Top Online Blackjack Sites UK - 2023

Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino games. This card game is a thrilling mix of strategy and luck that offers some of the lowest house edges of all casino games. With plenty of variations on offer, including live dealer tables, there’s plenty of fun to be had.

We’ve picked out the very best online blackjack sites so that you can easily compare your options and pick a favourite.

Want to find out more about this much-loved casino classic? Read on for everything you need to know about playing blackjack online.

How We Review the Best Blackjack Casinos

We won’t just recommend any old casino at Compare.bet — our experts select the top blackjack sites using a rigorous set of criteria. Here’s what we dig into when assessing each blackjack site available in the UK.

UKGC Licence

We only recommend blackjack sites that hold a proper licence from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). This is our first port of call and any unlicensed operators are immediately blacklisted. Why? Because our players have a greater degree of protection at licensed sites as operators risk fines and sanctions if they fail to meet regulatory standards regarding transactions, player protection and game fairness.

Generous, Player-Friendly Bonuses

Offering a welcome package is par for the course, but not every deal will offer good value to the player. We pick through the terms and conditions of every welcome offered by a site to ensure the terms are player-friendly. That means low wagering requirements, longer time limits, and high winnings caps among other things.

Plenty of Promotions

If you’re going to the effort of signing up to a blackjack casino, there have to be enough incentives to make it worth your time. We assess the value of ongoing promotions for existing players, whether it’s cashback, VIP schemes, or reload bonuses, to make sure that you know exactly what you’re signing up for.

Fast Withdrawals

When you withdraw your cash, you don’t want to be left waiting a long time for it to arrive. While support for the fastest withdrawal methods like e-wallets is a prerequisite here, we also look into the casino’s processing times. Even the quickest payment methods can be hampered if the site takes a long time to confirm the withdrawal.

Wide Range of Deposit and Withdrawal Options

As well as fast withdrawals, we also look for how many payment methods are supported at blackjack sites. We expect to see at least one e-wallet option — PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller are popular options — while support for methods like pay by phone bill or prepaid cards is evidence of a site that caters to a wide range of players. Some particularly innovative blackjack sites will even support crypto deposits and withdrawals. The broader the variety, the better.

Free and Real Money Blackjack Games

There’s an element of skill required to play blackjack. That’s why we love sites that let you play for free, allowing you to perfect your strategy or just play for fun. As such, free play blackjack games are great options for both new and experienced players.

Good Live Dealer Collection

Regardless of whether you have played live dealer blackjack before or not, the best gambling websites will give you plenty of choice. This means that games from the best live developers, such as Evolution Gaming and Playtech, are all available to players at a range of buy-ins and minimum stakes.

Blackjack Game Variants

The game of blackjack is centuries old, so it’s no surprise there are lots of variants. Again, choice is the name of the game here. We like to see variants such as American and European Blackjack, Perfect Pairs, Vegas Strip, and Blackjack Switch on the menu, ensuring a wide range of player needs are met.

Customer Service

For the best blackjack sites, great customer support is a top priority. This means providing a detailed FAQs page or online help centre, as well as giving customers a range of options for getting in touch with the team. At leading casino sites, the choice will often include around-the-clock live chat, email, and telephone support. You can sometimes get support via social media channels like Facebook and Twitter too. Either way, we want to see sites respond quickly and accurately to players, and our online casino reviews will let you know what to expect.

Site Design

Appearances matter, and this is as true for online blackjack sites as it is for anything else. The best brands put plenty of thought into how their sites look, incorporating unique themes, high-quality graphics, and easy-to-read content into their designs. We love to see sites boast a fresh new look, but find that even white label picks — where design options are limited — can stand out from the crowd with a few well-chosen tweaks. Top brands offer a distinct look across the board, whether you’re playing on desktop or mobile.

User Experience

While the best blackjack online casino sites come dressed to impress, your overall experience will be about far more than just looks alone. To be one of our top picks, a site must also be easy to get around. Players should be able to find and fire up their favourite real money blackjack games quickly and enjoy them without any lagging issues or glitches — especially where live blackjack games are concerned. The best blackjack casinos make the practical stuff, such as making deposits and opting into promos, a piece of cake too. 

Pros and Cons of Blackjack Sites

Blackjack is a hugely popular game with many new variations found at the best blackjack sites. Let’s have a look at some of the pros and cons of playing blackjack online.

