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The answer to this question depends on you and your gaming habits. It’s like the question of which fruit juice is best for your health—it depends greatly on the individual. For some, it’s apple juice, for others, raspberry juice. The same principle applies to blackjack and its variants.
However, the different Blackjack variants offer different rules, payouts, house edges, and availability, making it possible to determine the best Blackjack variant for each non GamStop casino player and their bankroll.
As a general rule, you should focus on blackjack games with the lowest house edge and always stick to the 3:2 payout ratio. With this in mind, American and European blackjack variants are the most commonly played and offer excellent entertainment value. Avoid insurance and other side bets unless you’re a true pro, as they can devastate your bankroll in the long run.
If you value your chances more than payouts, Blackjack Switch and Blackjack X-Change are the best options.
Only enter a live casino at an online casino when you are 100% mentally and financially prepared. Stick to playing against computers in a turn-based environment until you can handle live dealers in real time. Building skills and confidence takes time, and rushing into action can be very costly.
If you are a good card counter, playing blackjack with just one or two decks can be a huge advantage that you should always take advantage of, regardless of the game variant.
The key, however, is to focus on a blackjack variant you are most familiar with. Never play an unfamiliar game with real money. Instead, spend some time practicing in free demo mode at one of the many online casinos that support a range of blackjack games and variants.
Blackjack Switch at Non GamStop Casinos
As the name suggests, Blackjack Switch players receive two hands instead of one and can swap the top two cards of each hand. This rule increases players’ chances of winning, which is why casinos have implemented additional rules to balance the odds in favor of the non GamStop casino. Games like these are especially popular at easy to join £5 deposit casinos, where players can start with minimal risk and still enjoy innovative gameplay.
In Blackjack Switch, a natural blackjack pays 1:1 instead of 3:2. There’s also a “Push 22” rule, where the dealer can tie with a hand of 22. In this case, players only receive the bet on the remaining hands.
Pontoon at Non GamStop Casinos
Pontoon can be advantageous for players because it’s played with a single deck of cards. Unlike other blackjack variants, however, the dealer’s hand remains hidden, so players cannot see any of the dealer’s cards. In this variant, “Pontoon” is a term used instead of “Natural Blackjack.”
• The dealer wins all ties
• The dealer must hit a soft 17
• Stopping is only allowed at 16 or higher.
• Doubling is called “buy,” standing is called “stick,” and drawing a card is called “twist.”
Atlantic City Blackjack at Non GamStop Casinos
This Atlantic City-based blackjack variant can be misleading to beginners because it looks like a standard game. However, there are a few minor changes compared to other blackjack games, which are important to understand before playing—especially if you’re going through the Kings Chip Casino registration and login process to get started.
• The dealer checks his hand to see if it is a blackjack.
• The dealer must stand on a soft 17.
• Players can double down with any two cards after a split.
• Later use is optional
• The player’s blackjack beats the dealer’s blackjack and is paid 3:2.
Progressive Blackjack
Unlike other versions of Blackjack, Progressive Blackjack has no fixed payouts. Instead, the game features a jackpot value that players can win by landing royal and suited pairs. In most cases, the jackpot is a side bet that the player can choose, but is not required to, and it typically ranges between €10,000 and €50,000.
A progressive blackjack game is similar to a slot machine and is only available at non GamStop casinos. It is played according to American blackjack rules, and a progressive jackpot is accumulated through side bets and a portion of the regular bets. Choosing a jackpot and placing side bets does not affect the house edge or the player’s odds of winning.
Multi-Hand Blackjack
As the name suggests, Multi-Hand Blackjack allows players to place multiple bets on multiple hands, not just one. In most cases, you can place bets on three to five hands, and the game mechanics are identical to the classic Blackjack variant.
This game is better suited to non GamStop casinos than land-based casinos because blackjack players have more time to think, decide, and make the right moves.
However, multi-hand blackjack is typically played with six or eight decks of cards that are constantly reshuffled, making card counting almost impossible. There are also many multi-hand blackjack variants with different rules regarding dealers and bets:
In some games, the dealer stands on a soft 17; in others, they hit another card. In some multi-hand blackjack games, you can surrender, while in others you cannot; the same applies to insurance bets and doubling down. The payout for a natural blackjack is 3:2.
Below is a list of players’ odds of winning depending on the number of decks used in a multi-hand blackjack game.
• Single-deck game: 0.48%
• Two decks: 0.19%
• Four decks: 0.06%
• Six decks: 0.02%
Spanish 21 Blackjack
This Blackjack variant is played with a Spanish deck of 48 cards. Compared to a regular deck, it has the same card values, but different suits (swords, cups, coins, and clubs) and no tens.
The game is played with six or eight decks, and the dealer can check for blackjack. The game also offers bonus payouts (3:1 for a 7-7-7 blackjack of the same suit), Super Bonus (a 7-7-7 blackjack of the same suit with a dealer’s up card that’s also a 7), and Match the Dealer (up to 24:1 payout for two matches of the same suit).
Additional rules include:
• The dealer must stand on soft 17
• You can choose an insurance bet
• Four splits can be made, including aces
• Players can double after a split
• Players can give up after a double-down
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