The Rules and Strategies of Free Bet Blackjack - A Guide

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Free Bet Blackjack is a variant of classic blackjack that adds free splits and double downs, as well as taking advantage of dealer pushing on 22. To fully appreciate how this variation of blackjack works, it is vital that players understand its rules.

Normal gameplay in this variant is similar to standard blackjack, however as casinos pay out for splits and double downs bet sizing should vary accordingly.

Table of Contents

Basic strategy

Free Bet Blackjack is a thrilling variation of traditional blackjack created by Geoff Hall and distributed by Shuffle Entertainment that adds an additional level of strategy and excitement to the game. Boasting 3:2 payouts for blackjack (better than most casinos’ classic blackjack payouts), as well as offering free splits, double downs, resplitting pairs, resplits when resplitting pairs as a free option, Free Bet Blackjack is sure to please both novice and seasoned advantage players alike! Unfortunately there is no surrender option which may disfavour advantage players a bit!

House Edge for this game averages 1.04 percent, making it lower than most other blackjack variations and suitable for casual gamblers and advantage players alike. In any case, this variation should still be played if available at your casino; its higher winning opportunities than 6:5 tables make this worthwhile; unfortunately though, its dealer pushes all 22 hands, thus eliminating much of your advantage gained through classic blackjack play.

Insurance bets

Geoff Hall first unveiled Free Bet Blackjack at the Golden Nugget casino in 2012. It offers players a simpler strategy and fewer rules than standard blackjack, such as double and split free of charge and bonus payout for dealers 22.

Players place their bet and receive two cards from the dealer, who exposes one face-up card of his or her own. Players may double any hand containing 9, 10, or 11 and resplit pairs except those containing tens. They also get free insurance bets against his face-up card.

Insurance bets may offer some potential advantages, but are generally best avoided. Insurance bets can quickly drain your bankroll and reduce overall profits from playing poker – it’s best to steer clear. If an insurance bet does come up during gameplay, evaluate its risk accordingly before placing it; any time an insurance bet does get placed you should carefully assess your tolerance level as to whether or not losing out is worth the potential frustration that will likely follow it.

Splitting pairs

Free Bet Blackjack is an intriguing blackjack variation, providing players the option to double or split pairs without incurring additional bets. By employing basic strategy, this game provides similar payouts as standard blackjack while decreasing house edge to less than 1 percent. However, it is crucial that players understand how these rules impact game dynamics and strategy before engaging in Free Bet Blackjack games.

As the dealer’s push on 22 drastically alters the odds in this variant of blackjack, making it more challenging to turn a profit. To address this disadvantage and maximize returns from Free Bet Blackjack bets, players should consult a Free Bet Blackjack strategy chart in order to make optimal decisions based on both their cards in hand and what appears face up from the dealer.

At the outset of Free Bet Blackjack, it’s important to identify whether a player’s hand is hard or soft by looking at its total and comparing it with the dealer’s up card. Hard hands do not bust and may be played profitably with double down on totaling 9, 10, or 11. However, soft hands that contain an ace could potentially bust.

Card counting

Free Bet Blackjack differs from classic blackjack in that players may double down on any hand total between 9 and 11, regardless of what card the dealer shows them face up. They can also split pairs except those valued at 10. However, this game still boasts a higher house edge.

Card counting is a strategy used by gamblers to gauge their chances of success by keeping track of the number of high cards in a deck. Although counting cards does not constitute cheating, it does require focus and discipline – for instance American mathematician Edward O. Thorp’s book Beat the Dealer from 1962 outlines betting and playing strategies designed for optimal play.

Free Bet Blackjack features six standard decks of playing cards and an automatic shuffler, making it less advantageous for advantage players than other forms of the game. Furthermore, when hitting 22 the dealer pushes all bets which would give any advantages due to free doubles or splits away.