Enhance Your Chances of Bonus to Real Money Conversion by Learning Blackjack

Could Blackjack give you a better chance of converting bonus money into real money? Learn to play Blackjack and find games with the best RTP! (Image by englishlikeanative from Pixabay)

Most players on Casinoplusbonus are likely online slot fanatics.

However, what if I told you that you could enhance your chances of converting your bonus balance from a no-deposit promo or deposit match bonus by playing Blackjack?

Does Blackjack RTP Beat Online Slot RTP?

So, playing cards may not be your thing. Yet, if you want a change from spinning the reels, Blackjack is arguably the best alternative to slots in the Blackjack Vs—Online Slot RTP debate.

Why? The RTP on some blackjack games is as high as 99.59%. That’s unbelievable compared to slots, which average about 96%.

If you have read the Top 20 Highest RTP slots guide, you will find Fruity Beats Xtreme! and Fairy Dust Xtreme online slot by Spinmatic with RTPs of 99.08% and 99.04%. However, there are still Blackjack games out there that beat these top RTP slots. Some are virtual blackjack games, and others are live casino blackjack.

So, with the comparison in mind, all I am doing here is giving you food for thought.

What about bonus conversion game weights? The main issue with playing bonus bets on blackjack games versus online slots is that most slots contribute 100% towards wagering, whereas online casino often decrease blackjack to 5%, 10%, or 20%. But don’t worry, I have a few casinos to suggest that gives you 100% of your Blackjack bets contributed towards wagering!

Which Online Casino Contribute 100% of Blackjack Bets Towards Wagering?

The answer is, not many. You have a limited selection that comes to a grand total of two casinos that I can suggest, while there are another two that contribute 50% of your bets on blackjack games towards the wagering requirement. Hopefully you are not already a member, and if you are not, then claiming bonus offers on these platforms and dabbling in blackjack either on live casino or on virtual tables gives you a fresh way to play with bonuses.

• It is just an idea: Remember, this is just as an idea for those of you looking for something different! First, take a look at the casinos in the table to the right (desktop readers) or below (mobile readers).

You can also take a look at our ‘Blackjack Bonus‘ guide, which comes with a wealth of information. It answer question like ‘What Types of Casino Bonuses are There?’, ‘What Black Bonus Rules are there?’, ‘Are there Black Bonus Friendly Online Casinos?’, and ‘What are the Blackjack payout odds?’.

What are the Basic Rules of Blackjack?

Playing Blackjack! (Image by Photo by Elian Emanuel Coutinho Roehrs on Pexels)

To being the game, you need to pay an anti. If you do not put a chip down to bet, then the dealer will not deal cards. Once your bet is down, the next step is winning the hand.

All you need to do is get as close as possible to twenty-one without going over this total. If you ‘hit’ and your hand total eventually reaches over 21, then your hand is bust and you automatically lose your bet.

You could also say, the idea is to beat the dealer’s total without going bust. Therefore, the skill in playing Blackjack is knowing when to ‘hit’ and when to ‘stand’. And the best way to make these decisions, which you will hear this term often in this guide, is to use basic strategy. These are a set of charts that tell you what the correct decision to make is according to mathematics, which create the percentage chance of you winning or losing by taking a number of factors into consideration.

• What is the sequence of play? As with any other casino game, there is a sequence of play. This begins with a bet, then a deal, then the player action, the dealer revealing a face-up card, and finally, the deal for the dealer. I will explain this in the sequence below:
• How does the deal work? Once all bets are down, you and the dealer are dealt two cards. The game can be either faced up, in which case you never touch the cards, or face down, in which case you will need to pick up your hand so you can make signals about your play.

Note: To start using blackjack bonuses, take some time to learn blackjack’s rules. Play demo games for free at your online casino, which you will find that free play version are available on most virtual blackjack tables.

