Blackjack is one of the oldest and most popular gambling games in the world. There are many variations for blackjacks including regional and modern variations. Blackjack is the bread and butter of a land-based casino and attracts a wide range of players due to its interesting gameplay and high payouts. It is very difficult for an online casino to emulate a blackjack game played in a brick-and-mortar casino.
However, online casinos were able to simulate the blackjack gameplay by using Random Number Generators (RNGs). The RNGs are codes or algorithms that ensure the randomness of the outcome. This has helped online casinos to have high RTP for their blackjack titles. Let’s take a look at how the blackjack game works and how often the cards are shuffled by the game server.
Online Blackjack Gameplay
Blackjack is a simple card game that has a few rules, which are easy to follow. The simple gameplay and the high rewards it carries have attracted many players to online casinos to try their luck on the game. The goal of a blackjack game is to reach as close as 21 without having a higher hand than the dealer. If the dealer goes over 21, the house loses. Similarly, if you go over 21, you lose the game. Here’s how a blackjack game proceeds:
- Join a blackjack game and all the players are dealt with two cards. The dealer is also dealt with two cards, one with face up and the other down.
- Check the value of the cards in your hand. Also, try to guess the value of the cards in the dealer’s hand.
- You can ask for another card if the value of the cards in your hand does not go more than 21.
- If another card can increase the value of more than 21, you can ask the dealer to go on to the next player.
- After all the players in the table have made their decisions, the dealer will reveal the face-down card.
- You will win if your card’s value is closer to 21 than the dealer’s. If the dealer has a value closer to 21, the dealer will win. Your winning will be based on the bets you have placed.
If there are no multiple players, say you are playing the instant-play variation of blackjack, the gameplay will be between you and the dealer, which is controlled by the game mechanics. Online casinos use the latest AI and algorithms to emulate a real-life casino.
How Does Card Shuffling Work In Online Blackjack
The dealer in a blackjack shuffles the cards to get random cards and ensure fair play. How do online casinos emulate this real-life condition? How can online casinos convince the players they have shuffled the cards before the game, to avoid any allegations? The answer is Random Number Generators (RNGs).
Random Number Generators or RNGs are codes that are made by programmers to ensure the randomness of the result. RNGs ensure that the outcome of the game is left to chance and not rigged by the casino. All instant-play games in an online casino such as slots, baccarat, roulette, etc make use of RNGs to leave the outcome to chance. The RNGs are developed by game providers and are constantly tested by internal and external auditors to ensure fair gambling. Many online casinos allow players to check their RNGs through provably fair gaming tools.
In a blackjack game, the RNGs are programmed to shuffle a limited number of cards and make random arrangements. It produces a sequence of numbers that do not have any pattern and can’t be predicted by the players. This way, an online casino can shuffle the cards in a way the blackjack dealer does it physically. However, for live dealer games, it is different. A live dealer does the shuffling physically and serves you with cards, which can all be monitored through multiple cameras. These cameras ensure fair play in a live casino blackjack game.
Does Online Blackjack Shuffle Every Hand
Most online casinos do not use an infinite deck for blackjack and use a predefined deck of 52 playing cards. In the instant-play variation of the blackjack, the RNG shuffles the cards after every hand. This is much easier in instant-play games as RNGs can shuffle the cards multiple times in a random order which takes up a lot of time if it is done physically.
In live dealer blackjack, the cards are not shuffled as frequently as in instant-play blackjack. It takes time for the live dealer to reshuffle after each hand is served. Therefore, they shuffle only after 50% of the cards are dealt. It is similar to how brick-and-mortar casinos do to save time.
To shuffle the cards after each hand in an online casino, an algorithm named Continuous Shuffling Machines (CSMs) is used. It is a form of RNG that regularly shuffles the cards so that gamblers cannot find any reshuffling pattern. After every few rounds, the casino discards all the cards to the shuffler which shuffles the cards and helps the gamblers enjoy the game without any unfair practices.
Conclusion
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games in the world. Instant-play games and live dealer variations offer a wide range of gaming options for blackjack enthusiasts. In a brick-and-mortar casino, it takes a lot of time to shuffle the cards, which keeps the players waiting. Online casinos solve this issue by using RNGs and CSMs that shuffle and reshuffle the cards frequently.
In a live dealer game, the online casinos shuffle the cards similar to a land-based casino. However, the cards being shuffled and the hands being dealt by a live dealer can be monitored through multiple cameras. Online casinos provide the convenience and safety that brick-and-mortar casinos do not, so that blackjack players can enjoy the game to the fullest in a safe and secure environment.