How to Play Blackjack

The aim of the game is to beat the dealer by hitting a higher card total than them without exceeding 21. In blackjack, number cards are their face value, face cards are worth 10, while Aces are worth 1 or 11, depending on which suits your hand. The exact rules vary depending on the blackjack variation you’re playing, but most games play out in a similar way. Before we take a look at how a game of blackjack plays out, let’s take a look at the moves available to players:

Hit – You’re dealt another card to add to your hand.

Stand – You keep your hand as it is and don’t receive any more cards.

Split – If your first two cards are the same value, you can choose to split them into two separate hands. You’ll need to add a second bet equal to the first if you split.

Double down – You double your initial bet and receive one more card before standing. In some variations, you can’t double down after splitting.

Surrender – This move is only available in certain games and allows you to surrender the round and only lose half your bet.

Now we’ve got to grips with the blackjack moves, let’s take a step-by-step look at how to play blackjack:

Blackjack House Edge Explained

House edge is the mathematical advantage built into all casino games to ensure that casinos make a profit. The existence of a house edge doesn’t stop individual players from landing big wins, or small ones for that matter. But it does mean that over time — sometimes many thousands of game rounds — the casino will rake in more money in stakes than it pays out in winnings. 

One of the biggest draws of blackjack is that it offers some of the lowest house edges of all casino games. As blackjack is partly skill-based, the house edge is affected by your strategy. This means that, unlike in other games like slots and roulette, making the right moves can give you a better chance of winning. Of course, in no way does this mean you can guarantee a win — at the end of the day, which card is drawn next is still a matter of chance.

The house edge for a standard blackjack game when playing with basic strategy is around 0.42%. The house edge differs depending on the blackjack variation you’re playing and whether you’re wagering on side bets.

Get Clued in on Blackjack Payouts

In classic blackjack, the payout for blackjack is 3:2, or 1.5 times your bet amount. If your hand is closer to 21 than the dealers or the dealer goes bust, you’ll receive a 1:1 payout. In most variations, if the round ends in a tie and both the player and the dealer’s hands are the same, then your bets for that round are returned to you.

Lots of blackjack variations offer different payout rates. For example, many variations that have additional rules that benefit the player, like seeing both the dealer’s first cards, make up for this advantage by offering lower payout rates. Similarly, some games have rules that make it harder for the player but make up for this with increased payouts.

Highest Paying Blackjack Games

When you’re gambling, the priority should always be to have fun — you should never view it as a way to make money. That said, you will want to get the most out of your bankroll and give yourself the best chance of a return. One way to do that is finding blackjack games with the lowest house edge, or the highest return to player (RTP) percentage. 

Unlike slots or roulette, which are entirely down to chance, there’s an element of skill involved in blackjack. The first way you can minimise the house edge is by using basic strategy. Another way is by playing a game with preferable rules. For example, single-deck blackjack has a significantly lower house edge than a game using eight decks, so the theoretical RTP will be higher. 

Highest Paying Live Dealer Blackjack Games

In the table below, we’ve rounded up some live dealer blackjack games with the best payouts. These games are run by a professional dealer from a real studio or casino and streamed directly to your device — many of these titles are available at our recommended blackjack sites.

Highest Paying RNG Blackjack Games

RNG games are virtual and players have full control over the pace of the game, so they’re a great way to perfect your strategy. After all, that’s one of the most effective ways to maximise your returns. The RNG blackjack games below have some of the best RTPs on account of their favourable rules — once you’ve got your strategy down, they’re a great place to start.

Different Blackjack Games Available

There are many different versions of blackjack available to play at the best UK blackjack sites, and some might be more suited to your playing style than others. Here is an outline of some of the most popular blackjack variations:

American Blackjack

In American blackjack, the dealer receives two cards – one face up (an upcard), the other face down (the hole card) – while the player is dealt two upcards. If the dealer’s upcard is an ace, they are allowed to have a look at their hole card. If it is either a ten or a picture card, which makes 21, then the dealer has made blackjack and wins the round. If not, the player then proceeds to try and get as close to 21 as possible without going bust. After the player decides to ‘stay’, the dealer then plays their own hand, and must ‘hit’ whenever their total is less than 16, and ‘stay’ if it is 17 or above.

American blackjack allows players to double down on any hand, and to ‘split’ their hand three times. American blackjack players can also ‘surrender’ their hand after the first two cards are dealt, but at the cost of half their bet.

