Instant Blackjack
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The “18 Bet” used to be called “Instant 18.” I have not previously analyzed card counting Instant 18, the reason being that I thought this side bet was extinct. For reference, card counting Instant 18 was. Count on a fun online game of Blackjack. Play for free online! Search MSN Games. Genre: Card & Casino. If you like Blackjack, you'll love Microsoft Bubble! Beat the dealer! Free Blackjack Game Overview. Welcome to this online blackjack page where you can play the best free blackjack games. The benefits of playing online are that you can learn blackjack rules in no rush and there is no actual monetary loss if you lose! You can click the menu button on the top right corner to read the rules.
Introduction
If you had the option to get a fixed 18 points in blackjack automatically, would you take it? I think a lot of players would, thinking that 18 is good enough. That is the question posed by a new blackjack side bet seen at the Santa Fe Station in October, 2010. At all the Santa Fe's six-deck blackjack tables, players have the option to make an Instant 18 side bet on a second hand with exactly 18 points.
Rules
As stated in the introduction, the Instant 18 hand is worth exactly 18 points. Wins pay even money. I haven't seen the game, but I am told there is an 18 printed on the felt. I'm also told a primary blackjack bet is required to make the side bet. I don't know the limits on the side bet.
Odds
The following table shows the expected value of the Instant 18 bet, according to the number of decks and whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17. At the Santa Fe Station, they use six decks and the dealer hits a soft 17, so the house edge there is 2.04%.
Instant 18 — Expected Values
| Decks | Dealer Stands on Soft 17 | Dealer Hits on Soft 17 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | -0.003106 | -0.016454 |
| 2 | -0.005091 | -0.018799 |
| 3 | -0.005752 | -0.019578 |
| 4 | -0.006080 | -0.019968 |
| 5 | -0.006278 | -0.020201 |
| 6 | -0.006410 | -0.020358* |
| 7 | -0.006503 | -0.020468 |
| 8 | -0.006573 | -0.020552 |
Footnotes
*: The makers of Instant 18 take issue with my house edge of 2.04% (rounded) for six decks and the dealer hits a soft 17. They claim the house edge is 2.03% and that this figure is recognized by Nevada Gaming Control Board. The reader may decide for himself who to believe.
Strategy
A house edge of 2.04% is much higher than in conventional blackjack, so I would recommend declining the Instant 18 option. In all fairness, 2.04% is a much lower house edge than most side bets, but unlike most side bets, Instant 18 doesn't offer the chance of a big win.
Written by:Michael Shackleford
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Although instant-play casinos have been present on the market for quite some time, the variety of Blackjack games available at them may be limited when compared to the selection offered by download casinos. This is due to the process of the game optimisation which may take some time and the fact that software developers are busy with the launching of the brand new slot titles while table games are a bit neglected.
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However, keep in mind that instant-play versions of online casinos require a fast and stable internet connection. If you don’t have access to such a connection, you may be experiencing lags while the games are loading.
Summary
Whether you play at instant play online or mobile casino, the Blackjack rules are the same, so you can opt for this casino version freely as long as your internet connection speed is fast and reliable.
It is strongly recommended that you first play your favorite Blackjack games in free play modeto try them out and practice because this is one of the casino games where the outcome depends on your moves.
You may find the online casinos running on a multiplatform more convenient as they offer a wider selection of Blackjack variations. For example, Non US players will find our UK or Canadian Blackjack casinos selection useful, since we listed top brands which offer multiple platforms, therefore more table games available on Instant Play. For US players, we built our US friendly casino ranking, who usually offer more than RTG games.
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All the brands listed in our website work with faster or even instant payouts, so if you decide to move to a real money account, you will be on the safe side to cash out your earnings.