About The Game

Your favourite game of Blackjack just got better! In this classic game of 21, you can play up to three hands, for 3 times the excitement. What's more, we've added a Bonus Bet - where you can win up to 1000 times your side bet each time you land a Blackjack.

Introduction

Blackjack is the world's most popular Casino game, and here at Virgin Games we're turning up the heat with our own Multi Hand Blackjack game. You can now play up to three hands at any time, giving you three times the action with every deal. And for maximum excitement, try the Bonus Bets where you can win up to 100, 500, or even 1000 times your bonus stake!

How To Play

Multi-Hand Blackjack offers up to 3 hands of Blackjack in which you try to beat the dealer by accumulating a card value total as close to, but not over, 21 points. Also available are Bonus Bets that award you a big prize if you are dealt a Blackjack (scoring 21 with an Ace and a 10-value card).

Start by placing your stake. You can bet on up to three hands for every deal. You can place a bet on a standard Blackjack hand, as well as the Bonus Bet. You can even place a bet on the Bonus Bet alone if you like.

After placing your bets, click the DEAL button to start play.

You will receive two cards; both face up, for each position on which you have a stake. The dealer receives two cards; one face down and one face up.

All picture cards (King, Queen, Jack) are worth 10, Aces are worth either 1 or 11, and all other cards are worth their face value. A Blackjack occurs when the card value total of a hand's first two cards sums to 21 by getting an Ace and a 10-value card. A split hand leading to a two card value total of 21 is not a Blackjack.

How to Bet

To play Multi-Hand Blackjack, select a chip value by clicking a chip at the bottom of the playing field. The chip you select displays in a raised position. To place a bet, click the desired Bet circle on the table. Each time you click, you place one chip on the table.

You may place a bet on any one or more hands by clicking on the corresponding Bet circle. Each main bet must be at least as large as the minimum bet and each cannot exceed the maximum bet.

You may place a bet on one or more Bonus Bets by clicking on the corresponding Bonus Bet circles. You do not need to make a main bet in order to make a Bonus Bet.

After you place your bet, click the DEAL button.

If you wish to repeat your last bet after completing a game, and have sufficient credits, click the REBET button. This restores your previous stakes. If you wish, you can adjust any stake. You still need to click the DEAL button to initiate play.

The DOUBLE BET button causes your currently placed main bets to be doubled every time you click it. If doubling any of your current main bets would cause a bet to exceed the bet limit, then the DOUBLE BET button is not available. The DOUBLE BET button does not affect any Bonus Bets. Therefore if you only have Bonus Bets placed, the DOUBLE BET button is not available.

If you click the DOUBLE BET button before placing a bet, this is equivalent to first clicking the REBET button and then the DOUBLE BET button. You still need to click the DEAL button to initiate play.

To remove a bet from the table, either press the SHIFT key and click your chips on the felt, or click the CLEAR button.

Bonus Bet

The Bonus Bet is available independently of each main bet. In other words, you are not required to place a stake in the larger "Bet" circle in order to place a "Bonus Bet" stake. If you receive a Blackjack on a hand on which you placed a Bonus Bet, then you win!

Before normal Blackjack hand play commences, each winning Bonus Bet plays out. An award display appears, cycling through possible award values. Click on the BONUS button to display your award. Awards range from 5 to 1000 times your Bonus Bet. You receive your Bonus Bet award irrespective of the dealer's hand and irrespective of the outcome of your main bet.

If a Blackjack is not dealt to a given hand, any corresponding Bonus Bet is forfeited.

Insurance Bet

If the dealer's face up card is an Ace, you can place an Insurance Bet on any hand with a main bet. If you are only playing one hand, you are asked whether you want to take an Insurance Bet for that hand. If you are playing two or more hands, then in addition to being able to accept or decline the Insurance Bet for the first hand, you can also accept or decline Insurance Bets for all of your hands at the same time by clicking on YES TO ALL or NO TO ALL.

Each Insurance Bet, if accepted, is half of the corresponding main bet.

Once Insurance Bets are accepted or declined, the dealer checks for Blackjack. If the dealer has a Blackjack, then each Insurance Bet is paid at 2 to 1; if the dealer does not have Blackjack, then each Insurance Bet is forfeited.

Insurance Bets are not offered when only a Bonus Bet is made.

Playing a Hand of Blackjack

After you place your stake/bet and click DEAL, cards are dealt to each of your hands and to the dealer.

If the dealer's face up card is an Ace, you are offered Insurance, which you can accept or decline. If you accept, this automatically places another bet equal to half of your original bet.

After Insurance Bets are accepted or declined, then the dealer's face down card is checked. If the dealer has Blackjack, then each Insurance Bet is paid 2 to 1 and the game ends. If the dealer does not have Blackjack, then each Insurance Bet is forfeited and play proceeds.

