From its origins in 1700s France as ‘Vingt-en-Un’ Blackjack spread across Europe. It then crossed to new continents in the 1800s thanks to French immigrants settling in North America with its heartland in New Orleans. In the 20th century, Blackjack migrated once more to the gambling capital of the Americas; Nevada.
This globe-trotting adventure saw people from all walks of life playing the game, and adding their own spin to proceedings, ultimately leading to modified rules and alternative variants of the game. The two most prominent variants are European and American Blackjack. Thanks to online casinos allowing players from around the globe easy access to the gamut of Blackjack variants, it is now important for players to know the differences between Blackjack Types.
In today’s article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the differences between European and American Blackjack so you can pick the type that appeals to you when playing Blackjack online.
Overview of European Blackjack
Played both online and in live casinos, European Blackjack is among the most often used variations of Blackjack available worldwide. Its reduced decks compared to other variants have helped it to remain very popular. The game is played with two regular 52-card decks. This keeps the house edge low as the fewer cards are used the fewer possible outcomes meaning greater player odds.
Unlike other forms of Blackjack, the rules of European Blackjack are standardised throughout all casinos offering consistency and familiarity to players.
The standard rules for European Blackjack are as follows:
- Two decks of cards are utilised. (104 cards total)
- There is no hole card in European Blackjack, thus the dealer does not get to peak.
- The dealer's Blackjack always beats the player's hand when the total is 21.
- If both the player and the dealer hold a Blackjack, the game is declared a push, and all bets are refunded.
- The dealer must stand on a soft 17 and hit on a total of 16 or lower.
- Players may only double down with a hard hand of 9, 10, or 11, but cannot double down on a split hand.
- Players can split a hand once but cannot split cards with differing values of 4, 5, or 10.
- Players cannot surrender if the dealer's face card is an Ace.
European Blackjack payouts are as follows:
- A Win pays 1:1
- A Tie pays 1:1 (This is also called a push)
- Blackjack pays 3:2
- Insurance Bet pays 2:1 (this is a side bet)
When it comes to house edge, the lowest possible percentage for European Blackjack is 0.39%.
Overview of American Blackjack
Unlike European Blackjack, which is uniform across the board, American Blackjack is made up of several game varieties developed in North America over the years, such as Atlantic City Blackjack, Vegas Strip Blackjack, Vegas Downtown Blackjack, Spanish 21, and many more versions of the game.
The usual rules for most American Blackjack versions are as follows:
- Six to eight decks of cards are used.
- Payouts for a Blackjack can either be 3:2 or 6:5 depending on the variant
- The hole card enables the dealer to check for Blackjack when an ace or 10-value card is their face-up card.
- The dealer must stand on a soft 17.
- Players may double down on any hand value.
- Players can split their hands up to three times.
- Players can double down after a split.
- Aces can only be split once.
- Any 10-value card (10, J, Q, K) can be split; they do not have to match
- Players have the option to surrender.
American Blackjack payouts are as follows:
- A win pays 1:1
- A Tie pays 1:1
- Blackjack pays 3:2 or 6:5
- Insurance Bet pays 2:1 (this is a side bet)
When it comes to house edge, the lowest possible percentage for American Blackjack is 0.60% for 3:2 tables, and up to 2% for 6:5 tables.
Key Differences Between European and American Blackjack
Dealer's Hole Card
- European Blackjack: No hole card until the player’s turn ends.
- American Blackjack: The dealer receives a hole card and checks for Blackjack.
At an American Blackjack table, the dealer deals two cards face-up and face-down. The second card is the "hole card" or "face down card". If the initial face-up card is an Ace, the dealer may examine the hole card for Blackjack before the player's hand is complete. European Blackjack has no hole card and no second card until the player has his entire hand. Some players can play their hand and win before the dealer hits. It also means players may lose more before the dealer finishes their hands.
Number of Decks:
- European Blackjack: Played with fewer decks, typically 2-4.
- American Blackjack: Played with more decks, usually 6-8.
