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Extra Bet Blackjack

Introduction

I'm not sure whether to call Extra Bet Blackjack a blackjack variation or just side bet. Either way, it plays like regular blackjack except the player can make an additional wager, like taking the odds in craps after a pass line bet, if his first card is a 10. The player must pay a fee equal to 20% of the additional wager, since the odds are in his favor with a 10 as a starting card.

The made it first appearance that I'm aware of at the Grand Sierra in Reno in September, 2017.

Rules

 
  1. The Extra Bet feature can be added to any conventional blackjack game.
  2. If the player's first card is any 10-point card, before any other cards are dealt, play will stop to give players the opportunity to make an "Extra Bet."
  3. In addition, the player must pay a non-refundable fee in the 20% of the amount of the Extra Bet. The player does not have to re-pay the fee if he chooses to split tens.
  4. At the Grand Sierra in Reno, the amount of the Extra Bet is limited to five times the amount of the initial wager.

Analysis

 

I based on my analysis on the rules at the Grand Sierra, which are:

  • Six decks
  • Dealer hits a soft 17
  • Double after split allowed
  • Re-splitting aces allowed
  • Surrender allowed
  • Player may re-split to up to four hands.

Under these rules, the player advantage with a ten as his first card is 14.14%. So, the Extra Bet is overpriced at 20%. Of course, almost every bet in the casino is overpriced. I would define the house advantage of the Extra Bet as (20%-14.14%)/1.2 = 4.88%.

Strategy

 

According to Blackjack in Color, the player using the Hi Lo count would need a true count of about +8 (eyeballing the top chart) for player's advantage on the Extra Bet to equal the 20% fee.

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