Bottoms Up Blackjack

Blackjack Variations > Bottoms Up Blackjack

Bottoms Up Blackjack can be found at the Riviera on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip. There is one table of Bottoms Up Blackjack and it is located in the Crazy Girls Party Pit. This table is only open during peak hours, which are typically between 8pm and 2am Thursday-Sunday. The minimum bet for the game is usually $10 and the maximum bet is $500.

All cards are dealt up in Bottoms Up Blackjack. This includes both of the dealer’s cards. The rest of the game is played similar to a standard blackjack game. There are a few exceptions.

Blackjacks pay even money. A player cannot push on blackjack. If a player is dealt blackjack at the same time that the dealer is dealt blackjack then the player is paid even money instead of pushing. Players lose all other push hands. This means that if the player has 20 and the dealer has 20 then the player must hit and hope for an ace because otherwise they will lose.

Players can only double down on 10 or 11. Players may split, although a double down after splitting is not allowed. Unlike other blackjack games, players may not split ten value cards unless they are a pair. This means that a Jack and a Queen may not be split. Split aces receive just one card and may not be resplit. The dealer hits a soft 17.

Similar games may be found at online casinos. Online Blackjack versions of this game offer much better rules than the game in the party pit at Riviera. Live casinos tend to offer lower quality games in their party pits that feature beautiful dealers. Online casinos do not have this overhead.

Microgaming casinos offer Double Exposure Blackjack that allows a player to double down on 9-11, double down after splitting and resplit aces. Real Time Gaming offers a similar game without the resplit aces option. Top Game offers these same rules and is available for players in the US. The difference in house edge is minimal though, especially when considering that Riviera offers players an open bar, free hotels rooms to most table game players, gorgeous dealers and a dancer’s pole to add to the ambience.