How to play Vegas Blackjack
Vegas Blackjack is you against the dealer at a six-deck 3D table. Up to four bots can sit at the other circles and play their own hands, but you only ever play against the dealer. Blackjack pays 3 to 2, the dealer stands on all 17s, and there's no clock: the dealer waits for you.
The aim
Finish closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. Number cards count their number, jacks, queens and kings count 10, and an ace counts 1 or 11, whichever helps.
A hand with an ace counted as 11 is 'soft': a soft 17 is an ace and a six. You can't bust a soft hand with one more card, because the ace can drop to 1.
A round, step by step
Tap chips in the tray (or tap your betting circle) to bet, then Deal. You and the dealer get two cards each; one of the dealer's is face down.
When the dealer shows an ace you're offered insurance. When the dealer shows an ace or a ten-card, they check for blackjack before anyone plays.
Then you play your hand. When everyone is done, the dealer turns the hidden card and draws until they reach 17 or more, standing on all 17s, soft ones included.
Your options
- Hit: take another card.
- Stand: keep what you have.
- Double: double your bet on your first two cards and take exactly one more card.
- Split: turn two cards of the same value into two hands, each with its own bet. You can split up to four hands and double after splitting. Split aces get one card each and can't be split again.
- Insurance: when the dealer shows an ace, a side bet of half your bet that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack.
Payouts
Blackjack, an ace and a ten-card as your first two cards, pays 3 to 2. A 21 made after a split counts as 21, not blackjack.
A normal win pays 1 to 1. A tie is a push and your bet comes back. Insurance pays 2 to 1.
Using the controls
Before the deal, Undo takes back your last chip, Clear takes back the lot and Rebet places the same bet as last round. Then Hit, Stand, Double and Split appear when they're allowed.
Turn on Strategy hints in the table menu to see the textbook move for every hand. Tables run from Starter (bets 5 to 250) through Regular (25 to 1,000) and High Roller (100 to 5,000) to VIP (500 to 25,000). The six decks are shuffled when the cut card comes out.
Tips
- Use Strategy hints while you learn. Following the textbook moves keeps the house edge small, but it never removes it, so coins still drift down over time.
- Stand on hard 17 or more, and hit 11 or less. With 12 to 16, stand when the dealer shows 2 to 6 and hit when they show 7 or higher.
- Always split aces and eights; never split tens or fives.
- Insurance is a side bet on the dealer's hidden card, and over time it costs more than it pays.
- Take a Seat Wednesday pays 2× XP all day Wednesday, and doubles your day's winnings, if you're logged in.
Glossary
- Blackjack
- An ace and a ten-card as your first two cards. Pays 3 to 2.
- Bust
- Going over 21. A bust hand loses straight away, even if the dealer busts later.
- Soft hand
- A hand with an ace counted as 11.
- Hard hand
- A hand with no ace, or with every ace counted as 1.
- Push
- A tie with the dealer. Your bet comes back.
- Double down
- Doubling your bet for exactly one more card.
- Shoe
- The box the six decks are dealt from.
- Upcard
- The dealer's face-up card.