PROGRESSIVE BLACKJACK

Game Details

Blackjack for jackpot lovers!

Progressive Blackjack takes one of the most familiar and popular casino card games in the world, and gives it an exciting new twist. Just like Blackjack, the player in Progressive Blackjack is always competing against the dealer. The objective is to draw cards until your hand comes as close to 21 as possible, without going over. If your first two cards total 21 points, you have “blackjack.” However, in Progressive Blackjack you don’t need to hit 21 or beat the dealer to become a winner. You can win over $5,000 on a single $1 bet, no matter what the dealer has! 

How to Play

Initially, the game is played just like the Blackjack you know and love. A bet is placed, you are dealt two cards face up, and the dealer receives one card face down and one face up. After this you can either receive and additional card (“Hit”), or choose to receive no additional cards (“Stand”). If, at the end of the game, your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand without going over 21, you win the same amount as you wagered. If you have blackjack [your first two cards total 21], you win 3:2 the value of your wager, unless the dealer also has blackjack. In that case the game is a tie and your wager is returned.

HAND	PAYS
Winning Hand	1:1
Insurance	2:1
Blackjack	3:2

For a chance to win the Progressive Jackpot, you must also place a $1 bonus bet. This bet is placed before the hand is dealt, in the chip holder directly above the initial bet that you placed. The bonus is paid after all cards have been dealt, and all initial bets have been settled. Players may then receive a bonus payout if they are dealt one or more Aces. The size of the bonus is determined by the suit and number of Aces in a player’s hand.

HAND	PAYS
4 Aces Same Color	100% of the Meter
3 Aces Suited	$2,500
Any 4 Aces	$1,500
3 Aces Same Color	$250
Any 3 Aces	$100
2 Suited Aces	$50
2 Aces Same Color	$10
Any 2 Aces	$5
1 Ace	$1

Progressive Blackjack is played with four 52-card decks. Aces count as either 1 or 11, face cards as 10, and all remaining cards count as their numbered values. If your hand total exceeds 21, you have “BUST” and you lose your wager. If, at the end of the game, your hand total is equal to the dealer’s hand, the game is considered a tie ["PUSH"] and your wager is returned. Blackjack [first two cards total 21] beats a combined card score of 21.

Rules for the Dealer

The dealer must adhere to certain guidelines when drawing cards (“Hit”) or staying with his current cards (“Stand”). Being familiar with these rules will benefit your game greatly.

The dealer must draw cards until he has at least 17, and must stand at 17 or higher. So if the dealer gets 16, he must take another card. The dealer will not decide to hit or stay based on your hand, and must strictly abide only by the dealer rules. As the player, your strategy should be based on what cards you have in your hand while taking into consideration what card the dealer has showing.

Split

If your first two cards are the same value, you may “split” them into two separate hands, placing a second wager of equal value. You then proceed to draw cards as usual. (Please note, regarding split aces: You will receive only one additional card for each hand/ace. If one of your hands then totals 21, it is considered 21, and not blackjack. If the dealer then reveals a hand of blackjack, their hand beats yours.)

Double Down

If you have been dealt two cards, and think your next card will put you in a position to beat the dealer’s hand, you can select “Double.” Your wager is then doubled, and you will receive only one additional card.

Insurance

Insurance adds a completely new aspect to Blackjack; it gives you the opportunity to protect your wager if you believe that the dealer may have blackjack. If the dealer’s first card is an ace, he is considered to have a fair chance of getting blackjack. In this case a window will appear with the message: “Insurance? YES / NO.”

If you believe that the dealer’s down card is of value 10, you can buy insurance against the dealer’s hand at the value of half your initial bet. If the dealer does have blackjack, the insurance pays 2 : 1, corresponding to the amount of your initial wager. If the dealer does not have blackjack, you lose your insurance wager. Your initial bet is then settled by comparing your cards with the dealer’s. Should you and the dealer both have blackjack, the game results in a push, which means neither player nor dealer wins the hand.

Betting

Before you begin a game, you must first decide on the table’s limits. These can be found in the drop-down menu beside the Table Games menu. You can decide to play for as little as $0.25 and as much as $1,000.00. Regardless of the table limit you decide to play, the progressive jackpot wager will always remain $1.

There are two betting areas in Progressive Blackjack: the initial Blackjack wager, and the additional Progressive Jackpot wager. In order to be eligible for the Progressive Jackpot, you must first place an initial bet. To place a bet, select a chip value using the left mouse button. Either drag it to the desired place on the table, or click where you wish to place your wager. To add multiples of the same chip value, left-click until you have reached the desired amount. You can remove chips from the table by right-clicking on them or selecting “Clear,” which will remove all bets.

Game Buttons

DEAL:	When you have placed your bets, click to deal the cards
CLEAR:	Clears the table of bets
HIT:	Instructs the dealer to deal you another card
STAND:	Instructs the dealer that you will "stand" with your current hand
DOUBLE:	Double your wager and receive one additional card only
SPLIT:	Split your hand into 2 separate ones [see above for rules]
NEW GAME:	Starts a new game
LAST BET:	Places the same bets as in your previous game

Tips

To understand the following tables remember an ace can count as either 1 or 11. A "soft" hand is a hand, which contains an ace that counts as 11. Therefore, a "soft 17" is a hand that contains an ace and a 6. A player with an ace has the advantage of being able to change the ace’s value to count as 1 after drawing another card. When a hand contains an ace that counts as 1, it is called a "hard hand".

Hit or Stand?

IF THE DEALER’S OPEN CARD IS	HIT ON	STAND ON
3, 4, 5 or 6	11 and lower Soft 17 and lower	12 and higher Soft 18 and higher
7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace	16 and lower Soft 17 and lower	17 and higher Soft 18 and higher

Split?

IF THE DEALERS OPEN CARD IS:	SPLIT:
2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7	2’s, 3’s, 8’s and Aces
8, 9, 10 or Ace	8’s and Aces

Double?

IF YOUR FIRST TWO [2] CARDS TOTAL:	DOUBLE IF THE DEALERS OPEN CARD IS:
11	Anything except an Ace
10	Anything except a 10 or an Ace
9	2 to 8
8	3 to 6

The guidelines provided here are just outlines of a simple blackjack strategy. There are a variety of different ways to play and as most players become comfortable with blackjack, they develop their own strategies.