Why is blackjack one of the most popular casino games? The reasons are numerous and each and every one of them well anchored in reality. Most casino games are indeed easy to learn to play and blackjack is no exception. It only takes a few minutes for a person who has never played a single hand of blackjack in his or her life to get the hang of the rules and to even be able to use a little bit of strategy. Slots, roulette, video poker and pretty much all the other casino games are similarly easy to learn, what sets blackjack apart from the bunch though is that on top of being easy to learn it is also relatively easy to master.
The first step of mastering blackjack is basic strategy. Players who don't use any sort of strategy at the blackjack table will play against a house edge of about 3 to 5%. Those who take the time and study up on their basic strategy a bit though, will find that they only have to contend with a 1 to 2% house edge, which is indeed decent by any standard. With such a small house edge, the game instantly becomes more enjoyable.
Those truly interested in dominating the blackjack tables don't have to stop here. They can take things much further, by learning a few basic card counting methods. In blackjack, the abundance of high cards in the deck (like tens, jacks, queens, kings and aces), gives the player a pretty decent edge. All players have to do when counting cards is to keep track of whether there are many such high cards left in the deck or not. While it may seem to be a daunting task at first glance, basic card counting doesn't require an outstanding mental exercise. Players basically allot values to various card ranges. All they have to do then is to keep a sum in mind, the exact value of which will tell them whether there are indeed several high cards left in the deck or not.
Of course, when multiple decks are used, card counting becomes much trickier, but sharks have that aspect well covered as well. Online however, card counting becomes quite impossible, either because players have no idea exactly how many decks the software uses for the game or because the deck is simply reshuffled after every deal.
For that reason, securing an edge over the online casino when playing blackjack is quite impossible. Of course, when it comes to online gambling, another quantity has to be inserted into the equation: the various sign-up and loyalty bonuses which players pick up and which do indeed bite into the house edge.
The bottom line: blackjack is quite possibly the most popular casino game because it is player friendly in several ways. It is simple, it is relatively easy to figure out and it doesn't come with an over-the-top house edge to begin with. The game is also a traditional casino staple which alone is enough to draw droves of players to the tables.
