The Benefits of playing Blackjack online for fun

For the longest time, blackjack has been one of, if not the most popular table games to play in a casino. Some play it for its simplicity while others play for the excitement but one of the best reasons to try it is for its fun gameplay. Playing blackjack online for fun never gets old because you don’t have to worry about money and all your attention is focused on its exciting gameplay. For this reason alone, it’s a no-brainer that it’s widely played not just in places like Canada but around the world as well.

With the emergence of online casinos, the popularity and accessibility of this table game have been amplified as people also have the option to play blackjack for free. Thanks to sites such as Bitcasino in Canada, players can play their favourite blackjack games and experience the same exciting experience in the comfort of their homes.

Generally speaking, playing at an online casino for fun comes with its fair share of benefits. Let’s unpack them and prepare you for your next free blackjack game!

What is blackjack?

Before you start playing blackjack online for fun, you first need to understand its basic gameplay, which is not that hard considering that it’s one of the easiest casino games out there. In a nutshell, the goal here is to draw a hand value that’s greater than the dealer’s or as close to 21 without going over.

To achieve this, players have a set of moves they can make to determine their outcome. This makes blackjack more than just a game of luck since winning also relies on the player's skill to wisely decide which action to take.

How to play blackjack

If you want to learn how to play blackjack, you need to determine whether or not your hand has a winning value. To start, you first have to know the different values of each card which are the following:

• All the face cards, namely, J, Q and K has a value of 10
• Cards 2 to 9 carry their face value (i.e. 4 is equal to four, 10 counts as ten, etc.)
• The Ace is a special card and it can either take the value of 1 or 11, depending on which amount would be more beneficial to the hand value

Gameplay

At the start of every game, players are given two-faced down cards which you can use to base your next move. If you’re lucky enough and your hand value adds up to 21, you get a natural or blackjack and automatically win the game.

However, if you don’t draw an exact 21, you can do any of the following moves to beat the dealer's card:

Hit

If you think that your hand can be made better with another card, you can choose to hit so that the dealer deals you another. There isn’t any limitation to how many times you can ask for another card but once you bust meaning you exceeded 21, you automatically lose the game. You can also stop hitting once you feel confident about your hand value or if you think that being dealt with another card will lead to a bust.

Stand

If you’re satisfied with the value of your hand, you can choose to stand and the dealer won’t deal you another card.

Double down

Double down is done when a player is confident with their hand and only needs an additional card. In this move, the player doubles their initial wager then the dealer gives them another card.

Split

Split is the move done by players if they want to separate the two cards dealt with them and place an additional wager. This leads to the player having two separate hands with the first two cards turning to the first cards of each hand.

Surrender

If you think that the first two cards that you’ve been dealt with are a lost cause, you can surrender to get your initial wager back. This is a great strategy if you want to minimise your losses and win more in the long run.

How the game proceeds

Once all players at the table have decided what to do with their cards, the dealer reveals their card. They stand when their hand value is 17 or more and hit when their hand is lower than 17. 

If the dealer goes beyond 21, they bust and all remaining players win according to the paytable. But if the dealer’s hands total anywhere between 17 and 20, they stand and all player hand values are then compared. Whoever has the hand closest to 21 wins. If the dealer has the best hand, all players lose and the game round ends.

Benefits of of playing blackjack online for fun

Blackjack is equally fun as it is rewarding which is why millions of people around the world play blackjack online for fun. Here are some of the benefits of playing blackjack online for fun, not only on Bitcasino Canada but everywhere:

Accessibility

The biggest advantage of playing blackjack online for free is how accessible it is. You can simply visit any website offering free gameplay and practice from your phone or laptop. Sometimes, you may be able to download the game and play it offline with no need for internet access. 

A safer way to play

Playing blackjack online for fun is a safer way to play in the sense that players won’t have to worry about their losses. Players can eliminate managing a bankroll or overspending from their worries when they start playing for fun. Overspending is one of the biggest worries that players have when entering a game of blackjack which also hinders them from experiencing the game in all its glory.

This creates low-risk gameplay where players don’t have to worry about the usual risks that come with playing blackjack such as losing money.

Find the game perfect for you

Because of the low-risk involved in playing blackjack online for fun at an online casino, you can try the different titles to your heart’s content until you find the best game for you. Everyone has their tastes when it comes to playing blackjack games and with this benefit, you don’t have to go in blindly with every game that you play. This is because you’ll get to experience what the title offers before you even wager any amount of money into the game.

