Bovada BLACKJACK - Review of games, rules, bonuses + much more

For aficionados of online casinos, Bovada blackjack represents a great solution for enjoying the time-honored game of 21 right from the comfort of home. Blackjack at Bovada is available in several forms, with slightly different rules and gameplay options, so you can select the one that appeals to you most. Bovada is an online casino that caters exclusively to residents of the United States.

In this Bovada blackjack review, we'll go over all the different forms of the game available, the rules for each, the betting minimums and maximums, and everything else you need to know if you intend to play. We won't omit details of live blackjack, free online blackjack at Bovada for practice chips, blackjack bonus clearance, and other very specific information that might be hard to find elsewhere.

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Blackjack Variants

After logging into your Bovada account, you can navigate to the casino and select the “Blackjack” tab to view the forms of the game that are offered.

Varieties of Blackjack Spread by Bovada

There are eight types of Blackjack in all:

• Blackjack
• Classic Blackjack
• Classic Single Deck Blackjack
• Double Deck Blackjack
• European Blackjack
• Perfect Pairs
• Single Deck Blackjack
• Zappit Blackjack

Though the basic action and flow of the game are the same in all of these formats, there are subtle differences in the rules, permitted bet sizes, and gameplay options that make for interesting wrinkles depending on which type of blackjack at Bovada you play. Look below for a summary of each game:

Blackjack

Rules: 6 Deck, Dealer Hits S17, Split up to 3 Hands, Surrender
Bet Sizes: $1 - $2,500
Simultaneous Hands: 1 – 3
House Advantage: 0.54%
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

Classic Blackjack

Rules: 6 Deck, Dealer Hits S17, Split up to 3 Hands, Surrender
Bet Sizes: $1 - $2,500
Simultaneous Hands: 1 – 3
House Advantage: 0.54%
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

Classic Single Deck Blackjack

Rules: 1 Deck, Dealer Hits S17, Split up to 2 Hands
Bet Sizes: $1 - $300
Simultaneous Hands: 1
House Advantage: 0.08%
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

Double Deck Blackjack

Rules: 2 Deck, Dealer Stands S17, Split up to 2 Hands
Bet Sizes: $1 - $250
Simultaneous Hands: 1
House Advantage: 0.24%
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

European Blackjack

Rules: 6 Deck, No Dealer Hole Card, Dealer Stands S17, Split up to 3 Hands, Double Only 9, 10, 11
Bet Sizes: $1 - $500
Simultaneous Hands: 1
House Advantage: 0.62%
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

Perfect Pairs

Rules: 6 Deck, Dealer Hits S17, Split up to 3 Hands, Surrender, Perfect Pairs Sidebet
Bet Sizes: $1 - $500
Simultaneous Hands: 2
House Advantage: 0.54% (Sidebet: 6.11%)
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

Single Deck Blackjack

Rules: 1 Deck, Dealer Hits S17, Split up to 2 Hands
Bet Sizes: $1 - $300
Simultaneous Hands: 1
House Advantage: 0.08%
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

Zappit Blackjack

Rules: 6 Deck, Dealer Hits S17, Split up to 3 Hands, Surrender, Dealer 22 Pushes, Player Can “Zap” 15, 16, 17 to Get New Cards
Bet Sizes: $1 - $500
Simultaneous Hands: 1
House Advantage: 1.15%
Gameplay screenshot (opens in new window)

Bovada Live Blackjack

In addition to single-player blackjack run entirely through casino software, Bovada also includes live dealer games. In live dealer blackjack, the cards and other gaming apparatus are physically handled by a human dealer. Meanwhile, bets and payouts take place through a digital interface like with normal blackjack at Bovada.

The action is live streamed through the internet, allowing you to watch the hands unfold in real time. This type of gaming thus combines the best features of a brick-and-mortar table with the convenience of an online experience.

Live Dealer Blackjack Table

Low-limit Live Dealer Blackjack tables let you bet from $5 - $100. Higher-stakes options go up to $250 - $5,000. To get in a game, you must click the “Live Dealer” tab because these tables are not found in the regular “Blackjack” section.

But Which Bovada Blackjack Is Best?

