European Blackjack Online

European Blackjack Rules

European Blackjack is played just like standard blackjack in most ways. At a good Canada Internet casino site, players place their bet on one to five places on the table and get dealt two cards face up.

The dealer will be dealt one card face up and one down. It's then your aim to receive cards ('hit') and get as close to 21 without going over, or 'Stand' and take no more cards.

If you get dealt a Blackjack (an ace and picture card to make a natural 21) players get paid real cash straight away at odds of 3/2.

Insurance bets are available, meaning that you win at 2/1 if the dealer makes his blackjack. Players can split cards, and can double down on 9, 10 or 11.

Differences between American and European Blackjack

Essentially, the main differences in real-money Internet European Blackjack is that there is no Surrender option, and players can ONLY double down on cards totalling 9, 10 or 11. In a standard American game, gamblers can double down regardless of their total.

The dealer's ability to hit or stand is also different. In American Blackjack, for example, the dealer stands on a soft 17, but in European they will stand on ALL 17 totals (and draw on 16). That means even soft 17s where one of the dealer's card is an ace.

Generally, hands in European Blackjack can only be split once (with no re-splits), but some online variants differ. It always pays to check the European Blackjack rules at your favourite online casino first before you play.

European Blackjack Strategy

Because the dealer in a European Blackjack game tends to stand on any 17, this can give you a pretty good clue what to do if you have 16. You can no longer rely on that 16 to win you the hand, as in other variants, so you may find yourself hitting for a small card to get closer to 21.

Not all online casinos that accept Canadian players offer European blackjack, but the ones that do are brilliant and listed here for your immediate enjoyment.

Saying that, the dealer usually must hit on 16, putting him in a tricky spot.

Because of the subtle differences between European Blackjack and other variants, it's important to get yourself a betting grid, or 'cheat sheet'. These are available widely on the web, and you'll find the optimal plays at every point in the game and for every hand you are dealt.

But Not All European Blackjack Is The Same...

OK, so you think you're ready to go, right? As a Canadian online European Blackjack aficionado you might think you're set.

But here's where things get a little complicated. Not all online real-cash European Blackjack games are equal. Some sites have software that features double downs on ANY two cards, while others restrict it to just 9, 10 or 11. In some variants, dealers can stand on any 17; in others, they must stand on soft 17s only.

Meanwhile, some European Blackjack rules say splitting can be done once, while other casinos allow re-splits.

Always check the games rules page first, then load up and take on the house for everything they've got.

Oh, and don't get seduced by card counting. Although most European Blackjack online is played with 6 or 8 decks, shuffling is done regularly to make it harder for counters to get a feel of the table.