Ever since blackjack became commonly available across Nevada casinos in the 1930s, it has managed to maintain its iconic status, attracting a concourse of recreational and professional gamblers to its tables. In contrast to the majority of other casino games, blackjack combines chance, strategy, and skill which further contributes to its popularity.
Nowadays, the game continues to be played globally and has also made its way into cyberspace. Hundreds of online casinos offer it in a huge array of variations, covering a broad spectrum of preferences and styles. Online casinos generally provide blackjack aficionados with two choices, the first one being fun mode where the player is awarded demo credits to bet with. This helps novices to find their way around and improve their knowledge of the game before they proceed to demonstrate their know-how in real-money mode.
To many players, staking actual money adds to the appeal of playing blackjack. Not only does real-money play enhance one’s excitement but also enables them to earn actual cash prizes they can withdraw from their online casino accounts. If you are interested in playing the famed casino game for real money online, we urge you to continue reading this article which features information on the gameplay, available variants, promotions and cross-compatibility of real-money blackjack websites as well as short reviews of five of the best online blackjack casinos that accept action from Canada.
Five Casinos for Real-Money Blackjack Players
Choosing a real-money blackjack casino may be a big nuisance, especially when one considers the vast choice of Canada-friendly gambling operators. We suggest you take a closer look at the five casinos we have reviewed in the next sections and pick from them as all suggestions cover the above-listed criteria.
Golden Tiger
Golden Tiger serves as a good benchmark as to how an online casino should operate. This gambling provider hardly lacks experience in the iGaming industry, being in operation since 2001. The casino uses the Microgaming software platform for its library, with players having the option to choose from instant play and the dedicated downloadable client.
Golden Tiger takes a great pride in the service it offers and rightfully so as it is extremely reliable. Canadians are granted a generous welcome bonus to start their journey at the casino with and get to deposit and withdraw in their local currency. The casino is available in both English and French to the benefit of all Canadians.
The website features a diverse enough selection of blackjack variants, including games hosted by real dealers. Some of the most popular virtual variations include Atlantic City Blackjack, Vegas Strip, European, Classic and Hi-Lo 13 Blackjack. The games also can be loaded on mobile directly in your device’s browser.
William Hill
William Hill has become a household name, or at least, in households whose members like to gamble every once in a while. This is easily one of the most popular betting brands in the world and one that has been in existence since the mid 1930s. This long experience has allowed the operator to improve its services so that nowadays it offers a hassle-free gambling experience to everyone who joins its elegant website, including Canadians.
The casino shows off a versatile selection of slots, card and table games, most of which have been created by the world-leading developer Playtech. Live-dealer games are offered in a dedicated section. The games are mobile-friendly and rely on the flash technology. There is a wild variety of blackjack titles. Some are less conventional than others and support side bets with improved payouts, such as Buster Blackjack, 21 Duel Blackjack, and Perfect Pairs. There is the option to play in a single-hand or a multiple-hand format.
Spin Palace
The brand name Spin Palace is a tiny notch misleading because there is so much more on offer than slots. Founded in 2001, this gambling operator is home to a huge library which spans more than 600 award-winning titles, courtesy of Microgaming. This goes to show you can expect nothing short of perfection while you play. These can be loaded in flash mode but downloading the user-friendly software is an alternative.
The casino offers a great sign-up bonus, a loyalty program, and the possibility to play as you go via the mobile-responsive version of the website. Blackjack aficionados, in particular, face a broad choice of spectacular games, such as Spanish 21, Vegas Single-Deck Blackjack, Double Exposure, Super Fun 21, and Atlantic City Multi-Hand Blackjack, to list some of the most popular variations you can find there. The casino provides a fully legitimate service under the licensing of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority.
Luxury Casino
Players of this casino should brace themselves for a truly luxurious experience when they stop by its website. Luxury Casino went online in the year 2000 and quickly became a great success in the online gambling community. Its rock-solid reputation is built on its fast payments, high payout rates, lucrative promotional incentives, and immense gaming diversity.
