Although there are a whole range of blackjack variations available these days, for some people, the original is still the best.

That’s why Classic Blackjack remains the most popular version of the game with players, and it’s the one you’ll find most often at both land based and online casinos.

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So we’ll start our series of individual Blackjack game guides by showing you the rules and how to play the original, classic version of the world’s best card game.

Which Casinos Offer Classic Blackjack

Casino

Welcome Bonus

Rating

Play

Trada Casino

100% Bonus Up to £50 + 150 Free Spins

(4.4 / 5)
Trada Casino Review

Play Now

BigSpinCasino

200% Up To $1000

(4 / 5)
BigSpinCasino Review

Play Now

CasinoMax

Up to $9,000 Free Welcome Bonus + 20 Free Spins for 10 Consecutive Days

(4 / 5)
CasinoMax Review

Play Now

Miami Club Casino

100% Up To $800 Deposit Bonuses

(3.8 / 5)
Miami Club Casino Review

Play Now

100% match, cashable, on the first eight purchases of credits, up to $100 per bonus. Standard bonus terms apply. Please note that Roulette, Baccarat and Craps are excluded from bonus play.

Rules of Classic Blackjack

Since Classic Blackjack isn’t really a variation, it’s the original, it uses the standard rule set and there are no nuances or side bets to consider.

Now, you may see some variations in terms of the payouts at certain casinos (for example, plenty of tables on the Las Vegas strip only pay 6/5 for Blackjack) but these are the rules you should see at any online or mobile blackjack table.

Dealer Must Draw to 16 and Stand on Soft 17
Blackjack Pays 3/2
Insurance Pays 2/1
Game Uses up to 6 Decks
One Additional Card Dealt on Double or Split Aces

If you do see a table that pays less than 3/2 for Blackjack, or that has the dealer hitting Soft 17, then click your back button and find another one. The rules above are standard to the vast majority of real money online casinos, and there is no need to accept anything less.

How To Play

If you’ve ever played Blackjack before then you’ll know how to play Classic Blackjack already. This isn’t a variation, so there will be no surprises.

If you’re new to the game, then Classic Blackjack is the best game to learn on.

Just read through our How To Play Blackjack Guide and you’ll pick it up in no time. Most online and mobile casinos will let you play Classic Blackjack for free in demo mode, so you can spend as long as you like practicing until you get the hang of it.

Some online Classic Blackjack tables allow you to play multi-hand games. There’s still only one player – that’s you. But you have the option to play more than one hand against the dealer simultaneously.

If you’re a high roller, feeling lucky or just want to work through a bonus rollover, then this could be a good option.

Basic Strategy For Classic Blackjack

Basic Strategy was designed for classic blackjack, so it is actually most effective when playing the original version of the game. Using it will give you the best possible return when playing blackjack online.

You can learn basic strategy and download the tables here.

The advantage of playing online is that there are no other players to mess things up. When you’re playing perfect Blackjack, there’s nothing worse than seeing other players on the table making moves they shouldn’t and inadvertently handing the dealer an advantage which can destroy your winning hand.

If you are playing in a brick and mortar casino, you have the opportunity to learn card counting. If done properly, and if you can get away with it, this can put the odds in your favour and give a positive expectancy from the game. Counting cards is not illegal, but the casino has the right to ask you to leave.

Counting cards is not possible in any digital game of Classic Blackjack, either online or on mobile, because the deck is shuffled after every hand.

Who Should Play Classic Blackjack

Classic Blackjack is the original and (in my opinion) the best version of Blackjack to play.

It’s one for the purists, who see variations as gimmicks for people with short attention spans. So experienced players who have tried the other variations inevitably come back to the pure version eventually.

It’s the easiest Blackjack version to learn, so it is also the best option for new players. Start with Classic Blackjack, and by all means try out some of the other versions once you’re comfortable with how the game works.

David Graham

David is the editor and heads up the testing team here at Mobile Betting Site. A keen gambler both online and in the real world! David has been to Las Vegas 9 times and still managed to keep his shirt. He also enjoys sport (especially football, rugby and cricket), drinking beer and watching James Bond films.

Classic Blackjack

Which Casinos Offer Classic Blackjack

Rules of Classic Blackjack

How To Play

Basic Strategy For Classic Blackjack

Who Should Play Classic Blackjack

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