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Best online table games in New Jersey

Table game payouts vary widely from game to game, and even from game variant to game variant. But generally speaking, the expected returns walk the middle line between lower returning slots and high value games like blackjack and craps.

In addition to tried-and-true felt games like blackjack, roulette, and craps, most NJ online casinos now support a flock of alternative table games.

Sports betting began in New Jersey in June. Borgata casino and Monmouth Park racetrack were the first to take sports bets, but others have soon followed in anticipation of a busy NFL betting season.

From those commonly spread on Atlantic City casino floors such as Baccarat and Three Card Poker, to lesser known variants like Hi-Lo Solitare, these highly entertaining games generally boast more side bets, and higher maximum payouts than traditional table games, typically at the expense of a slightly higher house edge.

Best bet: Baccarat

There is one favorable exception to this rule, and that’s Baccarat. The version of the game where the player pays 5 percent commission on winning Banker bets returns nearly 99 percent on Banker plays, and just over 98.75 percent on Player bets. That’s even better odds than players get on Pass/Don’t Pass craps bets.

Non-commission Baccarat, where players only win 1:2 on Banker bets where the Banker wins with an 8, returns slightly less on Banker wins (98.54 percent), but otherwise features the same payouts as traditional Baccarat games. Other bets, such as the Tie bet, and the EZ Baccarat Dragon 7 and Panda 8 bets are best avoided, as the return to player for these wagers ranges from a paltry 85.64 to an unimpressive 92.38 percent.

The very best Baccarat games can be found at Tropicana Casino, Virgin Casino, PokerStars Casino and Betfair Casino.

Second best bet: Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker

Coming in second place is a game that’s bound to resonate with NJ online poker players, and that’s Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. This game tasks players with making a better five card hand than the dealer.

The house edge on the primary game is a mere 2.04 percent — low by carnival game standards. However, players are advised to dodge the sucker side bet. While the high end bonus payouts are undeniably attractive, the bonus bet returns just 89 percent, placing it as one of the worst bets a casino patron can make.

Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker can be found at Borgata Casino and Party Casino.

Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker is a relatively low volatility game designed to appeal to fans of traditional poker variants.

The premise of the game is simple – make a better five card hand than the dealer.

There are a total of four betting rounds. The first bet is a forced ante. Once placed, the player receives two hole cards. Players can then either fold their hand (and forfeit their ante) or wager twice their ante bet on the Flop. A Flop bet locks the player in until the conclusion of the hand.

Next, three community cards are dealt. Players then reevaluate the strength of their hand before deciding to either place a Turn bet equal to the size of the ante bet, or checking. A fourth community card is dealt, and the process of betting or checking is repeated for the River.

The dealer then reveals the final community card before flipping over her own hole cards, and the strength of the dealer’s best five card holding is compared to the player’s. Should the player have the better hand, he’ll be paid on all Flop, Turn and River bets, and also on the ante, if the winning hand meets certain criteria.

That criteria is paramount to determining the RTP of the game. On Borgata Casino, currently the only NJ online casino to support the game, the ante is paid on a winning hand of a straight or better.

Under this rule, the house edge is just 2.04 percent. To illustrate just how influential the winning ante requirement is to the RTP, consider that if the player were required to make a flush to win the ante bet, then the house edge would shoot up nearly threefold, to 5.59 percent.

The Borgata also offers a side bet, where players who possess strong starting hands such as pairs and big suited Aces win a multiple of their original bet, up to 30x. While attractive, this wager should never be played, as the RTP on the bonus bet is a mere 88.99 percent. In the long-run, players are better off burning money.

Best bonus: Pai Gow Power bonus bet

Brick and mortar players will kid that playing Pai Gow Poker is the best way to rack up the free drinks. And to an extent, they’re right, as in most live settings, the game crawls along at a snail’s pace.

In Pai Gow, players are dealt seven cards, and are tasked with making their best five and two card poker hands. The five card hand must be stronger than the two card holding, otherwise it’s a foul and all bets are forfeited.

