Online Blackjack for Real Money in NZ
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Blackjack is known to have been in existence courtesy of the French since the beginning of the 17th century. After sweeping casino lovers off their feet for a good two centuries, it took no time to barge into the online casino niche when it was first introduced around 1997. This card game gained popularity since land-based casinos in old times offered heavy discounts on blackjack tables. The massive availability of blackjack variants in online casinos with different betting limits has made the game of ‘Twenty One’ trending in the digital age.
We will learn about blackjack online, including how to play, the different versions, and the tips and strategies to play the game well. We have also listed a few top online casinos for playing blackjack after reviewing each aspect of the online real money casino in detail.
Best Real Money Blackjack Casinos in 2023 ?
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- Content Map
- Basic Rules: How to Play at Online Blackjack?
- Online Blackjack Variations and Types
- Casino Bonuses for Online Blackjack
- Top Online Blackjack Games
- Blackjack Variations at Online Casinos
- The Best Casinos with Blackjack
- How We Rate the Best Casinos with Online Blackjack?
- Useful Tips for Real Money Blackjack
- Main Strategies to Win at Blackjack Online
- Blackjack Odds and Payouts
- Blackjack For Free vs Real Money Blackjack
- Let’s Sum Up
Free Spins
275% / NZ$6500 / 125 FS
Basic Rules: How to Play at Online Blackjack?
Online blackjack in NZ is played on a semi-circular table with up to seven players, including a dealer. It can be played with a single deck or up to eight decks.
Blackjack online is played with two cards dealt with each player on the table, starting from the left of the dealer, the seat called the ‘First Base’ until all the way to the ‘Third Base’, which is the player on the right of the dealer.
All the cards are dealt face-up and are visible to all the players, including the dealer’s ‘Up Card’, while the dealer’s second card, also called the ‘Hole card’, is dealt face-down. In American blackjack variants, the dealer can ‘Peek’ the hole card and decide if it is worth hiding from the other player which cannot be done in a European version blackjack game.
When you play blackjack online for real money, the cards are dealt from a device called ‘Shoe’. It is attached to a ‘Continuous Shuffle Machine’ or CSM. Cards are dealt in a white rectangular box in front of each player on the table, called the ‘Box’.
The prime objective of online blackjack is betting to beat the dealer with your card totals. So, the number of fellow players on the table does not make a difference in how you will play your game. The bet payout is made based on the rules of the blackjack table you are playing, which can vary for each game.
Card Points
- J, Q, and K have ten points each.
- A carries 1 or 11 points based on what is more beneficial for the player.
- 2-10 all carry their face value.
Winning Rules
- Obtaining blackjack or a total of 21 based on card points right at the start of the game, is a situation called ‘blackjack’. If both you and the dealer get a total of twenty-one, it is a ‘Push’ situation.
- To gain more cards than the dealer, not more than 21.
- If the dealer’s hand total goes over 21, the player wins automatically.
The players play online blackjack and can improve their hand totals with the following basic strategy actions:
- Bust: getting a hand total of over twenty-one will automatically force you to ‘Bust’. If the dealer busts, all the players will win.
- Surrender: if you feel your hand has no chance to compete against the dealer, you can ‘Surrender’ and get half of your bet amount back.
- Hit: if you wish to have more cards to try improving your hand, you will ‘Hit’ by tapping on the table in live blackjack. You will be dealt cards one by one until you bust or opt to stand.
- Stand: if you think your hand is self-sustainable and want the dealer moves on the next player, you will ‘Stand’. You will wave your hand face down to indicate to Stand when you are playing live or while playing in an actual land-based casino.
- Double Down: you will choose the Double Down strategy to have one more card by doubling your wager. On the same tables, you can only double down if you have a total between 9-11. In some newer variants, you can even double, triple, or quadruple with this strategy. You can just add more chips to your bet to signify this.
- Split: having two cards of the same value can let you split your hand into two hands by adding two more cards. You will have to double your bet to split. You can also split Q and J since they carry 10 points each. The signal is folding your fist and adding more chips to your wager.
Online Blackjack Variations and Types
You can play blackjack for real money on many top NZ casinos. Most of these casinos offer various standard blackjack games and live tables, that players can access depending on their preferences. Along with the basic European and American versions, multiple other versions have different rules for using the basic strategy. For example, they will allow players to make specific side bets, play with a certain number of decks with some cards removed, and thus offer different odds and payouts.
European Blackjack
This blackjack online version is played with two decks, so it is easier to predict cards in this variant. European version does not involve peeking. It means the dealer won’t know if they have a blackjack, and you will continue spending money without any chance of winning over the dealer’s blackjack.