• The Dealer’s Cards: Only one dealer’s card is exposed. Therefore, only one dealer card is face-up, with the other face-down.
• Dealer Card Order: In many jurisdictions, the dealer is only dealt one card initially, and they take their whole card after all of the player’s hands are completed. In others, the dealer will deal with both cards simultaneously.
• Your Cards: The entire table can see your cards, and you can see other players’ cards on the table. Your two initial cards are for strategic purposes. They are added together and counted as a sum, which this number is the value of your starting hand. Therefore, you do not need to think about a seven and a two as a seven and a two but rather added together as a hard 9.

What are Hard Blackjack Hands versus Soft Blackjack Hands?

Hard Hand Vs. Soft Hand (Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay)

Hard and soft hands depend on whether you have an ace. Aces can be counted as either a 1 or 11. For example, an Ace and six would be considered a soft 17. On the other hand, a 10-7 would not be regarded as a hard 17. If a ten comes out, your hand would be busted. In the case of an Ace and a 6, you would count the Ace as a one if a ten came out. Your hand would now be 1 (Ace + 6 + 10) – you still have a 17-hand value, but now this is a strenuous 17.

• How can you tell the difference between a hard and soft hand?

Essentially, we will call a hand a soft hand when it cannot be busted when the player hits for the next card. This means there is an Ace, or the hand’s total is below 12. Any hand totalling 11 is soft because the dealer cannot bust it due to the highest card value in the pack being a 10 – (10 + 11 = 21).

What Betting Options Are There in Blackjack?

Any game of Blackjack starts with a bet. The table will have minimum and maximum bets; you can bet anywhere between these amounts. Once the bet is down and the dealer deals cards to all positions, there are several moves you can make. First, learning how to make these moves is important. These include ‘hit’, ‘stand’, ‘double down’, ‘split’, and if it is available ‘surrender’. Also, you will play online Blackjack differently than land-based Blackjack, so I’ve added a few pointers here for good measure.

1. What does Stand mean in Blackjack?

This is the easiest decision to make. You indicate to the dealer that you want to stand. Therefore, you do not want any further cards.

2. What does Hit mean in Blackjack?

To hit means to take one more card. So, for example, if you have a ten and an 8, for a total of 18, you would never want to hit no matter what the dealer had because only three cards could help you: an ace, a deuce and a three. Everything else busts you, so the odds are just not worth it.

• Face-up Blackjack Game Hand Signals

In a face-up game, you signal that you want to hit by tapping the table. You cannot simply instruct the dealer that you want another card. Instead, you must use hand signals so that in a dispute between the player and the dealer about what action transpired, the casino can go to the cameras and review what happened.

• Face-down Blackjack Game Hand Signals

You signal for a hit in a face-down game by scratching the felt with your hole cards. If you want to stay, you will wave your hand laterally above the felt in a face-up game, whereas in a face-down game, you tuck your cards under your chips.

• Online Blackjack

If you are playing online, you click the appropriate button, which is much simpler.

3. What is a Double Down?

Double Down (Image by Andrey_Photos from Pixabay)

Usually, you can double down if you are still on your first two cards. Doubling down means you take precisely one more card, double your bet, and give up the ability to take any more cards after that.

It is usually a good idea to double down on 11 because you have a 1 in 3.25 chance of receiving a 10. You could also catch an eight or a 9, which would be OK, and even if you do catch a lousy card like a four, the dealer could still bust anyway, making it worth the risk.

Tip: Check the table’s double-down rules before you begin. Some games do not allow you to double down on any total. You may only have this option if your hand total is 9, 10, or 11 ‘OR’ 10, 11, or 12.

4. How do you use the surrender option?

Some casinos will give you the option to surrender, which means you throw your hand away and get half your bet back. Only rarely is surrender the best play, but if you have 16 vs 10, for example, it is correct to surrender.

For surrender to be correct, you need to have a less than 25% chance of winning the hand (not accounting for the possibility of a tie).