Once all players set their hands, the dealer turns over her seven cards, and the holdings are compared. If both player hands beat both dealer hands, the player wins. Likewise, if both dealer hands beat out the player hands, then the player loses.

In the most common scenario, the player beats one of the dealer’s hands and loses to the other, resulting in a push. That occurs with an alarming 40.4 percent frequency, lending further credence to the belief that Pai Gow Poker is little more than a time killer.

The slow pace and low volatility of Pai Gow Poker may have been one of the primary drivers behind the introduction of a more exciting bonus bet.

Pai Gow’s side bet is an optional wager that pays out only if the player can make a straight or better. All seven cards are used to determine whether the bet is a winner or loser, and stronger holdings pay out higher multipliers.

For instance, players who make a straight double their money, while those fortunate enough to make four-of-a-kind win 25x. The crown jewel is a 7-card straight flush, which pays 5,000-to-1.

Even the worst Pai Gow bonus pay schedule offers gamblers a favorable RTP relative to most other casino side bets. On NJ online casinos, the schedule is particularly generous, thanks to a pay schedule that pays out on strong holdings and on exceedingly weak hands (J high Pai Gow or worse).

All told, this results in a house edge of 4.17 percent. That’s still not anything to get excited about, but it’s at least justifiable.

And by the way, players only give up a house edge of 2.72 percent while playing the main game.

At present, this variant of Pai Gow Poker can only be found at TropicanaCasino.com and VirginCasino.com.

Honorable mention: Three Card Poker

Perhaps the most popular of the carnival games, Three Card Poker is a straightforward green felt game that like the other games mentioned, pits the player’s hand directly against the dealer’s – only in this case, both parties are only dealt three cards apiece.

Before each game begins, players must place a forced ante bet before receiving their hand. It’s then up to the player to either place a second (Play) bet, or fold the hand and forfeit the ante wager. The Play bet must be equal to the ante wager.

Perhaps one of the reasons players gravitate to Three Card Poker in droves is because the strategy is simplistic: Play if the hand value is Queen/6/4 or greater and fold otherwise.

Players are paid on the Play bet if their holding is stronger than the dealer’s. If the player wins and the dealer does not qualify with a Queen or better, the ante bet pushes.

Finally, in the case where the dealer does qualify and the player wins, the ante bet pays out 1:1.

Regardless of the dealer’s hand, the player receives an ante bonus for making a straight or better. The pay schedule of this bonus ultimately determines the RTP of the game.

Luckily, NJ online casinos abide by the 5-4-1 pay structure:

• 5-to-1 for a straight flush
• 4-to-1 for three-of-a-kind
• 1-to-1 for a straight

Using this schedule, Three Card Poker returns 96.63 percent to the player.

There are two additional side bets. Like the ante bonus, Pair Plus pays based on the strength of a player’s holding. Once again, New Jersey operators adhere to a favorable pay schedule for this wager, resulting in a house edge of just 4.38 percent.

The other side bet, 6 Card Bonus, is a sucker bet and should be avoided at all costs.

As the name implies, this wager pays out based on the total strength of the player’s hand plus the dealer’s hand. Even the generous pay table utilized by NJ casino sites cannot save players from a more than 10 percent house edge.

Three Card Poker is one of the more readily spread games in the New Jersey market, available at ResortsCasino.com, MoheganSunCasino.com, GoldenNuggetCasino.com and BetfairCasino.com.

Other New Jersey table games

The only other table game that has seen widespread integration is Let it Ride. This game features a somewhat favorable 96.49 return to player, and can be found at Caesars Casino, Mohegan Sun/Resorts Casino, Betfair, Tropicana Casino and Golden Nugget Casino.

As some NJ online gamblers might recall, Let it Ride made headlines back in early 2015, when the game paid out over $1.5 million on a single hand.