An important aspect to be aware of in any form of blackjack is how many decks are being played with, as the number of decks determines the casino’s house edge. American blackjack is typically played with 6-8 decks of cards, which is a higher figure than some of the others we’ll cover on this page, meaning that the house has more of an edge in American blackjack.

European Blackjack

The main distinguishing factor between European and American blackjack lies with how the cards are dealt. There is no hole card in European blackjack, which means the dealer cannot make blackjack before other players have had a chance to play. Instead, the dealer only receives one upcard, then waits until the players have played their hands before revealing their second card and playing their own. 

Some other differences are that players of European blackjack can only double down on hands with a total value of 9, 10 or 11, and can only split once during a hand. European blackjack players usually don’t have the option to surrender, either.

Despite being a slightly more rigid form of blackjack, the European variation is played with only two decks of cards, which significantly reduces the house’s edge over its players.

Blackjack Switch

Blackjack switch is a relatively recent development of the blackjack format in which players are dealt two hands and place identical wagers on both. Players then have the opportunity to switch their top two cards, after which both hands are played independently of each other.

However, if the second cards are identical – rendering the option to switch obsolete – they are eligible for what’s called a ‘super match’. The super match is a unique side bet that rewards players for receiving pairs, two pairs, three-of-a-kind or four-of-a-kind from the initial deal, with corresponding payout odds of 1/1, 3/1, 5/1 and 8/1.

Another distinguishing aspect of blackjack switch is that the dealer does not go bust if their hand totals 22, but instead tie – or ‘push’ – the hand. This means that no one wins the round, unless another player has made a natural blackjack, which always trumps a push on 22.

All other blackjack variables – i.e. how many decks are in play or whether or not you can split, surrender or double down – are up to the specific provider, so make sure you’ve read the rules and regulations before you start playing.

Playtech’s Blackjack Switch, for example, plays with 6 decks and allows its players to both split and double down, which explains why it carries a staggering RTP rate of 99.92%.

If you’re after high RTPs and an increased freedom of choice, Blackjack Switch is a great option. 

Vegas Strip Blackjack

Though it may sound rather raunchy, Vegas Strip blackjack is actually just a slight variation of the American format.

The main differences to be aware of here are that Vegas Strip blackjack is always played with 4 decks of cards – which means the house’s odds are significantly lower than they are in American blackjack – and the dealer must always stand on a soft 17 (a 17 that includes an ace with a value of 11).

Another key feature is that Vegas Strip players are allowed to insure their hands against a blackjack if the dealer’s first card is an ace. This insurance side bet pays out at 2/1 if the dealer ends up making blackjack. 

All other aspects of Vegas Strip blackjack follow the same rules as American blackjack, but the decrease in the house’s edge over players makes this a popular alternative. 

Blackjack Perfect Pairs

Blackjack Perfect Pairs originated as a side bet similar to the ‘super match’ bet in Blackjack Switch. The specific side bet that Perfect Pairs is based on, however, concerns three potential outcomes of the initial two-card deal: 

• a mixed pair – two cards of the same value, but in a different suit and colour; 
• a coloured pair – same value and colour, but in a different suit; 
• a perfect pair – same value, colour and suit, usually with a payout of 30/1.

Participating players must place this side bet before any cards have been dealt, and the rest of the hand then continues according to whichever standard variant you’re playing. Perfect Pairs can be played with anywhere between 2 to 8 decks of cards, so double check these before you start betting, because the number of packs in play will have a significant effect on how likely you are to find a pair.

Free Blackjack

The best UK blackjack sites offer free blackjack titles that allow you to get acquainted with how the game works before staking your own cash. These free games are a great opportunity to figure out which variant suits you best, or even to work on a strategy before trying your luck at the real thing. It could even be that you are simply a fan of blackjack who wants to play without worrying about losing any money.

Whatever your motive, free blackjack is available at most blackjack casinos, and will only require you to sign up in order to play – no deposit will be necessary.

Unfortunately, you can’t play live dealer blackjack for free, but you can spectate on some live dealer games to get a feel for how it all works before giving it a go yourself. 

A number of the top UK blackjack sites we recommend – such as 888casino, Grosvenor Casino and Unibet – offer free blackjack to both new and returning players. 

Pros and Cons of Free Blackjack

Blackjack Games at UK Casinos

When it comes to games libraries, not all casinos are created equal. We’ve highlighted some picks below with a decent selection, giving players access to different variants and live dealer games.

