Blackjack is the most popular table game in casinos all around the world. But it wasn’t always that way. When Nevada first offered Twenty-One in 1931, it failed to catch on. Casinos had to tweak the rules to entice the public, offering 10 to 1 bonus payouts for landing a Jack of spades or clubs. Eventually it did catch on, and the 10 to 1 bonus payout was no longer needed.

Since then, several rule changes have happened to keep up with the evolving game. Now, standard blackjack is played with six decks, with the dealer hitting soft 17, and blackjack paying 3:2. Of course, there are variances between casinos, and even variance between the blackjack games offered in a single casino. The New Blackjack offered at Ignition Casino has the following rules:

  • Minimum bet per hand $1
  • Maximum bet per hand $500
  • Blackjack pays 3 to 2
  • Insurance pays 2 to 1
  • Dealer must hit soft 17
  • Surrender any first two cards
  • Split up to three hands
  • Split aces receive only one card
  • Double any two cards
  • No re-splitting of aces
  • A split ace and a 10-value card is not a blackjack
  • Six decks used, reshuffled after each round

These rules are the same as our Classic Blackjack.

 

Single Deck Blackjack

Other than limiting the decks to one, Single Deck Blackjack restricts the number of split hands to two and has a smaller $300 maximum bet per hand; that’s for both the New Single Deck Blackjack the Classic variant. With blackjack, the fewer decks you play with, the lower the house edge – when all other variables are the same. That’s why you can’t split as many hands in Single Deck Blackjack as you can playing the six-deck variant.

 

Double Deck Blackjack

Only one Double Deck Blackjack is available in our Blackjack section, and it has the coveted Dealer Stands on Soft 17 rule. Like its Single Deck counterpart, Double Deck Blackjack restricts split hands to two. Because of the extra advantage given to players by the Stand on Soft 17 rule, the betting maximum is further decreased to $250 per round.

Another blackjack game that offers the Dealer Must Stand on Soft 17 rule is European Blackjack. There are a couple of key differences between European Blackjack and standard blackjack.

  • Double only available on hard totals of 9 to 11.
  • Dealer does not check for Blackjack before you place your bets.
  • Game is played with six decks.
  • No surrender option.

 

Blackjack Rule Variations

If you want to venture further away from traditional blackjack, you may want to try Perfect Pairs or Zappit Blackjack. Perfect Pairs is standard blackjack with a side bet that pays 6 to 1 for landing a mixed pair, 12 to 1 for landing a colored pair, and 25 to 1 for landing a perfect pair. Meanwhile, Zappit Blackjack gives you the ability to replace 15, 16, and 17-point hands with new ones. The choice is yours.