An Introduction to Blackjack Surrender

So what is blackjack surrender, you may ask. In simple words, surrender is the fifth option players have when playing blackjack. Let us say you have been dealt a hand by the dealer and just by seeing your first two cards you have the feeling that your hand is too weak, and that no matter what the third card is, you would never be able to beat the dealer’s hand. You can then surrender your hand to the dealer.

There are many ways in which the blackjack surrender option is radically different from the other options we have discussed in other articles here. For starters, the surrender in blackjack is not an option you see very often. That is because many casinos do not offer it to players. Again, the blackjack surrender option is the only option that you are allowed to speak out. There are no hand gestures required for this option, you can just say the word ‘surrender’ out loud to the dealer.
How Surrender in Blackjack Works

In the previous section we have seen briefly that you are allowed to speak this option out loud. When the first two cards of your hand are enough for you to know that the dealer is going to win this one, in casinos supporting the surrender option, you can just mouth the word ‘surrender’ out loud for the dealer to hear.

Once the dealer hears the word being uttered, he takes your cards and you are out of the round. You must realize that while surrender is a good option in blackjack, it is not 100% player friendly. When the dealer takes your cards, he also collects 50% of your original wager, which means you get just 50% of your money back, though a positive way of looking at it would be to say that is better than not getting back any of the wagered money, which is what would happen in the case of an outright loss.
Types of Blackjack Surrender

Basically, there are two main types of blackjack surrender that you get to see. These two are early and late. The surrender is said to be late if the dealer first has to check his hole card to see if it is a blackjack or not. However, if the dealer lets you return your cards even before he checks his hole card for blackjack, it is called an ‘early’ surrender. You should know that the concept of early surrender has been knocked off in all Atlantic City casinos; only the late surrender works in Atlantic City.

Basically, the surrender option will work for you if you know all about it and learn to use it smartly.

Are you old enough to play?

First and foremost, any online casino that takes its responsibility to society seriously will also make every possible effort to prevent under age gambling. An age limit for players will be stated on the online casino site and a reliable casino will do everything in its power to avoid anyone under this limit from playing at the site. It should be noted that at some online casinos the age limit is 18 and at other online gambling locations players are required to be over the age of 21.

Some locations are quite open and willing to encourage any players, including those who may be under age, to take part in free online casino games. Although such games do not involve placing any wagers for real money, this is still considered by many to be rather unethical. There are others who consider that children, or those who are under age, do not have any place at their online casino and state quite clearly that under age players are not welcome, or permitted, at the site.
Minors unable to claim online gambling winnings

It should be made clear that any under age player who lies about age and decides to play anyway, will be unable to claim a real money prize in the event of a win. Can you imagine the disappointment? However, as an under age and therefore illegal player, there would be nothing that you can do about it. Apart from being illegal, winning and not being able to obtain the prize is even more frustrating than not being allowed to play! Any players who do not meet age or jurisdiction requirements of the online casino site will not be able to claim prizes.
Online Gambling Jurisdictions

Online casinos via the Internet enables players, residing in an area where gambling is banned or illegal, to gamble through a jurisdiction in which online gambling is permitted. Many players gamble at offshore casino locations as online casinos in their own countries are illegal. This does present some difficulties with regards to regulations. If a player who lives in a country or jurisdiction in which online gambling is illegal, makes a large win – this could present complications if the local authorities were to discover such an event. In this case, the prize money could be confiscated. On the other hand, if a player wins and the casino decides not to pay out, it would be very difficult for a player to find a way to force the casino to pay, when online gambling for the same player is actually illegal. In order to avoid such a scenario, it is recommended to play at a reputable site. There are certain things to look out for to ensure secure gaming, such as a strict online casino license and an eCogra seal of approval for safe play.