Rival Blackjack Review — New Design & Classic Payouts
Rival Powered is one of those online casino suppliers that has been around for a long time. The company has had its ups and downs, but its table game releases were always popular with players in the USA, Australia, and Europe.
As most web browsers stopped supporting the old Adobe Flash Player, the developer had to update its classical RNG titles to HTML5. Perhaps the most dramatic change occurred with Rival Blackjack online, which now boasts attractive new graphics and excellent mobile compatibility. This review explores the refurbished classic by detailing its rules & payouts. Below, you can check out the top gaming sites that offer it today.
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Analyzing the Rival Blackjack Rules
The Rival Blackjack rules don’t mention how many decks are in use. That’s because they can be configured by each casino. Most often, eight 52-card decks are involved. Cards are shuffled after the conclusion of each round. The dealer will hit soft 17s, which is slightly detrimental towards the RTP rate.
On the bright side, the croupier will check for blackjack when their up-card is an Ace or has a value of 10. This will prevent you from losing more money, as a 21 will be shown before you get the opportunity to double down. Keep in mind that Rival Blackjack online only offers insurance in case of an Ace up-card on the other side. Still, you shouldn’t take this bet because of its bad odds.
At this point, things start to become slightly weird. The rules state that you can split up to three times to create four hands, except when you’re dividing a pair of Aces. However, we tried re-splitting 10-point cards several times and were unable to do so. Double downs are allowed on any 2-card hand, including splits.
This release is traditional, so don’t expect to find side bets or multi-hand play. However, there is another version of blackjack by Rival that permits playing with up to 3 hands.
A Quick and Easy New Player Tutorial
If you haven’t played blackjack before, we highly recommend starting with this release. Its rules aren’t that different from other traditional versions, and there are no extra wagers or functionalities to confuse you. Furthermore, the title has a demo mode that you can play for free until you feel confident enough to wager real cash. Ready to get going? Then follow the steps outlined below:
- Pick one of our three recommended casinos and create a free account. Our Rival Blackjack review experts say that this unlocks a demo mode that you can use without the need to deposit.
- Once the title loads, you should see 5 playing chips in the middle of the screen. Click on any of them to place a bet. The accepted range is $1-$500. If you wish to undo a wager, tap on the placed chip on the large circle in the middle.
- Press “Deal,” and the game will commence. Once the cards are dealt, you’ll see buttons to stand, hit, double, and split at the bottom of the screen. Your task is to get a higher score than the dealer while simultaneously keeping it under 21.
- The easiest way to play is by following the Rival Blackjack rules of the croupier — stand on any hand total of 17 or above. This means that you hit everything up to 16. However, the most efficient approach is using a basic strategy.
Blackjack by Rival Powered – RTP and Payouts
The return rates of this release can vary, depending on how many decks are in use. The fewer cards are in play, the lower the house edge. Still, the Rival website states that the 8-deck version has an RTP of 99.4%, which is quite satisfactory and in line with the average for the genre. In other words, if you use basic strategy while playing Rival Blackjack online, you can expect better returns compared to slots, baccarat, roulette, and almost any other game of chance.
In case you’re wondering about the payouts, you get x1.5 times your bet when you beat the dealer with a natural 21 and even-money rewards in all other winning scenarios.
Don’t Forget to Use These Buttons
You’ll find a quartet of icons situated at the bottom-left side of the screen. They can be helpful and enhancing to your experience, so it’s worth knowing what they do. We’ll describe them from left to right:
- Chat bubble — Connects you to live chat support.
- Gear icon — General options. Our Rival Blackjack review team recommends playing with the gameplay speed settings. The other settings are for the sounds.
- Volume — This is the mute switch.
- Help — This shows you the full list of rules. You don’t need it if you’ve memorized the information in this review.
The Conclusion
This isn’t the most elaborate or exotic game of 21 we’ve seen, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Its simplicity and solid payouts make it a great pick for both new players and traditionalists looking for a familiar experience. What’s even better is that now, the title is future-proof and compatible with phones and tablets thanks to being built on HTML5.
At the end of the day, you are the best judge. Try Blackjack by Rival Powered by registering at one of our approved casinos, and remember that the demo mode is always there for you to try.