- What Is Spanish 21? Contrary to popular belief, Spanish blackjack does not originate from that Southern European country. Instead, Twenty-One is the Hispanic variant coming from the United States.The game was trademarked by Colorado-based gaming company Masque Publishing Inc.Spanish blackjack game first appeared under that name in 1995 making it the latest revival.
- Match the Dealer (MD) is a popular side bet offered with six-deck Spanish 21. I have never seen this wager offered on ordinary blackjack, though it is certainly possible. The wager is similar to the Pair Square side bet, paying for pairs with a premium for suited pairs.
- Spanish 21 Blackjack - Payouts, Side Bets And Winning Strategy
- Spanish 21 Match The Dealer Odds Online
- Spanish 21 Match The Dealer Odds Against
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If they are not suited, then you are paid 3 to 2 odds. Notice that these three cards add up to 21. Recall that the Spanish 21 rules indicate that you win on all 21's regardless of what the dealer has. A huge free benefit occurs when you have triple seven flush or the suited 777, while the dealer has a 7 face up card. That means you are making a bet that is eight times worse in traditional blackjack and over two times worse in Spanish 21. The side bet is rather simple. The player wins the side bet if he can match either of his initial cards to the dealer's up card, including number and suit.
Spanish 21 blackjack is actually one of the original versions of blackjack invented nearly 400 years ago. During this time period, all of the ten cards were removed from the deck and the game was played. This didn't include the face cards though. Either way, this reduction of 4 ten cards per deck ended up increasing the house edge by a lot. Spanish 21 actually came before Spanish blackjack, but nowadays it is basically the same thing.
No Download Spanish 21
Spanish 21 uses multiple decks of cards, usually 6 or 8 decks. The original game from the 17th century had a huge house edge percentage. The free flash game we have on this page has extra features that increase your odds and make the game a lot more fun to play. These variations in the rules put the house advantage down to about 0.50% or in the half a percent range.
If you would like to play this no download flash game, just click on the image below and the game will instantly load up in another browser window in full screen. You will be able to play free Spanish 21 in seconds with great graphics. The flash-based game uses Micrograming software and can be operated with other media-based software such as Macromedia and Shockwave players. The house edge in our free flash game is actually about 0.38% so this is better than most land based casinos.
Other differences in this variation of 21 blackjack include the player being able to win on all 21 hands. This means if you get a natural blackjack or add up to a soft 21, you will win even if the dealer also has a 21. Players can split cards and re-split them multiple times. Other neat bonus rules include higher blackjack payout odds with a 21 score. For example, if you get a 21 by using 5 cards, you are paid 3 to 2 odds. If you make a 21 hand using 6 cards, you will be paid 2 to 1 odds and if you build a hand of 21 using 7 cards, you will be paid 3 to 1 odds. All of these increase your odds and these rules create beneficial results vs. the normal blackjack rules.
Spanish 21 has a few other side bet bonuses as well. If you have a three card flush or of the same suit after hitting and the numbers making up this suit are either 678 or 777, you automatically get paid 2 to 1 odds. If they are not suited, then you are paid 3 to 2 odds. Notice that these three cards add up to 21. Recall that the Spanish 21 rules indicate that you win on all 21's regardless of what the dealer has.
A huge free benefit occurs when you have triple seven flush or the suited 777, while the dealer has a 7 face up card. When this happens, you automatically win $1000 if you have a bet of $25 or less. If you have a bet of $25 or more, then you automatically win $5000! Spanish 21 is very popular because of these bonuses and it's a very fun game to play if you are using real money. The flash Spanish blackjack game below lets you practice for free and you can play as long as you want, but if you ever felt lucky and wanted to go for the thousand dollar bonuses, you can easily do this.
Click on the image above to instantly play free flash Spanish 21 blackjack in your browser.
(Opens in separate window in full screen.)
House edge means the percentage of the player's bet the casino wins on average. This is worth figuring out since the size of house edge has everything to do with how likely you're to win. Educated players always find the games with the least house edge possible and therefore win the most - or at least lose the least.
For example, if house edge is 1.89%, the player loses $1.89 on average out of every $100 bet he makes. Obviously the player doesn't lose that amount on every single bet; you might win two hands and then lose six hands in a row but in the long run the loss will be about $1.89 per bet. One of the goals of Gaming the Odds is to teach you all about perfect blackjack strategy and to minimize the house edge. You can find several house edge percentages for blackjack game variations below in order to help you to find the best games.
The Amount of Decks
Firstly, what kind of an effect the amount decks has on casino's advantage? The table below displays the house edge for a standard blackjack game: blackjack pays 3:2, the dealer stands on soft 17, doubling is allowed for any two cards and splitting to four hands is allowed.
| Number of Decks | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Single Deck | -0.03% |
| Two Decks | +0.25% |
| Four Decks | +0.38% |
| Six Decks | +0.42% |
| Eight Decks | +0.44% |
Under those rules it would actually be profitable to play according to basic strategy with a single deck. It's always optimal to play according to basic strategy but in the vast majority of cases you're still going to have negative expectation.