American Blackjack
The Classic version or the American online blackjack is the most basic version. Mainly because of its low house edge of 0.5%. Again, here the blackjack pays 3:2 and players winning an insurance bet get 2:1. All other versions are derivatives of Classic Blackjack.
Pontoon Blackjack
This online blackjack version is most prevalent in Asian countries. A striking difference with Classic blackjack is that both dealers’ hands are dealt face-down. An interesting winning proposition in Pontoon blackjack is that if any player manages to keep themselves from Bust with 5 cards in hand, they win 2:1.
Spanish Blackjack
21 or Spanish blackjack is played with 6 or 8 decks with 10’s removed, also referred to as the ‘Spanish Deck’ among blackjack pros. This version does not consider the second dealer’s card as the ‘hole card’, which means all the cards are visible to everyone, giving players an advantage.
Multi-hand Blackjack
Players can play multi-hand blackjack online in NZ, holding three or five hands at a time, which is to be decided by the player at the start of the game. You have eight decks to play and you can have a maximum of five hands at a time. This version offers players a good RTP and the rules are similar to Classic Blackjack.
Blackjack Switch
This blackjack online version is played with 4, 5 or 6 decks. It entails each player to have two hands each and the possibility to switch the second dealt card on both the hands for favourable totals. After the switch is done, this online blackjack game is played as usual with the American version rules with a difference in payouts. A push can happen if the dealer’s hand has a total of 22.
Blackjack Surrender
The game got its name from the Surrender rule that it offers where the players can stop the play for an incompetent hand and get half of their bet amount back. Two types of Surrender is possible- Early and Late. The dealer won’t peek at his second card in Early Surrender, while Late Surrender can be done once the dealer has seen his second card.
Blackjack Insurance
Most online blackjack games offer insurance against dealers’ blackjack. The player can pay half their original bet to insure against the dealer’s blackjack. If the dealer hits a blackjack, you will be paid 2:1. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, your insurance bet would be ceased.
Double Attack Blackjack
This online blackjack version allows players to double their bet after seeing a weak dealer’s upcard. Double Attack blackjack also uses the Spanish deck of 48 cards with all the ten’s removed and is played with eight decks. The players can surrender at any time during the game.
Vegas Strip Blackjack
Players can also play this blackjack online for money in many online casinos. The game is named after the famous hotspot of casino gambling- the Strip road in the Las Vegas city in the United States of America. The game follows the rules of American blackjack and is played with four standard decks.
Atlantic City Blackjack
Born in Atlantic City in New Jersey, this blackjack online was introduced with liberal rules to attract punters after gambling was legalized here. The live versions of Atlantic City blackjack offers Late Surrender, which means that the players save on their wagers after the dealer has seen his hole card. The game is played with sor or eight decks with Classic blackjack rules.
Double Exposure Blackjack
This version exposes both the dealer cards right at the beginning, giving the players a great advantage. But to compensate for that advantage, the casino keeps the bets in case of all ties except for the blackjack tie.
Perfect Pairs Blackjack
Some blackjack games offer Perfect pairs side bets. These Perfect Pairs online blackjack games let players bet on the first two cards being a perfect pair. Some casinos might also allow bets on color pairs or a mixed pair of cards with the same numerical value. In muti-deck games, the probability of perfect pair is higher.
Casino Bonuses for Online Blackjack
A top NZ casino would always be a blackjack casino offering one or the other version of blackjack games and bonuses on live casinos and blackjack tables in particular. These gambling bonuses allow players to bet with more funds than the money they actually spend. The different types of bonus offers are:
- Welcome bonus – The players earn the welcome bonus in the form of match-up offers and free spins when they make their first deposits with the casino site.
- Match-up bonus – A certain percentage of the deposit amount is credited back as a bonus into the player’s account as a deposit match-up. However, this amount has a capping.
- No deposit bonus – This bonus gets credited into the player’s account while registering on a new casino site.
- Reload bonuses – Regular players keep earning reload bonuses as a percentage match-up while playing blackjack. This percentage is lesser than in the welcome offer.
- High Roller – High roller players get free entry into blackjack tournaments and also earn reward points with each deposit they make. These points can be redeemed for exciting prizes.
