When it comes to how slots work, slots players have long debated whether it’s better to play fixed jackpot slots or progressive jackpot slots. The simple truth is, it’s up to your penchant for risk. Fixed jackpot slots tend to pay out more often but in smaller amounts. Progressive jackpot slots, by virtue of having to keep a percentage of each bet to put toward the progressive jack pot, tend to pay out less frequency but when they do, they pay out big.

Real money online Keno games use random number generators (RNGs) to fully randomize the outcome of each draw. However, many players like to use a special system of patterns to pick their numbers. Pattern play is just like it sounds: choose your numbers based on patterns on the Keno card. Use chosen patterns like Diamond Daze, which chooses a large block of numbers in a diamond shape, or Crazy Corners, which blocks out corner number clusters. You can also choose your own series of columns, rows, or pairs.

Blackjack allows players to take insurance against a loss when the dealer draws a face up ace. To get insurance you need to put down half your initial bet. The problem is, while insurance might seem a good deal, once the dealer draws an ace, the odds of the dealer getting blackjack are 9:4, which means of 130 hands played, you’d win your insurance bet 40 times but lose it 90 times. Here it’s clear the statistics speak for themselves, insurance is a and bet.

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned professional it’s always recommended to stick to the Pass Line bet on the come out roll. The reason is quite simple, the Pass Line bet has a house edge of 1.41%, one of the lowest house edges on the casino floor. The Come bet, a wager that can be made after a point has been established, also has an exceptionally low house edge.

It is always advisable to play max coins when playing video poker. Why you ask? The reason is quite simple. If you study video poker paytables, as recommended in the tip above, you’ll quickly notice that the winning bets that pay out the best increase the amount of your winnings exponentially depending on how many coins you play. By playing max coins you ensure that in the event of that ever-elusive Royal Flush or any other big win, you’ll actually get the full pay out you deserve.

Casino Bankroll Management Tips

Set A Gambling Budget

Choose An Appropriate Betting Range

Set Loss and Win Limits

Keep A Record of Your Gambling Expenses

Set Yourself A Time Limit 

Play Slowly and Go Easy on the Drink

Place Smaller Wagers

Pick and Choose the Right Casino Games

Start Playing (Responsibly!)

Spanish 21 is one of the most popular versions of online blackjack. Like all other variations of the game, there are certain rules you need to follow with this version. The best way to play effectively is to make sure you understand these rules and apply a blackjack strategy to your gameplay. In this quick and easy guide, we’ve broken down the key aspects of this exciting game and laid out a few handy tips to get you started.

What is Spanish 21?

Spanish 21 is a special take on the classic game of blackjack. Brick and mortar casinos first introduced the game in 1995. While many of the rules are inherently the same as the original version, this one has a few different twists that can make the gameplay much more interesting. Additionally, such rules can be found in other blackjack games like Pontoon and Blackjack Surrender, both of which offer some big advantages to the player.  

Usually, Spanish 21 features the same table layout as the classic version of blackjack. This means between 6 and 8 decks of cards are used. Unlike other blackjack games, however, this one does not include 10 cards. Basically, this means 25% of the cards are missing. Jacks, Queens, and Kings remain in the deck, and like the original game, these cards have a value of 10. 

Spanish 21 Quick Facts

• This version of the game is played with 6-8 card decks with 48 in each
• All suited 10 cards are excluded from the game 
• If the player has 21, their hand always supersedes the dealer’s 21;
• The house edge falls in the range of 0.40%-0.76% in Spanish 21 and can be reduced by 1%, respectively. 

Rules: Blackjack vs Spanish 21

*Because of the lower number of 10s, the insurance bet in Spanish 21 with a 2-1 payoff has a much higher house edge than it does for blackjack. It is considered to be one of the worst bets you can make on any game.

Spanish 21 Rules

As mentioned already, Spanish 21 discards all of the 10 cards from the deck. At first, it may seem like this puts the player at a huge disadvantage. But the other changes in rules make up for this. Here are some quick pointers to help you remember the rules and what to be aware of while you play. 

