Do you love traditional casino games but wish there was a way to play your old favourites? If so, you’re in luck.
Blackjack is a popular choice for players, but back in 2012, a Las Vegas casino found a way to spice up the game. A well-known table game creator, Geoff Hall, came up with a variation on the rules of blackjack which would go on to become a big hit.
Hall’s new version, Free Bet Blackjack, quickly made its way out of the Golden Nugget Casino, where it was first launched. It’s now possible to play Free Bet Blackjack at many online casinos such as the ones below
But what’s so special about Free Bet Blackjack? There’s a clue in the name. If players hold a certain type of hand, they can double or split without having to pay any more. That’s right: no extra payment despite playing with more hands. Free bet credits on each turn are the reason why, and this is what makes Free Bet Blackjack so unique.
If getting freebies on blackjack is something you think might be interesting, keep reading to find out more about the game, including what strategies you can use to win.
Brief Overview of the Game Rules
Before we dive right into the different strategies you can use when playing Free Bet Blackjack, we’re going to pause briefly to touch on the rules.
This isn’t a complete guide to playing Free Bet Blackjack; just a recap of the basics. If you want to get more details on how to play, you can read our step-by-step instructions here.
Free Bet Blackjack is a variant of classic blackjack which means that many of the standard rules are unchanged.
The goal of the game is no different than in regular blackjack, with players competing against the dealer to try and reach 21. The main differences are:
- If you hold a hand of 9, 10, or 11 (without any aces) you can double down for free
- If you hold a pair you can split for free (providing the value is less than 10)
- The cards can be re-split once after a split
It is possible to double down on other hands, but you’ll have to pay. The free double down bet is only available on the above combination.
The dealer will hit on a soft 17 or less, and stand on a hard 17 or above. If the dealer’s hand busts with 22, all bets push and the stake is returned.
The big attraction of Free Bet Blackjack is the chance to play extra hands without having to pay a higher stake. By doubling down and splitting, it’s possible to collect a much larger payout without having to risk a larger bet.
Now that we’ve run through the basics of playing Free Bet Blackjack, it’s time to look at the different strategies for the various hands you might be dealt.
Free Bet Blackjack Strategies
Blackjack is a game of luck, but it’s also about skill and strategy. If you simply rely on good fortune, you won’t achieve the full potential returns that are available. Of course, there’s never any guarantee of a win, but by following Blackjack Basic Strategy, it’s possible to maximise your chances.
Blackjack Basic Strategy can be used in many types of blackjack, but you’ll need to follow the charts that apply specifically to Free Bet Blackjack. This is because you’ll need to take a different approach depending on whether you’re playing with your own money or making a free bet.
Before we dive into the details of the strategy, it’s worth pointing out that just because you CAN have a free bet, it doesn’t mean that you should. Sometimes it’s preferable to play the hand differently, but the Basic Strategy will guide you on what to do. Make sure you follow the Basic Strategy on every hand, not just when it feels right. Sometimes the moves may feel counterproductive, but they’ve been mathematically calculated to be the best, statistically.
Using Basic Strategy in Free Bet Blackjack
There are a number of charts which show Basic Strategy and how it applies to each hand. Players can refer to the strategy charts when they’re playing online at casinos or they can memorise the moves.
For some of the charts, you’ll need to know if you have a soft or hard hand. This is a common blackjack term and refers to aces. A soft hand includes an ace, and a hard hand has no ace.
Pairs
Let’s start with the rules for pairs as that’s the simplest. If you are dealt a pair, you should always split up to the allowed limit of a 9-card. Cards with a value of 10 aren’t covered by the free split rule.
The only exception to the strategy of splitting is if you hold a pair of 5s; these should always be doubled, not split. This is because a hand with a value of 10 is a very strong position, and by splitting, you give away your advantage.
The strategy of splitting all pairs up to the value of 9 (apart from 5s) doesn’t change, regardless of the dealer up-card.
The strategy chart for pairs in Free Bet Blackjack looks like this:
DEALER’S FACE-UP CARD
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
| 10, 10 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| 9, 9 | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
| 8, 8 | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
| 7, 7 | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
| 6, 6 | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
| 5, 5 | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD |
| 4, 4 | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
| 3, 3 | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
| 2, 2 | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
| A, A | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP | FSP |
- FSP = Free Split Pair (free bet)
- FD = Free Double (free bet)
- S = Stand
Playing With a Real Money Bet
When you’re playing with real money, you’ll need to balance risk and reward. Too cautious, and you’ll miss potential wins, but too aggressive, and you could blow out.
Luckily, the Basic Strategy model takes the guesswork out of the play as it has been mathematically calculated to provide the outcome which is the most probable. Of course, this still doesn’t guarantee a win even at top casinos such as (casino 2), so you should never play with money that you can’t afford to lose.
