Blackjack Rules

Early and Late Surrender

While the surrender move in blackjack doesn’t increase your chances of winning, it can play a role in adjusting the house edge and help control your losses in the long term.

Early Surrender Rule

This is one of the most favourable rules for players as it gives them a chance to surrender their hand before the dealer has checked for natural blackjack. This move will mean you forfeit half your wager but, done under the right circumstances, could reduce the casino’s advantage significantly- though the exact percentage will depend on the rules in play. Early surrender is less common than late surrender because of the huge advantage it gives players.

Late Surrender Rule

Much the same as early surrender in that you lose half of your wager but this time you must wait until after the dealer has checked for natural blackjack, which means you can still lose if they hit 21 in their first hand. While the reduction of house edge with late surrender is small, it’s definitely worth taking advantage of.

What Is Blackjack?

Blackjack is a widely popular casino banking game, which many people may still refer to as “twenty-one.” This game is one of comparison, where each player competes against the dealer only and not against each other. These games consist of 2 or more players though there are rarely more than seven playing at a time.

The object of classic blackjack is to reach 21 without going over. Participants play with 52-card decks and the dealer is responsible for running everything from shuffling to keeping track of bets. In the casino version, the house is always the dealer.

The dealer stands while the players are seated. Blackjack is a popular home game too and any player can be the dealer in that version.

Free Bet Blackjack Game Overview 

The game objective is to achieve a better hand than the dealer without exceeding the total of 21.

It is possible to win free Double Down and Split bets in this game.

Game Rules

Free Bet Blackjack is a live casino game, meaning you play against the dealer instead of other players.

There is no limit to the number of players who can participate at any one time.

Eight standard 52-card decks are used to play the game.

After the betting time finishes, all players will be dealt one card face-up, with the dealer being dealt to last.

After this, each player will be dealt a second card face-up, while the dealer will receive a second card face-down.

The total of your hand will be shown on-screen.

Card Values 

Cards 2-10 are each worth face value.

'Face cards', i.e. Jack, Queen and King, are worth 10 each.

Aces can be one or 11, depending on which is more favourable in your hand.

Blackjack

Blackjack means having the best hand possible.

It is awarded when your first two cards total exactly 21.

Blackjack beats a hand of 21 resulting from a split pair.

Insurance

Insurance Bets are settled separately from your main bet, and minimize the risk of the dealer having Blackjack.

This will work even if you have Blackjack yourself.

This bet costs half your main bet and can be purchased only if the face-up card the dealer has is an Ace.

Once you buy Insurance, the dealer will check their cards to see if they have Blackjack.

If you buy Insurance, once purchased, the dealer will then check their cards to see if they have Blackjack.

If the dealer does not have Blackjack, the round will continue.

If the dealer does have Blackjack but you don't, then the dealer wins.

If you and the dealer both have Blackjack, the game will end in a push (tie) and your bet will be returned.

Game Options

If neither your or the dealer have Blackjack with your first two cards, there are several options you can select for the chance to improve your hand.

• Hit - select hit to be dealt another card. There is no limit on how many times you can Hit, providing your hand does not exceed 21
• Stand - this tells the dealer that you are happy about your hand
• Double Down - if your first two cards do not equal 21, you can select Double Down to double your bet. You will only receive one more card thereafter, however. You cannot Double Down after splitting.
• Free Double - if the total of your first two cards equals nine, 10 or 11, you'll receive a Free Double. This will add a Free Bet to your original bet, and if you win the round, the value of the Free Bet will march your original bet. As a result, your original bet will be returned and you'll be paid accordingly. If there is a tie between you and the dealer, your original bet will be returned. If you lose the round, your original bet will be lost.
• Split - if your first two cards hold equal value, you can choose to Split them into separate hands. Each hand will require a separate bet that is equal to your original bet. You can only Split ones for each hand you are dealt.
• Free Split - this is offered if you possess a hand of pairs (except if it is a pair of 10s). Your original bet will be placed on the first hand (The right-hand side) and the Free Bet will be placed on the left hand side. If you win, the value of the Free Bet will match your original bet and you will be paid. If you lose, you will not lose your bet, but neither bet will be returned to you if you draw.

Outcomes

If your hand exceeds 21 you will 'bust' and your bet will be lost.

If your hand does not exceed 21, the other players will each take their turn before the dealer reveals their face-down card.

The following rules apply:

• The dealer must Hit on a hand of 16 or less 
• The dealer must Stand on a soft 17 or more

If your final hand is closer to 21 than the dealers is, or the dealer busts on a number other than 22 (as outlined below), then you win.

If your hand is of the same value as the dealer, the game will be a push and your bet will be returned.

Dealer Busts with 22

If the value of dealer’s hand is 22, the round will end in a push and your bet will be returned.

If you dealer has 22 and you bust, the round will be lost.

If you have Blackjack, it is not possible for the dealer to bust on 22.

Six Card Charlie Rule

The Six Card Charlie rule allows you to win if you have a six-card hand that values at 21 or less.

