Introduction

 

Amaya is a major casino software provider that operates in all major markets in the world right now and in all major sectors (casino, sports, poker and lotteries). They offer both online and offline products. They've extensively expanded their online game catalogue by purchasing other software providers. Their biggest purchase came in 2011, when they took over Chartwell Technology.

Amaya recently purchased Cryptologic, the software provider behind the InterCasino group. This purchase was short lived and Cryptologic was bought back, reportedly by some of the original owners of the group.

 

 

Table Games

Amaya offers the usual classic games as well as many of the popular ShuffleMaster (now Bally Gaming) games. Given that they show the ShuffleMaster logo, I have to assume the games are properly licensed, which is usually not the case with Internet casinos.

Amaya has a realistic look, with such things as cup holders and card shufflers on the table. The graphics are sharp and the view is at an angle, as if in a real casino playing.

Like a real casino, the identical game will have various options differing only by bet minimum and maximum. For example, baccarat has five separate ranges to choose from, ranging from £ 1-100 to £25-2000. I wonder if they are striving for realism or afraid of doubling schemes (which they shouldn't be).

Below are comments about the rules and odds on a game-by-game basis.

Baccarat

Standard baccarat rules are followed, including the usual 8 to 1 win on the Tie bet and a 5% commission on the Banker bet. I've always thought Internet casinos can afford to be a little generous on the Tie and pay 9 to 1, which some do, but Amaya evidently does not share this opinion.

Based on the eight decks used, the following is the house edge on each bet.

• Banker: 1.06%
• Player: 1.24%
• Tie: 14.36%

One thing I like about their baccarat game is the scorecard. Mathematically speaking, it doesn't help, but what baccarat player isn't superstitious? However, it doesn't hold a candle to the one on my own baccarat game.

Blackjack

Like most Internet software companies, there are a whole host of blackjack games to choose from. My advice to players with any Internet casino is to pick the one with the lowest house edge and stick with that. In the case of Amaya, the lowest house edge is under the single-deck rules.

Every game allows betting on multiple hands. At InterCasino, the limit options are £1-100, £5-250, and£15-500.

Some games offer an advice feature and some don't. Be warned that the advice is not always correct. In Perfect Pairs blackjack I was incorrectly warned to not hit a soft 17 against a 7.

Below are the specifics for each set of rules. House edge figures are based on basic strategy and a shuffle after each hand.

Vegas Blackjack

• Decks: 4
• Hands : 1 to 5
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : Any two
• DAS: Yes
• Split: Once only
• Surrender: No
• Auto-strategy: Yes

The house edge under these rules is 0.40%.

Lucky 7 Blackjack

• Decks: 8
• Hands : 3
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : Any two
• DAS: Yes
• Split: Once only
• Surrender: No

The house edge under these rules is 0.49%.

There is also a Lucky 7s side bet, which I analyze in my Blackjack appendix 8. However, to save you some time, let me just report here that the house edge is 49.89%! That makes this the highest house edge I've ever seen on a side bet — by far.

Atlantic City Blackjack

These rules are exactly the same as Lucky 7 Blackjack, except without the dreaded side bet. The Atlantic City rules offer a configurable auto-play feature, although you shouldn't configure it as it is already set to correct basic strategy.

• Decks: 8
• Hands : 1 to 5
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : Any two
• DAS: Yes
• Split: Once only
• Surrender: No

The house edge under these rules is 0.49%.

Blackjack Micro Limit

Here is an unusual set of rules. Unsuited blackjacks pay 6 to 5 only but there are a host of other rules that work in the player's favor.

• Decks: 8
• Hands : 5
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : Any two
• DAS: Yes
• Split: Once only
• Surrender: No
• Draw to split aces: Yes
• Blackjack pays: 6 to 5
• Suited blackjack pays: 2 to 1
• 7-7-7 pays: 3
• 5+ card 21 pays: 2

With correct basic strategy, including adjustments for the 5+ card 21 rule, the house edge under these rules is 0.46%. My compliments to Amaya for finding a set of rules to end up with a similar house edge to their other games. I would recommend that they ask whomever came up with these rules to redo the pay table for the Lucky 7s side bet.