Improve Your Game with Blackjack Strategy

If you want the most favourable house edge, you’ll need to use the optimal blackjack strategy, known as basic strategy. This involves knowing what move to make depending on the strength of your hand. While blackjack strategy can’t guarantee you a win, seeing as you have no control over what cards are drawn, it can lower the house edge.

Some basic blackjack strategy tips are well known and easy to remember, such as always hit on a hard 11 or always stand on a hard 17. It’s not easy to learn the right move for every scenario by heart, but there are many blackjack strategy charts available online which tell you the best move to make. Luckily, you can play online blackjack while having your strategy chart at hand until you get the hang of things.

It’s important to remember that even if you master blackjack and learn how to implement basic strategy, the house will still have an edge and win in the long run. Speaking to Compare.bet, GamCare’s Head of Marketing and Communication, Catherine Sweet, told us:

“One of our key messages is that gambling is not a way to make money – the longer you gamble, the more you will lose. It’s important to recognise that you can’t affect chance, no matter how long you play for.”

Try out Different Blackjack Variations

There are a wide range of exciting game variations available at the UK’s best blackjack sites. Let’s take a look at the top titles on offer.

Blackjack surrender – This variation allows you to cut your losses if you don’t fancy your first hand by only losing half your bet. While most games don’t allow you to surrender if the dealer gets a natural, a few variations do – this is known as early surrender.

Blackjack switch – In blackjack switch, you’re dealt two hands instead of one. You can choose to switch the second cards of each hand to create the strongest possible hands.

Double exposure – Here, both the dealers cards are face up. This is an advantage for the player, but casinos make up for this by offering slightly lower payouts. In this variation the dealer also wins on ties unless you land a natural.

Pontoon – This is essentially the opposite to double exposure – both the dealer’s cards are face down. This obviously makes things more difficult for the player, but in exchange there’s an increased payout for natural blackjack of 2:1 rather than 3:2.

Multi-hand blackjack – This variation uses the standard blackjack rules but lets you play multiple hands at once. Some games even allow you to play up to five hands at a time.

Spanish 21 – A unique blackjack variant that sees all the number 10 cards removed from the shoe of six decks in play. Players’ hands are often made up of lots of low cards as a result, which gives a much wider selection of side bets, such as a 7-card hand at 3/1. In Spanish Blackjack, a player’s blackjack or 21 always wins. 

Mix Things up with Blackjack Side Bets

Many online blackjack games have optional side bets that you can wager on as well as wagering on your hand. These bets are separate to the main game and are based purely on luck. Side bets are popular because they offer high payouts if you get lucky. The side bets on offer vary depending on the blackjack game you’re playing, but here are the most popular:

Perfect pairs – This is a bet that your first two cards will be a pair. The payout depends on the strength of the pairing – a ‘perfect’ pair of the same rank and suit usually pays out 25:1, while a red and black pair typically pays 6:1.

23+1 – Here you’re betting that your first two cards and the dealer’s hole card will form a flush, straight, three of a king, straight flush or suited three of a kind. Again, the payouts depend on the strength of the hand. For example, in Playtech’s All Bets Blackjack, a flush pays out 5:1 while a suited three of a kind pays out 100:1.

Insurance – If the dealer’s hole card is an Ace, you can insure your bets against the dealer by placing an insurance bet equal to half the amount of your initial wager. If the dealer does have blackjack your insurance bet pays 2:1, meaning you don’t lose your original bet.

Progressive – Some blackjack games offer a progressive jackpot sidebet. In most progressive blackjack variations, this involves betting on Aces. Depending on the variation, you may need to draw four consecutive Aces of the same suit to land the jackpot.

Enjoy an Immersive Live Blackjack Experience

Fancy a more realistic game of blackjack? Live dealer blackjack is as close as it gets to being at an actual land-based casino. The top live games are streamed in HD from purpose built studios, so they look and feel just like the real thing. Games are also run by professionally trained dealers using authentic equipment, making for more immersive blackjack gaming.

The UK’s best online blackjack sites host a wide range of tables to choose from. There are different variations on offer, with different side bets and betting limits, including low stakes games. Live dealer blackjack games are also a great option for high rollers, as the top sites host exclusive VIP tables, some of which allow you to bet as much as £20,000 per hand.

