If you play free black jack at an internet casino you can play "twenty one" over the Web with no real financial commitment. Most casinos hope, however, that once these gamers tire of playing for fun, they'll place a modest bet to see how they fare when real money's on the line. If you've never gambled before, this can be a real thrill, especially when you consider how many obstacles have been removed for you.
The biggest barrier to gambling, for most people, anyway, is lack of venue. Most folks can't simply quit their jobs for a week and road-trip to Vegas or Atlantic City to try their hand at craps or baccarat. But doing so from your PC is a piece of cake, especially when the entrepreneurs behind online casinos make it so inviting. The software used, even with free online blackjack, is so stunning in many cases that it perfectly re-creates the casino environment, from its ringing bells to its celebratory cheers.
Online blackjack is nearly identical to the real deal--the only difference is that you can't touch the cards (which you shouldn't do anyway). The same basic rules apply, as does the same black jack strategy. While covering all the game's finer points in a few sentences is impossible, there are a few general principles to consider.
Most importantly, even if you memorize and perfectly execute the "basic strategy," the house still retains a slight advantage for a couple of reasons. One of these is that the dealer gets one card dealt face down, which confers a very slight edge--maybe even fractions of a percentage point--especially since that ups the chances of players remaining in the game against a dealer blackjack. Counting cards, which can get you booted from most casinos if you're caught, is really the only way to turn the odds in your favor, but it can take years of practice to effectively do this. It's also much harder, if not altogether impossible, to count cards in online blackjack.