Free Bet Blackjack

Muckleshoot Casino in Washington State plays the BJ variation known as Free Bet Blackjack. This seems to be a very player friendly variation. How are the odds for the player in this game compared to the those in a straight BJ game where the other rules are similar?

Here is their description:
Free Bet Blackjack is a variation of regular Blackjack. On a two card hard total of 9, 10, or 11: you may double down for free. On paired cards, except 10 value cards, you may split up to three times for free. You may even double after splitting for free. Should your hand or hands win, the dealer will pay you for your original bet and the same amount for any “Free Bets” that win. The house will push all remaining hands when the dealers cards total 22. Push 22 is the side bet and pays up to 50:1 when the dealer hits their hand to exactly 22.

Quote: nathanlake

Muckleshoot Casino in Washington State plays the BJ variation known as Free Bet Blackjack. This seems to be a very player friendly variation. How are the odds for the player in this game compared to the those in a straight BJ game where the other rules are similar?

Here is their description:
Free Bet Blackjack is a variation of regular Blackjack. On a two card hard total of 9, 10, or 11: you may double down for free. On paired cards, except 10 value cards, you may split up to three times for free. You may even double after splitting for free. Should your hand or hands win, the dealer will pay you for your original bet and the same amount for any “Free Bets” that win. The house will push all remaining hands when the dealers cards total 22. Push 22 is the side bet and pays up to 50:1 when the dealer hits their hand to exactly 22.

https://wizardofodds.com/games/free-bet-blackjack/

Geoff Hall deserves props, and he is very well respected, IMO, in the community of table game developers. I found an interview of Jeff that was very fascinating where he recalls the details of bringing some of his games to the casino and the process of getting the game in different areas and recalling how things caught on. By now, I think knowing he invented a game carries a lot more weight than before blackjack switch went to casino royale.

Quote: nathanlake

The house will push all remaining hands when the dealers cards total 22.

The dealer gets 22 quite a bit.

I don't like any table game where the dealer gets special rules, but that's a personal bias. If the dealer doesn't lose on 22 but I do, that's a special rule.

Geoff invented the push 22 rule and, presumably, found out that giving free doubles and splits almost exactly offset it.

The game has been around a while and seems very popular in the UK. What people like is the "free money" when they win on a split/double and don't seem too upset when the dealer's Bust 22 doesn't pay out. Another nice feature is you rarely put up more money, so if you do lose a re-split double it only costs you one unit.

The strategy (double/split everything) is nice and easy, however the hitting one isn't quite so easy to master, but ploppies will tend to be less hurt (e.g. you always hit 12 on a real money hand).