Blackjack
5 Best “South African” Online Blackjack Sites (October 2023)
Movies usually feature blackjack as the game of choice for the main protagonist, and that’s not coincidental. Blackjack is a popular card game, in large part because of the simple rules. Learning how to play blackjack is not complex – players beat the dealer when the total of the cards dealt is near or exactly 21.
Some South African bettors believe that all blackjack games are similar, yet, while the rules are typically the same, the way an online casino is structured influences the player’s experience. After legalizing gambling in South Africa over 26 years ago, multiple platforms started offering this card game, and our guide filters the best online blackjack sites.
How We Identify The Best South African Online Blackjack Sites
Choosing an online blackjack site may seem like an easy task, but rushing through the process can potentially rob you of lucrative promotions and immersive games. Investing the time when researching options will pay dividends in the long run, and South African players can benefit from our in-depth study of blackjack sites.
- Safety & Trustworthiness: Gambling is legal in South Africa, but the question is, are sites abiding by the rules? Reviews from players, the history of the online casino, and game developers associated with the platform all speak volumes about a gambling sites’ reputability.
- Legitimacy: When a player deposits hard-earned rands, some assurance is expected that the funds get entrusted to an online casino with oversight from government institutions, and licenses signal industry standards are respected.
- Finding diverse payment options: Having fun is one aspect, but the main point of gambling is to make a profit, and payment providers dictate deposit and payout options. The priority is to focus on a diverse cashier section that adapts to current trends.
- Blackjack Bonuses: Promotions are the key recruiting tool for betting sites, with blackjack players benefiting from sign-up bonuses and various reload and cryptocurrency promotions. This motivates bettors to stay at the table and play a few more hands.
Top 5 South African Blackjack Sites
The guiding principle in selecting an online casino is to know what games you want to play. For blackjack punters, there is no dilemma, and our research has narrowed the choice to the most appropriate platforms.
1. YesPlay
YesPlay was originally a Lucky Numbers lottery in South Africa that was founded in 2002. It launched an online casino and sportsbook in 2016, expanding its portfolio to include a vast array of casino games and fixed-odds betting markets for sports. However, the casino also provides a plethora of Lucky Number lotto games from all across the globe. YesPlay is based in the Western Cape and its target audience is punters from South Africa.
YesPlay features a top-range collection of casino games, you will find everything that you are looking for whether it's slots, table games including baccarat, blackjack, or roulette or live games. There are dozens of different versions of blackjcak including live dealer blackjack where you play against a real dealer. If you want to play quickly Speed Blackjack might be for you.
They are fully regulated, the parent company is SA Sportsbook (Pty) Ltd trading as YesPlay, a licensed betting operator as registered by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board with Bookmaker license: 10180204-010.
Read our YesPlay Review or visit YesPlay.
2. Bet.co.za
Bet.co.za was established in 2011 and is an online casino and sportsbook that provides an excellent array of fixed-odds sports bets and casino games.
There are over 30 live dealer games at Bet.co.za and they are all supplied by Evolution. Evolution is one of the top live dealer game developers, creating all sorts of fantastic casino games that are brought in HD. Bet.co.za offers players plenty of picks, from classic casino games such as Blackjack and Roulette to games such as Mega Ball, Crazy Time, Dreamcatcher and Fan Tan. If you want multiple variants of classic blackjack that this is a top casino.
The slots are provided by developers such as Red Tiger and NetEnt. There are over 90 slots, which is not a massive range of games, but these are all carefully picked by the casino for their playability. Games such as Gonzo’s Quest Megaways, Cash Volt, Rainbow Jackpots Power lines, and Starburst are some of their biggest hits.
If you are into lotteries, then Bet.co.za is the place for you. It covers over 160 Lucky Numbers games from around the world, and the action is non-stop.
Its sportsbook covers 30 different types of sports and they are especially popular with soccer and cricket. They offer pulse bet, full and partial cash out, as well as offering a a solid in-play platform where you can bet live on Soccer, Tennis, Cricket and more.
They are fully regulated, the parent company is Betcoza Online (RF) (Pty) Ltd trading as Bet.co.za. They are licenced and regulated by the Western Cape Gambling & Racing Board. Registration Number: 2010/005430/07.
