Blackjack Surrender Online - How to Play, Where to Play & Top Strategies
Reasons to play
- Adds a possibility for players to take back some of their initial bet
- Boasts a lower house edge than traditional blackjack
- Offers an opportunity for players to ditch poor hands
- Basic early or late surrender strategy doesn’t differ too much from standard blackjack
- Results in more stable bankroll growth, instead of peaks and troughs
What Is Blackjack Surrender?
Already an option on some other blackjack variant tables, Blackjack Surrender rules see the opportunity to Surrender take center stage. In essence, Blackjack Surrender is a twist on the classic game that allows players to limit their losses by getting out of poor hands with half of their stake intact. Below, we’ll be covering how that works as well as the top places to play and what sort of payouts you can expect.
How To Play Blackjack Surrender
If you're new to online blackjack, you'll find the general rules on our how to play blackjack page.
STEP 1
Join a Suitable Table
As always, the goal with this variant is to reach 21 without going over it. When you’ve joined a table at a Blackjack Surrender online casino, and placed your bets, the dealer will deal two cards for you and two for them. In some situations, e.g. the dealer showing a face-up Ace, they’ll check for blackjack before the hand continues.
STEP 2
Hit? Stand? Surrender?
Looking at your hand, now is the time to decide whether you want to hit (take another card), stand (leave your hand as it is), split (split your hand in two) or double your bet. Of course, you also have the option to surrender a weak hand. Consult a basic strategy guide before doing so, as some “poor” hands can actually be worth playing. At land casinos, you can use the surrender hand signal, tracing a horizontal line between yourself and the dealer on the table, to indicate you'd like to surrender.
STEP 3
Finish Things Off
When your hand is as good as it can possibly be, as long as it remains under 21, it’s time to hit Stand and see whether you’ve won or not. If you decided to Surrender instead of playing the hand, half of your stake will be returned to you instead.
STEP 4
The Dealer Plays
Once the dealer has turned over their facedown card, they will, where appropriate, hit the hand to improve it but must stop when they hit any combination that makes 17. Whoever has the highest hand under 21 wins the round.
Special Rules of Blackjack Surrender
The surrender rule is one that many blackjack players will already know about, but there are some specific Blackjack Surrender rules that may not be so familiar. You'll find these rules apply to Playtech’s version of Blackjack Surrender, the most commonly available online game. Let’s take a look:
- Late Surrender lets players surrender after the dealer has peeked for blackjack
- Early Surrender, which is available “pre-peek”, is rare and not on offer at many tables
- Insurance is still available, and pays 2 to 1 as usual
- Dealer must draw to 16 and stands on all 17s
- Players can double down after splitting
| Action | Winnings |
|---|---|
| Decks | 6 |
| Player win | 1/1 |
| Player Blackjack | 3/2 |
| Push? | Yes |
| Tied Blackjack | Push |
| Dealer Stands on ALL 17 | Yes |
| Dealer Stands on soft 17 | Yes |
| Insurance bet pays | 2/1 |
| Surrender bet | Yes |
| Split | Yes |
| Re-split | No |
| 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 | 0.24% |
Free Blackjack Surrender Reference Charts - Get Yours!
The introduction of a new option alongside Hit, Stand, Double and Split means that, as you would probably expect, basic strategy for Blackjack Surrender looks a little different to some other variants. Fortunately, we’ve got some free reference charts to help increase your odds of winning! It’s likely that you’ll eventually become familiar enough with Blackjack Surrender that the statistically “correct” moves become second nature. Until then, however, you may want to download the guide and keep it handy.
Comparing Blackjack Surrender to Other Variants
As you’ll see from the table, Blackjack Surrender rules don’t really change things that much when it comes to payouts etc. Player wins and blackjack payouts, for example, look pretty similar to other traditional variants. You’ll also notice below that Live Dealer Blackjack Surrender isn’t something you should expect to find online.
That being said, Blackjack Surrender has the second-lowest house edge on this list, and you can find it at some of the best payout online casinos.
| 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 Blackjack Surrender Stand Out from Other Blackjack Variants?
There’s a joke in the industry that Blackjack Surrender is a great choice for players who are often struck by bad luck: rather than slogging away trying to turn bad hand after bad hand into something profitable, Blackjack Surrender allows players to simply discard those hands and get half their money back. That’s a pretty powerful proposition for many online and offline gamblers.
Other Blackjack Variants You Can Play
- European Blackjack
- A “high risk, high reward” variant that removes the opportunity for the dealer to check their hole card for blackjack
- Atlantic City Blackjack
- A low house edge variation of the game that serves up players several favorable rule changes
- Blackjack Switch
- Offers Blackjack fans the option to switch cards between two hands dealt before the game commences
- Perfect Blackjack
- Offers multi-hand wagers and various additional side bets with some very large possible payouts
Playing Blackjack Surrender on Mobile
Folks looking for a variation of blackjack to enjoy on the go could do a lot worse than Blackjack Surrender. Online casino mobile sites and apps allow players to enjoy the game on smartphones and tablets, and there’s a very good reason you might want to take advantage of that.
It might seem counterintuitive, since the game adds another button to the interface that some mobile blackjack players could already find cramped, but Blackjack Surrender is actually great for these users because it favors speedy play.
Whatever your device of choice – iPhone/iPad, Android etc. – we think you’ll enjoy mobile versions of Blackjack Surrender. In 2024, mobile games from reputable providers are only getting better and that’s certainly true in this case. If it’s not offered at your venue of choice, you can always check out one of the other blackjack variations available.
Blackjack Surrender Strategy Tips
Playing Blackjack Surrender online requires a few adjustments to how you usually play the game…or at least it should if you want to put yourself in the best position to win. Here are a few pieces of advice we’d recommend:
Take Advantage of Surrender
A no-brainer, right? You’d be surprised. Some people, even when playing Blackjack Surrender online casino games, are afraid to hit that Surrender button. There are times when it’s the smartest move by far!
Avoid Insurance Bets
It would be easy to think that, because of the other rule changes in Blackjack Surrender, Insurance might now be a sensible move. That’s not the case, however, and it’s still best avoided.
Keep Tabs on Your Bankroll
Most players observe that, when playing Blackjack Surrender online,their bankroll grows at a pace that’s slower and steadier than some other variants. If yours keeps falling, take a break and check if your strategy is solid.
Take Your Time
Blackjack Surrender naturally favors a quicker pace, since there’s no need to agonize over whether to play weak hands that can be easily discarded. But there’s no rush in standard play – remember, with no live dealer version of Blackjack Surrender, you have all the time you need to plan your next move.
Where are the best places to play Blackjack Surrender for real money?
Discover More About Online Blackjack
- Blackjack strategy
- Learn which mathematical strategies could help your gameplay and how to put them into practice with this in-depth blackjack strategy guide.
- How to Play
- If you’re new to the game or an experienced blackjack player looking to really perfect your skills, take some time to follow our handy how to play guide.
- Blackjack Tips
- Our team of experts give you a sneak peek at the top secret blackjack tips you need to know about. Learn how to give yourself the best chances with these tips.
- Card counting
- Done properly, counting cards is a clever way to lower the house edge in online blackjack. Use our blackjack card counting trainer to improve your skills, and odds.
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Adam Volz is an online gambling expert who specialises in researching and writing content to help players find the best casino for them. Expect Adam to use his attention to detail and experience working in different markets worldwide to find the best online casino experiences around!
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