Top Online Blackjack Sites

Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino games, and it’s easy to see why. This card game is a thrilling mix of strategy and luck and 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. This is why we’ve picked out the very best online blackjack sites, so that you can easily compare and pick out your 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 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:

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.

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.

Blackjack House Edge Explained

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.