Why Play Blackjack with Bitcoin?
Blackjack has always been a crowd favorite, and this is no different when playing with Bitcoin. As one of the most iconic card games, it has taken the BTC gambling industry by storm, quickly becoming one of the most popular adventures found online.
As a game of skill, luck and strategy, mastery is a difficult, but rewarding experience. However, to enjoy it as a casual level you only need one thing – the will to have fun!
And what else can be more fun than Bitcoin blackjack. It’s fast and easy to fund the wallet and its super secure. Plus, there’s that thrill of wining it big and becoming a crypto millionaire. Some of the main benefits of playing with BTC include;
Low fees: Compared to traditional deposit methods such as wire transfer, Paypal, western union etc, Bitcoin has massively lower fees, with it being possible to transfer large amounts of funds for pennies.
Near instant deposits: Sick of waiting around for your deposit to clear? Well, that’s a thing of the past as cryptocurrency deposits are usually registered in your account near instantly.
Transparency: Transactions with BTC are decentralized and transparent, this means you can see when the casino pays out and if there are any discrepancies in the disbursement of player winnings. Improving your security.
Anonymous: Typically, you won’t need to enter any KYC information, and some Bitcoin blackjack casinos won’t even require you to enter an email address. If you’re someone who likes to keep private and play without interruptions, then playing with BTC is perfect for you. Nobody will be able to see what you are doing or interrupt your fun.
But one of the best features of Bitcoin is that it is super secure due to being protected by blockchain technology and is available for use worldwide. No matter which corner of the world you reside in you can use your BTC any way you like, unlike traditional currencies which are more restricted.
Also, traditional winnings in fiat currency attracts huge taxes in some countries, this is why it is a big advantage of playing games with bitcoin. You simply do not have to pay any tax on your winnings as cryptocurrency is not a form of tender under any government.
General Blackjack Rules
Playing Blackjack with Bitcoin is just the same as playing it with fiat currency. The general rules of the game are simple and easy for everyone to grasp. The main objective of the BJ is to reach 21 points or as close to it as possible with their dealt cards. The player wants to avoid going over 21 points as that will make his hand “bust”.
The game starts with the dealer distributing the cards on the table among the players. There are two methods of card delivery; Shoe and Pitch. In “Shoe” the dealer makes use of a specialized gadget that holds up to six decks of cards. While in the Pitch method the dealer simply holds two decks of cards in both of his hands.
It does not matter how many people are on the table, as the game is played between each player and the dealer. Every player on the table is dealt with two cards along with the dealer himself. Out of the two cards that the dealer gets, one of them is faced down, the other faced up.
For the players, if it is a “pitch” game, the cards are placed faced down and if it is a “shoe” type, the cards for the players are faced up. The face down card that the dealer possesses is called the “hole” card. This “hole” card is not viewed by the dealer unless the other card has at least 10 points. This decides whether the dealer has already hit 21 points, in which the hand would end with all the players losing their wagers.
Card suits have no meaning in this game, with only the value of the card bearing any meaning. All picture cards are worth ten points, whereas an Ace is worth either 1 or 11, whichever is most beneficial for the player/dealer. Players win when either their hand totals higher than the dealer, if the dealer busts, or if they hit a total of 21 exactly.
During the round, the players have four basic moves they can execute, to hit, stand, split or double down and one optional move to surrender which not all casinos offer due to the advantage it brings to the players.
The surrender option simply means players lose half their bet to the casino by choosing not to play their hand. Players hit to ask for another card, whereas stand means they hold their currency cards to end their turn, double down means doubling the bet and taking another card, whilst split separates your hand.
Where to Play Blackjack with BTC?
No doubt, Blackjack is a popular game, a simple google search would land you on hundreds of sites online that allow you to enjoy this amazing entertainment with Bitcoins as one of the deposit options. But, since this is a specialized niche industry, it is riddled with shady websites, some that have no admin support, some that do not pay out to the winners, and some don’t acknowledge deposits, so on and so forth. Because of this, it is particularly important to find a trustworthy website to play on, but don’t worry, because there are dozens of reputable sites!
It is hence very important to trust the right website with your money. You should seek out online casinos that have a good reputation among players. Some of these popular providers are dedicated to just the game of BTC blackjack, so you can find all of the variants that might interest you. Usually, the dedicated BJ casinos often have more features specific to blackjack but may also come with higher fees for the improved service.
Trustworthy sites would never swindle a player’s winnings. Although they might charge a heftier service fee than other game providers, but at least you will have the peace of mind knowing that your money is safe and when you win, your rewards would be aptly paid to you.
