Blackjack is one of the most popular card games around the world. The game is easy to learn and the combination of chance and skill makes this game a favourite among gamblers.

The objective of the game is quite simple, you must build a hand that totals 21 in value or get as close as possible without going bust.

Whilst the objective is the same regardless of the variant, there are hundreds of Blackjack variations that can increase or decrease the house’s edge over the players.

Although theres no perfect Blackjack strategy that can guarantee that you will win consistently over time, there is a basic strategy that if implemented properly can reduce the houses edge below 1%, this ones of the reasons why Blackjack is so popular among casino players and gamblers.

In response most online casinos offer different Blackjack variants that have a higher casino edge and helps them increase their revenue from this game.

The first variation is the number of decks used at one time. Whilst not very common, some online casinos offer a single deck blackjack game.

This popular Blackjack game features a house edge of just 0.17%

Blackjack variants with such a low house edge feature different playing rules that will ultimately help the casino offset this low advantage.

In comparison using four decks of cards in Blackjack will give the house an advantage of 0.6%. And if you’re playing the variation with 8 decks of cards, which is the most common one, the house advantage goes up to 0.66%.

In many casinos the rules will allow you to get only one more card after splitting aces

Online casinos put this rule in place because the implications of allowing you to Hit after splitting a pair of Aces are quite significant. If you were to Hit after splitting Aces the house’s edge would be lowered by about 0.13% which is quite drastic considering that the house advantage is only 1% to begin with.

You will be happy to know, however, that most online casinos do allow you to “Double Down” on any slit pairs, except from split Aces. Doubling down on a split pair will give players an advantage of 0.12%.

The largest variation emerges from the payout when a player does hit blackjack.

You can expect this to happened in about 4.8% of all hands played. So deviating from a typical 3:2 payout for natural blackjack will seriously swing the odds in the casino’s favour.

Be aware that for those blackjack versions where the payout is 6:5 you will have your advantage lowered by 1.4% and keep in mind that some casinos that payout at 1:1 are giving themselves a huge edge of 2.3%

Before you start playing blackjack for real money, it is advisable to first have a look at rules of the blackjack version you want to play and check the advantage that the casino has over you.

The best blackjack variant that you can wish for is the one that uses four decks of cards, the dealer should stand on soft 17, late surrender is available, you’re allowed to double after splitting and you can double any two cards plus offers a 3:2 payout on natural blackjack. If you do find this version, please let us know!

Quarterback Tony Romo had another solid game, and the Dallas Cowboys made short work of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon in a 38-17 victory. Romo threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, and receiver Miles Austin caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game. The Cowboys improved to 5-2 with the win, while the Seahawks dropped to 2-5.

The Cowboys also got on the winning side of the NFL pointspread ledger with the win and cover as -10 home favorites. Dallas is now 4-3 against the spread for the season, while Seattle fell to 2-5 versus the number. The 55 combined points scored went OVER the posted total of 46′. Dallas has gone OVER in 5 of 7 games this season and four in a row. Seattle eclipsed the total for only the third time this season.

Romo has made greater patience in the pocket a priority this season, and it’s paying dividends. Sunday’s game was his third straight without an interception and he’s stayed interception free in five games this season-more than he did all of last year. Romo couldn’t resist a joke at his own expense:

“Shock! I’m seeing things. It’s as simple as that. I’m not throwing and hoping.”

Head coach Wade Phillips expressed his pleasure, but didn’t want his team to start believing their own press clippings:

“I feel good about the progress we’ve made, but we’ve still got a ways to go.”

Team owner Jerry Jones was happy with the performance and already looking ahead to next Sunday’s game at Philadelphia:

“I’m just glad to see as many people really do as well and play as well as they did today. Philadelphia is the kind of game that I think we’re ready for. … Plus, I think we all remember so much — I know I do and so many players on this team remember — how we left Philadelphia last year.”

Seattle quarterback Todd Hasselbeck played well, amassing 249 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions but didn’t get much help from a defense that couldn’t put the necessary pressure on Romo. He sounded frustrated in his postgame comments:

“We put two weeks into this game plan. I felt like we were ready. We just didn’t get it done. …. I feel physically drained, emotionally drained. I’m frustrated. We’re all searching for answers.”

The big game for the Cowboys that Jerry Jones alluded to is next Sunday night as they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. The Cowboys have been installed as +3 underdogs with the total set at 47′. They’ll head to Green Bay to take on the Packers the following Sunday before returning home to play the hated Washington Redskins. Seattle will host the lowly Detroit Lions next Sunday, with the Seahawks a -10 home favorite and the total set at 43.

Behind a career day for quarterback Matt Schaub, the Houston Texans erased a 17-14 halftime deficit to score– points in the second half and defeat the host Cincinnati Bengals 28-17. Schaub threw for 342 yards and 4 touchdowns against one interception in the solid road victory. Against a team that had won three straight games in the final seconds, Houston never gave Cincinnati the chance to create any late drama.

Houston took the money as +3′ road underdogs with the outright win, and both teams are now 3-3 on the season against the NFL pointspread. The 45 points just managed to stay UNDER the posted total of 46. The Texans have gone UNDER in 4 of 6 this season while the Bengals evened their NFL totals record at 3-3.

After the victory, Schaub said that his team knew of Houston’s penchant for late game comebacks and that ‘putting them away’ would be a priority:

“Every game went down to the wire for them. Credit goes to them because they were able to find ways to win those games. So it was a matter of putting the game away.”

The Texans’ stoic head coach Gary Kubiak would only offer that:

“Matt continues to put up exceptional numbers on the road.”

The defense did a stellar job as well, shutting out the Bengals in the second half. In the third quarter, Houston only allowed six yards on nine plays for a franchise record. Cornerback Dunta Robininson talked about the defensive corps mindset:

“It was swarm tackling. Everybody has a job to do, and today we made this team a one-dimensional team. Overall as a defense, we played well.”

In the losing locker room, wide receiver Chad Ochocinco admitted that his team knew that they couldn’t rely on last minute heroics to win games:

“That’s our fault. We’ve been saying that we can’t keep winning with the way we’ve been playing. We’ve got to be consistent for all four quarters.”

The Bengals will play their next two games at home, starting with a contest against the Chicago Bears this Sunday. Cincinnati is a -1 home favorite with the total set at 42. They’ll host the Baltimore Ravens the following Sunday before traveling to Pittsburgh for a game against the Steelers on November 15. The Texans host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, with Houston a -3 home favorite and the total set at 44.