In short: Free Bet Blackjack, created by Geoff Hall and first dealt at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas in 2012, gives free doubles on hard 9, 10 and 11 and free splits on all pairs except tens. In return, a dealer total of 22 pushes all hands still in play. With optimal strategy and 3:2 blackjacks, the house edge is about 1.04%.
Free Bet Blackjack is a popular variant of the classic game of 21. It was first introduced at Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Downtown Las Vegas in the summer of 2012, but quickly became available at gambling establishments across the city, the US, and the world. The game can also be played online at a multitude of digital gambling venues.
It follows standard blackjack rules and here again each player’s main goal is to get cards to make a total of 21 or as close to that score as possible without going over it, and thus beat the dealer.
However, it has several important rule deviations that create player-friendly circumstances and these make the game feel more generous, although the house still keeps an edge of about 1.04%, particularly when a proper playing strategy is used and a little bit of luck comes into the picture, as well.
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Geoff Hall, a famous casino games inventor, was the mastermind behind this rendition of the popular casino classic.
Hall’s blackjack-inspired inventions also include…
… Blackjack Switch, Zombie Blackjack, and Zappit, among others, but Hall himself says that Free Bet Blackjack has been his most successful game.
But what does this variant involve and what has made it so popular at both land-based and online casinos? In this article, you will find everything you need to know about the game, how to play it, how to approach all situations that might arise using basic strategy principles, and more.
What Makes Free Bet Blackjack Different from the Traditional Game?
As mentioned above, this variant of the game shares the same goal with the original game – the player must end up with a higher-valued hand than the dealer, ideally a blackjack (21). However, what makes it different from the table game classic and its other renditions is the fact that it provides players with free splits and free double downs.
It sounds pretty great, right?
Well, being able to split pairs for free or double down for free is indeed a great twist to the standard game. But a player with enough experience would know that everything good in blackjack comes at a price.
In this case, players are entitled to free splits and double downs on certain hands only. These limitations offset those aspects of the game that favor the player. We are going to talk about them in a greater detail in the next section of this article.
Another catch is the Push 22 rule that was, too, invented by Hall and applies in almost all blackjack variants devised by him As per this rule, the dealer pushes all hands still in play if he or she makes a 22. Players whose hands make a blackjack keep their win, while those of the players who bust before the dealer’s 22 still lose their wager.
How to Play This Variant
This game starts as any other in the blackjack family does. Players make their initial wager before being dealt their first two cards. Make sure to pick a table with limits that best match your bankroll and how much you’re willing to spend during a playing session. If you’re having trouble finding the right table for you, we highly recommend our recent article on this topic.
Once all initial bets are placed, the dealer deals two cards to each player at the table and to themselves. One of the dealer’s cards is dealt face up, the other’s value remains hidden at this point of the game.
Any player whose hand is a blackjack is paid immediately, unless the dealer, too, has a blackjack, in which case it is a push.
Once each player has their initial two cards before them, there are three primary actions they can take. They can:
- Hit
- Stand
- Double down
If the player is dealt a pair, they will also be able to split. At most casinos, this blackjack variant doesn’t offer surrender as an option.
Free Bet Blackjack is most often played with six or eight decks. Dealers hit on soft 17s in this game. Players are allowed to double down after split and double down on two cards only. In addition, they can re-split pairs to up to four hands, including aces. In this variant, blackjacks are most often paid at 3:2. The house edge stands at 1.04%.
So far, things don’t really seem different from the classic game, do they? Well, here are the major rule changes that make this variant unique and so popular. As its name suggests, it offers free bets. And as we pointed out above, free bets are offered on splits and double downs.
However…
… there are limitations to the rule that you need to get familiar with before buying into a Free Bet Blackjack table.
Free Doubles are only offered on hard (that is to say, hands that don’t include an ace) two-card totals of 9, 10, or 11. Players can still double down on all other hands, if they feel they need to do so, but will pay with their own chips.
If the player opts for a Free Double, their initial bet will be matched with the free bet and the dealer will place a “Free Bet” lammer to the right of that initial bet. The game will then be dealt normally. There are three possible outcomes:
- The player beats the dealer – in this case the player is paid even money on their original wager and also even money for the Free Double.
- The player loses to the dealer – in this case the dealer will collect the player’s original bet and it is actually the only thing that the player loses.
