If you’ve never explored this area of blackjack betting before, we’re here to talk you through exactly what these bets entail and what you can expect in terms of the house edge, probability of winning, and the implications to your bankroll. We’ll also share some insider advice to help you get used to the idea of placing side bets and how you can work them to your advantage. 

What Are Blackjack Side Bets?

Blackjack side bets fall into the same category as prop bets in sports betting. A bookmaker typically lays out odds for unconventional scenarios that are completely unrelated to the game itself. This could be things like how long the crowd will chant the national anthem for, what accent the commentator will have, how long it takes before someone streaks across the pitch, etc. 

While you can’t bet on the dealer’s choice of attire or how long it will take for him or her to strip off in a game of blackjack, the concept is exactly the same in the sense that these bets have nothing to do with the logistics of the actual game. What you might bet on are things like your first two cards adding up to a specific value or being of a certain suit. You might also bet that the dealer will go bust if you suspect they have a weak hand or that their hole card will be a particular number or suit, for example.

Why Do People Place Side Bets?

The game of blackjack has such good odds for the player already, so why do people bother with these propositions in the first place? Many players view them as opportunities to deviate from the monotony of trying to reach 21 and win some extra money at the same time, but others do it because they genuinely believe that it can bolster their success and chances of winning in the main game. 

This last part is a matter of personal belief and opinion, but what we can say for certain is that side bets, if done right, can be highly rewarding and good for your bankroll. This is because most side bets come with an exceptionally high house edge, so if a player manages to pull them off, the payout can be huge.

How to Place Blackjack Side Bets

Before you can place a blackjack side bet, you first need to make sure the casino offers these types of wagers. This should be pretty obvious if you’re playing at a land-based casino table, and you should be able to just place your chips on the proposition you want to opt for. If you’re playing at an online blackjack casino, available side bets are usually listed somewhere to the left of the game screen. Be sure to check the requirements and conditions for placing a particular wager before you select it.?

The Best Blackjack Side Bets

Now we’ll discuss the best and most common blackjack side bets you’re likely to find at casinos both online and offline. These wagers offer the most advantages to the player, and all feature a low house edge with reasonably high payouts.

21+3

The 21+3 side bet is one you’re most likely to come across at brick-and-mortar establishments, but it is known to exist in online games as well. To put it simply, you’ll win this bet if both the dealer’s face-up card and your initial two cards make up one of the following poker hands: straight, flush, or three-of-a-kind. Subject to a 9 to 1 payout, you’ll benefit from a 3.24% house edge with this bet, making it one of the most favorable side bets you can opt for in blackjack.

Royal Match

This is a classic bet that’s commonplace at online casinos and can be found in most variations of blackjack. Like the 21+3, Royal Match has a respectable house edge of only 3.7%. The goal with this bet is to form a hand of two cards of the same suit. Depending on how many decks are being used, the highest payout is 25 to 1 for a suited King and Queen and 5:2 for any other suited combination. 

Over/Under 13

Another bet with a commendable house edge is the Over/Under 13. For the Over bet, you’re up against a 6.5% house edge and 13% if you wager on the Under. If a player opts for the Over bet, they are essentially predicting that the first two cards dealt will exceed the value of 13; whereas, for the latter, the player is betting that the value will be less than this figure. Both can result in a nice payout if you win but bear in mind that if your first two cards equate to 13 exactly, you lose either way. While the risk is marginal here, a solid card counting strategy can help to further reduce the house edge for this wager in a live casino. 

The Most Popular Blackjack Side Bets

The above side bets are the best because they offer low house edges with high payouts. The most popular wagers, however, are ones you’ve likely heard of or come across already. Even though the house edge and payoffs are still decent enough for these bets, winning on them isn’t so easily attainable. Let’s take a quick look at what these are:?

Insurance

If you’ve played blackjack in the past, there’s no doubt you would have heard the term “insurance”. With this wager, you are essentially banking on the dealer having blackjack. Although the house edge isn’t particularly high, you can look forward to a 2:1 payout if your prediction is correct. Note that it’s only possible to take insurance if the dealer’s face-up card is a ten, face card (J, Q, K), or an Ace. 

Super Sevens

You can probably guess what this wager involves! The idea is to obtain as many sevens in your hand as possible, but you only need 1 seven to win. In this case, you can expect a payout of 3 to 1, and the bet covers up to 3 sevens. If you manage to get more than one seven and they are of the same suit, you can win a whopping 5,000 times your bet. Even though achieving such a hand is no easy task, most casinos typically limit the Super Sevens bet to $1 per play due to the sky-high earning potential. 

Lucky Ladies

Finally, we have the highest-paying side bet, Lucky Ladies. As this bet is pretty straightforward and pays well, it’s the one that appeals the most to players. For it to win, your first two cards need to total up to 20 exactly. The highest possible payout for this bet is 1,000 to 1, but this would only be achievable if you had two suited Queens of hearts and the dealer has blackjack. Other face card combinations can pay out handsomely too, but the most you can expect to earn for anything else is around 4 to 1.

Blackjack Side Bets: Conclusion

Side bets put an exciting spin on any blackjack game. But their importance shouldn’t be overstated because they don’t have much significance when it comes to a normal game. They exist to serve as more of an advertisement than a way to earn more money, and nine times out of ten, the casino will be the one to profit.

If you would like to explore this area of betting, however, make sure you check the rules for each wager and start small with your amounts. That way, you can get a feel for the dynamics of placing these bets without posing too many risks to your bankroll. 

