Atlantic City Blackjack: Where and How to Play in Canada

Blackjack is a record breaker when it comes to its popularity and diversified variations, and Atlantic City is one of the variants that gamblers adore. Here at CasinoCanada, we’ll highlight the difference between Atlantic City Blackjack and other variations, provide some tips to keep in mind, name all the gameplay specifications, as well as the best Canadian online casinos for playing Atlantic City Blackjack, and more!

Page contents

Best casinos to play atlantic city blackjack for real money

Introduction to Atlantic City Blackjack

Introduction to Atlantic City Blackjack

Atlantic City Blackjack is a popular variation of the classic blackjack game that is commonly played in Atlantic City, New Jersey – and other casinos around the world too. It follows most of the standard blackjack rules but incorporates several unique features and variations. It offers an enjoyable and familiar blackjack experience with a few rule variations that add excitement and strategic decision-making. On this page, our team will review this version, explore all the basic things you should know about Atlantic City Blackjack and its rules when playing in Canada, as well as telling more about bonus offers for table games. Each important attribute has been tested by our experts, so stay tuned!

History of Atlantic City Blackjack

History of Atlantic City Blackjack

Atlantic City Blackjack history is closely tied to the development and growth of the casino industry in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 1976, New Jersey voters approved a referendum to legalize casino gambling in Atlantic City. As casinos started to open in the late 1970s and early 1980s, blackjack quickly became one of the most popular casino games. To attract more players and differentiate themselves from other casinos, Atlantic City casinos began introducing certain rule variations and features in their blackjack games, including late surrender, doubling down on any two cards, and more liberal splitting rules.

Rules of Atlantic City Blackjack

Rules of Atlantic City Blackjack

Canadians will easily access Atlantic City Blackjack rules since the game has lots of standard options, as well as some features making it outstanding. Our team has gathered several facts to explain the rules:

  • This version is typically played with eight standard decks of 52 cards.
  • The use of multiple decks increases the house edge slightly compared to single or double deck blackjack games.
  • One of the notable features of Atlantic City Blackjack is the option for late surrender.
  • Players have the opportunity to surrender and forfeit half of their original bet after the dealer checks for blackjack.

Interestingly, players are allowed to double down on any two initial cards. This means you can double your bet after receiving your first two cards and receive one additional card. Plus, the dealer typically stands on all 17s, including soft 17.

Strategies for Atlantic City Blackjack

To master the Atlantic City Blackjack game and minimize the house edge, make sure to compare the available strategies and choose the one which is the most suitable for your bankroll and gaming preferences:

  • 🎯 The basic strategy

    First and foremost, follow the basic blackjack strategy which is a mathematically derived chart that guides your decisions based on your hand value and the dealer's upcard.

  • 📊 Printable charts

    Basic strategy charts specific to Atlantic City Blackjack are available, taking into account the unique rules of the game. You can find printable or online charts displaying the steps for this strategy.

  • 🔀 Splitting strategy for pairs

    follow the recommended splitting strategy for pairs (eg. splitting pairs of Aces and 8s is almost always advisable). Thus, you’ll make the most of the potential of the pairs you are dealt.

Benefit from soft hands

Pay close attention to soft hands which provide for more flexibility in decision-making. When you have a ten and a five, it’s a hard combination and you can bust, while an Ace and a four are also worth 15, but the combination is soft and less risky.

Variations of Atlantic City Blackjack

In fact, Atlantic City Blackjack is already a variation of a standard blackjack game. But Canadians can come across varied blackjack tables with different rules. In Single Deck Atlantic City Blackjack, the rounds are played with a single deck. While late surrender is the standard surrender option in Atlantic City Blackjack, some variations may offer early surrender.

Variations of Atlantic City Blackjack
Type Any two initial cards double down Mobile version Early Surrender Side Bets
Atlantic City Blackjack Yes Yes Sometimes Sometimes
Spanish Blackjack No Yes Sometimes Sometimes
European Blackjack No Yes Sometimes Sometimes
Blackjack Switch No Yes No Sometimes

In some versions, the dealer receives both an upcard and a hole card (face-down card) at the beginning of the hand. Plus, some casinos may offer bonus payouts for specific hand combinations (eg. a natural blackjack) and side bets (Perfect Pairs or 21+3).

