3/23/2022

Blackjack Surrender House Edge

Allstar Gambling USA / Guides / When and How to Surrender at Blackjack?

No surrender; Blackjack pays 3:2; Here are the different advantages for the casino using the blackjack house edge calculator from Wizard of Odds. Remember, the house edge is based on perfect basic strategy. Every misplayed hand increases the house edge for the casino. 1 Deck: 0.16%; 2 Decks: 0.46%; 4 Decks: 0.60%; 6 Decks: 0.64%; 8 Decks: 0.66%. Blackjack House Edge: FAQ. Do bet sizes impact house edge in blackjack? It makes no difference whether you bet $10 or $10,000 - the house advantage stays the same. The amount you lose or win per bet changes, of course, depending on how big of an edge either you or the casino's got. Which blackjack game has the smallest casino edge? How Does Surrender Affect House Edge? A game that offers surrender has a house advantage.08% lower than a game with similar rules but no surrender. Some casinos will try to lure players by placing placards on the table that state “surrender available”. These signs are common at Caesars Entertainment tables on the Las Vegas Strip.

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Amongst all the options that are available to you at the table, blackjack surrender is the one which is used the least and is also least understood. As a matter of fact, there are many live casinos where the blackjack surrender option isn’t available anymore. This is because a majority of the players didn’t just use the option. Blackjack players always have this hidden urge which makes them want to fight till a bitter end. Never surrender or give up.

Early surrender strategy can be the most powerful weapon to use at a card game of blackjack. If you are able to use it in the right manner, this is one of the few options that can truncate the edge of the house and offer you a better chance to win.

Blackjack Surrender: What is it?

Blackjack surrender is commonly called late surrender. It is what the name implies. With this option, you can give up your hand and then forfeit about half of your actual wager after the dealer will check to find out whether they have blackjack. When the player uses this option, the dealer will accumulate the original bet and then the hand is going to be over.

For instance, you have been dealt with a hard total of 16 and then the dealer showcases 10. In some time you will find out that this hand is a good blackjack surrender. The bet on the hand is $10. Hence, when you surrender, the dealer’s hand will collect $5 and then give back $5 to you. The hand will be over and you will not be able to take any action anymore.

Another option is also there but it is hardly found in the casinos of present times. This is called an early surrender. With these options, you will have the permission to forfeit the hand prior to the dealer checking for blackjack. It can reduce the house edge to a greater extent. Quite, unfortunately, there are many casinos that do not offer the player with the blackjack surrender option.

Tips to use the Option

Like the other player option, blackjack surrender is going to be executed in the table with a particular action. You just have to say the word ‘surrender’ to the dealer and this is going to alert the dealer regarding what you would like to do.

A thing that you need to remember is that in a live casino, it is important for the player to maintain eye contact with their dealer. Also, you need to speak in a clear and loud voice. This is because casinos are a loud place that has a lot of distractions. In case the dealer isn’t looking at you or isn’t hearing what you have to say, he might mistake your action to surrender with something else. This is something that many players experience in live blackjack play. There are times when the dealers do not pay attention and will carry out some other options.

You should not move your hands when you avail of the blackjack surrender option. This is one of the few choices which have to be executed in a verbal manner. As a matter of fact, the other options at the table can be executed using the hand. Hence, you should not move your hand when you plan to surrender. This is because the blackjack dealer might mistake the hand movement as your decision to stand or hit.

In case you are playing over the internet, you can easily accomplish the strategy. You will find a button with the option written on it. All you have to do is click on the button and you will have surrendered your hand.

The Rules

In a majority of the casinos, the rules to surrender are as follows.

  • You can surrender two-card total.
  • You cannot execute blackjack surrender after otherwise taking action on the hand. In simple words, you might not surrender after you hit, double down, stand, take insurance, or split.
Blackjack

These are all the rules pertaining to surrender. When it comes to surrendering, the only thing which matters is the strategy to use it.

Blackjack Surrender Strategy

When you use a surrender, it is going to reduce the edge of casinos by 0.07%. This is a game of edges and percentages. The best way to be a consistent winner in blackjack is to avail every possible means to truncate the house edge. This means that you should surrender whenever possible.

