Transylvania Blackjack is one of the latest additions to Playtech’s portfolio of live dealer games, and it can be found at a large number of online casinos offering content from this leading game developer. This particular variation of live blackjack allows up to 7 players to sit at the table and comes with the Bet Behind option. With it, you can bet on fellow players’ hands.
Streamed in HD quality to most desktop and mobile platforms, Playtech’s Transylvania Blackjack is hosted by professional blackjack dealers and creates a dark yet authentic casino atmosphere. The game itself follows the European play style, where there is no hole card. Instead, the dealer draws only one card initially, and once the player ends his turn, the dealer can draw a second card from the shoe. Another important rule to remember is that the dealer must stand on all 17s. This seven-seat live version of blackjack uses eight standard decks of cards and offers two interesting side bets. If played with basic strategy, the game has an expected return of 99.46%.
| Transylvania Blackjack Summary | |
|---|---|
| Software Provider | Playtech |
| Number of Decks | 8 |
| RTP | 99.46% |
| Min Bet | $5.00 |
| Max Bet | $2,500 |
| Blackjack Payout | 3:2 |
| Dealer Stand | All 17s |
| Exposure | 1 Exposed Card, No Hole Card |
| Surrender | No |
| Jackpot | 100x bet |
Allowed Moves of Transylvania Blackjack
Blackjack is a skill-based game, and the outcome always depends on the players’ decisions. This is why it is so important for players to understand the rules and know all their options in a particular game. The round in Transylvania Blackjack starts when the player places a bet. He receives two face-up cards, while the dealer draws only one card for himself, which is also exposed. The player has several moves he can make, depending on his hand.
One of them is to Hit, which means to request another card, while another option is to Stand, meaning the player refuses additional cards and ends his turn. If the initial hand is a pair, Splitting is also allowed. With this move, players split the current hand into two one-card hands and place a second bet equal to the original stake. Then, the dealer deals one card to each of the two split hands. Only one split is allowed, and players receive only one card to split aces.
Many players also want to double their bets when they have good hands. In this live version of blackjack, they can double down on any two cards, either on the initial hand or on split two-card hands. Once they double down, their original bet doubles, and they receive a third and final card. Some versions of blackjack allow players to surrender half of their bet when the dealer is likely to have blackjack. This option is not available in Transylvania Blackjack.
Last but not least, players can also buy Insurance. This is a side bet offered only when the dealer’s initial card is an Ace. When players take insurance, they wager an amount equal to half of their original bet, and they win only if the dealer actually has blackjack. The payout is 2:1. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet loses.
Specific Features of Transylvania Blackjack
One of the features specific to Playtech’s live blackjack games is the Bet Behind feature. It allows players to join the live game even if all seven seats are taken. They simply bet on the cards of one of the seated players. When you play in this mode, you rely on the skill of the player who makes the decisions, which can be risky. However, you can Bet Behind multiple players simultaneously, and even if you are seated at the table, you can use this option to bet on other players’ hands.
The other feature in this Transylvania Blackjack, also common to all live dealer blackjack games by Playtech, is the presence of two side bets. One of them is called Perfect Pairs. When placing this bet, players wager that either they or the dealer will receive a pair, which consists of two cards of the same value. Pairs can be two cards of the same suit and value, such as two nines of hearts, or they can be of the same value and color, such as a nine of hearts and a nine of diamonds. If the cards have the same value but different suits and colors, they are considered mixed, for instance, a nine of hearts and a nine of spades. Here are the three possible payouts for a winning Perfect Pairs bet:
- Perfect Pair: 25:1
- Color Pair: 12:1
- Mixed Pair: 6:1
The other side bet introduced by Playtech is the 21+3 bet. It is a little more complicated; with it, players wager that the cards on the table (their cards plus the dealer’s card) will form one of several poker hands. Up to five winning poker hands can be formed:
- Suited Three of a Kind: 100:1
- Straight Flush: 40:1
- Three of a Kind: 30:1
- Straight: 10:1
- Flush: 5:1
Verdict
Playtech’s Transylvania Blackjack is an excellent live dealer version of standard European-style blackjack, but it offers more generous payouts than the typical game. The side bets are optional, of course, and before placing them, players should know that the theoretical return-to-player percentage is lower: 95.90% for the Perfect Pairs bet and 96.3% for the 21+3 bet.