Power Blackjack

More about Power Blackjack

Blackjack is a versatile game where even subtle changes can have a significant impact. That’s exactly the route Evolution went with Power Blackjack. Most of the gameplay is still the same, except all 9s and 10s have been removed. You can also increase your bet more than usual after the first two cards are dealt.

Will these small changes result in a fun experience? We did a deep dive into this release to find the answer. Keep reading to learn all about Power Blackjack from Evolution and see if it’s right for you.

How Does Power Blackjack Work?

At first glance, you won’t see a difference between a regular round of live blackjack and Power Blackjack. You can still place one main bet and four side bets, aiming to get exactly 21 with two cards. Failing that, being closer to 21 than the dealer, will also result in a win. After a few rounds, you’ll notice the key difference – all 9 and 10 cards have been removed from the deck.

This Evolution release uses the same base as Infinite Blackjack, meaning all players get the same hand. However, they can choose to play it differently, producing different results. After both player and host get their cards, players can choose to Hit, Stand, Split, or Double Down.

• Hitting draws another card and adds it to your total. You can do this multiple times.
• Standing stops you from drawing additional cards and ends your turn.
• Splitting splits your first two cards into separate hands. The two cards must be of equal value. Split Aces only receive one card.
• Doubling Down doubles your bet and draws an additional card. You can Double Down with any two cards.

Unique to Power Blackjack is the ability to Triple and Quadruple Down during decision time. This functions identically to Doubling Down but wagers more money per round.

Once players finish betting, the host will draw cards until hitting a soft 17. At that point, they will stand and compare the two hands. The hand that’s closest to 21 will win the round. If either side goes over 21, they automatically lose the round.

How to Play Power Blackjack?

Power Blackjack gives you fewer cards to play with, making it slightly easier for newcomers to pick up and play. However, our guide offers a helpful hand for players totally new to this Evolution game.

You can find this title and many others at the following US online casinos. Our team has personally vetted each gambling site on this list to ensure it is reputable and in compliance with US federal and state laws.

Make your wagers

Every round starts with a brief betting period. You place coins on the main bet and any side bets you’re interested in. The game will display how much you’ve wagered in the Total Bet section.

The host draws four cards

Two cards are placed in front of the player in a face-up position, while the other two are set in front of the dealer. One is visible to the player, while the other is face down.

Play your hand

You can Hit, Stand, Split, Double, Triple, or Quadruple Down your hand. You keep going until your total exceeds 21, or you Stand with all your hands.

The dealer draws more cards

If the dealer has less than a soft 17, they will draw additional cards to their hand. This continues until their hand total is above a soft 17 or exceeds 21.

The totals are compared

The game first checks if either side busted by going over 21. If that happens, the other side automatically wins. Otherwise, the two hands are compared to see which is closest to 21. In case both hands have the same total, the round ends with a Tie. Similarly, getting exactly 21 with your initial cards gets you a Blackjack win, which pays better than a regular win.

Watch all steps

Power Blackjack Side Bets

Every fun round of blackjack comes with multiple side bets to spice things up. One is available to all players regardless of which wager they placed. The remaining four are only available if you bet on them first. Below, we’ll go over the details of each side bet.

Insurance Bet

The Insurance bet becomes available if the dealer’s visible card is an Ace. You can take the bet or skip it, after which the host will peek at their second card. If it’s not a 10, the dealer doesn’t win with a Blackjack (exactly 21) and the round resumes. Otherwise, the round ends with the host winning, with anyone who took the Insurance bet getting a small payout.

Perfect Pairs

Perfect Pairs wins if your first two cards are a pair – that is, both cards have the same number. Evolution’s Power Blackjack has three types of pairs, each with a different payout.

• Mixed Pair has two matching cards with different colors and suits. Example: ♥10, ♣10
• Colored Pair features two matching cards with matching colors but different suits. Example: ♦7, ♥7
• Perfect Pair are two matching cards with the same suit. Example: ♣A, ♣A

21+3

This side bet requires forming a valid three-card poker hand using the dealer’s upcard and your first two cards. The stronger the poker hand, the more valuable its reward will be.

• Flush – cards that aren’t in a sequence but share the suit. Example: ♥2, ♥6, ♥8
• Straight – cards with different suits but following a numerical sequence. Example: ♥4, ♣5, ♠6
• Three of a Kind – cards with matching values but different suits. Example: ♣K, ♦K, ♥K
• Straight Flush – cards which follow a sequence and share the same suit. Example: ♦7, ♦8, ♦9
• Suited Trips – an identical triplet of cards. Example: ♣K, ♣K, ♣K

Hot 3

Hot 3 tasks you with getting a precise score with the first three cards on the table. Some combinations are worth more if their suits match.

• Total 19 – the sum of all three cards is 19. Example: ♥J, ♦2, ♠7
• Total 20 – the sum of all three cards is 20. Example: ♥J, ♦2, ♠8
• Total 21 unsuited – the sum of all three cards is 21. The cards have different suits. Example: ♦8, ♥3, ♠K
• Total 21 suited – the sum of all three cards is 21. The cards share the same suit. Example: ♦8, ♦3, ♦K
• 7-7-7 – all three cards are sevens. Example: ♦7, ♠7, ♣7

Bust It

Winning Bust It requires the dealer to go over 21 with three or more cards. The more cards are in the host’s hand when they bust, the better the reward will be. The side bet’s reward caps at 8+ cards.

Payouts in Power Blackjack

The Power Blackjack game makes some changes to the side bet payouts to account for 9s and 10s no longer being in the deck. While the maximum payouts remain unchanged, the combinations under them have received slight decreases.

Check out the following table for a detailed look at all possible rewards in Power Blackjack. It lists the payouts for all main and side bets.

Power Blackjack RTP

Power Blackjack’s main RTP is 98.80%. It’s slightly lower than standard Infinite Blackjack, whose RTP is 99.47%. Interestingly, Power Blackjack beats Free Bet Blackjack’s 98.45% RTP despite the latter adding free bets.

Each side bet has a separate RTP value, which we listed below.

• Perfect Pairs – 96.58%
• 21+3 – 96.09%
• Hot 3 – 96.21%
• Bust It – 94.71%

Power Blackjack Betting Range

The default betting range for Evolution’s Power Blackjack is a $1 minimum bet and a $5,000 maximum stake. Some US online casinos fiddle with these limits, so it’s best to check several play dens to see which offers the best bet range.

Power Blackjack Strategy

The changes to Power Blackjack necessitate an update to the standard basic blackjack strategy. Fortunately, we didn’t have to figure out the optimal ways to go about things. Evolution gives players a strategy that works with these changes.

The strategy is presented in the tables below in an easy-to-follow format. It is also described in bullet points in the game’s How to Play section.

The table lists how to play the round if the dealer has a hard (Ace is worth one) or a soft hand (Ace is worth 11). There’s also a separate table for splitting. The tables use the following abbreviations:

• H – Hit
• S – Stand
• SP – Split
• QD – Double/Triple/Quadruple Down, whichever works best with your budget

History of Power Blackjack

If you search for Power Blackjack, you’ll find many variants with the same name that predate this 2020 game. However, Evolution’s title works differently from other releases that share its name, making it a unique addition. It uses the same base as Infinite Blackjack, which was released in 2018.

Why Play Power Blackjack?

With so many games on offer, why choose Power Blackjack? We list some of the most important reasons below.

• An unlimited number of players can enjoy it simultaneously
• No 9 and 10 cards make it slightly easier to play
• Can Triple and Quadruple Down
• Works with a modified basic blackjack strategy
• Four side bets with exciting rewards

FAQs