For more on side bets andblackjack strategies be sure to check out Planet 7’s blog. You’ll find tons of real money blackjack tips and advice for getting started.??

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Wagering in itself is the notion of using part of this money to play games in an attempt to win more money. If you’ve ever tried to redeem a bonus at a gambling site likePlanet 7 Online Casino, you’ll know that this plays a significant role in what you can potentially win.?

The Purpose of Wagering Requirements

All casinos need a daily influx of wagers to sustain their operations. Without this continuity, things would fall apart quickly. This is why casinos offer appealingbonuses and promotionsin an effort to get players to dig through their pockets and place bets more frequently.?

Bonus deals come with specific terms and conditions called wagering requirements. In fact, casinos are legally obliged to have them in place for anti-money laundering purposes. If these requirements didn’t exist, criminals would easily be able to deposit money and withdraw the funds from their accounts immediately.

How Wagering Requirements Work For Bonuses

A bonus typically includes a discount, free spins, or a sum of money that’s equal to a deposit amount. Sometimes it comes as a deal that requires no deposit at all. However, as the sole aim of the bonus is to get players to bet on casino games, they must bet a certain amount or a minimum number of times on a game before they are eligible to withdraw any winnings won as a result of using a bonus.

For example, let’s say an online casino is offering a 100% bonus deal. If a player deposits $50, they will get a $50 bonus, giving them a collective account balance of $100. The catch is that they won’t be able to withdraw the $100 all at once, and they will still need to wager the bonus amount first, i.e. $50. If the bonus is subject to a 10x wagering requirement, the player would need to wager 10 times more than what they originally deposited before they can withdraw, i.e. $500. 

Once you meet the wagering requirement, the bonus money turns into real money. Then you can continue playing with this money or withdraw it as winnings. If you don’t meet the wagering conditions, the bonus money is voided and goes back to the casino.?

Bonus Time Limits

In addition to wagering requirements, most bonuses also tend to be time-sensitive. This means that if you don’t fulfill the conditions needed to withdraw within a certain timeframe (usually 30 days), the offer will expire. 

For example, let’s say a bonus requires a 20x playthrough that you need to complete within 30 days. You place a deposit of $100, and the casino gives you an additional $100 to play with. In order to meet the bonus conditions, you would need to bet a minimum of $2,000 within 30 days. Otherwise, the winnings would be voided, and your deposit money would be canceled.??

It may sound a bit excessive, but the truth is that casinos do this purely to cover their operating expenses and protect their cash flow. At the end of the day, you can’t expect the casino to give you free money, then wait two years for you to spend it.

Game Weighting

In addition to wagering requirements, the last thing to consider when using a bonus is called “game weighting”. In a nutshell, game weighting refers to the percentage of wagers that all make up the entire wager for a given game.

Slots, for example, almost always make up 100% of a wagering requirement. This means that every cent wagered works towards reaching that requirement. With table and card games like blackjack, however, these types rarely count for 100% and may only have a 70% value assigned to them. This means that for every 10 cents you bet with, 7 cents will make up the wagering requirement.?

Whenever you’re looking to redeem a bonus, always be sure to thoroughly read the terms and conditions first. That way, you’ll be able to see what games the bonus applies to and what you need to meet the wagering requirement. As the majority of gamblers play slots, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue for most. But again, it always pays to check this information out so you’re not in for any nasty surprises when it comes to your winnings.

Can You Avoid Wagering Requirements?

Most casinos are incredibly strict when it comes to bonuses, and they won’t hesitate to keep your bonus money if you don’t fulfill the necessary requirements for using it. This is because casinos are essentially giving you two or three times as many chances to win than if you were playing off your own cash. Think about it: if they made every bonus without conditions, they would be leaking cash and hardly ever make a profit. 

However, some casinos offer wager-free bonuses with none of these conditions attached to them. This means you can withdraw your winnings right off the bat. Casinos offer these types of bonuses to new players. These bonuses come in the form of cashback, wager-free spins, or a wager-free deposit. ?

Wagering Requirements in Summary

As you can probably gather, wagering requirements make it near enough impossible for you to beat the house. The odd lucky player might slip through the net when it comes to playthroughs and cashing in, but all in all, you stand a higher chance of winning real money by playing slots with a high RTP.

With this in mind, you can still take the bonus money and play casino games for free. You may as well adopt the mindset that you’re unlikely to win from using welcome bonuses alone, as this is the reality when you look at the situation objectively. Nevertheless, these bonus offers are yours for the taking, and the best part is that you get to try out all the different games and play whatever you want for however long you want at a casino without any implications on your bankroll.

Hitting the Jackpot

Let’s say you manage to hit a jackpot using the money from yourwelcome bonus (such as 100 times the value of your bonus). Now you can wager as much as you like to meet the requirements. When you do, you’ll be able to withdraw and still have made a decent amount of cash in the process. For example, let’s say you play a slot game with a $100 bonus and you happen to win $10,000. You would only have to wager $2,000 before you can withdraw your winnings – as long as there is a 20x wagering requirement, of course.?

Bonuses are just free money at the end of the day. But there’s simply no way of knowing when you’re going to hit the jackpot. If it’s a big win on a high-paying slot like Mega Moolah, for example, meeting the wagering requirements before you can withdraw your winnings would be pretty effortless.?

The post An Introduction to Wagering Requirements appeared first on Planet 7 Casino.

Ancient Origins

Baccarat is one of the most glamorous casino games. So it’s only fitting that its origins are shrouded in mystery and allure.

Some trace the history of baccarat back to a legend from the Etruscans, an ancient Italian people. Legends suggest a game in which a virgin has to roll a 9-sided die to determine her fate.

