Spanish 21 is a popular American variant of the traditional game of blackjack. Played worldwide and offered in the majority of land-based casinos, it is a quick-to-learn and easy-to-play alternative for when you are looking for something slightly different.
Finding The Best Blackjack House Edge. Casinos have been gradually changing the blackjack rules and increasing the house edge for years. Additionally, many casinos are offering blackjack games with different rules in different parts of the casino. High limits rooms often have the blackjack games with the lowest house edge in a casino. BLACKJACK HOUSE EDGE CALCULATOR This calculator returns the house edge and standard deviation per hand for the programmed set of blackjack rules. Select the default rules (the top bubble), if you are uncertain which rule is used in the blackjack game. Most rules are described on blackjack page. The 6:5 blackjack game has a much higher house edge. The house edge is even larger when a player doesn't play with perfect basic strategy. Casinos allow players to use a basic strategy card at the table. Unfortunately, not many players that could use the help from a blackjack card carry one.
Spanish 21's two main differences from standard blackjack is a player's blackjack always beats the dealer's blackjack, and the game is played with a 48-card Spanish deck, rather than the standard 52-card deck. File opener pro download. While the latter change means the four Tens are removed, which introduces problems for players in the form of a two per cent house edge increase, it is offset by some highly flexible, player-friendly changes to the usual rules, and unique bonus payouts which make it a genuinely worthwhile variation to play.
Spanish 21 has its origins in Nevada casinos, starting off as a side-game in 1996 before exploding into mainstream recognition. It is officially owned by a gaming company known as Masque Games in the United States, but several unlicensed equivalents are played around the world. One unlicensed version is known as Pontoon, an extremely popular game here in Australia and parts of south-east Asia. Locally, Pontoon — itself a variation of blackjack and Spanish 21 — has eclipsed Spanish 21 in popularity, but the latter is still worth playing for its exciting and favourable rule twists.
Spanish 21 and Standard Blackjack: the Differences
Fundamentally, Spanish 21 has the same aim as blackjack: to acquire a hand with a greater total value than the dealer, without exceeding 21 points, otherwise known as a bust. It shares the same style of playing table and retains all of the regular blackjack jargon and terminology. However, it is enough of a spin-off of blackjack with its own bonuses and rule differences to warrant being considered its own independent game.
Spanish 21 Fixed Rules
- A player's blackjack or any card total of 21 points always wins, regardless of what the dealer has; a rule which is thoroughly appealing to all players.
- A blackjack payout is always fixed at 3 to 2.
- 10-spot cards are removed from the six to eight Spanish decks used.
- The dealer receives an up-card and a hole card.
- If the dealer shows an Ace or face card, he/she peeks at the hole card to check for blackjack. If he/she does have blackjack, all players lose (unless they have blackjack).
- We can opt for late surrender any time, after hitting, doubling or splitting.
- Splitting is allowed and you can re-split up to three more times, including Aces.
- We can double down on any number of cards, and can hit or double down after splitting any two cards, including Aces.
Spanish 21 Varied Rules
- Spanish 21 is usually played from a six deck shoe, but eight decks are sometimes used.
- The dealer can either hit or stand on a soft 17, but will usually stand.
- Players can double double down, (re-double) up to two times after initially doubling down
Spanish 21: Bonus 21
A major facet of Spanish 21 is the massive bonus payouts awarded to players when their cards total 21: these extra winnings are called Bonus 21. These sort of bonuses, while hard to earn, are fairly rare in traditional games of blackjack, but are present in all games of Spanish 21, which is what makes this variant so popular.
The following are all the lucky hand combinations totalling 21 which earn the player a bonus payout:
- If we have five cards from any suit which total 21, the payout is 3 to 2.
- If we have six cards from any suit which add up to 21, the payout is 2 to 1.
- If we have seven cards from any suit which add up to 21, the payout is 3 to 1.
- If we reach 21 with a hand of Six/Seven/Eight, the payout is 3 to 2 for mixed suits, 2 to 1 for same suit, and 3 to 1 for those three cards all being Spades.
- If we have three Sevens from the same suit, the payout is 2 to 1.
- If we have three Sevens from mixed suits, the payout is 3 to 2.
- If we have three Sevens all of Spades, the payout is 3 to 1.
Note: The above bonuses still pay out even if the hand was a split, but any doubling negates any potential bonus.
Caesar slot cheats. The following hand is regarded as the ‘super bonus' and pays out significantly more than the above, but is obviously a hell of a lot rarer:
- If you reach 21 with a three Sevens of the same suit, and the dealer's up-card is also a Seven (of any suit), the automatic payout is $1000 for bets of $5 to $24, and $5000 for any bets made over $25, while all over players on the table receive an ‘envy bonus' of $50.
