Do you play poker online? Or do you enjoy card games like poker, such as blackjack? No matter which table game you prefer, chances are that you wish you had a bit more time to enjoy them. Card games tend to go on for longer than games like slots do, and this can be a limiting factor in how often you play these casino games online.
However, Evolution has come up with the perfect solution to your time-sensitive gambling woes: Speed Blackjack. It’s an online blackjack live dealer game that is one of the fastest versions you’ll find, and it cuts round time down by about 30%. Available now on BetMGM online gambling sites, Speed Blackjack ensures that you can squeeze a game in a much shorter time frame.
How Is Speed Blackjack Different From Traditional Blackjack?
Blackjack is one of the most popular card games of all time, and players have enjoyed the traditional version for many decades. While Speed Blackjack is almost identical when it comes to the rules, there are a few things that set it apart from traditional blackjack.
As you’d guess from the name, the whole point of Speed Blackjack is to play at a faster pace and get games done faster. How has developer Evolution achieved this? The main changes to the game involve dealing and player decisions that speed up the game drastically. These are the biggest differences between traditional and Speed Blackjack:
- Players have a reduced time of seven seconds to make a decision.
- Players who make their decisions first receive their cards before other players.
- Those who don’t act fast enough or who are inactive are given auto-dealing options.
- There’s an auto-stand on 12 or auto-hit on 11.
How To Play Speed Blackjack at BetMGM
As always, whether you’re playing online poker tournaments or a new and exciting game like Speed Blackjack, the first step to accessing the game is to register on the BetMGM site. Once you’ve done this, you simply need to deposit money into your account and type ‘Speed Blackjack’ into the search function. From here, you’re all set to begin.
Like all versions of blackjack, to win, you simply need to have a better hand than the dealer. That is the closest hand to 21 without exceeding the number. Anything over 21 for the player or dealer will bust.
Number cards, two to ten, retain their face value, i.e., they are worth their numbers. While jack, queen, and king hold a value of 10. Aces have a value of 11 or 1, depending on which is more favorable to the hand.
Once you’re ready, you’ll play your chips and choose any of the available side bets (shown in a section below), and then the game will begin. Each player is dealt two face-up cards, and the dealer gets one face-up and one face-down hole card.
If the upcard is a 10 or ace, the dealer will check for blackjack and offer an insurance side bet. If the game continues without this situation, then each player gets a turn to choose whether to stand, hit, double down, or split the hand where applicable.
Once all hands are dealt, the dealer will play their hand, and players will see whether their bets win or lose.
Primary Speed Blackjack Rules
Blackjack is one of the best card games for strategic thinkers, and the same applies to Speed Blackjack. Of course, your strategy needs to include the much shorter time frame and higher pressure levels of this version, too.
Here are the primary rules for Speed Blackjack:
- It’s played with eight decks and accepts up to seven players.
- Vegas rules apply: the dealer gets two cards.
- The dealer will check for blackjack if they have 10, jack, queen, king, or ace.
- Any pair can be split.
- Split aces receive one card.
- Blackjack win payout odds are +150. Insurance and winning payout odds are +200.
- Insurance is only offered if the dealer draws an ace.
- Automatic actions are in place for those that take longer than seven seconds to make a decision.
- Auto-hit is enabled on hands lower than 11.
- Auto-stand enabled on 12 or more if the player takes too long.
Gamblers try all sorts of things to get good luck, but one of the best ways to improve your luck is simply by learning the rules well and having a solid strategy in place.
Speed Blackjack Side Bets and Payouts
The two main side bets in Speed Blackjack and their payouts are as follows:
21+3
The 21+3 side bet option is paid out like poker games online. You’ll win this bet if your first two cards and the dealer’s upcard are made up of any of the following winning combinations:
- Suited Trips: Three identical cards. Payout odds: +10,000.
- Straight Flush: Three of the same suit cards in numerical sequence. Payout odds: +4,000.
- Three of a Kind: The same value cards of three different suits. Payout odds: +3,000.
- Straight: Three different suits in numerical sequence but different suits. Payout odds: +1,000.
- Flush: Three cards of the same suit that are non-sequential. Payout odds: +500.
Any Pair
The Perfect Pairs side bet will award a win if your first two cards are made up of any pair, such as two aces, two 10s, or two 3s. There are two different types of pairs that have their own payout value, as follows:
- Suited Pair: A pair of the same suit. Payout odds are +2,000.
- Pair: A pair of different suits. Payout odds are +700.
Play Casino Games Online With BetMGM
Speed Blackjack is just one of the many innovative and exciting online casino games you’ll find on the BetMGM site. Whether you’re interested in casino online betting, live dealer games, new variations of popular card games, or classics like poker and slots, there’s something for everyone.
The BetMGM site is also a treasure trove of tips, tricks, and gambling knowledge for beginners and experts alike. You can find helpful tools like the online poker guide and more on the online site and the BetMGM blog.