If she rolls an 8 or 9, she will become a powerful priestess. A 6 or 7 will mean that she can live, but if she rolls lower than a 6? Well… the poor girl will be banished to the sea to drown. 

If you’re not familiar with baccarat, players’ hands score between 0 and 9. And just like the Etruscan legend, higher scores win the game.

Asian Baccarat?

Some speculate that baccarat actually originated in Asia, where European soldiers encountered similar games and brought them home.?

Pai Gow, for example, comes from Ancient China and resembles the baccarat game we know today. Its name translates loosely to “make nine” or “card nine.”  

Additionally, Macao – a gambling game whose name suggests Asian origins – is sometimes cited as a direct forerunner to baccarat due to similarities in the rules. Macao was very popular in 18th-century Europe among all classes.

Felix Falguiere

With so many theories floating around, we may never know the true history of baccarat, or whether the game came to be through a mix of factors. 

That being said, it’s widely believed that a man named Felix Falguiere created the first rules of the game in 14th-century Italy. Falguiere even gave baccarat its name. 

Felix spoke Italian, so he actually called it ‘bacarra,’ which means ‘zero’ (all face cards and 10’s are worth zero in the game). Its popularity amongst the French nobility meant that the French version of the name, ‘baccarat,’ gained steam later on. Eventually baccarat spread worldwide.

The French Connection

The Italian Renaissance wasn’t all fun and games. 

During the period’s Italian Wars, French forces moved through the country. As the story goes, when they got home, they had brought Baccarat with them! 

Apparently, the card game became a favorite of the 15th-century French king Charles VIII and his court.

Whichever baccarat origin story you like best, we know for sure that by the 19th century, the French aristocracy was onto a baccarat craze. The game took place in exclusive, opulent private rooms.

Baccarat’s French popularity accounts for why two of its three main variants feature French names: Baccarat Banque, and the later Chemin de Fer.

British Baccarat: Royal Trouble, 007 and the Beatles

The British public became very interested in baccarat thanks to the ‘royal baccarat scandal’ (also known as the Tranby Croft affair).

It all began at an 1890 house party. The then Prince of Wales and future King of England, Edward VII, was invited to Tranby Croft, Yorkshire. The party included Edward’s advisors, as well as his friend, Sir William Gordon-Cumming. 

The men played Baccarat, but unfortunately, Gordon-Cumming was accused of cheating. 

In exchange for the silence of his party on the matter, Gordon-Cumming signed a document saying he would never play cards again. 

However, the man’s secret didn’t hold for long, so he decided to bring the party’s hosts to court for slander. The Prince of Wales served as a witness in the case, and his friend was eventually found guilty. 

The whole event played out in all its sordid glory by the media. They even wrote articles about baccarat rules for the curious public.

Casino Royale

Baccarat also found fame across the channel when Ian Fleming’s novels cited the game – specifically the Chemin de Fer version – as James Bond’s favorite.

In 1953, the secret agent played baccarat in Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale.

In fact, the novel’s plot revolves around a game between Bond and his adversary, Le Chiffre, who is taken out by his Soviet bosses after Bond bankrupts him. 

Casino Royale even included an introduction to baccarat for readers!

If you’ve seen the 2006 film Casino Royale, you’ll know that they traded baccarat for Texas hold ‘em poker. This was simply because the latter was extremely popular at the time.

If you do want to see Bond play baccarat on film, you can find it in Dr. No, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, For Your Eyes Only, and GoldenEye. However, the most detailed baccarat scene occurs in Thunderball – the 1967 adaptation of Casino Royale. 

The Beatles

Further attesting to baccarat’s appeal in mid-century England, The 1964 film A Hard Day’s Night, starring the Beatles, features the game.

Paul McCartney’s (fictional) grandfather steals the band’s invitation to a posh casino. He doesn’t seem to know how to play baccarat. The croupier corrects him when he yells “bingo” instead of “banco”. But that doesn’t stop him from playing the game – and winning!

Punto Banco

Baccarat was too good for Europe to keep all to itself. Soon the game moved swiftly across the ocean to South America and the Caribbean.

In 1940s Havana, the Punto Banco variant emerged, and the rest is history!

Punto Banco baccarat surged in popularity, and the late 1950s brought it to the Sands casino in Las Vegas. Casinos marketed baccarat as a glamorous game for the rich and powerful. Minimum bets were high, which successfully added to its drama and allure. 

Today, Punto Banco is the most popular form of the game, often labeled by casinos as simply “baccarat.” And the rest, as they say, is history.

The post A Quick History of Baccarat appeared first on Planet 7 Casino.

What Does Surrender Mean In Blackjack?

To surrender in blackjack means to forfeit the initial hand you’re dealt if you know you have a weak hand that’s unlikely to win. In doing so, you will get to hold onto half of your stake instead of losing your entire bet. In a land-based casino, you’re expected to make it known to the dealer and the table that you plan to surrender, whereas, in online blackjack, there is a button you have to press on the game screen.?

Many players like to surrender when available to them, but not all blackjack games offer this option. The variants that do have the rules for surrendering are listed in the paytable information, which you can check before you play. 

If you want to knowhow to play blackjackusing the surrender rule, there are two ways you can go with this option: early surrender and late surrender. We’ve listed how both of these strategies work below.

Strategy for Early Surrender

The early surrender rule is rarely offered at online casinos and land-based venues. That’s because it’s the one that gives the player the biggest advantage. Unlike late surrender, where the dealer is able to check for blackjack in advance, early surrender allows you to opt for surrender before the dealer looks at his hand.?When you use early surrender against a ten or Ace card, the RTP (return to player) percentage increases between 0.24% and 0.39%, respectively.