Atlantic City Blackjack Tournaments

Atlantic City Blackjack tournaments are exciting events that bring together players to compete against each other for prizes. These tournaments follow the basic rules of Atlantic City Blackjack but have additional tournament-specific rules and structures. Such events can be held at large land-based casinos in Canada, in the USA, and other countries too. Furthermore, CA gamblers may come across online tourneys with varied chip stacks, table assignments, formats, and betting limits. The most active and luckiest players share rewards from the prize pool designed particularly for the event.

9

Top Facts to Know About Atlantic City Blackjack

To explore all the capabilities of the game, find out more about the strategy chart, learn about card counters, and find out anything else that's important about Atlantic City Blackjack, explore this list featuring the most popular facts about this table game:

  1. Atlantic City Blackjack is a variation of the classic game of blackjack played with eight decks of cards.

  2. The game follows the traditional blackjack rules but with a few small changes.

  3. The dealer will stand on a soft 17, meaning they will not hit if they have an Ace and a six.

  4. The player can double down on any two cards and split any pair, including Aces.

  5. The player can also double down after splitting.

  6. Insurance is offered in Atlantic City Blackjack, which pays out 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack.

  7. The dealer will peek at their hole card to check for blackjack when their upcard is an Ace or Ten.

  8. The dealer will hit on a soft 17 in Atlantic City Blackjack.The house edge for Atlantic City Blackjack is 0.35%.

  9. Land-based Atlantic City Blackjack games can be accessed in the UK, at Golden Nugget, Boardwalk, East Coast, Borgata, Tropicana, in Texas state, and in Pennsylvania.

Tips for Playing Atlantic City Blackjack

We can’t say that there are tips to 100% increase your winning chances because every casino game is, to a certain extent, based on luck. However, when looking for some Atlantic City Blackjack tips for Canadians, you can follow some of these options to increase your odds:

  • apply-to-the-basic-strategy-50x50s

    Apply to the basic strategy

    Examine the basic blackjack strategy specific to Atlantic City Blackjack. Everyone can easily follow its steps to decrease the house edge this way.

  • play-responsibly-50x50s

    Play responsibly

    Set a budget for your gambling session and stick to it. Avoid placing bets that are too large in proportion to matter to your bankroll.

  • take-advantage-of-doubling-down-and-splitting-50x50s

    Take advantage of doubling down and splitting

    Understand the optimal situations for doubling down and splitting. Use these options strategically, following a basic strategy, to maximize your potential winnings.

  • practice-card-counting-if-available-50x50s

    Practice Card Counting (if available)

    If you're in a land-based casino and counting cards is allowed, this is a good way to predict the next cards and make corresponding decisions.

  • avoid-superstitious-beliefs-50x50s

    Avoid Superstitious Beliefs

    Don’t forget that blackjack, as with all the other gambling software, is a game of chance, and outcomes are determined by random card distribution.

  • play-at-reputable-canadian-casinos-50x50s

    Play at reputable Canadian casinos

    Choose reputable and licensed casinos from our Casino Canada rating. This ensures a fair and secure gaming experience.

Pros and Cons of Atlantic City Blackjack

  • Advantages

  • + The game is supplied by cool providers like Games Global (Microgaming)
  • + Canadians can place an Atlantic City Blackjack side bet
  • + CA gamblers can play the game both for real cash and for free
  • + Atlantic City Blackjack is available at the top Canadian casinos
  • Limitations

  • - The house still wins in the long run

Details & Numbers: Atlantic City Blackjack

Statistical information can be helpful for Canadian customers who are choosing a gambling venue and want to plan the Atlantic City Blackjack strategy correctly:

  • Due to the 0.35% house edge, Atlantic City Blackjack is one of the most attractive games out there
  • The 17-value hand type (hard or soft) doesn’t matter to the dealer as they should stop on any of these hands
  • Each of the 8 decks used for the game has 52 cards In 4.82% of rounds, the dealer will likely have blackjack
  • The maximum number of hands that a player can split is three