Game and Rule Variations
Blackjack Games
Spanish 21 Blackjack - Payouts, Side Bets And Winning Strategy
Let's move on to the next table, which features other blackjack game variations and their house edges. In order to make it easier to compare these games, all the house edge percentages are for six-deck gamesunless otherwise stated.
| Game | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Atlantic City Blackjack | +0.42% |
| Blackjack Switch | +0.58% |
| Double Attack Blackjack * | +0.61% |
| Double Exposure Blackjack | +0.67% |
| European Blackjack | +0.62% |
| Multiple Action Blackjack ** | +0.42% |
| Pontoon Blackjack | +0.45% |
| Spanish 21 | +0.37% |
| Super Fun 21 | +1.40% |
| Three Card Blackjack | +2.10% |
| Vegas Downtown Blackjack | +0.62% |
| Vegas Strip Blackjack | +0.53% |
* Played with a specific amount of decks (which isn't six).
** Multiple hands played but probability equal to standard blackjack.
The table above was made to give you some idea of which games are better to play than others. It's also important to remember that some casinos may operate with slightly different rules which either increase or decrease the house advantage of the game.
Blackjack Rule Variations
What about other rule variations, then? I'm going to list some of the more common blackjack rule variations and their house edges. The tables below consists of changes made to standard blackjack rules:
| Dealer Hits Soft 17 | |
|---|---|
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +0.15% |
| Two Decks | +0.45% |
| Four Decks | +0.59% |
| Six Decks | +0.63% |
| Eight Decks | +0.66% |
| Player Can Only Double 9-11 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +0.11% |
| Two Decks | +0.36% |
| Four Decks | +0.48% |
| Six Decks | +0.52% |
| Eight Decks | +0.54% |
| Player Can Only Double 10-11 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +0.26% |
| Two Decks | +0.48% |
| Four Decks | +0.58% |
| Six Decks | +0.61% |
| Eight Decks | +0.63% |
| Dealer Doubles on 17 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | -0.03% |
| Two Decks | +0.25% |
| Four Decks | +0.38% |
| Six Decks | +0.42% |
| Eight Decks | +0.44% |
| Player Can Resplit Aces | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | -0.06% |
| Two Decks | +0.20% |
| Four Decks | +0.32% |
| Six Decks | +0.35% |
| Eight Decks | +0.37% |
| Blackjack Pays 6:5 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +1.36% |
| Two Decks | +1.62% |
| Four Decks | +1.75% |
| Six Decks | +1.78% |
| Eight Decks | +1.80% |
A couple of conclusions: first of all, the last section ('Blackjack Pays 6:5') shows you how unprofitable it is to play those games. Wonder woman casino game. Never play a game where blackjack pays 6:5.
Spanish 21 Match The Dealer Odds Online
Secondly, games where the player can resplit aces are preferable for the player. Try to find those games. It's also good for the player when the dealer doubles 17.
Blackjack Side Bets
And finally, blackjack side bets and house edges for them.
| Side Bet | House Edge |
|---|---|
| 21+3 Blackjack | +3.20% |
| 21 Madness | +23.00% |
| Bonus Blackjack | +24.00% |
| Match the Dealer | +3.10% |
| Perfect Pairs Blackjack | +4.10% |
| Royal Match Blackjack | +6.50% |
| Super Match Blackjack | +2.60% |
| Super Sevens Blackjack | +11.70% |
| Bust It Blackjack | +7.00% |
Black sheep casino. No, casinos didn't include the 'side bet' option just to give players a better chance of winning. As you can see, side bets are good for the casino and bad for the player even if they might make the game a bit more exciting.
Favourable Blackjack Rule Variations for the Player
Here's a list of blackjack rule variations favourable for the player:
- The less decks the better. (Games with one deck are the best.)
- Double down on any 2 cards.
- Blackjack pays 3:2.
- Resplitting aces allowed.
- Dealer stands on a 17.
- Early/late surrender.
- Low deck penetration (for card counters).
- Insurance (for card counters).
Favourable Blackjack Rule Variations for the Casino
- Side bets.
- Double down on 10 and 11 only.
- Dealer hits a soft 17.
- The more decks the better.
- Blackjack pays 6:5
- Low deck penetration (against card counters).
- No doubling down after splitting.
- Not allowed to resplit aces.
I suggest trying to memorize these lists and look for games with beneficial blackjack rule variations for the player. Rule variations in favor of the casino should obviously be avoided.