European Blackjack uses two decks instead of six or eight decks in American Blackjack. In real-world Blackjack, this opens the door for card counting in European Blackjack and does improve the players' odds as fewer decks mean less variance of outcomes. However, it is worth noting that many live casinos have taken methods to mitigate this advantage, by using automated card shufflers.
Doubling and Splitting Rules:
- European Blackjack: Doubling is restricted to specific hands, splitting is only allowed on matching cards worth 10.
- American Blackjack: Doubling is allowed on any hand and splitting on any cards; with multiple splits possible per round.
When certain of a good hand, the player might "double down" by doubling their original stake. European Blackjack only allows doubling down on hands of 9, 10, or 11 while American Blackjack allows it on any hand. This provides American Blackjack players with more betting options and possible odds.
The same flexibility is seen with splitting. American Blackjack permits splitting a hand up to three times into any pair, whereas European Blackjack allows splitting just once on comparable cards worth 10.
Impact on House Edge:
- European Blackjack: Lower house edge due to fewer decks with emphasis on core gameplay. Additional options and side bets have great risk.
- American Blackjack: Slightly higher house edge in exchange for increased gameplay flexibility and side bets.
European Blackjack’s lowest possible house edge is 0.39%; lower than the best possible option seen in American Blackjack at 0.60%. When it comes to the impact of various house rules on the player vs the house, European Blackjack has fewer favourable rules than American Blackjack. For example:
Player-Favourable Rules
- Playing with two decks decreases house edge by 0.19%.
- Dealer stands on Soft 17 which decreases house edge by 0.22%.
House-Favourable Rules
- Aces cannot be split which increases the house edge by 0.18%.
- Doubling down is only permitted on total hand values of 9, 10 or 11 which increases the house edge by 0.09%.
- The player can’t double down after splitting which increases the house edge by 0.14%.
- No Hole Cards are used which increases house edge by 0.11%.
In American Blackjack the rules which benefit the player, and those which benefit the house are as follows:
Player-Favourable Rules
- Late Surrender is allowed which decreases house edge by 0.08%.
- Players can double down on any hand total which decreases house edge by 0.23%.
- Double after splitting is allowed which decreases house edge by 0.14%.
- ‘Double Down Rescue’ where used decreases house edge by 0.10%.
- The ability to resplit Aces decreases house edge by 0.08%.
House-Favourable Rules
- 6 or 8 decks used in play increase the house edge by 0.64% or 0.65% respectively.
- Tables with a 6;5 Blackjack payout increase the house edge by 1.39%.
- The Dealer hits on Soft 17 which increases house edge by 0.22%.
Which Variant is Right for You?
Both versions of Blackjacks have their positives and negatives, depending on the perspective you examine them from.
Overall, European Blackjack offers the authentic Blackjack experience we picture when playing the game. Strategy follows a traditional pattern and the overall house edge is more favourable to the player. This combined means that European Blackjack is the better option to pick if you’re a new player, as it emphasizes the core gameplay with minimal distractions from side rules and side bets.
American Blackjack's big selling point is its broad scope for flexibility and playstyle. Players can make use of the broader variety of rules and gameplay options to play the game their way, creating an overall more dynamic gameplay experience. This makes American Blackjack great for more established Blackjack players who know the basic game mechanics well and want to experiment with the additional options such as late surrenders, multiple splits, and so on. Just remember that American Blackjack can have two payout versions 3:2 and 6:5. Where possible, you always want to pick a 3:2 table; as this puts the odds more in your favour.
At Spin Genie you can find a broad selection of both American and European Blackjack variants both as online and live casino games with top games such as American Twenty-One Blackjack and European Blackjack Turbo. So if you’re curious, test out the different types and make your own decision on which variant is superior.
Conclusion
When viewing both variants as a passive entity; there is no ‘winner’ when comparing European and American Blackjack. Instead, it is down to the player to decide which type best suits their play style; whether this is traditional and straightforward (European Blackjack) or flexible and dynamic (American Blackjack). Either way, you can play both variants right here at Spin Genie so you can do some investigating of your own! Sign up and play today.
