European Blackjack

European Blackjack online is a very popular variant of the classic game of Blackjack. Fun fact, Europe is the continent that gave birth to this strategic card game. This game was first mentioned by writer Miguel de Cervantes who recounted the story of two highly skilled card players that cheated in the game of Twenty-One.

At first, Blackjack was only played in Spain, France, and Germany but the game has gained some serious popularity worldwide now. Due to its newfound fame, the game has generated many variations, some that are played in the United States and others that are played in Europe.

European Blackjack is one of the variants and in this article, we’ll cover the bases so that you can start playing this really fun and skilled card game. 

Basics Of European Blackjack

The game of European Blackjack online is played using eight decks of playing cards that get shuffled after each and every round. This is a big obstacle for card counters but that doesn’t mean that they can’t win this game. Another feature of this card game is the fact that the dealer does not peek at their card during the game.

Other than this, splitting is either limited or not allowed depending on the casino you’re playing at. However, according to the general rules of play, splitting of fours, fives, and tens are prohibited.

In reality, these three cards are rarely split, however, this rule has been introduced to make sure that players have a hard time card counting. Going back to one of the points that we mentioned in passing.

The most significant difference between European Blackjack online and American Blackjack is that the dealer isn’t allowed to take a look at their face-down card unless and until all the players have decided what their next move is going to be.

In American Blackjack, the dealers immediately reveal their hole card in case they’ve got Blackjack. Another trait of European Blackjack is that the dealer hits when they have a soft 17. A soft 17 is a hand that contains an Ace and counts 7 or 17. In this, the odds of Blackjack are 3:2.

During the game of European Blackjack online, players can double down only if their hand totals nine, ten, or eleven. You could also double down if you Stand after receiving your next card. Players can split their cards only if they are of the same value, like Seven Seven, King Jack etc.

In European Blackjack, splitting means that the player is creating two separate hands and placing bets for two different hands. The rules for splitting Aces are slightly different, players can split Aces two times for three hands. So, be careful while splitting your Aces because you won’t be able to do it again and again.

Players can split their Aces once per hand and then receive one card for each split hand. At selected casinos, players can double down on any two cards even after a non-Ace split pair. In European Blackjack online, players can find both Surrender and Insurance features.

When players choose to Surrender, they get half of their initial stake back. This is applicable only when the dealer is not holding an Ace. In Insurance, the player gets paid 2:1 if the dealer has Blackjack.

European Blackjack vs American Blackjack

As we mentioned earlier, Blackjack is a very popular casino card game. That’s why this game has produced several new variants. Let’s explore the differences between European Blackjack online and American Blackjack.

• For starters, American Blackjack has better odds compared to European Blackjack. In European Blackjack online, the house edge is 0.05% higher than in American Blackjack.

• Players can also avoid some bad bets when the dealer has a Blackjack. This is because the dealer can take a look at their hole card and conclude the game right there. But in European Blackjack, this doesn’t happen. The dealers get their second card only after the players are done playing their moves.

House Edge In European Blackjack

When you compare both American and European Blackjack, you’ll find that European Blackjack online has a higher house edge of 0.05% than American Blackjack. This is when we compare and contrast the two, the total house edge in European Blackjack is 0.40%.

This is actually pretty good, especially when you compare the house edge of other games like Slots, Craps, and Roulette. There are other Blackjack variants with a house edge as low as 0.10% but of course, the game would be more difficult as well.

Features Of European Blackjack Online

With the advent of online casinos, gaming enthusiasts have been able to enjoy their favourite online casino games from the comfort of their homes.

Most premium online casinos like LuckyNiki casino offer amazing casino games like European Blackjack with a bunch of different benefits that enhance the overall casino gaming experience of players.

Players can choose to play on their own or join a multi-player table. Both differ slightly so let’s discuss their features.

• Single-Player Tables – In the single-player tables, players can include around five boxes in each and every round of play. In this version of the game, players don’t have to rush at all. The game unfolds as fast as the player wants it to.

This is why this version is so popular, simply because players are not supposed to hurry and make terrible decisions that weren’t thought about properly. There is no timer present that counts down till the player can make a decision or get kicked out of the game.

Placing bets is simple and not complicated at all. All the controls are easy to understand and use. When you’re done playing you can either click or tap on the re-bet button to start all over.

• Multiplayer Tables – For players that get bored easily while playing the single-player table, they can easily opt for the multiplayer table where they can play with other gaming enthusiasts.

The multiplayer table differs from the single-player table in ways like, players can only occupy one betting position. There’s also a timer that counts down to show how much time is left for the player to make their next move.

You can choose your desired amount of bet by clicking on the chip icons and sliding the slider or directly entering the numbers in the empty box.

How To Play European Blackjack

Now that we’ve discussed all the basics of European Blackjack let’s shift our focus to how to exactly play this game.

• Step 1 – You start playing the game by placing your bets. At online casinos, gaming enthusiasts can play European Blackjack online with low as well as high stakes. Do not go all in with your first Blackjack bet.

Yes, European Blackjack has a house edge of 0.40% which is so much better than most online casino games but that doesn’t mean you should play recklessly.

• Step 2 – Check your hand and the dealer’s card. Once you’ve placed your bet, the dealer will give you two cards and receive one themselves. In European Blackjack online, players need not be concerned whether their cards match the suit or make up some rank as players do in Poker.