If they are not suited, then you are paid 3 to 2 odds. Notice that these three cards add up to 21. Recall that the Spanish 21 rules indicate that you win on all 21's regardless of what the dealer has. A huge free benefit occurs when you have triple seven flush or the suited 777, while the dealer has a 7 face up card. That means you are making a bet that is eight times worse in traditional blackjack and over two times worse in Spanish 21. The side bet is rather simple. The player wins the side bet if he can match either of his initial cards to the dealer's up card, including number and suit.
Spanish 21 blackjack is actually one of the original versions of blackjack invented nearly 400 years ago. During this time period, all of the ten cards were removed from the deck and the game was played. This didn't include the face cards though. Either way, this reduction of 4 ten cards per deck ended up increasing the house edge by a lot. Spanish 21 actually came before Spanish blackjack, but nowadays it is basically the same thing.
No Download Spanish 21
Spanish 21 uses multiple decks of cards, usually 6 or 8 decks. The original game from the 17th century had a huge house edge percentage. The free flash game we have on this page has extra features that increase your odds and make the game a lot more fun to play. These variations in the rules put the house advantage down to about 0.50% or in the half a percent range.
If you would like to play this no download flash game, just click on the image below and the game will instantly load up in another browser window in full screen. You will be able to play free Spanish 21 in seconds with great graphics. The flash-based game uses Micrograming software and can be operated with other media-based software such as Macromedia and Shockwave players. The house edge in our free flash game is actually about 0.38% so this is better than most land based casinos.
Other differences in this variation of 21 blackjack include the player being able to win on all 21 hands. This means if you get a natural blackjack or add up to a soft 21, you will win even if the dealer also has a 21. Players can split cards and re-split them multiple times. Other neat bonus rules include higher blackjack payout odds with a 21 score. For example, if you get a 21 by using 5 cards, you are paid 3 to 2 odds. If you make a 21 hand using 6 cards, you will be paid 2 to 1 odds and if you build a hand of 21 using 7 cards, you will be paid 3 to 1 odds. All of these increase your odds and these rules create beneficial results vs. the normal blackjack rules.
Spanish 21 has a few other side bet bonuses as well. If you have a three card flush or of the same suit after hitting and the numbers making up this suit are either 678 or 777, you automatically get paid 2 to 1 odds. If they are not suited, then you are paid 3 to 2 odds. Notice that these three cards add up to 21. Recall that the Spanish 21 rules indicate that you win on all 21's regardless of what the dealer has.
A huge free benefit occurs when you have triple seven flush or the suited 777, while the dealer has a 7 face up card. When this happens, you automatically win $1000 if you have a bet of $25 or less. If you have a bet of $25 or more, then you automatically win $5000! Spanish 21 is very popular because of these bonuses and it's a very fun game to play if you are using real money. The flash Spanish blackjack game below lets you practice for free and you can play as long as you want, but if you ever felt lucky and wanted to go for the thousand dollar bonuses, you can easily do this.
Click on the image above to instantly play free flash Spanish 21 blackjack in your browser.
(Opens in separate window in full screen.)
House edge means the percentage of the player's bet the casino wins on average. This is worth figuring out since the size of house edge has everything to do with how likely you're to win. Educated players always find the games with the least house edge possible and therefore win the most - or at least lose the least.
For example, if house edge is 1.89%, the player loses $1.89 on average out of every $100 bet he makes. Obviously the player doesn't lose that amount on every single bet; you might win two hands and then lose six hands in a row but in the long run the loss will be about $1.89 per bet. One of the goals of Gaming the Odds is to teach you all about perfect blackjack strategy and to minimize the house edge. You can find several house edge percentages for blackjack game variations below in order to help you to find the best games.
The Amount of Decks
Firstly, what kind of an effect the amount decks has on casino's advantage? The table below displays the house edge for a standard blackjack game: blackjack pays 3:2, the dealer stands on soft 17, doubling is allowed for any two cards and splitting to four hands is allowed.
| Number of Decks | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Single Deck | -0.03% |
| Two Decks | +0.25% |
| Four Decks | +0.38% |
| Six Decks | +0.42% |
| Eight Decks | +0.44% |
Under those rules it would actually be profitable to play according to basic strategy with a single deck. It's always optimal to play according to basic strategy but in the vast majority of cases you're still going to have negative expectation.
Game and Rule Variations
Blackjack Games
Spanish 21 Blackjack - Payouts, Side Bets And Winning Strategy
Let's move on to the next table, which features other blackjack game variations and their house edges. In order to make it easier to compare these games, all the house edge percentages are for six-deck gamesunless otherwise stated.
| Game | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Atlantic City Blackjack | +0.42% |
| Blackjack Switch | +0.58% |
| Double Attack Blackjack * | +0.61% |
| Double Exposure Blackjack | +0.67% |
| European Blackjack | +0.62% |
| Multiple Action Blackjack ** | +0.42% |
| Pontoon Blackjack | +0.45% |
| Spanish 21 | +0.37% |
| Super Fun 21 | +1.40% |
| Three Card Blackjack | +2.10% |
| Vegas Downtown Blackjack | +0.62% |
| Vegas Strip Blackjack | +0.53% |
* Played with a specific amount of decks (which isn't six).