In most blackjack games, the house edge already sits at a favorable 1%. So these new odds make surrendering even more worthwhile.?Even if you did manage to use the early surrender option in blackjack, the sad truth is that a lot of casinos implement other rules that cancel out these odds and put the house edge back in the casino’s favor.?

When to Surrender Early

If the variant you want to play does permit an early surrender, the most strategic approach would be to surrender only when the dealer has an Ace card. You should also surrender early if you have one of the following hands:

The below hands are what you should use against a dealer’s 10:?

Strategy for Late Surrender

The most commonly used blackjack rule in both land-based and online casinos is the late surrender. Like early surrender, you win back half your bet with this move. However, it’s only possible to surrender after the dealer has checked his hand for blackjack.?

Based on the rules and how many decks used in the variant you’re playing, late surrender often works out better than early surrender. That is, unless your initial hand is 17. If you receive a 17, you should surrender only if the dealer’s up-card is an Ace and he/she hits on soft 17. If you have 7+10 on single-deck blackjack, again, you should not to go for late surrender in this scenario.

When to Surrender Late??

Now we’ll outline when you should surrender if you receive the following hand total in a single-deck game of blackjack:?

If your hand is 14:

• Surrender against a dealer’s 10
• If the dealer hits on soft 17, surrender to the dealer’s Ace with 7+7

If your hand is 15:

• Surrender if the dealer shows an Ace and hits on soft 17 while you have either 9+6 or 10+5 (good for single-deck and double-deck games)
• Against a dealer’s 10 if you have 9+6 or 10+5 (games with up to 6 decks of cards)
• Surrender to the dealer’s 10 or Ace card if they hit on soft 17 (good for 4-6 deck games)

If your hand is 16:

• Surrender to the dealer’s 10 or Ace card (good for single and double-deck blackjack)
• Against the dealer’s 9, 10 or Ace (4 or more decks)
• If your initial hand is 8+8 when the dealer hits on soft 17
• If a double after split is permitted, surrender to the dealer’s Ace

Blackjack Surrender In Summary

When you’re trying to implement any optimal blackjack strategy, remember that the aim of doing so is to beat the dealer’s hand. Surrendering may not win you the game or get you to 21. But it will mean you’re likely to retain more of your bankroll and play for longer. This is why the rules for hitting and standing on soft 17 are highly important, along with what the dealer is showing before you opt for surrender.?

No other casino games offer such a high player advantage as this one. So it’s worth using this option if you have the opportunity to do so. After all, nobody likes to lose or walk away from a table empty-handed. But by using the surrender option, you’re guaranteed to keep half your bet even when you’ve got no chance at beating the dealer.

The post When Should You Surrender in Blackjack? appeared first on Planet 7 Casino.

What is Spanish 21?

Spanish 21 is a special take on the classic game of blackjack. Brick and mortar casinos first introduced the game in 1995. While many of the rules are inherently the same as the original version, this one has a few different twists that can make the gameplay much more interesting. Additionally, such rules can be found in other blackjack games like Pontoon and Blackjack Surrender, both of which offer some big advantages to the player.  

Usually, Spanish 21 features the same table layout as the classic version of blackjack. This means between 6 and 8 decks of cards are used. Unlike other blackjack games, however, this one does not include 10 cards. Basically, this means 25% of the cards are missing. Jacks, Queens, and Kings remain in the deck, and like the original game, these cards have a value of 10. 

Spanish 21 Quick Facts

• This version of the game is played with 6-8 card decks with 48 in each
• All suited 10 cards are excluded from the game 
• If the player has 21, their hand always supersedes the dealer’s 21;
• The house edge falls in the range of 0.40%-0.76% in Spanish 21 and can be reduced by 1%, respectively. 

Rules: Blackjack vs Spanish 21

*Because of the lower number of 10s, the insurance bet in Spanish 21 with a 2-1 payoff has a much higher house edge than it does for blackjack. It is considered to be one of the worst bets you can make on any game.

Spanish 21 Rules

As mentioned already, Spanish 21 discards all of the 10 cards from the deck. At first, it may seem like this puts the player at a huge disadvantage. But the other changes in rules make up for this. Here are some quick pointers to help you remember the rules and what to be aware of while you play. 

Quick rules for Spanish 21:

• Player’s 21 always beats the dealer’s 21
• The dealer must either hit or stand on soft 17
• Redoubling is possible up to 3 times at most casinos
• You may opt to surrender on the first two cards
• All 10s are removed from every deck being played (6-8 decks is standard)
• The dealer must hit on 16 and stand on 17
• Even against a dealer’s blackjack, player’s 21 always wins
• You may double down after a split
• After splitting Aces, players can draw several cards from the shoe
• Receive bonus payouts for hands like 6-7-8, and for a 5-card trick that totals 21, e.g. 2-3-4-5-7

Rules for Hitting, Standing, and Splitting

In this version of the game, all rules for splitting, hitting, and standing are exactly the same as in the original game ofonline blackjack. This means that you are only allowed to stand, hit, or split once you’ve placed your wager, and only when the dealer has dealt your initial hand. A Spanish 21 strategy chart is a great way to assess the impact these rules can have on the game before making your move ─ but more on that later!.

Using the Late Surrender Rule

To go for a late surrender in blackjack means you are essentially forfeiting your hand to keep half of your stake. For the player, this can be extremely advantageous, and if you calculate the probability of beating the dealer’s hole card, you can minimize losses significantly with this move.