Note: If the above hand (Seven/Seven/Seven with a dealer Seven) is made following a split or a hand which was doubled, the bonus is negated. Any other winning hands which do not include any of the above combinations pay out at even money (1 to 1).
The coveted suited Seven/Seven/Seven combination with a dealer Seven holds a probability of 1 in 668,382 if the game is being played with six decks, and 1 in 549,188 with eight decks. Every casino also employs their own modifications to the super bonus: sometimes this can mean smaller payouts or additional criteria to acquire it, so read up on each venue's unique guidelines before playing.
Match the Dealer
Some games of Spanish 21 incorporate an additional side-bet known as Match the Dealer. This side bet is unique to Spanish 21 and applies if either or both of our first two cards dealt match the dealer's up-card. With a house edge of three per cent, it eclipses the house edge of the main game, but Match the Dealer still has one of the lowest house advantages of any blackjack side bet.
For example:
- We draw a Seven of Clubs and a King of Hearts, and the dealer draws a Seven of Spades, this is called one non-suited match.
- If we draw a Seven of Clubs and a King of Hearts, and the dealer draws a Seven of Clubs, this is one suited match.
- If we draw a Seven of Clubs and a Seven of Hearts, and the dealer draws a Seven of Spades, this is two non-suited matches.
- If we draw a Seven of Clubs and a Seven of Hearts, and the dealer draws a Seven of Clubs, we call this one non-suited match and one suited match.
- And finally, if we draw two Sevens of Clubs, and the dealer also draw a Seven of Clubs, this is two suited matches and holds the largest payout.
The payout and house edge for a non-suited matches and suited matches depends on the number of decks used.
Mkvtools 3 7 100. The match the dealer side wager holds a house edge of 3.06% in a six-deck game, and 2.99% in an eight-decks game.
Spanish 21 House Edge
Spanish 21 offers a significantly lower house edge than any blackjack variant game. The house edge can be dropped to less than 1% if we follow basic, optimal strategy, making Spanish 21, like traditional blackjack, an ideal game for those who want larger control over their returns. The house edge of Spanish 21 will depend on the rule variations of the game:
- If six decks are in play, and the dealer stands on a soft 17, the house edge is 0.37%.
- If six decks are used, and the dealer hits on a soft 17, the house edge is 0.78%
- If eight decks are being used, and the the dealer must stand on a soft 17, the house edge is 0.38%.
- If eight decks are in play, and the dealer is required to hit on a soft 17, the house edge is 0.80%.
- If re-doubling is allowed where the dealer hits on a soft 17, the house edge is 0.42% in six-deck games, and 0.45% in eight-deck games.
- If surrendering is not an available option, the house edge increase by 0.006% in a stand on soft 17 game, and by 0.018% in a hit on soft 17 game.
Spanish 21's unique Super Bonus also reduces the house advantage, depending on the number of decks used and the wager amounts placed. In a six-deck game with bets of exactly $5 or $25, the Super Bonus lowers the house edge by 0.030%, and 0.036% in an eight-deck game, assuming there are no other players. At a bet of $5, the ‘envy bonus' also lowers the house edge by 0.0015% in a six-deck game, and 0.0018% in an eight-deck game, per additional player.
Insurance bets remain a sucker bet, just like in any other game of blackjack. In Spanish 21, such a wager actually presents worse odds than other games, due to the removal of the four ten-valued cards per deck; a dealer natural blackjack thus much less likely. With a house edge of 24.7% and an unfair payout of 2 to 1 rather than 3 to 1 to match the increased risk in Spanish 21, insurance continues to be one of the poorer wagers of any casino game.
Spanish 21 holds a different twist on the traditional game of blackjack, for good entertainment value, and refreshment from the usual rules. https://truemup610.weebly.com/is-cool-cat-casino-legit.html. While the removal of 10-valued cards is concerning, Spanish 21's generous Super Bonus and other enticing extra payouts, along with the extremely favourable rule of a player blackjack always winning, are good enough rules to make the game worth playing.
There are many factors behind blackjack's status as the most popular casino game, chief among them being that the odds and house edge are typically much more player-friendly than in other table games. However, as one of the most variable and least standardised games on the market, there are boundless rule options that can impact your likelihood of winning – one way or the other. Here, we'll analyses and scrutinise all the tricks a casino might use to lure you in to a poor odds situation, as well as the rules that will improve your chances of success.
What is the House Edge?
The term house edge refers to the discrepancy between the player's odds of winning a bet and the actual payout for that win. Free online casino games with bonus rounds. Effectively, it is a measurement of the casino's expected profit based on probability. This is not to be confused with house hold, which focuses on the actual amount the casino earns on any given game or specific tables.
