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Blackjack Compared: The Online Casino South Africa ‘KO’
Blackjack is a staple at our online casino South Africa – and every other gambling out there, whether online or firmly on the ground. It remains one of the most authentic casino table games, or card games to be more precise, with popularity that stretches back generations and centuries.
We’re all familiar with the classic blackjack, which is the most traditional form of the game. This variant enjoys a massive following at Springbok Casino in 2023, drawing in thousands of happy punters every day. As we delve into the different variants and how they stack up at our online casino South Africa, you’ll see why!
Common Online Blackjack Variants
Besides classic blackjack at our online casino South Africa, there are many other variants that you can find elsewhere on the web. Some have player-friendly rules that can lower the house edge and increase your chances of winning, while others have unfavourable rules that can make the game more challenging and less profitable. Here are some examples of common online blackjack variants and their main rule differences:
- Blackjack Switch: This variant allows you to swap the top cards of your two hands, but it also lowers the payout for a blackjack to even money and makes a dealer’s 22 a push. This increases the house edge by about 0.6%.
- Double Exposure Blackjack: This variant exposes both of the dealer’s cards, yet the dealer win all ties – except for blackjacks – which pay even money. This deviation from classic rules increases the house edge by about 1.5%.
- Blackjack Perfect Pairs: This variant has a Perfect Pairs side bet, which pays out if your first two cards form a pair. The side bet does however have a high house edge of about 6% and does not depend on any skill or strategy.
- Super Fun 21: This game has some fun rules that allow the player to win automatically with certain hands, such as a six-card 20 or a five-card 21. The player can also double down, split, and surrender at any time. These rules come at a cost though. A blackjack only pays even money, unless it is a suited diamond blackjack, which pays 2:1. This rule increases the house edge by about 1.3%.
What Sets Blackjack Variants Apart?
When choosing a blackjack variant to play at our online casino South Africa, you should consider how the different rules affect your chances of winning and your optimal strategy. Some of the factors that set blackjack variants apart are:
House Edge
In simple terms, the house edge is the percentage of each bet that the casino is expected to retain over time. A lower edge at an online casino South Africa is therefore better for you. It’s not a one size fits all though… The house edge of blackjack depends on the number of decks, the rules for the dealer and you, and the payouts for different hands.
Generally speaking, single-deck games have a lower house edge than multi-deck games – but they may also have less favourable rules or payouts to compensate. For example, some single-deck games pay only 6:5 for a blackjack instead of 3:2. This increases the house edge by about 1.4%. Similarly, some multi-deck games allow you to surrender or resplit aces, which lowers the house edge by about 0.2% and 0.08%, respectively.
Blackjack Rules
The rules for the dealer and player can also affect the house edge and the optimal strategy in blackjack. For example, if the dealer must hit on soft 17 (a hand with an ace that can be counted as either 7 or 17), this gives the dealer a chance to improve their hand and beat you. The rule increases the house edge by about 0.2%.
On the other hand, if you can double down on any two cards or after splitting, this gives you more opportunities to increase your bet when you have a favourable hand. This rule lowers the house edge by about 0.1% and 0.14%, respectively.
Another rule that can impact the game is the insurance option, which is offered when the dealer’s upcard is an ace. This allows you to place a side bet of half your original bet that pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack. This option is unfavourable for you as it has a high house edge of about 7.4%.
We recommend you avoid taking insurance at our online casino South Africa as it can only be useful in real life setting where you can count cards and be certain that the remaining deck is rich in 10s.
The Number of Decks in Play
The number of decks used in different blackjack variants affects not only the house edge but also the probability of certain outcomes and events. E.g., in a single-deck game, the probability of getting a blackjack is 4.83%, while in an eight-deck game, it is 4.75%. This means that you are slightly more likely to get a blackjack in a single-deck game than in an eight-deck game.
That said, it also means that you are slightly more likely to face a dealer’s blackjack in a single-deck game than in an eight-deck game. You are additionally more likely to see repeated cards. When looking for a good blackjack game at our online casino South Africa, it’s important to factor in all these little nuances.
How Blackjack Variants Stack Up at Springbok Casino
At Springbok Casino, we offer three exciting blackjack games for you to enjoy:
- Blackjack: This is our classic version of blackjack, played with six decks of cards and standard rules. The dealer must hit on soft 17 and you can double down on any two cards and after splitting (except aces). You can also split up to three times (except aces) and surrender your hand if you don’t like it.
- Blackjack + Perfect Pairs: This is our enhanced version of blackjack, played with six decks of cards. The main game follows the same rules as our classic version, but you can also place a side bet on whether your first two cards will form a pair. If they do, you win according to the payout table, which ranges from 6:1 for a mixed pair to 25:1 for a perfect pair (two identical cards).
- Suit 'Em Up Blackjack: This is our unique version of blackjack, played with six decks of cards and an optional side bet called Suit 'Em Up. As with our Perfect Pairs variant, the main game rules are standard, but the side bet offers a wager on whether your first two cards will be of the same suit. If they are, you win according to the payout table, which ranges from 2:1 for any suited cards to 60:1 for a suited blackjack (an ace and a 10-value card of the same suit).
It’s a KO! Play Blackjack at Springbok Online Casino South Africa
To conclude, we win with an echoing KO when comparing our blackjack variants to other casino game menus. We do so by offering variety. Whether you prefer the simplicity of classic blackjack, the thrill of Perfect Pairs, or the novelty of Suit 'Em Up, you can find it all at Springbok Online Casino South Africa!
