Classic Blackjack is available at a wide array of US-facing online casinos that work on the RealTime Gaming software. The game holds a great appeal because of its dynamic pace, decent odds of winning, and simple rules.
In this version of Classic Blackjack, RealTime Gaming developers have chosen to incorporate 6 decks of cards, which are randomly shuffled by the software before each new round of play commences. The dealer plays their hand according to fixed rules and must hit soft totals of 17. The game generally supports bets between $1 and $500 but the exact limits at the table may differ across RealTime Gaming-powered casinos.
The gaming controls are user-friendly enough to accommodate both novices and players who are well-versed in online blackjack. There are chips of different denominations allowing players to adjust their wagers alongside buttons for each possible playing decision one can make in the game. The RTP of Classic Blackjack is 99.46%.
Hitting and Standing Decisions in Classic Blackjack
When the game loads, players must first place their bets by clicking on their desired chip denomination. Each additional click on the chip interface increases the current wager in increments depending on the denomination. So if you use a $10-value chip, double-clicking it increases your bet to $20. Bets made by mistake can be removed from the layout with a click on the betting circle.
You click the deal button to initiate the first round of play and receive your starting hand. Meanwhile, the virtual dealer gets their first card face-up while their second card is dealt face-down.
If you believe your initial hand bears improvement, you can request additional cards from the dealer by clicking the Hit button. By choosing to stand, you decline additional cards and settle for your current hand total.
After you have acted on your hand, it is the dealer’s turn. They would draw additional cards if their hand’s total is under 17. However, if the dealer’s 17 is soft like Ace-6, for example, the dealer would hit as is required by the forced dealer rules in the game.
The player wins if they outdraw the dealer, if the dealer busts by going over 21, or if they have a blackjack against any other dealer hand except for naturals. A blackjack consists of an Ace and a ten-value card on the initial deal. It awards the highest payout in the game, or 3 to 2.
Other winning hands of the player offer even-money payouts. When the total of both the dealer and the player hands is the same, neither hand wins and the round ends in a push. Players also have the option to surrender any first two cards but this is possible only in the very beginning of the round before any other playing decisions have been made. When surrendering, the player forfeits half of their original wager and gets the other half back.
Splitting Pairs in Classic Blackjack
Splitting is possible only on the occasion the player is dealt two cards of the same denomination. When split, the cards in the pair are divided into two hands and the dealer automatically draws a card on each hand. This naturally requires the player to make a second wager to the amount they have staked on their initial hand.
You must act on the first split hand before you can proceed to play the second one. In this version of Classic Blackjack, players are allowed to split twice to form a maximum of three hands. An exception is made for pairs of Aces which cannot be resplit.
Split Aces cannot be hit. Instead, only one extra card is automatically dealt next to each split Ace. A split Ace and a ten-value card do not count as blackjack but as a regular 21, which pays even money.
Doubling Moves in Classic Blackjack
Doubling down is similar to splitting in that it also calls for an additional bet to the amount of the player’s first wager. This move can be exercised only on starting hands that comprise no more than two cards.
Classic Blackjack enables players to double down on any two cards, regardless of what total they add up to. Players are then dealt only one more card, after which, the hand they doubled on automatically stands. Doubling down after splitting a pair is also an option in Classic Blackjack.
Buying Insurance
Players can accept insurance at the start of a round provided that the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. This is a side wager that amounts to half of the main bet of the player. The dealer offers insurance before they have peeked under their hole card to check for blackjack.
Insurance pays at odds of 2 to 1 provided that the dealer’s hole card is really a ten, in which case the player loses their main bet unless they also have a blackjack. Play continues as usual if the dealer does not have a blackjack but the player loses the insurance bet in this case. In conclusion, insurance has no relation to the chances of winning or losing your main bet. It is simply a prop wager that the dealer has a ten-value card in the hole for a blackjack.