Posts filed under 'Blackjack'
Basic Strategy BlackJack with Early Payout® is a patented game, offered only by VueTec Ltd. You may well ask “Who the hell is VueTec?” – we certainly did!
VueTec (Guernsey) Ltd own and manage a new style of online casino called DublinBet.com, in association with The Fitzwilliam Card Club and Casino, Dublin Ireland.
DublinBet.com primarily focusses on it’s amazingly different web-casted live dealer games. No they’re not topless, nude or even tacky – you actually get to sit in on the live play at a real casino with Irish-accented players wandering on by your table at 4 in the morning!
The Fitzwilliam Card Club is a “bricks and mortar” casino located in the heart of Dublin in Ireland.
Anyway, this blog is not about the live dealer games, although they are worth a look – today is about the Blackjack!
This new game is called “Auto Blackjack Early Payout” and looks fairly tame (simple graphics) and you could easily dismiss it until you have a go.
- Early Payout, is an offer at each stage of the game to payout on your hand, based on the cards dealt so far, and the dealer’s “up” card.
- Not surprisingly, strong hands are offered higher Early-Payouts than weaker hands. The Early Payout figure is calculated, based upon the average expected outcome of the hand as dealt, and the Dealer’s “up” card.
- You can choose to allow the game to continue using Basic Strategy, or to take the Early Payout. If you choose to take Early Payout, then any additional cards dealt to your hand are not included in your final result.
- If you choose to allow the hand to be dealt to conclusion using Basic Strategy, then the final result is evaluated against the dealers completed hand.
To play for free just click on the link below and select ‘Preview Games’ (the lower right side of the casino web page). Then make up a username and enter your email address to login for unlimited play as a guest.
You can of course sign up for real too!
Unfortunately like many online casinos, no US residents can play for real at DublinBet.com – but Americans are welcome to play for free to at least try a hand or two of this strange new Blackjack variant!
>>Go to DublinBet.com now
February 6th, 2007
Ready for the next round of new Microgaming Casino games?
You can play them for free (or for real wagers) and there are 8 in total. 2 new slots games (Prime Property and Magic Spell) as well as 5 new multi-hand Gold Series Blackjack games. You can also try your luck at a new 10-play bonus power poker if you’re so inclined.
Best slot of the new releases: PRIME PROPERTY
Here’s what they say:
Play the ‘reel’ estate game in our 5-Reel, 40-Payline Slot and invest your way up the property ladder to wealth. A 1st time buyer Jackpot of $15,000 can be upgraded to a mansion sized $120,000 through a generous ‘Pick Until Pop’ Bonus Game, which also grants a pre-awarded Free Spins and Multiplier Bonus.
Here’s what we say:
Whoever designed this game had obviously had big problems moving house. (The Scatter moving truck drops stuff). I’m also not sure I’d trust any of the key and contract wielding real estate agents either. (What is it they say – realtors are less trusted than used car sales people and only one step ahead of lawyers?)
The panic-buy feeling of the hoards of people rushing past the Prime Property sign (as the wild) freaks me out – I don’t need reminding how tight the market is at present! Perhaps the game developer was actually trying to depict all the nosey neighbours and time wasters coming in for an open home? (Most vendors would relate to this one!)
The bonus game on this slot is great – you just keep selecting houses off the Property pages until the free spins options starts – and we just kept on and on selecting…I was beginning to wonder if the game had screwed up it went on so long. In the end we won over 30,000 coins on 30 free spins. See how you do!
We recommend UK and Europeans players try their hand at these new games at either Spin Palace or Ruby Fortune Casino. (Kahnawake, Canada Licenced and UK-owned)
US Players can play soon (tomorrow I think) at Blackjack Ballroom or Yukon Gold Casino. (Kahnawake, Canada Licenced and part of the popular Casino Rewards group of online entertainment sites).
Use these links above for the latest and best join bonuses. Play for free or for real but the new games are all Viper download verison only – ie you have to download the free casino software to get started)
Best fo Luck,
Elle
January 31st, 2007
OK, so you like to play at a casino with a wild west theme? The Gold Rush, Cowboys and plenty of yeehar promotions? There are two top casinos we recommend for fun and potentially lucrative casino play if you are so inclined – this blog is a quick shoot-out between them.