Read our Bet.co.za Review or visit Bet.co.za
3. Fafabet Casino
Fafabet is a South African online casino and sportsbook that has a lot to offer. It is a proudly local company that was launched in 2022 and is a player favorite amongst South Africans.
The slots and video poker at Fafabet are supplied by Pragmatic Play and AGT. These include everything from classic slots to arcade games that have more complex gameplay and of course to classic variants of video poker. The content provided by Pragmatic Play includes some of the most popular slots such as Gates of Olympus, Big Bass Bonanza, Mustang Gold, Buffalo King Megaways, and more.
They feature multiple variants of all popular table games, including live versions of baccarat, blackjack, and roulette.
Fafabet is licenced by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board. This makes it 100% safe for players and punters alike. The company also works with the South African Responsible Gaming Foundation to help raise awareness for gambling addiction and offers deposit limits and self-exclusion tools to help players control how much they spend.
Read our Fafabet Casino Review or visit Fafabet Casino.
4. Betshezi
Players and punters can enjoy a great range of casino titles and sports betting opportunities at Betshezi. This South African operator was launched in 2022 and is regulated by the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, and is based in Cape Town. Betshezi may be relatively new to the industry, but it has already garnered a lot of attention for its fantastic games and sports coverage.
Betshezi’s live dealer games are certainly its main attraction. The casino provides games from CreedRoomz and Vision Casino, which include all the major casino games such as Roulette, Blackjack, Poker, and Baccarat. There are numerous versions of these games that may have slight changes in the rules or special side bets, such as FreeBet Blackjack, Richie Roulette, Super 6 Baccarat, Bet on Poker, and more. Betshezi includes Dragon Tiger, Keno, Sic Bo, and various Lotto-styled live dealer games.
Betshezi has a handful of instant games and lotto-styled games. These titles have free demos which players can try before playing with real money. Be sure to check out Keno, Striker, Blast, Talisman and Power Ball
Read our Betshezi Review or visit Betshezi.
5. Playa Bets
Established in 1990, this is an established sports book that offers multiple betting shops in KZN and the Western Cape and they offer a mobile betting platform. Playa Bets is considered South Africa’s one stop betting destination for retail and online customer’s country wide.
They are backed by a highly experienced management team which have been registered bookmakers in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Playa Bets offers a unique world class product to local players across South Africa. With over 12000 live sporting betting events, 378000+ live betting markets and over 1 million Sports Betting opportunities every month, Playa Bets customers will always be in the action.
Playabets MP (Pty) Ltd trading at playabets.co.za is licensed by the by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator under license number 9-2-1-09689.
Conclusion
Blackjack's enduring global popularity is boosted by the enthusiasm of South African players who prefer to play the game online. Options are plentiful, and while most games get supplied by identical providers, how the platform supports them can make or break a bettor's gambling adventure.
The sites we identify in our review offer the most comprehensive blackjack package that can provide numerous hours of entertainment for newbie punters and experienced South African players.
Can You Play Free Blackjack?
Yes, all of the casinos that we recommend offer the option to play blackjack for free. You can then practice playing until you are ready to play for real money.
What Are These Blackjack Terms: Hit, Stand, Split, Double?
Hit - After the player is dealt the two initial cards, the player has the option to hit (request an additional card). The player should keep asking to hit until they feel that they have a sufficiently strong hand to win (as close to 21 as possible, without going over 21).
Stand - When the player has cards that they feel are sufficiently strong to beat the dealer then they should “stand.” For example, a player may wish to stand on a hard 20 (two 10 cards such as a 10, jack, queen, or king). The dealer must keep playing until they either beat the player or go bust (going over 21).
Split - After the player is dealt the first two cards, and if those cards are of equal face value (for example, two queens), then the player has the option to split their hand into two separate hands with equal bets on each hand. The player must then continue to play both hands with regular blackjack rules.
Double - After the initial two cards are dealt, if a player feels that they have a strong hand (such as a king and an ace), then the player may choose to double their initial bet. To learn when to double read our guide on When to Double Down in Blackjack.
What Are the Best Starting Hands?
Blackjack - This is an ace and any 10 value card (10, jack, queen, or king). This is an automatic win for the player.