- The player and the dealer tie – in this case the player receives their original bet.
As for Free Splits, these are available on all initial pairs except ten-valued ones (that is 10-10, J-J, Q-Q, or K-K). With this option, the player’s initial two cards of the same value are split into two new one-card hands. The original wager is placed with the first hand and the dealer places a “Free Bet” lammer with the other hand.
The player is entitled to Free Split and Free Double on both hands. This way, if a player is dealt a pair of 7s, their first split is free. If they are dealt another 7, they can re-split for free. If the player is dealt a 4 to make 11 in one of the splits, they can also double down for free.
There are three possible scenarios:
- The player beats the dealer – in this case the player is paid even money on their original bet and also even money for each winning Free Split hand.
- The dealer beats the player – in this case the dealer will collect the player’s original bet and it is the only bet the player loses.
- The player and the dealer tie – in this case the dealer will push the initial wager and will collect the Free Bet lammers.
In Free Bet Blackjack, players can re-split to up to four new hands. Aces can be re-split, as well.
One of the biggest downsides to this variant is that the Push 22 rule applies. This rule was first seen in Blackjack Switch, but Hall then included it into his other blackjack games. It aims to somewhat neutralize that portion of the game’s rules that offer conditions favoring the player.
As per this rule, if the dealer’s hand totals 22, all wagers still in action are pushes and are returned to the players. If a player’s original hand is a blackjack, it is paid before the dealer hits out their hand. This means that the player is not affected, if the dealer gets a 22. However, all hands that bust before the dealer gets a 22 lose.
Aside from the Free Double and Free Split options, play unfolds as in a standard blackjack game.
Side Bets
Aside from the original bet that must be placed by a player to participate in a betting round, this blackjack variant offers several side bet options that we would like to discuss in a bit more detail.
The most popular optional bets that Free Bet Blackjack offers are Pot of Gold, Push 22, and the Blazing 7s Progressive wager.
The Pot of Gold bet is placed before the player receives their initial cards. Its payouts are based on the number of Free Bet tokens a player collects for each individual hand. It is important to note that all Pot of Gold bets lose to a dealer’s blackjack.
If a player makes a Pot of Gold wager and opts for Free Split and/or Free Double within a blackjack round, the dealer would move all Free Bet lammers to a spot in front of the player’s Pot of Gold wager.
The Washington State Gambling Commission offers two paytables for this side bet.
| Free Bet Tokens | Paytable 1 | Paytable 2 |
| 7 | 1,000:1 | 100:1 |
| 6 | 300:1 | 100:1 |
| 5 | 100:1 | 100:1 |
| 4 | 60:1 | 50:1 |
| 3 | 30:1 | 30:1 |
| 2 | 10:1 | 12:1 |
| 1 | 3:1 | 3:1 |
Players can also place a Push 22 wager on whether the dealer would make a 22. When a player makes this bet, even if they bust their hand, the dealer leaves their cards on the table until their Push 22 side bet is reconciled.
There are three paytables for this optional wager.
| Hand | Paytable 1 | Paytable 2 |
| Same-Suite 22 | 50:1 | 50:1 |
| Same-Color 22 | 20:1 | 20:1 |
| Other 22 | 8:1 | 7:1 |
Under the third paytable, any dealer 22 is paid at 11:1.
And finally, the Blazing 7s Progressive wager can be made after the player has placed their standard bet. The dealer follows standard dealing procedures after the original and the side bets are made. The player’s Blazing 7s bet wins, if at least one of their initial two cards is a 7. If the player is dealt a pair of 7s and their first hit card is also a 7, they will qualify for one of Three 7s payouts.
If the player receives a pair of 7s and chooses to split, their progressive payout will be based on the third card they receive. There are two paytables for this optional bet.
Paytable 1:
| Hand | Pays |
| Three 7s of the same suit | 100% |
| Three 7s of the same color | 10% |
| Three 7s | 200 for 1 |
| First two cards are 7s | 25 for 1 |
| One of first two cards is a 7 | 2 for 1 |
Paytable 2:
| Hand | Pays |
| Three 7s – Diamonds | 100% |
| Three 7s of the same suit (other than Diamonds) | 10% |
| Three 7s of the same color | 500 for 1 |
| Three 7s | 200 for 1 |
| First two cards are 7s | 25 for 1 |
| One of first two cards is a 7 | 2 for 1 |
Free Bet Blackjack Basic Strategy
If you follow basic strategy, you should know that your actions depend on whether you are splitting and doubling down for free or with real money. The difference comes from the fact that a push is just as nasty outcome as a loss on a Free Bet. This necessitates a more aggressive strategy.
