Bonus Payouts! Spanish 21 has a number of ways to earn bonuses and they are included in the game with no additional side wager required. They include:

A Player blackjack will always beat a dealer’s blackjack. Blackjacks are paid at odds of 3 to 2.

A Player total of 21 will always win regardless of the content of the Dealer’s hand. When the player makes 21 they will be automatically paid before the dealer draws any additional cards.

These two rules make Spanish 21 fun to play because you never have to worry about pushing with the dealer on 21.

Additional Deviations:

Players may split cards of equal value, including Aces, up to three times creating up to four hands. Doubling after a split is allowed as well as hitting and doubling of all split hands, including Aces.

Note: Splitting voids the Super Bonus.

So what does all this mean? It means you get the chance to split your aces, then hit those hands, or resplit if you get dealt another Ace!

A player may choose to discontinue play on their hand for the round by surrendering one-half of their initial wager. Surrender is only permitted on the first two cards and only available after the Dealer has checked for blackjack.

Insurance is offered to the player when the dealer has an Ace as their exposed card. Since the dealer has the potential for having a blackjack, players are offered a side wager where they can buy insurance against the dealer having a blackjack. Insurance pays 2 to 1. If the player has a blackjack when the dealer has an Ace up, the player will still have the option to purchase insurance, even though their blackjack beat a dealer blackjack.

Side Wagers

Spanish 21 includes an optional side wager known as Match the Dealer. While playing the side wager is optional and doesn’t affect the main game, there are lots of good reasons to give it a try.

Players may bet that either or both of their initial two cards will match the dealer’s upcard. A player who has placed the base game wager may make an additional Match the Dealer wager.

Just like in regular blackjack, your chance to win depends on the total of your hand and the final total of the dealer’s hand. The worst up cards for the dealer are the 3-6. Players should look for opportunities to increase their wager when the dealer has a weak up card by taking advantage of the player-friendly splitting and double down rules offered in Spanish 21. And don’t forget you have the option to double down on more cards than just the first two cards. You can rescue a double down wager after you see your double down card!

Look to take advantage of opportunities to double down on soft hands. Soft hands have multiple ways to improve and can be extremely advantageous and profitable when played correctly. The strategy charts for Spanish 21 are available in the pay table of the game - so if you aren’t sure what to do, you can always look up the right play.

When hunting for bonus hands, remember that splitting and doubling can nullify your chance at winning a bonus. Splitting or doubling down voids the Super Bonus, and doubling down voids any Bonus 21 payouts. Remember these rules when deciding how to play your potential bonus eligible hands.

As in regular blackjack, you’ll sometimes have to choose between two tough options. While it’s never fun to bust and then find out that the dealer would have busted had you not drawn a card, you should never be afraid to take a card and make the right move. In the long run making the right play will deliver better long term results!

Now, you know how to play Spanish 21. As you can see, there are a ton of player favorable options that have made this the most popular blackjack variant over the last three decades. Now it’s time to give it a try yourself.