Once you have mastered the basic rules of blackjack and are familiar with blackjack betting tables and strategies at top-rated non GamStop casinos in the UK, you can explore numerous blackjack variations to find out which type suits you best.

Our goal isn’t to turn you into a blackjack expert in just one reading. We want you to improve your betting decisions and winning chances by providing you with comprehensive insight into the key elements of the game and its variations.

We assume you already know the basic rules of blackjack and are familiar with the most important blackjack strategies and systems. Let’s explore the most popular blackjack variations without further ado and find the best blackjack game for you and your personal playing preferences. All blackjack variations that are described in this article can be found at Kings Chip Casino, you can read the full Kings Chip Casino review and rating.

American Blackjack or Classic Blackjack at Non GamStop Casinos

When you hear “Classic Blackjack,” you’re referring to the American version of the game, which is considered the gambling standard. American Blackjack can be played with one, two, four, six, or eight standard decks of cards, and the way the cards are dealt is the key difference from European Blackjack.

The goal is always to get as close to 21 as possible and never to bust over 21. A hand with a value of 21 is called blackjack, but not in all cases, as described under Blackjack Variants below.

American blackjack dealers receive two cards immediately, just as players receive their two cards. Therefore, American blackjack dealers always check the cards to see if they have an immediate blackjack. Because of this rule, an insurance bet was introduced in American blackjack , allowing players to bet against the dealer’s blackjack.

Insurance Bet

For example, a dealer has an ace and a face-down card that we can’t see. With a face-up card as strong as an ace, a dealer can get a blackjack relatively easily—they only need a face card or a ten. There are 16 ten-value cards in a single deck, and on average, the dealer will get a blackjack in one out of every three hands with a new deck.

This is where the insurance bet comes in. The dealer will ask the player if they want to place an insurance bet, because if the dealer hits blackjack, the “insured” player breaks even and doesn’t lose any money.

However, we advise against placing insurance bets long-term, as the statistics favor the dealer, not the player. It’s only worthwhile if all three conditions are met: you’re a good card counter, the exposed card is an ace, and there are many high-value cards in the shoe . If the dealer has a blackjack and the player has chosen the insurance option, the payout is 2:1.

European Blackjack at Non GamStop Casinos

The main difference between American and European Blackjack is that in European Blackjack, the dealer receives only one card before the player receives two cards and places a bet. After a player places their bet, a European Blackjack dealer receives the second card and acts accordingly.

In other words, unlike American dealers, a European dealer cannot predict whether he has a blackjack hand before players place their bets.

In most land-based casinos, European Blackjack is played with two decks of cards, but in online casinos, up to six and eight decks are used. Blackjack pays out at a ratio of 3:2.

• The dealer must stand on soft 17.

• If both the dealer and the player have a blackjack, it is a tie.

• Players can only double on 9s, 10s and 11s.

• Only one split, double down can be placed later

Feature	European Blackjack	American Blackjack
Card decks used	2	6 or 8
Verified punch card	No	Yes
Blackjack payout	3:2	3:2 or 6:5
Late Surrender	Not allowed	Allowed
Double Down	Allowed on 9, 10, or 11	Allowed on any hand
Double use of splits	Not allowed	Allowed
Consistency of rules	Generally consistent	The rules may change depending on variations