Before getting started with this article, be aware that online casinos and online casino game developers are updating their software all the time.
For this reason, the games mentioned here may no longer be available, or there may even be something better out there that didn’t exist when this article was written,
That said, we can also provide more general information on which types of blackjack game tend to offer the lowest house edge most often, so if one of the games mentioned isn’t out there anymore, you can always look for another with the same features or a similar sounding name.
With that in mind, we can begin to look at which online blackjack games go the extra mile in terms of house edge and RTP.
Blackjack is a game with a naturally low house edge anyway, assuming you know how to use basic strategy which we will assume you do, so even chipping away a few hundredths of a percent of the casino’s edge is worthwhile.
You can totally ruin any advantage you find by playing side bets though, so if you want to ensure you are giving yourself the very best chance when playing blackjack, you have to play carefully.
What is Considered a Low House Edge in Blackjack?
The base game should come with a house edge of 0.5% as a standard sort of bench mark. Again, this is assuming you know basic strategy (also called perfect strategy), which you can swot up on here if you aren’t sure.
Many online blackjack variations these days have additional features which can impact this number, but for a bog standard game with bog standard rules, this is the norm.
Therefore, any online blackjack game with a base game house edge of more than this would be considered unfavourable.
A lot of the time though, the developers have built in additional features which allow the player to win much higher payouts, but these almost always come at a cost; by way of rule changes, as an example. They may seem more fun, but you are paying for that innovation.
Equally then, a base game with a house edge lower than 0.5% would be considered better than average value, and is worth exploring.
Be aware, some games have a base game house edge and a different house edge for additional features, like side bets which have no impact on the game itself. These can be ignored though, you don’t have to play the side bets, so if there is a game with a low base house edge that comes with side bets, you needn’t necessarily be put off.
Believe it or not there are games out there that drag the RTP as low as 97%, meaning a house edge of 3% – a whopping 6 times the average! In the other direction though, there are games with RTPs as high as 99.92%, leaving a miniscule house edge of just 0.08%.
So there is huge diversity in value to the player from game to game, which is why you should always check before you play.
Before we move on, there is nothing wrong with playing themed blackjack games with higher house edges if you enjoy them. If having a slim chance of winning 500:1 makes that extra house edge worth it for you then that’s fine, just be aware that you are paying a premium for that slim chance.
Online Blackjack Variations with the Best RTP
You will usually find that games with the surrender rule included (early surrender especially) boast a higher RTP – and therefore a lower house edge – than other games.
Playtech have a version of this game which you can read about here, in which the game is more or less unchanged apart from the surrender rule being implemented.
This allows the player to ‘fold’ essentially, ending the hand early in exchange for half of their stake. So it is possible to cut losses in half on hands that you have a low chance of winning based on the deal.
This particular game has an RTP of 99.66% and therefore a house edge of just 0.34%, an advantage of 0.16% on the 0.50% standard.
Playtech isn’t the only developer to release a ‘surrender’ variation of blackjack though, so even if you can’t find this one it would be worth searching for another, it’s relatively common. These sorts of games might also have the phrase ‘cash back’ or ‘early payout’ in the name.
Another variation with one of the best house edges we have ever seen, is Blackjack Switch, also by Playtech.
The RTP on this one is a massive 99.92%, leaving the casino with a house edge barely worthy of the name, at just 0.08%.
This is because the player plays two hands at the same time, and is able to switch the second card of each hand if they think they can improve their odds by doing so. We have written in detail about this game here.
There are a few changes to the rules which are actually quite big ones, such as Blackjack paying out 1:1 instead of 3:2, but even with these in place the player is still at a huge advantage in comparison to a regular game of blackjack.
It does have a side bet with a terrible edge of 2.55% (RTP of 97.45%) as well, but you don’t have to use it, so it won’t do any damage if you ignore it.
This isn’t a game you are likely to find many developers creating, sadly, but if you can find it then you are unlikely to find better value.
Finally, Blackjack Xchange, by Slingo Gaming this time, introduces a novel twist by allowing players to buy and sell cards in order to improve their hand.
The value of each card is different in every situation, to reflect the probability of a win, and each time a card is traded the casino makes 2.5% (so the price they give you has an edge built in), but even then, the game boasts an RTP of 99.68% which means a house edge of just 0.32%.
Once again, this isn’t a widely developed game so it may not always be available.