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Gravity Blackjack is an exciting live blackjack game from ICONIC21.
What makes the game exciting is the possibility of higher payouts from the side bets due to the addition of random multipliers.
Unlike Lightning Blackjack and Quantum Blackjack, Gravity Blackjack is a clever alternative that leaves the central core of Blackjack untouched. Instead, the multipliers are randomly assigned to the four side bets.
You get the best of both worlds, as you can play Blackjack as usual or mix it up a bit and play the side bets.
In this review, I’ll explain how to play Gravity Blackjack, the side bets and how the multipliers work.
Gravity Blackjack is a multi-player table game. An unlimited number of players can play the same hand without impacting other players’ decisions.
It’s a popular format for Blackjack, as every player gets a unique experience while the game flows at a predictable pace.
The table looks familiar because it’s a copy of the Quantum Blackjack Table from Playtech. But the similarities end there.
There are two elements to the game:
Gravity Blackjack uses eight decks of 52 playing cards. The dealing shoe gets replaced when four decks remain.
Vegas rules apply. The dealer gets two cards during the initial deal. If the dealer shows an Ace, you can take insurance before he checks for Blackjack.
You can split pairs, but split Aces only receive one extra card. A BJ with split Ace is not a Blackjack. It’s counted as 21.
You can double on any two cards and split hands.
As I mentioned above, the player hand can is playable by an unlimited number of players. Each player’s decisions are unaffected by what other players do. Some excellent bits of technology enable this capability. Let me explain.
The player’s hand initially receives two cards. Once the cards have been dealt, they are slid into a receptacle in the middle of the table. The physical cards are replaced in the playing interface with computer-generated images. These are the cards you play.
Depending on the cards, you’re presented with several playing options.
The computer-generated images update as you make your playing decisions. Once you have selected Stand, your cards are locked in.
You may see more cards dealt on the table after you have decided to Stand. This will be other players trying to improve their hands or just playing it differently from how you did.
The important thing is your hand remains yours.
Once all players have finished, the dealer shows their down card and plays out the rest of his hand. He will have to take cards until he has seventeen or more, at which point he must stand. The dealer does not split or double on his hand.
If the dealer’s up card is an Ace, you can insure him against having a Blackjack. If he has, you’ll be paid 2:1. The game round ends and all players lose unless they have a Blackjack, in which case the stake is returned as a push.
It’s mathematically possible to be dealt ten cards without busting. If this happens, you automatically win, regardless of the total of the dealer’s hand.
You can play four optional side bets alongside the main hand. The side bets operate independently, so if you bust out on the main hand, the side bets remain in play unless they have already lost.
The four side bets are:
The USP of Gravity Blackjack is the Multipliers you can receive on the Side Bet payouts.
Here’s how it works.
After bets have closed and before the dealer deals, the game decides whether a random multiplier applies to one of the side bets.
The multipliers can be 2x, 4x, 6x, 8x or 10x.
The multiplier floats down to the side bet and will boost payouts by that amount. Of course, you need to win the side bet to get the payout, which is more difficult than you think.
The multipliers are paid for by reducing the standard payouts for some side bets by a point or two. Please look at my Blackjack Payouts chart to see the payout comparisons.
If you want the opportunity to win payouts with multipliers, Gravity Blackjack is where you should play.
Let’s look at the side bets in more detail.
The Perfect Pairs Side bet uses the player’s first two cards.
You win when you have a pair. How much you win depends on the type of Pair you have.
The RTP for Perfect Pairs is 95.95%.
| Hand | Usual Payout | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect Pair | 20:1 – 200:1 | Pair in the same suit |
| Coloured Pair | 10:1 – 100:1 | Pair in the same colour |
| Mixed Pair | 5:1 – 50:1 | A mixed coloured Pair Red/Black |
21+3 is a favourite side bet in blackjack. It uses the dealer’s up card and the player’s first two cards. If these three form a 3 card poker hand, you win!
The minimum hand is a Flush, and the top hand is a suited 3-of-a-kind.
The side bet has an RTP of 96.38%, which is the best among all the side bets.
| Hand | Usual Payout | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Suited three-of-a-kind | 100:1 – 1000:1 | Three of the same cards in the same suit. |
| Straight Flush | 30:1 – 300:1 | Consecutive cards in the same suit. |
| Three -of-a-kind | 20:1 – 200:1 | Three of the same card. |
| Straight | 10:1 – 100:1 | A run of consecutive Cards. |
| Flush | 4:1 – 40:1 | Three cards of the same suit. |
The Dealer Bust side bet tracks the performance of the dealer’s hand. If the dealer busts, you win!
The side bet gets interesting when the dealer has low cards. The more cards the dealer has when he busts, the higher the payout.
It’s not uncommon for the dealer to bust with 3 or 4 cards. The payouts start to get interesting at five cards.
If he busts with eight or more cards, the payout is 300:1. If the 10x multiplier is active, that is 3000:1!
The side bet has an RTP of 93.20%.
| Dealers Hand Busts with: | Usual Payout |
|---|---|
| 8 Cards or more | 300:1 – 3000:1 |
| 7 Cards | 100:1 – 1000:1 |
| 6 Cards | 25:1 – 250:1 |
| 5 Cards | 10:1 – 100:1 |
| 3 or 4 Cards | 1:1 – 10:1 |
The Lucky Ladies’ Side bet is a great side bet, as two things are going on.
The side bet uses the player’s first two cards. If one of them is a Queen, you’re going to win. If you have two Queen of Hearts, you get the top payout.
Two card hands that add up to 20 also win. So you have two chances for a win with this side bet.
The RTP is 94.58%, which feels a bit low considering the payout options.
| Hand | Payout |
|---|---|
| Pair of Queen of Hearts | 100:1 – 1000:! |
| Match 20 | 20:1 – 200:1 |
| Suited 20 | 10:1 – 100:1 |
| Any 20 | 2:1 – 20:1 |
| Any Queen | 1:1 – 10:1 |
If you’re looking for a strategy to win when you play Gravity Blackjack, look no further than Blackjack Basic Strategy.
Basic strategies have been created to play Blackjack to its mathematical optimum. Using the system doesn’t guarantee you’ll win, but you will play the game best within the rules.
Blackjack is a streaky game, so winning and walking away with a profit is possible. You need to use the strategy and not deviate from it. It’s mathematically proven to be the best way to play.
As for the side bets, there is no strategy. You either play them, or you don’t.
Ordinarily, I’d advise against playing the side bets. Still, as the multipliers on gravity blackjack are the central theme, it’s difficult not to play them.
| Hard Total | Correct Decision |
|---|---|
| 8 and Under | Hit |
| 9 | Double against Dealers 3-6, otherwise, Hit. |
| 10 | Double against Dealers 2-9, otherwise, Hit. |
| 11 | Double against Dealers 2-10, otherwise, Hit. |
| 12 | Stand against Dealers 4-6, otherwise, Hit. |
| 13-16 | Stand against Dealers 2-6, otherwise, Hit. |
| 17 and Over | Stand |
Here’s the strategy for playing the soft hands in Gravity Blackjack. A “Soft” hand is one where an Ace can be used either as Eleven or One.
| Soft Total | Correct Decision |
|---|---|
| 12 and Under | Hit |
| 13-14 | Double against Dealers 5-6, otherwise, Hit. |
| 15-16 | Double against Dealers 4-6, otherwise, Hit. |
| 17 | Double against Dealers 3-6, Stand on 7, otherwise, Hit. |
| 18 | Double against Dealers 3-6, Hit on 9-A, otherwise Stand. |
| 19 and Over | Stand |
This table will come in handy if your hand contains a pair. Hopefully, you’ve played the Perfect Pairs side bet!
| Pair | Correct Decision |
|---|---|
| Ace-Ace | Split |
| 2-2 | Split against Dealers 4-7, otherwise, Hit. |
| 3-3 | Split against Dealers 4-7, otherwise, Hit. |
| 4-4 | Hit |
| 5-5 | Double on Dealers 2-9, otherwise, Hit. |
| 6-6 | Split against Dealers 3-6, otherwise, Hit. |
| 7-7 | Split against Dealers 2-7, otherwise, Hit. |
| 8-8 | Split against Dealers 2-9, otherwise, Hit. |
| 9-9 | Split against Dealers 2-6 or 8-9, otherwise, Stand. |
| 10-10 | Stand |
The central hand in Gravity Blackjack is as good, if not better, than regular Blackjack.
I say this mainly because you can double on a split hand.
Doubling is an edge a player has to vastly increase their bet when there is more information on the table.
You don’t double on any hand. You have to consider the dealer’s up card before making your decision.
When you get it right, you usually have a nice payout.
The unlimited nature of the game, where all players play the same hand, is handled very well and sits as a great alternative to Infinite Blackjack, ONE Blackjack, and All Bets Blackjack.
The reason for playing Gravity Blackjack is the Multipliers on the side bets. If a multiplier is active on the side bet, you can get some cracking wins for relatively low-value hands.
I’ve seen the player get a perfect pair, and the dealer completes the three-of-a-kind, with a multiplier of 10x on the Pairs side bet. I think the payout totalled 300x across the side bets alone!
Gravity Blackjack is a live dealer one-hand multi-player game from ICONIC21 Live that offers random multipliers up to 10x on the side bets.
A multiplier is randomly assigned to one of the side bets, but not necessarily each game round. The multipliers range from 2x up to 10x. You have to be playing the side bet to benefit from the multiplier.
The allocation of multipliers is entirely random. The only strategy is to make sure you’re playing all the side bets, so when the multiplier is assigned, you’ll have a chance if your side bet wins.
Gravity Blackjack has an RTP of 99.29%.
Gravity Blackjack has four side bets. Perfect Pairs, 21+3, Bust Out, and Lucky Ladies. The highest possible win is a dealer bust with eight or more cards, which pays 300:1 or 3000:1 if the 10x multiplier is in play.
All online casinos that have ICONIC21 Live software should have Gravity Blackjack.
Neil Walker
I’m Neil Walker, and I created this site to provide information on everything related to Live Dealer Games. I do extensive research, play and test all the games, and author all the content. I’ve appeared in the media and presented at conferences—you can read more about me on my About Page. I’ve been doing this full-time since 2014, and I am trusted for my straightforward reviews and honest opinions.
Where you can find me:
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