Follow the below chart when you’re playing with a real money bet in Free Bet Blackjack.
DEALER’S FACE-UP CARD
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
| Soft 19+ | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Soft 18 | S | S | S | RMD | RMD | S | S | H | H | H |
| Soft 17 | H | H | H | RMD | RMD | H | H | H | H | H |
| Soft 16 | H | H | H | H | RMD | H | H | H | H | H |
| Soft 12- 15 | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H |
DEALER’S FACE-UP CARD
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
| Hard 18+ | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Hard17 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S- |
| Hard16 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | S+ | S+ | S+ |
| Hard15 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | S+ | S+ |
| Hard 14 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard 13 | H | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard 12 | H | H | H | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard 9-11 | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD |
| Hard 5-8 | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H |
- S = Stand
- H = Hit
- FD = Free Double (free bet)
- S- = Surrender if permitted, otherwise stand
- S+ = Surrender if permitted, otherwise hit
Playing With a Free Bet
When you’re gambling with a free bet, getting a push is just as bad as a loss, so you’ll want to go all out for the win. This means taking a more aggressive stance compared to real money bets.
In other words, you’ll be hitting on more hands than you would when playing with a real money bet. If you lose, you don’t lose any actual money, so there’s no difference to a push.
The basic strategy for playing with a free bet is once again split between a hard and a soft hand and looks like this:
DEALER’S FACE-UP CARD
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
| Soft 21 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Soft 20 | S | S | S | S | RMD | S | S | S | S | S |
| Soft 19 | S | S | S | RMD | RMD | S | S | S | S | S |
| Soft 18 | H | H | RMD | RMD | RMD | S | H | H | H | H |
| Soft 17 | H | H | H | RMD | RMD | H | H | H | H | H |
| Soft 16 | H | H | H | H | RMD | H | H | H | H | H |
| Soft 12- 15 | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H |
DEALER’S FACE-UP CARD
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
| Hard 18+ | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Hard17 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | S | H |
| Hard16 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard15 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard 14 | H | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard 13 | H | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard 12 | H | H | H | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| Hard 9-11 | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD | FD |
| Hard 5-8 | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H |
- S = Stand
- H = Hit
- FD = Free Double (free bet)
- RMD = Real Money Double
Odds and House Edge on Free Bet Blackjack
Although the ability to place more bets without increasing your stake is enticing, there is an impact on the house edge.
Casinos always try to balance things up, so while this version of blackjack gives you free bets, it also lowers the RTP.
In other words, to counter the free bets that are available, the house edge for this version of blackjack is higher. You can read more about how the house edge works in our full guide here.
As Free Bet Blackjack is available in both land and online casinos, the exact RTP varies depending on where you play.
Evolution Gaming offers the most popular version for online players, and this has an RTP of 98.45%. This compares to the 99.28% RTP which is available on their regular Live Blackjack tables.
Although the house edge for Free Bet Blackjack is higher than conventional blackjack, it’s still significantly lower than many other casino games. For example, at Evolution Gaming, European Roulette and Sic Bo have a house edge of 2.7% (RTP 97.3%). This means that the increased house edge of Free Bet Blackjack is still lower than other table games and therefore, more advantageous for players.
Side Bets are available in Free Bet Blackjack, and you can play these in the same way that you normally would. However, side bets generally lower the RTP. For example, in the Free Bet Blackjack provided by Evolution Gaming, the side bets deliver:
- Any Pair: 95.9%
- 21+3: 96.30%
- Hot3: 94.60%
- BustIt: 94.12%
This means that the house edge is higher if you place side bets, lowering the likelihood of a win.
To Sum Up
Free Bet Blackjack is an interesting variant which has the potential to deliver profitable wins if you follow the optimal strategy. And quite aside from the possible payouts, there’s something very satisfying about receiving free bets from a casino!
There are lots of venues offering the chance to play Free Bet Blackjack. Casinos know just how popular blackjack is with players, so you’ll easily be able to find Free Bet Blackjack at top sites such as the ones below, among others. Why not try out your newfound strategy on the blackjack tables today?
FAQs
Do free bets pay out less?
No. The payouts on free bets are exactly the same as if you’d placed them with real money.
What are the odds of winning Free Bet Blackjack?
The exact RTP varies depending on the software provider but typically ranges from 98.45-98.95%.
Can I use card-counting to play Free Bet Blackjack?
Card-counting is often ineffective because online casinos may use a continuous shuffling machine, or they may only place half of the decks in the shoe. Even if this isn’t the case, players will have more success using Basic Strategy.
How much can I win playing Free Bet Blackjack?
All main winning bets are paid at 1:1, other than blackjack, which pays 3:2.