Atlantic City Blackjack Online at Canadian Casinos

Thanks to a great online version, Blackjack Atlantic City is available from anywhere and gamblers in Canada can play this great table game online. This simplifies things as Canadians can gamble for real money, receive deposit bonuses, and withdraw the amount they manage to win at any time and on any device, including mobile gadgets. These are the steps to start playing Atlantic City Blackjack at Canadian online casinos:

  1. In order to choose a gambling site, move to our Casino Canada rating where we host all the best gambling sites tested by our team.
  2. When getting registered, you need to verify your age, read the T&Cs, and confirm key factors.
  3. To have a real money round, just make a payment. You can also get deposit bonuses this way.
  4. On the same site, you can access other real money games too. For example, slots with a high RTP, video poker, roulette, baccarat, lotteries of any type, or any other variant.
  5. If you’ve got bonuses, make sure to wager the received amount or the wins from free spins to withdraw the winnings.
  6. As a result, you can request a payout in CAD according to the totals of the ones you’ve played and the total cashout limit at the casino.

The following guide will work for both desktops and mobiles since Canadian casino sites are optimized for iOS and Android. In addition, you can track gambling news, examine the cases of massive wins received by professionals, and analyze each situation regarding your outcomes with the goal of understanding the game better.

Conclusion

People looking for new ways to entertain themselves, make safe deposits, and try out something with a quality RTP yet simple rules will definitely appreciate Atlantic City Blackjack. For this reason, we’ve prepared a rating of the best Canadian casinos where gamblers can enjoy a range of advantages, such as action-packed games, promotions players can claim many times, and bonus chips for table games, as well as taking part in tourneys, making fast withdrawals, and more. By the way, we also have a series of posts featuring reviews of Spanish Blackjack and Blackjack Switch. Trust us, make your choice by picking a gambling site from a reliable company, click on the casino’s registration logo, sign in, and enjoy Atlantic City Blackjack for CAD (or the alternative currency) or for free!

Lucas Goldberg
Lucas, a seasoned site editor at CasinoCanada, boasts a decade-long journey in the gambling industry with a focus on providing players with meticulous reviews and insights of online games and casinos.
Site Editor
University of Toronto
Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Digital Media, and Journalism, PlayTech Analytics career, communication with users through high-quality gambling content.
Expert in:
  • iGaming Content
  • Bonus Incentives Theory
  • Trend Analysis
Reviewed by Head of Content:
Dmitry Rogalchuk
Last updated on: 20.02.2024

FAQ

What is the objective of the Atlantic City Blackjack game?

You need to get 21 points but not more not to lose (e.g. if you have a nine, a seven, and a four, which is a total of 20, while the dealer has a ten and a five [15], then you win).

What is the house edge in the Atlantic City Blackjack game?

The house edge for Atlantic City Blackjack is 0.35%, which is really good. But you can still lose, so play responsibly.

What is the optimal strategy for Atlantic City Blackjack?

Of course, you can try out other strategies as well, but the latter is the basic ground that shows when to hit/stand/double down/surrender according to your and the dealer’s cards. The dealer regularly wins but often the shoe is on the other foot and the gambler walks away with the winnings.

What are the Atlantic City Blackjack payouts?

When it’s a natural blackjack (Ten + Jack, Queen, King, or Ace), you get paid 3:2. Plus, there can be bonus payouts in Atlantic City Blackjack, so you can win a lot.

What are the side bets in Atlantic City Blackjack?

These can be side bets like Perfect Pairs, 21+3, and others. The main point of these bets is that you can get paid regardless of the blackjack hand outcome.

Is the Atlantic City Blackjack game fair?

Sure, you can trust reliable gambling sites and be sure that the cards are randomly pulled out of the hand as licensing regulators control the site’s overall fairness.

Where is the best place to play Atlantic City Blackjack in Canada?

You can find the game in most US states, as well as at land-based Canadian casinos. Plus, there are lots of online variations on this page that we’ve tested ourselves.

Please turn your device for the best gameplay
By using this website, you agree with our use of cookies to improve its performance and enhance your user experience. More info on our cookies policy page.