The casino is a proud member of the well-known Casino Rewards Group which translates into unique and lavish bonuses and promotions for all of its real-money players. At its website, there are over 550 games you can enjoy in instant play but you can also download the HD software for free. There are blackjack games aplenty, but to mention some of the best-loved titles, you can play European Blackjack, Atlantic City and Vegas Strip Blackjack, all of which are part of Microgaming’s Gold Series.
If you need a helping hand, you can reach out to Luxury Casino’s support team whose members are online 24/7. The casino has the right to offer its services to Canadians under the licensing of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.
Royal Panda
Royal Panda’s virtual doors are open to players from Canada, who can find a broad range of great games and lots of reliable banking methods at its website. The portfolio is powered by the software of Microgaming, with the option to play on the go or on your desktop computer. The website is available in different languages, supports different currencies, and runs a 24/7 live chat facility to the benefit of its customers.
Players can make a pick from more than 300 excellent titles, ranging from thrilling slots to roulette, video poker, baccarat, and blackjack. Fans of 21 will not be let down by the selection of games they can find at Royal Panda. The live-dealer titles are among the most popular options and include games like Live VIP Blackjack and Blackjack Party. You can further increase your play time by opting in for one of the great bonuses offered by this Malta-licensed gambling operator.
Real-Money Blackjack Gameplay and Interface
Even if you have played blackjack only on the kitchen table with family members or friends, you will quickly notice the basic online variations of the game abide by the same rules. Blackjack is no different online than at landbased venues. The player again aims at prevailing over the dealer with a better total that is close to 21 but without going over. The game starts with you posting a real-money bet in the betting circle at the layout before the software gives you your two cards and deals two more to the virtual dealer, only one of which is exposed.
Once you have evaluated your score, you can draw more cards to improve it, decline cards if you consider it good enough, or double down by posting an extra bet when you are confident you will win on the next draw. Provided that you hold a pair of like cards, you can split them into two hands but this also calls for an additional bet.
If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, you will be offered insurance which you may choose to accept or decline. After you have made your moves, the virtual dealer will reveal what they have in the hole and bets will be settled depending on the scores both of you have. If you register a win, the amount will be immediately added to your real-money balance.
There is no reason to feel intimidated if you have never played the game online. You will soon find the interface of online blackjack variations is designed in such a way so as to make the games playable no matter what your experience level is. The dealer’s drawing rules are clearly stated on the layout and so are the payments on winning naturals and insured hands.
The buttons you control the gameplay with are easy to figure out as well and there are several chip sizes you can choose from to adjust your bets. You click on the chip of your desired value, then click within the betting circle on the layout and hit Deal to have cards dealt to you. The purpose of the Hit, Stand, Double, and Split buttons is pretty much self-evident. If you want to change the bet size on the next round, you can use the New Bet button. Flat bettors can make use of the Rebet and Deal button that automatically places the same stake and deals you your cards.
Software Features
Online real-money blackjack variants are designed in such a way so as to enhance the user’s experience even if they are still new to the game. Many online variations would offer hints on correct play and would display warning messages. For example, if you accidentally hit your hand with a two-card total of 19, the software would ask you whether you indeed want to make this move because there is a good chance for you to bust on the next draw.
Advantage players in blackjack usually aim at playing as many hands per hour as possible in an attempt to milk out more value from their play and benefit from good situations. You can increase the speed of play in real-money online variants of the game by turning on the Fast Play feature so that cards are dealt and removed from the felt faster. Some software providers would even offer players a choice from several different speed levels.
Blackjack players can benefit from statistics on the results of previous hands but in most online variants the access to such features is granted only to those who bet real money. Note that in single-hand variants, there are usually five betting circles on the layout, but you can place chips only in one of them – the remaining four betting circles are added for purely cosmetic reasons.
However, some variations support multi-hand play where all five betting circles are active. This is another way to extract more profits but be careful when playing multiple hands. Multiple-hand play is more volatile in situations where the dealer draws to 21 or flips over a natural, causing you to lose all five hands in a flash.