European Blackjack

In this game the dealer doesn't take a hole card, so if the player doubles or splits, and the dealer gets a blackjack, the player loses everything. They compensate for this by allowing the player to re-split to four hands.

• Decks: 6
• Hands : 5
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : Any two
• DAS: Yes
• Split: Three times
• Surrender: No
• Draw to split aces: No
• re-split aces: No
• Hole card : No

The house edge under these rules is 0.52%.

Blackjack Perfect Pairs

Here is another blackjack game with a side bet. While I never endorse making side bets, at least this has a house edge in line with industry norms, unlike the Lucky 7s side bet mentioned above.

• Decks: 5
• Hands : 5
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : Any two
• DAS: Yes
• Split: One time
• Surrender: No (contrary to stated rules)
• Draw to split aces: No
• re-split aces: No
• Hole card : No

The house edge under these rules is 0.55%.

The Perfect Pairs side bet follows the 25-12-6 pay table. Based on a five-deck game, the house edge is 7.72%.

Blackjack Single Deck

Here is the best set of Amaya blackjack rules by far.

• Decks: 1
• Hands : 3
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : 9 to 11
• DAS: No
• Split: One time
• Surrender: No
• Draw to split aces: No
• re-split aces: No
• Hole card : Yes

The house edge under these rules is 0.26%. If you're trying to replicate this figure, remember that the rule about shuffling after every hand lowers the house edge by 0.113% in a single-deck game. See my page on the cut card effect for more on that topic.

As the best Amaya blackjack game, it is worthy of a basic strategy chart, which appears below.

 

Live Blackjack

This game carries the highest house edge, but I think that is expected to cover the expense of hiring attractive dealers. Be careful of the hole card rule. There is one, but the dealer doesn't check it. This makes it mathematically equivalent to European rules, so be careful about doubling and splitting when the dealer has a 10, face or ace up.

• Decks: 8
• Hands : 7
• Dealer soft 17: Stand
• Double : Any
• DAS: No
• Split: Once only
• Surrender: No
• Draw to split aces: No
• Re-split aces: No
• Hole card : Yes, but dealer doesn't check, player loses all against ten or ace
• Penetration : 50%

The house edge under these rules is 0.71%.

The return tables below do not show the special rules for Micro Limit, but do reflect them in the return.

The following table shows the Blackjack games available in alphabetical order.

Here is the same list in returns range, choose your game wisely.

Casino War

Amaya follows the liberal Casino War rules, where a tie after a tie not only is a win but earns a bonus equal to the amount of the Ante wager. Six decks are used.

The house edge of the base game is 2.33%, assuming the player goes to War on a tie, which he should. The house edge on the Tie bet is 18.65% (ouch!).

Caribbean Stud Poker

Standard Caribbean Stud Poker rules are followed, except a royal flush pays 200 to 1, instead of the usual 100. This lowers the house edge by 0.01% to 5.21%.

There is also the usual $1 progressive jackpot side bet. They follow the 100%-10%-$500-$100-$50 pay table. The break-even point under this side bet is $218,045.79.

Let it Ride

Standard Let it Ride rules are followed for a house edge of 3.51%.

An unusual pay table for the side bet is used that I've never seen before. It follows. The lower right cell of the table shows a return of 77.39%, which equates to a house edge of 22.61%.

Red Dog

Standard Red Dog rules are followed. They used a single deck of cards, which results in a house edge of 3.155%.

Roulette

Amaya offers four versions of roulette, as follows.

American Roulette

Standard double-zero wheel for a house edge of 5.26%. I don't know why anyone would play this when a single-zero wheel is also available. Both have a £1 minimum, so that can't be the reason.

Single Zero Roulette

Single zero roulette for a house edge of 2.70%.

Common Draw Roulette

Multi-player version of single zero roulette for a house edge of 2.70%.