Since, the maximum bet size has been reduced, so we won’t be seeing a payout of that magnitude again. But Let it Ride still affords gamblers the chance to parlay a small upfront investment into a monstrous score.

Other table games are spread selectively, and include:

• Hi-Lo: This game is also exclusive to Trop/Virgin. Hi-Lo is gambling in one of its simplest forms. Players are shown a card and must bet on whether the next card will be higher or lower. Payouts fluctuate based on the value of the upcard. House edge: 3.93 percent.
• Heads-Up Hold’em: A spin on Texas Hold’em Bonus, this high return game can only be found at PokerStars Casino. House edge: 2.36 percent on primary game.
• PokerBet: A Betfair exclusive, PokerBet allows players to bet on the outcome of a hand of poker. With optimal play, it returns between 89 – 96 percent.

What table games are available at NJ online casinos?

Betfair table games

Betfair has the most eclectic blend of table games, and certainly the most exclusives. Games include:

• Three Card Poker
• EZ Baccarat (exclusive)
• No Commission Baccarat
• Hi-Lo Solitare (exclusive)
• PokerBet (exclusive)
• Let it Ride

Borgata/Party Poker table games

The only alternative table game features on Borgata/Party Poker is Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker. However, it’s worth noting that this game is exclusive to the network.

Caesars Casino table games

Caesars Casino has three table games: Three Card Poker, Let It Ride and No Commission Baccarat. With the exception of No Commission Baccarat, these variants feature favorable pay tables — tied for industry best.

Golden Nugget table games

The Golden Nugget currently holds one unique advantage over other NJ online casinos, in that it’s the only one to feature Live Dealer games. Live Baccarat is part of the package, and features the player-friendly five percent commission rule.

A Dragon Bonus side set, that boasts escalating payouts based on the size and type of the win, is also available in the Live Dealer variant, and has a return of 97.35 percent.

Of course there are also digital table games available. They are Let It Ride, Three Card Poker and No Commission Baccarat.

Resorts/Mohegan Sun table games

Resorts and Mohegan Sun Casino both support the same three table games — Let It Ride, Three Card Poker and No Commission Baccarat.

Trop/Virgin table games

Pai Gow Poker is exclusive to Tropicana/Virgin, as is Hi-Lo. Standard Baccarat (5 percent commission on Banker wins) and Three Card Poker are also available.

Interestingly, Tropicana Casino supports Let It Ride, yet Virgin does not. Virgin does however, boast a craps game, whereas the popular dice game is not spread at Tropicana.

PokerStars Casino table games

PokerStars has yet to expand its table game selection. The only games available are Heads Up Hold’em (exclusive), and Baccarat (commission).

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Worth pointing out, is that the return for the site’s higher stakes Heads Up Hold’em games are better compared to its micro stakes counterpart, although the difference isn’t overly significant.

New Jersey mobile table games

Unfortunately, most table games outside of blackjack and roulette have not made the transition to NJ online casino apps. There are a few exceptions to the rule — for instance, Caesars Casino has ported over No Commission Baccarat — but typically, players will have to get their table game fix from their home computer.

Online table games versus live table games

The main advantage of playing Baccarat, Three Card Poker, or really any online table game, is the swift pace of play.

At live casinos, where physical playing devices, complex payout calculations and myriad distractions all serve to slow down play, gamblers are lucky to see 20 – 30 hands per hour. That’s certainly not the case online, where players generally have their own personal table and all calculations are handled digitally.

Often, players can change their setting to speed up the game even further.

A second benefit of online play is that the minimum wagering requirements are generally much lower when compared to live. Instead of betting a minimum of $5 or $10 a hand, recreational and budget conscious players can often wager as little as $1 per hand online, and often less.

Why play table games at NJ online casinos?

Well, for one, they’re among the most entertaining casino games. They also offer top-end payouts that traditional table games do not.

But perhaps even more important, is that under ideal conditions, select carnival games offer RTPs that are considerably better than slots. In a few cases, the chances of winning are nearly on par with BlackJack and video poker games.

