Online Casino Live Blackjack Variations
Blackjack is a popular online casino game that most live online casinos have in their casino games lists, with several of them featuring multiple tables and blackjack variations from different gaming providers. Different blackjack variations tend to have different blackjack odds, payouts, and house edges thanks to the different rules they typically have.
Because different blackjack variations tend to have different rules and payouts, it’s important to know their differences to know which blackjack game to play at Go Perya.
Common Blackjack Variations
Of the many different blackjack variations out there, the two most common and frequently used by gaming providers are American and European Blackjack. The differences in their rules are the following:
| American Blackjack | European Blackjack |
| 6-8 decks | 2-8 decks |
| The dealer stands on 17 | Dealer stands on soft 17 |
| The dealer deals a hole card after the players’ cards are dealt | The dealer deals a hole card only after the players conclude their plays |
| 0.5% house edge | 0.38% house edge |
| Blackjack Payout is either 3:2 or 6:5 | Blackjack Payout is 3:2 |
| Late surrender allowed | Late surrender is not allowed |
| Double down allowed | Double down allowed only if the hand is 9, 10, or 11 |
| Double down after split allowed | Double down after split is not allowed |
The gameplay can vary depending on when choosing to play American or European Blackjack. Both variations have their respective pros and cons, but Basic Strategy covers the multiple situations present in both blackjack variations.
Common Variations on Blackjack Rules
Most blackjack variations tend to have the same fundamental rules with the differences between variations mainly focusing on the side bets, rules on doubling down, splitting, resplitting, and surrendering, when the dealer peeks, and the payouts. Other variations take things a step further by dealing only one hand for all players and providing multipliers to help gamblers win more real money as they stake more.
Some of the most common rule variations are the following:
Number of Decks in Play
Different blackjack games use a different number of decks for play. The number of decks in play range from two to eight decks. The higher the number of decks used in a game, the higher the house edge is.
Different Side Bets
21+3
21+3 is a side bet on whether the first two cards in the player’s hand and the dealer’s upcard make one of the following three-card poker hands:
Any Pairs
The Perfect Pairs wager gives you a chance to win if your first two cards dealt represent any pair.
Perfect pairs give gamblers a chance to win when their first two cards represent any of the following pairs:
Hot 3
Hot 3 is a blackjack side bet where the gambler wins when the combined total of the player’s upcard and the dealer’s upcard is 19, 20, or 21. The different winning hands are the following:
Bust It
Bust It is a blackjack side bet where the gambler wins when the dealer busts on their third card. The different winning dealer outcomes are the following:
Bet Behind
Bet Behind allows gamblers to place a bet on another player’s hand, allowing them to piggyback off another player’s success.
Dealer’s Soft 17
Whether or not the dealer stands or hits on a soft 17 affects the table’s house edge, especially since hitting on a soft 17 gives the dealer a better chance of getting a Blackjack or getting close to it.
Double Down After Splitting
Some tables allow gamblers to double down after splitting their hand, allowing them to win more real money. Basic Strategy even covers doubling down after splitting when allowed and provides an alternative action when it isn’t.
Resplits
Some tables allow gamblers to further split their hand after an initial split to give them more chances of winning. If one hand busts, they’ll still have more chances of winning if the other hands don’t bust.
Surrenders
Not all blackjack tables allow gamblers to surrender or forfeit half their bet to keep them from losing their entire stake. Also, not all tables that allow surrenders allow late surrenders.
Dealer Peek
In some blackjack tables, the dealer checks for Blackjack if their upcard is a ten or an ace. This is only possible in American Blackjack since this is the only variation where the dealer has a hole card. The house edge goes down when the dealer peeks, especially since the player can try and hit if they find out that the dealer doesn’t have Blackjack.
Six Card Charlie Rule
The Six Card Charlie rule is a special rule where a 6-card hand that doesn’t bust is an automatic winner. The house edge is 0.16% and the RTP is 99.84%.
Payouts
Different blackjack variations have different payouts, especially since some variations have multipliers that allow gamblers to win more real money when they activate the multiplier.
Popular Blackjack Variations
Different online casinos offer different blackjack game variants, depending on the gaming provider powering the casino. Evolution Gaming is one well-known provider with several exclusive blackjack variations. Among these variations are the following:
Live Blackjack
Evolution Gaming’s Live Blackjack has rules that are a combination of American and European Blackjack. This variation is the most common variation in Evolution Gaming’s blackjack games lists while also featuring several side bets, including 21+3, Any Pairs, and Bet Behind as standard.
The Live Blackjack tables come in a wide range of tables with several of them offering low minimum stakes to VIP tables with high minimum and maximum stakes.
Speed Blackjack
Speed Blackjack is similar to the Live Blackjack tables, except that all the seated players make their plays simultaneously and the fastest player gets dealt their next card when they hit, double down, or split.
Infinite Blackjack
Infinite Blackjack is a Live Blackjack variation with unlimited seats; all players are dealt the same hand. Gamblers can play their initial two-card hand how they want to play it without needing to consider the other players. This variation comes with the 21+3, Any Pairs, Hot 3, and Bust It side bets and the Six Card Charlie rule as standard.
Lightning Blackjack
Lighting Blackjack is a classic blackjack table that features RNG-based multipliers, ranging from 2x to 25x multipliers, per round that appear before the cards are dealt. This variation features unlimited seats and all players are dealt the same hand. Players must pay a Lightning fee to have a chance of winning big through the multipliers.
Free Bet Blackjack
Free Bet Blackjack is a variation of Live Blackjack where gamblers can double down and split for free by left-clicking on “Free Double Down” and “Free Split.” Double Downs are free on hard 9-11 and Splits are free on 2-9 and Aces. In this variation, the dealer pushes when they get a 22.
Free Bet Blackjack is also available in the Infinite Blackjack format.
Power Blackjack
Power Blackjack is a variation based on the Infinite format where gamblers can Double, Triple, or Quadruple Down on their initial hand and after splitting. This variation is played with 8 decks, with all 9s and 10s being removed, effectively removing 64 cards from the equation. Power Blackjack comes with 21+3, Any Pairs, Hot 3, and Bust It side bets as standard.
FAQs
Conclusion
Besides the standard American and European Blackjack variations, online casinos will typically feature other variations that are specific to certain gaming providers that feature even more different rules. It’s important to understand what each variation features to ensure that they can play the best one for their playstyle and objective. When aiming to win big, gamblers can opt for Power Blackjack to take advantage of Triple and Quadruple Downs instead of only doubling down.
When playing live blackjack online, it’s important to look for the right blackjack variations, and Go Perya offers several variations through Evolution Gaming. Register today to start playing Go Perya blackjack games.
