When learning how to play blackjack, you may have questions that aren't covered in the How to Play guide. If you have a question, chances are many others have had the same one. We've rounded up the most common questions asked by beginners and included them in our Blackjack FAQ.
- Bovada Blackjack House Edge Chart
- Bovada Blackjack House Edge Casino
- Bovada Blackjack House Edge Definition
Is card-counting illegal?
Card-counting is not illegal according to state, federal or local legislation. Nevada courts ruled that players are allowed to use any information available to them to improve their chances of winning as long as they aren't using devices or getting help from another person.
- The house edge for blackjack varies depending on what kind of blackjack you're playing. Bovada Casino offers single-deck, six-deck and double-deck blackjack. Six-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.63% when played with basic strategy. Single-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.08% when played with basic strategy. Double-deck blackjack has a.
- Just played a little over 80 hands on 'Classic Blackjack' on Bovada. Started with $14, stopped at $25. I know, high roller, but that's a 79% ROI. Mainly just playing for fun, but I'm getting back into playing and starting to track my stats.
That being said, many casinos reserve the right the deny service to patrons, and often exercise this right when they suspect players of counting cards. One state that has an exception to this right is New Jersey. In 1979, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that Atlantic City casinos can't ban highly-skilled players.
What does this do to the house edge? It increases the house's advantage by 1.5%. That might not sound like much, but a basic strategy player at a standard blackjack player faces a house edge of only 0.5%. This means that the house's mathematical edge quadruples because of what seems like one small rules change. The third most popular version of online Blackjack you can play is the Double-Deck Blackjack game. Enjoy the benefit of having a Dealer stand on soft 17s and the lower house edge that comes from playing with fewer decks. You may not get to surrender your hands, but you'll have a great shot at hitting some win streaks.
What is the house edge when playing basic strategy?
The house edge for blackjack varies depending on what kind of blackjack you're playing. Bovada Casino offers single-deck, six-deck and double-deck blackjack.
- Six-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.63% when played with basic strategy.
- Single-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.08% when played with basic strategy.
- Double-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.24% when played with basic strategy.
Should you surrender if you have bad cards?
Surrendering bad cards is sometimes the optimal move, but keep in mind that every time you surrender, you forfeit half your wager, so surrendering too often will lose you money in the long run. Generally, you should only surrender if you have very bad cards and the dealer has very good cards, but learning basic strategy will clarify what hands qualify as very good and very bad.
When should you take insurance?
Basic strategy advises against taking insurance. Only skilled card-counters know when the odds favor taking insurance.
What's the secret to beating blackjack?
There's no shortcut to beating blackjack, and you should be suspicious about programs that claim to teach you how to beat the system for a price. If these programs were real, casinos would stop offering blackjack. The only way to increase your chances of making a substantial profit, is by practice. As you practice, you'll get a feel for the game and will get better at knowing the optimal action for each hand. As with anything else, you can never expect to develop skills without putting in time and effort.
Play blackjack now at Bovada Casino!
Here we will focus on the blackjack games offered by Bovada casino. Which one is the most unique and exiting? Which has the lowest house edge and so forth. If you are looking for overall details then please check our complete Bovada online casino review.
Bovada Blackjack Games
In total, Bovada has 6 blackjacks for you to choose from. In terms of quantity that's not huge, but in terms of quality and winning odds, Bovada is one of the best blackjack sites one can find. We will review them in order of their winning odds – from lower to higher.
One last thing before we start: Bovada is an instant play casino, therefore you don't need to download any software in order to play any of the 400 casino games they have to offer. You can also play on the go using your smart phone or tablet, but on mobile the number of games is lower, about 150 in total.
* On a side not, this review is also relevant to Bovada's sister Ignition Casino.
Zappit Blackjack
Extraordinary varaition of the blackjack which can be found online only at Bovada casino group. This is one of the newest additions, invented only in 2009 by the same guy that stands behind Blackjack Switch. The special rule here is that you can zap (through away) hard hands of 15, 16, 17 and receive a new set of cards. Obviously, there is a price to pay: when the dealer busts with 22 and you have 21 or lower, it is considered a push. Overall Zappit is truly fun and unique game, but the winnings odds are lower than average.
Odds: 98.85%
European Blackjack
European no hole card multi-hand game. The dealer receives only one card face up and therefore doesn't check for blackjack, which increases the risk. Why should you always split 8's in blackjack terms. Additional rules:
- Played with 6 decks.
- Dealer stands on soft 17.
- Double on 9 to 11. No double after split.
- Split up to three hands. No re-splitting Aces.
- Split aces receive only one card.
Odds: 99.25%
Blackjack
Although it goes under the name blackjack this is actually an Atlantic City Blackjack game which allows late surrender on any first two cards.
- Six decks
- Dealer hits on soft 17.
- Double on any 2 cards. You can double after split.
- Split up to three hands. No re-splitting of aces.
- Surrender any first two cards.
- Split aces receive only one card.
- A split ace and a ten-value card is not a Blackjack.