Guides to games at NJ online casinos

Blackjack is the most popular online casino table game in New Jersey. It’s available at all regulated New Jersey online casino sites. The game is often referred to simply as “21.”

Players start by making a bet. Some New Jersey online casinos allow play of up to three hands at one time.

Best online blackjack in New Jersey

Every blackjack game offered by New Jersey casinos has a house edge under one percent.

New Jersey online blackjack variants

Most New Jersey online blackjack games are generic. They often use six or eight decks that they shuffle after each hand. Players may double down on any two cards and after splitting at most virtual New Jersey blackjack tables.

Surrender is available at a few games. The dealer stands on all 17’s about half the time but more often in a game that uses the European hole card rule.

There are a few exceptions to this, detailed below.

Live Dealer Blackjack

Live Dealer Blackjack is the latest innovation to sweep the NJ online casino market. The games are broadcast from a live studio, in real-time, but all betting is done from the comfort of one’s own home computer or mobile device.

Real-life dealers are used to run these games, and physical playing devices are used, so naturally the action is a little slower than playing a digital game — although not so slow as at a land-based casino.

Live Dealer Blackjack is currently available at Golden Nugget Casino, and soon will be making its way to Betfair Casino. Golden Nugget Casino also spreads Live Dealer Roulette and Baccarat.

For more on Live Dealer Blackjack and other Live Dealer games, check out our comprehensive overview here.

Side Bet Blackjack

Side Bet Blackjack is spread at Borgata, Party Poker and Pala Casino. The rules for the blackjack game itself vary a bit. Borgata and Party Poker stay on all 17’s and do not permit surrender. Pala Casino hits soft 17 and does allow surrender.

The five side bets in the game are identical. The side bets are in addition to the standard blackjack bet. The side bets are optional but the player must make the flat bet on the actual hand. Players can bet as many side bets in one hand that they wish.

Cash Queens

• Pair of queens with dealer blackjack: 500-1
• Pair of queens: 50-1
• Paired 20: 10-1
• Suited 20: 5-1
• Any other 20: 2-1

Mega Match

• Player and dealer have suited queen and king: 5000-1
• Player has suited queen and king: 50-1
• Any two suited cards: 2-1

Crazy 7s

When the first:

• Three cards are suited 777: 2,000-1
• Three cards are unsuited 777: 500-1
• Two cards are suited 77: 150-1
• Two cards are unsuited 77: 15-1
• Card is any 7: 5-1

Pair Play

• First two cards are a pair: 12-1

Any Blackjack

• Pays 18-1 if the player is dealt blackjack, even if it pushes

Blackjack Micro Limit

Borgata, Party Poker, Resorts and Mohegan Sun offer Blackjack Micro Limit. This game starts with a minimum bet of only $.10. The game only pays 6-5 on a blackjack but offers some favorable rules to offset this.

• Suited blackjack pays 2-1
• Suited 777 pays 3-1
• 5-card or more 21 pays 2-1

Double down before and after splitting is permitted. Surrender is not. The dealer stands on all 17’s.

The house edge for this game is 0.99 percent. No New Jersey online blackjack game has a higher advantage for the casino but it is still better than the 6-5 games in Atlantic City. The small minimum bet takes some of the sting out of the higher house edge.

Multi-Player Blackjack

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Pala Casino offers a unique game where multiple players on the sit at the same table. A single player can begin the action. Multi-Player Blackjack does not require multiple participants.

Multi-Player Blackjack offers the same rules as Pala Casino’s other blackjack games. Eight decks are used that are reshuffled after each hand. Players may double down on any two cards and after splitting. The dealer hits soft 17. The house edge is 0.6 percent.

What blackjack games can I play at NJ online casinos?

New Jersey mobile blackjack

All New Jersey online casinos offer a mobile app for Android and iOS devices. Most of the games are slots, although blackjack is also spread.

