Atlantic City blackjack is New Jersey’s way of saying “we have Las Vegas at home”.
This popular variant of 21 doesn’t share exactly the same rules as its cousins in the southwestern USA, so let’s outline the differences between classic blackjack and Atlantic City blackjack.
In this guide, you’ll also get to know whether this version of the game is for you or not – and the alternatives.
What is Atlantic City Blackjack?
Atlantic City blackjack is a young-ish version of the game, formed when New Jersey needed to populate its brand-new casinos in the 1970s.
It’s a witch’s brew of rules that benefit both player and casino. It usually has eight decks, whereas other versions of blackjack can have any even number (or one, in the case of single-deck blackjack).
With eight decks the game has a high basic edge around 0.577%, when some variants hover around 0,11% – but this is eased by player-friendly rules.
We’ll cover its quirks in more detail in a moment. For now, all you need to know is that Atlantic City blackjack rules are the same as traditional blackjack (getting to 21 without going over) – and it still helps to have the basic strategy memorised.
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Why Play Atlantic City Blackjack?
The dealer must stand on a soft 17 in Atlantic City blackjack, increasing the strength of players with hands equal or higher than 18. It also reduces the house edge in 0.2% (more or less).
A twist of this blackjack variation is that the dealer can peek at their cards – but only if they have an ace or a 10. This happens before the player acts. So, while it might seem like a cheat, it helps players avoid losing coins on plays that would later prove meaningless.
Atlantic City blackjack adds another rule unusual to Las Vegas – late surrender. Surrendering happens either before (early) or after (late) the dealer checks for blackjack, a hand of 21. It does what it says – ends the game with a loss. You’ll get half your play back, however, which is the important part.
Finally, players can double on any hand at Atlantic City blackjack tables. Pairs can be split up to three times, which means you can divide a starting hand of two cards with similar value into two separate hands.
Lastly, lets talk about rewards. A player win is given at 1:1. In the event of a tied game, the dealer wins. Blackjack – the hand – wins at 3:2. This offers a significant advantage over 6:5 variants.
To give you an example, with 3:2 odds you’d win 15 if you’ve played 10.
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Things to Keep in Mind
Atlantic City blackjack rules are a boon to players, but that doesn’t mean anything if you’re not aware of them.
A bad blackjack strategy will erase the benefits of this variant.
Alternative Variations to Atlantic City Blackjack
There are, of course, other versions of blackjack, each one with differences in the decks and/or playing style. Here’s a few.
- Single-Deck Blackjack: Play with the lowest basic edge out there – and a single deck.
- Spanish 21: Play without any 10s in the decks and double down after hitting or splitting.
- Blackjack Switch: Play with two hands, with the possibility of switching the second card dealt to each of them.
- Classic Blackjack: Enjoy the closest variant to the original game born more than 200 years ago.
Conclusion
An experiment-turned-classic, Atlantic City blackjack offers plenty of benefits for players without taking anything away from its predecessors. Come pre-armed with knowledge of its rules, and you’ll meet a popular – if odd – blackjack variant.
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