Online blackjack tournaments give you the chance to win cash prizes if you stack up a larger pile of chips than your rivals.
This guide will describe how blackjack tournaments work and how they differ from simply playing an online blackjack game. We will discuss the different types of tournaments and explain how to win.
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What is an online blackjack tournament?
An online blackjack tournament is similar to an online poker tournament. All contestants pay an entry fee, and prizes are distributed from that pot at the end of the tournament.
Your goal is to rack up more chips than your fellow players. The winner takes home the lion’s share of the prize pot, but there are normally runner-up prizes for other high performers.
Where to play blackjack tournaments online
There are several different online casinos that offer blackjack tournaments. However, be aware that tournaments specific to blackjack are not available on a regular basis. Instead, the best thing to do is monitor the social media feeds for your favorite online casinos.
The only major online casino that we found to offer a specific blackjack tournament is BetRivers Casino. A recent message on X indicated a weekend blackjack tournament as a promotional event.
The other top casino that offers a sort of blackjack tournament is PokerStars Casino. Its Casino Races leaderboard competition allows players, in part, to play blackjack and vie for prizes against other players.
How do online blackjack tournaments for real money work?
All players will be given an identical stack of chips at the start of a tournament. You will all play the same number of hands against a dealer.
The basic goal is to collect more chips than your competitors. However, there are a few different types of online blackjack tournaments.
Elimination tournament
You will be placed at a table, and your objective is to end the round with more chips than the other players at that table.
The winner of each table (and sometimes the runner-up) will go through to the next round to compete against the other table winners, while all other players are eliminated.
This format continues until there is one final table, and the winner takes home the top prize.
Ultimate Blackjack tournament
Some elimination tournaments will remove the player with the lowest chip count after a certain number of hands. This format was popularized by the Ultimate Blackjack Tour, which was televised in the mid-2000s.
In this format, the player with the lowest chip count after eight hands will be eliminated. The player with the fewest chips after 16 hands will then be axed, and so on.
Accumulation tournament
This is also known as a non-elimination tournament. You simply play several rounds and try to accumulate as many chips as possible.
Nobody will be eliminated, meaning everything is still up for grabs heading into the final round. The player with the largest pile of chips at the end of the final round is crowned the winner.
How to win an online blackjack tournament
The site hosting the tournament will normally take a cut of the prize pool and then distribute the remaining funds to the best-performing players. However, some sites offer to take no commission on blackjack tournaments, and others even top up the prize pool with their own money to ensure it exceeds the entry fees.
There are a few different ways to win a blackjack tournament, depending on the format.
- Progress to the final table of an elimination tournament and then outperform your rivals in that final round.
- Maintain a high chip count during a tournament that follows a similar format to the Ultimate Blackjack Tour and then outstrip your rivals toward the end.
- Earn more overall chips than your rivals in an accumulation or non-elimination blackjack tournament.
Before entering the tournament, you will be able to check out the prize structure. You will see how much of the prize purse will go to the winner and what the runner-up prizes will be.
After the tournament concludes, your winnings will be transferred to your account if you are successful.
Online blackjack tournament strategy
Of course, to win an online blackjack tournament, you have to practice proper blackjack strategy. You have to have a working knowledge of the odds involved with blackjack games, along with an understanding of both the rules of blackjack and any individual rules that the tournament has.
How are blackjack tournaments and casino blackjack different?
When you play a standard online blackjack game, you can win or lose real money with every hand. That applies to virtual online blackjack and live dealer online blackjack games.
By contrast, when you enter a blackjack tournament, you can only lose your entry fee. You may end the tournament empty-handed, or you may earn a large cash prize if you win or finish near the top of the rankings.
The game format will be the same, as you need to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going bust on each hand. However, while your chip count will increase or decrease during a blackjack tournament, you will not be playing each hand for real money.
Online Blackjack Tournaments FAQ
No legal online casinos or sweepstakes casinos in the United States regularly host blackjack tournaments. You will need to visit a land-based casino or cardroom if you would like to compete in a blackjack tournament. We will update readers if online blackjack tournaments are launched in the future.
You will need to opt in and pay an entry fee if you would like to register for a blackjack tournament. Just hit the “Register” button, provide any information requested, and enter your payment details. You will then receive an invite, so make sure you are ready to begin playing when the tournament starts.
Yes, there are different types of online blackjack tournaments. You can play in traditional elimination tournaments, whereby you compete against fellow players at your table and seek to advance. There are also accumulation tournaments, also known as non-elimination tournaments, where the goal is simply to hold the most chips after several rounds.
Some sites host free online blackjack tournaments, which may be referred to as freerolls. If you play in a free tournament and win, you may still win a modest cash prize, bonus funds, or perhaps a gift card. Check the details of the tournament for details of the prize structure.