BLACKJACK COMPARISON
Yukon Gold wins hands down really – Microgaming blackjack is in our view the best on the net. There are around 30 different blackjack games on offer at Yukon Gold including the ultra-relaistic Gold Series Single Deck Classic Blackjack (highly recommended). That said, 49er Casino’s Blackjack does load and play very quickly and they offer 18 card room style games like Pontoon, Stud, and Super21.
ROULETTE COMPARISON
After you get over the great graphics of the Gold Series Roulette at Yukon Gold, our testers actually preferred the quick and clean action of 49er Casino’s virtual roulette tables. American o and oo as welll as European roulettes on offer.
SLOTS COMPARISION
Well… you really cannot compare the two – Microgaming slots are simply stunning. Yukon Gold offers around 120 slots games in a range of game formats (3-reel, 5-reel with bonus feature games and/or free spins). The odds are not great at either casino for slots although long term payouts across all slots games are about the same at 95.96% (49er) and 95.89% (Yukon). If you like one armed bandit style slots 49er has some great classics on offer along with more interactive slots like Paris Beauty and Red Sands (pictured).
VIDEO OR POWER POKER COMPARISION
We have never rated Microgaming power poker that highly – Video poker games at 49er Casino are very responsive and with a reasonable range of single and multi-hand options and gamble bets.
SUMMARY:
Both of these sites offer good safe online casino play for those who like it a little on the wild (west) side. Play for free or play for real but visit these two casinos via the links below for the latest join bonuses and player rewards:
>> GO TO Yukon Gold Casino
>> GO TO 49er Casino (Come git yer gold!)
January 26th, 2007
Just published!
Two new pages on CasinoLabRat.com may be of interest to our UK and US readers.
BEST UK-OWNED CASINOS
CasinoLabRat.com gets lots of enquiries from UK based Casino Players wanting a great online casino that is UK owned and offers safe, fun and potentially profitable gambling. Several of our test team are UK residents including a Geordie and a Scot.
Here’s a link to a new page of fact sheets on the top 5 online casinos that are UK owned and specially cater to British players who wish to run accounts in pounds sterling GBP.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR USA RESIDENTS
Our team of casino testers includes members based in California, Maryland, Florida and Hawaii and so we know that US casino players have a different set of challenges in deciding where to play their blackjack, slots or roulette. CasinoLabRat.com gets lots of enquiries from US Players concerned about the number of online casinos that no longer accept residents of the USA due to the recent US anti-gambling legislation changes.
Here’s a link to page of fact sheets on the top 4 online casinos that still welcome USA players. It may help you make your mind up where to play. It also includes an update on Payments Options for US players.
January 21st, 2007
If you were around in the sixties you’d have been playing blackjack with a single deck, the dealer would stand on soft 17, and doubling would be allowed on any of the first 2 cards. Heaven.
Nowadays we are used to playing with 2 decks (and the house edge increases by 0.3%), four decks (increases to 0.5%) and even six decks (0.6%) or at some casinos eight decks…
If we then consider that doubling down is restricted to 9, 10 and 11, the house has gained another 0.1%. As a dealer’s blackjack beats yours, we’re now down a further 0.1%. Add no re-splitting and you’ve lost another 0.1% to the house.
Is it really worth playing?
Well, yes – and no. Whether you’re playing at an online casino or in-the-flesh if you play tight and follow a few golden rules you should be able to level up the game. But remember – quit while you are winning or you’ll plough it all back in!
HOUSE RULES
First learn the rules and proper strategy – these can vary from one casino to another. Never (and we mean ever!) play at a casino that does not disclose the basic information you need in order to make informed blackjack decisions. Read the HELP, FAQ or contact the casino support team for details – it is your right to know!
NUMBER OF DECKS
The more decks used, the greater the house advantage – so look out for low deck games. (Single deck games are available at Blackjack Ballroom Casino)
SOFT 17
You have an edge when the dealer stands with a soft 17 (say, for example an Ace and a 6)
DOUBLE DOWN
Limitations on what combinations a player can double-down on increases the house advantage. In some games players can only double down on a 10 or 11, and not after splitting.
SPLITTING
In some games players are not allowed to re-split cards (i.e. splitting after a split) or re-split Aces.