Quick rules for Spanish 21:

• Player’s 21 always beats the dealer’s 21
• The dealer must either hit or stand on soft 17
• Redoubling is possible up to 3 times at most casinos
• You may opt to surrender on the first two cards
• All 10s are removed from every deck being played (6-8 decks is standard)
• The dealer must hit on 16 and stand on 17
• Even against a dealer’s blackjack, player’s 21 always wins
• You may double down after a split
• After splitting Aces, players can draw several cards from the shoe
• Receive bonus payouts for hands like 6-7-8, and for a 5-card trick that totals 21, e.g. 2-3-4-5-7

Rules for Hitting, Standing, and Splitting

In this version of the game, all rules for splitting, hitting, and standing are exactly the same as in the original game ofonline blackjack. This means that you are only allowed to stand, hit, or split once you've placed your wager, and only when the dealer has dealt your initial hand. A Spanish 21 strategy chart is a great way to assess the impact these rules can have on the game before making your move ─ but more on that later!.

Using the Late Surrender Rule

To go for a late surrender in blackjack means you are essentially forfeiting your hand to keep half of your stake. For the player, this can be extremely advantageous, and if you calculate the probability of beating the dealer’s hole card, you can minimize losses significantly with this move.

Using the Re-Splitting Rule

Being able to split and re-split Aces is another advantage of playing Spanish 21. You can also double down, and re-double on a pair in this version of the game. When doubling and splitting, you can also use the late surrender rule if you don’t want to risk losing half of your bet. If you know you’ve got a lousy hand to begin with, knowing you’ve got all of these rescue options at your disposal is a huge benefit.

Rules For Matching the Dealer’s Side Bet

In addition to the variations of rules above, there are normally some extra bonus games and side bets you can place in Spanish 21. One of the most popular side bet in this version of the game as well as classic blackjack and other variations are “Match the Dealer.” In order to win this bet, the player’s first two cards must match the dealer’s face card. While it can be a lot of fun, this bet can be risky, and should therefore be avoided if you want to keep losses to a minimum. 

Online Spanish 21: The Super Bonus Rule

Unlike other variations of blackjack, Spanish 21 is one of the few online variants that offer a Super Bonus. Actually, the odds of actually hitting a Super Bonus payout is about 1 in 668,382 in a game with six decks and 1 in 549,188 in an 8-deck game. But the thought of winning such a payout is enthralling in itself. 

Spanish 21 Strategy

If Blackjack is your usual weapon of choice in casinos, you’ll be pleased to know that Spanish 21 is one of the most profitable versions of the game out there. Like any gambling game, however, the best way to maximize your chances of success is to ensure you’re sticking to some kind of strategy. 

There are 3 basic blackjack strategies that are always worth sticking to when playing this game.

Bankroll Management

Make sure you have enough funds to accommodate a few games and any side bets you might want to participate in. Additionally, take the time to calculate your bets and moves. This way you have a higher chance of losing streaks and less room for mistakes. 

Regular Practice

If you’ve never played this version of blackjack in the past, the best way to get familiar with the changes in the rules and how it works is to play it for free first. This means you can learn the game without risk. Therefore, you save your cash for when you’re confident and ready to play for the real deal. 

Blackjack Cheat Sheet

The third and most effective strategy is a blackjack strategy chart. These are fantastic for calculating your payouts and potential moves. Also, one of the biggest benefits of playing online is that there is always a blackjack chart available for any version of the game you want to play.

Where Do You Find A Spanish 21 Strategy Chart?

Download these so-called “cheat sheets” directly from the web. And if you take the time to study the different moves and outcomes on the chart. Next, apply this knowledge to Spanish 21 or any other variant. You will likely notice some improvement in your gameplay. This is because you are naturally reducing the house advantage by knowing how your moves impact the game. And when the dealer has to stick to certain rules based on your hand, you can highly influence what happens next. 