As there is really no such thing as a ‘standard' blackjack game, the house edge can fluctuate from country to country, casino to casino, table to table. Typically, the house edge is less than 1%. For our purposes, we'll follow a fairly common American-style set-up with an overall edge of just under 0.2% and with the following rules:
- There are eight decks in play
- Dealer always stands on 17 (soft and hard)
- Player can split up to four hands
- Player can double after splitting
- Player can double on any first two cards
- Dealer peeks at hole card for blackjack
The percentages shown for house edges throughout this article will be based on the use of basic strategy in relation to the above conditions.
Bad Rules Which Alter Winning Chances
As blackjack often has such a low house edge compared to other games, many casinos fill their tables with rules that swing the favour away from the player and towards the dealer. Indeed, some venues alter their blackjack offerings to the point where they become some of the least player-friendly games on the floor.
Short Odds on Blackjack
This is becoming a common killer and should be avoided whenever and wherever possible. While a standard payout for a blackjack is 3:2, there are more and more tables cropping up offering 6:5 odds. Some are even going as low as 1:1. Many experts believe any game paying less than 3:2 can't rightly be called blackjack, and should instead fall under the broader bracket of 21.
- 7:5 payout – increases house edge by 0.45%
- 6:5 payout – increases house edge by 1.39%
- 1:1 payout – increases house edge by 2.27%
Dealer Pushes with 22
This one is especially controversial in Australia, following the introduction of the Blackjack Plus tables at Melbourne's Crown Casino. In this scenario, the dealer does not bust with 22 points – instead they push with any and all active player hands (besides 21). Countering this is the rule at Crown where players are paid out immediately if they hit blackjack, or any other combination of 21. Additionally, a five-card Charlie pays out immediately. In both of these scenarios, it does not matter what the dealer ends with. However, those two latter rules are not enough to level the playing field when the rule of a stand-off on a dealer 22 is in play. And remember, the push 22 rule only applies to the dealer; if we hit 22, we bust.
Think you've got a cool hand of 20? The dealer is sitting on a total of 12 and you're looking pretty, aren't you? But then boom! The dealer draws a face card and no one wins nor loses. This is an obvious distortion of the basic concept of blackjack that knocks up the house edge by a whopping 6.91%, and severely impacts basic strategy.
Player Loses 17+ Ties
Normally, the player and the dealer will push if they have equal hands, meaning your bet is returned to you and no cost is suffered. However, there are some variations where hands between 17 and 21 in value are awarded to the dealer in the event of a tie. Though there are a few different combinations that can be used, this is generally considered the very worst blackjack rule from a player's perspective.
- Player loses 17 ties – increases house edge by 1.87%
- Player loses 17 and 18 ties – increases house edge by 3.58%
- Player loses all 17 to 19 ties – increases house edge by 5.30%
- Player loses all 17 to 20 ties – increases house edge by 8.38%
- Player loses all 17 to 21 ties – increases house edge by 8.86%
No Splitting or Re-splitting
When you are dealt a pair with your first two cards, you can usually choose to split them into two separate hands; and if one or both of those hands should turn up another pair, you would then be able to split them again. Some tables don't allow splitting at all, or will prevent you from splitting certain hands (such as two Aces). This can greatly hinder a player's betting options and thus the potential to maximise winnings on very good hands.
- No splitting – increases house edge by 0.57%
- No re-splitting – increases house edge by 0.10%
- Can't split Aces – increases house edge by 0.18%
Doubling Restrictions
There are some versions of blackjack that only allow you to double down (double your bet, take one more card, and end your turn) on hands of a certain value. A few casinos even go so far as to eliminate the action altogether, which can move the odds – and a lot of money – a long way towards the house.
- No doubling – increases house edge by 1.48%
- Can only double on 10 and 11 – increases house edge by 0.18%
- Can only double on 9 to 11 – increases house edge by 0.09%
- Can't double after split – increases house edge by 0.14%
Dealer Hits on Soft 17
Blackjack House Edge Definition
Traditionally in blackjack, the dealer will stand (end their hand) when they reach 17 points. However, a common variation allows the dealer to hit when they have an Ace that can play as either one point or 11 points. For example: a dealer must stand with a Ten and a Seven, but they can hit with an Ace and a Six (which can total 17 or seven). Melbourne's Crown Casino is one among many worldwide that employ this rule, which improves the house edge by 0.22%.
