Poker vs Blackjack – Which Game to Choose?

Two of the most popular card games are poker and blackjack. They're quite similar in that they require you to make decisions. However, they're also very different and are two distinct games in their own right.

Poker can be very strategic and quite challenging at times, especially if played with others. Blackjack is somewhat more straightforward, though it does still get you thinking.

We'll run you through some of the games' similarities and differences in this post. We'll also mention the payouts and which of the two is more likely to give you a decent return. So carry on reading to find out more about these two games.

How Are Poker and Blackjack Similar?

Before we run through the differences between poker and blackjack, we'll have a look at what these games have in common.

The key similarity is that both are card-comparing games. They involve hands of cards being compared according to set rules.

The two games also both require decision-making. When you play either one, you don't just place your bet and hope for the best. You have to make decisions that can affect the game's outcome. What you decide can help you win, but can also be your downfall.

Like other casino games, poker and blackjack both have many different versions available to play. Each poker variant can differ in numerous ways, such as:

• The number of decks that are used
• The way cards are ranked
• The payouts for each hand
• How many rounds of betting there are

As for games of blackjack, these can vary in the following ways:

• The number of decks that are used
• Whether the dealer stands or hits on a soft 17
• How many hands you can bet with at once
• The full rules for splitting hands
• Whether surrendering is allowed

Here at LuckyStar Casino, we've got more than enough choices for both games. At the end of this post we'll show some examples of our poker and blackjack games.

How Are Poker and Blackjack Different?

For most poker games, your objective is simple: form the best poker hand possible. There are nine official poker hands, with a tenth only possible in games where certain cards act as wilds. Here are examples of some poker hands:

• Five of a kind. The highest-ranking hand, though only possible in games with wilds. Consists of four cards of the same rank plus a wild.
• Straight Flush. This is the top hand in games without wilds. It's made up of five cards of the same suit in sequential order. An example would be K, Q, J, 10 and 9, all of hearts.
• Three of a Kind. Any hand that contains three cards of the same rank.

You start off by receiving some cards. Most of the time, there are several opportunities to improve your hand. Some poker games have community cards. These are cards dealt face up and can be used by everyone playing.

Blackjack is somewhat simpler. The aim is to get closer to 21 than the dealer, but without going over 21. You receive two cards and so does the dealer. One of the dealer's cards is dealt face up for you to see.

If neither starting hand adds up to 21, it's your turn to act. You can add more cards to your hand, keep your hand as it is or even split it in two. If you're done with your hand, and you haven't gone over 21, the dealer gets to act. They have to follow set rules. Once they're done, whoever is the closest to 21 wins.

Real-Life Poker

It's worth pointing out that the games we're talking about are online ones. When you play poker and blackjack at online casinos, you're playing against a virtual dealer. If it's a live game, it's a real person - the croupier - you're up against.

With blackjack, there may be other players but they're all competing against the dealer, not with each other. With poker, games you find at online casinos have you compete against a dealer. However, real-life games are played differently.

Real-life poker is played with a group of two or more people. Games involve several rounds of betting. For the best chances of winning, you need to be strategic and skilful; a bit of luck is also required.

How you do win when playing poker against other players? Again, it's all about getting the highest-ranking hand. But with real-life poker, there's so much more to the game than simply trying to get the best line-up of cards. In a typical round of betting, players do one of the following:

• Place the ante/blind bet. The first player to move places this bet.
• Call. All other players can call the bet, which means they place a bet equal to the last one placed.
• Raise. If a player thinks their hand is more valuable than others, they may raise the bet. Their bet is bigger than the previous one placed.
• Fold. If a player thinks their hand isn't good enough, they fold. This requires you to forfeit your hand and not take part in the current round.

As you can see, there's much more depth to real-life poker than games you play against a dealer. If you're looking to play poker against other people, get plenty of practice in first. Play some of our poker games - we'll list some later on - and get used to how they work. We offer free play for all of them. This is great because it lets you get used to how the games work without spending any money whatsoever.

So, where can you play real-life poker online against other people? Most casinos don't offer it. The poker games they have are solo games you play against a virtual or real-life dealer. If you want to play proper poker against other players, there are some dedicated poker sites that let you do this. These sites have special software you can download. With this, you can take part in poker games with other people over the internet.

Skills Required for Real-Life Poker

With online casino poker games, you just have to learn the rules, make sensible decisions and hope for a good outcome. Real-life poker, on the other hand, is somewhat more demanding. Also, poker is like a completely different game when you're playing with other people.

