UK's Best Progressive Blackjack Casinos

Why Play Progressive Blackjack?

Blackjack is an old and well-loved game, with a huge range of variations to try, from European Blackjack to the relatively new Blackjack Switch and cutting-edge live dealer games. But what is it that sets progressive blackjack apart?

The main difference between traditional and progressive blackjack is that players are able to place side bets in addition to their main bet on beating the dealer. These side bets contribute to a jackpot of which players win a proportion. Players place side bets on card combinations they might receive in a hand – each individual game will offer different payouts for side bets, but it’s usually four red or black Aces that award the highest payouts. Having said that, Microgaming’s Triple Sevens progressive blackjack variation requires players to receive three consecutive seven of diamonds card in order to win the jackpot, with other prizes paid out for other combinations of seven.

The clear advantage that these side betting opportunities presents is the opportunity to win life-changing jackpots. Traditional games of blackjacks are more of a slow-grind, requiring huge stakes or extended playing time to land huge sums of money. However, it’s important to remember that side bets carry more risk than a main bet on beating the dealer. As a result of this, the house edge is much higher. While this can vary, depending on the specific rules in play and the number of decks in use, a standard blackjack game has a house edge of around 0.42%.

This edge increases dramatically, depending on the odds of the side bet you’re making. The higher the odds, the higher the house edge. For instance, a bet on four mixed Aces in a six deck progressive blackjack game has odds of 2000:1. As you can imagine, the house will win this wager more often than not.

How to Play Progressive Blackjack

1. Bets are Placed

   You will place your first bet, known as the main bet, on your chances of landing 21 or gaining a better hand than the dealer. You can also place your side bets on the specific cards you’ll have in your hand at this point.

2. Cards are Dealt

   Both yours and the dealer’s first cards will be dealt up. Your second card will also be dealt face-up, and the dealer’s face down.

3. Check for Naturals

   You can now check for a natural blackjack, which means you’ll have received a ten-card and an Ace, in the first hand. In progressive blackjack, the dealer may not check his face down card and must stand on all 17s. If you’ve hit a natural 21, you will win.

4. Choose Action

   Now you can decide whether you’d like to hit, stand, split or double down. You could also make an insurance bet if the dealer has an Ace as his face-up card.

5. Results are Revealed

   Once you and the dealer both stand, the results of your cards will be revealed. The player with the highest hand, providing it does not exceed 21, will win the game, as well as a relevant proportion of the jackpot, depending on the success of their side bets.

Rules

The rules of progressive blackjack largely remain the same as that of the traditional game, however there are a few notable differences. A key variation is that the dealer may not check their face down card and must stand on all 17s. Other than this, card values and most blackjack moves remain the same.

Card Values

Card values remain the same in progressive blackjack: Cards numbered 1 to 10 are worth the number on the cards, face cards—  Jack, Queen and King— have a value of 10, and Aces are worth either 1 or 11- the player decides depending on their hand. Suits don’t play a part in determining the value of a card.

Game Play

Players can make almost all the same moves in progressive blackjack as they can in the traditional game, with the exception of surrendering. Here are your choices:

Stand
You’re making a decision to stick with the cards you have in your hand. The dealer will stick on all 17s in progressive blackjack.
Hit
You’re asking for another card in your hand in the hope of getting closer to, but not exceeding, 21. This is useful if you have been dealt two low value cards in your first hand.
Split
If your two cards are identical, you can choose to split. This means that you effectively have two hands in play. Blackjack dealers don’t have the choice to split their hands.
Double Down
This is a choice to double your initial bet, but making a commitment to stand after you’ve received one more card in your hand. Blackjack dealers can’t choose this move.
Bust
While this isn’t a choice you make – and is actually something you should avoid – it’s what happens when you, or the dealer, exceed 21

Side Betting Rules

As mentioned above, side bets in progressive blackjack are placed into a collective jackpot and you claim winnings depending on the combinations of cards you are dealt. These combinations change depending on the software provider, however. The winning combinations in Microgaming’s Progressive Triple Sevens Blackjack, for example, are a specific set of 7s, while you win on Playtech’s Progressive Blackjack through a combination of suited and unsuited aces.

Speaking of jackpots, every player pays into the game’s progressive jackpot through their side bets. Your side bets are in no way linked to the main bet and have no effect on the odds of you winning it. You can keep a track of the jackpot amount with a jackpot meter, something that has become standard in most progressive blackjack games. Once a jackpot is won, the pot resets to the seed amount – usually provided by the software supplier. Usually sitting somewhere $5,000 to $10,000, the seed is used as an incentive to get blackjack players to start betting all over again. Some software developers, like Playtech, provide free demo versions of their games in order for beginners to know exactly what they’re doing when they make each bet.

