Do you want to play online blackjack? If so, NZCasinoClub is your one-stop-shop for the best casinos for online blackjack in New Zealand. We have sourced a fantastic selection of trusted online casinos that provide the most sought-after variants of online blackjack for real money, and many exclusive blackjack bonuses with terms and conditions that can’t be matched.
Every casino we feature has been selected for its excellent performance in our evaluation. Scroll through our list of safe, high-quality NZ casinos and pick your favourite. If you would like to learn more about online blackjack, including information about the top software providers and optimal blackjack strategies, please read on - our experts go over everything you need to know below.
Our List of the Best NZ Online Casino for Blackjack
Online blackjack is a digitised version of the popular game we all know and love. The rules of online blackjack are exactly the same as its offline equivalent. Because the game is virtual, its fairness is ensured by Random Number Generator (RNG) software, rather than a human dealer.
However, in recent times online blackjack has become especially popular at live-casinos. These casinos stream the game live from a state-of-the-art studio. Each blackjack table is presided over by a trained human dealer, allowing you to play in real time from the comfort of your own home.
Blackjack Bonus Terms and Conditions Explained
If you want to win real money using your match bonus, you must fulfil the terms and conditions.
Here are the two most important terms and conditions you must understand before claiming a bonus on blackjack:
Wagering Requirements
Before you can withdraw your blackjack winnings as real money, you have to wager the value of your bonus a number of times. Most match bonuses will have wagering requirements set between 30x and 70x. We recommend that you claim a match bonus with the lowest wagering requirements to have the best chance of winning real money.
Learn More: If you want to know more about wagering requirements, please refer to our in-depth article on What Are Wagering Requirements? Our experts go over everything you need to know, plus some professional tips and tricks.
Game Contribution
Because of the favourable odds on blackjack, winnings made on blackjack with a bonus will contribute less to wagering requirements. If you win $50 on a blackjack variant that contributes 8%, only $4 will go towards your wagering requirements. Game contribution percentages can vary significantly - please read the terms and conditions of your bonus.
Type of Game
Typical Contribution to Wagering Requirements
Slots
100%
Classic Blackjack
2%
Other Blackjack Games
8%
How to Play Blackjack Online For Free
If you want to play online blackjack for free, you have two options:
Claim a no deposit bonus eligible on blackjack:
While it's unlikely, you may be able to claim a no deposit bonus eligible on blackjack. Casinos do not like to make their no deposit bonuses eligible on blackjack because of its favourable odds, which is why we recommend match bonuses.
Play for free in demo mode:
If you want to play blackjack for free, the only alternative to no deposit bonuses is to play in demo mode. We feature a selection of blackjack games in demo mode for you to try right here on NZCasinoClub.com.
Top Tip: While you cannot win real money playing demo mode blackjack, you can practice. Blackjack is a game of skill, and you can significantly improve your odds by practising. Once you have mastered the art of blackjack, we recommend you claim a match bonus and put your new skills to the test.
Varieties of Online Blackjack Games
There are many versions of online blackjack.
Make sure you know the differences between the variants before you play - it could be the difference between winning and losing:
Atlantic City Blackjack
8-Decks of cards in use.
You can play more than one hand.
The dealer always has to stand on a soft 17.
The dealer can check for Blackjack from the start: if he has Blackjack, he wins automatically.
You are permitted to split your hand.
You are permitted to double-down on your hand, so long as it’s on the first 2 cards.
After a split you can double-down, and then even re-split if you would like to.
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If you get Blackjack on a split hand it doesn’t count.
The dealer will always win with Blackjack, even if your hand totals 21.
Why is the number of decks important? Casinos have introduced more decks to blackjack to make it more difficult for players to count cards. Generally, the more decks in use, the higher the house edge.
Our Pick for Live Blackjack: Evolution Gaming
If you want to play the best live blackjack games, we recommend you play at a casino partnered with Evolution Gaming.
Their live casino games are of the highest-quality. Click on the image below to play a video of what they have to offer:
Real Money Blackjack Variants with the Best Odds
When compared with most other casino games, online blackjack has fantastic odds. However, because of the many variants of online blackjack, some blackjack games are more favourable than others.
