In short: Double Up Blackjack is a Score Gaming variant in which you can double your bet on your first two cards but must then stand. Under current rules the dealer stops on 16, when live bets push except totals of 21, and a regular tie loses the Double Up stake. The house edge is roughly 0.3% under the rules analysed by the Wizard of Odds.
Part of the allure that blackjack has maintained so successfully for centuries comes from the fact that it has been reimagined in so many iterations that it now offers varying experiences for players of all tastes and skill levels.
Double Up Blackjack is one of the newer variants of the game and adds a little bit of spice to its traditional form by offering players the chance to double their original bet and potentially boost their winnings as long as the card gods smile on them and their strategy works.
This variant was introduced by Nevada-based casino games inventor Score Gaming in the early 2010s. It was first trialed by Grosvenor Casino in Durham, England in 2015 and has since then been rolled out across gambling establishments in North America, the UK, and the Philippines.
But how is it played, how its rules differ from the classic game, and what players should watch out for when playing it? Here’s more about this fun rendition.
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How to Play Double Up Blackjack?
The game basically follows standard blackjack rules but with several important exceptions. Most notably, this new spin to the traditional game includes the so-called Double Up option that allows players to double their original wager after they are dealt their first two cards.
However, if the player chooses to double up, they must stand, that is to say they cannot take more cards. This and other tweaks to the original rules ensure that the house maintains its edge.
Published versions use six or eight standard 52-card decks…
… that are dealt from a continuous shuffler or a dealing shoe. The wager limits are determined by each individual casino. We should note that to play this game you should be familiar with traditional blackjack and basic strategy rules.
The game begins with players placing their initial bets. The dealer then deals each player two cards following standard blackjack and house dealing procedures.
The blackjack payout depends on the version: published rules allow 3:2 or 6:5, with a push when both player and dealer have blackjack. Check the displayed payout. Players are offered insurance, a type of side bet that provides them with the opportunity to cover themselves against a dealer’s 21, if his or her up-card is an ace. It pays at 2:1.
Based on their two cards, players should also choose whether they want to:
- Stand
- Take another card
- Or double up their original wager on any hand except a blackjack
If the player chooses to double up, their hand will stand once doubled and they will not receive any more cards throughout the round. Double upping is allowed on any first two cards except a blackjack. It can also be done on any two-card hand that results from splitting a pair, including split Aces.
After players are done acting on their hands, the dealer then acts on their own per standard game rules and per additional Double Up rules.
The End 16 Rule
Under the 2023 TCSJOHNHUXLEY rules, the dealer stops on any hard or soft 16. Player blackjacks receive the stated blackjack payout, other totals of 21 pay 1:1, and remaining live wagers push. The Double Up stake is also returned in this End 16 case. Earlier versions may differ; use the rules displayed for the game being played.
The published how-to-play guide distinguishes this special settlement from an ordinary tie, where the main wager pushes but the Double Up stake loses.
Additional Unique Rules
If a player’s hand outranks the dealer’s hand or the latter’s hand exceeds 21, the player wins. Both their original wager and double up wager will win and will be paid at 1:1.
When a tie occurs, that is to say when a player’s hand equals the dealer’s, the main wager pushes, but the double up wager loses.
If a player decides to split Aces and is dealt a ten-valued card (a 10 or any face card) for a total of 21, they will be paid at 2:1 on their original wager at some casinos. If the player receives a ten-valued card on both aces, they will automatically be paid 2:1 on each wager.
If the dealer gets a blackjack, the initial wager loses, while all double ups and splits are returned to the players.
In this game variant, the dealer may hit on soft 17. If you want a good strategy for this case, you can check out the procedure posted by our favorite Wizard (of Odds) Michael Shackleford.
Based on that strategy, you should:
- Always double up 20, hard or soft
- Double up 19 vs dealer’s 2-8
- Double up soft 18 vs dealer’s 7
- Double up hard 18 vs dealer’s 5 and 7
According to a mathematical analysis on Double Up Blackjack prepared by Charles Mousseau for the game’s inventor, the house edge in the cases when the dealer hits on a soft 17 sits at around 0.313%.
And there’s some more…
… as this variant allows players to split, re-split, except Aces, and double up after splitting. However, surrender is not an available option.
The Bonus 16 Side Bet
The Bonus 16 is an optional bet that pays when the dealer’s hand totals 16. The more cards the dealer needs to reach a total of 16, the higher the payout becomes for players who have opted to make this side bet. In some cases, the payout also depends on which one of two known Bonus 16 pay tables is used.
See below how much a Bonus 16 bet pays depending on the above two factors and the house edge for each of the two pay tables:
| Number of Cards Making a 16 | Pay Table 1 | Pay Table 2 |
| 6 or more cards | 100:1 | 100:1 |
| 5 cards | 50:1 | 50:1 |
| 4 cards | 10:1 | 10:1 |
| 3 cards | 5:1 | 5:1 |
| 2 cards | 3:1 | 4:1 |
| House Edge | 14.64% | 6.94% |
On the two pay tables analysed by the Wizard of Odds, the top payout goes to a dealer 16 made with six or more cards.
Where Has This Variant Been Offered?
The installations below are historical examples, not a current availability list. Score Gaming also describes an online release with BetMGM and Borgata in New Jersey. Availability depends on the operator and jurisdiction.
As mentioned above, this blackjack version was originally trialed by Grosvenor Casino in Durham in 2015. It has since then been released across a number of casinos in different parts of the world.
Score Gaming forged a partnership with gambling operator American Chance Casinos in the summer of 2016 to make the game available at the latter company’s properties across the Czech Republic.
In the spring of 2017, Brass Ass and Bronco Billy’s, both located in Cripple Creek, Colorado, added this variant to their table games offering. The game can also be found at casino properties in Nevada, California, Michigan, New Jersey, and Canada.
Solaire Resort and Casino, one of five integrated casino resorts in the Philippine capital Manila, added Double Up Blackjack to its gaming floor in the spring of 2019. The game was added alongside the resort’s other blackjack tables.
Later that year, Okada Manila, which too is part of Manila’s gaming scene, announced that it would trial the game.
Is This Game Worth Trying?
The opportunity to double up your original bet just adds the right amount of spice to one of the most popular card games in the world. On a positive note, doubling up means that if the player wins, they will be paid both on their original wager and their double up one, which is… well, pretty great.
However…
… if the player loses the hand, they lose both wagers. And if the dealer pushes, the player will have their regular bet back, but they will lose the double up one.
Double Up is not the same as an ordinary double down. Double Up requires standing on the existing two-card total; an ordinary double down takes one more card. A good double-down hand is therefore not automatically a good Double Up hand.
Strategy and house-edge figures apply only to the rules analysed. Standard card counting systems should not be assumed to work unchanged for this variant, and continuous shuffling prevents the usual shoe-counting approach.