Quite fortunately, the strategy you need to use for surrender at blackjack is pretty easy to remember. When you are playing a multiple-deck game, you need to exercise surrender in the manner given below.

  • Surrender hard total 16 against 9, 10, or Ace of the dealer.
  • Surrender hard total 15 against 10 or Ace of the dealer.

That is all. These are the two scenarios in regards to multiple-deck blackjack that make you surrender the hand. The other hands need to be played as per the basic strategy of blackjack. This implies that you will have man-up and will hit stiff hand against 10 of the dealer. Make sure that you do not surrender hard totals 12, 13. 14. The only reason is that you are going to secure a great win if you hit these hands in the long run. It is better not to play any hunches at the table when you have to surrender. You need to act as per the strategy has given above. There isn’t any kind of exceptions.

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Blackjack Surrender enjoys great popularity online because of its favourable rules and relatively low house edge. In this review, we’ll take a detailed look at the game and we’ll provide you with the basic strategy that will bring you optimal results, so make sure you read on.

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The name of Blackjack Surrender derives from the game option ‘surrender’ which allows the players to give up their hand before the dealer reveals the face-down card. If such case, they get half their bet back. This is actually a quite advantageous option as it decreases the house edge with around 0.08%. Below you can see a quick overview of the rules of the game.

  • Basic Game Rules
  • Return to Player: 99.62% Blackjack pays: 3 to 2
  • Decks: 6
  • Insurance: yes
  • Multihand: yes
  • Side bets: no
  • Surrender: yes
  • Split and Double Rules
  • Split: any pair
  • Resplit: no
  • Double: any two cards
  • Double after split: yes
  • Hit split aces: no
  • Dealer Rules
  • Stands: on soft 17
  • Peeks for Blackjack: yes
  • Special Game Rules: The player can play up to five hands at a time. Only late surrender allowed.
  • Bonus:100% up to £150
  • Bonus code:not required
  • Wagering contribution:20%
  • Software:Playtech
  • Link:Try now at William Hill

Note that in this review we’ll talk only about the Blackjack Surrender variation which is developed by Playtech, as it is the most popular one. There’s also a Blackjack Surrender game offered by Real Time Gaming but it’s really rare to stumble upon it, so we’ve decided not to cover it in this article.

Rules of the Game

Your goal in Blackjack Surrender, as in any other blackjack game, is to have a better hand than the dealer. That means having a higher hand total without going over 21. If you go over 21, you lose your bet. All the cards count as their natural numbers, all face cards count as 10 and the ace counts as 1 or 11, whichever is more suitable for the player.

The Playtech version of the game is played on a virtual table where there are five betting boxes, given that you can play up to 5 hands at a time. As you can see in the screenshot below, the table also features information about the rules of the game. As in most blackjack variations, here a natural blackjack (an ace and a 10-valued card) pays 3 to 2, insurance pays 2 to 1 and the dealer stands on 17, including on a soft 17 (an ace and a 6).

The game begins after you’ve placed your bet and hit the ‘Deal’ button. You’ll be dealt two face-up cards, while the dealer will receive one face-up and one face-down card. If your initial hand totals 21, then you have a ‘blackjack’ or a ‘natural’ and you automatically win, otherwise the game will continue. If, on the other hand, the dealer’s upcard is ace or ten, then they’ll peek for blackjack before you even have the chance to choose your next move. If they have a blackjack you automatically lose the hand, if not you’ll be able to make your next move.

Blackjack early surrender house edge

You have several options to choose from. You can hit (ask for another card), stand (end your turn by accepting your hand as it is), double your bet at the expense of receiving one and only one more card, or surrender your hand if you feel it’s not strong enough. If you surrender your hand before your turn is over you will receive half your bet back and thus cut your loss by 50%. If you have a pair, you’ll also have the option to split it in two.

As I already mentioned, in the case that the dealer’s upcard is an ace, you’ll be offered another bet, called ‘insurance’. It’s equal to half of your initial bet and it pays 2 to 1 in case that the dealer has a blackjack. That means that if the dealer does have a blackjack, you’ll get the value of your initial and insurance bet and end up not losing anything. If the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack you’ll lose only your insurance money and the game will continue.