Best Progressive Blackjack Games

Progressive blackjack games are sadly not as varied as their roulette or slot counterparts, but there are still some pretty exciting titles out there. We’ve trawled through the internet to find the best progressive jackpots provided by the best software developers working today. Let’s have a look at our top choices:

Progressive Blackjack by Playtech

Playtech’s progressive blackjack game is a real standout. Packed with great visuals, exciting gameplay and an average progressive jackpot of £135,000, Playtech has a lot to offer.
Playing from six standard decks, players can double down on any two-card total, split any air of identically ranked cards and even double down after a split. Re-splitting is not permitted, however. In order to qualify for a progressive jackpot, real-money players need only place a £1 side bet. Your side bet is successful if you are dealt one more Aces and you can see the various payouts permitted by Playtech below:

• One Ace pays 5x the initial bet
• Two unsuited Aces pay 50x the initial bet
• Two suited Aces pay 100x the initial bet
• Three unsuited Aces pay 250x the initial bet
• Four unsuited Ace pay 2,500x theinitial bet
• Three suited Aces pay 5,000x the initial bet
• Four suited Aces award the full progressive jackpot

These payouts are only awarded if any of your Aces are dealt, however. It should also be mentioned that the chances of you being dealt 4 suited Aces in a six-deck game are tiny – 1 in 64.5 million to be exact. Nonetheless, when the jackpot exceeds £463,000 then your side bet begins to offer a positive expectation.

Progressive Triple Blackjack Sevens by Microgaming

It’s Microgaming’s experience that separates them from the rest when it comes to game development. Claiming to have created the world’s first online casino software way back in 1994, it should come as no surprise that they were also the first to introduce a progressive blackjack game. 

Progressive Triple Sevens Blackjack is a five deck game where the dealer has to stand on a soft 17, you can split only once and double down on initial totals of 9 through 11. The key difference between them and Playrech, however, is that you can’t split after doubling down. 

As is standard, a small initial bet of £1 is all that’s needed to qualify for the jackpot which will be awarded after being dealt a combination of sevens. The various combinations are: 

• Any 7 awards £5 
• Two unsuited 7s awards £25 
• Two suited 7s award £50 
• Three consecutive unsuited 7s returns a payout of £250 
• Three 7s of spades, clubs or hearts awards £1,000
• Three 7s of diamonds awards the full progressive jackpot.

Because of the nature of Microgaming’s progressive jackpot, you will have to deviate from the basic blackjack strategy of splitting a pair of 7s. But this is a small price to pay when you consider that the average win is £58,000. Your side bet also gives a positive expectation whenever the jackpot exceeds £86,000. 

Progressive Blackjack by WGS Technology

WGS Technology (formerly Vegas Technology) makes up for it’s smaller size compared to Microgaming and Playtech by providing a demo version of their progressive blackjack game. Players will be able to try out the game in certain online casinos before deciding to invest fully. WGS’s progressive blackjack game is also incredibly playable, laden with lush visuals that create a truly immersive experience. 

The game uses 4 standard decks and the qualifying bet is £1. Much like Playtech’s game, the jackpot is triggered when you are dealt a combination of Aces. The various combinations are: 

• Two unsuited Aces pay out £25 
• Two suited Aces pay out £50 
• Three unsuited Aces pay out £250 
• Three suited Aces pay out £2,500
• Four unsuited Aces pay out 10% of the progressive prize 
• Four suited Aces pay out the full progressive jackpot 

It goes without saying that this progressive jackpot, as well as all the others mentioned above, are optional and have no bearing on whether you just want to play standard blackjack. Should you make a side bet, however, you can expect it to give a positive expectation when the pot reaches £227,000.

Play Blackjack for Free

Betting on a side bet in addition to the usual blackjack wagers can add up as you rack up playing time. Blackjack is one of the few games that isn’t entirely dependent on chance, so If you’re a beginner, you’ll want to get some practice before you put your hard earned cash on the line. One of the benefit of online gambling sites over their brick and mortar casino brethren is that many offer free demo versions of blackjack. Of course, the side bet feature won’t be active as there’s no jackpot to be had, but the rules and gameplay remain the same. There are no strings attached and there’s no requirement to move on to a real money blackjack game – you can keep playing for fun without wagering a penny. 

Mobile Progressive Blackjack

Just about every good casino offers a mobile-friendly site. This means you won’t be tied to your desktop if you want to beat the dealer to 21. You’ll be able to sign up, claim your bonus and play for the jackpot on the go with the best progressive blackjack mobile casinos. If you manage to get lucky and land a win, you’ll be able to withdraw your winnings from the palm of your hand too. Want faster loading times, push notifications and an all-round smoother experience? Try mobile casino apps – the best online casinos make them available for download, free for iOS and Android users.

Claim Your Bonus

There are a variety of blackjack bonuses that can be claimed, with the most generous being awarded to new players. Depending on which casino you sign up with, you’ll be able to claim welcome bonuses like matched deposits, no deposit bonuses and no wagering bonuses. It’s important to remember that the biggest bonus isn’t always the best – look out for the terms and conditions to identify the bonus that gives you the best chance of winning withdrawal cash. If you’re an infrequent player, for example, no wagering bonuses might be a great offer for you, as they allow you to withdraw any bonus winnings right away, without having to satisfy any wagering requirements. If you’d like to browse around before you pick your new casino, no deposit bonuses allow you to do so, on the house. Of course, there are stipulations in place to limit your ability to win. When playing progressive blackjack, in almost every instance, you won’t be able to win the jackpot. This is because most bonus terms and conditions place a cap on your maximum winnings. These kinds of wins are reserved exclusively for real money players.