Free Bet Blackjack is a variation of Blackjack that has no ante. The game is played with a standard 52 card deck and two standard Blackjack hands. The player bets either a standing bet (max bet) or a surrender bet (min bet) which are both placed on the first two cards of the player’s hand. The dealer then deals two face up cards to each player, one face down and one face up. The player can then choose to either hold the two face up cards or risk them by betting the sum of the rank of both cards.
If the player bets and the dealer shows a 10 or an Ace, then the player loses their standing bet and any surrender bets placed on that hand. If the player holds both cards, they win their standing bet and any surrender bets. If the player risks both cards and the dealer shows an Ace, then they lose their standing bet as well as any surrender bets on that hand. In this variation, Free Bet Blackjack is known as “21” because it is played with aces as low as 2 and 10s as high as 10.
There are several criticisms of Free Bet Blackjack because it is significantly harder to win than traditional Blackjack. Additionally, there is no insurance against loss which makes this a high-risk game.
However, if you are comfortable with riskier games and willing to take chances, Free Bet Blackjack may be a good option for you.