Spanish 21 Playing Tips

As Spanish 21 doesn’t use 10s, there is a much lower risk of busting your hand in this game. This is why drawing extra cards is going to be worth your while in most cases. You can also use surrender but bear in mind that overusing this option may lose you more money in the long run. Below are our top tips for playing Spanish 21 and how you can make the most out of your bets. 

Get to know the different moves with a strategy chart

As the rules in Spanish 21 are different from classic blackjack, it’s worth taking some time to research the moves and possible outcomes that can occur. A strategy chart is the best way to get you familiar with the rules of the game. It can drastically improve your winning chances. 

Don't draw extra cards if bonus payouts are offered

It may seem a bit counterintuitive to do this when there is a bonus payout up for grabs. But if you’re quite new to the game and haven’t had much experience with these features ─ as well as side bets ─ we highly recommend avoiding them. While it may be tempting to put down a big wager, it's these kinds of bets that can ruin your bankroll in minutes.  

Be cautious of using the surrender too much

New players often overuse surrender in blackjack. While this is fine if you’ve got a big bankroll to play with, the losses can rack up quickly if you’re abusing this option. There are ideal times to call surrender. But this doesn’t mean you’re going to finish in the green if you plan to stick around for a few games. Therefore, it’s much wiser to use this option sparingly and play your hand as best you can.   

Extra cards don’t always bust your hand

10-value cards are under-represented in this version of blackjack. Therefore, there is a much lower risk of your hand going bust. This is why it’s typically more profitable to draw more cards in this game.

Ignore the Dealer side bet

Match the Dealer is a common side bet in Spanish 21. This bet can result in a large payout. The odds range between 4:1 to 18:1 depending on which card’s match the dealer’s face-up card. The not-so-great news about this bet is that the house edge sits between 3.99% and 3.06% in an 80-deck game. Naturally, this can pose a high risk to your bankroll. Therefore, skip these bets if you can and stick to the safer bets in the game.

Ready to Play Spanish 21?

Come and put your new knowledge and skills to the test! Play Spanish 21 and other great blackjack games for free or for real money at Planet 7.

Blackjack can be immensely exciting and lucrative on its own. But outside the goal of beating the dealer and winning a hand, there’s even more fun and money in this classic casino game. Side bets, aka “prop bets”, are one way to ramp up your winning opportunities in blackjack. While they aren’t available for every variation, you’ll find that you can rake in a decent amount of extra dough on a game if they are. 

If you’ve never explored this area of blackjack betting before, we’re here to talk you through exactly what these bets entail and what you can expect in terms of the house edge, probability of winning, and the implications to your bankroll. We’ll also share some insider advice to help you get used to the idea of placing side bets and how you can work them to your advantage. 

What Are Blackjack Side Bets?

Blackjack side bets fall into the same category as prop bets in sports betting. A bookmaker typically lays out odds for unconventional scenarios that are completely unrelated to the game itself. This could be things like how long the crowd will chant the national anthem for, what accent the commentator will have, how long it takes before someone streaks across the pitch, etc. 

While you can’t bet on the dealer’s choice of attire or how long it will take for him or her to strip off in a game of blackjack, the concept is exactly the same in the sense that these bets have nothing to do with the logistics of the actual game. What you might bet on are things like your first two cards adding up to a specific value or being of a certain suit. You might also bet that the dealer will go bust if you suspect they have a weak hand or that their hole card will be a particular number or suit, for example.

Why Do People Place Side Bets?

The game of blackjack has such good odds for the player already, so why do people bother with these propositions in the first place? Many players view them as opportunities to deviate from the monotony of trying to reach 21 and win some extra money at the same time, but others do it because they genuinely believe that it can bolster their success and chances of winning in the main game. 

This last part is a matter of personal belief and opinion, but what we can say for certain is that side bets, if done right, can be highly rewarding and good for your bankroll. This is because most side bets come with an exceptionally high house edge, so if a player manages to pull them off, the payout can be huge.