** Multiple hands played but probability equal to standard blackjack.
The table above was made to give you some idea of which games are better to play than others. It's also important to remember that some casinos may operate with slightly different rules which either increase or decrease the house advantage of the game.
Blackjack Rule Variations
What about other rule variations, then? I'm going to list some of the more common blackjack rule variations and their house edges. The tables below consists of changes made to standard blackjack rules:
| Dealer Hits Soft 17 | |
|---|---|
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +0.15% |
| Two Decks | +0.45% |
| Four Decks | +0.59% |
| Six Decks | +0.63% |
| Eight Decks | +0.66% |
| Player Can Only Double 9-11 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +0.11% |
| Two Decks | +0.36% |
| Four Decks | +0.48% |
| Six Decks | +0.52% |
| Eight Decks | +0.54% |
| Player Can Only Double 10-11 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +0.26% |
| Two Decks | +0.48% |
| Four Decks | +0.58% |
| Six Decks | +0.61% |
| Eight Decks | +0.63% |
| Dealer Doubles on 17 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | -0.03% |
| Two Decks | +0.25% |
| Four Decks | +0.38% |
| Six Decks | +0.42% |
| Eight Decks | +0.44% |
| Player Can Resplit Aces | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | -0.06% |
| Two Decks | +0.20% |
| Four Decks | +0.32% |
| Six Decks | +0.35% |
| Eight Decks | +0.37% |
| Blackjack Pays 6:5 | |
| # of Decks | House Edge |
| Single Deck | +1.36% |
| Two Decks | +1.62% |
| Four Decks | +1.75% |
| Six Decks | +1.78% |
| Eight Decks | +1.80% |
A couple of conclusions: first of all, the last section ('Blackjack Pays 6:5') shows you how unprofitable it is to play those games. Wonder woman casino game. Never play a game where blackjack pays 6:5.
Spanish 21 Match The Dealer Odds Online
Secondly, games where the player can resplit aces are preferable for the player. Try to find those games. It's also good for the player when the dealer doubles 17.
Blackjack Side Bets
And finally, blackjack side bets and house edges for them.
| Side Bet | House Edge |
|---|---|
| 21+3 Blackjack | +3.20% |
| 21 Madness | +23.00% |
| Bonus Blackjack | +24.00% |
| Match the Dealer | +3.10% |
| Perfect Pairs Blackjack | +4.10% |
| Royal Match Blackjack | +6.50% |
| Super Match Blackjack | +2.60% |
| Super Sevens Blackjack | +11.70% |
| Bust It Blackjack | +7.00% |
Black sheep casino. No, casinos didn't include the 'side bet' option just to give players a better chance of winning. As you can see, side bets are good for the casino and bad for the player even if they might make the game a bit more exciting.
Favourable Blackjack Rule Variations for the Player
Here's a list of blackjack rule variations favourable for the player:
- The less decks the better. (Games with one deck are the best.)
- Double down on any 2 cards.
- Blackjack pays 3:2.
- Resplitting aces allowed.
- Dealer stands on a 17.
- Early/late surrender.
- Low deck penetration (for card counters).
- Insurance (for card counters).
Favourable Blackjack Rule Variations for the Casino
- Side bets.
- Double down on 10 and 11 only.
- Dealer hits a soft 17.
- The more decks the better.
- Blackjack pays 6:5
- Low deck penetration (against card counters).
- No doubling down after splitting.
- Not allowed to resplit aces.
I suggest trying to memorize these lists and look for games with beneficial blackjack rule variations for the player. Rule variations in favor of the casino should obviously be avoided.
Blackjack House Edge: FAQ
Do bet sizes impact house edge in blackjack?
It makes no difference whether you bet $10 or $10,000 - the house advantage stays the same. The amount you lose or win per bet changes, of course, depending on how big of an edge either you or the casino's got.
Which blackjack game has the smallest casino edge?
Suggesting all games are played with six decks - which is a common size for a blackjack shoe - Spanish 21 has the best house edge for the player according to the blackjack house edge table on top of this page. Standard 21 Blackjack is good too since you can actually have the edge by playing perfect basic strategy with a single deck.
How big is the house edge if I count cards?
This depends on many variables, such as which blackjack card counting systems you're going to use. In case you're using a highly complicated system, play perfectly and manage to find a good game to play, you may have a significant edge (even 3% or 4%).
Spanish 21 Match The Dealer Odds Against
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