When you win the hand, your result is 2, as in your bet 1 + your profit 1 = 2. As a result, if you have a 25% chance of a two, then your expected value is 0.5 (2 * 0.25 = 0.5). If you surrender your hand, you get a result of 0.5.

So, if you have a 25% chance or greater of winning, then you would not want to surrender, but with 16 v T or 16 v 9, your chances of winning are less than 25% because of so many cards bust you, and even if you make a hand you might not win.

There are two types of surrender: early and late. Late surrender is more common, meaning you throw your hand away after the dealer checks for Blackjack.

Early surrender still exists, especially ES10, which means you can early surrender but only against the ten, not the rare Ace. You surrender more frequently with early surrender, which is a great rule, which is why casinos got rid of it for the most part.

5. How do you Split Cards?

Splitting Aces (Photo by Vitezslav Vylicil on pexels)

Splitting your cards depends on various factors regarding playing the correct basic strategy. Firstly, splitting cards is when your first 2 cards are of equal value. 2-2, 7-7, or 10-10. Also, remember that 10, J, Q, and K cards all have the same value of 10. This hand total equals 20, the same as 10-10.

Now, here is a priceless tip for blackjack beginners. Never split a hand total that comes to 20. Why would you? You are so close to 21 already; the dealer will have difficulty getting Natural Blackjack or 21, which is the worst-case scenario. Another scenario is the dealer also hits 20, which means your ante bet to enter the betting round becomes a ‘push’, which means the dealer returns your bet. In effect, this is a draw.

No one likes either scenario, but it does happen. The good news is, if you have 20, it is estimated you will win 75% to 80% of the time. The percentage isn’t higher due to the dealer’s up-card, and there are other complex factors to consider.

• Should you split Aces?

Splitting aces is obvious because eleven is a great hand, and twelve is not. With eights, the fact is that sixteen is a terrible hand, so while a single eight may not be incredible, it is still much better than a lousy sixteen. Even when the dealer has a scary card like a ten or an ace, you are better off splitting your eights and going for it because you will lose less in the long run, this way instead of playing your two eights like a sixteen.

• Should you split 10s?

As you already have 20 from your two 10 cards, there is no reason to split 10s. However, once you become a more advanced blackjack player, you may start to play multi-hand Blackjack. Players sometimes split 10s to give their other hands a better chance of winning. This takes skill and a feel for which cards are in the shoe. Players who can card count may split 10s.

How can Basic Strategy help me convert my Blackjack Bonus?

In short, if you want to play a perfect game of blackjack and stand the best chance of converting your bonus into real money, you need to play basic strategy. There are different charts depending on the rules of the game you play. This is where Blackjack can begin to get confusing. However, don’t let the fact you need to use basic strategy according to table rules put you off. Just put in a little research, and you’ll quickly pick up the different rules and which basic strategy chart to use.

• Why is basic strategy important? Basic strategy comes from years of mathematical study on the game of blackjack. It takes the rules into account, like the number decks in the shoe and the rules covering how many times you can split and which hand totals you can double down on. It also takes into account your hand total versus the dealer’s. The chart then tells you which move to make based on the highest percentage chance of you winning is.
• How does basic strategy help you make the right decision? Even if you have a 30% chance of winning by ‘hitting’ or a 40% chance of winning by ‘standing’ (both situations the dealer has a higher chance of winning), basic strategy would tell you to ‘hit’. In the long run, as variation and probability even out, you maxmimise your winnings. Also, remember this. The same can happen in reverse, so there are plenty of situations in which you have the higher chance of winning versus the dealer.
• What can happen if you do not use basic strategy? You can reduce the house edge by playing the perfect basic strategy to 0.5%.  It depends on the exact rules because different rules change the house edge for the better or the worse, but most blackjack games have a house edge of around 0.5%.

If you are playing online, you can Google the right one for your rules. Some casinos even give them away for free. If you play online, check your casino blog or the information section of your Blackjack game. Many online blackjack games will provide a basic strategy table for the game within its rules section.

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