Introducing to Atlantic City Blackjack


In addition to covering all those rule changes and how to affect payouts in the game, we'll also be highligthing the best place to play as well as what to expect when playing on mobile

Reason to play

  • Boasts a few fun quirks not offered in the standard game
  • Is a variations that some US players will be more familiar with
  • Like standard blackjack, has basic strategy to take advante of
  • Offers a low house edge if you make the right moves
  • Allows the use of a late surrender bet in the game

How To Play Atlantic City Blackjack

If you're looking to familiarize yourself with the standard game first, check out our page on how to play blackjack.

STEP 1

Place Your Bets

After joining an Atlantic City Blackjack table you’ll be prompted to place your bets then, when you’re ready to go, hit Deal. As with standard blackjack, the aim is to get as close as possible to, but not exceed, 21. If the dealer has a faceup 10-value card or Ace they’ll offer you the chance to place an insurance bet.

Blackjack Switch table

STEP 2

Hit? Stand? Split? Double?

Now you need to decide whether you’re going to hit (take additional cards), stand (leave your hand as it is), split (split your hand into multiple hands) or double (increase your bet by up to 100% for one more card, but agree to take no more after) as appropriate. If you're still learning Atlantic City Blackjack rules and are unsure of what to do, check our strategy charts below.

Hit or Stand

Blackjack Hit or Stand

STEP 3

Blackjack king, 4 and 5 cards

Close Out Your Hand

Once you’ve improved your hand to as close to 21 as possible, but not more than that or else you’ll go bust, it’s time to hit Stand and let the dealer play their hand. Remember, they must stand on all hands with a value equal to 17.


STEP 4

Blackjack reverse and queen cards

The Dealer Plays

After turning over their facedown card, the virtual dealer will build their hand in much the same way that you did. When they’ve gone bust, beaten your hand or lost out to your cards the round will be over, and winnings will be issued.

Special Rules of Atlantic city Blackjack

When you sit down to play Atlantic City Blackjack online you need to be aware that the game differs from the standard variation in a few important ways. Below you’ll find a few of the key elements of Atlantic City Blackjack rules explained:

  • Dealers will check for blackjack when they’re showing an Ace or 10
  • You can split your hand up to three times when you are dealt two cards of equal value
  • Aces can only be split once, and players receive just one more card for each Ace after doing so
  • Players can double on any hand, including after splitting
  • Dealer stands on all hands worth 17, including soft 17 (a hand including an Ace counted as 11)
  • Late surrender is available after the dealer has checked their hand for blackjack when showing Ace or a 10-value card
  • Insurance is available, but taking it is still an unwise move. Find out more about this in our top tips
Action Winnings
Decks
4-8
Player win
1/1
Player Blackjack
3/2
Push?
Yes
Tied Blackjack
Dealer
Dealer Stands on ALL 17
Yes
Dealer Stands on soft 17
Yes
Insurance bet pays
2/1
Surrender bet
Yes
Split
Yes
Re-split
Yes
Expert Mode
n/a
Double Down
9, 10, 11
Multi-Hands
1-5
SIDE BET: A-J spades
n/a
SIDE BET: A-J any suit
n/a
SIDE BET: Two suited cards
n/a
SIDE BET: Any Pair
n/a
SIDE BET: 3-of-a-kind
n/a
SIDE BET: Red/Black Pair
-
SIDE BET: Colored Pair
-
SIDE BET: Perfect Pair
-
House Edge
1.31%

Free Atlantic City Blackjack Reference Charts - Get Yours!

Basic strategy for Atlantic City Blackjack is almost identical to that of the standard variation of the game, with just a couple of minor differences. The inclusion of the Surrender button, for example, changes the (statistically speaking) correct move in some instances.

In time, you’ll get a feel for the right move to make in each situation. Until then, you can use our free reference charts to improve your knowledge of Atlantic City Blackjack rules:

Comparing Atlantic City Blackjack to Other Variants

Playing Atlantic City Blackjack online is quite similar to standard blackjack. For that reason, much of the information below will look pretty familiar if you’re used to playing the traditional version of the game. The good news for fans of Live Dealer game is that Atlantic City Blackjack in 2022 is more widely available in this format that many other variants

Blackjack Variants Player Win (payout) Player Blackjack (payout) Live Dealer Mobile RTP
European
1/1
3/2
Yes
Yes
99.6%
Surrender
1/1
3/2
No
Yes
99.65%
Switch
1/1
1/1
No
Yes
99.87%
Atlantic City
1/1
3/2
Yes
Yes
99.6%
Perfect
1/1
3/2
No
Yes
99.58%

What Makes Atlantic City Blackjack Stand Out from the Rest?

It’s the addition of the option to surrender hands and the dealer being forced to stand even on a soft 17 that differentiates Atlantic City Blackjack from other similar titles. The Surrender allows you to claim a refund for a portion of your bet if you feel the dealer is going to win the hand. Of course, you can still take Insurance against the dealer having blackjack if they hold an ace. The 50-percent refund means players can move quickly on to the next hand. With the house edge of standard blackjack standing at around 0.5% with proper play, Atlantic City Blackjack (as do the other variants in the table above) slightly favors players who know what they’re doing.

Atlantic City Blackjack Comparison of the Top Providers

cryptologic.svg

- 8 decks used

- Allows 1 split per hand

- RTP: 99.51%

- Not available to US players

Microgaming

- 8 decks used

- Allows 2 split per hand

- RTP: 99.64%

- Not available to US players

w-g-s technology

- 6 decks used

- Allows 2 split per hand

- RTP: 99.67%

- Not available to US players

Playing Atlantic City Blackjack on Mobile

With a few different casino software providers offering versions of Atlantic City Blackjack in 2024, you'll find that mobile versions are also widely available. You’ll find Atlantic City Blackjack in both dedicated mobile apps and on responsive versions of casino sites that have been optimized for use on mobiles.

Wherever and however you play Atlantic City Blackjack, online casino sites worth their salt generally do a very good job of replicating the game for use on iPhone, iPad, Android and so on. This is thanks to their use of reputable software providers.

If you’re familiar with the rules then you can jump straight in and play for real money but, if you need to spend a bit of time getting used to the mobile interface or are still unfamiliar with the finer details, then you can usually play it for free as well.

    Live Baccarat Mobile

    Atlantic City Blackjack Strategy Tips

    The good news for folks playing Atlantic City Blackjack online is that, although a couple of minor tweaks are advisable, you really won’t need to change up your standard blackjack strategy too much. Just bear the following tips in mind:

    Remember That the Dealer Must Hit All 17s

    Remember That the Dealer Must Hit All 17s

    Although you’ll always want to get your hand as close to 21 as possible, it’s worth remembering that the dealer has to stop when they hit 17. This might affect your own treatment of hands worth 17 or 18.

    Be Careful When Splitting Aces

    Be Careful When Splitting Aces

    Remember that you only get one additional card for each of your two new hands when you split Aces. That’s not to say that splitting Aces is a bad move, just that it can be a little risky if you’re unlucky enough to draw two low cards.

    Insurance Remains an Ill-Advised Bet

    Insurance Remains an Ill-Advised Bet

    There isn’t a well-known blackjack variation out there in which insurance mathematically represents a good bet, and Atlantic City Blackjack is no exception to that. You’re much better off becoming more familiar with Surrender, but…

    Don’t Overuse Surrender

    Don’t Overuse Surrender

    Some players get overly fixated on Atlantic City Blackjack’s addition of the Late Surrender rule and, as a result, end up throwing away hands that they really should be playing. Consult our strategy chart when in doubt!