Speed Blackjack
Imagined by Evolution, the concept of Speed Blackjack was launched at the end of 2019 and quickly gained popularity among players. This game was born from the observation that tables host players of varying skill levels, some of whom need more time to make a decision, which can slow down the entire table. As its name suggests, Speed Blackjack stands out for the fluidity of the games, thanks to a dealing order that favors the faster players. At the same time, it also allows slower players to take the extra seconds they need to decide, ensuring an enjoyable gaming experience for everyone. By 2024, this accelerated blackjack represents a significant portion of the seven-player tables facing the dealer in Evolution's catalog.
How does Speed Blackjack work?
In a traditional blackjack game, each player must make a decision regarding their cards against the dealer's hand. The traditional order of decision-making follows a clockwise direction, starting from the seat to the left of the dealer.
It's important to note that blackjack is the only table game where the tempo depends on the players' response times. On a seven-player blackjack table, games can sometimes become tedious if players take their time to communicate their decisions to the dealer.
The Speed Blackjack variant aims to address this drawback of traditional tables by implementing a simple solution: prioritizing the faster players without adhering to the conventional order.
The side bets offered on Speed Blackjack tables are quite standard. At each table, players can bet on Perfect Pairs and 21+3, with respective return rates of 95.90% and 96.30%. Additionally, Evolution has introduced the "Cash Out" option on Speed Blackjack tables, allowing players to receive the displayed amount if they decide to stop playing.
Advantages of Speed Blackjack
Unchanged Rules: Aside from the order of play, Speed Blackjack adheres to the fundamental rules of traditional online blackjack. The dealer uses a shoe containing eight decks of 52 cards. These cards are still subject to a prior manual shuffle under the cameras. The Speed Blackjack variant does not change the main objective: players must reach 21 points without exceeding that number. The return to player (RTP) rate reaches 99.29%.
Faster Games: Changing the order of decision-making significantly reduces dead time that disrupts the pace of the table, allowing for considerable time savings that Evolution estimates to be around 30% compared to traditional live blackjack tables.
Individualized Play: The Speed Blackjack variant accommodates no more than seven participants, each receiving different cards, unlike tables that allow hundreds of players, such as Infinite Blackjack or One Blackjack.
Players Focused on Speed: Speed Blackjack attracts players who prioritize fast-paced play, which also contributes to the fluidity of the games.
Variety of Table Designs: At its launch, Speed Blackjack offered tables with a uniform design. Over the years, the number of tables for this variant provided by Evolution has significantly expanded, now offering a variety of studios with different styles.
Bets in Crypto or Fiat currency?
Evolution was the first publisher to grant access to blackjack players using bitcoins. The live casino giant was also the first to adapt its blackjack tables to allow players to display betting amounts and balances in dollars or euros, rather than in fractions of bitcoins. Thus, when streamed from a reputable crypto casino, Evolution's blackjack tables provide this advantage by making reading easier, which reduces errors and contributes to a faster game.