Real-money blackjack variants reproduce everything you will expect to see in a landbased casino. Some of the latest variations would feature improved graphics, more immersive audio effects and ambient background music, ensuring the best experience possible for all fans of the card game. Of course, you can tackle the settings and turn off the background sounds if they bother you. The same applies to the virtual dealer’s voice.
The RNG-based blackjack variations where no human element is involved are more suitable for recreational and basic-strategy players. This is so because the pack is automatically reshuffled after every single coup, which makes it impossible for card counters to track the ratio of high and low cards. Advantage players are recommended to visit the live sections of online casinos – there they can find different real-money blackjack variants where the cards are dealt in real time by actual dealers and are reshuffled towards the end of the pack where the shoe had been cut.
Gaming Variety
Investing some money into online blackjack is a venture that is well worth your time since you get to choose from an incredibly exhaustive list of variations, some of which are unavailable at brick-and-mortar casinos. The same goes for the range of bets you can place which is far more extensive online than it is in most landbased venues. Some blackjack variants you can play online would even support wagers ranging from as little as $1 to as much as $75,000.
Online you can find all traditional variations you have grown accustomed to, including popular games like Classic Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, Surrender, and Vegas Strip Blackjack. Players who are into more volatile games like European Blackjack or Double Exposure also have their needs catered to.
Some of the available online variants give the classic card game an appealing twist as is the case with Blackjack Switch where you get to play two hands at a time, change their top cards to better their value, and make several side bets with enhanced casino odds. Keep in mind, though, that in Blackjack Switch, the dealers take all ties and push with you whenever they draw to a total of 22, instead of busting.
Online casinos would typically strive to tailor their catalogs to the needs of customers from different countries, so understandably they would feature variations that prevail in different regions. One such variation is the game of Pontoon which is somewhat of a relative of traditional blackjack originating from the United Kingdom. A similar game is played across Malaysia and Australia, but most of the Pontoon variations offered for real-money play online share the same rules with the British version of the game.
Another appealing and unconventional blackjack variation you can play online is Spanish 21, where a deck of 48 cards is used because the tens of all four suits are not in play. At first glance, this appears to tip the odds in favour of the house but various adjustments have been made to the rules to improve players’ chances of winning. An example would be the rule stating that players win with all totals of 21 no matter their hand’s composition. Another rule in Spanish 21 allows you to surrender your hand following a double down, which causes you to lose only your initial stake whereas the double-down bet is returned to you. So as you can see yourself, this variant is surely worth checking out.
One of the coolest things about playing blackjack online for real money is that depending on the variation, the players can end up winning a sizeable progressive jackpot. Developers like Microgaming, WGS and Playtech have created progressive variations of blackjack that can actually give you positive expected return once the jackpot is past its break-even point. Have in mind that here you need to post an extra wager in order to make the cut for the progressive jackpot. Otherwise, you will not qualify for the prize even if you are dealt four aces of the same suit in a row, which is the condition for winning the entire pot in Playtech’s progressive blackjack. In Microgaming’s version, dubbed Triple Sevens, you need to be dealt three sevens in one and the same hand to pocket the pot.
Bonuses and VIP Schemes for Real-Money Blackjack Players
Players who transfer their action to the online blackjack tables would soon find playing their favourite game at virtual casinos definitely pays off. Similarly to their landbased counterparts, online casinos strive to incentivize their players by showering them with comps and tasty bonuses. The promotions offered online, however, are far more generous than those in landbased casinos where customers are offered to apply for a player card so they can collect comp points.
All online casinos would give players the chance to claim a welcome bonus, usually in the form of a first-deposit match. Real-money blackjack players can also come across websites where they can receive a no-deposit bonus after opening a real-money account. Such bonuses are normally smaller in size, ranging from $5 to $20 but are still worth redeeming since you can use them to try the different blackjack variations at no cost.
The magnanimity of online casinos does not end with the welcome bonus. This generosity extends to existing real-money account holders who deposit frequently. Deposit matches, similar to those that are part of the welcome package, are offered on specific days of the week (or month). For example, if you deposit on a Friday at Royal Panda, you can opt in for a 50% bonus match of the deposited amount.