How to Place Blackjack Side Bets

Before you can place a blackjack side bet, you first need to make sure the casino offers these types of wagers. This should be pretty obvious if you’re playing at a land-based casino table, and you should be able to just place your chips on the proposition you want to opt for. If you’re playing at an online blackjack casino, available side bets are usually listed somewhere to the left of the game screen. Be sure to check the requirements and conditions for placing a particular wager before you select it. 

The Best Blackjack Side Bets

Now we’ll discuss the best and most common blackjack side bets you’re likely to find at casinos both online and offline. These wagers offer the most advantages to the player, and all feature a low house edge with reasonably high payouts.

21+3

The 21+3 side bet is one you’re most likely to come across at brick-and-mortar establishments, but it is known to exist in online games as well. To put it simply, you’ll win this bet if both the dealer’s face-up card and your initial two cards make up one of the following poker hands: straight, flush, or three-of-a-kind. Subject to a 9 to 1 payout, you’ll benefit from a 3.24% house edge with this bet, making it one of the most favorable side bets you can opt for in blackjack.

Royal Match

This is a classic bet that’s commonplace at online casinos and can be found in most variations of blackjack. Like the 21+3, Royal Match has a respectable house edge of only 3.7%. The goal with this bet is to form a hand of two cards of the same suit. Depending on how many decks are being used, the highest payout is 25 to 1 for a suited King and Queen and 5:2 for any other suited combination. 

Over/Under 13

Another bet with a commendable house edge is the Over/Under 13. For the Over bet, you’re up against a 6.5% house edge and 13% if you wager on the Under. If a player opts for the Over bet, they are essentially predicting that the first two cards dealt will exceed the value of 13; whereas, for the latter, the player is betting that the value will be less than this figure. Both can result in a nice payout if you win but bear in mind that if your first two cards equate to 13 exactly, you lose either way. While the risk is marginal here, a solid card counting strategy can help to further reduce the house edge for this wager in a live casino. 

The Most Popular Blackjack Side Bets

The above side bets are the best because they offer low house edges with high payouts. The most popular wagers, however, are ones you’ve likely heard of or come across already. Even though the house edge and payoffs are still decent enough for these bets, winning on them isn’t so easily attainable. Let’s take a quick look at what these are: 

Insurance

If you’ve played blackjack in the past, there’s no doubt you would have heard the term “insurance”. With this wager, you are essentially banking on the dealer having blackjack. Although the house edge isn’t particularly high, you can look forward to a 2:1 payout if your prediction is correct. Note that it’s only possible to take insurance if the dealer’s face-up card is a ten, face card (J, Q, K), or an Ace. 

Super Sevens

You can probably guess what this wager involves! The idea is to obtain as many sevens in your hand as possible, but you only need 1 seven to win. In this case, you can expect a payout of 3 to 1, and the bet covers up to 3 sevens. If you manage to get more than one seven and they are of the same suit, you can win a whopping 5,000 times your bet. Even though achieving such a hand is no easy task, most casinos typically limit the Super Sevens bet to $1 per play due to the sky-high earning potential. 

Lucky Ladies

Finally, we have the highest-paying side bet, Lucky Ladies. As this bet is pretty straightforward and pays well, it’s the one that appeals the most to players. For it to win, your first two cards need to total up to 20 exactly. The highest possible payout for this bet is 1,000 to 1, but this would only be achievable if you had two suited Queens of hearts and the dealer has blackjack. Other face card combinations can pay out handsomely too, but the most you can expect to earn for anything else is around 4 to 1.

Blackjack Side Bets: Conclusion

Side bets put an exciting spin on any blackjack game. But their importance shouldn’t be overstated because they don’t have much significance when it comes to a normal game. They exist to serve as more of an advertisement than a way to earn more money, and nine times out of ten, the casino will be the one to profit.

If you would like to explore this area of betting, however, make sure you check the rules for each wager and start small with your amounts. That way, you can get a feel for the dynamics of placing these bets without posing too many risks to your bankroll. 

For more on side bets andblackjack strategies be sure to check out Planet 7’s blog. You’ll find tons of real money blackjack tips and advice for getting started.