Here’s our breakdown:
Version of Online Blackjack
House-Edge
Atlantic City Blackjack
0.35%
Bonus Blackjack
0.39%
Double Exposure Blackjack
0.69%
European Blackjack
0.39%
Vegas Downtown Blackjack
0.38%
Vegas Strip Blackjack
0.34%
Spanish Blackjack
0.38%
How to Play Real Money Online Blackjack
The premise of blackjack is simple - you need to acquire a hand of cards as close as possible to the value of 21, without going over 21.
However, there are other rules you should be aware of before you play for real money. Here’s our handy guide to playing online blackjack:
How to Play
Both you and the dealer will be dealt two cards.
One of the dealer’s cards will be revealed, the other will be faced down.
After reviewing your own cards (and depending on the cards you have), you will be given the following options:
Hit
If you tell the dealer that you want to ‘Hit’ it means that you would like another card. This will allow you to get closer to 21, but in doing so you are also taking the risk of going ‘bust’ i.e. going over 21 and losing automatically.
Stand
If you tell the dealer you’d like to ‘Stand’ it means that you are happy with the cards you’ve been dealt, or that you do not want to run the risk of going ‘bust’.
Split
You can choose to ‘Split’ when you are dealt two cards of the same value. If you decide to do this, you will be essentially playing with 2 hands, and you will be given the two former options once more, for both hands.
Double Down
If you choose to ‘Double Down’ you are allowed to double your initial bet in return for being dealt an extra card. Upon doing this, you are not allowed to be dealt any more cards until the round is over.
After playing your hands, it is the dealer’s turn to play their own hand. Their face-down card will be revealed and they will be able to choose to ‘Hit’ or ‘Stick’ depending on the total-value of the cards they have. Read our ‘Rules You Need To Know’ tab for more information.
Card Values
Card
Value
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
10.
10.
10.
1 or 11.
Rules You Need To Know
Dealers are usually required to stick on 17 and over.
If you go over 21 you will go ‘bust’ and lose automatically.
If you match the dealer’s hand neither of you win.
All image-based cards have a value of 10.
You get to choose the value of an ‘Ace’: either 1 or 11.
Typically, 8 decks of cards will be in use.
You win automatically when you draw a ‘Blackjack’ hand: a ‘Jack’ and an ‘Ace’.
Expert Tips & Tricks to Beat the Dealer: Strategies for Real Money Blackjack
One of the draws of blackjack is that it’s a game of skill. The better you get at blackjack, the better your chances of winning.
If you want a head-start, we can provide you with several expert strategies to follow:
Pairs
This strategy is only relevant when you have ‘Pairs’, that is: when you decide to ‘Split’ your identical cards.
If you have a pair of Aces and 8’s, always ‘Split’.
If you have a pair of 4’s, 5’s or 10’s never ‘Split’.
Only ‘Split’ on any other pairs if the dealer has a card of 6 or lower.
Soft Hands
When you receive an Ace, it means that you cannot go bust on a single ‘Hit’. This is what’s known as having a ‘Soft Hand’. In such a circumstance, you should follow these rules.
If your hand has a value of 15 or less, make sure you ‘Hit’.
If your hand has a value of 16-18, and the dealer’s card is either 6 or below: ‘Double Down’. If the dealer’s card is higher than 6: ‘Hit’.
If your hand will come to a minimum of 19, i.e. an Ace and an 8, make sure you ‘Stand’.
Hard Hands
‘Hard Hands’ are when you are at risk of going ‘bust’ in a single hit. In this case, you have to suspect the dealer’s unrevealed card as holding the value of 10. Therefore, you need to play to get a higher total then the dealer, supposing that the dealer’s unrevealed card has a value of 10.
‘Hit’ if your cards add up to a maximum of 8.
‘Double Down’ if your cards add up to 9, and the dealer’s card is between 3 and 6. If it is not, you must ‘Hit’.
If your cards equal either 10 or 11, and the dealer’s revealed card is lower than yours, ‘Double Down’. If it is not, you must ‘Hit’.
If your cards have a value of between 12 and 16, only ‘Hit’ if the dealer’s revealed card has a value of 7 or more. If it does not, you must ‘Stand’.
For a hand that is between 17 and 21, make sure to ‘Stand’.
Pros & Cons of Real Money Online Blackjack Tournaments
Many of the best online casinos for blackjack hold regular tournaments. To progress in these tournaments, you must place in the top two players on your table, every round.
If you are interested, please check out the pros and cons before you participate:
Pros
Gives the game a more competitive edge.