Hard 20 - This is any two 10 value cards (10, jack, queen, or king). It is unlikely that the player will receive an ace next, and the player should always stand. Splitting is also not recommended.
Soft 18 - This is a combination of an ace and a 7 card. This combination of cards offers the player different strategy options depending on what cards the dealer is dealt.
What Is Single-Deck Blackjack?
As the name implies this is blackjack that is played with only one deck of 52 cards. Many blackjack aficionados refuse to play any other type of blackjack as this blackjack variant offers slightly better odds, and it enables savvy players the option to count cards.
House edge:
0.15% compared to multi-deck blackjack games that have a house edge between 0.46% to 0.65%.
What Is Multi-Hand Blackjack?
This offers more excitement as players can play up to 5 simultaneous hands of blackjack, the number of hands offered varies based on the casino.
What Are the Differences Between American Blackjack & European Blackjack?
The key difference between American and European blackjack is the hole card.
In American blackjack the dealer receives one card face up and one card face down (the hole card). If the dealer happens to have an Ace as his or her visible card, they then immediately peek at their face down card (the hole card). If the dealer has blackjack with a hole card that is a 10 card (10, jack, queen, or king), then the dealer automatically wins.
In European blackjack the dealer receives only one card, the second card is dealt after all of the players have had the chance to play. In other words, European blackjack has no hole card.
What Is Atlantic City Blackjack?
The game is always played with 8 regular decks, this means anticipating the next card is more difficult. The other major difference is players have the option to play a "late surrender".
A late surrender enables a player to toss their hand after the dealer checks his hand for blackjack. This could be wanted if the player has a really bad hand. With a surrender the player loses half their bet.
In Atlantic City blackjack players can split twice, up to three hands. Aces however, can only be split once.
The dealer must stand on all 17 hands, including soft 17.
Blackjack pays 3 to 2, and and insurance pays 2 to 1.
House edge:
0.36%.
What Is Vegas Strip Blackjack?
As the name implies this is the most popular version of blackjack in Las Vegas.
4 to 8 standard decks of cards are used, and the dealer must stand on soft 17.
Similar to other types of American blackjack, the dealer receives two cards, one face-up. If the face-up card is an ace, then the dealer peaks at his down card (the hole card).
Players have the option to play a "late surrender".
A late surrender enables a player to toss their hand after the dealer checks his hand for blackjack. This could be wanted if the player has a really bad hand. With a surrender the player loses half their bet.
House edge:
0.35%.
What Is Double Exposure Blackjack?
This is a rare variation of blackjack that increases the odds in the players favor by enabling the player to see both of the dealers cards face up, versus just one card. In other words there is no hole card.
Another key difference is that the dealer has the option to hit or stand on soft 17.
House Edge:
0.67%
What Is Spanish 21?
This is a version of blackjack that is played with 6 to 8 Spanish decks.
The Spanish deck of cards has four suits and contains 40 or 48 cards, depending on the game.
The cards are numbered from 1 to 9. The four suits are copas (Cups), oros (Coins), bastos (Clubs), and espadas (Swords).
Due to the lack of 10 card it is more difficult for a player to hit blackjack.
House Edge:
0.4%
What Is an Insurance Bet?
This is an optional side bet that is offered to a player if the dealer’s up-card is an ace. If the player fears that there is a 10 card (10, jack, queen, or king) that would give the dealer a blackjack, than the player may opt for the insurance bet.
The insurance bet is half of the regular bet (meaning if the player bet $10, then the insurance bet would be $5).
If the dealer has a blackjack then the player is paid 2 to 1 on the insurance bet.
If both the player and the dealer hit blackjack, then the payout is 3 to 2.
An insurance bet is often called a "suckers bet" as the odds are in the houses favor.
House edge:
5.8% to 7.5% - The house edge varies based on the previous card history.
What Is Blackjack Surrender?
In American blackjack players are given the option to surrender at any time. This should only be done if the player believes they have an extremely bad hand. If the player chooses this than the bank return half of the initial bet. (For example, a $10 bet has $5 returned).
In some version of blackjack such as Atlantic City blackjack only a late surrender is enabled. In this case, a player can only surrender after the dealer has checked his hand for blackjack.
To learn more visit our in-depth guide on When to Surrender in Blackjack.
