Playtech Grand Blackjack Review
Grand Blackjack is a live dealer game from Playtech that aims to recreate the experience of playing blackjack in a real-life casino. In our Grand Blackjack review, we will run through the game in detail. This game is one of many live titles in Playtech’s portfolio; the provider has been creating online casino games since 1999.
Playtech Grand Blackjack
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How to Play Playtech Grand Blackjack
When you play this live dealer game, your objective is to get a hand that is closer to 21 than the dealer’s. However, your hand cannot go over 21 in value, otherwise you will lose. As a live game, there can be many other people taking part, though no one else’s game affects your own.
To play Grand Blackjack, you have to place the main bet, which can be between £100 and £1,000. In each round, the croupier deals two cards to every player, then two cards to themselves. Number cards are worth their face value, royals are all worth 10 and the ace can be worth 1 or 11. After the croupier has dealt the cards, players perform actions with their hand, one at a time.
There are several options available. These include hit (take an extra card), stand (accept no more cards), double down (hit once then stand) and split (turn a pair of matching cards into two hands). The most you can win from the main bet is a 3:2 payout if you get a natural blackjack, i.e. your first two cards equal 21. The game has a very high RTP of 99.46%.
Different Playtech Blackjack Games
Playtech has quite a few live blackjack games in its portfolio. Below are descriptions of some of the most popular titles. Each of these offers an exciting and immersive live gaming experience and should appeal to blackjack fans.
Mega Fire Blaze Blackjack Live
This live dealer blackjack game has a bonus round - Mega Fire Blaze - that has several levels and qualification requirements. The most you can win from it is 1,000:1. To take part, you have to place a side bet and the main game needs to meet certain conditions.
Cashback Blackjack
When you play this live blackjack game, there is an extra action available: cashout. With this, you can effectively leave the game and receive a small payout. This amount of cash you receive depends on the round and the cards in play.
Majority Rules Speed Blackjack
A unique live dealer blackjack game where you and the other players decide what moves the player’s hand makes. If there are not enough players, the game uses the Best Strategy mode. This is where basic blackjack strategy decides the moves.
Grand Blackjack Features & Side Bets
Grand Blackjack has the main blackjack bet along with three side bets (plus the insurance bet). There is also the option to join the game as a Bet Behind player. This is where you place a bet and follow the actions of a particular player. Here are summaries of the game’s three side bets and the Bet Behind feature.
21+3
For this side bet, you are betting that your first two cards and the dealer’s face-up card form a three-card poker hand (a flush or higher). The payout depends on the ranking of the poker hand and there are five payouts: flush, straight, three of a kind, straight flush and suited three of a kind.
Top 3
This is similar to the 21+3 side bet, though it only covers the three highest-ranking hands, i.e. three of a kind, straight flush and suited three of a kind.
Pairs
The Pairs bet pays out if the player’s or dealer’s first two cards form a pair. There are three types of pairs:
- Red/Black: Two cards of the same value but of different colours.
- Coloured: Two cards of the same value and colour but of different suits.
- Perfect: Two cards of the same value and suit.
Insurance
What sets this side bet apart from the other three is that it is only available when the dealer’s face-up card is an ace. If you place the insurance bet, it wins if the dealer’s second card is worth 10, i.e. it gives their hand a total value of 21.
Bet Behind
This is a different way of playing a live blackjack game. It involves you placing a bet on a player and essentially following their actions. If the player wins, you win; likewise if the player loses, your bet loses too.
Grand Blackjack Payouts
The tables below list the main bet and the three side bets along with all their respective payouts. When playing Grand Blackjack, you have to place the main bet (unless you are playing as a Bet Behind player). All side bets are optional and are independent of the main outcome.
Regular Grand Blackjack Payouts
|
Result |
Payout |
|
Player Win |
1:1 |
|
Natural Blackjack |
3:2 |
|
Insurance |
2:1 |
Side Bets
|
Bet |
Payout |
|
21+3 | |
|
Suited Three of a Kind |
100:1 |
|
Straight Flush |
40:1 |
|
Three of a Kind |
30:1 |
|
Straight |
10:1 |
|
Flush |
5:1 |
|
Top 3 | |
|
Suited Three of a Kind |
270:1 |
|
Straight Flush |
180:1 |
|
Three of a Kind |
90:1 |
|
Pairs | |
|
Perfect |
25:1 |
|
Coloured |
12:1 |
|
Red/Black |
6:1 |
Languages and Times
Playtech’s Grand Blackjack live dealer game runs continuously. The main language of the game is English, though the user interface has over a dozen other languages available. These include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Mandarin.
Key Highlights
Here are the main highlights of Playtech’s Grand Blackjack:
Option to join as a Bet Behind player.
Three side bets.
Large bet sizes suitable for high rollers.
Excellent streaming quality.
Impressive streaming location and game set-up.
Playtech Grand Blackjack Final Thoughts
Grand Blackjack from Playtech is a live dealer blackjack game that offers three side bets as well as the Bet Behind feature. It has a luxury theme and the game takes place in a studio with an abundance of gold decoration that gives it a classy feel.
According to the game’s information section, its optimal RTP is 99.46%, while the three side bets (21+3, Top 3 and Pairs) each have lower long-term payout rates. Grand Blackjack has a rather high minimum bet size of £100 for the main bet, making it suitable for players with large budgets. It is an impressive, well-presented live dealer game that does an excellent job of recreating the real-life gaming experience.
Rating: 9.0
Grand Blackjack FAQ
Here are a few common questions about the Grand Blackjack live dealer game.
