Most versions of online blackjack are almost identical but this is simply not true for NetEnt’s Double Exposure Blackjack. In this game, players can see both of the dealer’s cards, which makes the gameplay a little more exciting. This small difference, however, is combined with a changed paytable, too – in this game, all payouts are even, including for blackjack.
Rules and Gameplay
NetEnt’s Double Exposure Blackjack is a virtual blackjack game that is played with 6 decks of 52 cards each. All cards are being dealt face-up, including the ones for the dealer. Players can Hit or Stand, while Doubling the bet is allowed only if the first two cards are hard totals of 9, 10, and 11. The Double option is available only at the beginning of the round or after a Split.
In addition, players can Split hands, which consist of two cards of the same value. The dealer in this game is required to draw cards to 16 and Stand on all 17s. In addition, the dealer wins all ties, except for tied blackjack, which is a push and the bet is returned to the player. Another important thing about this game that all wins pay evenly (1:1) and Insurance is not available.
Distinctive Features
The double exposure of the dealer’s hand is the most distinctive thing in this game. The rule gives a certain advantage to the players as seeing both of the dealer’s cards helps them to play out their hand in a better way. However, to make up for this advantage and make the game more balanced, developers at NetEnt have changed the payouts.
Players who beat the dealer are paid 1:1 even if they have blackjack, which typically pays 3:2 or 1.5 times the stake. This difference in the paytable may not seem significant at first but it starts to show up after a while. In fact, this reduced blackjack payout in combination with the lack of Insurance (or Surrender, for that matter), have led to a lower theoretical Return-to-Player. While in most standard blackjack games the RTP is around 99.50%-99.60%, here it is 99.33%.
Conclusion
Double Exposure Blackjack is easy to play and the rules are quite straightforward, which makes it perfect for less experienced players. It is certainly fun to see both of the dealer’s cards but this eventually reduces the average return of the game, which is why players need to weigh in all the pros and cons before wagering real money.