Let us have a glimpse of blackjack bonuses offered on top casinos:
Free Spins
NZ$1100 / 75 FS
Free Spins
50 FS
Welcome
Top Online Blackjack Games
Our experts have tried out various blackjack games for real money and compiled a list of the top 5 blackjack games you can try at any of your chosen online casino sites. Evolution Gaming is among the renowned developers of live casino games with multiple blackjack offerings that we recommend. In an effort to further expand, the developer has recently acquired the slot game developer No Limit City for €340m. Here is a table with the best blackjack games of popular developers, including Evolution Gaming:
| Game | Software Provider | Casino | Minimum Deposit | Free Mode | RTP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack Classic | Evolution | Jonny Jackpot | NZ$10 | Yes | ~99.43% |
| Blackjack Royal Pairs | iSoftbet | Night Rush Casino | NZ$10 | Yes | ~93.72% |
| Power Blackjack | Evolution | Jonny Jackpot | NZ$10 | Yes | ~98.80% |
| Infinite Blackjack | Evolution | Emojino Casino | NZ$30 | Yes | ~99.50% |
| Blackjack Lobby | Pragmatic Play | Casimba Casino | NZ$20 | Yes | ~99.46% |
Blackjack Variations at Online Casinos
Thanks to technology and the variations that online casinos keep coming up with, players now have different variations to play online blackjack online with real cash. Not only can they play live blackjack sitting in the comfort of their homes, but they can also get their blackjack table laid right on their smartphone screen. The best part is there are various options for both low and high rollers in any of these chosen modes.
Live Dealer Blackjack Casinos
The live casinos give you a perfect ambience of a real-life casino to play 21 online with background noises and live dealers sitting in front of you with their cards laid on the table. The video streaming is done in high-definition from real casinos or developer studios. There are a variety of tables with different table limits and side bets offered on most live casino tables.
Mobile Blackjack Casinos
Most online casinos are mobile-friendly and let you play casino games by opening the site on their mobile browser or downloading the casino app. It means you can play your blackjack game wherever you are without a break. You can simply deposit money digitally on the online casino and have a real-like feel of a live casino or simply play with the computer-generated game.
High Stakes
You can also enjoy high-stakes blackjack and hope for even bigger wins at any of your chosen casinos. A number of game variations in blackjack casinos allow you to play with huge bets and further let you have a chance to double or quadruple your wins. If you have the heart and bank balance for it, you can risk big money and aim to hit big with High Stakes blackjack. However, you need to do it with caution and play responsibly.
Low Stakes
Many players prefer Low Stake online blackjack versions to play it slow and wise. It is better to chalk out your strategies while playing low and learning the dynamics of the game before going for high stake bets. However, you might find these blackjack games boring and lacking the ‘thrill’ you might have heard of with blackjack games.
The Best Casinos with Blackjack
The craze of blackjack won’t die easy and so the number of blackjack variations is rising with the ever-rising population of online casinos in New Zealand. These casinos attract players to their live tables by offering attractive promotional offers and offering them a multitude of payment options with wide table limits. Let us look at the top casinos offering different variations of blackjack:
Free Spins
50 FS
Free Spins
NZ$1100 / 75 FS
Free Spins
200% / NZ$1000 / 200 FS
How We Rate the Best Casinos with Online Blackjack?
- Blackjack variations and modes
- We understand if you are new to blackjack how crucial it is for you to have a free mode to play before getting hands-on with real money and finding a minimum deposit casino. We list casinos after carefully reviewing if they offer multiple blackjack variants in real money as well as demo mode.
- Promotions
- Promotions are an essential aspect of casino gaming and we carefully review if the casinos we list have enough promotions to suit the table game lover genre.
- Safety and security
- Every casino must be licensed and RNG certified to ensure security and fair gaming. We always check if the casinos have these licenses from the highest regulatory authorities to ensure the safety of our users, and also pay attention to whether the casinos we list use the appropriate encryption to ensure full data privacy.
- Mobile compatibility
- Nothing is better for a blackjack lover than logging into an online casino and start playing your online blackjack game within seconds. We understand this well and so we only list casinos that provide complete compatibility of live casino table games on mobile.
- Fast payouts and supported currencies
- Long and tedious verification procedures with slow transactions spoil the fun of online casino gaming. With a quick game like online blackjack, you would hate to spend time waiting for your payment to process through; so we only list casinos offering fast payouts. We also ensure the casinos we pick support different currency options for you to transact hassle-free.
- Support Staff
- We only list casinos with cordial and prompt support staff for playing blackjack online in NZ. Our team personally connects with the support staff to understand the kind of support provided. We know our players prefer casinos offering live chat, email, or messenger support through Whatsapp or Telegram.
Useful Tips for Real Money Blackjack
Being a game of skill, there are some handy tips that players of online blackjack must use to have a better grip on their game.
