Free Bet Blackjack

Free Bet Blackjack Game Overview 

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

The aim is to achieve a better hand than the dealer, without exceeding 21.

Blackjack is the best hand possible and is awarded when your first two cards equal 21 exactly. 

Game Rules

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

An unlimited number of players can play at any one time.

This game is played with eight standard 52-card decks

When the betting time has expired, all players will be dealt one card face-up - the dealer will be dealt last. 

Players will then receive a second card face-up, while the dealer's second card will be dealt face-down. 

The value of your hand will be displayed on-screen.

Card Values 

Cards are worth the following:

• Cards two to 10 - face value
• Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) - 10 each 
• Ace - one or 11, whichever is more favourable to your hand

Blackjack

Blackjack is the best hand possible.

It can only be achieved using your first two cards, and is awarded when they equal exactly 21. 

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

Insurance

An Insurance Bet minimizes the risk of the dealer having Blackjack, even if you also have Blackjack. 

It costs half of your main bet and can only be purchased if the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace. 

Insurance Bets are settled separately from your main bet.

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

This will result in one of the following outcomes:

• If the dealer does not have Blackjack, the round continues
• If the dealer does has Blackjack and you don't, the dealer wins
• If you and the dealer both have Blackjack, the game ends in a push (tie) and your bet will be returned

Game Options

The below options give you the chance to improve your hand, but only if you and the dealer do not reveal Blackjack on your first two cards.

This is the because Blackjack is best outcome possible and beats all other hands. 

• Hit - signals to the dealer that you want another card. You can Hit as many times as you like, providing your hand does not exceed 21
• Stand - tells the dealer you are happy with your hand 
• Double Down - you can Double Down if your first two cards do not equal 21. It allows you to double your bet, but you'll only receive one more card thereafter. You cannot Double Down after splitting
• Free Double - if your first two cards equal nine, 10 or 11, you'll receive a Free Double. This adds a Free Bet to your original bet - if you win the round, the value of the Free Bet will match your original bet, your original bet will be returned and you'll be paid accordingly. If you lose the round, your original bet will be lost. If you tie with the dealer, your original bet will be returned
• Split - if your first two cards are of equal value, you can Split them into separate hands. Each hand requires a separate bet equal to your original bet. You can only Split once per hand
• Free Split - this is offered on your hand of pairs, except a pair of 10s. Your original bet will be placed on the first hand (right-hand side) and the Free Bet on the second hand (left). If you win, the value of the Free Bet will match your original bet and you will be paid accordingly. If the hand with the Free Bet loses, you will not lose your bet; neither bet will be returned if you draw

Outcomes

Exceeding 21 will cause you to bust and lose your bet. 

If your hand does not exceed 21, all other players will 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

You win if your final hand is closer to 21 than the dealer's or they bust, except if they bust on 22 (below).

If your hands are of the same value, the game will end in 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 (tie) and your bet will be returned.

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

It's not possible for the dealer to bust on 22 if you have Blackjack.

Six Card Charlie Rule

This rule sees you the win if you have a six-card hand totaling 21 or less, even if the dealer has Blackjack. 

However, it doesn't apply if the dealer has Blackjack after an Insurance offer.

Each Split hand will be evaluated individually.

Side Bets

The four Side Bets available in this game are: Any Pair, 21+3, Hot 3 and Bust It.

You can combine Side Bets with your main bet. 

It's possible to win a Side Bet even if you lose your main bet.

Any Pair

Allows you to wager on the combination of your two first cards.

There are two types of Any Pair winning combinations:

• Pair, e.g. 10 of Clubs and 10 of Heart
• Suited Pair, e.g. two Ace of Spades

Each combination has its own payout.

Any Pair Payouts

• Pair - 25:1
• Suited Pair - 8:1

21+3

This Side Bet allows you to bet that your initial hand, plus the dealer’s face-up card, will form any of the following winning combinations:

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

 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 places a wager on the combination of your two first cards and the dealer’s face-up card. 

There are several possible combinations:

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

 

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

Places a bet on the total value of the dealer’s cards exceeding 21, therefore causing them to bust.

The Bust It side bet will be pushed if you have Blackjack. 

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

Any malfunction voids the game round and all payouts.

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:

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.