Live ONE Blackjack from Pragmatic Play

Among the most widely integrated iGaming platforms in the world, Pragmatic Play has gained quite the reputation over the last five years. They are known for their attention to detail, high quality graphics, and above all, their commitment to delivering a provably fair and wholly entertaining user experience. Each of these qualities went into the production of their latest addition to Pragmatic Play’s live casino studio. They call it ONE Blackjack.

On its website, the developer cleverly suggests, “If there’s ONE Blackjack game you should be playing,” – you guessed it – it’s this one. Broadcast from their state-of-the-art studio in Bucharest, it’s got all the makings of a fan-favorite, including a side bet capable of paying x2000.

Yossi Barzley, Chief Business Development Officer for Pragmatic Play, commented on the game’s launch in an official press release.

“We are delighted to add ONE Blackjack to our ever-improving portfolio of Live Casino titles, bringing its distinctive features into the spotlight.

“Catering to all Blackjack needs, from casual players to high rollers, we are excited to deliver an unparalleled betting experience to our operator network.”

Let’s take a closer look…

ONE Blackjack Live from Pragmatic Play

The name “ONE” refers to a popular method of live casino blackjack delivery. It revolves around the illusion of a single seat, occupied by an unlimited number of players, all participating in one hand of blackjack; the same hand, to be clear. Each player can expedite the hand however they wish, within the rules of play. Some may choose to stand, while others hit, double down, or split a pair.

Through the power of modern technology, the actions you choose are the ones that will be displayed on your screen. For example, if you stand on 14, the dealer’s hand will be unveiled to you and, if applicable, the next card turned up will go to the dealer. If you hit 14, the next card dealt goes to your hand instead.

While it looks like a perfectly normal game on the user’s end, it’s quite unique from the studio’s perspective. The dealer is simply turning up cards, one at a time, sliding them beneath a camera, then placing them in a row. The camera digitally processes them and displays them in the correct position on each player’s screen, depending on their individual actions.

Rules of Live ONE Blackjack

Knowing how it works, and that it’s fair, is one thing. Understanding your odds of winning – that’s what every strategic players wants to know. That information is determined by all the subtle distinctions within a game’s rules. In this case, ONE Blackjack rules facilitate a theoretical return, or RTP, of 99.45%.

Note: Pragmatic Play claims the RTP of ONE Blackjack is 99.28% (house edge 0.72%). According to the rules, that is incorrect. Their evaluation seems to leave out the calculation for a 6-Card Charlie.

• Decks: 8
• Soft 17: Dealer Stands
• Doubling: Yes, on any two cards
• Splitting: Yes, only once
• Double after Split: No
• Resplit Aces: No
• Draw to Split Aces: No
• Surrender: No
• 6-Card Charlie: 6-card total of 21 or less wins 1 to 1
• Dealer Checks for Blackjack: Yes, only on Ace, not 10
• Blackjack Pays: 3 to 2
• House Edge: 0.55%

Optional Side Bets

This is where things get really interesting. Not because you should be placing side bets – they are all sucker bets, I assure you – but because this is where Pragmatic Play’s live dealer blackjack game differs from the ‘rest of market’. There are four side bets available. Three of them are standard issue. The other is a more unique blackjack side bet capable of paying out up to 2000x the bet. We’ll start with that one.

Crazy 7 Side Bet

Crazy 7 (aka Crazy Sevens) is an interesting little side bet based on how many 7s the player draws to his hand within the fist three cards. That’s the initial two cards, plus the third card taken, if any (via hit or split). The more 7s dealt, the higher the payout, especially if they’re of the same suit. A suited 7-7-7 pays the highest amount of 2000 to 1. Crazy 7 comes with an RTP of 94.26%.

21+3

Among the most commonly offered side bets in all blackjack games is 21+3. It’s essentially a 3-card poker hand using the player’s first two cards, plus the dealer’s up card. It comes with an RTP of 96.3%. Achieving a good poker hand awards a prize, as follows:

Pairs

Pairs (aka Perfect Pairs) is another super-simple and extremely common side bet. This one pays out if the player receives a pair as their first two cards. A same color pair is better, same suit is best. RTP is 95.9%.

Dealer Bust

Dealer Bust (aka Bust It) is yet another obvious side bet. If the dealer busts, this bet wins. The number of cards the dealer takes prior to busting will determine the payout, as follows. RTP on this one is 93.82%.

Strategy for ONE Blackjack Live

I said it above, and I’ll say it again – all side bets are sucker bets. If you’re looking to play ONE Blackjack with perfect strategy, ignore the side bets altogether. Instead, focus on making the right decisions based on your current hand. The charts below will tell you exactly what to do in every situation, separated by whether you’ve been dealt a hard hand, soft hand, or pairs, and the value of the dealer’s up-card.

How to Decide a Hard Hand

A hard hand is any one that doesn’t contain an Ace that can be valued as 11.

How to Decide a Soft Hand

A soft hand is any one that contains an Ace valued as 11, meaning you cannot bust if you take another card.

Conditions for Splitting Pairs

If you’re dealt a pair as your starting hand, this next chart will guide you in the right direction. Note that splitting is only allowed once per hand. If you’re dealt a pair and cannot split it, please refer to the appropriate chart above.

Wait a Minute – This Sounds Familiar…?

If ONE Blackjack Live is beginning to sound really familiar to you, it’s probably because you’ve spent some time playing in Evolution Gaming’s live casino. Pragmatic Play’s ONE Blackjack is an exact replica of Evolution’s Infinite Blackjack. The only difference is the side bets. Both games carry the same 21+3, Pairs and Dealer Bust side bets. However, ONE Blackjack Live offers Crazy 7, while Infinite Blackjack is capped off with Hot 3.