Much as with anything else in life, we cannot give you a hard-and-fast rule as to which form of blackjack Bovada has that will leave you the most satisfied. A lot will depend upon your own personal preferences and playing habits. Still, we have evaluated all BJ titles at Bovada.lv and have determined what each one is the best at:

Best Blackjack at Bovada

What's the Right Strategy to Use for the Blackjack Bovada Games?

There are a few points of Bovada blackjack strategy that you should bear in mind before you get started. Perhaps the most important is game selection.

The most “normal” or standard versions of are the games entitled Blackjack and Classic Blackjack. They both have identical rules, betting limits, and a house advantage of 0.54%, but we have a slight preference for “Blackjack” because we like the graphics and layout a bit better. Here's some footage to give you an idea of what the game is like:

Single Deck for the Win?

If you're looking for a title with a lower house edge, then Double Deck Blackjack cuts the house advantage down to less than half of normal Blackjack: 0.24%. But Single Deck Blackjack and Classic Single Deck Blackjack bring this already-impressive number down to just 0.08%.

To put this in perspective, with a house advantage of just eight-hundredths of a percent, you could wager $10,000 and expect to lose, on average, only $8! Of course, you could win or lose substantially more than $8 over any given sequence of bets adding up to $10,000, but this $8 figure is what you would figure to lose per $10,000 bet if you play long enough to smooth out the statistical variations while following the proper basic strategy.

There are disadvantages to playing Single Deck and Double Deck Blackjack though. You can only play one hand at a time in these variants, and the maximum bet is lowered. Another consideration is that the proper strategy is different, and so you might not be able to play as many hands per hour correctly as you would in one of the other forms of blackjack with a more typical set of rules.

Steer Clear of Gimmicks and Side Bets

One aspect of proper Bovada blackjack strategy that might not be apparent at first glance is that the blackjack games with entertaining gimmicks to them are also the ones that are the worst for the player. Zappit Blackjack lets you “zap” any starting hand of 15, 16, or 17 thereby replacing it with new cards. However, there are other alterations to the rules, like the fact that a dealer 22 doesn't bust but instead pushes, and these changes contribute to this title being the only 21 game at Bovada with a house edge above 1%. The sidebet in Perfect Pairs too has bad odds: an atrocious hold of more than 6%.

Overall, we feel that Blackjack and Classic Blackjack are the best options for the majority of our readers while advanced users may wish to explore Single Deck Blackjack, Classic Single Deck Blackjack, and Double Deck Blackjack. Those who really relish an experience as close as possible to that in a B&M casino will probably prefer Live Casino Blackjack.

Basic Strategy

We advise that before you begin to play, review the proper basic strategy first. BJ can be the fairest game in the house but only if you make the right decisions as to when to hit, stand, double, et cetera. If you instead make your decisions based on your gut feelings or incorrect information, then blackjack becomes much less favorable for you.

There are many sets of free blackjack strategy charts online. They contain the dealer's upcard along one axis and the total of your cards on the other. Simply look at the appropriate column and row, and you will discover what the optimal play is in that situation.

You will have to select a 21 basic strategy chart specific to the ruleset of the particular variant you intend to play. Although most of the correct plays are the same, there are edge cases where the proper move may be to hit under one set of rules, stand under another, and surrender under yet a third.

Screenshot of "Classic Blackjack" gameplay at Bovada.lv

Will Basic Strategy work in Online Games?

Basic strategy will work exactly the same in an online game or a game played live, with real people, in a physical casino. The math is the math and that does not change. Cards are distributed randomly with sophisticated algorithms that take into account random events, like nuclear isotope decay, in order to ensure randomness. So fear not, the games are sound, and whatever Bovada blackjack strategy you choose to play will work exactly the same in these games over a large enough sample size.

Although allegations abound about whether or not Bovada is rigged or legitimate, they are often levied by sore losers who do not understand what gambling is nor the seemingly crazy statistical variance that can occur in small sample sizes when playing low-edge house games. When it comes to the topic of fair, safe, and sound gaming, Bovada is one of the best among its group of peers in the online gambling industry.

