American Blackjack is the most popular type of the blackjack game, played in casinos and online casinos around the world. The rules of American blackjack are widely considered the standard way of playing blackjack, so if you’ve ever played blackjack, you might already be familiar with how the game is played.
Whether you want to play American blackjack online for the first time or you want to brush up on the rules, this American Blackjack online guide is for you. We’ll cover the basic American Blackjack rules, how to play the game, and the pros and cons of this game.
American Blackjack History
American Blackjack is one of the oldest casino games and the earliest version of this casino game. Its origins can be traced to the early 18th century in France, where the game was originally called Vingt-et-Un.
Blackjack was introduced from France to the United States in the late 19th century and quickly gained widespread popularity. It’s widely believed that in order to attract more players, casinos started offering a bonus payout if players were dealt an Ace of Spades and a black Jack, which is how the game got its name.
This hand was worth a payout of 10:1, but it’s no longer common to find this bonus prize. Nowadays, the highest payout, according to Blackjack American rules, is a 3:2 payout for any Ace and 10-value cards. This is known as a natural blackjack, only if they are the first two cards dealt.
What Are The Rules of American Blackjack?
American Blackjack combines rules from several popular blackjack variants, including Atlantic City Blackjack, Vegas Strip Blackjack, and Vegas Downtown Blackjack, making it one of the most unique and fun variants.
Before playing American Blackjack, you’ll want to take some time to understand the specific rules of this game. We’ve listed the basic rules of American Blackjack variants below:
- ✔️ American Blackjack games are played with six to eight decks of cards.
- ✔️ The dealer stands on a soft 17.
- ✔️ The dealer gets a hole card, which allows them to peek for Blackjack if they have an Ace.
- ✔️ The payout for a natural blackjack is 3:2, although some American Blackjack games pay 6:5.
- ✔️ You can double down on any hand.
- ✔️ Pairs can be split up to three times. Doubling after splitting is also allowed, but you can only split Aces once.
- ✔️ Late surrender is also offered in American Blackjack.
- ✔️ The usual blackjack card values are used.
How to Play American Blackjack?
The aim of American Blackjack is to beat the dealer, just like any regular blackjack game. To do so, you’ll need to play your cards right and use basic blackjack strategy to ensure the best odds of winning. It’s impossible to eliminate the house edge or predict what cards you’ll be dealt, but making the right moves in the game is pivotal.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to play the American version of blackjack at a casino:
- 1️⃣ Players place their bets to join the game.
- 2️⃣ The dealer deals two cards to each player. These cards are dealt face up.
- 3️⃣ The dealer also gets two cards; one is facing up, and the other is hidden.
- 4️⃣ Each player gets the chance to hit or stand. Depending on the cards dealt, there might also be the option to split or double down.
- 5️⃣ When every player has finished playing their hand, the dealer plays their cards according to the dealer rules.
Top 5 American Blackjack Games You Can Play at Betiton
If you want to give American Blackjack a try, you can find several online and live dealer tables that follow these game rules. Below, we’ve rounded up our top five American Blackjack mobile and desktop games for you to check out:
| ♠️ Game Name | 🖥️ Provider | 📅 Release Year |
| Dragons of the North Blackjack | Wizard Games | 2023 |
| American Blackjack Classic | Evolution | 2018 |
| American Blackjack Allure | Evolution | 2018 |
| American Blackjack Prestige | Evolution | 2020 |
| American Blackjack Crystal | Evolution | 2020 |
American Blackjack Variants
American Blackjack has also incorporated a number of options which are customisable by the player playing online. Players can choose the colour of the table they play on from red, black, green, and blue. Moreover, it allows the players to use turbo mode by clicking on the right buttons. To top it off, there is background music that is easily accessed by the players. The best news is that players can enjoy the game on all devices due to how it has been designed.
American Blackjack Charts
If you want to use basic strategy, it’s important to find an American Blackjack strategy based on the specific rules of this game. There are different charts for European and American Blackjack, as well as other variants.
An American blackjack strategy chart will help you improve your game by telling you the optimal move in any situation. You can easily use it by finding your hand’s total on the left side of the chart and the dealer’s card in the top row. The intersection between these two will tell you whether you should hit, stand, double down, split, or surrender.
These charts are an essential tool for improving your blackjack skills, and they’re the easiest way to ensure you’re increasing your chances of winning against the dealer.
American Blackjack Payouts
The Blackjack American rules for payouts are the standard blackjack payouts. As always, they depend on the game’s outcome. The standard payout for winning blackjack is 1:1, or even money. This is won if you beat the dealer with a higher hand total than theirs.
If you get a natural blackjack comprising any Ace and 10-value card, the payout is the usual 3:2. This card combination always wins against the dealer unless they also have blackjack. In this case, a push occurs, and you get your original bet back.
Finally, there’s also the insurance bet, which pays 2:1 if you take it. This is won if the dealer gets a blackjack when they reveal their hole card.
The House Edge in American Blackjack
The house edge is one of the most important factors to consider before playing any game because it gives you an indication of the casino’s advantage. American Blackjack has a house edge of around 0.50% when following and using basic strategy.
American Blackjack has a slightly higher house edge than European Blackjack because more decks are used, but the rules are also more favourable. What’s important to note is that the house edge is influenced by several factors, including the number of decks used, the dealer’s rules, and how you play your cards. You can increase the house edge and give the casino a bigger edge if you make the wrong moves for your hand.
Advantages and Disadvantages of American Blackjack
Blackjack American online has both advantages and disadvantages to consider. While some features may offer better odds than other blackjack games, you’ll also find a few downsides to consider. This applies to any blackjack variant, but it’s important to be aware of them to pick the best game.
Let’s review some of the advantages and disadvantages of American Blackjack:
| 🏅 Advantages | 🏅 Disadvantages |
| ✅ The rules are easy to understand. | ❌ The house edge is slightly higher than European Blackjack rules. |
| ✅ You can easily apply basic strategy when playing American Blackjack. | ❌ Between six and eight decks are used. |
| ✅ The dealer gets a hole card, which allows them to peek for blackjack. | ❌ It’s nearly impossible to count cards in this variant. |
| ✅ Late surrender is allowed according to the usual rules of American Blackjack. | |
| ✅ The rules for doubling and splitting are more favourable to the player than in European Blackjack. |
Frequently Asked Questions About American Blackjack
American Blackjack is a variant of blackjack played with six to eight decks. The goal of the game is to beat the dealer by forming a hand with a higher total, but not exceeding 21.
American Blackjack follows the same gameplay as most blackjack games, with slightly different rules. Each player gets two cards, while the dealer receives one face-up and one face-down card. Once you’re dealt your cards, the aim is to make the correct decisions to get the highest hand total without busting.
The house advantage in American Blackjack is around 0.50%, but it can be significantly higher if you don’t strictly adhere to the rules of basic strategy.
American Blackjack differs from other variants like European Blackjack because the dealer gets a face-down card in this game. This means if they have an Ace, you’ll have the option to take the insurance bet or surrender your cards before the dealer checks for blackjack.
The payouts in American Blackjack are the regular payouts found in most blackjack tables. A win pays 1:1, a natural blackjack pays 3:2, and a tie results in a push, which means your original bet is refunded. If you take the insurance side bet and win it, the payout is 2:1.