Lightning Blackjack

Game Objective

The objective of Lightning Blackjack is to achieve a higher card count than the dealer, but without going over 21. The best hand is Blackjack — when the sum of the values of the first two cards dealt is exactly 21.

• Played with eight decks.
• Dealer always stands on 17.
• Double on any two initial cards.
• Dealer checks for Blackjack on Ace.
• Split initial cards of equal value.
• Only one Split per hand.
• Single card dealt to each Split Ace.
• No Double after Split.
• Insurance offered when the dealer shows an Ace.
• Blackjack pays 3 to 2.
• Insurance pays 2 to 1.
• Push game when hands tie.

Lightning Blackjack By Evolution Gaming

Game Rules

The game is hosted by a dealer and allows an unlimited number of players to play in each game round.

The game is played with eight standard 52-card decks. Card values in Blackjack are as follows:

• Cards from 2 to 10 are worth their face value.
• Face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) are each worth 10.
• Aces are worth 1 or 11, whichever is more favourable to the hand. Note that a soft hand includes an Ace worth 11.

After the allotted betting time has expired, the dealer deals one card face up to the player and then one card face up to the dealer. The dealer then deals a second card face up to the player but the dealer’s second card is dealt face down. The value of your initial hand is displayed next to your cards.

Blackjack

If the value of your initial two-card hand is exactly 21, you have Blackjack!

Lightning rules

You place an additional mandatory 100% Lightning fee off every initial bet. This allows the chance to win a multiplier for your next hand. The Lightning fee is not applicable to Double and Split.

Multipliers

If you win a round the next round’s payout will be super sized.

Multipliers are shown every round after bets are closed. Multipliers apply for your next hand if you have won with “17 and below”, 18, 19, 20, 21 or Blackjack. Each of these winning hands will generate a random multiplier from 2x to 25x. If you have won a multiplier and have to leave the game, you can still use your multiplier in your next game round for up to 180 days.

If a player has a multiplier of 5x and wins with a bet of 10, the bet will be multiplied by 5x, resulting in a 50 payout. Additionally, the player will get back their original bet.

If player has won a multiplier but doesn’t place a bet on the next round and instead decides to leave the game, the player can return at any time within 180 days and the multiplier will still be shown on the players betspot.

The multiplier covers your bet only in the amount of the Lightning fee that was paid in the round in which the multiplier was acquired. If you place a larger bet, regular Blackjack payout is applied to the excess amount.

When using Split and both hands win, the multiplier will be won by the best hand score.

All payouts with a multiplier are included in the multiplier. For example, if you have Blackjack and a multiplier, then only the multiplier will be applied.

In the case of a push, you will get your main bet back, but you will lose your Lightning fee and multiplier.

In the case of Insurance, you will get your main bet back, but you will lose your Lightning fee and multiplier.

Insurance

If the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, you are given the option to purchase insurance to offset the risk that the dealer has Blackjack – even when you have Blackjack yourself. The amount of insurance is equal to one half of your main bet, and the insurance bet is settled separately from the bet on your hand. The dealer then peeks at the value of his/her downcard to check for Blackjack. If the dealer does not have Blackjack, the round continues. If the dealer has Blackjack, but you do not, the game is over and the dealer’s hand wins.

If you and the dealer both have Blackjack, the game ends in a push and your bet is returned.

Dealer checks for Blackjack on Ace

If the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, he/she will check if the downcard is a Face card or 10 and the dealer has Blackjack. If the dealer has Blackjack, the dealer’s hand wins. If you and the dealer both have Blackjack, the game ends in a push and your bet is returned. If the dealer does not have Blackjack, the round continues.

Double, Hit or Stand

If the dealer does not have Blackjack upon checking his/her two initial cards, players are given the chance to improve the values of their hands in turn, by the dealer offering to deal further cards to players’ hands.

If the value of your initial hand is not 21, you can decide to Double. In this case, you will double your bet and be dealt only one additional card to add to your hand. Alternatively, you can decide to Hit to be dealt an additional card to add to the value of your hand. You can Hit more than once to receive additional cards before you decide to Stand once you are satisfied with the value of your hand.

Please note that the player will not be offered a decision option when his/her soft hand score equals 21.

Split

If your initial hand is a pair of cards of equal value, you can decide to Split the pair to make two separate hands, each with a separate bet equal to your main bet. After a second card is dealt to both your hands, you can improve the value of these two hands by deciding to Hit. Again, you can choose to Stand once you are satisfied with the value of your two hands. However, if you Split an initial pair of Aces, you will receive only one additional card per hand with no option to Hit.

Outcome

If the sum of your hand exceeds 21, you bust and lose your bet on that hand.

When all players have taken their turns, the dealer reveals the value of his/her downcard. The dealer must Hit on a hand of 16 or less and must Stand on a hand of soft 17 or more. (Remember that a ‘soft hand’ includes an Ace worth 11.)

You win when the value of your final hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand or when the dealer busts. If the value of your hand is the same as the dealer’s, the game round ends in a push and your bet is returned.

Blackjack is only possible using the two cards in the initial two-card deal. A hand of 21 resulting from a split pair is not considered a Blackjack. Therefore, Blackjack beats any hand of 21 resulting from a split pair.

Payouts

• Blackjack pays 3:2-25:1
• Winning hand pays 1-25:1.
• If the dealer has Blackjack, insurance pays 2:1.

Your payout depends on the type of bet placed.

• Multipliers that can be won:
  Winning Hand — 2x-15x
  Blackjack — 6x-25x

The optimal strategy is based on you placing the same initial bet amount. If you increase your bet in a round where you have qualified, the multiplier will only apply up to the bet amount of the qualifying round. If you lower your bet in a round where you have qualified, the multiplier will only apply up to the new bet amount. You may therefore not fully utilise the multiplier.

Open Strategy in New Window

Please note that any malfunction voids the game round and all eventual payouts for the round. However, any multiplier you have won in your previous round will still be available for up to 180 days.

Return to Player

The optimal theoretical payout percentage is 99.56%*

*based on the first hand in the shoe