Best Canada Online Blackjack for Real Money, Ontario Blackjack Casinos

How to Start Playing Blackjack Online in Ontario

Getting started with online blackjack can seem like a difficult task, but you'll be happy to know it is quite simple to do. To play online blackjack in Ontario, there are a few steps you need to know to get started.

1. Find the right casino for you. Whether you have a favorite online casino or you're looking for a new one, finding a good online casino to play blackjack at is an important step.
2. Sign up with your chosen online casino. Use the links on our pages to go straight to the officially licensed Ontario casino sites.
3. Find blackjack games on online casino websites. Blackjack games are usually classified under table games and are split into real money and demo games.
4. Pick the right blackjack game for you and begin your blackjack play.

Playing Online Blackjack For Real Money vs Demo Games

The two main ways to play blackjack online are real money blackjack games and demo blackjack games. As the name suggests, in real money blackjack, you wager real money for the chance to win real money payouts. On the other hand, in demo games, players can enjoy free blackjack games purely for entertainment purposes with no real money to be wagered or won. Both versions have their advantages based on what you are looking for.

Best Ontario Online Blackjack Games

While the "best" online blackjack game may be subjective, there are some that are better and more popular than others and some that you should avoid altogether. Some of the best online blackjack games are live blackjack games, Blackjack Switch, Cashback Blackjack, and Quantum Blackjack.

The biggest thing you should look at when finding the best blackjack games is the house edge. For example, some games payout blackjack at 6/5 instead of 3/2. You should avoid these games because a 6/5 blackjack payout significantly increases the house edge. Ultimately the best online blackjack games are the ones you like best. Some people may like the classic game, while others may like the excitement of games like blackjack switch or Quantum blackjack. One of the best aspects of playing blackjack online is that you can play them wherever you are at all of the best Ontario casino apps.

Blackjack Switch

Blackjack switch is an entertaining variation of the traditional game. In blackjack, switch players are dealt two hands instead of the usual one and, thus must place two wagers of the same size. Players are then dealt their two hands with one dealer card showing as in regular blackjack. This is where the switch comes in, players are given the option to switch their two top cards (or second cards) from each hand with each other. After the player chooses to switch their cards or not, then they may choose from the moves in a normal blackjack game (hit/stand/split).

Let's run through an example. You place your two wagers and get dealt two hands: 7-8 and K-4. Now you can decide to keep your hands or switch your cards to get hands of 7-4 and K-8. These two hands are much better than the original and give you a higher chance of winning. Blackjack switch is one of the more popular blackjack variants because you get more control of your hands. Seems great, right? Well, here's the catch, if the dealer's hand is a 22, then it is a push, not a bust, against all remaining hands.

European Blackjack

European blackjack resembles classic blackjack very closely, beside a few different rules. The basic blackjack strategy is the same, but the most noticeable difference is with how the game is dealt. In European blackjack, the dealer is not dealt a second card until after all the players have taken their turns, and thus the dealer cant check for blackjack. This rule increases the house edge because, in classic blackjack, players only lose their initial bet if the dealer has blackjack. In this blackjack, the player can lose all the money they wager for splits or doubles. This variant also differs from American blackjack in other small details; players can only split once per hand, players can only double down on 9, 10, and 11, and the dealer must stay on soft 17.

Now let's take a look at how a hand of European blackjack may play out. Each player is dealt cards, and the dealer is only dealt one card face-up. Say the dealer's face card is an A, and the player has a Q-Q, so the dealer cant check for blackjack and the player splits and gets 10-Q and 5-Q. The player cannot split 10-Q for two reasons, in European blackjack, you may only split once per hand, and you can only split 10 value cards that are the same (Q-Q, K-K). Once the player's turn is over, then the dealer's hand is revealed.

European blackjack has become one of the more popular blackjack variants at Ontario online casinos because of its similarity to regular blackjack but with a couple of rule changes that offer a new twist on the classic card game.

