Perfect Pair & 21+3 Brings Excitement to the Table
Perfect Pair & 21+3 Brings Excitement to the Table
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Blackjack Game Review: Perfect Pair & 21+3 Brings Excitement to the Table

The internet has changed in these past 25 years since the first Bodog website was launched. The look and feel of the Web itself aren’t all that different from the turn of the millennium, but the sheer amount of computing power behind it has grown immensely. Today, you can whip out your phone and play online blackjack in Canada anytime you like, from anywhere you can get a signal – no computers, no cables, no problem.

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The blackjack games at Bodog Casino keep getting better, too. The latest offerings from Dragon Gaming include an especially spicy variant called Blackjack Perfect Pair & 21+3, which takes the world’s most popular table game and makes it even more exciting by letting you place side bets on which cards you’ll be dealt. Here’s our comprehensive guide for how to play Blackjack Perfect Pair & 21+3 at Bodog.

How to Play Blackjack Game: The Basics of Perfect Pair & 21+3

All of the blackjack games at Bodog Casino are based on the classic casino card game we all know and love. Most Canadians grew up learning the basics; it’s you versus the dealer, and the winner is the one who gets closer to 21 points without going over. A standard deck of cards is used, with Jacks, Queens and Kings worth 10 points each, Aces worth either 1 or 11 points, and everything else has face value. And like most blackjack games in Vegas, Blackjack Perfect Pair & 21+3 is played with eight decks in the virtual shoe.

After you place your initial bet (any dollar amount between $1 and $500 inclusive) on the sleek black layout provided by Dragon Gaming – with room to play up to three blackjack hands at once – you and the dealer will each receive two cards. Yours will be face-up; the dealer gets one card face-up and the other face-down.

Now it’s your turn. Do you already have 21 points, meaning your two cards are an Ace and a 10-value card? That means you have a “natural” blackjack. As long as the dealer doesn’t also have a natural, you’re an instant winner, paid out at 3:2 odds for making the best hand in the game (ties in standard blackjack are graded as a push, all monies returned).

If you don’t already have blackjack, you have a decision to make. Should you take more cards and try to get closer to 21? You might improve your chances of winning, but you also risk “busting” by going over. Your best move will depend on how far away you are from 21 – and which up-card the dealer is showing.

Here are the moves you’ll have at your disposal when it’s your turn to act:

Stand: Keep the cards you have and end your turn
Hit: Receive one card from the dealer and continue your turn
Double (aka Double Down): Increase your bet 2X, receive one card and end your turn
Split: When dealt a pair, split those two cards into separate blackjack hands, doubling your bet in the process, and receive one card for each. Your turn continues.

Surrender: Fold your hand immediately and have half of your wager returned.

Perfect Pair & 21+3 also features the classic Insurance side bet, which you can place at the start of your hand if the dealer’s up-card is an Ace. When you place the Insurance bet, the dealer will reveal their down-card, and you’ll be paid out at 2:1 if the dealer has 21.

As much fun as this standard blackjack game is, the extra side bets in Perfect Pair & 21+3 make it even more fun. There are two included, and they’re baked into the name of the game: Perfect Pair pays out when you’re dealt two cards of the same rank and same suit, and 21+3 pays out when your two hole cards and the dealer’s up-card form one of the following three-card poker hands.

Flush (example: 9h, Qh, Ah)
Straight (9h, Tc, Jd)
Straight Flush (9h, Th, Jh)
Three of a Kind (9h, 9c, 9d)
Suited Three of a Kind (9h, 9h, 9h)

You can place these Perfect Pair and 21+3 side bets (between $1 and $100) at the start of your hand, using your virtual chips and the designated betting areas on the layout. There’s no particular strategy to follow here, nor will your choice have any effect on the blackjack hand itself and your chances of winning. Change your bet size between hands or take it off the table as you see fit.

So you’ve placed your bets, and the first cards have been dealt. You’ll already know whether you’ve won the side bets in Perfect Pair & 21+3 before you have to make any of the decisions listed above. If you weren’t dealt a natural, one of those five choices will mathematically give you the best return for your wager. Standing is always the best option when you have 20, for example. Never split a pair when you have 20.

Conversely, you should always hit in blackjack if you’re dealt an unpaired eight points or fewer. Everything in between depends on the cards you see face-up on the table. You can download blackjack strategy guides off the internet (always use a reliable source) and use them while you play at Bodog Casino. Make sure your chart matches the particular rules for the Perfect Pair & 21+3 variant, including the eight decks in the shoe.

