Madison Avenue Blackjack

Madison Avenue Blackjack - How to Play

The aim of Madison Avenue Blackjack is to hold a better hand than the dealer without going bust. 

Game Rules

This game is hosted by a live dealer.

Up to seven players can play at a time.

Madison Avenue Blackjack is played with eight standard 52-card decks. 

Blackjack is the best possible outcome - it is awarded when your first two cards equal 21 exactly.

Card Values

Card are worth the following in this game:

• Cards two to 10 - face value
• Face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) - 10 each 
• Aces - one or 11, whichever is more favourable to your hand (N.B. a hand containing ace as an 11 is known as a Soft Hand)

When the betting time is up, the dealer will deal each player one card face-up (dealing starts with the player on the dealer's left and moves clockwise).

All players will then be dealt a second card face-up, ending with the dealer. 

The dealer's second card will be face-down. 

The total of your initial hand will be displayed next to your cards.

Game Options

After your initial two cards have been dealt, you have the following options:

• Double Down - doubles your bet, but you can only receive one more card thereafter. You can Double Down on any two initial cards unless you have previously split
• Hit - adds another card to your hand. You can hit as many times as you like providing you don't exceed 21
• Stand - lets the dealer know you're happy with your hand and don't want any more cards
• Split - if your first two cards are of equal value, you can split them into separate hands. Each hand will be a separate bet equal to the value of your main bet. The dealer will then deal each hand a second card - you can Hit on both hands unless you split an initial pair of aces. If you split on two aces, you can only receive one more card per hand

You can only split once per hand.

Outcome

Exceeding 21 will cause you to 'bust' and lose your bet. 

If you do not bust, the dealer will reveal their face-down card after all players have had their turn.

• If the value of dealer's cards is less than 16, they must Hit 
• If the dealer has a Soft 17 or higher, they must Stand

You win if the dealer 'busts' or your final hand is closer to 21 than theirs. 

If you and the dealer tie, your bet will be returned. 

Blackjack beats a hand of 21 comprising three or more cards, and a hand of 21 resulting from a split pair.

Insurance Bet

You can only purchase Insurance if the dealer's second card is an Ace.

It reduces the risk of the dealer having blackjack, even if you also have blackjack.

Insurance bets cost half your original stake.

If the dealer does have blackjack, Insurance pays out 2:1; if the dealer has blackjack and you did not purchase Insurance, odds are paid out 3:2.

The dealer will then check their face-down card, which will result in one of the following outcomes:

• If they don't have blackjack, the round continues
• If they have blackjack and you do not, the dealer wins
• If both you and the dealer have blackjack, the round ends in a tie and your bet will be returned

Insurance cannot be purchases when the dealer's face-up card is a 10, J, Q or K. 

Insurance bets are settled separately.

Side Bets

There are two side bets available in this game (below).

Side bets can be combined with your main bet.

You can win a side bet even if you don't win your blackjack bet. 

Perfect Pairs

This side bet sees you win if your initial two cards consist of a pair.

There are three Perfect Pairs in this game, which each have different payouts (below):

• Perfect Pair – same suit, e.g. two Aces of Spades
• Coloured Pair – different suits of the same colour, e.g. a two of Diamonds and a two of Hearts
• Mixed Pair – different suits, e.g. a 10 of Hearts and a 10 of Clubs

Perfect Pairs Payouts

• Pefect Pair - 25:1
• Coloured Pair - 12:1
• Mixed Pair - 6:1 

21+3

You win the 21+3 side bet if your first two cards as well as the dealer's face-up card form one of the following winning combinations:

• Suited Trips – an identical triplet, e.g. three Queen of Hearts
• Straight Flush – cards of the same suit in numerical sequence, e.g. a 10, Jack and Queen of Diamonds
• Three of a Kind – cards of same value but different suits, e.g. three Kings
• Straight – cards of different suits in numerical sequence, e.g. a two of Spades, three of Clubs and four of Hearts
• Flush – any cards of the same suit, e.g. a two, six and 10 of Clubs

21+3 Payouts

• Suited Trips - 100:1
• Straight Flush - 40:1
• Three of a Kind - 30:1
• Straight - 10:1
• Flush - 5:1

Any malfunctions void the game round and all payouts.

 

Bet Behind

This feature allows you to bet on another player's hand.

You will share the outcome of their hand, even if they do not win.

Payouts for Bet Behind wagers are the same as ordinary bets.

Place a bet in any activated Bet Behind spot at another player's seat before the betting time expires.

If you place a Bet Behind someone who does not participate in the round, your bet will be immediately refunded.

The nickname displayed at each seat lets you know which player is in charge of the decision making for that hand. 

However, you can decide the following:

• To place an Insurance bet when the dealer's up-card is an Ace
• To double your bet when the player you are betting behind opts to Double Down or Split

You can't place a Bet Behind bet on your own hand, nor can you prevent other players from betting behind you.

Hot Player

This icon lets you know which player has the longest winning streak.

The number in the gold medal tells you how many consecutive rounds that player has won. 

Madison Avenue Blackjack RTP

Return to Player (RTP): 99.28%.

The expected return to player is the amount we pay out to players relative to the amount of wagering on the game.

For example, if we take £100 of wagers we will, on average, pay out £99.28 of wins.