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When it comes to blackjack, the single deck variant is one of the best. Why? It features just one standard 52-card deck, unlike the six or eight decks that feature in some variants. As such, it’s easier to understand.
I’m sure you want to know how to play single deck blackjack at online casinos, which is why you’re reading this. Well, you’re on the right page, as I’ll explain everything about the variant. Additionally, I’ll detail my best sweepstakes casinos where you can play blackjack for free. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
For my top casino list, I’m going with sweepstakes blackjack sites for one key reason: they’re widely available in the US. That’s because these sites use Gold Coins (GC) and Sweepstakes Coins (SC), not real money. GC are for fun and entertainment only, but with SC, you can redeem real prizes when you have won enough through gameplay.
If you’re in a state where traditional blackjack casinos are not supported, you may be able to use my top picks without any issues. That said, you still need to confirm with your local regulations. You see, while sweepstakes casinos are legal in the US, they’re not available in every state.
To illustrate, here are the states where my top five recommended sweepstakes sites are unavailable currently:
| 🎰 Sweepstakes casino | 🏙 Unavailable states |
|---|---|
| Stake.us | Washington, New York, Nevada, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Connecticut |
| Modo.us | Washington, Montana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, West Virginia, Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island, Delaware, Nevada, Michigan, and Idaho |
| Pulsz | Washington, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Alabama, Tennessee, Connecticut, New York, West Virginia, and Louisiana |
| High 5 Casino | Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and West Virginia |
| Sidepot.us | Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New York, Nevada, Tennessee, Washington, and West Virginia |
Which sweepstakes casino is active in your state? You can find out what each has to offer based on my firsthand reviews below:
Stake.us is one of the popular sweepstakes casinos in the US, and one reason is its exclusive Originals. When I checked out the site, I found Blackjack as one of the Stake Originals. This title follows the single deck variant rules, and the best part is that the house edge is 0.57%.
Besides the Stake Original Blackjack, I also came across live dealer blackjack titles from ICONIC21 and Live88. I played all these games using the Stake.us welcome bonus of 56 SC, 560,000 GC, and a 5% rakeback using my exclusive JAXONSOCIAL promo code during registration.
Stake.us also performs well if you want to redeem your Stake Cash winnings for real prizes. The site supports crypto, so the redemption processing time is fast. Also, the minimum amount ranges from around 10 to 100 eligible SC, depending on the cryptocurrency.
Based on my experience, many sweepstakes casinos feature single deck blackjack in live dealer mode. However, Modo.us leads in this aspect with three impressive titles. I played them myself, and they use single deck blackjack rules. After signing up, I received a welcome bonus of 20,000 GC and 1 SC, without making any initial purchase.
My first stop on Modo.us was Blackjack Limitless, which features a highly engaging female dealer. Moving on, I played Gravity Blackjack and Speed Blackjack, the latter offering notably fast gameplay.
Modo.us allowed me to redeem my SC for real prizes after playing its blackjack games. For this, you need at least 20 eligible SC for gift cards and 100 SC for a cash prize.
Want to play a single deck blackjack game that offers a solid maximum GC or S return? If yes, I found one at Pulsz Casino — Multihand Blackjack. Developed by Pragmatic Play, it’s a low volatility blackjack title with a 128x maximum multiplier.
After signing up with Pulsz, I grabbed 5,000 GC and 2 SC as a welcome bonus. These virtual currencies went a long way in playing the blackjack game throughout my review.
Regarding prize redemptions, Pulsz makes things easy by fixing a 10 SC minimum for gift cards. For cash prizes, it’s the standard 100 SC.
Some sweepstakes players who learn how to play single deck blackjack aim to redeem real prizes from their sessions. In that aspect, my highest rating goes to High 5 Casino. On the site, I had fun with Clubs Blackjack, Spades Blackjack, and Diamonds Blackjack.
These titles are mainly in-house, so their quality is top-notch. If you’re wondering, High 5 Casino gave me 700 GC, 55 SC, and 400 Diamonds as a welcome bonus to play with after registration.
When it was time to redeem, I was able to submit a gift card request for 50 SC and cash for 100. I rate High 5 Casino as the best for redemption because it processes cash prizes via Skrill in less than 24 hours.
Sidepot.us is home to 6+ blackjack titles, but none are live dealer sweepstakes casino games. Hence, I recommend the site if you’re looking for simple software gameplay.
Based on my sessions, Blackjack Lucky Sevens and Diamond Blackjack are the top options on Sidepot.us. These games don’t deviate from the classic single deck rules, so I didn’t find them complicated.
