IGT VIDEO BLACKJACK

My Take On An Alternative To Live Games

If you are timid about walking up to a blackjack table at the casino but would like to learn the game, this might be the solution for you. Single player Game King multi-game machines by IGT have video blackjack as an option.

The minimum bet in many casinos is two dollars, so it is much cheaper than the ten to fifteen dollar tables at the live games at the casinos. You can go as slow as you want while you are learning the game and not worry about holding up a table while you’re figuring out what to do. In fact, it would be wise to have a basic strategy card for reference just so you learn the correct way to play each hand!

The game uses two decks and blackjacks pay two to one. Don’t let that rule confuse you! Two to one means even money on blackjacks. Additionally, if you take six cards without busting, it is an automatic winner. The machine’s dealer will stop if it takes six cards without breaking and stands on all seventeens or better. There is no doubling down or splitting pairs. Ties push, which means you don’t win or lose on that particular hand.

The positive aspect about playing blackjack on a video slot game is that if you use your player’s card it will be as if you are playing a slot machine and you will earn rewards quicker than playing a live blackjack game.

Live blackjack at Arizona casinos usually carries a house edge of around 0.57% which basically means you will lose fifty seven cents for every one hundred dollars you put into play in the long run, playing perfect basic strategy. The house edge on IGT video blackjack is over four percent (4.00%) meaning you will lose four dollars for every one hundred dollars you put into play, on average, in the long run.

While this may be a slow and easy way to learn the game of blackjack you will probably end up a loser with such a high house edge compared to live casino blackjack. I would learn as quickly as you can and move to the live tables for better odds.

Playing blackjack at a full, live table will expose you to around sixty hands in one hour. So, a word to the wise, with video blackjack, players can easily experience eight hundred hands in an hour! That’s all up to you and the speed at which you choose to play. I would really take my time playing video blackjack or it could get extremely expensive very quickly! Remember to play responsibly and don't risk money you can't afford to lose. And, don't forget to look at all of the bet options and blackjack rules in the game menu. $

Writer TJ Jorgensen has been a professional Blackjack player for over 25 years. He is well known for his tournament play and has beaten some of the top tournament players in the world. He has also won the World Series Of Blackjack. His newest book “How To Become A Blackjack Jedi” is available online at Amazon.com.