A great way to hone your skills

If you’re only playing for fun and you’re not focused on winning, you can practice your skills until you improve your blackjack skills. By not putting the pressure on yourself to always win at every game, you can focus on learning from your mistakes and eventually becoming a better player.

Playing blackjack doesn’t entirely depend on luck so it would be wise to know the ins and outs of the game. Playing it for fun online will help you master your decision making which is arguably one of the most important traits that a player must have. By mastering this skill, you can easily decide when’s the best time to double down, surrender, stand, etc.

The great thing about this is that you don’t have to play against real people and let them watch as you make beginner mistakes you’re likely to commit. Once you think you’re ready for the real deal, you can start trying live blackjack games to experience the same rush that you’ll feel in a physical casino.

Socialise with other players from around the world

Part of what makes blackjack fun is its interaction with other players. Thankfully, that fun and excitement are brought to the player’s homes with live blackjack games. With these titles and with a mindset of playing for fun and not for the money, players are given full freedom to gain the confidence to play with other players.

Not everyone can converse with strangers easily and with blackjack, the game itself can be used as a conversation starter. Their shared love and passion for this simple casino table game can be enough to establish a bond between two strangers. Whether it be small talk, exchanging tips or engaging in friendly banter, playing for fun brings out the confidence in players, even if they’re not from the same country.

Sense of immediacy

Aside from the actual gameplay itself, playing for fun also benefits the way you start a game. In a regular blackjack game, you’re required to wager a specific amount of money to join the game. However, if you’re playing for fun, you can play the free titles or those that come with a built-in ‘fun mode’ on the online casinos.

This eliminates the need of depositing money into your account and gives players a sense of immediacy. Players who don’t want to spend a couple of minutes waiting for their funds to enter their account will enjoy this benefit because they can jump straight into the game that they know and love.

What’s the best blackjack experience – an online or real casino?

Right now, both online blackjack and real casino blackjack are at one of the highest levels of popularity ever. With both options being available to players, and with relatively easy access for both, which one is the best option?

What they have in common

Both versions of the game have one main thing in common. They both allow players to play blackjack for money. If you are in a casino or if you are logged onto Bitcasino, then you will be able to play blackjack. This is not the only thing that they both have in common though.

They also both have different levels of table on offer to players. For higher-rolling players, there will be blackjack tables that offer a higher limit, and for lower-rolling players, there will be blackjack tables that offer a lower limit. This is something that is available to players at almost every iteration of casino.

This means that no matter where you decide to play blackjack, you will be able to both play for money and find a table that suits your budget. This ensures that while there are a host of differences between playing blackjack online and in a real casino, the basic game retains these important characteristics.

What real casino blackjack can offer over online blackjack

The first main thing that real casino blackjack offers over online blackjack is the ability to feel the cards and really get into the moment. The one thing that online blackjack cannot offer players, at least not with current technology, is the ability to feel the cards in your hand. While that does not offer any kind of advantage in terms of actually playing the game for some players, this is all part of the experience when playing blackjack.

This ties in with an online casino not offering the same kind of atmosphere as a real casino. For some players, the atmosphere of playing in a real-life casino is all part of the enjoyment. Until augmented reality becomes a regular piece of technology, it is unlikely that an online casino will be able to offer a true real-life casino experience.

There are two things that real-life casino blackjack offers that can impact on the playing of the game. The first is the ability to watch the dealer closely. While online casinos do offer live casino games, the way that the cameras are positioned does mean that it is not as easy to watch the dealer closely as it is in real life. This means that the ability to watch the dealer closely to see if they have any tells is significantly harder at an online casino. If you are a player who likes to watch the dealer and attempt to use any tells they might have to influence your playing, then this is not usually a viable strategy at an online casino.

The second major difference that impacts on the actual playing of the game is the ability to count cards. Counting cards at an online casino is almost impossible. This means that if you have learned to do this and use it as part of your playing strategy, then you will not be able to do so as effectively when playing at an online casino. Of course, some real-life casinos do not take kindly to card counting, despite it not being illegal, so it is a risky tactic to carry out regardless of where you play.

What online blackjack can offer over real casino blackjack

The first huge benefit that online blackjack has over real casino blackjack is the level of convenience that it offers. The ability to play the game at any time, anywhere and dressed however you like is something that a real casino will never be able to offer. If you do not like dressing up smartly, then online blackjack is probably the only chance you will ever get to play blackjack while comfortable. It does not matter what clothes you prefer to wear, you can wear them when playing online blackjack. You can also sit in your favourite chair while eating your favourite food. The level of comfort and convenience that online blackjack offers is second to none. You can even sit with a blackjack strategy chart next to you and take as long as you need to plan out your move. There are no worries about someone rushing you – you can sit back, relax and really think out the right move.