Using the Re-Splitting Rule

Being able to split and re-split Aces is another advantage of playing Spanish 21. You can also double down, and re-double on a pair in this version of the game. When doubling and splitting, you can also use the late surrender rule if you don’t want to risk losing half of your bet. If you know you’ve got a lousy hand to begin with, knowing you’ve got all of these rescue options at your disposal is a huge benefit.

Rules For Matching the Dealer’s Side Bet

In addition to the variations of rules above, there are normally some extra bonus games and side bets you can place in Spanish 21. One of the most popular side bet in this version of the game as well as classic blackjack and other variations are “Match the Dealer.” In order to win this bet, the player’s first two cards must match the dealer’s face card. While it can be a lot of fun, this bet can be risky, and should therefore be avoided if you want to keep losses to a minimum. 

Online Spanish 21: The Super Bonus Rule

Unlike other variations of blackjack, Spanish 21 is one of the few online variants that offer a Super Bonus. Actually, the odds of actually hitting a Super Bonus payout is about 1 in 668,382 in a game with six decks and 1 in 549,188 in an 8-deck game. But the thought of winning such a payout is enthralling in itself. 

Spanish 21 Strategy

If Blackjack is your usual weapon of choice in casinos, you’ll be pleased to know that Spanish 21 is one of the most profitable versions of the game out there. Like any gambling game, however, the best way to maximize your chances of success is to ensure you’re sticking to some kind of strategy. 

There are 3 basic blackjack strategies that are always worth sticking to when playing this game.

Bankroll Management

Make sure you have enough funds to accommodate a few games and any side bets you might want to participate in. Additionally, take the time to calculate your bets and moves. This way you have a higher chance of losing streaks and less room for mistakes. 

Regular Practice

If you’ve never played this version of blackjack in the past, the best way to get familiar with the changes in the rules and how it works is to play it for free first. This means you can learn the game without risk. Therefore, you save your cash for when you’re confident and ready to play for the real deal. 

Blackjack Cheat Sheet

The third and most effective strategy is a blackjack strategy chart. These are fantastic for calculating your payouts and potential moves. Also, one of the biggest benefits of playing online is that there is always a blackjack chart available for any version of the game you want to play.

Where Do You Find A Spanish 21 Strategy Chart?

Download these so-called “cheat sheets” directly from the web. And if you take the time to study the different moves and outcomes on the chart. Next, apply this knowledge to Spanish 21 or any other variant. You will likely notice some improvement in your gameplay. This is because you are naturally reducing the house advantage by knowing how your moves impact the game. And when the dealer has to stick to certain rules based on your hand, you can highly influence what happens next. 

Spanish 21 Playing Tips

As Spanish 21 doesn’t use 10s, there is a much lower risk of busting your hand in this game. This is why drawing extra cards is going to be worth your while in most cases. You can also use surrender but bear in mind that overusing this option may lose you more money in the long run. Below are our top tips for playing Spanish 21 and how you can make the most out of your bets. 

Get to know the different moves with a strategy chart

As the rules in Spanish 21 are different from classic blackjack, it’s worth taking some time to research the moves and possible outcomes that can occur. A strategy chart is the best way to get you familiar with the rules of the game. It can drastically improve your winning chances. 

Don’t draw extra cards if bonus payouts are offered

It may seem a bit counterintuitive to do this when there is a bonus payout up for grabs. But if you’re quite new to the game and haven’t had much experience with these features ─ as well as side bets ─ we highly recommend avoiding them. While it may be tempting to put down a big wager, it’s these kinds of bets that can ruin your bankroll in minutes.  

Be cautious of using the surrender too much

New players often overuse surrender in blackjack. While this is fine if you’ve got a big bankroll to play with, the losses can rack up quickly if you’re abusing this option. There are ideal times to call surrender. But this doesn’t mean you’re going to finish in the green if you plan to stick around for a few games. Therefore, it’s much wiser to use this option sparingly and play your hand as best you can.   

Extra cards don’t always bust your hand

10-value cards are under-represented in this version of blackjack. Therefore, there is a much lower risk of your hand going bust. This is why it’s typically more profitable to draw more cards in this game.

Ignore the Dealer side bet

Match the Dealer is a common side bet in Spanish 21. This bet can result in a large payout. The odds range between 4:1 to 18:1 depending on which card’s match the dealer’s face-up card. The not-so-great news about this bet is that the house edge sits between 3.99% and 3.06% in an 80-deck game. Naturally, this can pose a high risk to your bankroll. Therefore, skip these bets if you can and stick to the safer bets in the game.

Ready to Play Spanish 21?

Come and put your new knowledge and skills to the test! Play Spanish 21 and other great blackjack games for free or for real money at Planet 7.

The post How To Play Spanish 21: Game Rules, Tips, Strategies, And More! appeared first on Planet 7 Casino.

Due to the fact that top payouts in slots are considerably high, this also means that they have some of the worst odds out of all casino games, bar keno. Placing hundreds of bets over the course of an hour can have a compounding effect on your bankroll if you’re not careful, but this is how casinos make money, and why they can afford to stick mouth-watering jackpots in slots as a result.  

In this article, we’ll talk you through what it means to bet max coins in slots and how doing so can impact your gameplay.

Should You Bet Max Coins in Slot Games?

Playing slots isn’t rocket science. You place your bet, spin the reels, then cross your fingers and hope for the best outcome. The only thinking and decisions involved are choosing which game you want to play and how much you want to bet.

