Best Blackjack Casinos in NZ 2023

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games for New Zealand punters. The game has been around for centuries but has evolved a lot over the past decade once it was introduced at the online casino.

If you’re a new punter, carefully read through this ultimate Online Blackjack overview. You’ll find rules, tips, odds, strategies, and more.

Order of Play

To start a round, you will first have to place your bet. After the bet is in, you will receive two face-up cards, and the dealer will have two cards, one face-up and the other face-down.

Card Values

The goal of all Online Blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting closer to 21 points without going over. Every card is valued at their face value – a 3 is worth 3 points, 4 is worth 4 points, etc. The exception is an A is worth either 1 or 11 and all picture cards are worth 10 points.

Hit or Stand

After you receive your hand, you’ll have the option to hit (get additional cards) or stand pat with the cards you have. As you read through this overview, you’ll see tips and strategies that will help you to better understand what the smart play is.

Advanced Options

• Double Down: There are some situations, typically when you have between 9-11 points, that you can double your bet. If you choose this option, you will only be dealt one more card.
• Split: If you have a pair of cards, you can opt to split them, creating two separate hands. You will need to place another bet on the second hand, and then you’ll receive new cards so that each hand has two face-up cards.
• Insurance: When the dealer has an A showing you’ll have the option to buy insurance. This will pay out should the dealer have a Blackjack.
• Surrender: This option is only available in certain Online Blackjack variants. If you don’t like your hand, you can surrender the hand and receive half your bet back.
• Side Bets (Depends on the game): Many Online Blackjack games have side bet options. These can payout regardless of the outcome of the hand. The most common side-bets are Player or Dealer Pairs and 21+3.
• Multi-Hand: Some Online Blackjack tables allow you to play up to 5 hands at once.

As Blackjack spread throughout the world, different regions started making changes to the rules. The main two variants are European and American Blackjack.

• European Blackjack: You must play your hand before the dealer receives its second card. Once the game is in play, doubling down is only allowed when you have between 9-11 points. Splitting is allowed in European Blackack, but only once per hand and only with cards that have a 10 point value. The game is played with 2 decks of cards.
• American Blackjack: The dealer receives the face-up card before the player has to decide how to proceed with the game. This brings the insurance bet into play and prevents you from doubling or splitting your hand when the dealer has a Blackjack. You can split any matching pair, and as many times as you want/can. The game is played with 6-8 decks of cards.

There are dozens of Online Blackjack variants, each with its own twists and minor rule changes. The following 4 games are very popular in New-Zealand as well:   

Spanish 21

The first thing you’ll notice about Spanish 21 is that all the 10 cards are removed from the deck. Some of the rules changes are a player’s 21 will always beat the dealers 21, even if the dealer has a Blackjack.

There is no limit on splitting cards, and you can double down on a split hand. The last major rule change is the Late Surrender, which allows you to fold your hand and recoup half your bet at any point before the dealer starts playing its hand.

Switch

You are dealt two hands and can move the face-up cards from one hand to another. This allows you to create the two best possible hands with the four cards you’re dealt. It’s important to note that a Blackjack won’t pay out 3:2 in this game.

Pontoon

This is the British take on Blackjack and it includes different terminology: “twist,” “stick,” and “buy” instead of “hit,” “stand,” and “double.” You must twist (hit) if your cards are valued at less than 15 points. Instead of just getting a single card after you buy (double), you can twist as much as you want.

There is no Push, if you and dealer have the same point total, even if you have a Pontoon (Blackjack) and it has a 21, the dealer wins the hand. If you have 5 cards in your hand, that doesn’t go over 21, it’s called a 5-card trick and is the second-best hand in the game, following the Pontoon.

Double Attack

This is similar to Spanish 21. All 10 cards are removed from the deck, and the dealer must stand on a soft 17. At any point during a game, a player can double their bet or surrender. Cards can be split 4 times, except A’s, which can only be split twice.

Since the house edge in Online Blackjack is relatively low, most bets pay an even 1:1 ratio. Meaning if you make a $1 bet and win, you’ll win back your dollar, plus 1 more. There are 3 exceptions (excluding side bets):

1. Blackjack: A Blackjack pays out 3:2. This means that if you make a $1 bet and win via Blackjack, you’ll win $2.50.
2. Insurance: This bet pays out 2:1. If you buy insurance for $1 and the dealer has a Blackjack, you will win $3 for the insurance.
3. Tie: Also known as a push, this happens when you and the dealer are both showing the same point total. When this happens, you will receive your initial bet back.

If you have any questions about the odds or payouts for a Blackjack hand, refer to our Help and Support section below.

The ideal Blackjack strategy is to treat every card that isn’t dealt as a 10 point card. The reason for this is simple, with 4 times as many 10 point cards in the deck, the odds are the next card will be worth 10 points.

This means that if you have 12 points showing and the dealer has 6 points, you should stand. Ideally, the dealer will draw turn over its face-down card, revealing a 10, for a total of 16 points, and have to hit. If the card is a 10, the dealer will bust, instead of you busting at 22 points.

It should go without saying that this strategy isn’t perfect, but in the long run, it can help answer you decide whether to hit or stand.

Some of the other basic strategies that you should consider during a game are:

Split

When you’re dealt a matching pair, the tendency is to split the cards. However, this isn’t always a good strategy, and you should look at both your cards and the dealers. If your odds of winning are great, a pair of 10’s, for example, do you want to ruin that by splitting? Another scenario that splitting isn’t recommended is when the dealer is showing an A.

Double

Doubling down seems like a good idea, based on the above strategy. If you have 9 points, double your bet and get one more card, which could very well be a 10, giving you a total of 19 points. Although, in reality, it’s not that simple. Once again, take a look at the dealer’s cards. If it's showing a 9, 10, or A, then it would be wise to play out your hand without doubling the wager.

Surrender

If you’re playing a game with a surrender option, take advantage of it. If you see that your odds aren’t good, don’t be ashamed to surrender. You’ll recoup half your bet and live to fight another round.

All of the Online Blackjack games at Casino.com NZ are compatible with Android and iOS devices. There is no need to download any additional software. All you need is a stable internet connection or 4G/5G network and you’ll be able to play on the go.

The games are touch-friendly. The chips, cards, and buttons are optimized to display perfectly on screens of all sizes.

Casino.com NZ has a running list of promotions for all our current punters. The promotions run the gamut from time and event-based promotions to game dedicated offers. You’ll even find promotions that are specifically designed for Online Blackjack. Check out the Casino.com NZ promotion page for all the latest offers.

All new players are eligible for a Welcome Bonus with a first deposit. This is a great way to get started at the online casino since you’ll be playing with house money. For all the latest bonus offers and to read the wagering requirement, check out the bonuses page.

While Online Blackjack is a pretty easy game to master, it’s not uncommon for punters to have questions now and then. Depending on your question, there are a few ways to get the help you need:

• In-Game Help Menu: Every game has a detailed help section that will answer any question you might have on a specific game. This includes how to play, odds, payouts, side-bets, and betting history.
• Customer Support: If your question is about your account, technical issues, making withdrawals or deposits, or any other topic that requires a real person, there is 24/7 customer support. They can be reached via telephone, email, and live chat.

There are a lot of different Online Blackjack variants that can be played 24/7 at our NZ online casino, on both computers and mobile devices. Register your Casino.om NZ account, make a deposit and start playing Online Blackjack for real money today.