Free Bet Blackjack Strategy
Due to the fact that you will get a free bet on all splits (with the exception of 10s), and also a free bet on double downs on 9, 10, or 11, the basic strategy for this game is a little different than regular blackjack. The reason casino blackjack tables have a maximum bet is exactly to counter the Martingale strategy. For example, a $10 minimum Table typically has a $500 maximum. Playing the Martingale strategy, if you lose only 6 hands in succession, then you would need to bet above the maximum on the 7th hand in order to keep the cycle going until you win.
- If a player is skilled and plays basic strategy along with card counting, Free Bet Blackjack might provide some nice winning sessions, but the trick is being disciplined enough not to chase a potential free bet by wagering more than you should on any given hand.
- Watch More Content Here!!Twitch: (Require to Play Blackjack with us on Twit.
- Free Bet Blackjack Strategy Charts Like any other Blackjack game featured in our guides here on CasinoGrounds, we’ve created separate strategy charts for the free bet version as well. There are 3 separate charts, to be used when facing play with Free Hands, Real Money Hands as well as Splits. Real Money Hand Chart.
Free Bet Blackjack
By Henry Tamburin
Have you every wished the dealer would match your double down and pair split bets with chips from her chip tray? Wish no more, because that’s exactly the twist in the new blackjack game called Free Bet Blackjack. To get the scoop on the game, I interviewed the game’s inventor Geoff Hall, CEO of Customized Casino Games Limited.
“What gave you the idea to invent Free Bet Blackjack?”
I try to focus on what players don’t like about the traditional game of blackjack and then see if I can improve, or eliminate, that part of the game. For example, one thing that upsets players is when they make multiple bets by splitting and doubling, only to lose all the bets when the dealer ends up with a higher total. With Free Bet Blackjack, players can still win multiple bets but will generally only have one bet at risk.
“What are the playing rules?”
The main feature of Free Bet Blackjack is that the casino will pay the player to split and double in certain situations. A player can receive a “Free Split” on all pairs, except 10-value cards, and a “Free Double” is awarded on all two-card totals of hard 9, 10, and 11 (i.e., totals that do not include an Ace).The dealer will use a gold “Free Bet” token that will match the same amount that the player has originally wagered. (For example, if a player makes an original wager of, say, $10, and doubles down on hard 11, with the “Free Double,” he will win $20 if his hand beats the dealer hand.) Players may also split and double other hands if they wish but they would pay for those as in the regular game. All other rules are incorporated into the game so that it mirrors the traditional blackjack game, including paying player blackjacks at 3-2 payoff odds.
“The Free Double and Split rules are very player friendly. How much do they affect the house edge for a player?”
Just allowing Free Splits and Free Doubles in a regular game would give the player roughly a 6% advantage over the casino.
“Is there a limit on the number of ‘free bets’ per hand?”
The free bets also apply to re-splits and doubling down after pair splitting so a player could possibly end up with a total of eight bets while only paying for one of them (the other seven bets would be “free”).
“What is the ‘catch’ in the game that neutralizes the player edge on the free doubles and splits?”
The compensating rule used to pay for the free doubles and splits is called “Push 22.” (I designed this rule on another game I invented called “Blackjack Switch.”) With the Push 22 rule, a dealer’s “bust” hand of 22 will push any remaining player bets rather than pay them. However, player blackjacks are still paid even money when the dealer has a 22. Statistically, a dealer will get a bust 22 hand 7.36% of the time in a “Hit Soft 17” game. The Push 22 rule is worth 6.91% to the casino.
“With the free double and split rules, it’s obvious that players should be more aggressive in their double down and pair splitting strategy. Is there a published basic strategy for the game, and if so, where can a player get it?”
Players should take all free doubles and splits; even if they seem counter-intuitive (i.e., doubling 9 versus a dealer Ace). There are some other basic strategy changes due to the Push 22 rule and you can find a published basic strategy on discountgambling.net and on wizardofodds.com. (Although the published strategy was devised for the six-deck game, you can use it in the single-, double- and eight-deck games as well.)
“What is the house edge against a player who plays Free Bet Blackjack using the optimum basic playing strategy?”
The house edge will vary depending on the mix of rules that the casino chooses, including the number of decks. If we take a base six-deck game with dealer hitting soft 17, and resplitting Aces and surrender allowed, then the house edge against a basic strategy player is 0.81%. A double-deck game with identical rules will have a house edge of 0.85% due to the slight reduction in free bets. Other factors that affect the house edge against the player (in percent) are dealer standing on soft 17 (+0.31%), surrendering not allowed (-0.21%), and no re-split of Aces (-0.08%).
“What are the advantages of playing Free Bet Blackjack vs. a traditional blackjack game?”
Firstly, the strategy is easier for a recreational player because he should take all the free bets (this reduces doubling and splitting playing errors).
Secondly, a player is generally just exposing one bet at a time on doubles and splits so the volatility is reduced for the player on losing hands although he can still win multiple bets on a winning hand.
Thirdly, I believe the game is more fun to play!
“Is it possible for a card counter to gain the edge in the game?”
Free Bet Blackjack is so close to the traditional game that you can still gain an edge by card counting. However, something to consider is that if a player is dealt at least one face card then there is no “Free Bet” option for the player. Overall, Free Bet Blackjack is no more vulnerable to card counting than a traditional blackjack game.
