The player and the dealer face off in blackjack wagers. Whenever a hand in blackjack comes the closest to 21 without going over, that hand wins. Initially dealt two cards, the player can choose to stand, hit, split, or double their hand. Two cards are dealt to the dealer as well, but only one is dealt face-up. The house advantage comes from the possibility of busting because gamblers always play their hand first.
The rules of online blackjack are the same as those of traditional casinos. In contrast to live blackjack, which is dealt by live dealers in real time via live streaming, desktop and mobile computer blackjack uses a random number generator. There are numerous game variations, including bonus blackjack, in both scenarios.
Different Blackjacks
There are numerous variations of blackjack, some of which include blackjack side bets. There are numerous variations in each game’s rules, payouts, and odds. If you intend to play any variant, review the basic strategy chart for that particular game, as each game has a unique basic strategy. The payouts for the majority of blackjack variations are the same, aside from side bets.
A natural blackjack pays 3 to 2, while a winning hand pays 1 to 1. That isn’t necessarily the case. The advantage of seeing both of the dealer’s cards is countered by the rules in Face-Up 21 and Pontoon, respectively.
Common Blackjack Iterations
Blackjack side bets let game designers make a variety of fun twenty-one variations. The majority of online casinos provide a huge selection of well-liked blackjack variations. Each offers a unique challenge to give blackjack players the most fun possible.
Remember to read the specific basic strategy charts for each game when learning how to play it. Spanish 21 strategy is very dissimilar from pontoon strategy.
- Bonus Blackjack: There are two types of side and main bets in bonus blackjack. The main bet odds and payouts in bonus blackjack are identical to those in traditional blackjack. The player can place a side bet on whether they, the dealer, or both will receive a natural blackjack. The player receives a 15-to-1 payout if a 21 is achieved. Before participating in a real-money game of Bonus Blackjack, players should review all of the rules.
- Pontoon: A “pontoon” in the UK version of Pontoon is a natural blackjack (two cards adding up to 21). The 5-card trick, which is a five-card hand totaling 21 or less, is the second-best hand. In order to make up for it, the dealer wins if they both have the same hand.
- Spanish 21: Spanish 21 is a variation of “Australian Pontoon” that makes use of four to eight “Spanish decks,” which are decks without the 10-rank cards. Due to the additional advantage this gives the casino, several helpful rules are added for the player. For instance, the payout for a five-card 21 is 3 to 2, while those for a six-card and seven-card 21 are 2 to 1 and 3 to 1, respectively. Additionally, if both the player and the dealer receive 21s, the player wins.
- Match Play 21: Even though Match Play 21 uses the Spanish deck, it offers a variety of unusual payouts. A 678 hand also pays 3 to 1, as does a 21 built with a 777. Match Play 21 offers a 40-1 payout. Due to the rules for the 777 and 678 forcing you to play hands you otherwise wouldn’t want to, you need to use different strategies (13, 14, and 15).
- Perfect Pairs: The primary wager in Perfect Pairs is comparable to traditional blackjack, but this game also offers a side wager that rewards players for matching cards. A small payout occurs if a player gets a pair. The payout is higher if the two cards are the same color. The largest payout is triggered if the pair is suited. For more chances to win side bets, Perfect Pairs is obviously played with 6 or 8 decks.
- Blackjack Switch: Two hands are dealt in Switch, and a player may switch cards between the two hands. This is a significant advantage, but players must keep in mind that a bet is placed on each hand, necessitating a strategy that balances the demands of both hands. A push occurs when the dealer receives a 22 to the player’s 21 or less. The player’s hand defeats the dealer’s 22 if they are dealt a natural blackjack.
- Face-Up 21: In some casinos, Face-Up 21 is also referred to as “Double Exposure” because the player can see both of the dealer’s cards. That is a huge benefit, so the dealer gets several benefits in return. The main benefit is that, unless the player has a natural blackjack, the dealer always prevails in ties.
- European Blackjack: The dealer holds the soft 17 card. Only hard 9 through hard 11 allow the player to double. When the dealer gets a blackjack and doesn’t take a hole card, the player loses when they double or split.
- Super Fun 21: Super Fun 21 started as a blackjack variant in Las Vegas casinos and is occasionally referred to as Super 21 in online casinos. There are several hands in this game that are winners by default. A 6-card hand, for instance, that is worth 20 or less automatically wins. A 5-card hand with a value of 21 or less pays 2 to 1, but it loses if it comes after a double.
- Progressive Blackjack: A side bet in progressive blackjack is used to play the accumulated jackpot. The primary wager functions similarly to traditional blackjack.
- Multi-Hand Blackjack allows the player to simultaneously play multiple blackjack hands. This may involve three, ten, or twenty-five hands. Because any of the aforementioned variations might have a multi-hand version created for it, there are numerous variations of multi-hand blackjack.
Blackjack Bonus Game
Due to the Bonus Blackjack side bets, Bonus Blackjack is unique among the other 21 variations. One is a bet on whether the player will get a natural blackjack (two-card 21), which is an opportunity to strengthen a winning hand. The second bet is a way to spread one’s bets out by betting on whether the dealer will get a natural blackjack. A player may wager on both the player and the dealer, or any combination of the two. Bonus blackjack has much higher payouts than standard blackjack, with a payout of 15 to 1 if you win the bet.
Blackjack Bonus Variations
There are different Bonus Blackjack wagers, usually found in brick-and-mortar casinos. For a 777, one pays 500 to 1. If the player and the dealer both get blackjacks, another version of the game pays 25 to 1. Players of blackjack online or on mobile devices shouldn’t anticipate seeing those specific Bonus Blackjack sidebets in online Casino Philippines. Although the Bonus Blackjack side bet has a high house edge (between 22.78% and 24.08%), this is to be expected in a game with a high payout. Always be aware of a bet’s odds before placing one.