Resulting Rules of No Hole Card & No Peek Games
In Australia and most European and Asian games, the dealer will not take a hole card on the initial deal – and, in some American versions, will take a hole card but not check for blackjack until all players have finished their hands. In both of the above scenarios, the player's odds are directly affected (negatively) if, and only if, any of the following consequential rules are in place (by up to 0.11%), and they almost always are.
- Blackjack wins all: If the dealer gets blackjack, all bets (including doubles and splits) are lost. This is the worst variation from a player's perspective.
- Original Bets and Busted Only (OBBO): If the dealer draws blackjack, you lose all busted bets plus one unit from each un-busted hand on the table. This means you can lose splits, but not doubles.
- Busted Bets plus 1 (BB+1): If the dealer gets blackjack, you lose all busted bets, plus one more unit from everything else you may have bet from doubling and/or splitting (affects both splits and doubles). This rule is unique to Australian blackjack.
The reason why we say the above rules are almost always in place with European format games, and games where dealers do not check for blackjack, is because there is one other rule, Original Bets Only (OBO), which can be used instead. Here, only the original bets are lost on a dealer blackjack, and all other wagers remain. This effectively has the same benefits to the player as when dealer's do check for blackjack in American variants; it does not affect our odds. Having said that, this rule is largely absent across Australian casinos, found very rarely.
Note: The above rules do not come in to play if a player has blackjack. Additionally, in games where the dealer checks for blackjack, the above rules are made redundant because if the dealer does have blackjack, players are saved from wasting bets on splits and doubles – results of players' hands are determined as soon as the dealer reveals his/her cards.
Good Rules Which Boost Our Chances
Blackjack House Edge Calculator
The basic premise of blackjack is already more advantageous to players than most other games, especially in terms of the actions one can take when compared to the dealer. While we usually have the option to double, split, and choose when we hit or stand, the dealer must follow the same procedure for every hand regardless of what cards the player is showing.
That said, there are some variations that hurt the casino even further – although many of these can be mixed with other, nastier rules designed specifically to cut down the player's advantage.
Long Odds on Blackjack
Very occasionally, you may find a casino that pays 2:1 for a blackjack. This is good news for you, as long as the table doesn't come loaded with dozens of other dodgy rules that cancel any benefit from the improved odds. Players already have the advantage against the dealer with a 3:2 payout (dealers only win 1:1 for blackjack), and a 2:1 return cuts the house edge by a further 2.27%. Another version sees the casino award a 2:1 payout specifically for suited blackjacks (ex: Ace and Ten, both of Clubs), which drops the edge down by 0.57%.
Fewer Decks
Simply put, the fewer the cards, the better your chances. While most blackjack games are played with between four and eight standard decks of 52 cards, there are tables that use less. Some casinos even offer single-deck games, but be warned: most of these are traps for gullible players, featuring ludicrous rules that offset any advantage you could gain from the comparative lack of cards.
- Single deck – decreases house edge by 0.48%
- Double deck – decreases house edge by 0.19%
- Four decks – decreases house edge by 0.06%
All figures compared to an eight-deck game.
Charlie
Once a fairly common rule, casinos rarely use it these days as it can be very good value for the player. Here, if you draw a certain number of cards – usually five, six or seven – without busting, then you automatically win. For example: in six-card Charlie rules, a hand of 5, 3, 2, 6, A (five cards for 17 points) would win even if the dealer had and Ace and a Nine for a total of 20.
- Five-card Charlie – decreases house edge by 1.46%
- Six-card Charlie – decreases house edge by 0.16%
- Seven-card Charlie – decreases house edge by 0.01%
There are variations, not exclusive to Charlie rules, where the player gets a bigger payout if they win with a hand of six or seven cards: Kiss slot machine.
- Six-card win pays 2:1 – decreases house edge by 0.09%
- Seven-card win pays 5:1 – decreases house edge by 0.05%
Surrender
This is a first-off action where you can choose to forfeit your hand in return for half of your original bet (with the dealer claiming the other half). In early surrender you can choose to give up your hand before the dealer checks for blackjack, while late surrender on the other hand, can only be taken after the dealer peeks at his hole card. Early surrender is almost never used, while late surrender is semi-regular and can cut the house edge by 0.08%.
Triple Up
There are a few blackjack games which allow players to triple their bet after seeing their first two cards. This rule is often used in conjunction with single-deck and double-deck games. Tables that allow you to triple up (or ‘triple down') on any two cards drop the house edge by 1.64%.
777
This variation is common in video blackjack, where players get an improved payout for making 21 with three Sevens. In many situations where it is used, the 777 is an automatic winner. Games with this rule often feature progressive jackpots.
- Three Sevens pay 3:1 automatic win – decreases house edge by 0.05%
- Three Sevens pay 2:1 automatic win – decreases house edge by 0.03%