“Where can a player find out which casinos offer Free Bet Blackjack?”
The list is growing on a regular basis as I distribute the game in the UK and Las Vegas, and Bally Corporation distributes the game everywhere else. Currently, there are 21 tables of Free Bet Blackjack in Las Vegas and 23 tables installed outside Nevada in Arizona, California, Washington, Mississippi, and Connecticut. There are 19 tables in the UK, for a total of 63 tables Worldwide to date.
If anyone wishes to be kept informed on installations of Free Bet Blackjack, then I will try to update my Facebook page (facebook.com/freebetblackjack) as often as I can.
Tip from Geoff
I asked Geoff Hall for some tips on playing Free Bet Blackjack. This is what he had to say. “You should check the rules of the game in the casino before you play. For example, there are some versions where a player blackjack is paid only 6-5, which increases the house edge dramatically. In the UK, dealers stand on soft 17, which reduces the house edge by 0.31%. (I’m sure there will be similar games in some gaming jurisdictions in the U.S.) If you find a game with surrender, then this is more valuable in Free Bet Blackjack than in a regular game due to the Push 22 rule. One final tip: the most costly player mistake is not to take a free bet, so make sure you take all the available free splits and doubles when you play.”
If you happen to enjoy Blackjack Switch, there is a good chance you might get intrigued by Free Bet Blackjack. Both variations were invented by professional gambler Geoff Hall, a highly acclaimed figure in the landbased gambling circles.
Hall first introduced Free Bet Blackjack in June 2012 at the Golden Nugget Casino in downtown Las Vegas and himself deems it his most successful creation to this date. The game mostly plays like conventional blackjack with two major differences. Players get to double down and split on certain two-card hand values for free.
Basic Rules and Payouts in Free Bet Blackjack
Free Bet Blackjack is normally dealt out of a six-deck shoe and requires the dealer to hit soft totals of 17. Minimum bets are typically either $5 or $10. The round starts with players posting their chips in the betting circles corresponding to their spots on the table.
Once bets are posted, all participants receive two face-up cards, except the dealer whose second card is dealt face-down. A starting hand of an Ace and a ten-value card is an instant winner and returns a payout of 3 to 2 although an increasing number of gambling halls choose to cut down the odds for blackjacks to 6 to 5. Regular winning hands pay out even money.
Players have a choice from the usual playing decisions like hitting, standing, doubling down, and splitting. Surrendering a hand is no longer permitted in Free Bet Blackjack.
The free doubling down and splitting rules are outlined in the sections below but they come at a cost. Instead of busting on hands that total 22, the dealers in Free Bet Blackjack push with the players. Thus, if the player’s hand totals 21 or less and the dealer has a total of 22, the player’s wager is considered a tie.
Payouts for the Push 22 Side Bet
Some gambling halls like San Diego’s Pala Casino give players the opportunity to earn extra money with the Push 22 side bets. The payouts for these optional wagers are as follows:
- 50 to 1 for a dealer with suited cards that total 22
- 20 to 1 for a dealer hand of 22 that consists of cards of the same color
- 8 to 1 for any hand combination of the dealer that totals 22, regardless of suit and color
Doubling Down in Free Bet Blackjack
Regular doubling down is permitted on any two-card total. However, the player gets to double down for free on two-card hands of 9, 10, and 11. In this instance, the dealer matches the player’s initial wager with a free bet chip and deals one more card to the hand.
If the player wins, the dealer pays the successful double with real money. If the dealer wins, the player loses only the original bet they have posted and the free-play chips are removed from the felt. When the two push, the player gets their original wager back. Free doubling is also allowed after the player splits pairs.
Splitting in Free Bet Blackjack
At Free Bet Blackjack tables, players can split for free all pairs with the exception of 10s, although splitting 4s at no cost was also prohibited initially. The pair is then divided into two separate hands and a card is automatically drawn to each one.
The hands are played one at a time, with players having the option to hit, stand, double for free, or resplit for free. Resplitting is possible to up to four individual hands, including those consisting of Aces. Respectively, a free-bet chip is used for each split hand. Should the player win, their free chip is replaced with a real chip that equals the amount of the initial wager. If the dealer wins, they collect only the players’ original bet.
House Edge and RTP
Best Strategy For Free Bet Blackjack
When Free Bet Blackjack first hit the floors of Las Vegas casinos, players had the opportunity to exercise the late surrender decision, i.e. to fold their starting hands in exchange for half of their original wagers. However, it was soon established this led to a significant reduction in the house edge, which dropped to 0.21% only.
Gambling halls then decided to boost their own advantage by removing the surrender option altogether. The rules outlined above presently yield a house edge of around 1%, which is still rather decent for a game where you get to double down and split for free. Respectively, this corresponds to a long-term theoretical return-to-player percentage of 99% at 3-to-2 tables.
Strategy and Tips for Free Bet Blackjack
The optimal strategy here bears a number of similarities with that for conventional blackjack but there are several exceptions you need to have in mind when you attack the Free Bet Blackjack tables. The first exception is that players should split all pairs for free except those consisting of 5s where they should double at no cost instead.
Free Bet Blackjack Basic Strategy
Keep in mind splitting 10s is generally a bad idea. If you insist on doing it, nevertheless, remember the free split rule does not stand on paired 10s and you will have to pay for this decision. You should also double down for free on any two-card total of 9, 10, and 11, regardless of what the dealer’s exposed card is.