·         A five-card 21 pays 3:2, a six-card 21 pays 2:1, and a 21 with seven or more cards pays 3:1. A 21 composed of 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of mixed suits pays 3:2, of the same suit pays 2:1, and of spades pays 3:1. These bonus payouts apply even if the hand was the result of a split. However, these bonus payouts do not apply if the 21 was the result of doubling.

·         A “super bonus” of $1,000 for bets under $25, and $5,000 for bets of $25 and over, is paid on a suited 7-7-7 against any dealer 7. All other players at the table receive a $50 “envy bonus.” The super bonus is not paid on split hands.

·         At the time of this writing, the Meskwaki casino in central Iowa and the Red Dragon casino near Seattle, Washington, pay 3:2 on Blackjacks obtained after splitting aces or face cards, in addition to the 3:2 payout on regular Blackjacks.

Ø  Pontoon – The Australian version of Spanish 21 renamed to avoid the patent. The major difference is that no dealer hole card is dealt.

Ø  21 Madness – Yet another new bonus. This is a $1 side bet. If you get a Blackjack, and the dealer does not, the side bet pays somewhere between $5 and $1,000 by chance. The average payoff is $13.90.

Ø  Blackjack Switch – The player plays 2 hands and places 2 identical bets. The main element of the game is that the player is allowed to “switch” the second cards around, if desired. To compensate for this powerful feature, the dealer will “push” players’ hands on a dealer's total of 22. However, Blackjacks will still win, but only pay even money. The designer of the game, Geoff Hall, sent me the full switching strategy, developed by Karel Janecek. But it is something like 100 pages.

Ø  Super Match – A Blackjack Switch side bet. This is an optional bet that does not have to be the same amount as the “Blackjack Switch” wager. It can be higher or lower, if desired. Players who place this bet are aiming to be dealt a pair or better from the initial four cards dealt out.

Ø  Blackjack Side Bet – At the Copa Casino in Gulfport, MS, several of the tables have (or had) a side bet available only on the first hand of a shoe. The player may bet that the dealer will

 © 2009 Norman Wattenberger