You’ll often hear “slot pros” and so-called veterans claim that you should always bet the maximum number of coins in these games. And while that’s true if you want to play for the ultimate prize, it’s not always necessary if you just want to have some fun and play for smaller wins.?

The Two Kinds of Maximum Bets in Slots

On a typical slot machine, you’ll only come across one “Max Bet” button, but some versions, particularly 5-reel slots, allow you to select and adjust the number of paylines you want to bet on. These games are usually displayed with “243 ways to win”.

Many older slots (also known as “penny slots”) are configured to offer 20 to 50 paylines to bet on, which allows you to turn every one of them off apart from one. While the name implies you should only bet 1 cent to play, these types of games usually have a minimum bet of $0.10 per payline across 25 paylines. 

The maximum bet in these games is $1 per payline. Casinos were a bit sneaky when these first came out because this $1 payline made players think they were only placing $1 across all paylines, when in fact, hitting the “Max Bet” button automatically took $25 worth of credits from their bankroll. 

This is why it’s always advised to check the game rules and paytables in advance before you play slots!

The More Complex the Slot, the Worse the Odds

As mostonline slotshave multiple paylines these days, you shouldn’t hold out to win the jackpot unless you’re betting on all of them. Each wager placed on each payline counts as a separate wager. Therefore, playing all of the paylines simultaneously is more likely to make you a winner. The downside is that over time, most of these spins will lose on the other paylines to compensate the casino.

Preventing Too Many Losses

When you play slots, you’re inevitably going to lose most of the time. However, there are some ways you can save some money on a slot with multiple paylines. Using these two methods below will help you conserve your bankroll so you have more shots at winning some money:

Bet on fewer paylines – It may seem cliche to bet on few paylines if you want a chance at scoring the jackpot, but you can still win money by doing this. Most video slot machines also offer additional prizes such as free games, bet multipliers, and other rewards that are well worth the bet.  

Lower the size of your bet – Again, if you’re wanting to fight for the top reward in slot games, you’re only going to get there if you bet the maximum number of coins required. However, there is still a tonne of earning potential just from placing smaller bets in these types of games. 

Older Slots Offer Better Odds Based On Your Bet Amounts

The payout percentage in some older slot games actually increases according to your wager size. These types of slots work the opposite of traditional slot games, but to put it simply, you’re likely to win more frequently on these games because the payouts are smaller. 

This is due to the game’s RTP (return to player) which dictates how much the player is likely to win over time. So instead of betting the standard 5 coins maximum bet, these games might only require you to bet 2-3 coins to be eligible to still play for the jackpot.

A Basic Slot Game Doesn’t Change the Probabilities

It doesn’t matter if it’s a 3D online slot with fairies flapping all over the screen or one of the classic three-reel varieties; the probabilities don’t change if the slot game doesn’t require maximum coins.

You could bet the bare minimum or the maximum number of credits, and the outcome of the game won’t be affected in any way. All you do with either of these options is change the number of spins you’re guaranteed to play.

Let’s say you had $300 to spend and the minimum bet in a slot is $1. This would allow you to play the game a total of 300 times. If you placed the maximum bet of 5 coins on every spin, you would only be able to play the game 60 times maximum (this doesn’t include winning spins).?

Progressive Slot Games Only Pay Out Jackpots on Max Bets

If you want to play progressive slots, you’ll need to bet the maximum number of coins on these games to be eligible to win and claim the jackpot. If you can afford to bet max, and you have the choice between a progressive and non-progressive slot, it’s in your interest to play progressive games because these types pay out the most. 

People often have mixed views about progressive slots because the jackpot in these games drops at random. There are those who exclusively stick to progressive slots and who would prefer to win a huge reward beyond anything the game itself pays. Others are simply happy to take home a few thousand and boycott playing for the top prize altogether.

Does Betting Max Put You Ahead Of The Game Faster?

We’ll do a quick calculation to answer this one. Let’s assume you discover a slot game with a regular RTP that gives reasonably high payouts. Perhaps it’s a “hot” slot. Why would you think to place max coins?

If the top reward is 1000x your stake, you would either make $999 from a $1 bet or $4995 from a $5 bet. That’s pretty simple math, so why isn’t every slot player betting this way?

If you had $20 left in your bankroll, you might then choose to “wrap it up”. But there’s not a big difference between walking away with $20 or ending your session on $200. 

It all boils down to how many spins you want to guarantee yourself. Slots can easily make us kid ourselves. But the fact is that the odds of winning the jackpot on the next spin are exactly the same for every one you bet on, regardless of how much.

How Do You Win At Slots?

The best way to win at slots is to play with a slots strategy. But because these games are random, using one never guarantees you will win. It will, however, help you to choose the right slot games, manage your bankroll properly, and maximize your chances of winning!?

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Even if you’re playing a game like blackjack and using a proper blackjack strategy, without a firm grip on your spending, any success will be short-lived. After all, the primary goal is to win at casino gambling, and while it is impossible to win anything without risking some of your own hard-earned cash, wise spending can help you play for longer and thus give you a higher chance at winning more frequently. 

The best part is that you don’t need any advanced knowledge or skills to manage your bankroll. Just a bit of common sense and discipline is more than enough. So, let’s take a look at some effective bankroll management tips that will make you become a better gambler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGPClfyxGZg

Casino Bankroll Management Tips

If you were to enter a casino and place all your money on a single bet, and you have no problem with the idea of losing it then there is essentially no need to manage your bankroll, let alone read this article. But, you can’t deny the fact that the odds are still stacked against you in most cases. And without any flexibility in your budget, you’re not going to have any further opportunities to recoup your losses.??