Some of the offers are geared specifically to the needs of online blackjack players. By way of illustration, some casinos would offer an exclusive blackjack bonus on the 21st of the month. To qualify, you need to get dealt one or more naturals before the promotion elapses. When you meet these conditions, you qualify for participation in a raffle and keep your fingers crossed your name gets drawn.
Online blackjack players can earn comp points when staking real money just like they would in a landbased casino. There is no need to apply for a player card since in most cases, you enter the VIP program automatically when you start placing real-money wagers. You collect points through real-money play but the rate depends on the website and your level in the program. The collected points can be converted into play or real money. VIP members who have reached the last level enjoy better conversion rates for their comp points as well as quicker withdrawals and increased deposit limits.
As always, we would like to remind players there are wagering conditions they must meet when free monies are in play. The bonus amount should be played through a number of times as stated in the promotional terms. Make sure you check those before opting in for a blackjack bonus. If anything is unclear to you, you can always drop by the live chat and ask the support for further clarification.
Cross-Compatibility of Real-Money Blackjack Casinos
Playing blackjack at a landbased casino is a unique experience and one that can be rather exhilarating. Nothing can quite compare with the sense of solidarity between players that pervades the atmosphere at the blackjack table since you all are practically on the same team and are playing against the house. That being said, not everyone can afford the cost to travel to a brick-and-mortar casino and not all blackjack fans live close by to gambling establishments.
This is where registering at an online casino can come in handy. Not only do you get to play your favourite card game from the comfort of your home and win real money in the process, but you are also granted access to your account as you go. All online casinos offering real-money blackjack give you the chance to play on your smartphone or tablet. Some websites have been optimized for play on the go so all you have to do is enter the casino’s address in your browser and have a reliable enough internet connection. Sometimes you get to access the casino via native applications for iOS and Android.
Since some of the most popular blackjack variations have been adapted for mobile play, you can rely on a problem-free experience. The graphics are sharper and the touchscreen enables you to play even more conveniently and quickly.
Finding the Best Real-Money Blackjack Sites
Online gambling is legal on Canadian soil and is regulated in all provinces but the regulations may vary. Some provinces like Ontario and British Columbia even have their own domestically-licensed online casinos. Players from the Great White North are generally not banned from participating with real-money bets at foreign-based virtual casinos.
Indeed, an impressive number of blackjack sites would accept real-money action from Canada but you should not pick the first Canada-friendly casino you come across. There are several aspects of a good blackjack site you need to look for, the first one being licensing. Some online casinos operate under the guidance and regulations of Canada’s local Kahnawake Gambling Commission, based in the province of Quebec. Others are licensed by foreign regulators of great repute like the Malta Gaming Authority or the UK Gambling Commission.
The second thing you need to check is cross-compatibility and the diversity of the casino’s blackjack library. Do not register at a casino where there are only two or three basic varieties of the game. Soon you will grow bored with them and will have no choice but to leave and find another gambling operator with a more extensive library. Always make sure the casino supports live-dealer games – these can be rather refreshing after playing against the RNG for a while.
If you are reading this article, we take it you plan on playing real-money blackjack so the next things you need to be on the lookout for are payment methods and currencies. Choosing a banking option that is local to you would render it easier, less expensive, and more convenient for you to deposit and withdraw. Many online casinos would support Canada-friendly payment solutions like InstaDebit or iDebit and would accept money transfers in CAD. The transactions are jumbled up with the most effective encryption technologies, ensuring no one has access to your sensitive data.
The last two criteria a good blackjack site must meet have to do with the quality of the customer support and bonus versatility. Shop for the best offers and choose a casino that offers you better bonuses with clear-cut and transparent conditions. Always check the promotional terms to see the wagering requirements as they are the best indicator of whether or not a given bonus is worth redeeming.
In terms of customer support, a good blackjack site would provide a chat facility where the support hosts are online at all times and every single day of the week. You never know when you might encounter a problem and when you do, it would be better if there is someone to assist you in resolving it. All these criteria are a good litmus test of the casino’s overall quality.
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