If you have ever explored the different types of blackjack games at an online casino or even browsed the table game options available at a traditional casino, you may have come across a variant called Spanish 21. This is an exciting game that is still similar enough to blackjack to appeal to those who love the game, but different enough to offer gamblers something new in their experience.
Read on to discover all you need to know about Spanish 21, including its rules, bonus payouts, and side bets, as well as tips and strategies to help you win.
What Is Spanish 21?
Spanish 21 is a blackjack variant that was originally developed by game publisher Masque Publishing Inc., but is now widely licensed and offered by a number of online casinos.
At a glance, Spanish 21 may look similar to blackjack, but once you dive deeper into the Spanish 21 rules, you’ll discover that this underappreciated casino card game has a number of rules that make it stand out from blackjack. In some sense, Spanish 21 is simply a variant of blackjack, much like Omaha, Seven Card Stud, and Texas Hold’em are all variants of poker.
The Rules of Spanish 21
Here’s how to play Spanish 21. The goal is the same as in classic blackjack. The player must try to get a hand worth more than the dealer’s but without going over 21.
The player can choose to hit (receive another card) or stand (declare that they don’t want any more cards).
You win if the card values in your hand equal 21, if the dealer busts (goes over 21), or if the final value of your hand is greater than the value of the dealer’s hand. You lose if the dealer’s hand is worth more than yours, if the dealer has a natural 21 (an ace and a face card) and you don’t, or if the total value of your hand exceeds 21.
In Spanish 21, the dealer must hit on all totals of 16 and stand on hard 17. However, unlike traditional blackjack, most casinos require the dealer to hit on a soft 17 (a hand containing an ace counted as 11). This rule slightly increases the house edge compared to games where the dealer stands on all 17s.
In a situation where you and the dealer both have a hand of the same value, it’s considered a tie (also known as a push). When this happens, the player gets their bet back. If both the dealer and player get 21, the player wins. Essentially, all player 21s win automatically, even against a dealer 21. This is a major rule difference
Up until this point, you may think you’re just playing a game with regular blackjack rules and a different name, but there are differences between Spanish 21 and blackjack.
So, how is blackjack different from Spanish 21? To start, in Spanish 21, the 10s are removed from the card deck. This leaves players with pip cards 2–9 (valued at their respective pips), the jack, queen, and king (all valued at 10), and the ace (valued at 1 or 11).
Another rule that is similar to blackjack is splitting. In Spanish 21, however, players can split up to a maximum of four times, with the option to double after each split.
Another rule that is not commonly known but is implemented in some blackjack variants is surrendering. In blackjack, players can surrender after they’ve seen their first two cards. This means they give up half their bet to start a new game. Spanish 21 allows late surrender (after the dealer checks for blackjack). This is more liberal than many blackjack games. In Spanish 21, a player can surrender when the dealer doesn’t have 21, forfeiting half of their wager to end the current game. However, surrendering does not apply if a dealer has a natural 21.
Odds in Spanish 21
Compared to regular blackjack, removing the 10s in Spanish 21 boosts the house edge to favor the dealer. However, several other rules, like bonus payouts and pushes, balance this out.
The overall Spanish 21 house edge is approximately between 0.40% and 0.80%. In blackjack, the house edge is usually around 0.5% with optimal play. It can go down to 0.28%, though only in extremely favorable rule sets. The incredibly low house edge gives Spanish 21 some of the best casino card game odds in any casino.
Bonus Payouts and Side Bets
One exciting difference between Spanish 21 and the most popular card games, like poker, is the bonus payouts. Bonus payouts in Spanish 21 depend on the specific combination and suits, for example:
- The player’s hand consists of 6, 7, and 8:
- Mixed suits: Bonus payouts are 3:2
- Same suit: Bonus payouts are 2:1
- All spades: Bonus payouts are 3:1
- The player’s hand consists of five cards that equal 21. The bonus payout odds for this win are 3:2.
- The player’s hand consists of six cards that equal 21. The bonus payout odds for this win are 2:1.