However, if you’re someone who wants to win and you haven’t been managing your bankroll properly up until this point, here are some simple steps you can take to improve your gambling strategy:

Set A Gambling Budget

The number one rule in solid bankroll management is to set yourself a budget, then stick to it. It’s best to treat your gambling budget like any other life expense, meaning you should never spend more than you can realistically afford. 

At the end of the day, you’re going to lose to the casino at some point regardless. This doesn’t mean you will lose consistently, or even in the long run. But losses are inevitable no matter how much you have to spend or how exceptionally skilled you are at a certain game. Therefore, we advise you to only play with betting amounts that can enable you to maintain and recover your bankroll over time.?

Choose An Appropriate Betting Range

It’s so common for newcomers to dive into their favorite games and place huge bets without any second thoughts about the outcome. Before you know it, they are back digging through their pockets for loose change or running up a credit card bill when they need to place yet another deposit. 

Strategic gamblers realize that the maximum they are willing to spend on a bet must reflect the size of their bankroll. This is why they opt for smaller, more sensible wagers. A good rule of thumb is to never wager more than 1% of your bankroll total on a single wager or game. By doing this, you’re betting enough money to make a profit if you do win, and won’t be hit too hard if you lose.

Set Loss and Win Limits

Aside from setting yourself a budget, it’s also wise to set limits for wins and losses. Tempting as it may be to continue playing when you’re on a winning streak, the fact is you’re still going to lose sooner or later. No amount of confidence or luck is going to change that. So in order to protect yourself and your bankroll, don’t be afraid to call it a day once you’ve reached your limit. 

The same applies to losing streaks. This is far more important than setting a winning limit because you can easily end up chasing losses. Once you lose a certain amount in bets or a percentage of your bankroll, stop there and don’t be tempted to top it up again. You’ll thank your future self for it the next day. Especially when you wake up knowing there aren’t any new debts looming over your head.?

Keep A Record of Your Gambling Expenses

Sure, you might have a great memory, but it’s easy for some things to slip through the net when you’re gambling, especially if bankroll management isn’t common practice for you. By keeping track of your spending, however, you’ll have much better control over your bankroll and won’t feel too deflated if you have to spend a little extra or cut a session short. 

Noting your deposit and withdrawal amounts will prevent you from losing track of what’s in your real bank account. It will also help you gauge what you can afford to spare if you want to place bigger wagers or try out different betting options in a casino game.

Set Yourself A Time Limit 

It probably sounds like we’re just asking you to put limits on everything. But we can’t emphasize enough why limiting your time spent gambling is incredibly important. Some players end up spending hours in the casino or glued to their computer screen immersed in a game. And for them, it seems like only 10 minutes have gone by.?

Ultimately, placing bets on impulse is only ever going to put you in the red over time. And this is easy to do when you’re not keeping a watchful eye on the clock. Of course, in brick and mortar casinos, clocks are purposefully removed from the venue to keep players there for longer. But when you’re playing online, it’s much easier to spot the time and call it quits.?

Taking a break for just an hour or two is more than enough to leave you feeling fresh, clear-headed, and more focused when you do eventually return for more action. 

Play Slowly and Go Easy on the Drink

Gambling at a slow and steady pace can also help you become better at casino bankroll management. Generally speaking, the longer you take to finish a game, the longer your bankroll will last. 

If you’re someone who likes to pair a drink with casino gaming, sipping your cocktail in moderation is the best way to keep your senses intact and prevent your judgment from clouding over. Most casinos offer free beverages just so players become more inebriated and forget how much they’re spending. Don’t fall into this trap!

Place Smaller Wagers

If you want to spend a few hours at the casino or playing online, this isn’t going to be an easy task if you are planning to place big wagers. One of the best ways to maintain your bankroll throughout the evening is to split it. 

So rather than betting it all on a single hand, divide it across how many games or hands you want to play in order to make it last. This strategy is ideal for those who want to get the most out of their budget and extend their overall playing time.

Pick and Choose the Right Casino Games

It wouldn’t make sense to blow your budget on a game that you don’t enjoy. So only opt to play the games that you like and make sure you’re placing sensible betting amounts. While there is no right or wrong to choosing casino games, it’s important to understand that some have a significantly higher house edge than other games.?

Games like blackjack, craps, and baccarat have low house edges, while American roulette and many versions of poker can have terrible odds for the player. This is why it’s important to check the rules, odds, and payouts when choosing casino games. That way, you can better assess the risks and whether your bankroll lives up to what you’re trying to achieve. ?

Start Playing (Responsibly!)

Any hopes of winning money at a casino can quickly diminish if you’re not taking care of your finances. Smart bankroll management isn’t complicated, and it gives you much more control and confidence as a player.?

As soon as you start to neglect these practices, however, the odds are only going to stay in the casino’s favor. Set budgets, limit your bets and playing time, and divide your bankroll across multiple bets. This way, you automatically give yourself a much better chance at seeing returns and staying in the game for longer.?

There are plenty of other ways you can minimize risks playing casino games. But managing your bankroll is an integral one. So next time you load up your favorite game or head out to the casino, use bankroll managment tips and see how your luck naturally improves!

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Because slot players are so valuable to casinos, it’s in their interest to keep their clients coming back for more. If you’ve ever played slots in places like Las Vegas or Atlantic City, you’ll see clear examples of how casinos do this. We’re talking free cocktails, room upgrades, cash back, etc. And, if you’re an online slot player, these rewards tend to come in the form of bonuses, free spins, and comp points if you’re part of a loyalty club.??

