Blackjack Bonus - Review, Demo Play, Payout, Free Spins & Bonuses

Blackjack Bonus Overview

Blackjack Bonus, masterminded by the team at 1x2 Gaming casino games is well designed and enjoyable to play. Although there are many Blackjack games out there, this one stands apart because of the way it allows multi‐hand play; players can play as many as three hands against the dealer simultaneously.

Standard blackjack rules apply here. The standard win is 3:2 for a blackjack, but there’s also an interesting twist: a bonus payout of 2:1 happens for players who achieve a blackjack if it includes the Jack of Clubs or Jack of Spades.

How to Play Blackjack Bonus

The aim of the game, as in traditional card-based blackjack, is to beat the dealer by getting a hand closer to 21 than they do without going over 21.

Set the Scene

Players begin by setting the bet that they wish to play with. The minimum here is 50p, so it’s wise to be mindful of your budget before beginning play as it could add up a little more quickly, especially if you’re playing more than one hand.

Select the number of hands you wish to play, choosing between 1 and 3. Each hand is played independently, so it’s just a matter of giving you more chances to win. A different bet can be placed on each one if you wish.

Scoring

Upon pressing the play button, the game will start and cards will be dealt automatically. The first deal gives the player 2 cards dealt face up and 2 cards to the dealer, 1 of which is face down.

The cards score as you would expect here, with number cards at face value, Jack, Queen and King at 10, and Aces at either 1 or 11.

Choices

At this point in the game, players have a little bit of control over what happens next.

The player can choose to ‘Hit’, which means to receive another card from the dealer to try to score closer to 21. Alternatively, players might choose to ‘Stand’, which means not drawing any further cards and sticking with the hand they already have in the hope it’s nearer to 21 than the banker.

If a player is feeling confident, they might ‘Double’, which means to double the bet, take one further card and then stop.

Lastly, they could choose to ‘Split’, dividing the original pair of cards into two hands, then adding one more card to each. This is only allowable if the first pair are both of the same value - for example, two 7s.

Once this decision has been made, the second card in the dealer’s hand will be turned over, revealing their hand. The player wins if their hand is closer to 21. The banker must continue to Hit until 17 under standard rules.

Betting Options

This game follows a standard format for blackjack, so the betting options come down to how much players want to bet, how many hands they play, and what decision they make after the first two cards are dealt. Let’s have a look at these options in more detail.

Hit / Stand

These are the most straightforward of the options after the first deal. If a player has already achieved blackjack or is just 1 or 2 off of 21, they’re likely to stand as adding any more cards could tip them over the max of 21. Hitting is a more plausible option if you’ve so far scored a low hand.

Doubling

Players have the option to double the bet after the initial hand is dealt, multiplying their original bet by two. Players might well choose this option if they have one higher-value card, such as an Ace or a Royal. A second high number would then take them close to or land on the all-important 21.

Splitting

This can only be chosen if a matching pair of cards is dealt in the initial round - for example, two 7s. Splitting serves to split these two cards into two separate hands, and players then play each one independently. This gives two chances to beat the dealer. The advantage of this is that it reduces overall risk; if one hand loses, the other does not necessarily lose.

Payouts

The payouts in this game are dependent on a player either beating the banker, getting a blackjack score of 21, or both.

Bonus

This is a great time to mention that Blackjack Bonus offers a nice bonus payout: if the player's blackjack includes either the Jack of Clubs or Jack of Spades, the game pays out 2:1. This is a great additional feature that is reasonably achievable if luck is on your side.

Payout Details

To sum up, here’s a table indicating the various payouts for the outcomes detailed above.

Optimal Strategy

This version of blackjack, like others, keeps players interested because it combines both a little bit of pot luck with some skill, strategy and confidence.

Knowing when it’s right to hit or to stand is essential here; too many cards can easily tip players over the 21 required, while too much caution means a low hand is likely to be beaten by the banker more often than not. The double and split options can impact on the player's chances of success, too, in addition to spreading risk.

As with any gambling, it’s essential to note that there’s no surefire way to win a round here. Any tips here are just commonly accepted as strategy among players.

Blackjack Strategy

A standard blackjack strategy is usually the optimal way to play this game. Simply put, this means players would stand on any hands of 17 or higher. Hitting again gives players a high chance of being pushed over the maximum of 21.

On a similar note, players will typically choose to hit on hands of anywhere between 12 and 16 since this is a reasonably low hand and is likely to be beaten by the dealer, who will continue hitting until 17. This is an especially common strategy if the dealer shows cards between 7 and Ace. On the flip side, players will typically stand on scores between 12 and 16 if the dealer has a low-value card, such as 3 or 4.

Splitting and Doubling

Splitting and doubling are both additional options that increase the likelihood of more sizeable wins. Commonly, players split a hand with two Aces or two 8s but are highly unlikely to split a hand with two 10s since Aces or 8s are more likely to combine with other cards to give a good score or a blackjack.

In terms of doubling, a commonly accepted strategy might be to double on 10 or 11 because of the greater chance of either hand achieving blackjack. This is an even more solid choice if the dealer has weaker cards.

Game Controls

Blackjack Bonus is easy to pick up, and the controls are straightforward. In fact, they almost mirror exactly how the game would be played in a casino.

Step by Step

Begin by making your bet selection. Click on the chosen chips to select a stake value, then place the chip on the hand positions you want to play.

Choose the number of hands you want to play by clicking on that space.

Click the deal button once bets are placed to start the round. Cards are dealt to players first, and then to the dealer.

Hit: Draws another card for that hand.

Stand: Keeps the current total for the hand.

Double: After the initial two cards, players can double their bet and take one more card.

Split: If you receive two cards of the same value, you may split them into two hands.

Design and Graphics

This is a well-designed game with vivid colours, crisp graphics and user-friendly controls.

Casino Style

The bright red, velvety table sets the scene for this classic card game. Certain elements, such as the perspex card holder and the way the chips pile up, give it a realistic, life-like feel. The cards themselves are dealt with smooth animations, and while this isn’t the most contemporary design, it’s to the point and attractive.

Concise and Straightforward

The controls are clear, and the reminder of the basic rules of the game strewn across the board is useful for inexperienced players. The value of the chips is super clear, and a simple click is all that’s needed to set the bet, choose the hands and set the game in motion.