Blackjack is a game that’s evolved a lot over the years, even as its core concept has remained much the same. One of the biggest changes for this classic card game was the rise of online play, leading to the creation of digital varieties of Blackjack.

Now, players can choose from a wider array of Blackjack formats that ever before, including games like Spanish 21, multi-hand Blackjack or All Bets Blackjack. But do you know how a game of online Blackjack works? Read on to find out.

Blackjack 101 – The basics

Before we dive into the details of online Blackjack, let’s have a quick rundown of how the basics of the game itself work.

The core of Blackjack is very straightforward to understand, with players aiming to get a hand value that’s closer in value to 21 than the dealer’s hand. Overshooting that value means going bust, forfeiting any wagers.

Each of the playing cards in the pack is worth a set value, with numbered cards set at their face value and face cards like Kings and Queens all set at ten. The only variable value is the Aces, which can be worth either one or 11 depending on the context of the hand.

If a player is dealt an Ace and a card worth ten in the initial deal, this is known as a ‘natural’ Blackjack.

How an online Blackjack game works

Now the basics are out of the way, how does an online Blackjack game work? In most online games, the place of the dealer is taken by the game software itself, but there are some online games that feature a live dealer.

There are plenty of different online Blackjack options, so the first step for players is to decide on which game suits their personal preferences. Once they’ve selected a game on a reputable online casino platform, they join the game instance.

All games of Blackjack start with players placing their wagers before any cards are dealt. In online games, players will see digital chips representing their wager placed on the table.

Once the wagers are placed, the dealer deals out two cards to each player at the table and two cards to themselves. Most online varieties of Blackjack have the dealer receiving one card face up – the upcard – and one face down – the hole card.

At this point, play switches to the player, allowing them to decide how to play the hand they’ve been dealt. They can choose to hit – taking another card to increase their hand value – or stand – keeping their hand at its current value and ending their turn.

If a player’s hand value exceeds 21, they go bust, ending their turn. If they are dealt a natural Blackjack at the start of play, their hand value will be compared against the dealer’s without the need for any turn actions.

When all active players have finished their turn, the dealer’s hole card is revealed, and their hand values are compared. This is where all wagers are resolved, depending on whether the player or the dealer had the hand value closer to 21.