Nucleus Single Deck Blackjack Review — A Simple Rule Lowers the House Edge
Blackjack players often face a dilemma. The traditional versions of this table game come with great return rates, yet it’s a well-known fact that certain exotic blackjacks offer an even bang for your buck. However, the rule alterations in these unusual variants require you to stray from the standard basic strategy, which leads to mistakes and larger losses.
If you’re looking for a release that sticks to a classic ruleset while maintaining an above-average RTP, check out Nucleus’ Single Deck Blackjack. Our review will explain how the game achieves this trick, help you try it for free, and recommend awesome online blackjack casinos where you can play for real money.
| Casino | Single Deck Blackjack | Nucleus Games | Live Dealer | Bonus* | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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YES | YES | YES | $1000 | PlayBig Spin Casino Review |
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YES | YES | YES | $1000 | Play |
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YES | YES | YES | $100 | Play |
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YES | YES | YES | $1750 | Play |
Understanding the Nucleus Single Deck Blackjack Rules
Before we put the rulebook under the microscope, it’s important to note that you might also see a developer called “Betsoft” offering this release. Nucleus Gaming and Betsoft are trade names of the same business, so the rules we describe here apply to both titles. Also, if you’re not familiar with the essentials of Blackjack, we recommend reading our special “Rules” page before coming back to this part. Let’s proceed:
Dealer & Card Rules
- As the name suggests, Nucleus’ Single Deck Blackjack online uses one standard French deck with 52 cards. This increases the likelihood of you landing a natural 21, which, in turn, reduces the house edge;
- That being said, card counting won’t work, as the deck is shuffled every time you press “deal;”
- The dealer draws cards until their hand reaches 17 points. If the 17 is soft (contains an Ace), one additional card will be drawn;
- The option to take insurance is offered when the croupier’s up-card is an Ace. Checks for natural 21s are performed whenever you see an Ace or 10-value card on the other side;
- Single Deck Blackjack by Nucleus Gaming features multi-hand mode, meaning that you can play with up to three hands at the same time;
Double Downs
- Doubling down is restricted. You can only do it when you have a total of 10 or 11 points;
- It’s possible to double after splits if the above condition is satisfied;
Splits
- Whenever you have two cards with an equal value, you may split your hand to create two. This doubles your wager;
- You can’t re-split nor draw additional cards when dividing Aces. Hitting is permitted in all other instances;
Try Single Deck Blackjack by Nucleus for Free
If you’re new and eager to learn the ropes or just want to see how this game plays out, we’ve got good news for you. You can try Nucleus’ Single Deck Blackjack online for free and without the need to register an account. To learn how simply follow the below instructions:
- At the beginning of our review, we listed a bunch of online casinos. Our experts have tested all of them and can confirm that they are reputable. Furthermore, each of these sites has a demo of this release. Select one, visit the “blackjack/table games” tab, then locate and start the game.
- Once the table appears, you’ll notice “$1-$250” displayed above one of the betting areas. These are the minimum and maximum bets that you can stake per hand. The Nucleus Single Deck Blackjack rules give you a demo budget of $1,000, so we recommend sticking to playing chips of lower denomination. When you’re ready to play, select a chip from the bottom-right corner and click on any of the “place bet” zones.
- After you press “deal,” you’ll receive two cards for each bet that you’ve placed. The croupier also draws two cards, but only one of them will be facing upwards. Winning is a careful balancing act between hitting, doubling, and splitting to improve your hand while trying to avoid going bust by exceeding 21 points. Fortunately, Single Deck Blackjack by Nucleus can help you maximize your chances. Press the “?” button on the bottom-left side, then scroll down the “Rules” page until you locate “Basic Blackjack Strategy.” Follow the tips outlined there, and you’ll reduce the house edge to a minimum.
This title doesn’t have that many customization options. What you can do is adjust the card-dealing speed through the arrowed keys at the lower-right side and toggle sounds off/on through the speaker button located in the opposite corner.
Detailing the Payouts and House Edge
There’s nothing out of the ordinary in the paytable of the game, which is good news. Our Nucleus Single Deck Blackjack review experts state that you’ll win as much as you have wagered each time you beat the dealer. When you manage to get a 21 from your starting hand (also called a “natural”), your payout is increased to x1.5 times your bet.
The house edge stands at 0.38%, which is 0.12% lower than what many consider to be the gold standard in blackjack. The main contributing factor is the fact that a single deck is used. Remember that you can only achieve such high return rates by following basic strategy to a T.
Play Nucleus’ Single Deck Blackjack Online Today
If your top priority is to improve your winning chances, you don’t need to look for another game made by Nucleus. The Single Deck Blackjack rules are some of the best in the industry, making this release a super choice when playing for real money. Additionally, its graphics are great, the betting limits are wide, and you can always crank up the volatility thanks to the multi-hand mode.
Our experts give the title a big “thumbs up,” but the final decision is up to you. Remember that you can try the game for free by picking any operator from our list. When staking real cash, always play in a smart and responsible manner.



