NetEnt’s Single Deck Blackjack is one of the most popular versions of online blackjack due to its simplicity and, obviously, the use of only one deck of 52 cards, which gives players great advantage. Paired with quite low betting limits (€1-€40), this game is a perfect option for all beginner-level players.
This game was released as part of NetEnt’s Professional Series and it features high-quality graphics, classic table design with green felt, as well as an option to change the speed of the game. If played with optimal strategy, it offers a theoretical Return-to-Player rate of 99.59%.
Rules and Gameplay
This version of blackjack uses only one deck of cards, which are shuffled before each round. The dealer draws two cards – one face-up, while the other is face-down and is called a “hole” card. The dealer checks this hole card if he already has an Ace or a 10-value card. According to the rules, the dealer also Hits on soft 17 – his hand that totals 17 must consist of an Ace, which counts as 1. If he is holding a hard 17 such as 9-6, he will need to Stand.
Players are given the standard options at the beginning of each round, namely, Hit and Stand. If their hand totals 10 or 11, they can also Double down and an additional card will be dealt to them. Another option is to Split a pair if the initial cards are of the same value. Only one Split is allowed and players can Hit split hands as many times as they want, except when they split Aces. In this case, only one card will be dealt to the split hands.
Distinctive Features
NetEnt’s Single Deck Blackjack does not differ much from standard blackjack, except for the fact that it is played with only one deck. Still, it is worth mentioning that it offers Insurance – players can buy Insurance for half of their original bet if the dealer’s visible card is an Ace. Insurance works as a side bet and it pays 2:1 if the dealer gets blackjack.
Another interesting, yet unfavorable to the player rule in this variation of blackjack is Even Money. According to it, players who have blackjack will receive an even payout (1:1) if the dealer’s visible card is an Ace. In all other cases, however, blackjack pays 3:2.
Conclusion
As NetEnt’s Single Deck Blackjack is played with only 52 cards it attracts many card counters. But it is a great game to play even if you are not into card counting and prefer to simply use a basic blackjack strategy.