Mobile apps do not offer as many games as the PC versions. There will generally be one or two blackjack games with basic rules that include the options to hit, split and double down before and after splitting. Insurance is also available on New Jersey blackjack apps.

Online blackjack versus live blackjack

Online blackjack is much faster than live blackjack. The minimum bet at online blackjack is usually just $1. Some New Jersey blackjack sites offer the game for as little as $.10. Borgata is typically the only Atlantic City casino with a $5 blackjack game and that is just one table. Most Atlantic City blackjack games start at $10.

There are also more games available online. Side bets that are not available in Atlantic City may be found on the Internet at regulated sites. Online blackjack shuffles after each hand. This is actually advantageous to players that are not expert counters.

The rules are generally more favorable at blackjack sites than in a live casino setting.

Ranking The Highest Return Blackjack Varieties

Casino Games With Best Odds

Largely because it represents any player’s best chance to beat the house, blackjack has emerged as the most-popular casino game on the planet.

At online casinos in New Jersey, the game is faster, the minimum bets are smaller, and the variety of blackjack games available at online casinos is much larger than that of their brick and mortar counterparts. As a result, blackjack is even more popular online in New Jersey than it is live.

Outside of a pair of NJ online gambling sites that offer live dealer blackjack games of the same variety you will find in traditional casinos, the online blackjack games at New Jersey online casinos are a little different.

Online casinos use random number generators in place of dealers and card shuffling machines. In fact, these random number generators essentially shuffle the cards between hands, rendering card-counting strategies useless. However, that does not necessarily mean New Jersey online blackjack games are tougher to beat.

Return to player rates

Return to player (RTP) rate is one measurement used to decipher how easy, or difficult, a particular casino game is to beat. It is a percentage showing how much of an initial investment players should expect a particular game to return over the long run. Short-term luck can play havoc with a game’s RTP rate, paying out more or less than what’s expected. However, over the long term, a game should stay true to its RTP rate.

For example, if a game has a RTP rate of 98.5 percent, it is expected to eventually pay out $98.50 of every $100 put into it. Again, this is a long-term figure that comes with no guarantees. So, don’t expect to be paid back $98.50 every time you put $100 into the game. In order to realize a game’s true RTP rate you’ll need to realize the long term.

The RTP rate on hundreds of different slots and electronic table games available at New Jersey online casinos range from a low of 94.74 percent to a high of 99.87 percent. You can find the RTP rate of any online casino game in NJ using PlayNJ’s own Payback Pal. This tool publishes the RTP for more than 245 online casino games, including all blackjack variations, helping you find the highest returns available.

NJ online gambling sites offer a number of different blackjack games with varying rules that can have a big effect on RTP rates. In fact, a lot of these rules work in the player’s favor, increasing RTP rates, decreasing the house edge, and making the games easier to beat.

Casino blackjack options

By offering a huge variety of different games at varying stakes, New Jersey online casinos have helped elevate the world’s most popular casino game to new heights.

Since it’s online blackjack, it is much faster than the live game. Minimum bets are smaller, making the game more accessible. Plus, the variety of games available at each and every online casino is much greater.

With computers and random number generators doing the shuffling, most of the time, card counting is out. However, the rules can often be more favorable to the player online.

That’s right, it’s blackjack, but it’s blackjack your way. A number of NJ online gambling sites offer blackjack games with rules that work in the player’s favor. The house edge is reduced, and if the reason blackjack has become so popular at brick and mortar casinos is because it’s the best way to beat the house, that often goes double for online casinos in New Jersey.

Of course, not all online blackjack games, and for that matter, the New Jersey online casino sites that host them, are built the same. A site’s variety of blackjack games, the return to player (RTP) rates of the blackjack games offered, and the different bonuses offered to blackjack players all play a role in separating the best NJ online casinos for blackjack from the pack.