The Wizard of Odds site presents three basic strategy charts for this variant of the game that cover real money hands, free ones, and splits.
If learning through reading is how you memorize things, here are the most important basic strategy rules you need to remember and deploy when you play Free Bet Blackjack.
When you play real money hard hands, you should:
- Hit any hand valued 8 or lower
- Take the Free Double any time you’re dealt a hand valued 9 to 11
- Hit 12 vs all dealer cards except 5 and 6 when you should stand
- Hit 13 vs all dealer cards except 3, 4, 5, or 6 when you should stand
- Stand on 14, 15, and 16 vs dealer 2 to 6
- Hit 14, 15, and 16 vs dealer 7 to A
- Stand on 17 to 21
For real money soft hands you should:
- Hit 12 to 15 vs all dealer hands
- Hit 16 vs all dealer hands except 6 when you should real money double
- Hit 17 vs all dealer hands except 5 and 6 when you should real money double
- Stand on 18 vs dealer 2, 3, 4, 7, or 8; hit 18 vs dealer 9, 10, or A; real money double 18 vs dealer 5 and 6
- Stand 19 to 21 vs all dealer hands
When you play hard free hands, you should:
- Hit 4 to 8 vs all dealer hands
- Take the Free Double any time you’re dealt a hand valued 9 to 11
- Hit 12 vs all dealer cards except 5 and 6 when you should stand
- Hit 13 vs all dealer cards except 3, 4, 5, or 6 when you should stand
- Hit 14 vs all dealer hands except 3, 4, 5, or 6 when you should stand
- Stand on 15 and 16 vs dealer 2 to 6, hit 15 and 16 vs dealer 7 to A
- Stand on 17 vs dealer 2 to 6 and vs dealer 10, hit 17 vs dealer 7 to 9 and vs dealer A
- Stand on 18 to 21 vs all dealer hands
When playing soft free hands you should:
- Hit 12 to 15 vs all dealer hands
- Hit 16 vs all dealer hands except 6 when you should real money double
- Hit 17 vs all dealer hands except 5 and 6 when you should real money double
- Hit 18 vs dealer 2 and 3 and vs dealer 8 to A, real money double 18 vs dealer 4, 5, or 6, stand on 18 vs dealer 7
- Stand on 19 vs all dealer cards except 5 and 6 when you should real money double
- Stand on 20 vs all dealer cards except 6 when you should real money double
- Stand on 21 vs all dealer hands
And finally, if you’re dealt a pair you should:
- Take the Free Split on all pairs except 5s and 10s vs all dealer cards
- Take the Free Double on 5s vs all dealer cards
- Stand on 10s
An important thing about the above strategy that you should remember is to accept very much every Free Double and Free Split opportunity that will come your way.
Where Is This Game Played?
Free Bet Blackjack became a hit with Las Vegas casino players shortly after its rollout. It quickly expanded at gaming venues across the city and can now be played both at downtown properties and on the Strip.
However, if a trip to Fabulous Vegas is not on the cards anytime soon, this blackjack variant can also be found at the table game sections of many casinos around the US. It is also offered by properties in Australia and other parts of the world.
The game can further be played at a number of digital casinos. This was made possible by live casino specialist Evolution in 2019 when it introduced its Free Bet Blackjack title as part of its Infinite range of products. The game was quickly added to the lobbies of many popular gaming sites.
Final Thoughts
The Free Doubles and Free Splits awarded on eligible hands make this blackjack variant extremely entertaining. And its popularity has further been fueled by the free doubles and free splits, even though its house edge of about 1.04% is higher than in a good standard 3:2 game.
So, if you are looking for a fun diversion from the traditional game of blackjack we highly recommend trying Free Bet Blackjack. With the right strategy and its consistent implementation, this rendition of the beloved casino classic may not only provide you with tons of entertaining experiences at the table, but no strategy can guarantee a profit.