Real Money Blackjack Terms to Know

Every card game has its own lingo, and blackjack is no different. In order to play online blackjack, it is important to become familiar with common terms you will come across while playing. Although there are many, here are five of the most important terms you should know to play blackjack.

Hit

When a player is dealt their hand, the biggest decision they must make is whether they want to "hit." To "hit" simply means to want another card for your hand. For example, if a player's hand is 5-9 for a value of 14, the player can then hit to get another card, say they get a 6, their hand value is now 20. You can hit as many times as you want in your turn but be careful you don't want to go past 21.

Stand

The other main option for a player when they are dealt their hand is to "stand." A player stands when they like their hand compared to the dealer's up-card, meaning they don't want any more cards. For example, if a player is dealt 9-K (19), then it is smart to stand because they are already close to 21. Once a player stands, their turn is over, and they must wait for the dealer's hand to be revealed.

Bust

To "bust" is to exceed 21 in your turn. If a player hits too many times, they run the risk of busting and losing their whole wager. An example of a bust would be if a player has 5-Q (15) and decides to hit only to be dealt a 9; the player's hand now becomes 24, which is a bust. The good news is that not only players can bust, but dealers can also bust, too; when this happens, all hands still in play win.

Split

A "split" is when a player decides to split his two cards and get two more cards creating two separate hands. This must be done before you choose to hit or stand, and your initial hand must contain two of the same cards (5-5, 7-7, A-A). In order to split your hand, the player must place a wager equal to that of their original bet.

For example, a player is dealt 9-9, and they decide to split. The player must place another wager down and then will be dealt two more cards, say 6-9 and 10-9. Now the player plays each hand separately, deciding if they want to hit or stand each. It is important for players to know what a split is because, if used properly, it can boost your chances.

Insurance

Insurance is a more niche aspect of the game that only some players may utilize. As the name suggests, insurance can be bought by players just in case the dealer gets blackjack. When the dealer's up-card is an ace, that's when players can buy insurance just in case the hidden card is a 10. Insurance pays out 2/1 if the dealer gets blackjack, and the wagering requirements are usually capped at half the initial wager.

How to Play Blackjack Online in Ontario

So you want to play online blackjack but don't know where to start or how to play? In this section, we will go over how to play, blackjack rules, and basic blackjack strategy. The main idea of blackjack is simple: you want your hand value to be closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. If your hand value is exactly 21, this is called blackjack, and you win. Now that we have the main idea, let's take a look at the most important rules.

Blackjack Rules

The rules of blackjack are quite simple, each player is up against the dealer, and the goal is to have a hand closer to 21 than the dealer without going over 21. To start playing blackjack online, you must place the first place a wager; whether it's a real money wager or just a demo game, you must bet something to receive cards. Here is how are some of the main rules of online blackjack.

The Deal

After everyone has placed a wager, the cards are dealt face up one at a time until everyone has two cards in front of them. The dealer receives two cards as well, but only one of them is face up.

Card Values

All face cards have a value of 10 (J, Q, K), but it is up to the player to decide if aces are worth either 1 or 11. All other cards are their shown value (i.e., 6 is six, 10 is ten).

The Play

After the cards are dealt, each player takes their turn playing their hand, starting from the left of the dealer. The player must decide if they would like to hit, stand, split, or double down. If they hit, they get another card, but if they stand, they keep their two cards. If the player splits or doubles, they must place another wager of equal size to their original. Once a player is either happy with the cards they have or have busted, their turn is over.

The Dealer

Once every player has taken their turn, it is now the dealer's turn as long as not all the players have busted. The dealer's second card is now revealed. The dealer must follow certain rules while playing their turn, they must hit if their value is 16 or under and must stand if their hand value is 17 or over. Depending on the game, if the dealer has a soft 17 (A-6 is called soft 17 because an ace can be 1 or 11), they must hit.

Once the dealer either has a hand of 17-21 or has busted, their turn is over. All players who have a hand higher than the dealer win, and all players with the same hand as the dealer, push. If the dealer busts, all surviving player hands win. All winning hand payouts are 1/1.

