Madison Avenue Blackjack

Madison Avenue Blackjack Game Overview

The chip sizes available in Madison Avenue Blackjack range from £1 to £500.

How To Play

The aim of Live Blackjack games is to finish the round with more cards than the dealer, and for the sum of your cards to be closer to 21. 

Blackjack is the best hand possible; this is when your initial two cards equal 21.

Game Rules

Madison Avenue Blackjack is hosted by a live dealer; a maximum of seven players can play at any one time.

It's played with eight standard 52-card decks. 

Card values are as below:

• Cards from 2 to 10 are worth their face value
• Face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) are worth 10 each 
• Aces are worth 1 or 11, whichever is more favourable to your hand (N.B. a hand that contains an Ace counted as 11 is called a Soft Hand)

When the betting time is up, the dealer deals every player one card face up (dealing starts with the first player on the dealer's left and moves clockwise). 

Players then receive a second card face up, ending with the dealer - the dealer's second card is dealt face down. 

The value of your initial hand will be shown next to your cards.

Blackjack

Blackjack is when your initial two cards total 21.

Insurance

You can buy an Insurance bet at half the amount of your main bet when the dealer's up-card is an Ace. 

This reduces the risk of the dealer having blackjack, even if you have blackjack youself.

If you purchase Insurance and the dealer reveals blackjack, odds are paid out 2:1; if the dealer reveals blackjack and you don't have Insurance, odds are paid out 3:2.

Once cards have been dealt, the dealer looks at their down-card to see if they have blackjack:

- If they don't, the round continues

- If they do and you don't have blackjack, the dealer wins

- If both you and the dealer have blackjack, the round ends in a 'push' and your bet is returned

You can't buy Insurance when the dealer's up-card is a 10 or face card.

Insurance bets are settled separately.

Double Down

You may Double Down on your first two cards. 

This sees you double your bet, but can only receive one card thereafter. 

It's not possible to Double Down after splitting.

Hit 

Asks the dealer deal for another card, which is added to your hand. 

You can hit an unlimited number of times as long as you don't exceed 21.

Stand

Tells the dealer you're happy with your hand and the next player can take their turn. 

Split

If your two initial cards are of the same value, you can split them into two separate hands. 

The dealer will then give you a second card for each. 

Both hands are classed as separate bets and are the same value as your main bet.

You can hit on each hand.

You can't hit if you split an initial pair of aces; if you split on two aces, you can only receive one more card per hand.

One split per hand only.

Outcome

You'll lose your bet if the value of your cards exceeds 21 - this is know as a 'bust'.

When all players have had their turn, the dealer will reveal their down-card. 

- If the value of their cards is less than 16, they must hit

- If they have a Soft 17 or higher, they must stand

You win if the dealer busts or your hand is closer to 21.

Tieing with the dealer results in a 'push' and you'll receive your bet back.

Blackjack (Ace and 10) beats a hand of 21 comprising three or more cards; a hand of 21 resulting from a split pair.

Side Bets

There are two optional side bets in Madison Avenue Blackjack - Perfect Pairs and 21+3.

It's possible to combine side bets with your main bet.

You can win a side bet even if you don't win your blackjack bet. 

Perfect Pairs

This gives you the chance to win if your initial two cards make a pair.

There are three different types of pairs, each offering a different payout:

• Perfect Pair – two cards of the same suit, e.g. two Aces of Spades
• Coloured Pair – different suits of the same colour, e.g. a two of Diamonds and a two of Hearts
• Mixed Pair – different suits, e.g. a 10 of Hearts and a 10 of Clubs

Perfect Pairs Payouts:

• Pefect Pair 25:1
• Coloured Pair 12:1
• Mixed Pair 6:1

21+3

21+3 gives you the chance to win if your first two cards, along with the dealer's face-up card, form one of the combinations below:

• Suited Trips – an identical triplet, e.g. three Queen of Hearts
• Straight Flush – cards of the same suit in numerical sequence, e.g. a 10, Jack and Queen of Diamonds
• Three of a Kind – cards of same value but different suits, e.g. three Kings
• Straight – cards of different suits in numerical sequence, e.g. a two of Spades, three of Clubs and four of Hearts
• Flush – any cards of the same suit, e.g. a two, six and 10 of Clubs

Each combination has a different payout.

21+3 Payouts:

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

Any malfunctions void the game round and all payouts for the round.

Bet Behind

This feature allows you to bet on another player's hand; you will share the outcome of the other player's hand.

Bet Behind wagers pay out the same as ordinary bets.

When betting is open, you may place a bet in any activated Bet Behind spot.

If your chosen player doesn't play that round, your bet will be refunded immediately.

The nickname shown on each seat is the person in charge of the decision making for that hand.

You can, however, decide the following:

- To place an Insurance bet when the dealer's up-card is an ace

- To double your bet when the player you are betting behind Double Downs or Splits

You can't Bet Behind on your own hand.

You can stop other players from betting behind you.

Hot Player

This helps you identify the player with the longest winning streak.

The number within the gold medal indicates the number of consecutive hands a player has won.

Return to Player

Return to Player (RTP): 99.28%

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 £99.28 of wins.