European Blackjack by Microgaming

Everyone has heard of European and American roulette. But did you know Blackjack also has different rules between the two continents? Don’t worry; the changes aren’t as drastic as in roulette. But it is different enough to warrant a separate game. Microgaming delivers with a fantastic blackjack experience, complete with awesome animations and smooth gameplay.

Those among you looking for live dealer entries will have to look elsewhere. This release is powered by a random number generator, making it ideal for players who aren’t interested in a multiplayer experience.

You start the round by placing your bets! This is done by choosing one of four coins on the left side of the table. Click or tap the coin, and then place it in the middle screen. Attentive players will notice there are no side bets here. You can only bet on the main game itself.

When all wagers are placed, it’s time to get serious! The dealer will deal three cards: two to the player, and one for himself. At that point, you’ll be asked to either hit or stand. Hitting will add another card to

your hand and will increase your sum. Choosing to stand means you’re ready to progress the round. The dealer will proceed to draw more cards, and the results are announced.

So how do you determine who wins? It’s simple. First, the game checks if neither side has gone over 21. That’s a bust, and means you automatically lose. If both sides are below 21, then the person closest to 21 wins. Getting exactly 21 means you win blackjack, which pays more than the standard prize.

Punters can bet any value between $1 and $200 on each round. A standard hand pays you 1:1. Insurance wins are a 2:1 while getting a blackjack win grants a 3:2 prize. There are no side bets to boost your wins further, which is the one downside of Microgaming’s European Blackjack.

On top of hitting or standing, players will be offered splits and doubles under specific circumstances. You can only split once to make two hands. Furthermore, splits are only available if you have two cards with the same denomination. Doubling is also only available on hard nines, tens and elevens. You can’t double down after splitting, either.

Microgaming doesn’t allow for surrenders. However, insurance is still available! You can take it if the dealer’s first hand is an ace. The release doesn’t have any side bets you can take advantage of, which is a right shame. At least gamblers can look forward to dealers standing on all 17s.