Playtech Cashback Blackjack Live Review and Strategy Guide

What is Cashback Blackjack?

Playtech Cashback Blackjack live is played on a modified AllBets Blackjack Table, which gives an unlimited number of players the opportunity to play the game, without having to wait for a free seat.

The game is played with eight decks of playing cards which are dealt from a Shufflemaster Dealing Shoe. The cards are shuffled before each new game round.

Vegas rules are in operation (the dealer takes two cards during the initial deal).

Six optional side bets can be played alongside the main hand.

Cashback is offered to the player once the initial deal has been completed and after every card that is dealt to the player’s hand.

Once the cashback option is taken the player takes no further part in the game round and regardless of the outcome of the hand, will receive the cashback at the end of the game.

All the normal rules of Blackjack apply.

Video Review of Cashback Blackjack Live

Here’s a short video review of me playing Cashback Blackjack online and explaining some of the strategies you might like to use to get the best return from the game.

Playing Rules of Live Dealer Cashback Blackjack?

This online version of live Cashback blackjack is played to the following rules.

• Only one player hand is dealt onto the table which an unlimited number of players can play as if it’s their own hand.
• The dealer is given two cards during the initial deal – often known as Vegas or American Rules Blackjack.
• Eight decks of fifty-two playing cards are used and they are dealt from a shuffle master automatic dealing shoe, which shuffles the decks after the discards from the previous round have been added to the shoe.
• The dealer offers insurance when his up card is an Ace. The dealer checks for Blackjack and if he has one the game round ends.
• Players can Double on the first two cards only, not on a split hand.
• Splits are allowed on a pair. Only one card is allowed on split Aces.
• The Dealer takes a card on 16 and has to stand on all 17’s or more.
• Blackjack pays 3:2, while Insurance pays 2:1.
• Cashback is offered to the player at each decision time.

How to Play Playtech Cashback Blackjack

How Multiple Players are Accommodated on the table?

It’s probably best if I describe how the One Player hand feature works on the cashback blackjack table.

It’s quite clever really.

When the player’s cards are dealt onto the table they are scanned and the players see a computer-generated image of the cards in front of them. The actual cards are stored in a hidden discard box in the middle of the table.

Each player makes their own playing decision about what to do next.

If the player has opted to stand or take cash back the two cards remain visible to that player.

If other players have opted to split, double or hit, extra cards are dealt and they get to see the scanned images of the hand.

So every player gets to see only the cards they have opted to play.

The computer system remembers what each player has, which is then compared to the dealer’s hand when a showdown occurs and the payouts are made accordingly.

Cashback Blackjack Live Side Bets

Buster

Buster is one of the hedge bets I was talking about. It pays out when the dealer busts his hand. The more cards the dealer uses to bust, the higher the payouts.

8 cards or more with player BJ – 2000:1, 7 Cards with player BJ – 800:1, 8 or more cards – 250:1, 7 Cards – 50:1, 6 Cards – 18:1, 5 Cards – 4:1,  3 or 4 cards – 2:1.

Top3

Tops 3 is a side bet you see in a lot of land-based casinos. It pays on the players two hole cards and dealers upcards.  Suited 3 of a Kind – 270:1, Straight Flush – 180:1, 3 of a Kind – 90:1.

Lucky Lucky

Lucky Lucky uses the players 2 hole cards and the dealers up card, and pays for specific hand values. . 777 Suited – 200:1, 678 Suited – 100:1, 777 – 50:1, 678 – 25:1,  21 Suited – 15:1, Any 19 or 20 – 2:1.

21+3

21+ 3 or Poker Side Bet uses the dealer upcard and the players initial 2 up cards to form a 3 card poker hand.  The best hand is suited Trips at 100:1, while a Straight Flush Pays 40:1. Trips pay 30:1 while the more common hands of Straight 10:1 and Flush 5:1 complete the payouts.

Player / Dealer Perfect Pair

Pays when the Player or Dealer gets a pair. Perfect Pair (two identical cards) – 25:1, Coloured Pair (same cards different suit) – 12:1, Mixed pair (same cards, mixed suit)- 6:1.

Cashback Live Blackjack Strategy

Is there really a strategy for playing Live Dealer Cashback Blackjack?

The answer is YES.

First of all, you need to play blackjack using Basic Strategy. Don’t try and get clever with taking cashback when it’s offered. This will just lead to you losing your bankroll more quickly than you should.

There are certain times during the game round with specific hand values where you should take the cashback option.

In summary, these are when you have the following Hard hand values:

• when you have Fifteen in your hand and the dealer is showing a Ten.
• if you have a Sixteen and the dealer is showing a Nine, Ten or Ace.

If either of these circumstances occurs, the advice is to take the cashback offer.

There will be times when this works in your favour and others when it doesn’t. On balance the times that favour you more will occur on these hands, so it’s a wise step to take.

The Basic strategy template I’ve included here is for a game where the dealer has to stand on Seventeen and where a hand Surrender is an option.

Return to Player (RTP)

The RTP (Return to Player) for cashback blackjack is  99.56%.

The Side Bets each have their own RTP’s.

• Dealer & Player Pairs – 95.90%.
• 21+3 – 96.30%.
• Top 3 – 91%.
• Lucky Lucky – 96.10%
• Buster – 93.87%.

Cashback Blackjack Basic Strategy

Key:

• H – Hit
• S – Stand
• Su – Surrender for Cashback
• Sp – Split
• D – Double

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Cashback Blackjack?

Cashback Blackjack is the first live dealer blackjack game that offers a cash-in value for the player’s hand before the dealer plays their hand. The cashback value is calculated using the cards that are displayed on the table and can change as the player takes more cards.

Is Cashback Blackjack the Same as Blackjack Surrender?

Cashback Blackjack is not the same as Blackjack Surrender. In Surrender, you can opt to get half of your initial stake back before you take any playing decisions if the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. In Cashback Blackjack, the player’s hand is given a monetary value depending on the cards on the table, which can be a small amount or up to nearly even money if the hand is strong.

Where can I play Live Cashback Blackjack?

Live Cashback Blackjack can be played at Playtech online live casinos. The game is not available everywhere, check out this list of casinos where you can play.

Who has created CashBack Blackjack?

Playtech Live created Cashback BLackjack live. It’s the first version and the one being played the most is Italian Cashback Blackjack, with an Italian speaking dealer.

Is Cashback Blackjack available in Live Dealer?

Yes, you can play Cashback Blackjack at online live casinos. The version from Playtech is played on one of their unlimited tables, which means you’ll never have to wait for a seat and will always get to play whenever you want. The game also has six optional side-bets.

How does Cashback Blackjack Work?

The game is played like any normal game of blackjack. Your hand is given a cashback value after the initial cards have been dealt to the dealer and player positions. As each new card is dealt to the players hand the cashback value is recalculated. You can either accept the cashback value or carry on taking cards until you either stand or bust out.

When should I surrender a Blackjack Hand?

You should play following Basic Blackjack Strategy and only surrender your hand for cashback when you’re holding a hard 15 and the dealer is showing a 10, or you have 16 and the dealer is showing a 9, 10 (J,Q,K) or Ace.

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Summary

Playtech Cashback Blackjack is a welcome addition to online live dealer blackjack.

There have been versions of Blackjack Surrender around for a few years, but they’ve not been available to most players because of licencing and jurisdiction restrictions.

Playtech Cashback Blackjack is a game for the masses and is available at a selection of the biggest online casinos.

The Playtech version is currently offered in Italian, but I’m sure we’ll see an English version before too long depending on its success.

My only major piece of advice is don’t let the cashback option go to your head. Follow the strategy I’ve outlined above to get the most of this small additional edge to the game.

In terms of this being Cashback, it’s not cashback in the traditional sense, as you have to surrender your hand.

Traditional cashback is more about receiving a percentage of your total wagers back at the end of the day. So don’t confuse the two.

This is really Blackjack Surrender under a different name.

Other Blackjack Games

If you liked Cashback Blackjack there is also a huge range of different live blackjack options to try.

1. Power Blackjack – a smaller deck, with the ability to double, triple or quadruple your bet.
2. Lightning Blackjack – Win two hands in succession and win up to a 25x payout.
3. Speed Blackjack – The fastest game of seven-seat blackjack you’ll ever play.
4. Quantum Blackjack – If you want big multipliers, 1000x is n reach if the cards fall kindly.
5. All-Bets Blackjack has 6 optional side bets!