Free Blackjack – Game Rules and Best Strategies
July 19, 2024
Free Blackjack is an excellent version of the popular online blackjack. While it is similar to the traditional blackjack game, it features some significant differences from the original game.
Among the main differences is that the house or wagering platform usually pays the player’s bet allowing them to double down and split the cards. This could result in a maximum of 7 bonus bets per hand should the player split three times, with double-down opportunities on all three splits.
Free online blackjack occasionally allows bettors to land winnings while assuming relatively low risk. The only thing here is that a trade-off is usually tied to these wins, just as with blackjack rules.
In this article, we’ll take you through all matters of Bonus Bet Blackjack, including how to play the game, some strategies for better gameplay, and FAQs about the game.
How to Guide
The main points you need to be aware of before getting started playing free blackjack:
The hand starts when a player makes a wager in a blackjack free bet. You will need to place your wager in the circle right before you. Usually, the minimum bet amount is between $5 and $10.
After successfully wagering, the dealer and the player receive two cards each.
One of the cards from the dealer is placed facing up; in case a player has a card valued at ten and an ace is said to have a blackjack, which is usually paid out immediately, unless in the case where the dealer has a blackjack (which generally is a push).
In Free Bet Blackjack, most casinos usually pay 6-to-5 for any natural. So for each $5 wagered, the bettor will win $6. A 3-to-2 payout means the player gets $3 for each $2 that is wagered.
In this game, all the action starts with the first player from the dealer and takes a clockwise fashion.
The main options in Free Bet Blackjack include a hit, a stand, or a double down. Notable, surrender is not an option in this variation of the traditional blackjack.
Whenever a player hits, one card is usually added to the hand. After that, the bettor can continue hitting until that particular hand goes beyond 21, referred to as busting. Any writing that busts translate to a loss automatically.
A stand happens when a bettor is okay with the point totals accrued and they don’t want additional cards. The wager is usually doubled in a double down, and the bettor is given just a single card.
It is only allowed on the 1st pair, and the house usually covers the wager if the count is nine, ten, or eleven. The player should keep the card given in a double-down without drawing any additional cards.
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If a bettor has a qualifying card pair, they may opt to split, turning one hand into two, each receiving a single card. After the split, the options start again, with the stand, hit, split, and double down all offered. The only exception happens when a bettor splits aces; in this case, you can’t hit the hand, but it can be split again.
Once all bettors have acted, the dealer exposes the platform’s down card. The dealer's actions are as follows:
- The house stands on 18 and above.
- The dealer hits if the house has 16 or lower.
- If the dealer has an ace and any other cards totaling 6, the dealer hits soft.
- A dealer’s hard hit can lead to the house standing or busting.
- Any hand that stands at 23 or above leads to the dealer busting.
- If the dealer stands at 22, all players push.
After the dealer acts, the player’s hands are compared to the dealer’s.
- Any bettor with more points than the dealer wins some money.
- If the bettor and the dealer’s points are the same, the hand pushes, meaning the player gets their wager back as if the hand never happened.
- The house wins if the dealer has more points than the player.
These are some of the basics of free blackjack strategies. For a more in-depth view of how to improve your chances of winning, read our blackjack strategy chart in more detail.
✅ Splits: Always take free splits on all pairs except fives (double those) and ten-valued cards (usually not free).
✅ Double Down: When dealt a nine, ten, or eleven, always take the free double-down.
✅ Standing:
- Stand on 12 against the dealer in a hard hand, except when you have a five or six.
- Stand on 16, 15, or 14 against a dealer showing a two through six.
- Stand on all hard hands at 17, regardless of the dealer's card.
✅ Hitting:
- From 13 to 15, always hit on a soft hand.
- Stand soft whenever you have a two, three, four, seven, or eight.
If you live in a state where the online casino is legal and is thinking about giving Free BlackJack a try, we usually recommend players use their mobile phone on one of the following brands; MGM Casino App, Caesars Palace Online Casino App, DraftKings Casino, or Golden Nugget Casino App.