Check out the reviews of top 10 Bitcoin blackjack casinos, which were tested several years by thousands of players.
Bitcoin Blackjack Bonuses
To attract new players, online casinos usually offer many kinds of promotions. Some providers choose to reward you with in-game bonuses and some just outright give you free money to play with, allowing you to try out their offering and decide if you want to be a regular player.
In general, the types of bonuses can be classified into a few broad categories;
No Deposit Bonuses – Here the providers provide you with either in-game credit or in-game cash, simply because you signed up on their platform. Although this is almost never a very big amount and you usually cannot withdraw this straight away. This is sometimes also called the Welcome bonus. The No deposit bonus usually has wagering requirements, meaning you have to play through the bonus balance a number of times to make it withdrawable.
Deposit Bonuses – In this case, the game providers give you extra money in addition to your deposited money. This bonus can range from as little as 5% to 300% of your deposit. Although the percentage of bonus sometimes depends on the size of your deposit, and often also has wagering requirements, though not as steep as for no deposit bonuses.
Live Bonuses – This is the third kind of bonus that is largely dedicated to players that are interested in Live dealer tables. These bonuses are often pretty small that range from a few bucks to a couple hundred dollars at most. These bonuses can only be used by the players on live dealer games as an added incentive to play.
What Are Blackjack Live Dealers and Why People Choose Them?
Some online casinos that specialize in Bitcoin blackjack have live dealers section. This simply means that the casino employs real people to deal the cards to the players via live video streaming. Other than being in a real brick and mortar casino, live dealer BTC blackjack is probably the most immersive version of the game you can play online. The player can interact with the dealer through audio and visual inputs, chat or text messages and even through interactive player interface implemented on the website, allowing you to tip, or respond to the dealer or other players.
Many people choose live dealers because they can see the physical cards that are being dealt to them. This positively reinforces the players’ state of mind and they feel more acclimatized to the game and this ensures them that the service providers are transparent and forthcoming about their way of hosting the game. This largely removes any doubts of foul play from the minds of the players, as it is more difficult to cheat whilst being viewed live.
Most providers that use live dealers offer two categories for blackjack. These are live casino or a virtual casino. The major difference being, live casinos are exactly that… Live! This means that the person you see distributing the cards is actually doing so in real-time, unlike virtual BJ bitcoin casinos which use either pre-recorded clips, or avatars to deal the cards. However, usually when a live dealer is present there may not be a full table of other players, whereas in virtual BJ, the other players may be simulated.
Some of the major blackjack live dealer game providers available to play with Bitcoin include NetEnt Live, Global Gaming Labs, Ezugi, Amaya Gaming, Evolution Gaming, BetConstruct, Visionary iGaming and Extreme Live Gaming. There are many others trying to break into the industry, but they lack proper brand recognition, even though each brand typically has something unique to offer, often creating variant game types that appeal to the more adventurous player.
Bitcoin Blackjack for US Players
Ever since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, 2006 (UIGEA) was enforced, US citizens could not engage in online gambling activities in 47 out of the 50 states. Even if by chance they found a legitimate Online Casino that accepted US citizens, the hassles with the payment system were just too much and the restrictions imposed were too severe.
For instance, when a player had to fund his gaming account, he had to either choose Western Union or Moneygram, both of which had high service fees that chipped away from the players’ deposits. The player also faced the exact same issues when it came to withdrawing the winnings.
Since then, the world of online Blackjack has taken a huge leap forward with the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009. As BTC began to gain prominence, more and more online casinos and gaming platforms began accepting it. Today virtually every customer-centric online casino accepts bitcoin. By accepting BTC as a deposit method, the online casino industry has tapped into a dormant US market itching to play Blackjack online with Bitcoin.
Because crypto is not regulated as a currency by any governments, there lies no legal challenges to use it as a payment system. This in turn allowed the average US citizen to now easily play BJ online from the comfort of their homes.
Blackjack for High Rollers
Are you a high roller looking to participate in some high stakes action? Maybe you would like to experience what is like playing at the highest stake tables, with the potential to make the most money? Often online bitcoin casinos will have exclusive areas reserved for only the highest limit players, known as the high rollers. High rollers are often given preferential treatment by BJ casinos, often being given free bets, exclusive bonuses and access to exclusive events that regular players do not get.
Higher rollers, otherwise known as Whales are typically the players that wager the most amount of money and dedicate much more time to blackjack than standard players. This dedication and high bank roll means these players have access to tables out of the budget of most players, with the most intense action possible. However, one of the problems with high roller BJ is that it is often difficult to get a full table, as there are so few of these players online at once.