Online blackjack games in New Jersey

Here’s a look a dozen of the most popular blackjack game titles at the top NJ online casinos:

• Single-Deck Blackjack (Tropicana/Virgin)
• Atlantic City Singlehand Blackjack Pro (Golden Nugget)
• SideBet Blackjack (Pala)
• Single Player Blackjack (Pala)
• High Stakes Blackjack (Tropicana/Virgin)
• Live Dealer Blackjack (Betfair/Golden Nugget)
• Vegas Blackjack (Golden Nugget)
• Vegas DownTown Blackjack (Tropicana/Virgin)
• Single-Deck Blackjack (Tropicana/Virgin)
• Vegas Strip Blackjack (Tropicana/Virgin)
• Vegas Blackjack (Golden Nugget)
• Pro Blackjack (Betfair)

Below you find a list of the top seven blackjack games in terms of RTP rate with a description of each game:

1. Single-deck Blackjack

The Single-deck Blackjack games at Tropicana and Virgin offer the best odds of any online casino game in New Jersey. The RTP rate is an unbeatable 99.87.

Even at brick and mortar casinos, Single-deck Blackjack games have always been considered the easiest way to beat a casino. Even online, it’s basic blackjack played with a single deck instead of a traditional six or eight-deck shoe. This increases the RTP rate right out of the gate.

2. Atlantic City Blackjack

Tropicana and Virgin also offer the second-best odds of any online blackjack game in New Jersey with Atlantic City Blackjack. Atlantic City Blackjack at Tropicana and Virgin offers a RTP rate of 99.64 percent. Only Single-deck Blackjack on the same sites is better.

The RTP on Atlantic City Blackjack is tweaked through a few key rule changes. It is basic blackjack with rule changes that include:

• Dealer stands on soft 17
• Double down on any two cards
• Split any 10-valued cards
• Split up to three times (aces only once)
• Late surrender

3. High Stakes Blackjack

The minimum bet on Tropicana and Virgin’sHigh Stakes Blackjack is $50 a hand. The maximum bet is $2,500 a hand. However, the game features a RTP rate of 99.64 percent for those willing to wager under those parameters. This is the third-best RTP rate for any blackjack game in New Jersey.

Except for the larger bets required, High Stakes Blackjack is essentially the same game as Atlantic City Blackjack. Rule changes from traditional blackjack that keep the RTP rates high include:

• Dealer stands on soft 17
• Double down on any two cards
• Split any 10-valued cards
• Split up to three times (aces only once)
• Late surrender

4. Vegas Strip Blackjack

It’s a fourth Tropicana and Virgin blackjack game that offers the fourth-best RTP rate among blackjack games in New Jersey. Vegas Strip Blackjack also features a 99.64 percent RTP rate.

This basic blackjack game is played with a four-deck shoe and the following rule variations that hep increase the RTP rate:

• Dealer stands on all 17s
• Split any 10-valued cards
• Split up to four times (aces only once)
• Double down on all hands
• No surrender

5. Multi-Bet Blackjack

SugarHouse NJ online casino’s Multi-Bet Blackjack offers an outstanding RTP rate of 99.64 percent.

This blackjack variation was just released in New Jersey in May 2017 and it offers the chance to make up to 12 different bets and side bets on every hand.

The game also includes a feature allowing players to stop the random number generator from shuffling the virtual deck after each hand. In theory, this could bring card-counting strategy back into play.

6. Vegas Downtown Blackjack

The Tropicana and Virgin title Vegas Downtown Blackjack has an RTP rate of 99.61 percent.

This is basic blackjack game with rule variations similar to Vegas Strip Blackjack. The difference between the two games is that Vegas Downtown Blackjack is played with a two-deck shoe instead of four.

7. Vegas Blackjack

Vegas Blackjack, which is available on Caesars and Golden Nugget in New Jersey, offers an RTP rate of 99.6 percent. It’s a relatively basic blackjack game with rule changes that include:

• Dealer stands on a soft 17
• Double down on any two cards
• Split any 10-valued cards
• Split only once
• No surrender
• Play up to five hands at once

8. Sidebet Blackjack

Pala offers eight different varieties of online blackjack, but the game with its best RTP rate is Sidebet Blackjack.