Blackjack Strategy

Everyone has their own blackjack strategy that helps them, but here are a couple of tips that should be a part of everyone's basic strategy.

It is first important to know what hands are good and what hands are poor for the dealer and player, respectively. One of the most important aspects of blackjack strategy is that 10 value cards are the most common in-game, so the odds one appears is greater than any other card. For the player, a hand with a combined value of 17 or more is a good hand and should probably be left, or it risks going bust.

For the dealer, a face-up card of 7,8,9,10, and A is good. If the dealer is showing any of these cards, the player should keep hitting until they reach a value of at least 17. If the dealer is showing a card under 7, then the player has more flexibility on when they should stop hitting.

When it comes to splitting, the basic strategy is that you only want to split cards to improve your hand. If you have two tens, which have a combined value of 20, you already have a good hand and shouldn't split them. Two cards you should always split are 8's and aces. Two 8's give you 16, which isn't a great hand, but if you split them, you have the chance at better hands. Splitting aces gives you two opportunities at blackjack and gives you flexibility even if you don't get blackjack.

When a player doubles down, they only can get one more card, so it has to be done at an opportune time. The best time to double down is when you have a hand of 10 or 11, this is because there is no way for you to go bust, and if the next card is a 10, you have a great hand.

New Blackjack Games in Canada

New blackjack games are constantly getting released, so it is important to distinguish between the good and bad ones. One entertaining new blackjack game is Vinnie Jones Blackjack from Real Dealer Studios. Vinnie Jones Blackjack brings players the classic casino game, but Actor and soccer player Vinnie Jones is the dealer and interacts with each player using new technology. Another new blackjack game in Canada is Power Blackjack from Evolution Gaming which brings you live games with a couple of twists, like removing all 9s and 10s from the deck or giving players the opportunity to triple or quadruple down on any two cards.

Play Blackjack online with Friends

One of the main advantages of playing blackjack at a physical casino vs. at online blackjack sites is that you can play with your friends at the same table. When in fact, some websites let you play online live blackjack with your friends if you know how. Although most casinos won't let you set up a private blackjack game with your friends, you are allowed to all sit at the same table if you can find one.

Online Blackjack Casinos That Accept PayPal

PayPal is quickly becoming a preferred deposit method among many online blackjack players, but some websites still don't accept it. Here's a list of the online blackjack casinos that accept PayPal deposits.

• 888casino
• bet365
• PokerStars
• PartyCasino
• Caesars

Once you have made a deposit with PayPal, you can withdraw back into your PayPal account at any time.

Responsible Gambling When Playing Online Blackjack

Playing online blackjack can be fun and entertaining, but if you decide to play real money blackjack, you should do so responsibly. Online casinos know this as well, so they offer many resources and safeguards to promote responsible gambling. Casinos allow users to set deposit limits, set cool-off periods, suspend accounts, and altogether delete accounts. Customers can also dial the many responsible gambling hotlines offered by casinos and governments.

While playing blackjack, there are a couple of things you can do to play responsibly: keep as little amount of money in your account as possible to avoid big losses, bet small amounts of money, so losses don't amount, and if you just want to play online blackjack for fun, stick to demo games that don't use real money.

Best Online Blackjack Games Versus Other Casino Games

Blackjack has become one of the most, if not the most, popular casino games because of how simple it is to play. Casino goers like other popular games like roulette and the best Ontario online slots because of their speed and simplicity, and games like poker for the control players can have over the game. Blackjack has the best quality of other casino games. The speed and simplicity, each hand takes a maximum of five minutes, and the control players can have, players can have a strategy of when to hit, stand, split, or double down. Because of the strategy involved in playing, players tend to credit their smarts and intuition when they win.

Another big reason for blackjack's immense popularity is its representation in popular culture. Blackjack is a major plot device in three major motion pictures: Rain Man, 21, and The Hangover. In all three of these movies, characters are down on their luck and in a tough place financially until they discover how to beat the casinos at blackjack. Each of these movies has attracted players to blackjack because who doesn't like to beat the casino? Of course, in real life the house always has an edge!