Unlimited Blackjack is yet another premium offering from top gambling software supplier Playtech. The game features skilled live dealers who are expertly trained to man the tables to the highest possible standards. This is an 8-deck game with up to 5 open betting spots where the dealer stands on all totals of 17. Playing multiple hands at a time is possible.
Unlike most of the other Playtech live tables that limit the number of participating players, Unlimited Blackjack lives up to its name and enables an infinite number of people to participate with wagers on the same betting spot. This ensures customers at Playtech-powered casinos can join a live blackjack table whenever they feel like it. Unlimited Blackjack comes with an average theoretical player return of 99.54%.
Hitting and Standing Decisions in Unlimited Blackjack
Unlimited Blackjack borrows most of its rules from the blackjack variations available across the Las Vegas Strip with several exceptions. As usual, the players’ objective is to beat the live dealer. This happens when the player outdraws the dealer with a better hand total, when the dealer busts but the player does not, or when the player gets a blackjack at the start of a round. Here it should be mentioned Unlimited Blackjack is a hole-card game but the live dealer never peeks for naturals.
Each participating player can make independent decisions when it comes to hitting and standing. Hitting is possible until the player either exceeds 21 or is satisfied with their current hand total, in which case they can choose to stand. Players receive even-money payouts when they outdraw the dealer or when the dealer themselves busts. Naturals in Unlimited Blackjack pay 3 to 2.
Splitting Pairs in Unlimited Blackjack
Unlimited Blackjack offers an intriguing twist where splitting decisions are concerned. Special split rules are in place as the software automatically splits specific pairs of cards, in which case the second hand is covered with an additional bet that equals the original one in size.
These automatic decisions are not detrimental to players, however, because they are performed in accordance with the optimal basic strategy for splitting. When an automatic split takes places, participants have a choice from two decisions, accept the split or fold. Should the player choose the fold option, they get their initial wager back minus a 20% commission.
Resplitting is not allowed in Unlimited Blackjack. Players are not permitted to draw cards on split Aces. If they happen to catch a 10 or a face card next to a split Ace, this counts as a regular total of 21 and as such, returns an even-money payout.
Doubling Down in Unlimited Blackjack
If players are confident enough in the strength of their initial hand, they have the option to double on their first two cards. In this instance, the player receives a third card but needs to cover their double-down move with an extra wager that again equals their initial bet. Exercising the double-down option is also possible after a split.
When the player doubles but the live dealer receives a blackjack, the player loses both wagers if the dealer’s exposed card was an Ace. However, when the dealer gets a natural but their first card was a 10 or a court one, the player loses only their original stake and gets their double-down wager back. In Unlimited Blackjack, doubling is possible on any two starting cards.
Buying Insurance
The live dealers in Unlimited Blackjack do not peek for naturals when showing an Ace or a ten-value card so, understandably, late surrender is not an option here. That being said, players can accept or decline insurance when the dealer’s first card is an Ace.
When insurance is accepted, you need to contribute with a side bet that amounts to half of your original bet. Insurance is treated separately from your main bet and pays 2 to 1 if the dealer indeed has a blackjack. The payout is awarded before you have actually acted on your hand, which loses in this scenario.
The player loses their insurance bet on the occasion of the dealer not having a blackjack. When both have blackjack, the player wins the insurance bet and receives their main bet back because the round ends in a push.
Payouts for Side Bets
Like most other blackjack variants from Playtech’s live suite, Unlimited Blackjack provides players with the opportunity to win additional payouts with several intriguing side bets. You can wager on the dealer or the player having specific pairs of cards. Any pair pays 6 to 1, paired cards of the same color but of different suit pay 12 to 1 and suited pairs offer a payout of 25 to 1.
Extra payouts are also awarded for winning 21+3 side bets where your first two cards and the dealer’s revealed card should form a poker hand. The qualifying hands and their payouts are as follows – 5 to 1 for a three-card flush, 10 to 1 for a three-card straight, 30 to 1 for three of a kind, 40 to 1 for a three-card straight flush, and 100 to 1 for a suited three of a kind. The bets are settled before you make any decisions on your main hand.
Unlimited Blackjack also awards automatic even-money prizes for non-busted hands consisting of ten cards. These pay regardless of the dealer’s hand total. Note that while it is theoretically possible to draw ten cards without going over 21, the likelihood of this happening is beyond minuscule at 1 in 100 million.