When you remember that Blackjack has been around in one way or another for the past 300+ years, it makes sense that the details of how it’s played have undergone some changes. Make sure you know what the most frequently found ones are and who knows?

You may stumble upon a new favourite variant.

● The Number of Decks Being Used

Certain Blackjack games use a single deck of cards, like American Blackjack does, while others use as many as eight. European and Perfect Pairs Blackjack use two decks, Blackjack Switch and Spanish 21 use six or eight, and Multi-Hand Blackjack uses six. Bear in mind that, the more decks in play, the better the odds for the house.

● Doubling Down After Splitting

It’s a widely held belief that players should always split Aces and 8s. This is because getting an Ace as your first card makes it more likely that you’ll get a Blackjack if you Hit.

Playing variations like Spanish 21 that let you Double Down after you Split lets you get more money into the game.

● How the Dealer Handles a Soft-17

If you’re holding a hand totalling 17 points and it contains an Ace, it’s a Soft 17. If you’re playing a variant of 21 that forces the dealer to stand on a Soft 17, it’s better for you, odds-wise.

Variants that have this rule in place include European Blackjack and Multi-Hand Blackjack.

● How Much Blackjack Pays

The standard payout for a Blackjack has been 3:2 for many years. But many casinos have introduced games where players only collect at 6:5 for a Blackjack, and though the difference may not seem big, it’s actually really significant.

You lose 1.3% if you’re collecting at 6:5 instead of 3:2. So always double-check this rule and bear in mind that variations like European, Free Bet, and Multi-Hand online Blackjack real money games usually pay out at 3:2 for Blackjack.

● Splitting After Splitting

Try to find variants like Free Bet and Spanish Blackjack that let you Split again if you receive doubles more than once.

● What Hands You Can Double Down On

Certain casinos only allow Doubling Down on hands totalling 10 or 11 points and others allow you to do this on totals of 9, 10, and 11. Flexibility is always good and having more Doubling Down options lowers the house edge by 0.2%.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

There are many different ways to get to 21 and playing these variants is a great idea if you enjoy Blackjack. There are other differences too, with certain versions of the game allowing you to place interesting and potentially very profitable Side Bets and even get a bonus payout for specific hands.

The best way to find out which ones you like best is to try them all, something you can do for free at most online casinos. This allows you to get to know each version of 21 without any risk and then start betting when you’re confident you know what you’re doing.