How Casinos Treat Slot Players Over Poker Players

Mind you, it’s not only slot players that bring in the bucks. Casinos also cater rewards schemes to players of table games like blackjack, roulette, craps, and especially poker. At online casinos, video poker games are one of the most popular, but the people who play them receive far fewer comp points and rewards than slot players.  

Why is this the case? It’s not uncommon for casinos to use rating systems that assess how often a person plays slots and how much they win. And because slot players tend to fork out far more in bets on these games, they accumulate points much quicker than those who play video poker.

Why Do Video Poker Players Get Less?

The difference in comp points is even greater at some casinos. Slot players have been known to receive up to 10 times more comps than video poker players. Some casinos don’t award comp points at all, even to high rollers.  

This wasn’t always the case, though. Video poker players earned far more in the early days when casinos would dish out rewards for playing electronic games. They once took home almost as much in comp points as players of slots.

So what changed exactly? 

It mostly comes down to the respective payback percentage of slot machines and video poker games. The expected returns on profits these players make also play a factor. To put this into perspective, let’s do a little math.

Say someone is playing a game of Double Bonus Poker, which has a 99% RTP if played optimally, the player is placing bets of $1.25 for each hand, at five coins per hand on a 25-cent video poker machine. 

Then we’ll assume a different player is wagering 3 cents per payline on a machine with 40 paylines and a payback percentage of around 90%. This works out to be $1.20 per spin, which puts both of our two players on the same level in terms of betting. 

Now, if each player were to play 500 times per hour, this would work out at $625 in bets for the video poker player, and $600 for the slot player. So what are the losses for each one on average?

Slots

The slot player will incur losses of $60 an hour on average. Regardless of whether they have a few winning spins in that timeframe, most of them will be losses.?

Video Poker

As the video poker player is playing a machine with a 99% return, they will incur losses of $6.25 per hour on average. Of course, they’ll probably win a few times, but even if they were to hit four aces and a kicker or a royal flush, they’ll still lose an average of $6.25.???

The fact is that the slot player needs to play and lose around 10 times more than a video poker player for this to equal out. As the difference in the money spent and losses between the two is so great, this is the primary reason why slot players receive far more rewards.    

What If You Bet Less On Slots?

The above example is based on a player placing the maximum bet per line. However, not all slot players feel comfortable doing this. So how would this scenario change the average losses for a slot player against a video poker player?

Let’s go through the same equation again. Only this time we’ll assume the slot player is betting $0.01 per payline instead of $0.03 per line at 500 spins per hour on a 40-payline slot. They would wager only $200 in total per hour in this case and see an average loss of $20 per hour if the machine has a 90% payback percentage.?

That still works out to be three times as much as what the video poker player will lose on their Double Double Bonus Poker Game, even if they were betting $625 an hour. 

Pretty big difference, right?

How Multi-Point Comps Work

Some casinos tend to offer multiple comp points on special occasions. If you notice such offers, you should snap them up. Not only can they boost your existing comps, but they can essentially give the payback percentage of the game you want to play a huge boost.?

If you opt to play video poker on these comp point days, you could turn over a much higher profit than normal. The same can’t be said for slots. That’s because these games already have a high payback percentage and you still need to bet a certain amount and play frequently enough to qualify for comps.??

This has resulted in many casinos offering different multiple comp point days for both slots and video poker games, which now allows players to accumulate points at different rates. 

Let’s create a scenario around this so we can look at how it might work for a player. Assume a casino has a player rewards club, which is set up in a way that you’re awarded a point for every $4 you bet on a game. Let’s also assume that the casino allows you to redeem $1 for every 100 points you accumulate. $400 gives you back a dollar in cash, returning 0.25% of your wagers.

In reality, this would effectively increase the payback percentage for a Double Double Bonus Poker machine to 99.25%. The payback rate on a 90% penny slot, however, would only increase to 90.25%, which serves the casino much more compared to what it would have to dish out in points on video poker.

What If The Casino Gave Back More?

If the casino was to offer a comp points day at 5x the normal rate, both players would benefit much more but the casino would certainly be doing itself an injustice on the video poker side of things. 

Slots – This would increase the RTP for that game to 91.25%. The casino would still make a nice profit from the player’s losses if it were offering 5x points for a day. Couple this with the marketing value, it would probably generate more revenue compared to a single-points day campaign – even if the machine had a higher payback percentage.  

Video Poker – For Double Double Bonus Poker those extra 4x points given for a game that usually returns a standard 0.25% into having a 100.25% return rate. That’s a huge profit-making opportunity for players and a big kick in the teeth for the casino.

On certain variations of video poker like Jacks or Better, these games have higher paybacks as it is, and the potential to make a profit would be even more. If you were to play a game of 9-6 Jacks or Better, the payback would jump from 99.5% to 100.75%. On some versions of Deuces Wild, it would go from 99.7% to 100.95%.

Summary

So, as you can probably now tell: casinos base their rewards system on a few different factors. Video poker may require you to bet $8 per game instead of $4 just to earn a comp point. This reduces the standard return from 0.25% to 0.125%.?

The casino might also limit days for multiple points to only 2x or 3x for playing video poker while offering much higher for slot games. It might also decide to reduce comp points or offer nothing for video poker games that pay back 99% or more

In doing so, the casino makes sure all of the players that bring them the most profit get the bulk of the rewards – who of course, are the slot players. This also prevents video poker games that normally bring in a marginal profit from turning into a losing proposition for the casino. 

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