You are supposed to only look at the cards and their points or values at all times. The values of cards in European Blackjack are as follows,

• Two – 2
• Three – 3
• Four – 4
• Five – 5
• Six – 6
• Seven – 7
• Eight – 8
• Nine – 9
• Ten – 10
• Jack – 10
• Queen – 10
• King – 10
• Ace – 1 or 11

A player’s goal is to beat the dealer by having a higher hand and at the same time not going over 21.

Did you know? You can actually deduce whether you have a good enough hand or not with your initial cards only. Is your hand close to 21? Maybe you’ve got a natural Blackjack which is the winning hand or maybe you could make your hand better with extra cards.

The dealer’s hand shows what kind of card they may get – either a strong one or a weak one. You can easily predict whether the dealer has a higher chance of busting which would mean that you could win easily even with a lower-value hand.

• Step 3 – Now that you have analysed all the cards, you can make your move. You can choose one of the following moves,
  • Hit – Here, a player asks for an extra card and they don’t need to place any additional bets for this. 
  • Stand – Here, players continue playing with their current hand without having to make any additional bets. 
  • Double Down – This is when a player asks for an extra card and at the same time Stands right after receiving it, all the more while the original wager gets doubled.
  • Split – In European Blackjack online, players can only split cards that are the same, for example, two Aces. In Split, cards get divided into two hands but here the player needs to make an extra bet of the same amount as their initial bet.

Players can choose to make an insurance bet which is a side bet if the dealer has an Ace. In this bet, the players win if the dealer gets a natural Blackjack. However, no one recommends making the insurance bet. It is considered the worst bet anyone can make at a Blackjack table.

Let’s take a step back and go back to the moves that you can make with your hand. If you’re just starting out and having a hard time feel free to use a European Blackjack chart or cheat sheet and download a PDF. There are plenty of them on the internet and you can easily find one that will work for you.

A Blackjack cheat sheet is essentially a strategy sheet that helps beginners make the best moves based on the hand they have and the dealer’s hand. A European Blackjack chart or cheat sheet is just that but for the game of European Blackjack.

So don’t be afraid to use one to improve your chances of winning this strategic game.

• Step 4 – At this point, you can sit back and watch the game play itself out. After you’ve played your hand, you have to wait for the dealer to play their hand. There are a set of predefined rules the dealer follows like dealers only Hit when they have at least 17.

Now if you haven’t busted already, you can predict the outcome of the game at that point only,

• You’ll win if your hand is higher than the dealer’s hand. 
• You will lose if your hand is lower than the dealer’s hand. 
• It will be a push if both you, the player, and the dealer have hands with the same value. 

How to proceed in case there’s a push simply depends on the casino you’re playing at. In most cases, all players with a push get their wager back. However, in some cases, the House wins on each and every push.

Payouts In European Blackjack

The payouts in European Blackjack online tend to stay the same irrespective of the casino you’re playing at. In European Blackjack, players get the following payouts,

• 3:2 for a natural Blackjack win. 
• 1:1 for all other wins. 
• 2:1 for the insurance bet win. 

Luckily enough, this is actually applicable not only to European Blackjack online games but to all Blackjack games, both played at online casinos and traditional brick-and-mortar casinos. In some cases, the natural Blackjack also pays out 6:5.

Play European Blackjack At LuckyNiki Casino

European Blackjack online is a strategic casino card game that has a really low house edge. This game is loved by serious gaming enthusiasts that find other casino games to be boring.

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Conclusion

European Blackjack online is the most common Blackjack variant out there. This game is played with several decks of playing cards. European Blackjack RTP stands at a solid 99.60%. It is similar to classic Blackjack and you can play both of them at LuckyNiki online casino.

This article highlighted all the necessary information that you need to know about this popular variant of Blackjack. If you’re interested in getting started and playing European Blackjack, be sure to check out LuckyNiki online casino and sign up to claim your 100% welcome bonus of up to ₹1 Lakh.

Download and use a European Blackjack chart or cheat sheet if you need it. Remember, you’ll only get better with practice, you’ll learn a lot from the games you’ll lose. 

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European Blackjack FAQ

• How is European blackjack different?

European Blackjack online is overall more strict when compared to American Blackjack or Classic Blackjack. In European Blackjack, the dealer deals with the first card but doesn’t deal with the second card till all the players have played their hands.

The dealer doesn’t take a look at their hand, they wait till after the players have played their hands and then check whether they have a Blackjack or not. Players also have fewer opportunities to double down in this game, you can only double down if your hand has a value of nine, ten, or eleven.

Lastly, players can split only once in the entire game, even then you can only split 10 value cards of the same value or face.

• Is American or European blackjack better?

Depends on what the player considers to be better. If you want the game to be more relaxed with fewer rules then by all means play American Blackjack. But if you get bored easily and want a game that is highly stimulating for you and your brain then switch to European Blackjack online.

• How do you play European blackjack?

There’s a detailed step-by-step guide in this article on how you can play European Blackjack online but for a quick summary – start by placing your bets, check your own and the dealer’s hand, make your move (hit, stand, double down, split, surrender), and lastly waiting for the dealer to make their moves.

• Which blackjack strategy is best?

There’s no one sure-shot strategy that works for every single Blackjack game. Your best bet is to make smart decisions after you’ve carefully analysed your own hand and the dealer’s hand. Blackjack is all about skill and strategy, no matter which variant you choose to play.

Download a Blackjack cheat sheet if you’re having trouble making your moves.

• Is blackjack more skill or luck?

Blackjack is a casino card game that relies more on skill and little on luck. So, anyone can play and win this game. All you have to do is learn the basics of the game like rules, how to play, strategies etc. The more you play this game the more practice you’ll get and the better you’ll get.

However, just remember that all skill-based games do need a little luck to win.