Despite the fact that high rollers are a rare group, there are a number of game providers that cater to this small, but magnificent audience. We know that most providers tend to offer low limits, as most players tend to play at these tables. However, there are numerous platforms that offer high limit tables, and even a few that offer no limits, so go wild! Besides having access to much higher stake tables, high rollers are often eligible for VIP incentives, so make sure to see if there is a VIP program at your favorite provider.
Mobile Bitcoin Blackjack
With each passing year mobile devices are getting faster and increasingly affordable from all walks of life. Of course, this also means that more and more people are beginning to gamble using their mobile devices, opening up a who new segment for online casinos to target with their services. Today, nearly all casinos worth their salt offer a mobile option, whether it be a dedicated mobile site, or a brand specific app which can be used to play their games.
Boredom can hit you any time, any place and in those moments, you may want to spend some time engaging in one of your favorite adventures, and since you are reading this page…. We think that might be bitcoin blackjack! If mobile gaming is your preference, it is important to choose a platform that provides you with what you need. Nobody likes visiting a website that isn’t optimized for mobile, BTC blackjack is a simple game, so accessing it should be simple too!
Hence it is very important to choose online casinos that offer full mobile support. Many platforms that host Bitcoin live dealer blackjack also make use of virtual reality headsets. This adds an extra dimension and allows the player to experience the game as if he were in a real casino in person. Whether you’re using a tablet, mobile device or even a VR headset, there are plenty of sites for you to choose from.
BTC Blackjack Tips and Strategies
BJ is a game of luck and skill. But often people underestimate how much skill this game demands from them in order to achieve mastery. In order to make the most of your bankroll and win as often as possible it is usually necessary to implement one or more strategies that improve your odds of winning big.
You have probably heard that counting cards is one of the most efficient ways of improving your odds, and that is certainly true in live casinos. However, since playing blackjack with bitcoin almost exclusively occurs online, this isn’t always an option, and is much more difficult than it first appears. However, we can discuss some of the more basic strategies to help to beat the dealer more often;
Memorize how to play certain hands; knowing when the hit, stand, split or double down is absolutely essential in online blackjack. By getting this right, you will be able to reduce the house edge from as much as 2-3%, down to just 0.5%. This doesn’t sound like much of a difference, but believe us, in the long run you will see the benefits. The best way to learn this is to use a strategy sheet, these can be purchased cheaply, but here are a couple of examples;
- When your hand is 12-16 vs the dealer’s 2-6 – Stand
- Always split eights and aces
- If you have aces-6, either hit or double depending on the dealer card
Understand the rules:
One of the major ways people lose out is by branching into variants of blackjack that they don’t understand the rules. This is particularly common with bitcoin casinos as they sometimes offer dozens of variants, each with slightly different rules. Before engaging with a new variant of the game, make sure you read the rules in depth, paying close attention to the payout rates and house edge, this will ensure you are in the best position when the game begins.
Play online, and take advantage of bonuses:
One of the best ways to make the most playing BJ is by playing online. As mentioned previously, online casinos tend to offer much more substantial incentives than traditional ones, this means you get more money to player with, and hence more chance to win big. Take advantage of all the welcome bonuses and deposit bonuses offered by your favorite platforms and be sure to check any rake back or VIP programs offered.
Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose:
We know that you want to win big, but this is usually achieved by playing carefully, rather than by making reckless decisions. Make sure you play at tables with a minimum bet that corresponds to your bank roll. We know it is tempting to play at the high stakes tables due to the possible winnings, but it is equally possible to lose your money quickly too. Stay at tables that have a low minimum bet and move up once you are more comfortable with the game, as you will appreciate the opportunity to double up when the chance arises, to make a sizeable profit. Ideally you would have a bankroll of approximately 40x the minimum bet.
When to double down:
Choosing when to double down is a critical skill in BJ, and the choice is made depending on what your total is, and what the dealer card is. Unless the dealer has an ace, then double if you total 10 or 11. If you have a total of 9, you should only double if the dealer has a low card showing, such as less than 6. Doubling is most effective when you have a total of 9, 10 or 11, as these give you the best chances of getting close to, or hitting 21.
When to split:
Just as knowing when to double is crucial, knowing when to split is also an important skill to have. For starters, we would recommend that you never split 2s or 3s if the dealer has between 4-7, it’s rarely a good option to split 5’s, and only split your 6s and 7s if the dealer has 6 or lower on display. If you get aces, split if allowed, and split 8s regardless of what the dealer has.