How to Play Evolution’s Brand-New Lightning Blackjack

Evolution Gaming currently boasts an impressive lineup of blackjack games solutions at any live casino. This includes the likes of 7 Speed Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack, Power Blackjack, and of course, Lightning Blackjack. The former is the latest addition to Evolution’s extensive catalog, debuting just recently on November 17. So, what’s all about this live blackjack?

What is Evolution’s Lightning Blackjack?

Lightning Blackjack is a live and first-person blackjack variant that features enhanced and multiplied payouts. As is the norm with most games from Evolution Gaming, Lightning Blackjack features superior 3D graphics and a “GO LIVE” button that launches the live dealer variant.

According to Todd Haushalter, Evolution’s Chief Product Officer, players will definitely love this game. That’s because it maintains the true meaning of blackjack while giving them enhanced payouts, thanks to the Lightning multipliers. Of course, if you’ve played Lightning Roulette, then you’ll know what he’s talking about.

How to play Evolution’s Lightning Blackjack?

As expected, this game maintains standard blackjack rules and uses eight decks of 52 cards at any live casino online. In plain words, players (you) only need to aim for a higher score than the dealer without going bust or exceeding 21.

That said, the best hand in this table game variant is blackjack. And to get it, your first two cards must total 21 – no more, no less. Also, you’ll be playing against the dealer, and an unlimited number of players can join the fun. Sounds familiar, huh?

Evolution’s Lightning Blackjack multipliers

Things are a bit different in Lightning Blackjack, however. That’s because you must pay the mandatory 100% Lightning Fee at the start of each betting round to fund the multipliers. That is, if you place a $10 bet at the start of a betting round, an equal amount is deducted from your balance to make the total bet amount to be $20. Just look at it as a side bet.

Speaking of multipliers, they can be assigned to hand values of 17 or less. The possible multipliers include:

• 2x – 4-17 hand values.
• 2x – 18
• 3x – 19
• 4x – 20
• 5x - 21
• 6x - Blackjack

An ordinary winning hand can pay between 2x and 15x, whereas a blackjack hand pays anything between 6x and 25x the initial bet. Don’t worry; these figures will appear on the panel behind the dealer. The multiplier is carried forward to the subsequent round if you beat the dealer.

Still don’t get it? Here’s an example; you place a $5 bet plus a mandatory bet of an equal amount. Then, you beat the dealer by creating 20 against 17 on their hand. Then, with a Lightning Multiplier of 4x, you win the $5 bet plus a 4x multiplier on the next hand. Winning the next round gives you $20 (4x$5).

Evolution’s Lightning Blackjack RTP and payout

It’s hard not to love the RTP of this game. Evolution advertises an RTP rate of 99.56%. But if you look closely, the multipliers and Lightning Fee makes the RTP more volatile. So, the payout rate only works during the first hand.

As for the payout table, an ordinary winning hand pays out at a rate of 1:1. This means placing a $5 bet gives you an additional $5, making it $10 in total. If you’re lucky to create a blackjack, you enjoy a payout of 3:2, while the insurance bet pays out at 2:1.

Evolution’s Lightning Blackjack final thoughts

There is nothing new about Lightning Blackjack except the mandatory Lightning Fee and multipliers. Just say that all aspects of the game resemble a regular blackjack, just that you enjoy added winning opportunities in this game. What’s more, Evolution released this game with its own custom cheat sheet. It can’t be any better!