Canadian Online Blackjack Tournaments

Tournaments are one of the best ways to turn your blackjack skills into profit. You pay a small amount of money, face-off against many other players, and if you come out the other end as the winner then your minor entry fee can turn into a huge winner’s fee.

There are a number of blackjack tournaments in Canada, as they are a major feature at countless Canadian casinos. They are a little rarer on Canadian online casinos, but they are becoming more popular. And the best way to increase that popularity and ensure they keep growing is to keep playing them and keep showing your interest.

In this guide we’ll help you to do just that, ensuring big profits as you play Canadian online blackjack tournaments.

What are Online Blackjack Tournaments?

Online blackjack tournaments can follow a number of different formats, but the most basic form follows a similar layout to what you will find in poker tournaments. Every player starts at the same time and they play with the same amount of chips. When they lose those chips they are eliminated. This continues until there is only one person left, and they are declared the winner.

As with poker tournaments, when blackjack tournaments near their end the people who are eliminated are paid place money. For instance, the person who makes it to the final two and then gets eliminated earns the runner-up prize and whatever money goes along with it.

This type of tournament goes by many names, but it is often referred to as a “Blackjack Survivor” tournament. There are also timed tournaments, where the goal is to win as many chips as you can in a fixed amount of time. The player who has the most chips at the end of that timeframe is declared the winner, with prizes paid out to placers according to how many chips they have.

How to Play Canadian Online Blackjack Tournaments

These tournaments play just like any other game of virtual blackjack. They can be played on a table with several other players and a lobby with many more, in which case you will be moved around during the tournament as players drop out, the field narrows, and they reduce the amount of active tables.

They may also allocate one player per table, simply because it is just as easy, if not easier, for them to do just during virtual blackjack games. As for the type of variant played, this differs quite significantly, but you will find that they tend to focus on games that have low house edges and no side bets.

Side bets will only get in the way during tournament play, and while casinos usually try all they can to sway players away from playing low house edge games, they don’t care so much when it comes to blackjack tournaments. After all, they don’t stand to gain or lose anything from the hands as they take their cut from the entry fee.

There is an exception to this though, because while most online blackjack tournaments charge an entry fee, give players a set amount of chips, and only give them a return if they finish in the paid positions, there are blackjack tournaments that will not charge entry fees and will simply attach a leaderboard to standard real money games.

5 Tips for Success

If you want to get ahead playing online blackjack tournaments then there are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Approach

The best way to approach these tournaments is to treat them like an extended session of blackjack that you are playing by yourself. Don’t get too caught up in what other players are doing, as you can start losing a lot of chips that way and your place can drop significantly before you know it.

2. Use Strategy

You cannot count cards during online blackjack tournaments, but neither can your opponents. Everyone is on an even playing field, but most of the players who make it to the final stages of the tournament will be using strategies that focus on probability and chance. If you want to make it far then you need to learn this for yourself. It could be the difference between losing all of your money and making it far enough to get a profit.

3. Don’t Bet Big

If you are playing an online blackjack tournament that does not have an entry fee, it’s easy to get carried away and assume that betting more will win you more points, but this is rarely the case. All reputable online casinos have anticipated this potential issue and created a point system based on wins and winning percentages. In other words, small bets can be just as beneficial as big ones—it’s whether you win or lose that counts.

4. Slow Down

In games of blackjack survival, which payout according to who lasts the longest, it’s important to take your time. There are players out there who will go gung-ho, and simply by playing at a leisurely pace you can significantly reduce the amount of hands that you play compared to them. When you consider the house edge and the fact that more games equates to a greater chance of elimination, this stalling could make all the difference.

5. Prepare

Don’t just jump into a blackjack tournament, especially if it is one that charges a big entry fee and offers a big prize pool. You need to get used to the variant and get into the rhythm of playing properly. Spend some time playing the same blackjack variant before the tournament begins, as that way you can transition seamlessly into it when it begins.

Where to Find the Best Online Blackjack Tournaments in Canada

Online blackjack tournaments are not as rare as they used to be, but you will need to focus on the bigger and better online casinos if you want to find a decent one. They are the only ones who can fund it, as they are the only ones who can ensure that players will show up and entrance fees will be paid. No casino wants to create a $10,000 guaranteed tournament if they won’t even cover that amount in entrance fees.

You can check our casino top lists to find ones that run regular online blackjack tournaments. We only list the very best online casinos, and focus specifically on the ones that have great games of blackjack, including blackjack tournaments.

So, make sure you take our tips onboard and check these casinos out.