If the dealer's face up card is a 10-value card, then the dealer's face down card is also checked for Blackjack, but no Insurance Bet is offered beforehand. Early checking for dealer Blackjack is a big advantage for the player since it eliminates risking additional double down bets and split bets that would otherwise be lost to a late-revealed dealer Blackjack!

If the dealer's hand is a Blackjack, then all main bets are forfeited, and the game ends. The exception is when you also have a Blackjack, which is a "push", and your stake for that hand is returned.

If the dealer's hand is not a Blackjack, then you get to play out each of your dealt hands. If you are dealt a Blackjack on the first two cards in a hand and the dealer does not also have a Blackjack, then this hand is an automatic winner and is immediately paid at 3 to 2. If the dealer does not have Blackjack you are given the opportunity to try to improve the outcome of your hand. Depending on the cards you hold, you may choose one of the following options:

HIT - You request an additional card. You can continue to request additional cards until you decide to stand or until your card value total is 21 (automatic stop) or until you bust by receiving a card that causes your card value total to exceed 21. If you bust, that hand loses and your main bet is forfeited.

STAND - You request no further cards and play this hand against the dealer's hand.

SPLIT - If the first two cards in a hand are of the same value, you may click SPLIT to split your cards into two separate hands, which also places an additional bet equal to the original main bet. When Aces are split, only one further card may be dealt to each Ace. A split hand leading to a two card value total of 21 is not a Blackjack. Only one split is allowed per hand -- resplitting is not allowed.

DOUBLE DOWN - On the first two cards in a hand, you may click DOUBLE DOWN to automatically double your original main bet and receive exactly one additional card. If you split any cards other than Aces, you may also double down on the first two cards of either or both split hands. This is not offered if the card value total of the first two cards is 21.

The card value total is displayed on circular plaques adjacent to each hand. As cards are dealt to a hand, the plaque displays an updated card value total. When your hand holds an Ace and the plaque flashes the card value total and the word "Soft", the value displayed is based on counting the Ace as an 11 rather than a 1 (for example, a 5 and an Ace are shown as a "Soft 16").

When comparing your hand versus the dealer's hand, Aces are evaluated such that they represent the highest possible card value total not exceeding 21.

After all of your hands have been played, the dealer's face down card is revealed. If any of your hands need to be compared against the dealer's hand (in other words, at least one hand isn't a bust or a Blackjack) then the dealer's hand is played out. Otherwise, the dealer's down card is revealed, and the game is concluded.

If the dealer's card value total is 16 or lower, additional cards are dealt until the card value total is 17 or higher. If the dealer's card value total exceeds 21, then the dealer busts and any of your standing hands win. Otherwise, the dealer's card value total is compared against each of your hands. In the case of a tie, this is a push and your stake for that hand is returned.

Turbo

The TURBO Button quickens the pace of play by eliminating certain animations, such as the dealing of the cards. It does not change the method of play or the rules of the game. When Turbo is on, the button is highlighted in red. You can turn the Turbo feature on or off by clicking it.

Rules - Player

Bonus Bet
Bonus Bets are evaluated immediately after cards are dealt.

The dealer's hand does not affect any Bonus Bet award.

Bonus Bets are paid when player is dealt Blackjack on first two cards.

Main Game
Blackjack pays 3 to 2.

If player gets a card value total of 21, regardless of the number of cards, the player can accept no more cards for that hand.

Double down is possible on any two cards.

Only one split allowed (no re-splitting).

Player may double down on either / both initial two card hands of a split.

Blackjack only possible on first two cards on each hand (and not on split cards).

If Aces split, each Ace receives only one card.

Insurance, if accepted, is half of the initial stake.

Player may draw a maximum of eight cards for any hand. An eight card player hand whose value does not exceed 21 is an automatic winner.

Rules - Dealer
Dealer must hit on card value totals of 16 or less.

Dealer must stand on all card value totals of 17 or higher. This includes soft values where an Ace can be counted as an 11 value.

Insurance Bets are offered when the dealer's face up card is an Ace. Dealer then checks for Blackjack.

Dealer also checks for Blackjack when the dealer's face up card is a 10 or face card.

Dealer Blackjack, when revealed, ends play; player loses main bets, unless the player hand is also a Blackjack, in which case it is a push and the main bet is returned to the player.

General Rules
6 decks of standard playing cards, shuffled for each hand of play.

Malfunction voids all pays and play.

Awards are shown in credits.

Additional Information

The Game Console on the right side of every game provides information and access to additional features:

• Your username
• Your current balance in your chosen currency
• Your total number of credits
• The denomination in which the game in being played. This represents the value of each credit.

The Meter Bar on the bottom of the game screen displays the denomination that the game is being played in, the number of credits paid if a win occurred, and the number of credits bet on the last/current proposition.