Provider: PGS
Type of Game: Table Game
States Available: NJ, MI, WV
Min/Max:
Min: $1.00
Max: $5,000
RTP: 99.57%
How to Play:
8 Decks. Shuffled every round. Certified random.
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Dealer draws on 16 and stands on any 17
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NO resplitting of split pairs. Only one per initial hand
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Only one card drawn to split aces
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Double down on any two cards
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Double down after Split
The goal of Blackjack is to beat the dealer by creating a hand that’s value is closest to 21 without going over. A hand’s value is determined by totaling the value of all of its cards. The value of each card is unaffected by suit and follows the following rules to determine the value:
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Cards 2 through 10 are counted at face value (ie, a 2 of clubs counts as 2 points)
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All face cards (Jack, Queen, King) count as 10 points each
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Aces count as either 1 or 11 points, depending on which is more advantageous for the hand’s value.
Each round begins once the player has placed all of their side bet and main bet wagers and hands are dealt out to both the Player and Dealer. Cards are dealt starting with the Player’s right-most hand and moving left, then to the dealer. All of the Player’s cards are dealt face up, while the Dealer receives the initial card face up and the second card face down.
If the Dealer’s face-up card is an ace, the player is offered an Insurance bet on each of their hands. This bet allows the player to place a bet equal to half of their initial wager. In the event that the Dealer has Blackjack, this bet is paid out 2:1. If the Dealer does not have Blackjack, this bet is forfeited. In the event this situation occurs when the Player has Blackjack, they are offered Even Money, which pays out their original wager at 1:1.
Once all hands have been dealt with, any active side bets are resolved. Winning side bets are celebrated briefly and then resolved and lost side bets are resolved at the same time. After side bets are resolved, the Player’s turn begins.
During a turn, the player has a number of actions to utilize in order to increase each of their hand’s value or the amount of money wagered on that round. For more information on the actions available, see the Hand-based Actions section below. The Player is allowed to take as many actions as they would like (with some exceptions) so long as their hand does not exceed a value of 21 (referred to as a “Bust”). If a hand busts, play moves on to the next hand. When the player is satisfied with their hand’s value (and that hand has not busted), they can choose to “Stand”, which advances play to the next hand.
When the player has played through all their hands, the Dealer’s turn begins. The
card previously placed face down is revealed and they begin to draw cards utilizing the following rules for determining when to stop:
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The Dealer must draw cards until their hand’s value exceeds 16.
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If The Dealer’s hand has an initial value of 17 or greater, they must stand.
After all turns have concluded and both sides have not busted, there are 4 possible outcomes that determine what happens to the Player’s wager on each hand:
1. Player wins: The Player wins if their hand is closer in value to 21 than the dealer’s. a. In this scenario, the Player’s wager is paid out 2:1
2. Player wins with a Blackjack: The Player wins automatically when they are dealt a Blackjack and the Dealer’s hand is not also a Blackjack.
a. In this scenario, the Player’s wager is paid out 3:2.
3. Dealer wins: The Dealer wins when their hand is closer in value to 21 than the player’s or
if the player busts.
a. In this scenario, the player forfeits their wager
4. Push: A Push occurs when both the Player and Dealer’s hands are equal in value (with the exception of 21).
a. In this scenario the Player’s wager is paid out 1:1
Key Terms/Features:
Hand-based actions are available to a player while a hand is being actively played. The following is a list of the various actions that can be available to the player during a round:
- Hit: Draw another card and add it to their hand.
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Stand: Elect to not draw any more cards and move on to the next hand.
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Split: If the first two cards are equal in value, the hand can be split into two separate
hands along with an additional bet equal to the main bet.
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If splitting two aces, each separate hand will receive one additional card.
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Except when splitting aces, this action can be taken once per split hand.
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Double: Allows the Player to double the value of their main bet and draw exactly one more card on that hand.
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This can only occur as the first and only action for a hand.
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If the player loses the hand after this action, the doubled bet value is lost.
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Side Bets & Special Rules:
This variant of Blackjack includes two different side bets, Poker, and Pairs.
Pairs:
This side bet utilizes the player’s first 2 cards on each hand only. If the player’s cards create a pair, the bet pays out. The amount paid out is dependent on the type of pair made. If the player’s hand is not a pair, the side bet is forfeited and the wager is lost.
Poker:
Similar to the previous side bet, Poker also utilizes the player’s hand when determining a resolution; however, it also includes the Dealer’s face-up card. The object of this side bet is to try and create a three-card poker hand utilizing these cards, with the payout increasing with the quality of the poker hand created. If the player’s hand is not a winning hand, the side bet is forfeited and the wagers lost.
The Rundown:
The Rundown provides a Player with a running list of their previously played rounds in a digestible format. While this information has typically been accessible via a long-form history as per regulations, the Rundown attempts to create a window of transparency for the player to reference whenever they desire.
When a round is completed, it populates in this list from top to bottom. On the surface, it shows the player some high-level details about that round:
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The Player’s hand value for each hand
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The Dealer’s hand value
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The result of the hand from the perspective of the Player
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If the Player won a side bet that round
Each entry can be expanded to show additional information about that round if the Player would like to know more about the round:
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Initial Hands for the Player followed by their final hands at the end of the round
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Initial Hand for the Dealer (with one card face down) followed by their final hand at the end of the round
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The ending Hand values for both the Player and the Dealer
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The total amount of money that was wagered on that round
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The total payout value of that round (before the wager is subtracted)
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The payout for each side bet and the winning hands
Payout:
Main Pay Table:
Poker Side Bet Pay Table:
Pairs Side Bet Pay Table: