Online Blackjack for Real Money in Nigeria 2024

When it comes to online real blackjack, the basic strategy is one of the most recurrent terms you’ll find in blackjack reviews on gambling information sites. As you play this game, especially for real money, you’ll find that it’s necessary to have some workable strategies. These strategies are typically presented in charts to make it easier and more straightforward for players to understand them. Through such charts, you’ll be guided appropriately on when to hit, stand, double down, split or surrender (if allowed).  

Thankfully, almost every blackjack variation has its dedicated chart, so you can make out time to study and master them. Doing so will help reduce the house edge to 1.2%, 1% or even 0.5%. Due to varying house edges, the number of card decks, and specific rules for doubling down and splitting, strategies differ for each bj game. For example, while splitting a pair of 6 in some titles is appropriate, it’d be a poor decision in others. With that said, there are certain general basic strategies you should consider adopting:

• Stand on hard 17 or higher 
• Split 8s and Aces
• Hit when your hand total is 8 or less
• Stand with 12 through 16 against the dealer’s 2 through 6
• Double down on 11 against the dealer’s 2-10
• Double down on soft 17 against the dealer’s 3 through 6. If not, hit
• Double down when you have soft 13 to 18 against the dealer’s 5 or 6
• Avoid taking insurance bets 

As a newbie seeking to play blackjack online in Nigeria, card counting is one of the most common pieces of advice you’ll likely want to pick up. The basic idea behind card counting is keeping note of the cards that have been dealt so that you may gain some advantage over the house. 

Contrary to what people may believe, we must state that card counting doesn’t work in online blackjack for some reasons. The first and most notable reason is that online blackjack is developed with, and functions with, random number generator (RNG) systems in real money online casinos. For this reason, cards from decks are created and shuffled by the system. As such, you can be dealt any cards should you hit, double down or split – and this defeats the concept of card counting.

Also, deck penetration is another reason cards are not counted in online casinos. Deck penetration simply means the number of decks dealt before a reshuffle takes place. It’s not viable for brick-and-mortar casinos to shuffle decks each time hands are dealt, so some croupiers deal three or four decks before shuffling. Since online casinos reshuffle cards after each round, it becomes impossible for players to keep count of how many cards and decks are dealt. 

If you’d like to earn some rewards out of your blackjack game, the least you can do is to know what you’d be earning. To know this, it’s also essential to understand a concept known as return to player (RTP), which you’ll find in every blackjack title. The RTP of a game simply means the total amount the game would theoretically pay out in the long run. For example, NetEnt’s  Classic Blackjack has a 99.59% RTP. So, for every 1000 nairas bet you place on this game, you can theoretically win 995.9 nairas over a long time while the casino retains 4.1 nairas. The part of your bet kept by the casino is called the house edge, which is the casino’s advantage over you. 

Probability represents the chances of getting a given result in blackjack. For instance, the chance of getting a random win at the best online blackjack casinos is 42.22%. The chances of a push (tie) are 8.48%, while losing is 49.10%. Having said that, the probability of having a blackjack (21) in any given round depends on the number of decks used. For a single-deck game, your chance of getting a blackjack is 4.83%, while it reduces to 4.78% with two decks. 

Regarding blackjack RTP, specific minor game rules increase or decrease the house edge and player edge by extension. Some rules include the following:          

• Using 8 decks as opposed to 1 deck increases the house edge by 61%
• The house edge rises by 1.3% if you play a game with a 6:5 payout for blackjack rather than a 3:2
• An increase of 0.08% in house edge occurs if the surrender option isn’t allowed
• If you’re allowed to double down on only 10 or 11, the house edge increases by 0.18%/0.25%
• When the dealer hits on a soft 17 rather than standing, the house edge goes up by 0.21%
• Where players aren’t permitted to hit split aces, a house edge increases by 0.18%
• The house edge also goes up by 0.07% if the player can’t re-split aces
• If players can’t double after a re-split, a 0.14 house-edge increase occurs   

Bonus or side bets are a fun feature commonly found in many blackjack titles. A side bet is an optional extra wager that players can make at the start of a blackjack round. The side bet in a game is usually situated next to the main bet area on a blackjack table. In addition to your usual bet, you can place side bets to increase your payouts. 

Speaking of payouts, side bets have different odds and awards. For example, by making a Perfect Pairs bet, you stake money on the possibility that your two initial cards will be of the same value or suit, for example, 10/10. A full Perfect Pair pays 30:1 (25:1 in some games), while a Coloured Pair pays 10:1, and a Mixed Pair (black/red) pays 5:1. Other popular side bets include 21+3, super 7s, royal match, lucky ladies and insurance bet. 

Best blackjack games with side bets

Premier Blackjack with Side Bets by Switch Studios and Microgaming is one of Nigeria’s most-played titles with side bets. It features two prominent side bets—21+3 and Perfect Pairs— and the regular Insurance bet. And this puts the game in high demand across many casinos in the country. It’s also a multi-hand game where the 21+3 side bet pays 100:1 for a suited 3-of-a-kind and 25:1 for a perfect pair.

NetEnt’s Classic Blackjack is another enriching title packed with 21+3 and Perfect Pairs side bets. With a general RTP of 99.53%, the RTP varies for each side bet. You can play up to 3 hands simultaneously, giving a multifaceted dimension to the entertainment on offer. In terms of payouts, 21+3 pays 100:1, while Perfect Pairs pays 25:1. 

Blackjack is one of the few centuries-old table games that have successfully transitioned to online casinos. The game has maintained a wonderful outlook of fun and entertainment for all players. There are different game providers, and their respective collections cut across almost all variations. Such variations include American (sometimes called Classic), European, and Spanish 21. To spice things up for players, some titles provide bonus games and progressive jackpots, which altogether make blackjack an enthralling casino game. 

Once you study and incorporate basic strategy into your gameplay, you can maximise the player’s edge. But don’t forget to practise such basic strategy extensively with demo games, have some discipline while playing for real money, and, importantly, play at reputable casinos. Our list of the best online casinos blackjack in Nigeria comprises well-established casinos with an impressive catalogue of popular blackjack titles.