Sure, the game works in the same way, but there's a lot more to it when other players are present. When playing with others, there are some more strategic things to take into account. These include:

• Tells. In poker games, a tell is a noticeable change in a player's behaviour that may give an indication of what their hand is like. Tells can include things like leaning forwards or backwards, sighing, having certain facial expressions or even changing tone of voice. They can indicate whether a player's hand is good or bad. They're often involuntary, though some players fake them to try and dupe others. On the other hand, certain players may try to avoid having any tells at all.
• Bluffs. A popular tactic in poker games is bluffing. This is where you bet on a hand that isn't necessarily a good one. The point is bluffing is to trick other players into thinking your hand ranks high. Others may then decide to fold if they don't want to put up the money to match the bet.
• Playing Habits. What many players do is they keep track of how others have been playing. Experienced poker players know that certain behaviour patterns can mean certain things. If someone's been holding back, for example, this could mean they're biding their time for when they have a good hand.
• Hand Reading. You can't find out for certain what cards other players have. However, you can make an educated guess. This is what some players do, especially top-level ones. They try to 'read' others' hands. They can't say for certain what all of an opponent's cards are, but they try to narrow it down as much as possible.

With real-life poker, it's not just about having a good hand. It's about using tactics, skill and strategy to catch others out and give yourself the best chance of winning. The points we listed above are just some of the many aspects of poker to take into account when playing. The game has a lot of depth to it. People have written countless articles, strategy guides and full books about playing poker - that just goes to show how much of a layered game it is.

People spend months, even years, perfecting their approach to playing poker. It can take a huge number of games for someone to be skilled enough to take on experienced players.

Poker vs Blackjack: Which Has the Better Odds?

An important concept to understand is RTP. This is a figure that represents how much of an average bet is paid back to the player. It's calculated by simulating a large number of virtual play-throughs. The higher it is, the more of your money you should get back over long-term play.

Each and every casino game has an RTP. Those who are keen to make money only play games with high RTPs. By doing this, they're giving themselves the best possible chance to make a return.

So which of poker and blackjack has the better odds? As we mentioned earlier, both games have multiple different versions. Changes to the rules and the cash prizes can affect a game's payout rates. Therefore, two versions of the same game can indeed have different RTPs.

Of the two games, blackjack tends to have the better RTP. Believe it or not; many games can have RTPs of above 99%. As for poker, it can still have quite a high return-to-player percentage, though not as high as blackjack.

Single-player online poker games have fixed RTPs. That is to say, the game should, in theory, pay you back more or less the same amount over long-term play. With real-life poker games, there's no definitive RTP. This is because extra factors can affect your payout that single-player games don't have. The main one is the fact that you're playing with other people. There's no way to predict how the game will proceed and how the other people will play.

The More Rewarding Game of the Two

Poker games can be very lucrative - more so than blackjack. This is especially true for real-life versions of the game. In multiplayer poker tournaments, the minimum bet sizes can be set to very high sums of money.

In fact, some very skilled and intuitive people are able to make a living by playing poker. They take part in professional tournaments with high cash rewards available. Even if they don't win the whole tournament, they can still earn a lot of money, provided they perform well.

Top poker players are worth tens of millions or over a hundred million dollars. They've been able to earn so much money thanks to their success at playing high-stakes poker games. They also earn significant sums from side projects such as endorsements, businesses and TV work.

The world's top poker tournament is the World Series of Poker. Held annually in Las Vegas, it attracts many of the world's top players. The first place prize has been as high as seven figures in most of the recent events. There have even been a few tournaments where the overall winner has earned an eight-figure payout. 

Getting to the stage where you can make a living from poker takes a lot of time, dedication and practice - and some luck, too. It's not just a matter of knowing the rules; you have to think strategically and adapt based on who you're playing against.

Blackjack is your best bet if you're looking to make money from regular online casino games. Single-player poker games can also be rewarding, but blackjack has the edge. Multiplayer poker has the potential to be very lucrative indeed as we've pointed out above. However, very few are able to bring in decent sums of money.

Tips for Playing Poker and Blackjack

Before you start playing either game, you should thoroughly understand the rules. This is especially important if you're playing for real money. There's no point in risking your money when you're not sure what's going on. Take some time to familiarise yourself with how the game works. For extra practice, take advantage of free play.

With single-player poker games, you have to know what you're doing for your best chance of winning. Think carefully about each and every move you make, and whether an action is likely to help or hinder you.