Online blackjack also offers a huge amount of blackjack variations. Here at Bitcasino, for example, we have a number of different blackjack games on offer, including classic Blackjack and Perfect Pairs Blackjack. This means that players have a lot more choice available to them when playing blackjack at an online casino. If standard blackjack is not your cup of tea, then in an online casino, you will be able to find a version of blackjack that will conform to your tastes. This level of choice is something that a real-life casino will never be able to offer, purely because of the space constraints that they have when compared to online casinos.

A really big benefit to playing at an online casino is the bonuses and promotions that are available to players. When signing up to an online casino, there is usually a welcome bonus on offer, as well as subsequent other promotions at regular intervals. This is usually in the form of additional funds to use as wagers. This is something that a real-life casino does not offer. At an online casino, your funds will be boosted upon your first deposit. This means that you will be able to play for longer or play with higher wagers when you play.

When playing blackjack at an online casino, there is never a wait for you to be able to play. You are instantly taken to the table that you have chosen and you can start playing right away. This is not the case when playing at a real-life casino. There can often be a long wait for a free space to become available. This is due to the space constraints of real-life casinos. This level of convenience is tied into the level of comfort that an online casino offers. Because you will never have to wait to play, there is no temptation to waste your time or money on games that you either do not enjoy or are not comfortable playing.

Yet another benefit to playing online blackjack is that you will be playing head to head with the dealer when you play. This is extremely important when attempting to use a strategy as other players can ruin your strategy when playing at a real-life casino table. For example, if another player makes the wrong move when it is their turn, it can end up costing everyone else at the table the game. This is not an issue when playing at an online casino, and you will be able to have more control over the outcome of your game.

Which is best?

It is difficult to say definitively which the best choice is, as with all objective choices, it is down to the individual. Online blackjack has a significant number of benefits, far exceeding real casino blackjack in terms of both aesthetic benefits and how the game is played. However, despite this, some people may still prefer to play real casino blackjack.

In terms of choosing based purely on which game has the most benefits and fewest drawbacks, online blackjack wins out by a mile. However, if being able to actually touch the cards is a deal breaker for you, then real casino blackjack might be the right game for you. For a first-time player though, there is no doubt that online blackjack is the right place to start.

Best Blackjack games in Bitcasino

If you’re craving the excitement and fun experience that blackjack gives, here are some of the best blackjack games that Bitcasino has to offer:

Blackjack Classic by OneTouch Games

OneTouch Games is one of the best casino mobile games in the industry and Blackjack Classic is living proof. If you want to play a fun game of blackjack on the go, then look no further than this title as it can give you the same fun and thrilling experience that comes with the game.

It’s a great one to one representation of what you’ll get to play at any brick and mortar casino. It doesn’t do anything crazy with its themes and it’s straight to the point so if that’s the type of games that you’re into, then this is a solid choice for you.

Blackjack Classic Perfect Pair High Roller by OneTouch Games

If you want to mix up your blackjack gameplay experience, then feel free to try the Blackjack Classic Perfect Pair High Roller by OneTouch Games. The Perfect Pair variation of this beloved table game lets players wager an additional amount on top of the initial bet. This covers the possibility of the first two cards being dealt as a pair.

Blackjack Supreme Multihand by OneTouch Games

Once you’re ready for the big leagues and you feel that you’ve practised enough with the free blackjack games, go ahead and try the Blackjack Supreme Multihand by OneTouch Games.

With this variation, players will be allowed to play with up to three hands to maximise their chances of winning. On top of that, the Perfect Pair side bet can also be used in this iteration. The game is available on both mobile and desktop platforms and they’re extremely fun to play.

Have fun playing blackjack in Bitcasino Canada today!

Reading about your favourite game is fun but it’s nothing compared to trying it for yourself! Now that you’ve learned the different reasons why you should play blackjack online for fun, head on over to our wide selection of blackjack games here in Bitcasino Canada.

These high-quality titles won’t fail to provide you with a fun and exciting experience. You can enjoy them before you even deposit money into your account! All you have to do is log in, choose from our selection of blackjack games and you’re good to go. Once you find a game that’s worth your liking, then you can start wagering. What are you waiting for? Have fun playing blackjack for free today!

Words by: Jericho Paradeza