The game has a 99.54 percent RTP Rate. Plus, although the odds aren’t quite so good, the game offers five different side bets players can wager on, including various pairs and royal cards bets.

Sidebet Blackjack is played under the following rules:

• Played with eight decks
• Dealer hits on soft 17
• Double down on any two cards
• Split only once
• Double down allowed after splitting
• No re-splitting Aces
• No hitting split Aces
• Late surrender

Live Dealer Games At NJ Online Casinos

Blackjack with a real dealer inside a casino, but online? Take a look at live dealer games in New Jersey.

Online Slots At New Jersey Gambling Sites

Get a full breakdown plus reviews and demo play of NJ online slots games, including RTP and more.

Slingo At New Jersey Online Casinos

There are close to a half dozen and counting Slingo variations online. Here’s what it is and how to play.

Top online blackjack in New Jersey by return

Betfair offers the best online blackjack table, which is also the best game at all New Jersey Internet casinos. That is Single Deck Blackjack. Players can double when the first two cards are 9, 10 and 11 only and not after splitting. The dealer stands on all 17’s.

The house’s hole card is dealt European-style. This means that the player acts before the dealer gets its second card. This changes how players should act when the dealer is showing an ace or a face because it does not check for blackjack before a player doubles down or splits. The player loses all splits and double bets if the dealer ends up with blackjack. The house edge for this game is 0.26 percent.

The second best New Jersey online blackjack game is Single Deck Blackjack at Borgata and Party Poker. This game only allows double down on two cards when the total is 9, 10 and 11 and not after splitting. The dealer hits soft 17. Unlike the Betfair single deck game, the dealer receives its card before the player acts. The house edge for this game is 0.35 percent.

The best game that is not single deck offers four decks. It is called Single Player Blackjack at Borgata and Party Poker. Tropicana calls it Vegas Strip Blackjack, which is an odd name since there are no games in Las Vegas that spread four decks. This game allows players to double down any two cards before and after splitting. The dealer stands on all 17’s. The house edge is 0.4 percent.

How to play blackjack

The goal of blackjack is to get as close to 21 without going over. A count of 22 or more is a bust. A player going over 21 automatically loses. If the dealer busts, the player wins. Even money is won if the player has more points than the dealer without going over 21. If the dealer has more points, the house wins. When the player and dealer have the same valued hand then there is a push, meaning the player gets his bet back.

All number cards are face value in points. Jacks, queens and kings are worth 10 points. An ace may be used as either a 1 or 11, whichever benefits the hand the most.

The deal starts with the player and dealer receiving two cards. The player’s cards are dealt face up. The dealer receives one card up and one down.

The first step involves the dealer checking for a blackjack. This only occurs if the dealer is showing an ace or a ten-value card. If the door card is a ten-value card, the dealer will peek to see if there is an ace in the hole. If the dealer has an ace, the hand ends immediately.

The player loses unless he also has blackjack. The player and dealer having blackjack in the same hand results in a push.

Insurance

If the dealer is showing an ace, he will ask for insurance. Players may bet half of their wager to insure the entire amount. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance pays 2-1. This creates a push. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet loses and the hand continues as normal. Insurance has a house edge of 6.7 percent.

European Blackjack does not deal the hole card until after the player has acted. This means that the hand will play out before insurance is paid.

Player blackjack

A player dealt an ace and a ten-value card is paid 3-2. This means that a player wins $1.50 for every $1 wagered. If the player and dealer both have blackjack then the hand is a push.

Player actions

Once the blackjacks are resolved, players have several options.

Stand

A player satisfied with his point total may stand at any time. No more cards are drawn.

Hit

A player that wants to draw a card hits. Players can hit until they choose to stand or go over 21.

