Blackjack VIP is a fun, high-stakes live dealer game by Playtech and it is available at a great number of online casinos. The game allows up to 7 players to sit at the table and make the main bets or try their luck for huge winnings with several side bets.
In Playtech-powered Live Casinos, the game is often listed as Blackjack VIP Lounge and it offers higher betting limits than the regular blackjack tables or the Lounge tables. It is a 7-seat game that follows the European blackjack rules and it uses 8 standard 52-card decks. This means that the dealer gets just 1 card and draws a second one after players have made their decisions. In addition, the dealer draws to 16 and stands on all 17s.
Along with the option to sit on the table, players are allowed to bet on other players’ actions with the Bet Behind feature. The 10 Card Charlie rule also applies – players will always win the round if they drew 10 cards without busting, except against dealer blackjack. Although this scenario is highly unlikely, it is theoretically possible.
There are two types of side bets that are optional and can be turned off – a Perfect Pairs bet and a 21+3 bet. Just like the majority of live blackjack games by Playtech, Blackjack VIP offers an RTP of 99.46%.
Standing and Hitting in Blackjack VIP
Once the player is dealt the first two cards in the game, he or she has can request another card (or cards) in order to get a hand as close to 21 as possible without busting. This is called “Hitting” and can be done by clicking on the Hit button on the screen. If the hand is high enough, the player can choose to Stand with the respective button – once he stands, his turn is over and the dealer draws additional cards.
Splitting in Blackjack VIP
The game allows players who receive a pair (two cards of the same rank) to divide it into two separate hands by clicking on the Split button. However, only one split is permitted and hitting on split Aces is also allowed. Only one card can be dealt on split Aces.
Doubling in Blackjack VIP
Another feature in the game is the Double option, available after receiving the first two hands or after splitting. With it, players who believe they have a good chance of winning can maximize the potential payout by doubling their initial stake. Unlike some blackjack versions, players here can double on any two cards.
Buying Insurance
If the dealer’s first card is an Ace, players are given the chance to insure against him having a blackjack. This happens by purchasing Insurance, a separate bet equal to half of the original stake. It wins if the dealer has blackjack and pays 2:1. In this case, players do not lose anything as they receive the winning, which is equal to the amount they have lost from the round plus the Insurance bet back. Late Insurance is not permitted.
Payouts for Blackjack VIP Side Bets
The payouts in Playtech’s live dealer Blackjack VIP game are standard, with blackjack paying 3:2, insurance 2:1, while a win with any other hand pays evenly (1:1). This results in a house edge of around 0.54%. However, the game has two side bets, which can be made by players and while they offer significant profits, they are also quite risky.
The first one is the Perfect Pairs side bet, which wins when the player (or the dealer) gets a pair initially. Mixed pairs pay 6:1, color pairs pay 12:1, while perfect pairs reward you 25:1. Since the likelihood of getting two cards of the same rank, color and/or suit, the house edge increases to 4.10% (95.90%).
The other side bet is 21+3 bet and it wins when the player’s first two cards and the dealer’s initial card form one of several possible poker hands. If this is a Suited Three of a Kind, the player receives winnings of 100:1. For a Straight Flush, he or she gets 40:1, while for a Three of a Kind, the payout is 30:1. Straight hands pay 10:1 and the Flush pays 5:1. With the higher payouts come the higher house edge, however, at 3.70% (RTP96.296%).