Odds: 99.46%
Perfect Pairs
The only side bets blackjack on the list. The basic rules (and the odds) are similar to the game above; the only difference is that you can choose to place a side bet on whether your first two cards will be a pair: 7-7, Q-Q, etc. Side bets payouts are as follows:
- Mixed pair: 6 to 1.
- Coloured pair: 12 to 1.
- Suited pair: 25 to 1
Odds: 99.46%
Side bet odds: 93.9%
What is the house edge when playing basic strategy?
The house edge for blackjack varies depending on what kind of blackjack you're playing. Bovada Casino offers single-deck, six-deck and double-deck blackjack.
- Six-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.63% when played with basic strategy.
- Single-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.08% when played with basic strategy.
- Double-deck blackjack has a house edge of 0.24% when played with basic strategy.
Should you surrender if you have bad cards?
Surrendering bad cards is sometimes the optimal move, but keep in mind that every time you surrender, you forfeit half your wager, so surrendering too often will lose you money in the long run. Generally, you should only surrender if you have very bad cards and the dealer has very good cards, but learning basic strategy will clarify what hands qualify as very good and very bad.
When should you take insurance?
Basic strategy advises against taking insurance. Only skilled card-counters know when the odds favor taking insurance.
What's the secret to beating blackjack?
There's no shortcut to beating blackjack, and you should be suspicious about programs that claim to teach you how to beat the system for a price. If these programs were real, casinos would stop offering blackjack. The only way to increase your chances of making a substantial profit, is by practice. As you practice, you'll get a feel for the game and will get better at knowing the optimal action for each hand. As with anything else, you can never expect to develop skills without putting in time and effort.
Play blackjack now at Bovada Casino!
Here we will focus on the blackjack games offered by Bovada casino. Which one is the most unique and exiting? Which has the lowest house edge and so forth. If you are looking for overall details then please check our complete Bovada online casino review.
Bovada Blackjack Games
In total, Bovada has 6 blackjacks for you to choose from. In terms of quantity that's not huge, but in terms of quality and winning odds, Bovada is one of the best blackjack sites one can find. We will review them in order of their winning odds – from lower to higher.
One last thing before we start: Bovada is an instant play casino, therefore you don't need to download any software in order to play any of the 400 casino games they have to offer. You can also play on the go using your smart phone or tablet, but on mobile the number of games is lower, about 150 in total.
* On a side not, this review is also relevant to Bovada's sister Ignition Casino.
Zappit Blackjack
Extraordinary varaition of the blackjack which can be found online only at Bovada casino group. This is one of the newest additions, invented only in 2009 by the same guy that stands behind Blackjack Switch. The special rule here is that you can zap (through away) hard hands of 15, 16, 17 and receive a new set of cards. Obviously, there is a price to pay: when the dealer busts with 22 and you have 21 or lower, it is considered a push. Overall Zappit is truly fun and unique game, but the winnings odds are lower than average.
Odds: 98.85%
European Blackjack
European no hole card multi-hand game. The dealer receives only one card face up and therefore doesn't check for blackjack, which increases the risk. Why should you always split 8's in blackjack terms. Additional rules:
- Played with 6 decks.
- Dealer stands on soft 17.
- Double on 9 to 11. No double after split.
- Split up to three hands. No re-splitting Aces.
- Split aces receive only one card.
Odds: 99.25%
Blackjack
Although it goes under the name blackjack this is actually an Atlantic City Blackjack game which allows late surrender on any first two cards.
- Six decks
- Dealer hits on soft 17.
- Double on any 2 cards. You can double after split.
- Split up to three hands. No re-splitting of aces.
- Surrender any first two cards.
- Split aces receive only one card.
- A split ace and a ten-value card is not a Blackjack.
Odds: 99.46%
Perfect Pairs
The only side bets blackjack on the list. The basic rules (and the odds) are similar to the game above; the only difference is that you can choose to place a side bet on whether your first two cards will be a pair: 7-7, Q-Q, etc. Side bets payouts are as follows:
- Mixed pair: 6 to 1.
- Coloured pair: 12 to 1.
- Suited pair: 25 to 1
Odds: 99.46%
Side bet odds: 93.9%
Double Deck
#4 on our list of lowest house edge games. Two decks obviously, favorable rules; unlike the games above the minimum bet is $5.
Bovada Blackjack House Edge Chart
- Dealer stands on soft 17.
- Double on any 2 cards and after split.
- Re-splitting to three hands
- Split aces receive only one card. No resplitting.
- A split ace and a ten-value card is not a Blackjack.
Odds: 99.76%
Bovada Blackjack House Edge Casino
Single Deck
With 99.92% odds and just 0.08% house edge, this is The best blackjack game you can find online. The drawback is that it's definitely not a low stakes game. To enjoy these amazing odds you will have to pay $25 per hand.
- 1 deck.
- Dealer hits on soft 17.
- Double on any 2 cards and after split.
- 1 split only. Split aces receive only one card.
- A split ace and a ten-value card is not a Blackjack.
Bovada Blackjack House Edge Definition
Odds: 99.92%