Blackjack Variants

September 26, 2022

3 min read

Online blackjack is a player favorite for its great winning chances, dynamic gameplay, and interactive nature. Some blackjack variants break away from these features, build upon them, or disrupt the gameplay as a whole.

Since any blackjack player will eventually get bored of the classic 21 card game, it won’t hurt to have a few alternatives in mind. This page covers the most popular blackjack variations, how they are played, and how they differ from the original American Blackjack.

Best Blackjack Variants

	House Edge	Decks	Soft 17	Doubling	Surrender	Resplitting
American Blackjack	0.5%	8	Stand	Yes	Yes	Yes
European Blackjack	0.39%	6	Stand	Yes	No	No
Vegas Strip Blackjack	0.35%	8	Stand	On any same cards	No	Yes
Perfect Pairs	–	–	–	–	–	–
Progressive	Varies	6	Stand	9, 10, or 11	No	No
Multihand	0.38%	6 – 8	Varies	9, 10, or 11	Depends	Varies
Buster Blackjack	6.21%	6	Varies	Yes	No	No

POPULAR VARIANTS IN ONLINE BLACKJACK

There are 100+ online blackjack variants, with a new one devised every now and then. Covering every blackjack game available at US online casinos would be too much for anyone, so we instead selected the games you will most frequently encounter at real money blackjack sites.

Variations of Blackjack Rules

It should be evident from the above that real money online blackjack games are based on the same principles and simply differentiate on one or two little things. Here is where they most commonly deviate:

Blackjack Variants FAQs:

How many blackjack variations are there to play?

With side bets often acting as blackjack variants, there are over 100 games to try out. The most popular include American, European, Free Bet, Switch, Pontoon, Spanish, and more. Each blackjack variant has different winning odds and rules for players and dealers, so you must practice for free before playing for real money.

Is Double Exposure Blackjack better than American?

The edge of Double Exposure Blackjack is slightly lower than Classic Blackjack, at 0.67%. The main difference between the two blackjack games is that both dealers’ cards are open from the start. Another name for this variant is Face-up Blackjack.

What is perfect pair in blackjack games?

The perfect pairs side bet pays out when the players’ first two cards are of the same value. Some twists to the original game pay out larger amounts for a third or fourth pairing card. Due to the side bet’s popularity, many players call games featuring it Perfect Pair Blackjack.

Are side bets worth in online blackjack?

Blackjack is a relatively straightforward game that can be played in a video or live format. The action might often make players get bored, which is where side bets come in. Such bets are separate from the round buy-in, significantly increasing the game’s low edge. In contrast, they can pay out very high sums if certain conditions are met. Some popular blackjack side bets are progressives, buster, blazing 7s, and perfect pairs. Whether you should use them depends on your budget and expectations, but overall, American Blackjack in a standard form provides the best long-term winning chances.

Herbert Hanson

Author

Herb has spent years working in the gambling industry, helping to provide gambling entertainment. He started from the land-based casino and then moved to the iGaming industry and joined our team as an author with great knowledge of the Las Vegas casino industry. His unique approach is the key to our content creation strategy. Do you need the latest bonuses and promotions; Herbert Hanson is your man with great knowledge.