The Best Blackjack Software Developers

A number of the top casino software providers have developed online blackjack games. As casinos often use different software, the blackjack titles on offer vary from site to site, so knowing the differences between providers can help you find the best blackjack site for you. Here are the developers responsible for the top blackjack titles:

NetEnt

NetEnt is one of the biggest casino software providers and has developed a range of both animated and live dealer blackjack games. When it comes to RNG blackjack titles, NetEnt has developed games like Pontoon, Single Deck Blackjack and Double Exposure Blackjack. NetEnt also offers great live dealer blackjack tables, including the industry-first Perfect Blackjack, which deals cards according to perfect blackjack strategy. There’s also Common Draw Blackjack, which caters to an unlimited number of players at each table.

Top NetEnt Online Blackjack Games

• Single Deck Blackjack Professional Series
  Single-deck blackjack games come with a lower house edge than the usual four or eight-deck games, although this NetEnt title has rather conservative betting limits. A blackjack pays 3:2 and players can buy insurance as well.

• Blackjack Classic
  NetEnt’s no-frills offering, Blackjack Classic, stays true to the game’s roots. It’s played with four decks, and the dealer draws to 16 and stands on all 17s. Players can double down and also buy insurance.

• Double Exposure Blackjack
  In Double Exposure Blackjack, both dealer cards are dealt face up. Unfortunately, this advantage is mitigated by some restrictive rules, including blackjacks paying even money while the dealer wins all non-blackjack pushes.

Evolution Gaming

Evolution Gaming is the leading provider of live casino software, so naturally its blackjack offering is top-notch. From low stakes Blackjack Party and Infinite Blackjack to VIP Salon Privé tables, there’s something for players of all budgets. Evolution’s live blackjack tables offer the Bet Behind feature which allows you to place bets on players’ hands while you wait for a seat, as well as side bets on perfect pairs and 21+3. These games are also some of the most realistic live blackjack games you can play at online casinos.

Top Evolution Gaming Blackjack Games

• First Person Blackjack
  Bucking Evolution’s trend of live dealer games, First Person Blackjack is an RNG game set in a realistic 3D environment. As such, it is one of the closest experiences you’ll come to the real thing in a virtual game. Players can also make Perfect Pair and 21+3 side bets.

• Lightning Blackjack
  Lightning Blackjack throws RNG multipliers into the mix to boost your payouts. Win a round and you’re granted a random multiplier between 2x and 25x for the next hand, giving you the possibility of a larger prize.

• Power Blackjack
  Part of Evolution’s Infinite range, Power Blackjack shakes things up considerably by allowing unlimited players at the table. Players can make four side bets — Any Pair, 21+3, Hot 3, and Bust It — as well as double, triple, or quadruple downs on any two initial cards including after a split. The trade-off? It’s played with eight decks with the 9s and 10s removed, so normal blackjack strategy is out the window. 

Playtech

Playtech is another developer that boasts a range of both RNG and live blackjack titles. When it comes to the live casino, Ultimate Blackjack enables an endless number of players to join in at the same time. Some of the top animated blackjack games from Playtech include Lucky Lucky Blackjack and Buster Blackjack, which offer some unique side bet opportunities. Other variations include Double Attack Blackjack, Blackjack Peek and Free Chip Blackjack, so it’s safe to say Playtech games are ideal for players who fancy mixing up their gameplay.

Top Playtech Online Blackjack Games

• Premium Blackjack
  Playtech’s core blackjack offering, Premium Blackjack includes 21+3, Perfect Pair, and Insurance side bets. The maximum bet is quite high at most online casinos.

• All Bets Blackjack
  A live dealer blackjack game, All Bets Blackjack adds extra side bets including Player/Dealer Pair, 21+3, Top 3, Lucky Lucky, and Buster. This game may not be for everyone, however, as the house edge is much higher, ranging from 4–9%.

• Free Chip Blackjack
  Free Chip Blackjack spices things up with certain double-downs and splits free to the player, although certain rules around pushes do mitigate the advantage to the player.

Microgaming

Microgaming is a software giant has developed some of the best animated blackjack games. There are loads of exciting variations to try out if you’re bored of classic blackjack, including Spanish Blackjack, Super Fun 21, and Single Deck Blackjack. There’s even High Streak Blackjack that offers a side bet that boosts your returns each time you win. Microgaming is a good option for high rollers, with a range of high limit variations. There are also the famous Gold Series blackjack games with enhanced graphics and soundtracks, creating a more immersive gaming experience.

Top Microgaming Blackjack Games

• Classic Blackjack MH
  This game has everything you’d expect from a classic blackjack game. What’s more, players have the opportunity to bet on more than one position per round as the MH in the title stands for ‘multi hand’. 

• Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold
  Subtly different to Vegas Strip, Vegas Downtown is played with only two decks, improving the house edge. The dealer stands on hard 17s and hits on soft 17s.

• Atlantic City Blackjack Gold
  The main addition to Atlantic City Blackjack Gold is the option for Late Surrender, letting players claim back half their stake after the dealer checks for blackjack. There are no side bets to be seen here, however, which may turn off certain players.

Yggdrasil

Established in 2013, Yggdrasil is an innovative software developer known for its edgy slots, unique game mechanics, and exciting tournaments, missions, and prize drop promos. In 2018, Yggdrasil turned its attention to table games, using its ground-breaking in-house technology REDUX™ to create an immersive 3D casino world, complete with motion-captured virtual dealers. To date, Yggdrasil has launched a trio of its unique RNG blackjack games: Sonya Blackjack, Lucky Blackjack, and Dr Fortuno Blackjack. 

Top Yggdrasil Online Blackjack Games

• Sonya Blackjack
  Sonya Blackjack was Yggdrasil’s first 3D blackjack game release. The game is largely based on standard multi-deck Vegas Strip blackjack, coming complete with all the regular blackjack bets.  An updated version featuring the Perfect Pairs and 21+3 side bets landed in 2019.

• Lucky Blackjack
  Lucky Blackjack was released alongside the upgraded edition of Sonya Blackjack in 2019 and uses the same motion-capture technology. This Irish-themed 3D blackjack game features a charming virtual dealer and the Lucky Lucky and Lucky Ladies blackjack side bets.

Play Blackjack on Your Mobile

You don’t need to be sat on your desktop to play online blackjack. These days, the top software providers develop their blackjack games specifically with mobile players in mind, meaning they’re perfectly optimised to the smaller touch screens of iPhones and Androids. The best developers have also adapted many of their older titles for mobile player, meaning you have plenty of mobile blackjack games to choose from, including live blackjack games.

All the top online casinos we recommend have mobile-friendly websites, so you can play mobile blackjack through your smartphone web browser. Some of the best blackjack sites have also developed native mobile apps, which make for an even better mobile gaming experience. This is because mobile casino apps make it quicker and easier to navigate from your home screen to your favourite titles They also come with push notifications, which means you’ll be alerted to all the latest blackjack bonuses and the hottest new games.

Play Real Money Blackjack with a Casino Bonus

Loads of the UK’s best online casinos offer bonuses that you can use to play at real money blackjack tables. Fancy bagging one for yourself? Let’s take a look at the top bonuses on offer when you sign up to the best online blackjack sites.

Choosing the Best Online Blackjack Bonus for You

You can expect a great selection of bonuses and existing customer promo offers at the best blackjack sites, so let’s take a look at some of the ones you’re most likely to find. 

Matched Deposits

Matched deposits, or match deposits, are frequently offered as welcome bonuses at online blackjack casinos. The offer will read something like “100% up to £200”, meaning the blackjack site will double your deposit amount up to a limit of £200. Anything you deposit over this amount will be ineligible for the bonus, and will go into your wallet as unassociated cash. 

It’s a hugely popular bonus to accept at blackjack sites because of the free cash element, as it essentially allows you to boost your deposit and sometimes more than double your starting amount. Some of the more generous matched deposit bonuses go as high as 500%, although they typically stand at 50% or 100%. 

We use the term “generous” quite loosely there, however. Be wary of any terms and conditions that come attached to a matched deposit bonus – wagering requirements and other stipulations attached can mar the benefits if you’re looking to turn a profit with your bonus funds. For all but the high rollers out there — and even they will struggle to clear some wagering requirements — matched deposits should be viewed as a way to get to grips with a new site or game without putting your deposited cash on the line.

Free Spins

Free spins are a great way to try out a game before you wager any of your own real money. They can encourage you to try a new title or two if, as they usually are, the free spins bonus is attached to a specific game. 

This type of bonus is regularly present on blackjack sites that also have a decent range of slots titles, and they’re often given out alongside a matched deposit bonus.