You can still win with this hand even if the dealer has Blackjack.

This rule does not apply, however, if the dealer has Blackjack after an Insurance offer.

Each Split hand will be evaluated individually.

Side Bets

There are four Side Bets available in this game:

• Any Pair
• 21 + 3
• Hot 3
• Bust It

Side Bets can be combined with your main bet.

It is still possible to win a Side Bet if the main bet is lost.

Any Pair

With Any Pair, you can bet on the combination of your first two cards.

There are two types of Any Pair winning combinations:

• Pair - two cards of the same number in different suits, e.g. 5 of Diamonds and 5 of Clubs
• Suited Pair - two of the same card, e.g. two Ace of Spades

Any Pair Payouts

The payouts for Any Pair combinations are as follows:

• Pair - 25:1
• Suited Pair - 8:1

21+3

The 21+3 Side Bet allows you to bet that your initial hand combined with the dealer’s face-up card will form any of the following winning combinations:

• Suited Trips – suited Three of a Kind, e.g. three Ace of Clubs
• Straight Flush – same suit and in numerical sequence, e.g. eight, nine and 10 of Diamonds
• Three of a Kind – same value but different suits, e.g. any three non-matching fours
• Straight – in numerical sequence but different suits, e.g. five of Hearts, six of Spades and a seven of Diamonds
• Flush – non-sequential cards that are in the same suit, e.g. a three, eight and 10 of Hearts

 21+3 Payouts

• Suited Trips - 100:1
• Straight Flush - 40:1
• Three of a Kind - 30:1
• Straight - 10:1
• Flush - 5:1

Hot 3

The Hot 3 Side Bet allows you to  bet on the combination of your first two cards and the dealer’s face-up card.

With this bet, you are wagering that one of the possible combinations will appear:

• Total 19, any suit, for example: 8 of Clubs, 2 of Diamonds and 9 of Spades
• Total 20, for example: 8 of Hearts, 2 of Diamonds and 10 of Spades
• Total 21, suited, for example: 9 of Spades, 2 of Spades and 10 of Spades
• Total 21, unsuited, for example: 9 of Clubs, 8 of Spades and 4 of Diamonds
• 7-7-7, for example: 7 of Spades, 7 of Clubs and 7 of Hearts

Hot 3 Payouts

• Total 19 - 1:1
• Total 20 - 2:1
• Total 21 suited - 4:1
• Total 21 unsuited - 20:1
• 7-7-7 - 100:1

Bust It

This Side Bet bets wins if the total value of the dealer’s cards exceeds 21, causing them to bust.

If you place this bet and you have Blackjack, the game will end in a push (tie).

There are several possible combinations:

• Bust with three cards
• Bust with four cards
• Bust with five cards
• Bust with six cards
• Bust with seven cards
• Bust with eight or more cards

Bust It Payouts

• Bust with three cards - 1:1
• Bust with four cards - 2:1
• Bust with five cards - 9:1
• Bust with six cards - 50:1
• Bust with seven cards - 100:1
• Bust with eight or more cards - 250:1

Payouts

• Blackjack - 3:2
• Winning hand - 1:1
• If the dealer has Blackjack, Insurance will pay out 2:1

Return to Player

The optimal theoretical payout percentage is as follows:

Blackjack – 98.45% (based on the first hand in the shoe)

Any Pair Side Bet – 95.90%

21+3 Side Bet – 96.30%

Hot 3 Side Bet – 94.60%

Bust It Side Bet – 94.12%

The expected return to player is the amount we pay out to players relative to the amount of wagering on the game.

For example, if we take £100 of wagers we will, on average, pay out £98.45 of Blackjack wins, and so on across the various bets.

How to win 21 and beat Desperation in the final round

Playing 21 for the first time is a more story-driven affair, with you pitted against Hoffman against your will. There are three phases - fingers, electrocution and a saw - each with a number of bets that increase per round.

Trump cards are introduced around halfway through, and during the final round of the saw phase - where the bet is high enough that Lucas can lose - he'll cheat and use a Trump card named Desperation, stripping your ability to draw new cards, and increasing the bet to 100, making it the next best hand the winner, alongside Perfect Draw, giving him 21.

How do you win against this? Throughout the saw round, you need to hang on to some Trump cards until this moment, which are the only cards you can play to win. We'd specifically recommend the Love Your Enemy card, which will give your opponent the best possible card. Since this forces Lucas to draw, and he will be on 21, it will tip him over the edge, making you the victor.

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Want more help? Our Resident Evil 7 walkthrough provides step-by-step instructions on how to survive the main story, as well as finding the Shotgun, Grenade Launcher and the game's many Lockpicks and Treasure Photos. Meanwhile, our Antique Coins locations, Mr Everywhere statue locations and File locations lists will help you find every available collectible on Normal and Easy difficulties.

Blackjack cards at face value

The easiest blackjack card values to deal with are numbers. Basically, anything that’s not an Ace or a picture card will be worth its face value. For example, a five is worth five points, a seven is worth seven and so on. That’s really all there is to know about number cards in blackjack.