Double Down

A player may double his bet and take just one card. This can only be done on the first two cards dealt. The player must keep the dealt card and may not draw any other cards.

Split

A player dealt a pair may split the two cards into two separate hands. This requires double the original bet. Most games allow players to double down after splitting. Aces may only receive one card on each. An ace and a face in a split hand are 21, but not a blackjack.

Surrender

Surrender is folding on the first two cards. This game returns half of the original bet. This is the proper play when dealt a 16 against a dealer’s 9, 10 or ace or 15 versus a dealer’s 10 or ace.

Blackjack strategy and tips

Counting cards

Card counting is easily the most popular blackjack strategy. Movies have been made about the most successful card counting teams in the world. Their exploits are the stuff of legend in the casino and gaming industry.

Look around the internet and you’ll find a plethora of card counting training sites promising to teach you their method for beating the house.

Card counting isn’t against the law. However, it is frowned upon by most casinos. In fact, the list of players barred by casinos across the United States for counting cards at the blackjack tables seems to grow almost daily.

Basically, card counting involves assigning a value to each of the cards dealt, determining when the shoe is heavy with high-value cards, and betting big when the odds fall in a player’s favor.

It’s a simple enough strategy. Many players successfully employ it at land-based casinos around the world. However, that same success has not been duplicated online.

New Jersey online casinos employ random number generators. These essentially act the same way as a continuous shuffle machine in blackjack games. This makes each card dealt independent, random, and impossible to keep count of.

Of course, there are Live Dealer blackjack games available at New Jersey online casinos. However, even the most experienced card counters may have difficulty employing the same strategies they do in person with the same speed and accuracy.

Blackjack betting systems

THE MARTINGALE SYSTEM

The Martingale System is a negative progression system for blackjack betting that involves increasing bets with every loss in an effort to pull back to even.

For example, should you bet $5 on a single hand of blackjack and lose, you would bet $10 on the next hand. Lose again and you would bet $20. A player must keep doubling the bet until they get a win and break even. Moderate profits are found collecting wins on the initial bet.

On the surface, it’s a can’t-miss strategy, but you’d better have deep pockets with which to cover the big bets or a lengthy losing streak could break you.

Additionally, players employing the Martingale System need to pay strict attention to table limits. Doubling the bet with each loss quickly adds up. When the table limit is reached, you could be shut out.

The Martingale System is a risky blackjack strategy. However, it is one that could be employed successfully online, assuming you’ve got the bankroll to handle the swings and patience to play within the table limits.

THE PARLAY SYSTEM

The parlay system is a positive progression system for blackjack betting that involves increasing bets with every win in an effort to maximize profits playing with the house’s money.

Essentially, a player employing the parlay system would double the bet after every win. Those who have been successful with the parlay system set strict win and loss limits and stick to them. Without setting a win limit, a player would conceivably keep betting profits until they’ve lost them. Leaving the table when you’ve hit your win limit ensures profitability. On the same accord, setting a loss limit allows players to avoid extended losing streaks.

There’s no reason why players can’t employ the parlay system playing online blackjack. However, it is just as important to set win and loss limits when employing this system online as it is offline.

OTHER POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PROGRESSION SYSTEMS

There is a myriad of variations on the Martingale and parlay systems. Most involve varying the bet sizing in one way or another in a less-than scientific fashion.

There is the Paroli system, a positive betting progression system with incrementally increased bets that helps players avoid letting all profits ride like the parlay system.

Similarly, the 1-3-2-6 betting system is a positive betting progression system using multiples of 1,3,2, and 6 on each successive bet for some undetermined reason.

The D’Alembert is a betting progression system whereby a player raises a bet one unit after a loss and lowers it one unit after a win.

Players can employ these betting systems, or any other variation of positive and negative progression systems, to online blackjack games. However, it’s important to understand there’s very little method to the madness here, outside of the basic Martingale and parlay systems.

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