After your turn is finished and in the case you haven’t ‘busted’, i.e. the total of your hand is 21 or less, it’s the dealer’s turn. The dealer plays according to preset rules: they hit if the total of their hand is 16 or lower and stand if it’s 17 or more. If the dealer busts and you haven’t, you win the hand. If they stand, then whoever has the higher hand total wins. If it’s a tie, or a ‘push’ as it’s called in blackjack, both you and the dealer get your bets back.

For those who don’t know, there are two types of surrender options in blackjack – late surrender, which is the most common one, and early surrender which is quite rare. The first allows you to surrender a weak hand in exchange for half of your bet only after the dealer has peeked for blackjack, while the second allows you to do that even before the dealer peeks. On that note, Playtech’s Blackjack Surrender features only late surrender.

House Edge – What Are Your Odds?

As any other casino game, Blackjack Surrender’s rules are thought out in such way so that the casino always has a slight advantage and wins in the long run. When it comes to Playtech’s Blackjack Surrender in particular, the rules and the options are set in such way that with an optimal strategy the return-to-player percentage is 99.62%. This means that, with the exception of Blackjack Switch and Pontoon, Blackjack Surrender is the blackjack variation with the lowest house edge – 0.38%.

Blackjack Surrender Strategy Chart

In order to achieve the best theoretical return-to-player percentage when you play Blackjack Surrender, you need to follow the strategy illustrated below. Still, with optimal strategy there will be a house edge of 0.38% which you can decrease and even overcome if you pick a nice bonus which is usable on the game. Of course, you can combine this strategy with a progressive betting strategy, like Martingale or Fibonacci, but if you do so you increase your chances of busting before you can wager your bonus. Therefore, I would advise you to pick a certain bet limit and stick to it throughout the whole process of wagering your bonus.

Blackjack Switch Strategy Chart

Bonus Offers Suitable for Playing Blackjack Surrender

As I already mentioned, picking a nice bonus to play Blackjack Surrender with can decrease and even turn around the house edge in your advantage. Of course, the most advantageous bonuses for the users are the welcome offers, so we’ve taken it upon us to check which Playtech casinos offer welcome bonuses that can be wagered on Blackjack Surrender. Here are the results:

CasinoBonusPlaythrough*Min. DepositRead More
William Hill100% up to £15020x bonus + deposit20%£10Review
Eurogrand25% up to £100035x bonus + deposit20%£10Review
Winner200% up to £30035x bonus + deposit20%£25Review
Ladbrokes100% up to £50020x bonus + deposit5%£20Review
* Wagering contribution of Blackjack Surrender.

As you can see in the table above, the wagering contribution of Blackjack Surrender is set at 20% at all the above-mentioned casinos, except for Ladbrokes where it is 5%. This means that if you, say, bet £100 on this game, only £20 will be considered for the clearing of the bonus. Casinos set this rule because blackjack is to a great extent a game of strategy and players can wager their bonuses way too easily on it, as opposed to on other casino games based purely on luck, such as slots and scratch cards. In fact, the wagering contribution of blackjack surrender is quite high. Take, Blackjack Switch for example. In most casino this game contributes only 5% toward the wagering requirement, while in others it doesn’t at all.

But anyways, the best bonus you can claim for playing this game is the one offered by William Hill. Don’t get distracted by the low bonus amount! It may be true that it’s lower than the ones offered by other casinos, but it is in fact the most advantageous one. If you take into account the house edge and the wagering contribution of the game together with the wagering requirements for the bonus, you can easily calculate that there’s a huge chance you end up with a win.

Conclusion

Surrender

Yes, there are a couple of blackjack variations that have lower house edge, but choosing to play Blackjack Surrender with the right bonus might just be the best choice you’ve made in your gambling career so far. And the right bonus, in this case, is the one offered by William Hill because of its favourable conditions. If you’re ready to start playing Blackjack Surrender but want to learn more about the operator and their offer, then make sure you also check out our in-depth William Hill Casino review where we take a really close look at all aspects of this gambling giant.