Free Bet Blackjack Live uses nearly all the gameplay elements of basic blackjack. However, playing requires punters to find a live dealer online casino that offers the game and choose a suitable table.
The punters' primary objective is to get a total card value of 21, or an amount closer to 21 without exceeding it. The game starts with the casino live dealer dealing two cards to each player at the table and two for themself. One of the dealer's cards is dealt face-up, which can help influence punters' decisions.
Punters have the options of calling a 'Hit,' which ideally means requesting an additional card from the dealer. That is usually a good idea when the first two cards have a relatively low total but introduce the risk of getting totals exceeding a 21, thus losing a bet. The other alternative is to 'Stand,' meaning that the player's bet is against the sum of the first two cards. Finally, punters can also opt to utilize the free splits or free double downs, depending on the totals.
The Catch
There is a catch to the free splits and free double downs offered in Free Bet Blackjack Live, which many newbie punters might miss. The casino has to compensate for the free bets in a way. The catch is that if the dealer hits 22, it will not be considered a bust as usual. Instead, all bets on the table will be pushed, which means stakes are returned to punters. In regular blackjack casino games live, the dealer hitting 22 would be considered a win for the punters.
Free Bet Blackjack Live's Rules
Blackjack rules are relatively straightforward. The live casino game only requires punters to call a hit or stand after getting the first two cards from the live dealer, then compare the totals to that of the dealer to determine whether they have won or lost the wager.
When calculating totals, all number cards have the value of the numbers on them. All face cards are counted as 10s. The ace can be a 1 or 11, depending on what works best for the punter.
Things to Note
All Free Bet Blackjack Live punters should note that the basic strategy for the game is a bit different from that of regular blackjack. That is because punters should double down on every opportunity they get for using the free double downs.
Punters should also note that the free splits and doubles might not be available for all hands, but the push on dealer 22 rule remains for all rounds.