DEALER PEEK
In most US Casinos the blackjack dealer checks for blackjack when the up-card is an Ace or a 10 that is to your advantage.
TIP: Avoid the blackjack insurance bet like the plague as there is a house advantage of 5-8%! (This is where an Ace is showing you bet the dealer will hit a blackjack at 2/1)
WHERE TO PLAY ONLINE?
Blackjack Ballroom has 34 Blackjack games variants available – including 5 single deck games and the ultra-realistic Microgaming Gold Series Blackjack in both single-hand and multi-hand versions. Licensed in Kahnawake, Canada, this online casino is well worth a look. US based players are still welcomed from 11 States.
For UK and European blackjack enthusiasts we regard BetFred Casino as the best Playtech-based online casino. .
Click here for fact sheets on the top 8 online casinos we recommend for Blackjack.
January 21st, 2007
Blackjack is one of the most popular games of skill played at online casinos. My definition of a “game of skill” is one in which a player has a choice of action and betting that can influence or determine the overall game outcome. You gotta admit that most online casino games are pretty much blind luck – and don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have some of that old girl onboard at the Blackjack table too!
We’ve had a whole host of emailed questions in December regarding blackjack. Playing at the right online casino – one with best blackjack odds, clearly disclosed game rules and fair payouts makes good sense.
Here’s a couple of FAQs
Q. Where can you play good single deck Blackjack?
A. If you like Vegas Single Deck, Blackjack Ballroom is the casino for you (USA players welcome), you could also try SuperFun21 at Ruby Fortune Casino. My personal favourite is Classic Blackjack – now available in the ultra realistic Gold Series Version and also the instant Flash play version at both of these top casinos.
Q. Which Playtech Casino is best for Blackjack?
A. BetFred Casino. We have overturned our rating from last year – BetFred Casino is now our top rated Playtech site. Why? Bet365 is a good runner up, but BetFred offers more games, has more frequent player rewards and competitions to enter and the BetFred table game colourways in general offer better game clarity on several popular types of computer monitor (Sorry no US players at either of these sites)
Q. I’m an American, where can I safely play blackjack for real money?
A. It’s hard to pass over Blackjack Ballroom Casino, but while they have heaps of easy payment options for Americans, these guys only accept US residents from 39 States. If you’re unlucky enough to be trying to gamble online from one of the 11 States excluded from Microgaming casinos, (or indeed barred from most online legal (licenced) casinos) I’d suggest you try Pinnacle Casino (of Pinnacle Sports Book fame), or even 49er Casino (based on real Time Gaming software and hosted by wild west cartoon character Yosemite Sam).
To read our latest Casino Shootout – Best Blackjack Casinos click here. It’s 1-page comparison of Blackjack game graphics, casino ownership and licencing, payment/withdrawl methods, etc. from the top 8 casinos we review. It may just help you decide where to play your next hand of online blackjack.
Good luck at the tables!
Mike
January 11th, 2007
As part of our half yearly survey of the online casinos rated by CasinoLabRat.com we asked a couple of questions specific to Blackjack.
The questions:
1. Of the selection of online Blackjack games you offer, which blackjack game is the most popular with members of your casino? (ie which game has the most player sessions per month on average)
2. Which blackjack game at your casino is the most popular based on total wagers? (ie the blackjack game with the highest ratio of money wagered to games played)
The top 5 online casinos we rate for specialist Blackjack play responded to these questions as follows.
A spokesperson from Blackjack Ballroom Casino responded “As you’d expect from our name, most players that are members at Blackjack Ballroom love their blackjack. Of the 30 Blackjack games we have on offer Single Deck Super Fun 21 is the most played game”. No information was available on the highest staked blackjack game.
Licensed in Kahnawake, Canada, Blackjack Ballroom is based on Microgaming casino software and is part of the Rewards Affiliates Group.
UK’s top online casino operators The Palace Group had this to say in response to our blackjack questions. “We have released quite a few new blackjack games in the last 6 months and so individual game stats don’t reflect a full year. I’d have to say though that the new Gold Series Blackjack series is proving our most popular range of Blackjacks. Vegas Strip and Vegas Downtown are just about even for game play over the last 3 months at Spin Palace Casino while Ruby Fortune Casino’s most popular Blackjack is still Classic European Blackjack.”