Speaking of which, here’s the big one to remember: The dealer always stands on 17. After your turn is complete, and assuming you haven’t already won or lost the hand, it’s the dealer’s turn – which starts with the reveal of their up-card. If they don’t have you beat, the dealer can only keep drawing cards if they have fewer than 17 points, in which case they’re forced to stand. This rule includes all those “soft 17” hands with an Ace in them, unlike other variants where the dealer is forced to hit on soft 17.

Online Blackjack Features: What Makes Perfect Pair & 21+3 Stand Out?

If you’ve ever played live blackjack at a bricks-and-mortar casino, you’ll have witnessed first-hand how popular those side bets are. That extra action really livens things up – but the first wave of online blackjack games at Bodog Casino didn’t have this as an option.

Now you’ve got two of the most popular side bets in blackjack at your fingertips. The 21+3 side bet (aka the “Poker” bet) is a classic wager that pops up in other card games, like Pai Gow Poker. You may have also played the Perfect Pairs blackjack variant at Bodog, in which case you’ll be familiar with the concept of a “perfect” pair with both cards of the same suit. If a casino game has multiple decks in the shoe, there’s a good chance it has a Perfect Pair side bet you can make.

You don’t have to place these side bets, of course. Perfect Pair & 21+3 is an enjoyable blackjack game in and of itself, with a sleek layout and advanced gameplay setting like Turbo Mode, which switches on this game’s “Fast Deal” function. The game even keeps track of your hand history while you’re playing, so you can go back and see your results for each session you play at Bodog Casino.

If you’re a more traditional-minded blackjack player, you can skip those side bets and focus on the main game – or you can dip your toe in the water by placing the minimum $1 bet. You don’t have to be a high roller to enjoy Perfect Pair & 21+3; whether you’re brand new to Bodog Casino or an experienced player, this game will fit your blackjack needs and your bankroll, too.

Online Blackjack in Canada at Bodog

Did you know that the history of blackjack has an important Canadian chapter? This game may have European roots dating at least as far back as the early 1600s, but it was during the Klondike Gold Rush in the Yukon Territory that the game known as vingt-un (French for “21”) became “blackjack” as we know it. The name refers to a mineral, also called sphalerite and zinc blende, that was used by prospectors at the time.

Canada is also a proud pioneer when it comes to online blackjack. Bodog Casino was one of the very first on the scene. Bodog is a Canadian brand, starting its online casino business way back in 1996 – even before the website proper was launched in 2000. We’ve been the industry leader ever since, updating our menu on the regular to ensure we’re providing the best online blackjack games possible.

Our Customer Service desk at Bodog is also designed with Canadian customers in mind. If you have any questions or requests you need taken care of, we’re on duty 24/7 to help you. We also have a treasure trove of useful blackjack articles written by Canadians who love the game, as well as a comprehensive FAQ and Help guides on our website.

Online Blackjack for Real Money: Why Choose Perfect Pair & 21+3?

We have 15 different blackjack variants on the menu right now, so there are many different games you could be playing – but we’re confident you’ll enjoy Perfect Pair & 21+3 with those added side bets in your arsenal. Give it a try if you want to add a little spice to your blackjack experience at Bodog; it might even become your new favourite blackjack game.

Perfect Pair & 21+3 also happens to be one of the best ways for new blackjack players to get in the game at Bodog. Not including the side bets, this variant features an incredibly high Return to Player (RTP) of 99.5% when you use the optimal strategy (aka “basic” blackjack strategy) to make the right moves. New players tend to make more mistakes when they’re just learning, so it’s always better to minimize your risk by playing the games with the highest RTP.

Those $1 minimum bets can also keep you in the game longer while you’re learning the blackjack ropes. Perfect Pair & 21+3 doesn’t include the same Practice Play mode as most of our other blackjack games at Bodog Casino, but you can still dabble in both standard blackjack play and side bets by throwing in a token buck here and there.

Having control over that Turbo Mode is another plus if you’re new to online blackjack. More experienced players might prefer turning that mode on and getting their cards more quickly, preferably all three hands at once, but there’s no need to rush when you’re a beginner. Take it one hand at a time, without engaging the Fast Deal function, and place those smaller bets while you get used to the layout and the game.

In the end, you can’t go wrong with any of the blackjack games we have for you in our casino – but you’ll get a fresh and dynamic take on blackjack when you play Perfect Pair & 21+3. Give it a try today by signing up for your free Bodog account if you haven’t already, then make your first deposit with us, claim your 100% Casino Welcome Bonus (we’ll bump it up to 150% if you use Bitcoin, Ethereum or any other digital coin on our list), and take your seat at the table. Welcome, and thank you for making Bodog Casino the No. 1 destination for online blackjack in Canada and across the Americas.

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