We’re no strangers to blackjack variants, nor do casinos lack new variations of the popular 21 game. Still, we keep unearthing new variations and unique forms of the classic gambling game. Today we explain the term Zappit Blackjack, a game well known to players at Bovada and Bodog casinos. However, outside these venues, it’s relatively obscure (and with good reason).
Zappit Blackjack is a unique blackjack variant which allows players to exchange their given hands for a new hand, all in the hope of getting a better hand. A simple ‘zap’ of the hand means you get to exchange two cards for two new cards in the shuffle, which gives you new chances to create better hands and, hopefully, beat the dealer.
This variation was introduced by Geoff Hall, who patented it and sold it to Scientific Games (Shuffle Master). It’s insanely scarce, appearing only at Bodog and Bovada casinos. You cannot find it anywhere else, which is perhaps why not many players have heard of it.
Still, even with its unique ‘zapping’ functionality, Zappit Blackjack remains very close to the classic blackjack variant. It’s not that different from games you are probably very used to playing, making it a great table to explore if you are bored with the classics yet cannot invest time into learning an altogether different blackjack variant.
Let’s go over the basic rules of the game.
First, the game uses 6 decks of cards in the shoe, which are all shuffled in between every game round.
As always, the objective here is to land a hand that’s closest to 21 or 21 and beat the dealer’s hand. If you go over 21, you go bust.
However, in Zappit Blackjack, the dealer pushes on 22 total, which means if the dealer lands a 22, you push, not lose the round. Finally, dealers hit on soft 17.
You can use Surrender, double after a Split, and split Aces (but you cannot re-split them).
When it comes to payouts, Insurance pays 2:1, while Blackjack pays 3:2.
However, there are also unique Zappit rules.
The first one is regarding payouts – if you hit a blackjack after a zap, it’s an automatic win that pays 1:1.
Another rule is that the dealer can peek at the cards, but you can zap before the peek.
Finally, the most important rules – you can zap only if your hand total is within a certain range (like 15-17 or something). Your two debut cards are discarded. However, once you zap, that’s it – you cannot zap again. Lastly, the total hand of 22 by the dealer results in a push for the players. As you can see, the rules are not that complicated, save for a couple of additions that you are surely going to get accustomed to within minutes. Other than that, the game plays out the same way as traditional blackjack.
Here is a quick breakdown of a typical round of Zappit Blackjack.
This game is playable only at Bovada and Bodog, so we are listing the rules of gameplay available at those sites only.
At the start of the round, players choose a betting amount. Pick a chip and place it on your position. As this is an RNG game, there is no live dealer. Instead, the game automatically starts drawing cards from the 6-deck shoe.
Both of your cards will be shown face up for you to see them, while the dealer’s house card will be placed face down.
Once the cards are dealt, you choose what you want to do – Hit, Stand, Surrender, Double Down, Split. Depending on the hand, you will see options available to you in front of you.
If your total is within the selected range (15, 16, 17, or 18, depending on the casino) you can choose to zap the hand. The Zap button lets you discard of the two initial cards and then receive two new cards from the deck.
Now, this is risky as you might get a completely useless hand or you could get a bust hand. Still, it’s a risk that many players find worthy as they can potentially win immediately.
If the result of a zap is a blackjack hand, the player automatically wins with a 1:1 payout. If the dealer’s hand is higher, the dealer wins. And lastly, if the dealer somehow lands a 22, the player’s hand is a push, not a loss.
After the cards are shown, the result appears on the screen and players can get ready for the next round.
As we previously said, this exclusive variant is only available at Bovada Casino, which means it’s an exclusive variant. You cannot play it anywhere else except Bodog and Bovada.
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