1. What makes blackjack popular?

Blackjack is the most popular table game at casinos worldwide for several reasons. First, it is one of the handful of games which offers players the best odds. This means that the house has a minimal advantage, and the players have a good chance of winning on any given hand. Secondly, it is fast paced. Most people enjoy a game where the hands go quickly, and the odds are always changing. The flip side of this is that your bankroll can fluctuate greatly in either direction. You can be up 100 one minute and down 100 the next. If you are a beginner, this is something you need to get used to. Lastly, people enjoy blackjack because it is relatively easy to learn. Blackjack game rules are very simple: whoever gets closest to 21 without going over wins. The dealer must hit to 17, etc. If you look at the basic strategy charts, they may seem overwhelming at first. I suggest playing a lot of practice hands preferably with some software from the play-for-fun section of an online casino. After a lot of practice, and learning how to act in different situations, you will automatically acquire most of the information you need to master basic strategy, and it will become second nature.

Standard 52-card deck

The conventional 52-card deck of cards contains many high-value cards. Having more of these cards increases your chances of winning. However, the present deck does not contain any picture cards, which makes doubling down a bad idea. There are other ways to increase your odds, though. You can use a free bet option to place a bet on the dealer busting. Regardless of how many decks you play with, you will want to know your odds of winning before placing a bet.

Playing Free Bet Blackjack is quite similar to standard blackjack, but it features a different set of rules. For instance, Free Bet Blackjack uses a standard 52-card deck, and there are no jokers or tucks. A single deck has better payouts and allows for splitting and doubling down, which can help you increase your winnings. You can use the chips to play extra hands. When you win, you get back your original wager plus double it.

There are many different types of card decks used for the game, but a standard 52-card deck is the most common and most commonly used. Free bet blackjack has several different types of decks, but the standard 52-card deck is the best choice for this type of game. The five-suit deck is ideally suited for the game. Regardless of how you play, you should always choose the one that suits you.

Doublet Blackjack

Gamesys N.V. is an online real money gaming provider, and they came up with Blackjack Doublet. As the rules of this game are fairly obscure and the popularity high, it is worth a mention.

All the usual Blackjack rules apply, but there are some additional perks to the game:

• 6 decks are used
• The dealer does not play with a hole card
• Player double or split before the dealer discovers Blackjack. That means all bets will be lost regardless
• Dealer will stand on soft 17 hands
• Players can double on splits
• Players can double on any hand
• Resplits permitted up to 4 times on any hand
• Double Down Rescue: Surrender is only permitted once a player has doubles

Regional Blackjack Games

Of course as with poker and roulette as well as many other casino games, the region can have an effect on the game.

• Atlantic City Blackjack
• Australian Blackjack
• California Blackjack
• European Blackjack (UK)
• European Blackjack (Except UK)
• Panama Blackjack
• Spanish Blackjack
• Vegas Blackjack

HOUSE EDGE

According to wizardofodds, the house edge for the Las Vegas game where a switched blackjack automatically wins is 0.18% for the six-deck, h17 game (it’s 0.20% if eight decks are used). If a switched blackjack pushes against a dealer 21 or 22, the house edge is 0.58% (6 decks) and 0.60% (8 decks). Remember that you can achieve these house edges only if you master the basic playing and switching strategies for this game.

Blackjack Switch Review

Blackjack Switch is one of the most interesting variants of blackjack that you can play online. But even more than that, it’s also one of the best blackjack games when it comes to return-to-player (RTP) percentage. With a house edge of merely 0.13%, you will hardly find a real-money game online that gives you better odds.

• Quick Navigation:
• Overview
• Rules
• House Edge
• Strategy
• Bonuses

Basically, the biggest difference between the classic blackjack game and Blackjack Switch is the fact that the players can switch the top cards of the two hands they are dealt. This specific rule gives the players a huge advantage which is countered by two additional rules: a natural blackjack pays 1:1 instead of 3:2 and a dealer 22 is a push and not a bust against all hands except for a natural. The game was conceived by Geoff Hall who officially presented it at the Las VEgas G2E conference in 2000 (source: Wikipedia). On the Internet, this particular blackjack variation is offered exclusively by the software provider Playtech. Check a quick overview of the game in the table below:

Blackjack Switch Overview

• Basic Game Rules
• Return to Player: 99.87% Blackjack pays: 1 to 1
• Decks: 6
• Insurance: yes
• Multihand: yes
• Side bets: yes
• Surrender: no

• Split and Double Rules
• Split: any pair
• Resplit: Up to 3 hands
• Double: any two cards
• Double after split: yes
• Hit split aces: no

• Dealer Rules
• Hits: soft 17
• Peeks for Blackjack: yes
• Special Game Rules: Dealer 22 is a push except against a natural blackjack.

Which is the Best Casino to Play Blackjack Switch?

• Bonus:Up to £50
• Bonus code:not required
• Wagering contribution:5%
• Software:Playtech
• Link:Try now betfair