If it's multiplayer poker you're playing, there's a lot more to it. We've already touched on some of the things to take into account. These include tells and bluffing. Basically, it's a matter of reading other players and trying not to give your own position away. Plus, making the best decisions and playing strategically.

You have to have your thinking cap on when playing poker against others. If you don't, you may do well, but you'll be much more likely to succeed if you think before you act.

What also helps with real-life poker is being unpredictable. If you play the same way during a game, opponents will be more likely to work out what your strategy is. Keep them on their toes by switching your play style up and making unexpected moves every once in a while.

When it comes to playing blackjack, one particular strategy stands out. It's known as the basic strategy. This is a table that shows you the best possible move to make based on what cards you have and what the dealer's face-up card is.

The moves suggested by the table are, theoretically speaking, the most likely to result in a win. However, no strategy can guarantee you a win and this one is no different. It can boost your chances of winning, but you can still lose when using it.

Summary of Poker vs Blackjack

Poker tasks you with forming the highest-ranking hand possible. With blackjack, you're aiming to beat the dealer to 21. Both games require decision-making, but poker is more strategic, especially when you're playing real-life poker against other players.

Blackjack games usually have better RTPs. However, poker games can have much higher payouts. Some people have even become millionaires through playing poker at a professional level.

Both games are worth trying out. They're more engaging than other casino games because you have to make decisions - they're not just based on luck. Learning the ropes shouldn't take too long. That being said, blackjack is easier to learn than poker.

Test Your Skills With LuckyStar Casino's Poker Games

If it's poker you're after, we've got you covered. Like blackjack, there are many different types of poker. One of the most common of these is video poker.

Video Poker is quick and easy to play. You're dealt five cards and can keep or replace each one. Once you've decided, any swaps take place and your new hand is looked at. Your aim is to form the best five-card poker hand possible. You're paid depending on how high your hand ranks. Video poker games make up most of our poker games. Some of these are listed below:

• Joker Poker Progressive by iSoftBet. This game has the joker act as a wild. The top prize is a progressive jackpot. To win this, form a royal flush without any jokers in the hand.
• American Poker V by Wazdan. This American-themed game follows all the standard rules of video poker. It also has the Mini Bonus, a special prize you earn once you've collected enough pairs of royals.
• Deuces Wild by BetSoft. A classic video poker game where all 2s are wild.

All these games can be found in our Video Poker section. We have plenty of other types of poker available to play too. Here are some of our favourites:

• Caribbean Beach Poker by Wazdan. If you fancy playing a poker game with Caribbean vibes, this one's for you. Try to form a five-card hand that's better than the dealer's.
• Casino Hold’em Poker by NetEnt. This poker game has you play against a virtual dealer. It has several rounds of betting, several community cards, and an optional side bet.
• Three Card Poker Deluxe by Habanero. A relatively simple poker game. Your objective is to form a three-card hand that ranks higher than the dealer's.

You'll find the games listed above and more in our Table Games section. As well as animated poker games, we also have some live ones. Head to our Live Casino section, and you'll find top-notch live poker games by Evolution Gaming.

Play Blackjack Games at LuckyStar Casino

Our collection of games offers more than enough options for blackjack fans. To find these games, simply head to our Casino section. Enter 'Blackjack' into the search bar, then go ahead and take your pick.

We mentioned earlier that blackjack has lots of variants. Our games library has many different game variants waiting to be played. Here are a few that we recommend playing:

• Single Deck Blackjack by BetSoft. A single deck of cards is used instead of the usual six to eight. This increases the RTP and makes the game potentially more rewarding.
• Blackjack First Person by Evolution Gaming. An animated version of Evolution Gaming's popular blackjack live dealer game. Presented with crisp, realistic graphics and offers an immersive gaming experience.
• Blackjack Perfect Pairs by Felt Gaming. This version of blackjack offers the optional perfect pairs side bet. This pays out if your first two cards form a pair. The top payout is 25x the amount wagered - you get this if your two cards are of the same suit and value.
• 3D Blackjack by Iron Dog. A game of blackjack that looks stunning thanks to its impressive 3D visuals. It follows the game's standard rules.

These are just some of the many blackjack games we have for you to play. Give them a try for free or for real money and try to beat the dealer to 21.

Head over to our Live Casino section if you're keen to play some real-life blackjack. Here you'll find a range of games from top providers such as Evolution Gaming, Ezugi and Vivo Gaming. All our live games are broadcast in real time and take the online gaming experience up a notch. They're interactive, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable.