Zero Lounge - Blackjack - Optimal Strategy - Betfair

I also enjoy the occasional game of Blackjack - when the house odds are good ;)

Betfair casino has a "Zero Lounge" games suite whose games all boast a full one hundred percent return. This is a unique and welcome online gambling concept.

The table below shows an optimal strategy for Betfair Zero Lounge Blackjack. The rules for this unique game are 8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, peek for blackjack, double on 8-11, aces may not be split, 2:1 bonus for a 5-card 21, and 2:1 bonus for a suited blackjack.

House Edge

The more usual rules – 8 deck, dealer stands on Soft 17, double on 8-11 and double down after Split - give a house edge of 0.527%. Not being able to split aces is bad for the player, costing a further 0.176%, giving a grand total of 0.703%.

Player's Edge

Suited blackjack adds 0.564% and the five-card 21 adds 0.2%, giving an overall return of around 100.061%, marginally in excess of the 100% claimed !

The 5-card 21 bonus influences play on some 4 card hands.
Here are the suggested 4 card exceptions:

Hard 12 vs 4,5 and 6 - Hit.
Hard 13 vs 2,3 and 4 - Hit.
Hard 14 vs 2 - Hit.
Hard 17 vs Ace - Hit.
Soft 18 (Ace,7) vs 2,3,4,5 and 8 - Hit.

It should be relatively simple to clear the £50 bonus using this optimal strategy. This is the only 'correct' way to play, excluding luck.

However, you should allow a £200 deposit to compensate for variance and also apply good bankroll management.

I would suggest playing 3 hands at once with a £2 stake (£6 total bet) to clear the bonus faster.
If your bankroll should drop bellow £150 then reduce your stake to £1 (£3 total bet)
If your bankroll should drop bellow £100 then reduce your hands to 2 (£2 total bet)
If your bankroll should drop bellow £50 then reduce your hands to 1 (£1 total bet)

This is only an example of good bankroll management and you can of course re-raise the stake when your bankroll increases again.

Enjoy and Good Luck at the table ;)