As ever, read the terms and conditions as they’re usually only available for use on specific slots titles and come with other conditions attached, such as how long they are valid for, whether wagering requirements apply, or whether there’s a winnings cap. 

No wagering free spins are a relatively common offer, however, so there’s a good chance you could land some withdrawable cash with such bonuses at certain sites.

No Wagering Bonus

Wagering requirements almost come as standard at most online blackjack casinos. However, some blackjack sites offer no wagering bonuses that cut the need for wagering a certain amount of money before you can withdraw anything related to your bonus. 

Needless to say, no wagering blackjack sites would be in a lot of financial trouble if too many people accepted such a generous bonus and won. As such, you’ll find other conditions attached to no wagering bonuses, such as winning caps that can be lower than with other bonus types, time limits, and restrictions on the games or blackjack variants you can play. 

No Deposit Bonus

It may sound too good to be true, but no deposit bonuses are when your account is credited by gambling sites without you needing to first make a deposit. Naturally, it isn’t going to be a hugely high value that you’re given, but it’s a nice bonus to accept as it means you can try out some different titles, get a feel for some new blackjack sites, and potentially find a new favourite without any initial outlay. 

Despite there being no need to make a deposit, there will be other terms and conditions attached. Wagering requirements are usually quite high, so read through the T&Cs carefully before accepting a no deposit bonus at one of the best blackjack sites.

Terms and Conditions at Blackjack Sites

While blackjack bonuses may sound enticing, there are always terms and conditions attached to each one. Across the board, you will find some fairly standard T&Cs but, of course, each site will amend them slightly to best suit their own requirements. 

Let’s have a look at some of the most commonly found bonus terms and conditions that blackjack players have to navigate while sampling the best blackjack online. 

Wagering Requirements

Wagering requirements are attached to nearly all bonuses at online blackjack casinos, and they’re usually pretty hefty. A wagering requirement is basically the amount of your own money you need to wager before you are given access to your bonus-associated winnings. As a general rule: the bigger the bonus, the bigger the wagering requirements. 

There is usually a time limit attached to the bonus and wagering requirements, the elapsing of which will void any leftover funds and associated takings. It’s important to always gamble safely, and within your own budgetary limits, and we strongly recommend that you don’t chase after wagering requirements unless they’re very small and applied to small amounts.

For example, let’s say you’ve claimed £50 in bonus funds from a blackjack site and the wagering requirements are set at 50x. In this scenario, let’s say you’ve won £300 with your bonus money, a pretty sizeable haul.

Now, in order to withdraw that £300, you need to clear the wagering requirements. £50 x 50 is an eye-watering £2,500 in wagering before you can access the cash you’ve won. Already it’s pretty obvious that the average player won’t come close to wagering that much in a 30-day time limit, nor should they attempt to.

Some sites will include your deposit in the wagering requirements figure, too. Let’s say you claimed the £50 with a 100% matched deposit offer, meaning you deposited £50 and got an additional £50. Under these conditions, those 50x wagering requirements, applied to £100, total £5,000.

Not all wagering requirements will be as steep as this, with the average being 35x, but it’s all much of a muchness until they’re set in the single digits. Even then, it’s probably not worth your time or investment in trying to catch them. We strongly recommend that our users don’t chase after wagering requirements, no matter how much you’ve happened to win with your bonus funds. 

Unfortunately the small print doesn’t stop there, either. Blackjack nearly always holds a low game weighting, meaning only a small percentage of each wager will count towards your total wagering requirement. With blackjack, it’s often as low as 10% or even 5%. Slots conversely apply 100% of bets to wagering requirements at the vast majority of sites.

Game Restrictions

Many games are exempt from bonuses and casino offers, so it’s always important to make sure the game you’re looking to play is included in the bonus you want to accept at one of the best blackjack sites. 

Blackjack, and other table games, are regularly excluded from bonuses, so UK players may need to move over to the other high-quality games in order to accept a bonus. You could also lean towards a site that specialises in blackjack variations, as they’re less likely to exclude blackjack from bonuses.

Game Weighting 

Blackjack rarely has game weighting higher than 10%, meaning only 10% of your wagers will go towards a bonus’s wagering requirements.

