The blackjack dealer is in charge of the action. Two cards will be dealt face up to each player hand (1-5 hands can be played simultaneously), one card will be dealt face up to the dealer, the dealer’s other card will be dealt facedown. Now, it's time to make some decisions. Based on the two cards in your hand, and the dealer’s up card, what are you going to do? Your goal is clear: Beat the dealer’s hand total without exceeding 21. If your hand total is greater than 21, you bust and forfeit your bets for that hand.
Any hand total greater than the dealer’s hand will win you the game. High Limit Blackjack is similar to other blackjack variants like American Blackjack and Classic Blackjack where the dealer must draw on 16, and stand on all 17s (Hard 17s and Soft 17s). As a player, you simply have to beat the dealer’s hand total. If the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, you'll be presented with the Insurance Bet option. This additional bet costs 50% of your original bet, and it pays 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack. That means, you are hedging against the possibility of a 10-value card in the dealer's 2 card hand.
You will beat the dealer in High Limit Blackjack if your hand total is higher than the dealer’s hand total, but doesn't exceed 21. It's great if you can hit a natural blackjack (Ace +10-value card) straight up, but it's not necessary to beat the dealer. Blackjack actions include Hit, Stand, Double Down, Insurance, and Split. When you Hit, you are opting for an additional card. You can keep Hitting until you reach your desired hand total, or you bust. It's your call. If you bust, it doesn't matter what the dealer’s hand total is because the dealer is not required to reveal their hand. You'll know immediately if you bust, since your hand total will exceed 21 and it reflects as busted.
While High Limit Blackjack can be more expensive to play, this casino game is often played with tremendous intensity, focus, and determination. Since there is so much more riding on every hand, players tend to dig deep when making decisions in High Limit Blackjack. This makes this casino card game much more engaging for players, because big money rides on every play. Luckily, you can switch up your bets after every hand is dealt to you. You can up the stakes or gear down to lower C$ stakes at your leisure.
If you decide to Stand/Stay, you don't take any additional cards. This is a final decision that restricts your hand total to whatever you stand on. Next, the dealer will flip over the face-down card. As mentioned earlier, the dealer continues drawing cards until 17 is reached. This can be a hard 17 or a soft 17. No further cards will be dealt. At this point, the dealer hand is compared to the player hand. The higher hand wins. Payouts depend on the hand values. If a player has blackjack and the dealer doesn't, the player wins, and vice versa. If player and dealer have equal-value cards, it's a push, and if either side has 21 and the other has a lesser total, it's an even money payout.
Blackjack Card Values
- Aces have 2 faces – 1 & 11
- Cards 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 – Face Value
- 10, Jack, Queen, King – All worth 10
Blackjack Action Words and Their Meanings
- Hit – Take another card. You can keep hitting until you're happy with your hand total, or until you bust.
- Stay or Stand - Stick with your current hand without taking any additional cards.
- Split – You can Split identical cards like a Pair of Kings, Pair of Threes, Pair of Sevens et cetera. Splitting cards requires the placement of an extra bet the same size as your original bet. When you split Aces in High Limit Blackjack and your next drawn card is a 10-value card, that's not considered blackjack; it's 21. Blackjack only occurs on your opening two cards. A 21-hand total off Split Aces always loses to a dealer blackjack.
- Double Down – Place one final bet the same size as your original bet, and take a final card. This is your final hand total. Note that you can Double Down on Split cards.
- Insurance Bets – Insurance is an interesting bet that is presented to players when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. Think of it as a risk mitigation strategy. There is always a chance that the dealer’s face down card is a 10-value card. Insurance protects you against that with a 2:1 payout if the dealer has blackjack. Insurance bets cost 50% as much as your original bet. There are 13 cards in every suit, (Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King). Therefore, there is a 9/13 chance of not having a 10-value card, and only 4/13 chance of having a 10-value card. Remember that Blackjack Insurance bets pay 2:1.
- Push – when the player and the dealer have an equal value hand of at least 17+ (The dealer stands all 17s), then the result is a Tie hand. The player’s bet stays on the table, and a new round of High Limit Blackjack is dealt.
Rules of Play
The blackjack dealer a.k.a. the house deals all the cards from a shoe to players at the table. The contest is between the player and the dealer, not between players themselves. Six decks of cards are used, each containing 52 cards apiece. After every round of play, the dealer will shuffle the cards and start afresh. Since this is a high stakes game of blackjack, players must select a chip size from the available options: C$1, C$5, C$25, C$100. Once you have selected your chip size, you click a spot on the table to place your bet. Next, click the ‘Deal’ button to get the action started.
Once your cards have been dealt to you, the bet amounts are fixed. Players will have to wait until the next round of play to change bets. There are several additional bets available during High Stakes Blackjack games. These include Double Down, Split, and Insurance. Don't worry about knowing when to use these bets – you will be prompted on your screen by the software at 888casino Canada. For example, if the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, you'll have the option to place an Insurance Bet. Or, if you’re holding a pair with your first two cards, the Split option will be available.
In Blackjack card games, the player must act before the dealer acts. In other words, you must finish all your betting actions and stand on a hand total, or bust before the dealer acts or busts. If the player busts, the dealer is not required to reveal their hand. If the dealer busts, all player hands still in the game will win their bets.
High Limit Blackjack Info:
- The minimum and maximum betting limits apply to every game of blackjack. But, in-game betting options such as splitting cards, doubling down, or taking insurance are extra.
- In High Limit Blackjack, you have a certain time allotment to wager. If you don't wager, the hand continues without you.
- If you have placed your bet, but failed to click the deal button, your bet stays active and cards will automatically be dealt to you.
- If for any reason, the game is disconnected, and the deal button is unavailable, then standard 888casino Canada disconnection rules apply.
For detailed rules and instructions on high limit blackjack, click here.
Hand Payout Values:
- Blackjack pays 3:2
- Insurance Bets pay 2:1
- Other winning hands pay even money (1:1)
