Besides poker, the most popular card game in every gambling establishment has to be blackjack. Since casinos started moving online, this classic game has seen many creative and exciting versions arrive on the scene.
One of them is Strip Blackjack, which has many digital variants. We have Red Rake Gaming to thank for the huge range of alternatives out there! And Strip Blackjack is now an appealing option for an ever-greater number of players. So, let’s see what it’s all about!
What Is Strip Blackjack?
There are a few variations of this game that are of value to the intrepid player who wants to find out more, and that are also pretty enjoyable to play as well! The goal, of course, is exactly the same as in every blackjack game — get as close as you can to 21 points, but make sure you don’t go over it!
General Rules of the Game
After you make your wager, the live dealer will give you two face-up cards, and take one up-card and one down-card for himself. Cards from two through ten are worth their face value. Jack, Queen, and King have a value of 10, and Ace can be 11 or 1. If the dealer’s up-card is either Ace or 10, they will glance into the down-card, to see whether they have a blackjack (21). If they do, all the players lose.
Still, if you get blackjack as well, it will be a tie; and so, you get your initial wager back. Nonetheless, if a dealer gets three or more cards with a total of 21, your blackjack is still going to be a winner!
Another thing to have in mind is that if the dealer has an Ace facing up, you’ll be able to take a side bet as insurance. So, if the dealer hits blackjack, the player will have a 2:1 payoff.
If both the dealer and the player have a blackjack, that’s going to be a push; and the player will choose one of the five ways to play their hands. They can either take one more card, stand (receive no more cards), double their original bet, surrender, or split. The split is interesting, because it gives you the possibility to play with two hands. When your first hand consists of two equal cards, you may split it, and the dealer will provide you with two other cards for each of those. Still, any 21 after the split will not be seen as blackjack, unlike the dealer’s hand.
When the players are done with their actions, the dealer will play accordingly. They will have to draw one more card if the sum of the two they already have is up to 16. If it’s 17, then that option won’t be available. Yet, there is also the soft 17 rule, which means that a dealer can play up to 17 if they draw either an Ace with a 6, or an Ace with two 3s.
Strip Blackjack
With Strip Blackjack, you’ll be using fewer card decks. Blackjack games use up to eight decks of 52 cards. Still, Vegas Strip, developed by Microgaming, uses only four, and this means your house edge is going to be lower.
The player’s advantage here is that the dealer is going to stand on 17s. This means that after the players have made their moves, the dealer is not going to be able to draw cards if the total value of their hand is 17. However, if you decide to stand, the current total of your hand goes up against the dealer. And whoever ends up closer to 21 wins!
Another thing is that in many forms of blackjack, you can double your bet on cards, with a total value from 9 to 11. The Vegas Strip will provide you with an option to double down on any first two cards you receive. And you can also do the same after the splitting.
Considering the split, Red Rake Gaming Strip online Blackjack allows you to make it up to three times. Still, you can split Aces only once. And the split goes for any cards that value ten.
Top Free Strip Blackjack Games 2021:
- Vegas Strip at Blackjack Doc
- Strip Blackjack at RedRake-powered online casinos
- All Right Casino
- 21 Dukes
- BetsEdge
Vegas Strip Blackjack Game Online
As we have already mentioned, the Vegas Strip Blackjack rules were developed by Red Rake Gaming. It is one of the most played games of this type. The interesting thing is that you can play it at land-based casinos, as well as at gambling sites.
Those who play it online will notice it has an excellent interface and realistic graphics. Your options here will be to stand, double, or split. Cards will have the same value as in any blackjack game, and the best hand will have a total value of 10 (King, Queen, or Jack) and an Ace.
The minimum amount for the wager is 1 dollar, and the maximum is 200 dollars. To raise and lower your bet, you can use the controls at the down left corner of the screen. When you decide on the amount of your bet, you may click the “deal” to get the first 2 cards. And then, the rest of the game goes just as we mentioned earlier.
Top Strip Blackjack Online Games 2021:
- Strip Blackjack by Red Rake Gaming
- Vegas Strip Blackjack from ProgressPlay
- Strip Blackjack from RealTime Gaming
- Strip Blackjack from Rival
Tips for Strip Blackjack Gameplay
There are many standard methods for approaching this game. For instance, you could always split on Aces, or double on 11.
Still, some strategies are unique to one specific game. So, here are a useful few pieces of advice for Vegas Strip Blackjack:
- When the dealer has an Ace as a hole card, you can make insurance, which is a side bet. However, you should not do that; because it will raise the house advantage, and you will systematically lose cash.
- It is not very wise to split cards with a value of ten. A pair with a ten will make a good total of 20, and the dealer can only beat you if they have 21. Choosing a split may mean you end up with two hands with a worse value.
- You also shouldn’t split if you get a pair of 5s. A total of 10 will give you a chance to double and win twice as much successfully.
- In case you get a pair of eights, a smart move would be to split. This is because 16, as a total, is probably the worst hand you can receive. If you split, you have a start with two hands, which should have eight as an initial total.
- All Aces in a pair should be split. It will improve your odds considerably if you start with two hands that have a beginning total of 11.
- You should double on nine, ten and eleven, against the dealer’s 3 through 6 up-cards.
- Double also on totals such as Ace and 2 through Ace and 7, if the dealer has 5 and 6 as up-cards.
Also, there is a good chance that some of the casinos will give you free chips when you first enter the game. So find a way to make the most of it.
Final Thoughts
Strip blackjack online has a wide range of versions. The best ones are most certainly produced by Red Rake Gaming, and the most famous one of all is the Vegas Strip Blackjack. It is a game you can encounter both in live Las Vegas venues and online casinos.
Whichever variant you decide to play, your goal is to beat the dealer. But if you’re not willing to play blackjack online, the aforementioned Vegas Strip Blackjack has a free version for you as well. This allows you to practice, before you decide to actually test your luck!