Bet Behind Pro Blackjack is a unique take on Live Blackjack, a casino game where players go head-to-head with the house. The goal is to achieve a hand value higher than the dealer's, without exceeding 21. The best possible hand is Blackjack, which is when the sum of your first two cards equals exactly 21.
This version of Blackjack allows an unlimited number of players to participate at a table with only 7 seats. However, unlike traditional Blackjack, players don't occupy the seats themselves. Instead, automated bots take the seats, and players place bets on any or all of the "Bet Behind" spots.
The bots in this game are programmed to follow the Basic Strategy. This strategy is designed to guide their decisions in order to maximize the potential for a positive outcome.
The primary objective in Blackjack is to obtain a higher card count than the dealer without going over 21. If your hand exceeds 21, you automatically lose, regardless of the dealer's hand. The game is played with 8 decks of 52 cards each.
The dealer has specific rules they must follow. They must draw another card if their hand totals 16 or less, and they must stand (not take any more cards) if their hand totals 17 or more.
Players have the option to "Double Down" on any two initial cards. This means they double their initial bet, but they only receive one additional card.
If a player receives two initial cards of equal value, they can choose to "Split" them into two separate hands. Each hand then proceeds independently. You can split once each box, and you can split Aces. However, if you split Aces, you cannot hit (take another card) on either of the split hands.
If the dealer's face-up card is an Ace, players are offered "Insurance." This is a side bet that the dealer has Blackjack. If the dealer does have Blackjack, the insurance bet pays out, helping to offset the loss of the main bet.
A Blackjack (a hand of 21 with the first two cards) pays out at a rate of 3 to 2. Insurance, if successful, pays out at a rate of 2 to 1.
If the player and the dealer have hands of equal value, it's considered a "Push." In this case, the player's bet is returned to them.
To begin, you select the value of your bet and place it on the Bet Behind spots you prefer. You can adjust your original bet and place additional Bet Behind bets while the betting time is open.
Once the betting time is over, the dealer deals the cards. They start with the seat to their left and continue around the table, dealing one card face-up to each seat and one card face-down to themselves. Then, they deal a second card face-up to each seat and a second card face-down to themselves.
After all the cards are dealt, the bots make their decisions based on the Basic Strategy. These decisions determine whether they will hit (take another card), stand (not take any more cards), double down, or split their hand.
Once all the bots have made their decisions, the dealer reveals their face-down card. They then draw additional cards according to the rule that they must draw to 16 and stand on 17.
If the dealer's face-up card is an Ace, the bots have the option to purchase Insurance. This decision is also made according to the Basic Strategy.
After all cards are dealt and all decisions are made, the dealer compares their hand with the hands of the bots. The winner is determined based on who has the higher hand value without exceeding 21.
Once the game round is finished, all cards on the table are collected and discarded. Bets are then opened for the next game round.
As mentioned earlier, if the dealer's first card is an Ace, the bot has the option to purchase Insurance. This is a side bet that the dealer has a Blackjack.
All hands that have Insurance purchased will have an Insurance icon displayed next to the seat.
After the bots in all seats have made their decisions, the dealer reveals whether they have a Blackjack or not. If the dealer has a Blackjack, the game round is over, and insured hands are awarded a win.
If the dealer does not have a Blackjack, the game round continues. The Insurance bets are lost, but there is still a chance to win on the hand played by the bot.
According to the Basic Strategy, bots do not purchase the Insurance bet.
Basic Strategy in Blackjack is a set of guidelines designed to inform decisions. It is a method of playing any hand and is considered the best way to approach Blackjack.
Basic Strategy charts can be accessed by selecting the "i" button within the game.
Winning and pushed hands are paid out as follows:
Winning hands with a hand value higher than the dealer's are paid 1 to 1.
Winning hands with a Blackjack are paid 3 to 2.
Winning Insurance bets are paid 2 to 1.
In the event of a Push, your bet is returned to your balance.
The Return to Player in Bet Behind Pro Blackjack is 99.28%.
The Bet Behind feature allows you to place bets on the hands of the bots at the table. You share the outcome of their hand: if the bot wins, you win.
To Bet Behind any bot, place a bet in any activated Bet Behind spot at the bot's seat while betting is open.
All decisions made by the bots occupying the seat are made automatically, based on the Basic Strategy rules.
If you're a card-counter, absolutely not. There are situations where Basic Strategy deviations need to take place based on the card removal situation and playing strictly Basic Strategy would result in playing sub-optimally. Basic Strategy is not necessarily optimal play, it's optimal play in a vacuum.
However, players who want to play a game with an advertised 99.28% RTP (this actually changes over time and depends on decisions made) and treat Blackjack like a slot machine of sorts, it may be a good option.