- Learn to apply the basic strategy on demo games before real money or playing high stake tables.
- Create your own blackjack rule cheatsheet before devising your own rules and play like a pro.
- Pick blackjack games with fewer decks.
- Choose your table wisely, a table paying 3:2 for blackjack is better than the one offering 6:5.
- Pay attention to the table and understand winning or losing streaks while formulating your strategies.
- Understand you cannot beat odds in the long run, so make your budget according to your bankroll
- Opt for an insurance bet wisely with an ace as the dealer’s upcard.
- No harm in surrendering early on against a powerful dealers’ up card.
- Try the Oscar Grind’s blackjack Betting strategy or The Martingale blackjack Betting System
- Most online blackjack games have a very low wagering percentage, so they are not ideal for meeting wagering requirements.
Main Strategies to Win at Blackjack Online
Playing the different versions of the game can seem overwhelming and might confuse you in laying out your strategies for particular blackjack games. We have listed below some basic strategies to play online blackjack to your advantage. You can also follow the detailed blackjack strategy chart based on the number of decks you are playing with and the rules of the blackjack table.
Split Strategy
- Use the Split Strategy with 8’s and Aces pair on the hand.
- er split 10’s or 5’s.
- Split 9 against the dealer scoring anything between 2-9, but not when the dealer has 7.
- Split 7 when the dealer has points between 2-7.
- Split 6 against dealer scoring 3-6.
- If Double after Split is allowed on the table, you can split 2 and 3 against the 2 and 3 of the dealer and if not you can split 2 and 3 against the dealer’s 4-7. You can also split 4’s and 6’s against 2 of the dealer.
- You should not split tens to aim for blackjack since, with a total of 20, you are close to Bust.
Double Down Strategy
- Double Down on an initial hand of 11 unless the dealer’s upcard is an ace.
- Double your Hard 10 except against the dealer’s Ace and 10’s.
- Double down on Hard 9 if the dealer has between 3-6 points.
- Double soft 17 or 18 against the dealer’s 2, 6 or 3.
- Double soft 15 or 16 when the dealer has 6 or 4.
- Double soft 13 or 14 with the dealer’s 6 or 5.
- Double down 11 against the ace of the dealer
- Double soft 19 when the dealer has 6.
Stand and Hit Strategy
- Stand rather than Hit on any total of above 11 against a weak upcard of the dealer.
- Hit on any total below 11.
- Stand on hard 12 points against dealer’s total between 4-6.
- Stand on soft 18 except when the dealer has 9, 10, or Ace when you should hit.
- Stand on slod 13-16, against dealer’s hand between 2-6, else hit.
Surrender
- Surrender a hard 15 against the dealer’s 10 points on their upcard.
- Surrender a hard 16 except when you have a pair of 8’s, in which case you should split.
- Surrender 17, 15, and 8 if the dealer has an ace.
Blackjack Odds and Payouts
The odds in general for a well-read online blackjack player are mostly beneficial since the house edge in most blackjack games is low. If you calculate the probability of getting a certain card and understand the odds, you can turn the game to your benefit to an extent; the rest is, of course, your luck turning the tables for you! The rules of the payout vary from game to game, but essentially, blackjack pays 3:2 in most real money blackjack games. The insurance bet pays 2:1 with half of the initial bet wager.
Blackjack For Free vs Real Money Blackjack
Playing blackjack for free and real money has its own advantages and disadvantages. While free play would get you hands-on experience on the game, real money games are ideal for professional gamblers who know the game’s rules well. Let us see the table below:
| Free Blackjack | Real Money Blackjack |
|---|---|
| ✓ Good for practising your skills | ✓ Real play with no scope of mistakes |
| ✓ Some casinos let players play the demo version without registering | ✓ Players always need to register before playing |
| ✓ Lacks thrill | ✓ Super thrilling with real money on stake |
| ✓ No physical payment required | ✓ Need to deposit money before playing |
Let’s Sum Up
If you think, you are a person of skill, then online blackjack is just the game for you. Online blackjack offers a seamless experience, and the software developers have created a variety of versions to satiate the blackjack cravings of players. Moreover, you benefit from live casino promotions, and high rollers can win hefty payouts with VIP blackjack games. If you are a beginner in blackjack, you should know it is not a tough game to master, all you need is a little bit of patience to master this art of ‘blackjack.’
FAQs
Previously, Bohdan has administrated websites in a variety of highly competitive niches, providing and promoting reliable information to users. Based on his interests and experience, Bohdan now works at Gamblorium and along with a team of experts analyses the fast-growing New Zealand online casino market, covering the most important factors.