Put your skills to the test against other players.
Huge prizes on offer.
More players means you can gang up on the dealer.
More convenient to play online than in a brick-and-mortar casino.
Cons
Increased competition.
Not recommended for new players.
If you leave midway through a game, you will automatically forfeit.
How We Find the Best Online Casinos for Blackjack
Here at NZCasinoClub we only feature online casinos you can trust. Every casino is tested by an industry expert.
We check for the following criteria so you don’t have to:
Licensing All the casinos we feature are licensed and regulated by a reputable gambling authority.
Games Every casino on our list is guaranteed to have a great selection of blackjack games.
Bonuses We try and test every bonus with our own cash to ensure that the terms are fair and reasonable.
Banking Methods We make sure that all of our featured casinos have accessible banking methods and reasonable withdrawal policies.
Safety and Security We only feature casinos that use the latest SSL data encryption technology.
Customer Support Every casino on our list has a customer support team available 24/7 via live chat.
The History of Blackjack
Like roulette, poker and keno, blackjack has a fascinating history.
For those of you interested, we will go over the development of the game through the centuries:
The 1600s
There is a theory that claims blackjack was invented by the Romans. It has never been proven, and seems to be based entirely on the fact that the Romans liked to gamble.
The first recorded mention of a blackjack-like-game appeared in the short story, ‘Rinconete y Cortadillo’, by Miguel De Cervantes. Named ‘veintiuna,’ the object of the game is to reach 21 points without going over, with the ace being valued at either 1 or 21.
The 1700s
Many historians locate the beginnings of blackjack (as we now know it) in 18th Century France. Back then, the game was known as Vingt-et-un (‘21’ in French), and was a derivation of the already popular card game, Chemin de Fer. Vingt-et-un was so popular it was reportedly played at the court of Louis XV.
The 1800s
Vingt-et-un was exported around the globe by French colonists. Once it spread through North America, it acquired the moniker of ‘Blackjack’, with the rules changing slightly near the end of the century.
According to the French historian, Thierry Depaulis, the name change occurred during the Klondike Gold Rush. Miners would use the term ‘blackjack’ to refer to the mineral Sphalerite - which comes from the Greek word for ‘deceitful’ (sphaleros) due to it being difficult to identify.
The 1900s
In a paper entitled The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack - published in 1956 - three mathematicians came up with the first mathematically based blackjack strategy.
At the start of the 1990’s, blackjack first appeared online, but its popularity is not yet widespread.
The 2000s
By the early 2000’s, blackjack had become increasingly popular in online casinos. With the advent of live casinos, blackjack is able to be streamed from state-of-the-art studios and players can enjoy immersive, real-to-life experiences from the comfort of their own home.
Software developers such as NetEnt, Microgaming and Evolution Gaming develop many variants of online blackjack, increasing its popularity and helping to make it accessible to players all around the world.
Blackjack Frequently Asked Questions
The rules of online blackjack are the same as offline blackjack. However, the digitised version of online blackjack uses a virtual dealer. Randomness and fair-play is guaranteed by Random Number Generator software.
NZCasinoClub.com
Yes, of course!
If you want to win real money on blackjack, you have two options:
Make a real money deposit:
Find a casino that hosts blackjack and deposit your own funds using an available banking method.
Claim a match bonus:
If you claim a match bonus, you will receive bonus credits in return for a small deposit. You can win real money with these bonus credits providing you fulfil the terms and conditions.
NZCasinoClub.com
Yes, of course! It is legal to play online blackjack in NZ, providing you play at a casino licensed and regulated by a reputable gambling authority. We only recommend online casinos that are legal for players in New Zealand to access.
NZCasinoClub.com
Yes, absolutely! Online casinos use Random Number Generator (RNG) software to ensure that their games are random and fair. Additionally, the odds for the majority of online casino games are made public.
It’s difficult to say - what a player considers to be ‘the best’ depends on their own, unique requirements. Our job at NZCasinoClub is to provide you with a selection of casinos that are safe and of the highest quality. It is your job to decide which is best for you.
Yes, you can. Online blackjack is available to play for free in demo mode. Sadly, online casinos are unlikely to make blackjack eligible with their no deposit bonus. If you want to claim a bonus to play online blackjack, we recommend that you claim a match bonus.
Please be aware that match bonuses require a small deposit.