Our staff have been customers at Bovada for decades, having played there since the inception of the brand in 2011, and we have found nothing amiss in either the distribution of cards dealt to us nor in our results over many thousands of dealt hands. In fact, with a substantial amount of referrals to this site over the years, none of our valued customers have reported any credible statistical anomalies or abnormalities while playing.

Whenever some people lose at an online casino game, they are tempted to blame the operator, which is what's responsible for these outlandish theories. Don't believe them! Bovada is legit, and all mathematically sound Blackjack strategies work just exactly the same on the digital tables as they do in a real-world brick-and-mortar casino game.

Is There a Blackjack Bonus?

Yes, as a new user, you qualify for THREE bonuses on your first three deposits. They're each 100% up to $1,000 matches for a total of $3,000 in free casino money. However, if you make a deposit with Bitcoin or another crypto-currency, each bonus grows to 125% up to $1,250, meaning that your $3,000 in deposited funds will afford you $3,750 in complimentary bonus cash.

The playthrough on these bonuses is 25 times the sum of your deposit and bonus except for the two latter BTC bonuses, which demand a rollover of 50 times the deposit plus bonus. 21-style games only count 10% toward the wagering requirements, though, except for Single Deck and Double Deck Blackjack, which only contribute 5%. Live Dealer Blackjack meanwhile doesn't work at all for bonus clearance.

Thus, it's best to think of these bonuses as features to enhance and extend your play time rather than as a means of scoring a secure profit. Although the bonus money will make it more likely for you to walk away a winner than otherwise, it's not something you should rely on.

Bovada Blackjack Tournaments

There used to be blackjack tournaments at Bovada that were free to enter and rewarded the top three participants with bonus prizes. However, these contests have been discontinued and are no longer being offered.

Those who wish to sample online BJ tourneys will have to find them elsewhere. Fortunately, there are a number of U.S.-facing internet casinos that spread these kinds of competitions, like Everygame Casino Classic and BetOnline.

Is There Free Blackjack at Bovada?

If you want to play Bovada blackjack, practice games are a mechanism for doing so without having to deposit any money. Whether you enjoy free blackjack for its own sake or intend to sharpen up your skills before heading to the real money tables, you can access play money games easily.

To do so, log out of your account. Then browse over to the game you wish to play, and click on it. A window will appear prompting you to enter your login credentials, but you can click the “x” in the top-right of the window to close it. Your chosen title will load in Bovada practice mode where your wins and losses will have no impact on your account balance.

One neat thing about this free blackjack – Bovada does not require you even have an account to play. You can access the Bovada practice mode even if you have not yet signed up as a customer.

Bovada Advantages

While not directly related to the game of blackjack per se, there are a number of things about Bovada that will definitely impact the fun and satisfaction you'll derive from your gaming sessions at blackjack or any other game you plan on playing.

Bovada has earned a reputation as one of the fastest-paying online gambling websites. If you employ crypto-currency as your preferred payment mechanism, then you can look forward to receiving your winnings in two days or even less.

In addition, you can rest assured that Bovada is a legal website for casino gaming (along with sports betting and online poker). It is not breaking the laws of Costa Rica, where is it based, or Curacao where Bovada is licensed. And you are not violating any U.S. laws either if you wager here because federal anti-gambling laws do not apply to individual bettors.

Over the two decades that it has been in business, Bovada has proven that it's legitimate. The games are honest, the random number generators fair, and its treatment of its customers aboveboard. You can play with confidence at Bovada.lv.

Start Playing Bovada Blackjack Today

If everything you've read above about blackjack at Bovada sounds good, then it's time to create an account and begin playing today. You can read our informative Bovada Casino review for instructions on how to get started. Before long, you'll be enjoying Bovada blackjack and hopefully picking up some nice wins for your efforts.

If you already have enough information to feel comfortable opening an account now, then click the button below:

There are other sites that have similar blackjack as at Bovada, but their bonuses and promotions are different and perhaps better for you. You can read about them in our list of Bovada alternatives. If you want to learn more about the available trustworthy internet casinos for Americans, whether or not they resemble Bovada in any way, check out this overview of the most trusted U.S.A. online casinos.

Bovada Blackjack Frequently Asked Questions

There are other odds and ends to Blackjack at Bovada that you might be wondering about. Look below for answers to some of the most common questions about this subject.