As you’d expect, I didn’t need to make any initial purchase to play them. Sidepot.us gave me 10,000 Fliff Coins (same as GC) and 5 Fliff Cash (same as SC) after registration. The Fliff Cash are redeemable via cryptocurrency, with a minimum amount of 100 Fliff Cash.
If you know how to play blackjack, rolling with the single deck variant should be no hassle. The goal is to beat the dealer by having a hand close to 21 without going over. Here’s how I play:
Since you’re playing at a sweepstakes casino, you’ll first set your play size in GC or SC. Remember, GC are for fun only, while SC allows you to redeem real prizes. Therefore, choose one of the two virtual currencies that suit your single deck blackjack strategy.
Once the plays are in, the dealer gives you two face-up cards. At the same time, they take one card face-up and one face-down. The face-down one is called the hole card, and it adds a bit of mystery, since you don’t know the dealer’s total yet.
The first thing I do after getting my cards is check if I’ve got a natural blackjack — an Ace and a 10-point card (10, Jack, Queen, or King). If so, I instantly beat the dealer and take home the game’s multiplier.
However, if both of us have blackjack, it’s a push, and I get my virtual currencies back. Suppose only the dealer has a natural. In that case, I’m out of the round right away.
The single deck blackjack game continues if neither player nor dealer has a natural 21. Next, you have to play your hand, and at this stage, I always consider my total and the dealer’s upcard. These are the options available:
| 🔐 Decision | 🧾 Description |
|---|---|
| Hit | Take another card from the deck |
| Stand | Stick with the current hand as it is |
| Double down | Double my GC/SC play size and take one more card |
| Split | Divide my hand into two if I have a pair |
As you learn how to play single deck blackjack, you must master each of the above moves and what they mean. Importantly, be careful while hitting. If your total goes above 21, that’s a bust, and you’re out.
Like you, the dealer also has the chance to hit, stand, double down, or split. Therefore, you’ll wait to see what moves they make. Based on my experience, most single deck blackjack titles require the dealer to hit until they reach 17 or higher. Meanwhile, a few features a rule where the dealer can still hit on a soft 17 — such as an Ace and a 6, for example.
When the dealer finally stands, they’ll uncover their face-down card. Then, you compare their total hand to yours. If your hand is closest to 21, you come out on top. Instantly, you’ll receive more Gold Coins/Sweepstakes Coins based on the multiplier and play size.
Table games like single deck blackjack are not like sweepstakes slots, which are totally based on chance. While the cards you receive from the dealer are random, you can get the upper hand by knowing when to hit, stand, split, and double down.
For the above reason, simply knowing how to play single deck blackjack isn’t enough. You should also devise a solid strategy. Guess what? I’ve done that for you. Here are my expert tips to help you get the edge in single deck blackjack:
The dealer’s face up card is crucial when deciding whether to stand, hit, double down, or split. If it’s weak (2 through 6), I play safe and stand or double down. However, if the dealer has a strong card (7 through Ace), I know I’ve got to hit to be as close to 21 as possible.
When I receive a soft 17 (like Ace + 6), I usually take another card. That’s because I still have some room to experiment without busting. Ace can be 1 or 11, and if the total exceeds 21, it simply counts as 1. Once I hit soft 19 or higher, I lock it in and stand.
I must say, having a pair of 10s can be tempting to split, but it’s best you don’t. Why? It’s better if you retain your 20-hand, which is the closest to 21.
If you want to split, do it for Aces or 8s. A pair of Aces gives you a shot at 21, while splitting 8s breaks up a weak 16 hand. I always go with this single deck blackjack basic strategy when playing.
An 11-hand is the best for doubling down in single deck blackjack. Since it’s just one deck, there’s a good probability of hitting a 10-point card or higher. If that happens, you score close to 21.
At this point, you know how to play single deck blackjack and the top tips to maximize your experience. The next question is, what are the benefits and drawbacks of this variant? Well, I can count the low house edge, generous multipliers, and strategic edge as upsides. The only drawback is that single deck blackjack is limited at casino sites since it’s not favorable to the house. I’ve summarized the pros and cons below:
From my explanations so far, you’ll agree that learning how to play single deck blackjack is simple. However, don’t stop at simply knowing how the game works. Ensure you apply my strategies to have an edge over the dealer as you play. Furthermore, sign up with the top sweepstakes casinos so you get quality blackjack titles.
A single deck in blackjack simply features one deck with 52 cards. It’s different from other blackjack variants with six to eight decks.
Yes, casinos still offer single deck blackjack, although the availability is rare due to the low house edge. Nevertheless, you can play blackjack titles with similar rules to the single deck variant at sweepstakes casinos.
No, the dealer usually stands on 17 in single deck blackjack, sticking with classic rules. However, some variants may require the dealer to hit on a soft 17.
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