- The player’s hand consists of seven cards that equal 21. The bonus payout odds for this win are 3:1.
- The famous ‘Super Bonus’ occurs when a player holds three suited 7s against a dealer 7, paying $1,000 for bets of $5–$24, $5,000 for bets of $25+, and $50 to all other players at the table.
There are some side bets as well. These include:
- The “Match the Dealer” side bet, in which the player wagers that his cards will match the rank and value of the dealer’s cards. The payouts vary depending on the conditions that are met.
- The “Insurance” side bet, in which the player can buy “insurance”. The player can place half of their original wager on this side bet, and if they’re correct, it pays out 2:1. This side bet pays out if the dealer has an ace that is part of a natural blackjack. This effectively protects the player against an immediate loss.
Spanish 21 Tips and Strategy
Now that the rules of Spanish 21 have been explained, here are some Spanish 21 tips. You can also incorporate some of the more general blackjack tips into your Spanish 21 strategy.
1. Don’t Surrender Every Time You’re Unsure
If you’re still learning the game and don’t have a strategy chart guiding you on optimal decision-making, it may be tempting to take advantage of the blackjack surrender rule every time you’re unsure of what to do. However, it’s important to learn the game, even if that means experiencing a few losses. Surrendering at every chance means you won’t gain the valuable experience that comes with taking calculated risks.
Playing out some of the hands that you’re unsure of will help you learn when you should hit and when you should stay, as well as when to surrender in blackjack games, even if you experience more losses while you’re still learning.
2. Know When To Split
If done correctly, splitting can increase your chances of winning. But you first need to know when to split in blackjack. Here are some instances where you should consider splitting:
- When you have a pair of aces.
- When you have a pair of 2s or 3s and the dealer has 4 to 7. Hit if the dealer has 9 or more.
- When you have a pair of 6s and the dealer has 4 to 6. Hit if the dealer has seven or more.
- When you have a pair of 7s and the dealer has 2 to 7. Hit if the dealer has 8 or more.
- When you have a pair of 8s, you always split. Surrender if the dealer has an ace.
- When you have a pair of 9s and the dealer has 3 to 6 or 8 or 9. Stand if the dealer has any other cards.
- Never split with 4s and 5s.
- Never split with a pair of 10s.
3. Take More Risks Since You’re Less Likely to Bust
In Spanish 21, it’s safer to hit more often since the four 10s have been removed from the deck. Yes, there are still the face cards that are worth 10, but overall, you are less likely to come across a card that’s worth 10 and go bust. This makes hitting and doubling down more favorable in certain situations, but the best approach is to follow a Spanish 21 strategy chart for precise guidance. Also consider doubling down or a double double down on strong hands (and study blackjack terminology to better understand those terms).
4. Avoid the Side Bets
Just as in blackjack, you should stick to the base game and avoid the Match the Dealer and Insurance side bets. This will improve your win rate in the long run, even if you lose out on some potentially big wins in the short term. Blackjack side bets tend to have very poor odds compared to normal gameplay.
5. Follow a Spanish 21 Strategy Chart
If you’re still struggling to come to grips with the game, there’s one final tip that you can follow that will make the game even easier to play. Just as in any online casino game, players can take advantage of a strategy chart that compares the dealer’s upcard to their hand and advises them on whether they should hit, stand, or surrender. It’s very easy to follow and makes it a must for any beginner. Over time, it will become second nature to know what you should do and when.
Play Blackjack and Other Exciting Casino Games at BetMGM
If you’re interested in games similar to Spanish 21, take a look at all the exciting blackjack and blackjack variants available at BetMGM. When you play blackjack online at BetMGM’s online casino, you can play exciting digital and live dealer versions of the game, including titles such as Blackjack Live, Blackjack Pro, Blazing Blackjack 7’s, First Person Blackjack, and much more.
But that’s not all that you can enjoy at BetMGM. There are many other exciting casino games available. You can play poker online as well as online slots, roulette, craps, and baccarat.
Register at BetMGM to put your luck to the test.