For example, let’s say you claimed £100 and the wagering requirements are set as 30x, bringing the total wagering to £3,000. That in itself is way outside the bounds of what the average gambler will spend on a site before their bonus expires, but it’s made considerably worse if that player only wagers on blackjack weighted at 10%. In this scenario, with only blackjack wagers made, a total of £30,000 would need to be played before withdrawals against the bonus could be unlocked.

Payment Exclusions

The best online blackjack sites will offer an ever-expanding range of payment options to UK players. However, not all are equal in their use. You will find that certain banking methods, usually e-wallets, are excluded from bonuses either because of the vendor fees accrued by the gambling site or concerns around KYC capabilities. Debit cards are pretty much always eligible, but it’s worth double checking if your preferred banking method is eligible before accepting a blackjack bonus or promo. Most of the time it’s only your first deposit that’s eligible for a bonus, so if you make a deposit with PayPal only to find it’s ineligible after the fact, it’s too late to deposit again and claim the offer.

Winnings Caps

Bonuses available on blackjack sites will nearly always come with a winnings cap:  a maximum amount that you can land as winnings from any one bonus. Depending on the bonus itself, these winning caps will vary in their scope, but typically winnings will be limited to around £100.

Time Limits

Time limits attached to a bonus usually cover both the amount of time you have to accept the bonus and the time you have to complete the wagering requirements. This can range widely from as little as 24 hours to 30 days, so be sure to check how long a bonus will be live before you claim one.

Blackjack Betting Systems

There is no way to guarantee success in any casino game, but there are certainly ways you can approach certain games to make your budget as far as possible. That’s certainly the case with blackjack, with a multitude of betting systems having been devised over the years. We recommend deploying one as you play as they can help to inform your decisions in-game, manage your bankroll effectively, and give you more opportunities to beat the house.

As with any gambling, you should always be wary of the gambler’s fallacy: that previous outcomes have an effect on the next one. Just because you’re on a winning streak it doesn’t mean you next hand will win, and likewise a poor run of hands doesn’t mean a win is around the corner. Always remember that the odds of winning on any single hand are just that, no matter how you feel about your current gambling session or whether you believe yourself to be lucky.

Let’s take a look at some common blackjack betting strategies.

Flat Betting

Flat betting is an easy way to manage your gameplay, and it’s a popular blackjack system with many UK players. This method follows the idea of wagering the same amount with every hand, thus lowering any risk of erratic play and maintaining a close watch on your wagering total. Each individual will have a different flat betting amount, based on personal budget, and for how many hands they intend on playing. Let’s say you have a £50 budget and want to play 20 hands, meaning your bet would be £2.50 per hand. 

Positive Progression

The main idea of the positive progression system is to increase your bet with each hand you win. When your winning streak comes to an end, you return to your initial bet and stay here until you win again. Using a positive progression system on blackjack sites ensures players make the most of their wins but minimise big losses by returning to careful bets.

You should be mindful of the bet increase to opt for and recognise when it’s time to stop playing. Budget management is important, as is remembering what limits you set for yourself in terms of spending and time played. 

Negative Progression

Another favoured betting system at the best blackjack sites is negative progression which, as you may have guessed, is the opposite to positive progression. More risky in its approach, UK players who choose this strategy increase their bet size following a losing hand.

The reasoning behind negative progression comes from the expectation of eventually winning a hand, and because of the larger wagers you’ve placed down, your losses will be covered when your luck comes in. If you’re on a winning streak, you stay with the chosen smallest bet, and once you lose it gradually increases with each loss. This method is best-suited to players with large budgets but, because of the risks involved, it can be a dangerous game to play if you are on a lower budget. It should also be remembered that you may not encounter a winning hand, and therefore each bet will just see your losses mounting. Keep this in mind and know when to cut your losses if you intend to play with a negative progression system.

Within this system there are four main methods of approach – Martingale, Fibonacci, d’Alembert, and Labouchere – with Martingale offering the most common, and widely used style for blackjack and other games such as roulette.

Get Started at an Online Blackjack Site

We’ve taken you through the ins and outs of playing blackjack online, so you’ve got everything you need to get out there and have a go for yourself.

Use the list of the UK’s top casinos for February, 2023 to compare options and find the best blackjack site for you. If you’re after more detail, simply click ‘Read our review’ to head straight to that blackjack site’s expert and unbiased analysis.

Compare, sign up, and get ready to take on the dealer at a top blackjack site.

References and External Links

Please note that Compare.bet is not responsible for the content of third-party websites.

1. UK Gambling Commission – UKGC