Pirate 21 Blackjack Review 2026 – Casino Game with RTP through the Roof
Savvy and price-conscious players always gravitate towards the low house edge of traditional blackjacks. It is well-known that these games give you the highest chances of winning, but the rigidity of their rules and the strategy one has to employ can get old.
If you need a change of pace from the classics but want to keep the RTP rates over 99%, try “Pirate 21 Blackjack” by Betsoft. This title includes a fresh new ruleset and an intriguing side bet that are the subjects of this review. Those who want to try the release for free or for real money can check out our updated list of approved online casinos.
The Best Sites to Play Pirate 21 Blackjack Online
With an achievement-based bonus system and games from over 30 providers, Casoo is a truly modern and well-rounded casino. We recommend this venue to players who use cryptocurrencies, as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin payments are accepted. Additionally, you can pay by phone with Zimpler or use any of the standard banking options.
We’re kicking it off with an international operator that’s also friendly to US-based customers. BigSpinCasino has a massive 200% bonus of up to $1,000 for all new players. Its name might fool you into thinking that the site is a slot specialist, but our Super 7 Blackjack review team found plenty of table games as well.
Pirate 21 Blackjack online is just one of the several thousand excellent games of chance available at Vbet. This modern operator is a one-stop-shop for all of your needs, as it supports clients for sports betting, eSports, poker, virtual sports sims, and keno. You can play every live and RNG product from the company.
Explaining the Unusual Pirate 21 Blackjack Rules
In a nutshell, Pirate 21 Blackjack by Betsoft is a re-branded version of Spanish blackjack with a few rule adjustments. Before we continue, we have a quick word of advice for our novice readers. If you’re unfamiliar with the basics of traditional blackjack, we advise you to first go through the “Rules” section on our website. Now, let’s see what’s different about this title:
General Overview
- This release uses six “pirate” decks, each containing 48 cards. These are just like regular French decks, with the exception that all 10s are removed.
- Multi-hand play (up to three positions) is enabled.
- Insurance isn’t available, but this is good news since the bet has bad odds.
- The card values are the same as regular blackjack.
Dealer Rules
- In Pirate 21 Blackjack online, the croupier hits soft 17s.
- Natural 21s are instantly revealed.
- If 17 or more, you’ll receive your bet f you tie with a score oback.
Double Down Details
- You can double on any number of cards. This is better than regular versions, which restrict you to doubling before receiving a third card.
- Doubling after splits is allowed.
Split Rules
- You can re-split once per hand.
- You’re free to hit and double after splitting aces, which is great.
Winning Conditions
- Your natural 21s will always beat the dealer.
- Getting a 21 from three or more cards also results in an automatic win. The sole exception is when the dealer reveals a natural and you don’t have one.
- Pirate 21 Blackjack by Betsoft awards special payouts for a 5-, 6-, and 7-card (or more) 21s in addition to a 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 from the player. We’ll discuss these in more detail in our payout section.
The “Match” Side Bet
In addition to the main game, you can place an optional side bet called “Match.” This mini-game is easy to understand: you’ll win if any of your starting two cards are of the same rank as the croupier’s up-card. The betting range on this wager is $1-$25. You’ll receive a 9:1 payout for a suited match (e.g., 2 aces of hearts) and 4:1 for an unsuited one. If both of your starting cards are the same as the up-card, only the higher payout will be awarded.
Here’s How to Test This Title for Free
The Pirate 21 Blackjack rules have their peculiarities, so we highly advise you to play through a few rounds with a free demo. That way, you’ll see if this release can match your expectations without risking any money. Follow this easy tutorial to learn how:
- Pick any of the blackjack casinos on our list. Depending on your location, you might be able to access the demo with or without registration.
- Locate the game. In the case of Vbet and Casoo, we recommend filtering by provider since their portfolios are quite large.
- Once loading is complete, take a look at the table layout and different buttons. Then, select a playing chip from the bottom side of the screen and click on one or more of the “place bet” areas. Our Super 7 Blackjack review team encourages you to experiment with the side bet and the multihand play while playing for free, but you should be more conservative if you wager real cash later on.
- The playing chip selection widget takes a central spot at the lower half of the screen. You can use the “-“ and “+” icons to select different denominations. Once you place a bet, press “deal” to start playing or amend your wagers through the “clear” and “undo” buttons.
- Choosing when to hit, stand, double, and split is crucial. Do note that regular basic strategy charts aren’t optimal for this game because the rules are different. Do your research.
Lastly, Pirate 21 Blackjack by Betsoft allows you to change the speed of card-dealing animations through the three arrow keys at the bottom-left side. The other buttons in this corner are the mute switch and the informational icon, which grants access to the rules, paytable, and additional sound settings.
Pirate 21 Blackjack by Betsoft: RTP and Payouts
Regular blackjacks have a rather small paytable, but this game is different. Since the absence of 10s noticeably increases the house edge, Betsoft balances things out by introducing a whole bunch of extra payouts. We’ve created a concise bullet list that can help you out but remember that you can double-check in the “options” menu at any time.
- All regular wins grant an even-money (1:1) reward.
- When you land a natural 21, a 5-card 21, or a 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of mixed suits, the prize increases to 3:2.
- The Pirate 21 Blackjack rules state that you’ll get x3 times your bet for a 7-7-7 or 6-7-8 in spades or when you get a 21 from seven or more cards.
- When you land 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of the same suits, the reward is 2:1. However, the triple 7 has special properties. When you also see a 7 on the dealer side, you’ll receive $1,000 if your base bet is between $4 and $25 and $5,000 for wagers of $25+.
Keep in mind that the special three-card combinations won’t work if you split or double. According to our Pirate 21 Blackjack review experts, the RTP rate stands at 99.24%. That’s about 0.25% lower than regular blackjacks, but it’s still superior to the return rates of most slots and table games. The side bet has a house edge of 3%, which is quite good for wagers of this type.
The Conclusion
Our team had a great time while testing and reviewing this release, and we think that you’ll have fun with it, too. It keeps all the best aspects of classic blackjacks while also introducing new payouts and more liberal regulations regarding splits and doubles. Its house edge is a bit higher than what we expected, but it’s still more than acceptable in our option.
If you’re still wondering whether this release is any good, our Pirate 21 Blackjack review team advises you to give it a try — it’s free! All you need to do is pick a trusted operator off our list and fire up the demo mode. If you choose to stake real money, remember that you can always redeem awesome promotions to increases your chances of winning.