

Most of the online casinos offer a “play money” mode for their blackjack tables. They do usually require you to have a verified account to play them, however, meaning you’ll need to submit identity documents. They may also limit the amount of play money available.

Another online option is “social casinos.” These are game sites and apps that function like online casinos, but all the games are for play money only. Players get an allotment of money per day, and can usually add to this by sharing links and notifications with friends who play the game.

♠️ What are the rules with playing online blackjack for real money in my country?

United Kingdom: UK citizens are allowed to freely wager at blackjack on any site that is approved by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

Australia: Online wagering on blackjack has technically been illegal in Australia for years, but enforcement of these laws were lax and major sites like 888Casino welcomed players from the country. New laws being introduced in late 2017 are causing casino providers to abandon the country, however, due to the huge fines, they could be levied for operating there.

Canada: The government technically has no official stance on online real money blackjack play, but any site operating in the state will likely be based in the sovereign territory of the Kahnawake reserve.

India: Though the wording of the law in India is actually not clear on whether or not online blackjack wagering is legal, it is generally regarded as not being legal outside of the state of Sikkim, which has specifically legalized it.

Malaysia: Malaysia has unusual laws, in which gambling is permitted for those who are not Muslim but forbidden to those who are. Ethnic natural-born Malays are required by law to be Muslim, so gambling is off-limits for most citizens.

Indonesia: As with Malaysia, Indonesia is a majority Muslim country that forbids all forms of gambling. However, the country has a program in which a limited amount of licenses are distributed for games of chance that involve real money. These are meant for simple lotteries and things of that nature, but some parties have used them to set up real money blackjack games and online casinos. The government is opposed to these, so if any gaming providers do remain temporarily, one should not expect them to be a stable long-term gaming platform.

New Zealand: While New Zealand does allow some specific forms of brick and mortar blackjack, the country’s laws specifically forbid all types of online wagering within the country. Both citizens and visitors are allowed to play at online casinos based in other countries, however!

South Africa: South Africa bans all forms of online gambling, including at sites that are based in other countries. The country can issue licenses to South African gaming providers for certain games, but unfortunately, blackjack is not among them.

Can you Play Blackjack for Real Money in the USA?

New Jersey offers the richest array of online blackjack options. Casinos with a brick and mortar presence in the state (such as those in Atlantic City) are also allowed to run online casinos. Anyone within the state of New Jersey can play at them.

Though one might think Nevada of all states would embrace online blackjack, the existing casino industry has actually fiercely resisted real money online wagering of all forms. You can presently play poker and make sports bets online legally in Las Vegas, but you can’t wager real money on any other casino games (including blackjack).

Delaware has a situation similar to New Jersey; three legal brick and mortar racetrack casinos in the state have also been given the option to run online casinos. Each of these online casinos presently offers online blackjack.

California has a long ongoing effort to legalize online gambling but has not yet been able to come up with legislation everyone is happy with. It is widely expected to be the next state to offer real money blackjack online, however.

Arizona technically has no state law forbidding online gambling. Some entrepreneurs have taken advantage of this to set up “WiFi cafes” that offer real money games like blackjack and slots; however, they have also been raided by local police fairly frequently. Though Arizona’s state law on gambling is unclear, state law does not supersede federal law in this matter, and Arizona residents are still likely to find that their banks will block transactions to or from any online casino.

Maryland and Tennessee are similar to Arizona in that there’s no wording in state law that forbids online gambling, yet online gambling will still usually be blocked (and facilitators of it punished) due to a violation of federal law.

♠️ How do Blackjack Tournaments Work?

You can find quite a few blackjack casinos offering blackjack tournaments. In most of these tournaments, a group of players is put together at a table and plays against the dealer until either only one is left standing or until a set amount of hands have been reached. The player who is still standing with the largest stack wins and moves on to a group of other table winners in the style of the World Series of Poker.

You’ll also sometimes see head-to-head tournaments offered. In these, players actually play directly against each other rather than a dealer.

♠️ Ready to Play Online Blackjack for Real Money?

Nothing beats the thrill and excitement of playing online blackjack with money on the line, and there is money to be made if you play with a plan. The reality is that most gamblers lose their money because they don’t stick with the plan or follow the rules and strategies.

Taking un-calculated risks may be exciting but will ultimately lead to losses, and the house coming out on top. In fact, gamblers who fall for the fallacy of the “hot streak” are the casino’s main source of income.

Don’t be that person. Be the smart player who is in it to win it, focused on their plan, and sticks to their chosen basic strategy. Successful blackjack is about skill, focus, discipline, and keeping a clear head in the heat of battle.