Live Roulette

Live Multi-player version of single zero roulette for a house edge of 2.70%.

For a comparison against other live dealer products, please see our page on live dealer roulette.

Slots

Amaya has some nice, modern looking five-reel video slots. As far as I know, no Amaya casinos publish their slot returns. However, according to ThePogg.com, slots that are holdovers from Cryptologic have a return that averages to 94.50%. From the slots they obtained through BetSoft, the return averages to 96.35%. For slots from Aristrocrat and Chartwell, there are various settings, generally 90%, 95%, and 97%, and which are chosen, I don't know.

Based on this information, my advice is to play the BetSoft slots only, if you do play slots. The BetSoft slots are listed below.

• A Night in Paris
• After Night Falls
• At the Copa
• Boomanji
• Greedy Goblins
• Mr Vegas
• Rooks Revenge
• Safari Sam
• Sugar Pop
• The Slotfather
• The True Sheriff
• Three Wishes
• Tycoons
• Under the Bed
• WhoSpunit

Texas Hold 'Em Bonus

The liberal Las Vegas version of the Texas Hold 'Em Bonus rules are followed. This results in a house edge of 2.04%.

Amaya also follows the liberal rules on the Bonus Bet, with a 1000 to 1 win for the player and dealer both having pocket aces, for a house edge of 8.54%.

Here at the Wizard websites, we always applaud when a casino, given the choice, chooses the liberal set of rules.

3 Card Poker

Amaya follows the liberal version of the Three Card Poker rules. To be specific, the Ante Bonus pay table is 1-4-5 and the Pair Plus pay table is 1-4-6-30-40. This results in a house edge of 3.37% on the Ante and 2.32% on the Pair Plus.

Triple Action Hold 'Em

As far as I know, Amaya is the only Internet casino to offer Triple Action Hold 'Em. The same rules and pay tables are used as described on my page for the game. The house edge on the base game is 3.63%, as defined as the ratio of the expected loss to the Ante bet. The house edge on the Bonus Bet is 5.39%.

Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em

Standard Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em rules are followed, for a house edge of 2.185% on the Ante bet.

The Trips bet follows the 1-3-5-6-8-30-40-50 pay table for a house edge of 1.90%.

Video Poker

Aces & Faces

Amaya follows the 8-5 Aces & Faces pay table for a return of 99.26%.

All American

Amaya follows the 200-30-8-8-8 All American pay table for a return of 98.49%.

Deuces Wild

Amaya follows the 25-15-9 Deuces Wild pay table for a return of 98.91%.

Double Bonus

Amaya follows the 9-7-5 Double Bonus pay table for a return of 99.11%.

Double Double Bonus

Amaya follows the 9-6 Double Double Bonus pay table for a return of 98.98%.

Jacks or Better

Amaya follows the 9-6 Jacks or Better pay table for a return of 99.54%.

Joker Poker

Amaya follows the 50-18-7 Joker Poker (Kings or Better) pay table for a return of 98.94%.

Super Jackpot

Amaya follows the 8-6 Super Jackpot pay table for a return of 98.39%, before considering extra money in the progressive jackpot for a royal flush.

For every extra 100 coins in the jackpot above 800, the return increases by 0.000495.

For the return to equal the 99.54% of Jacks or Better, the meter would need to reach 6,325 coins, assuming 8/6 Jacks strategy.

For the return to reach exactly 100%, the meter would need to reach 7,246 coins, assuming 8/6 Jacks strategy.

Tens or Better

Amaya follows the 6-5 Tens or Better pay table for a return of 99.14%.

Video Poker Summary

The following table summarizes the return of all the non-progressive games. As you can see, the best odds are on 9-6 Jacks or Better at 99.54%.

The following table shows the Video Poker games available in alphabetical order.

Here is the same list in returns range, choose your game wisely.

Acknowledgments

The Wizard would like to thank CasinoListings.com for their help and contributions to this page. Specifically, they helped with the introduction, player issues, and list of casinos sections.

External Links

• Amaya Gaming — Official web site.