“The highest wagers are regularly placed on Classic European Blackjack, which is played with 2 decks and has a house edge of 0.39%”
BetFred Casino (operated by UK’s BetFred Sports Bookmaker) provided the following comments:
“We offer 5 blackjack games at present with a range of single player, multiplayer or even private group options. Single player 6-deck classic blackjack is by far our most popular game (ie most played) but the highest stakes are placed on UK Rules Blackjack Switch”.
We understand that Single hand 6 deck Blackjack games on Playtech Software have a house edge of around 0.46%.
Of the smaller, more boutique casinos rated by CasinoLabRat.com Pinnacle Casino responded as follows:
“Our casino offers a select group of 20 casino games all up including 2 very popular blackjack options. Blackjack is our second most popular casino game in terms of player sessions – second only to European Roulette. High Stakes Blackjack is the most popular blackjack game”.
“I guess this could be the sorts of players attracted by our current joining bonus and cash back deals”.
Pinnacle Casino is still open to US residents and offers a 10% first deposit match to $500 bonus but you need to make a $250 deposit to be eligible. In additional all players earn 0.3% cash back, paid daily.
Pinnacle Casino is based on software by Blue Chip Games and is part of Pinnacle Sports Worldwide, one of the largest Internet betting sites.
Wishing you all a great 2007!
Elle and the team at CasinoLabRat.com
December 31st, 2006
A new kid on the block – Get21.com Blackjack Tournament Room – offers a very streamlined and easy way to play great tournament Blackjack.
At Get21.com you play against other players, not the house, for a prize pool of cash. There is no such thing as ‘house odds’, and Get21 is not a casino! They are however all above board and fully licenced in Kahnawake, Canada as a specialist virtual Blackjack Room.
The usual Blackjack card room rules apply, and even though you have to beat the dealer’s hand – the strategy is actually in staking chips to make sure that you outscore the other players on the table. (If you want to win money anyway). Blackjack Knockout tournaments are fast and fun.
Multiplayer Tournament Blackjack is much more like online poker than casino Blackjack play. You select a Blackjack game from the range of options in the Blackjack Room Lobby and buy-in to play, just like poker. Each player is issued with 1000 chips and games can run across multiple tables. The winner is the player with the most chips at the end of the tournament. Some credible $$$/£££/€€€ on offer.
Try something new – the minimum deposit is only $20… In fact, if you’re in quick Get21.com will bankroll you the first $10 in a real money account. That’s $10 free without a deposit. (This special offer applies for the first 1000 players onboard and it’s filling up fast!!!)
>> For more information read this info sheet HERE
>> Visit the Get21.com Blackjack Room
Give us some feedback on what you think! Elle
December 5th, 2006
Guys
Here are direct links to the latest Flash casino games at Spin Palace Casino. Links to 2 slots games and 2 Gold Series Card Games you can play for free without registering or downloading casino software (with a $1000 balance for each).
Play by clicking on the links below: (The games will open in a new window so you can play them all)
GEE GEES Video Slot (for Bee Gees fans and disco dancers…)
PANDAMONIUM Slot (head bangers and heavy metallers…)
EUROPEAN Gold Series Blackjack (great graphics!)
3-CARD MULTIHAND POKER (more great Gold Series Microgaming Graphics)
Enjoy!
Elle
PS: If you want to know more about Spin Palace Casino read our latest review HERE.
November 25th, 2006
People always search the web for NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED casino offers – and here is one such offer!
Ruby Fortune Casino has just announced another great join bonus. We already love this top Microgaming casino and rate it highly especially for Blackjack and slots games.
New Players at Ruby Fortune can sign up and receive $500 without making a deposit. You are then given 1 hour to make as much money as possible across any of the wide range of casino games (over 200 at last count).
Anything you win over $500 at the end of the hour can be transferred into your real account by making a small deposit. (The Maximum bonus is $150 or 150 EURO or 150 GBP)
Sounds good?
Click here to find out more or to take advantage of this great offer.
[Read a review of Ruby Fortune Casino]
PS: Ruby Fortune is Kahnawake, Canada licenced and a leading member of The Palace Group of casinos owned by Fairground Gaming plc. Fairground is traded on the London Stock Exchange AIM.
PPS: Sorry, no USA residents can play for real money at Ruby Fortune Casino.
October 17th, 2006
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